Apparatus and process for washing wafers

Abstract

An apparatus for washing a wafer, having a wafer-washing tank holding a washing liquid and receiving a wafer, a washing-liquid inlet provided in a first part of the sidewall of the tank, a washing-liquid outlet provided in a second part of the sidewall of the tank opposite to the first part of the sidewall, and a device holding the wafer in the tank so that the wafer is parallel to the level of the washing liquid when the wafer is immersed into or positioned in the washing liquid in the tank, and a device producing an essentially horizontal flow of the washing liquid in the tank. A process for washing a wafer, having the steps of producing a horizontal flow of the washing liquid in the tank, immersing a wafer cassette holding the wafer into the washing liquid in the tank so that the wafer is parallel to the level of the washing liquid in the tank, and subsequently positioning the cassette in the washing liquid in the tank so that the wafer is parallel to the level of the washing liquid in the tank. No free particulates which have detached from the back surface of either of adjacent wafers pollute the other wafer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.