System for wafer carrier in-process clean and rinse
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsDamon Vincent Williams, Glenn W. Travis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for rinsing and cleaning a wafer carrier and a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon during a polishing process is provided. The system comprises a head spray assembly that includes a spray nozzle and a spray cavity. At least a part of the head spray assembly is moveably positionable between a park position and a spray position. The spray position is proximate to the wafer carrier such that liquid discharged from the spray nozzle is in liquid communication with the wafer carrier and the semiconductor wafer. The liquid as well as the materials rinsed from the wafer carrier and semiconductor wafer may be retained in the spray cavity and channeled out of the head spray assembly.
Claims25
A head spray assembly for cleaning and rinsing a wafer carrier and a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon within a wafer polishing system, the head spray assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a spray nozzle operable to discharge liquid in the housing;
- wherein the housing includes an annular wall and a basin, the annular wall fixed in a second position adjacent a wafer carrier, the basin operable to selectively move between a first position spaced away from the wafer carrier and the second position.
A head spray assembly for cleaning and rinsing a wafer carrier and a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon within a wafer polishing system, the head spray assembly comprising:
- a housing forming a spray cavity wherein at least a portion of the housing is operable to move between a first position spaced away from a wafer carrier and a second position adjacent the wafer carrier;
- a spray nozzle operable to discharge fluid into the spray cavity;
- and
- a seal included with the housing, wherein the seal is selectively activated to retain discharged fluid in the spray cavity and wherein the seal is a bladder that is selectively inflatable to retain discharged fluid in the spray cavity.
A head spray assembly for cleaning and rinsing a wafer carrier and a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon within a wafer polishing system, the head spray assembly comprising:
- a housing having an aperture capable of alignment with a wafer carrier and a semiconductor wafer;
- a spray nozzle disposed within the housing;
- and
- a drain outlet formed in the housing, wherein fluid discharged from the spray nozzle that is retained within the housing flows out of the housing through the drain outlets,
- wherein the housing includes an annular wall and a basin, wherein the drain outlet is included in the basin and a portion of the annular wall forms the aperture in the housing.
A head spray mechanism for cleaning and rinsing a wafer carrier and a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon within a wafer polishing system, the head spray mechanism comprising:
- a housing;
- a spray nozzle operable to discharge liquid in the housing;
- and
- a rotary actuator, wherein at least a portion of the housing is moveable with the actuator between a first position spaced away from a wafer carrier and a second position adjacent the wafer carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.