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US 6,477,440 B1Granted
Methods of treating a semiconductor wafer
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorShawn D. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for coating a surface of a substrate material, such as a semiconductor wafer. The method includes providing a host controller, providing a self-controlled treatment module, connecting the self-controlled treatment module to the host controller, issuing treatment instructions from the host controller to the self-controlled treatment module, receiving the treatment instruction from the host controller at the self-controlled treatment module, and controlling the treatment of the material with the self-controlled treatment module to maintain compliance with the treatment instruction.
Claims25
A method of employing a host controller to control the treatment of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- connecting at least two self-controlled treatment modules to the host controller;
- placing a semiconductor wafer into one of said self-controlled treatment modules;
- issuing a treatment instruction from the host controller to the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the treatment instruction from the host controller at the self-controlled treatment module;
- and
- controlling the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer in conformance with the treatment instruction received from the host controller.
3 more elements
A method of employing a host controller to control the treatment of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- connecting at least two self-controlled treatment modules to the host controller;
- placing a semiconductor wafer into one of said self-controlled treatment modules;
- issuing a treatment instruction from the host controller to the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the treatment instruction from the host controller at the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- controlling the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer in conformance with the treatment instruction received from the host controller;
- transferring the semiconductor wafer from the self-controlled treatment module to another self-controlled treatment module;
- issuing other treatment instructions from the host controller to the other self-controlled treatment module containging the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the other treatment instructions from the host controller at the other self-controlled treatment module;
- and
- controlling the other self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer in conformance with the other treatment instructions receiving from the host controller.
7 more elements
A method of employing a host controller to control the treatment of a semiconductor wafer in a clean room, comprising:
- orienting a portion of the host controller outside of the clean room;
- connecting at least two self-controlled treatment modules to the host controller;
- placing a semiconductor wafer into one of said self-controlled treatment modules;
- issuing a treatment instruction from the host controller to the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the treatment instruction from the host controller at the self-controlled treatment module;
- and
- controlling the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafter in conformance with the treatment instruction received from the host controller.
4 more elements
A method of employing a host controller to control the treatment of a semiconductor wafer in a clean room, comprising:
- orienting a portion of the host controller outside of the clean room;
- connecting at least three self-controlled treatment modules to the host controller;
- placing a semiconductor wafer into one of said self-controlled treatment modules;
- issuing a treatment instruction from the host controller to the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the treatment instruction from the host controller at the self-controlled treatment module;
- and
- controlling the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafter in conformance with the treatment instruction received from the host controller.
4 more elements
A method of employing a host controller to control the treatment of a semiconductor wafer in a clean room, comprising:
- orienting a portion of the host controller outside of the clean room;
- connecting at least two self-controlled treatment modules to the host controller;
- placing a semiconductor wafer into one of said self-controlled treatment modules;
- issuing a treatment instruction from the host controller to the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the treatment instruction from the host controller at the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- controlling the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafter in conformance with the treatment instruction received from the host controller;
- transferring the semiconductor wafer from the self-controlled treatment module to another self-controlled treatment module;
- issuing other treatment instructions from the host controller to the other self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the other treatment instructions from the host controller at the other self-controlled treatment module;
- and
- controlling the other self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer in conformance with the other treatment instructions receiving from the host controller.
8 more elements
A method of employing a host controller to control the treatment of a semiconductor wafer in a clean room, comprising:
- orienting a portion of the host controller outside of the clean room;
- connecting at least three self-controlled treatment modules to the host controller;
- placing a semiconductor wafer into one of said self-controlled treatment modules;
- issuing a treatment instruction from the host controller to the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the treatment instruction from the host controller at the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- controlling the self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafter in conformance with the treatment instruction received from the host controller;
- transferring the semiconductor wafer from the self-controlled treatment module to another self-controlled treatment module;
- issuing other treatment instructions from the host controller to the other self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer;
- receiving the other treatment instructions from the host controller at the other self-controlled treatment module;
- and
- controlling the other self-controlled treatment module containing the semiconductor wafer in conformance with the other treatment instructions receiving from the host controller.
8 more elements
A method of treating a semiconductor wafer in a clean room, comprising:
- connecting at least one self-controlled thermal treatment module to a host controller;
- connecting a self-controlled spin coating station to the host controller;
- orienting a portion of the at least one self-controlled thermal treatment module outside of the clean room;
- accessing at least one of the self-controlled thermal treatment modules through a first outwardly opposing face thereof positioned outside of the clean room;
- and
- accessing the self-controlled spin coating station through a second outwardly opposing face thereof position inside of the clean room.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.