Rinsing processes and equipment
AssigneeFSI International, Inc.
InventorsKurt K. Christenson, Steven L. Nelson, James R. Oikari, Jeff F. Olson, Biao Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described are methods of rinsing and processing devices such as semiconductor wafers wherein the device is rinsed with using a surface tension reducing agent; the method may include a subsequent drying step which preferably incorporates the use of a surface tension reducing agent during at least partial drying; and the method may be performed using automated rinsing equipment; also described are automated rinsing apparatuses useful with the method.
Claims10
A method of processing a microelectronic device as rotatably supported within a processing chamber, the method including the steps of:
- creating an atmosphere comprising gas within the processing chamber and about a surface of the microelectronic device supported within the processing chamber;
- rinsing the microelectronic device by spraying a rinsing fluid onto a surface of the device within the gas atmosphere while rotating the device at a first rotational speed and also supplying a surface tension reducing agent into the gas atmosphere within the processing chamber;
- and
- drying the device by changing the first rotational speed to a second rotational speed, and, during at least an initial portion of the drying step with the device rotating at the second rotational speed, directing a drying gas into the processing chamber while also continuing to supply the surface tension reducing agent into the gas atmosphere within the processing chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.