# US 2019/0172728 A1 · Method and apparatus for wafer outgassing control

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- Number: US 2019/0172728 A1
- Document ID: US20190172728A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/172,266
- Filed: 2018-10-26
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-16
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Xinyu BAO; Chun YAN; Hua CHUNG; Schubert S. CHU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172728A1

## CPC

- H10P 72/00: Handling or holding of wafers, substrates or devices during manufacture or treatment thereof
- H10P 72/10: using carriers specially adapted therefor, e.g. front opening unified pods [FOUP]
- H10P 72/1926: {characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier}
- H10P 72/30: for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to apparatus and methods for controlling substrate outgassing such that hazardous gasses are eliminated from a surface of a substrate after a Si:As process has been performed on a substrate, and prior to additional processing. The apparatus includes a purge station including an enclosure, a gas supply coupled to the enclosure, an exhaust pump coupled to the enclosure, a first purge gas port formed in the enclosure, a first channel operatively connected to the gas supply at a first end and to the first purge gas port at a second end, a second purge gas port formed in the enclosure, and a second channel operatively connected to the second purge gas port at a third end and to the exhaust pump at a fourth end. The first channel includes a particle filter, a heater, and a flow controller. The second channel includes a dry scrubber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor processing system, comprising:
a purge station, comprising:
an enclosure;
a gas supply coupled to the enclosure;
an exhaust pump coupled to the enclosure;
a first purge gas port formed in the enclosure;
a first channel operatively connected to the gas supply at a first end and to the first purge gas port at a second end, wherein the first channel comprises:
a heater; and
a flow controller;
a second purge gas port formed in the enclosure; and
a second channel operatively connected to the second purge gas port at a third end and to the exhaust pump at a fourth end, wherein the second channel comprises a dry scrubber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, further comprising a divider disposed between the first purge gas port and the second purge gas port.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 2, wherein the divider comprises a quartz material, a polytetrafluoroethylene material, or a thermoplastic material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, further comprising a first valve disposed between the first channel and the first purge gas port and a second valve disposed between the second purge gas port and the second channel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, further comprising a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) coupled to an outside of the purge station.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 5, wherein the FOUP is operatively connected to the first purge gas port and to the second purge gas port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 5, further comprising a non-metal divider disposed between the first purge gas port and the second purge gas port, wherein the FOUP comprises at least one substrate support disposed horizontally therein, and wherein the divider is oriented vertically and extends along the at least one substrate support.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 7, wherein the divider comprises a quartz material, a polytetrafluoroethylene material, or a thermoplastic material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, further comprising:
a gas detector disposed within the second purge gas port.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, further comprising:
a controller operatively connected to the purge station to control operation of the gas supply, the heater, the flow controller, the exhaust pump, and the dry scrubber.

### Claim 11

A semiconductor processing system, comprising:
a purge station, comprising:
an enclosure;
a gas supply coupled to the enclosure;
an exhaust pump coupled to the enclosure;
a first purge gas port formed in the enclosure;
a first channel operatively connected to the gas supply at a first end and to the first purge gas port at a second end, wherein the first channel comprises at least one of:
a heater; and
a flow controller;
a second purge gas port formed in the enclosure and having a gas detector disposed therein;
a second channel operatively connected to the second purge gas port at a third end and to the exhaust pump at a fourth end; and
a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) coupled to the purge station, wherein the FOUP is operatively connected to the first purge gas port and to the second purge gas port and the FOUP comprises at least one horizontal substrate support.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 11, wherein the second channel comprises a dry scrubber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 11, further comprising a divider disposed between the first purge gas port and the second purge gas port.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 13, wherein the divider comprises a quartz material, a polytetrafluoroethylene material, or a thermoplastic material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 11, further comprising a first valve disposed between the first channel and the first purge gas port and a second valve disposed between the second purge gas port and the second channel.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor processing system of claim 11, further comprising:
a controller operatively connected to the purge station to control operation of the gas supply, the heater, the flow controller, and the exhaust pump.

### Claim 17

A semiconductor processing method, comprising:
(a) operatively connecting a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) to a purge station having a purge gas inlet and a purge gas outlet separated by a divider;
(b) disposing a semiconductor substrate in the FOUP;
(c) supplying a purge gas to the FOUP via the purge gas inlet by directing the purge gas through a heater prior to entering the FOUP and directing the purge gas through a flow controller prior to entering the FOUP;
(d) passing the purge gas through the FOUP;
(e) removing the purge gas from the FOUP via the purge gas outlet;
(f) measuring a toxic gas outgassing level after the purge gas is removed from the FOUP; and
(g) flowing the purge gas through a dry scrubber after removing the purge gas from the FOUP.

### Claim 18

(canceled)

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the directing the purge gas through the heater prior to entering the FOUP heats the purge gas to a temperature between about 30 degrees Celsius and about 100 degrees Celsius.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the directing the purge gas through a flow controller prior to entering the FOUP controls the flow of the purge gas to a flow rate between about 1 CFM and about 350 CFM.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the directing the purge gas through the heater prior to entering the FOUP heats the purge gas to a temperature from about 30 degrees Celsius to about 100 degrees Celsius, and wherein the directing the purge gas through a flow controller prior to entering the FOUP controls the flow of the purge gas to a flow rate from about 1 CFM to about 350 CFM.