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US 2014/0150826 A1Published application
Wafer cleaning apparatus and methods
OwnerPeter D. Albrecht, Brian Schulte +4inventors
InventorsPeter D. Albrecht, Brian Schulte, Vandan Tanna, Terry Grace, Desmond Teo, Fu Shun Ng
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Abstract
A wafer cleaning apparatus includes a beam for holding a plurality of semiconductor or solar wafers. The beam includes at least one channel extending axially through the beam. An opening extends from the channel to a location between adjacent wafers. A manifold includes a conduit coupled to the channel and an immersion tank includes an ultrasonic transducer.
Claims21
A wafer cleaning apparatus, comprising:
- a beam for supporting a plurality of semiconductor wafers, the beam including at least one channel extending axially through the beam;
- an opening extending from the channel to a location between adjacent wafers;
- a manifold including a conduit for facilitating liquid flow through the opening;
- and
- an immersion tank including an ultrasonic transducer, the immersion tank sized to receive at least a pair of adjacent wafers.
2 more elements
A method of removing contaminants from a pair of adjacent wafers bonded to a sacrificial beam, the method comprising:
- coupling a manifold to the sacrificial beam such that a fluid conduit of the manifold is in fluid communication with a channel that extends axially through the sacrificial beam;
- submerging the wafers in a liquid contained in an immersion tank, the immersion tank including an ultrasonic transducer;
- flowing the liquid through the manifold such that the liquid flows through the channel and an inter-wafer opening, and contacts the wafers;
- and
- operating the ultrasonic transducer to induce vibrations within the immersion tank.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.