US 9,176,387 B2 · Method and apparatus for drying a wafer

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes dispensing a liquid on a wafer. The method includes raising the wafer. The method includes lowering the wafer after the raising. The wafer is spun as it is lowered, thereby removing at least a portion of the liquid from the wafer. The present disclosure also provides an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device. The apparatus includes a wafer chuck that is operable to hold a semiconductor wafer and secure the wafer thereto. The wafer has a front surface and a back surface. The apparatus includes a dispenser that is operable to dispense a liquid to the front surface of the wafer. The apparatus includes a mechanical structure that is operable to: spin the wafer chuck in a horizontal direction; and move the wafer chuck downwards in a vertical direction while the wafer chuck is being rotated.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

a wafer chuck configured to hold a wafer such that a first side of the wafer would be facing the wafer chuck when the wafer is held;
a nozzle configured to dispense a solution to a second side of the wafer that is opposite the first side;
and
a mechanical structure configured to rotate the wafer chuck horizontally and raise or lower the wafer chuck vertically, wherein the mechanical structure is configured to lower the wafer chuck at a greater speed than when it raises the wafer chuck, and wherein the mechanical structure is configured to lower the wafer chuck while the wafer chuck is being rotated horizontally.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for drying a wafer

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for drying a wafer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18