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US 2009/0211602 A1Published application
System and Method For Removing Edge-Bead Material
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsThomas Winter, James Hart, Jeremy Fink, Mark Winkler
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide edge-bead removal systems and methods for removing edge-bead material from one or more surfaces of semiconductor wafers. Embodiments of the invention may be applied to process wafers at different points in a manufacturing cycle, and the wafers can include one or more metal layers.
Claims20
A method of processing a wafer comprising:
- positioning the wafer on a wafer holder in a processing chamber, the wafer having edge bead material on an outer surface;
- positioning an edge bead removal subsystem proximate a wafer edge, wherein the edge bead removal subsystem is configured to provide a first set of fluids and/or gasses to a first cleaning space proximate the wafer edge using a first set of flow ports, and is configured to remove a second set of fluids and/or gasses from the first cleaning space using a second set of flow ports;
- performing an edge bead removal procedure using the edge bead removal subsystem, wherein a first portion of the edge bead material is removed from the wafer;
- determining a first processing state for the wafer, the first processing state being a first value when substantially all of the edge bead material is removed and being a second value when the edge bead material is partially removed;
- removing the wafer from the processing chamber, if the first processing state is the first value;
- and
- performing a corrective action, if the first processing state is the second value.
4 more elements
A system for processing a wafer having an edge bead on an outer surface, comprising:
- a processing chamber having a wafer transfer port for transferring a wafer into and out of a process space;
- a wafer table for positioning the wafer in the processing chamber when the wafer is processed;
- a translation unit coupled to the processing chamber and the wafer table, the translation unit being configured to rotate the wafer table;
- an edge bead removal subsystem coupled to the processing chamber, the edge bead removal subsystem being configured to provide one or more fluids to an edge of the wafer;
- a supply subsystem configured to provide processing fluids and/or gasses at correct temperatures and flow rates to the edge bead removal subsystem;
- and
- a controller for determining a first processing state for the edge of the wafer, wherein the wafer is removed from the processing chamber if the first processing state is a first value, wherein substantially all of the edge bead is removed, and the wafer is reprocessed in the processing chamber if the first processing state is a second value, wherein the edge bead is partially removed.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.