Method and a system for sealing an epitaxial silicon layer on a substrate
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsDavid K Carlson, Paul B. Comita, Norma B. Riley, Dale R. Du Bois
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Abstract
According to one aspect of the invention, a method of processing a wafer is provided. The wafer is located in a wafer processing chamber of a system for processing a wafer. A silicon layer is then formed on the wafer while the wafer is located in the wafer processing chamber. The wafer is then transferred from the wafer processing chamber to a loadlock chamber of the system. Communication between the processing chamber and the loadlock chamber is closed off. The wafer is then exposed to ozone gas while located in the loadlock chamber, whereafter the wafer is removed from the loadlock chamber out of the system.
Claims15
A system for processing a semiconductor wafer, which includes:
- a loadlock chamber;
- a wafer holder in the loadlock chamber;
- a wafer processing chamber;
- a closure member which is movable between a first position which allows for a wafer to be transferred from the wafer processing chamber into the loadlock chamber, and a second position wherein the closure member substantially closes off communication between the loadlock chamber and the wafer processing chamber;
- a pump having a low-pressure side connected to the loadlock chamber;
- and
- an ozone source which produces ozone gas to which a wafer is exposed when located in the loadlock chamber;
- and
- a controller which has processor executable code which controls the pump and the ozone source and maintains the loadlock at a lower pressure than on a side of the closure member opposing the loadlock at all times when the wafer is exposed to the ozone gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.