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US 6,443,808 B2Granted
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
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 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.
Claims64
A method for polishing and then washing a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:
- introducing said 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;
- transferring said clean polished semiconductor wafer in a clean and dry condition by a robot to an unloading unit;
- and
- removing said clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer from said enclosing structure to said interior of said clean room.
3 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:
- introducing said 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 at plural washing operations to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer;
- transferring said clean polished semiconductor wafer in a clean and dry condition to an unloading unit;
- and
- removing said clean and dry polished semiconductor wafer from said enclosing structure to said interior of said clean room.
3 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- removing said workpiece from a container at a loading and unloading unit;
- polishing said workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- washing said polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- and
- transferring said clean polished workpiece in a clean and dry condition to said loading and unloading unit and returning said clean polished workpiece to said container thereat.
2 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- transferring said workpiece from a loading unit to a turntable;
- primarily polishing said workpiece by said turntable;
- washing the thus primarily polished workpiece;
- secondarily polishing said workpiece by another turntable;
- washing the workpiece after completion of all polishing thereof;
- and
- transferring the thus washed workpiece in a clean and dry condition to an unloading unit.
4 more elements
A method for polishing and then washing a workpiece, said method comprising:
- removing said workpiece from a loading unit by a first robot;
- subjecting said workpiece to at least two polishing operations in a polishing system, thereby to form a polished workpiece;
- transferring said polished workpiece from said polishing system to a washing unit by a second robot;
- subjecting said polished workpiece to at least two washing operations at said washing unit, thereby to form a clean polished workpiece;
- and
- transferring said clean polished workpiece from said washing unit to an unloading unit by said first robot.
3 more elements
A polishing apparatus comprising:
- a loading unit for receiving a workpiece to be polished;
- an unloading unit for receiving a polished workpiece in a clean and dry condition;
- at least three turntables;
- a plurality of top rings for holding workpieces against respective said turntables to thereby polish the workpieces and form polished workpieces;
- and
- at least one robot for transferring the workpiece between said loading unit, said turntables, and said unloading unit.
3 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing workpieces, said apparatus comprising:
- a polishing system for serially processing the workpieces, said polishing system comprising:
- a plurality of turntables;
- a plurality of top rings for holding workpieces against respective said turntables to thereby polish the workpieces by chemical mechanical polishing;
- and
- whereby each of the workpieces is sequentially polished at at least two of said plurality of turntables to form a polished workpiece;
- a washing unit for washing each of the workpieces that has been sequentially polished at said at least two of said plurality of turntables to form a clean polished workpiece;
- and
- a robot for transferring said clean polished workpiece in a clean and dry condition to an unloading unit.
5 more elements
A polishing apparatus comprising:
- a loading unit for receiving a workpiece to be polished;
- a polishing unit for polishing a workpiece to form a polished workpiece;
- a washing unit for washing the polished workpiece to form a clean polished workpiece;
- an unloading unit for receiving the clean polished workpiece;
- and
- a robot operable to remove the workpiece to be polished from said loading unit and to transfer the clean polished workpiece in a clean and dry condition from said washing unit to said unloading unit.
3 more elements
A polishing apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafers, said apparatus comprising;
- a loading unit for receipt of the semiconductor wafers;
- at least three polishing tables operable to polish the semiconductor wafers simultaneously or operable to polish the semiconductor wafers at a time lag;
- a washing unit for performing a plurality of washing operations on any of the semiconductor wafers that have been polished at at least two of said at least three polishing tables;
- an unloading unit for receiving polished and washed semiconductor wafers in a clean and dry condition;
- 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.
3 more elements
A polishing apparatus comprising:
- a loading unit for receiving workpieces to be polished;
- a plurality of turntables;
- a plurality of top rings for holding the workpieces against respective said turntables to thereby polish the workpieces;
- a washing unit for washing the thus polished workpieces;
- and
- an unloading unit for receiving the washed workpieces in a clean and dry condition;
- said plurality of turntables and said plurality of top rings being operable to perform serial polishing, wherein each of the workpieces is polished sequentially by said turntables, and parallel polishing, wherein the workpieces are polished at respective said turntables.
4 more elements
An apparatus for polishing and then washing a semiconductor wafer, said apparatus comprising:
- a polishing unit for polishing the semiconductor wafer, said polishing unit comprising:
- at least one polishing table;
- at least one top ring holding a semiconductor wafer against said polishing table to thereby polish the semiconductor wafer;
- and
- a washing system for washing the polished semiconductor wafer to form a clean polished semiconductor wafer, said washing system comprising:
- a washing mechanism;
- a releasing position at which the polished semiconductor wafer is released from said top ring, and said top ring is washed by said washing mechanism;
- and
- at least one washing station for washing said polished semiconductor wafer released from said top ring.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.