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US 5,885,138 AGranted
Method and apparatus for dry-in, dry-out polishing and washing of a semiconductor device
AssigneeEbara Corporation
InventorsKatsuya Okumura, Riichirou Aoki, Hiromi Yajima, Seiji Ishikawa, Manabu Tsujimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A polishing apparatus includes an arrangement of a plurality of units to deal with various operations and a robot having at least one arm. The plurality of units are disposed around the robot and include a loading unit for receiving thereon a, e.g. dry, workpiece to be polished, a polishing system including at least one polishing unit for polishing the workpiece, a washing system and a drying system at least one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.
Claims124
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- introducing said workpiece into an enclosing structure suitable for use in a clean room and therein:
- polishing said workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- washing said polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- and
- drying said clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- and
- removing said clean and dry polished workpiece from said enclosing structure;
- and
- said washing comprising conducting plural washing operations including a primary washing operation and a secondary washing operation.
6 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- introducing said workpiece into an enclosing structure suitable for use in a clean room and therein:
- polishing said workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- washing said polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- and
- drying said clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- removing said clean and dry polished workpiece from said enclosing structure;
- transferring said workpiece to be polished and said clean and dry polished workpiece with at least one first mechanism that is discrete from at least one second mechanism employed to transfer said polished workpiece;
- and
- conducting said polishing and said washing around at least one robot including said at least one first mechanism.
6 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- introducing said workpiece into an enclosing structure suitable for use in a clean room and therein:
- polishing said workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- washing said polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- and
- drying said clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- removing said clean and dry polished workpiece from said enclosing structure;
- and
- transferring said workpiece to be polished and said clean and dry polished workpiece with at least one first robot that is discrete from at least one second robot employed to transfer said polished workpiece.
5 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- introducing said workpiece from the interior of a clean room into an enclosing structure installed in said clean room;
- polishing said workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- washing said polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- drying said clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- and
- removing said clean and dry polished workpiece from said enclosing structure to said interior of said clean room.
3 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- a loading unit for receipt of a workpiece to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the workpiece to form a polished workpiece, said polishing system including an abrasive cloth that is used for polishing;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished workpiece;
- transfer structure for transferring the polished workpiece from said polishing system to said washing system and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece from said drying system to said unloading unit;
- and
- a dressing mechanism for dressing said abrasive cloth, said dressing mechanism comprising a dressing tool that is removably attached to a polishing head supporting arm of a polishing unit of said polishing system.
6 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- a loading unit for receipt of a workpiece to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished workpiece;
- transfer structure for transferring the polished workpiece from said polishing system to said washing system and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece from said drying system to said unloading unit;
- and
- said washing system including plural washing stations operable to achieve plural washing operations, said plural washing stations including a primary washing station and a secondary washing station.
6 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- a loading unit for receipt of a workpiece to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished workpiece;
- and
- transfer structure for transferring the polished workpiece from said polishing system to said washing system and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece from said drying system to said unloading unit, said transfer structure comprising at least one first transfer mechanism for transferring the workpiece to be polished and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece, and at least one second transfer mechanism for transferring the polished workpiece, and said at least one first transfer mechanism comprising a single robot arm of a robot operable to transfer both the workpiece to be polished and the clean and dry polished workpiece.
5 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- a loading unit for receipt of a workpiece to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished workpiece;
- and
- transfer structure for transferring the polished workpiece from said polishing system to said washing system and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece from said drying system to said unloading unit, said transfer structure comprising at least one first transfer mechanism for transferring the workpiece to be polished and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece, and at least one second transfer mechanism for transferring the polished workpieces, and said at least one first transfer mechanism comprising a first robot arm of a robot operable to transfer the workpiece to be polished, and a second robot arm of said robot operable to transfer the clean and dry polished workpiece.
5 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- a loading unit for receipt of a workpiece to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished workpiece;
- and
- transfer structure for transferring the polished workpiece from said polishing system to said washing system and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece from said drying system to said unloading unit, said transfer structure comprising at least one first transfer mechanism for transferring the workpiece to be polished and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece, and at least one second transfer mechanism for transferring the polished workpiece, said at least one first transfer mechanism comprising a first robot arm of a robot, and said at least one second transfer mechanism comprising a second robot arm of said robot.
5 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- a loading unit for receipt of a workpiece to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished workpiece to form a clean and dry polished workpiece;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished workpiece;
- and
- transfer structure for transferring the polished workpiece from said polishing system to said washing system and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece from said drying system to said unloading unit, said transfer structure comprising at least one first transfer mechanism for transferring the workpiece to be polished and for transferring the clean and dry polished workpiece, and at least one second transfer mechanism for transferring the polished workpiece, said at least one first transfer mechanism comprising a first robot arm of a robot, and said at least one second transfer mechanism comprising a robot arm of another robot.
5 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- transferring a workpiece from a loading unit to a polishing system;
- polishing said workpiece at said polishing system;
- transferring said workpiece from said polishing system to a washing system;
- washing said workpiece at said washing system;
- transferring said workpiece in a clean and dry condition to an unloading unit;
- conducting said polishing and said washing in an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- conducting said transferring of said workpiece in said clean and dry condition to said unloading unit by a transfer structure;
- and
- said washing comprising conducting plural washing operations including a primary washing operation and a secondary washing operation.
6 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- transferring a workpiece from a loading unit to a polishing system;
- polishing said workpiece at said polishing system;
- transferring said workpiece from said polishing system to a washing system;
- washing said workpiece at said washing system;
- transferring said workpiece in a clean and dry condition to an unloading unit;
- conducting said polishing and said washing in an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- conducting said transferring of said workpiece in said clean and dry condition to said unloading unit by a transfer structure;
- conducting said transferring of said workpiece from said loading unit to said polishing system by said transfer structure;
- conducting said transferring of said workpiece to said polishing system and said transferring of said workpiece in said clean and dry condition by at least one first mechanism of said transfer structure that is discrete from at least one second mechanism thereof that is employed to transfer said workpiece to said washing system;
- and
- conducting said polishing and said washing around at least one robot including said at least one first mechanism.
8 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- transferring a workpiece from a loading unit to a polishing system;
- polishing said workpiece at said polishing system;
- transferring said workpiece from said polishing system to a washing system;
- washing said workpiece at said washing system;
- transferring said workpiece in a clean and dry condition to an unloading unit;
- conducting said polishing and said washing in an enclosing structure capable of containing and preventing an atmosphere within said enclosing structure from escaping therefrom to exterior thereof;
- conducting said transferring of said workpiece in said clean and dry condition to said unloading unit by a transfer structure;
- conducting said transferring of said workpiece from said loading unit to said polishing system by said transfer structure;
- and
- conducting said transferring of said workpiece to said polishing system and said transferring of said workpiece in said clean and dry condition by at least one first robot of said transfer structure that is discrete from at least one second robot thereof that is employed to transfer said workpiece to said washing system.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.