Electrostatic apparatus and method for removing particles from semiconductor wafers
AssigneeVLSI Technology, Inc.
InventorsPierre Leroux, Bryan D. Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for cleaning the edges of semiconductor wafers by using a particle removing means having an electrostatically charged material. The particles are collected and disposed of so that they do not come in contact again with the clean semiconductor wafers.
Claims33
An apparatus for removing particles from the edges of semiconductor wafers which comprises a particle removing means contactable with the edge of at least one semiconductor wafer which removes particles from said wafer(s) and which inhibits the return of said particles to said wafer(s), wherein said particle removing means comprises a non-metallic electrostatically charged material.
An apparatus for removing particles from the edges of semiconductor wafers, comprising:
- a particle withdrawing means contactable with the edge of at least one semiconductor wafer which removes particles from said wafer;
- a particle removing means contactable with said particle withdrawing means which removes said particles from said particle withdrawing means and inhibits the return of said particles to said particle withdrawing means, wherein said particle removing means comprises an electrostatically charged material.
A method for removing particles from the edges of semiconductor wafers, comprising:
- contacting the edge of at least one semiconductor wafer with a particle removing means to remove particles from said wafer(s) and inhibit the return of said particles to said wafer(s), wherein said particle removing means comprises a non-metallic electrostatically charged material.
A method for removing particles from the edges of semiconductor wafers, comprising withdrawing particles from the edge of at least one semiconductor wafer with a particle withdrawing means and contacting said particle withdrawing means with a particle removing means which removes and retains at least a portion of said particles from the particle withdrawing means wherein said particle removing means comprises an electrostatically charged material so as to cause a substantially unidirectional flow of particles away from said wafers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.