Spin coating methods
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorShawn D. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and methods for use in spin coating a coating material onto a wafer. The apparatus includes a rotatable chuck capable of supporting the wafer and a bowl having a bottom and a side defining an interior region, the bottom containing an opening through which said rotatable chuck is movable and separable from the bowl. In a preferred embodiment the bottom has a raised cylindrical portion containing the opening and, the rotatable chuck is positioned within the opening so that the wafer is in close proximity to the raised portion of the bowl so as to prevent solvent vapors form escaping the bowl through the opening.
Claims10
A method of coating a top surface of a wafer with a coating material, comprising:
- providing a rotatable and movable chuck;
- providing a bowl with a bottom having a raised portion, the raised portion having an opening through which the chuck may pass;
- engaging the raise portion of the bottom of the bowl with an inner ring of a circular air ring;
- moving the chuck above the raised portion of the bowl;
- placing the wafer on the chuck;
- lowering the chuck until the wafer is in close proximity to the raised portion of the bowl;
- spinning the chuck;
- and
- applying the coating material to the top surface of the wafer while the chuck is spinning.
A method of spin-coating a top surface of a wafer with a coating material, comprising:
- providing a rotatable and movable chuck;
- providing a bowl with a bottom having a raised portion, the raised portion having an opening through which the chuck may pass;
- engaging the raise portion of the bottom of the bowl with an inner ring of a circular air ring;
- moving the chuck above the raised portion of the bowl;
- placing the wafer on the chuck;
- securing the wafer to the chuck;
- lowering the chuck such that a bottom surface of the wafer is in close proximity to the raised portion of the bowl;
- spinning the chuck;
- applying the coating material to the top surface of the wafer while the chuck is spinning;
- directing, while the chuck is spinning, the coating material which is spun off the wafer to an exhausted drain system;
- and
- directing, while the chuck is spinning, the coating material which contacts the bottom surface of the wafer to the drain system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.