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US 2001/0017146 A1Published application
Thermocapillary dryer
AssigneeSemitool, Inc.
InventorEric J. Bergman
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSemitool, Inc.
InventorEric J. Bergman
Estimating the term…
A process and apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers, includes the controlled-rate extraction of a wafer immersed in rinsing liquid, irradiation of the wafer using high intensity lights or filaments along the wafer-liquid interface, and delivery of gas streams against the wafer along the wafer-liquid interface using a gas delivery system. Heating is controlled to create a temperature gradient without evaporating rinsing fluid adhering to surfaces of the wafer. Heating by the radiation sources creates a temperature gradient in the wafer in the irradiated region that simultaneously generates a surface tension gradient in the water adhering to the wafer. The gas delivery system removes the bulk of the water adhering to the wafer surface, and also suppresses the height of the rinsing liquid adhering to the wafer, providing faster extraction of dry and highly clean wafers from the rinsing liquid. A solvent vapor is optionally injected at the wafer-liquid interface, to reduce adhesion of the liquid to the vapor.
A method for drying a semiconductor wafer having two planar surfaces, comprising the steps of:
The method of clam 1 wherein the gas is nitrogen.
A method for drying a semiconductor wafer having two substantially planar surfaces and being initially immersed in liquid, the method comprising steps of:
An apparatus for drying at least one semiconductor wafer, the apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for drying at least one semiconductor wafer, the apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.