Dual wavelength UV lamp reactor and method for cleaning/ashing semiconductor wafers
AssigneeAmtech Systems, LLC
InventorJi Hyo Rhieu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of ashing or cleaning a wafer, including introducing oxygen gas into a reaction chamber having therein a semiconductor wafer to be ashed or cleaned, producing light of wavelength less than 190 nanometers by means of a first excimer lamp, and directing the light into the oxygen gas, causing generation of ozone gas. Light of wavelength greater than 190 nanometers is produced by means of a second excimer lamp and directed that light into the ozone gas, causing generation of an oxygen radical having a high absorption coefficient. Gas including the oxygen radical is passed along a surface of the wafer, causing degeneration of organic material thereon.
Claims8
A method of ashing or cleaning a wafer, comprising:
- (a) introducing oxygen gas into an apparatus including a reaction chamber having therein a semiconductor wafer to be ashed or cleaned;
- (b) producing first light of wavelength by means of a first UV (ultraviolet) lamp, and directing the first light into the oxygen gas, causing generation of ozone gas, the first UV lamp being a xenon eximer lamp;
- (c) producing second light of wavelength by means of a second UV lamp, and directing that second light into the ozone gas having a high absorption coefficient, causing generation of oxygen radicals, the second UV lamp being one of a krypton chloride lamp and a krypton fluoride lamp;
- and
- (d) passing gas including the oxygen radicals along a surface of the wafer in the reaction chamber, causing degeneration of organic material thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.