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US 7,256,148 B2Granted
Method for treating a wafer edge
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsBernd E. Kastenmeier, Andreas Knorr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for treating an edge portion of a wafer with a plasma or select chemical formulation in order to enhance adhesion characteristics and inhibit delamination of a layer of material from the wafer surface only on the edge portion that is being treated. Alternatively, the method may be utilized to effectuate a cleaning of an edge portion of a wafer.
Claims13
A method for treating an outside edge region of a wafer, comprising:
- providing a stack of material covering a wafer surface;
- removing the stack of material along an outer edge region of the wafer to expose a top of the wafer surface along the outer edge region;
- applying a protective film over a central region of the wafer such that only the outer edge region of the wafer surface and an outer edge region of the stack of material on the wafer are exposed;
- and
- applying a plasma treatment to the wafer, wherein the protective film protects a central portion of the stack of material and limits treatment to the outer edge region of both the wafer surface and stack of material on the wafer.
2 more elements
A method for treating an outside edge region of a wafer, comprising:
- providing a wafer that includes a stack of material situated on a wafer surface, wherein the stack of material is recessed back from an edge of the wafer such that an outer edge region including a top of the wafer surface is left exposed;
- providing a plasma delivery system that limits a plasma exposure to both the outer edge region of the wafer surface and an outer edge region of the stack of material on the wafer surface;
- and
- applying a plasma treatment to the outer edge region of both the wafer and stack of material, wherein a central portion of the stack of material situated on the wafer is not exposed to the plasma treatment.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.