Method and apparatus for dry-in, dry-out polishing and washing of a semiconductor device
AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Ebara Corporation
InventorsKatsuya Okumura, Riichirou Aoki, Hiromi Yajima, Seiji Ishikawa, Manabu Tsujimura
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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 including one washing unit for washing and drying the polished workpiece, and an unloading unit for receiving thereon a resultant clean and dry polished workpiece.
Claims52
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a semiconductor wafer, 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 semiconductor wafer to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the semiconductor wafer to form a polished semiconductor wafer;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- and
- at least one robot for transferring the semiconductor wafer after said loading unit receives the semiconductor wafer and before said unloading unit receives the clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer.
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a semiconductor wafer, said apparatus comprising:
- a housing adapted for installation in a clean room;
- a loading unit for receipt of a semiconductor wafer to be polished;
- a polishing system within said housing for polishing the semiconductor wafer to form a polished semiconductor wafer;
- a washing system within said housing for washing the polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer, said washing system including plural washing stations operable to achieve plural washing operations;
- a spin-dryer within said housing for spin-drying the clean polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- and
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:
- introducing the semiconductor wafer from the interior of a clean room into an enclosing structure installed in said clean room;
- chemical mechanical polishing said semiconductor wafer to form a polished semiconductor wafer;
- washing said polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer;
- spin-drying said clean polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- and
- removing said clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer from said enclosing structure to said interior of said clean room.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:
- introducing the semiconductor wafer from the interior of a clean room into a housing installed in said clean room;
- polishing said semiconductor wafer to form a polished semiconductor wafer;
- washing said polished semiconductor wafer at plural washing operations to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer;
- spin-drying said clean polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- and
- removing said clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer from said housing to said interior of said clean room.
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a semiconductor wafer, 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 semiconductor wafer to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the semiconductor wafer to form a polished semiconductor wafer;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer,
- said washing system including plural washing stations operable to achieve plural washing operations and a transfer robot for transferring said polished semiconductor wafer from a preceding washing station to a subsequent washing station in said washing stations;
- a spin-dryer within said enclosing structure for spin-drying the clean polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- and
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer.
An apparatus as claimed in clam 39, further comprising a rinsing device for rinsing the polished semiconductor wafer at a first position that is upstream of and separate from a second position at which is located said preceding washing station.
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a semiconductor wafer, 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 semiconductor wafer to be polished;
- a polishing system within said enclosing structure for polishing the semiconductor wafer to form a polished semiconductor wafer;
- a washing system within said enclosing structure for washing the polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer;
- a drying system within said enclosing structure for drying the clean polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer;
- and
- at least two robots for transferring the semiconductor wafer after said loading unit receives the semiconductor wafer before said unloading unit receives the clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer, one of said at least two robots being operable to transfer a wet polished semiconductor wafer, and the other of said at least two robots being operable to transfer a dry semiconductor wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.