Segmenting of processing system into wet and dry areas
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsH. Peter W. Hey, Michael N. Sugarman, Mark Denome
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for processing a substrate is described. In one aspect, a processing system is provided which includes a wet area and a dry area. In another aspect, a method comprises processing the substrate in the process cell. The substrate is transferred from the process cell to a dry module and then transferring the substrate to a drying area.
Claims31
A method of processing a semiconductor substrate in a processing system segmented into a wet area and a dry area, the method comprising:
- introducing the semiconductor substrate into the dry area of the processing system;
- moving the semiconductor substrate into the wet area of the processing system;
- processing the semiconductor substrate in an electrochemical process cell disposed within the wet area;
- cleaning and drying the semiconductor substrate in a cleaning module disposed between the wet area and the dry area;
- and
- transferring the semiconductor substrate to the dry area of the processing system.
A method of processing a semiconductor substrate in a processing system segmented into a wet area and a dry area, the method comprising:
- introducing the semiconductor substrate into the dry area of the processing system;
- moving the semiconductor substrate into the wet area of the processing system;
- processing the semiconductor substrate in an electrochemical process cell disposed within the wet area;
- cleaning and drying the semiconductor substrate using a spin-rinse-dry system disposed between the wet area and the dry area, wherein cleaning the semiconductor substrate comprises spinning and rinsing the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- transferring the semiconductor substrate to the dry area of the processing system.
An electroplating system, comprising:
- a wet area comprising one or more electrochemical process cells for processing one or more semiconductor substrates in an electrolyte solution;
- a dry area for transferring the semiconductor substrates to the wet area prior to processing the semiconductor substrates and receiving the semiconductor substrates from the wet area after processing the semiconductor substrates;
- and
- a cleaning module disposed between the wet area and the dry area, the cleaning module being configured for removing a plurality of unwanted deposits from the one or more semiconductor substrates, the plurality of unwanted deposits being disposed on the semiconductor substrates as a result of processing the semiconductor substrates in the electrolyte solution.
A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs an operation, comprising:
- introducing a semiconductor substrate into a dry area of a processing system;
- moving the semiconductor substrate into a wet area of the processing system;
- processing the semiconductor substrate in an electrochemical process cell disposed within the wet area;
- cleaning and drying the semiconductor substrate in a cleaning module disposed between the wet area and the dry area;
- and
- transferring the semiconductor substrate to the dry area of the processing system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.