Method for cleaning and drying a semiconductor wafer
AssigneeYieldUP International
InventorsRaj Mohindra, Abhay Bhushan, Rajiv Bhushan, Suraj Puri, John H. Anderson, Jeffrey Nowell
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Abstract
A method for drying articles with flat surfaces such as a semiconductor wafer. The method includes steps of immersing a semiconductor wafer in a liquid such as water, and displacing the liquid with a gaseous mixture. The liquid is displaced adjacent to a face of the wafer as measured from the face. A step of pulsing drying fluid directed at wafer edges is also included. The method dries wafers without the use of any harmful organic solvents and the like, and also dries wafers without substantial movement.
Claims44
A method for cleaning and drying a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- introducing a partially completed semiconductor wafer into a chamber;
- immersing said partially completed semiconductor wafer in a liquid comprising water, said partially completed semiconductor wafer including a front face, a back face, and an edge, said liquid being substantially free from particles greater than about 0.2 microns in diameter;
- displacing said liquid with a gaseous mixture in said chamber, said liquid being displaced along said front face of said partially completed semiconductor wafer, said gaseous mixture comprising a carrier gas and a trace of polar organic compound, said trace of polar organic compound being a non-saturated vapor in said chamber, said trace of polar organic compound causing particles to be removed from said front face;
- and
- directing a drying fluid at said partially completed semiconductor wafer, said drying fluid removing any remaining amount of said liquid from said edge;
- wherein said partially completed semiconductor wafer is substantially stationary during said displacing and directing, thereby decreasing a possibility of any damage to said partially completed semiconductor wafer due to movement of said partially completed semiconductor wafer.
A method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- immersing a partially completed semiconductor wafer in a liquid comprising water;
- and
- displacing said liquid with a gas, said gas being substantially free from any polar organic compounds and therefore more environmentally safe, said liquid being displaced along a face of said partially completed semiconductor wafer;
- wherein said displacing occurs at a rate not exceeding about 2.5 mm/sec. as measured from said face to remove particles from said partially completed semiconductor wafer;
- and
- wherein said partially completed semiconductor wafer is substantially stationary during said displacing to decrease a possibility of any damage to said partially completed semiconductor wafer due to movement of said partially completed semiconductor wafer.
The method of claim 30 wherein said liquid is filtered through an ultraviolet purification unit.
A method of cleaning semiconductor wafers, said method comprising steps of:
- immersing a wafer into a cleaning liquid, said wafer comprising particulate contamination thereon, said cleaning liquid being substantially free from particulate contamination having a diameter greater than about 0.2 micron;
- dropping a liquid level of said cleaning liquid at a rate around said wafer to pull particulate contamination therefrom;
- wherein said rate is no greater than 4.0 mm/sec. as measured along a front face of said wafer;
- and
- wherein said wafer is substantially stationary during said dropping step to decrease a possibility of any damage of said wafer due to movement of said wafer.
A method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- introducing a partially completed wafer into a chamber, said partially completed wafer including a front face;
- immersing said partially completed wafer in a liquid comprising water said liquid being substantially free from particles greater than about 0.2 microns in diameter and;
- introducing a gaseous mixture into said chamber to replace said liquid, said liquid being displaced along said front face, said gaseous mixture comprising a carrier gas and a trace of polar organic compound, said trace of polar organic compound being a non-saturated vapor in said chamber, said trace of polar organic compound causing particles to be removed from said front face;
- wherein said partially completed wafer is substantially stationary during said introducing of said gaseous mixture, thereby decreasing a possibility of any damage to said partially completed wafer due to movement of said partially completed wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.