Integrated semiconductor wafer processing system

A method adapted for treating a semiconductor wafer in an integrated wafer etch processing apparatus comprising the steps of:

• (a) etching the semiconductor wafer in an etch module;
• (b) transporting the wafer through a strip module, without performing a strip step to strip photoresist material from the wafer, to a rinse module and rinsing said semiconductor wafer prior to a photoresist layer removal step in the rinse module, wherein said rinse module is not accessible to said etch module;
• and
• (c) transporting the wafer back to the strip module and removing a photoresist layer on the semiconductor wafer in the strip module;
• and wherein said integrated wafer etch processing apparatus includes the etch module, the strip module and the rinse module integrated together.

A semiconductor processing system that is adapted to process a semiconductor wafer comprising:

• (a) a central vacuum chamber;
• (b) a vacuum load lock chamber, having at least one closable opening, connected to said central vacuum chamber;
• (c) an etch module, including a reaction chamber and at least one closable opening, connected to said central vacuum chamber;
• (d) a strip module, including a reaction chamber and at least one closable opening, connected to said central vacuum chamber;
• (e) a rinse module, accessible to said strip module and not accessible to said central vacuum chamber;
• (f) a first transfer device that can transfer the semiconductor wafer between said rinse module and said strip module;
• (g) a second transfer device located in said central vacuum chamber that can transport the semiconductor wafer into and out of said central vacuum chamber and into and out of each of said load lock chamber, said etch module, and said strip module;
• and
• (h) said central vacuum chamber, said etch module, said strip module, said rinse module and said first and second transfer devices are integrated into said semiconductor system such that for semiconductor wafer to be transferred from said etch module to said rinse module, said second transfer device transfers the semiconductor wafer from said etch module through said central vacuum chamber to said strip module, and said first transfer device transfers the semiconductor wafer from said strip module to said rinse module.

A semiconductor etch processing system adapted for handling a semiconductor wafer comprising:

• (a) a vacuum chamber;
• (b) an etch module selectively communicable with said vacuum chamber;
• (c) a strip module selectively communicable with said vacuum chamber;
• and
• (d) a rinse module, accessible to said strip module and not accessible to the vacuum chamber
• (e) a first transfer device that can transfer the wafer from the etch module through the vacuum chamber to the strip module:
• (f) a second transfer device that can sequentially transfer the wafer (1) through and from the strip module to the rinse module so that the wafer can be rinsed, and (2) from the rinse module back to the strip module so that a photoresist layer can be removed from the wafer, and without transferring the wafer through the vacuum chamber:
• and
• (g) said vacuum chamber, said etch module, said strip module, said rinse module and said first and second transfer devices all integrated into said processing system.