Gas agitated liquid etcher
AssigneeElantec Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsSameer Parab, Mark A. Salsbery
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid etch apparatus including an outer tank for holding a liquid etch solution, which has included therein an inner cylindrical member positioned in the outer tank. At one end of the inner cylindrical member, a sparger or other gas supply means may be provided. Filters are provided between the inner cylindrical member and the outer tank. Substrates are secured in the inner tank and a propeller is provided below the substrates. Gas is introduced into the inner cylindrical member during the etch process which creates a pressure gradient between the inner tank and the outer tank, forcing particulate matter carried by the gaseous particles to circulate around to the filters.
Claims22
An etch chamber, comprising:
- an outer chamber having an open top portion and a bottom portion suitable for holding a liquid etchant;
- an inner cylindrical member having an open top end and an open bottom end in the outer chamber;
- and
- a gas inlet fixture positioned at the bottom portion of the outer chamber, the gas inlet fixture providing a gas in the inner cylindrical member forming a first pressure region in the liquid etchant in the inner cylindrical member and a second, higher pressure region in the outer chamber.
An etch apparatus, comprising:
- an etch chamber, including an outer tank and an inner cylindrical member, the inner cylindrical member having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- a liquid etchant material in the chamber;
- and
- a gas, in the etch chamber, for forming a first low pressure region adjacent to the substrates in the inner cylindrical member, and a second high pressure region in a second region of the liquid etchant.
A gas agitated liquid etch device, comprising:
- an outer tank suitable for holding a liquid etchant solution therein;
- an inner cylindrical member positioned in the outer tank;
- a sparger in the outer tank coupled to a gas supply for introducing an agitation gas into the etch device, the agitation gas producing a first pressure region in the liquid within the inner cylindrical member, and a second, higher pressure region in the outer tank;
- and
- a wafer holder in the inner cylindrical member.
A liquid etch apparatus, comprising:
- a main reaction vessel;
- an inner reaction vessel comprising a concentric cylinder within the reaction vessel, the concentric cylinder having an open top portion and an open bottom portion;
- a liquid etchant material in the reaction vessel;
- a wafer holder positioned in the inner reaction vessel;
- a filter positioned between the inner reaction vessel and the main reaction vessel;
- a gas supply;
- a sparger in the main reaction vessel coupled to the gas supply;
- a propeller positioned adjacent to the bottom portion of the inner reaction vessel;
- and
- a turbine blade positioned in the inner reaction vessel.
An etch apparatus, comprising:
- an etch chamber;
- means for etching material in the etch chamber;
- gaseous means for agitating the means for etching at the material in the etch chamber;
- means for circulating the means for etching in the etch chamber;
- and
- means for filtering the etchant material to keep the active area particulate-free.
A semiconductor device including a film wherein said film is removed by a liquid etch process comprising:
- providing a liquid etch material;
- placing the substrate in the liquid etch material;
- and
- agitating the liquid etchant about the substrate by inserting a gas and generating uniform high velocity gas bubbles into the liquid etch material thereby circulating the liquid etch material by forming a low pressure region adjacent to the substrate, and a second, higher pressure region away from the substrates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.