SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER

Disclosed is a multichannel drainage system for separately draining the centrifugally broadcast residue of different liquids sequentially dispensed on the top surface of a semiconductor wafer spun on a spindle at a work station. The multichannel drainage system includes a cup assembly mounted on a cup...     

Circular wafers of semiconductor (silicon) are chemically treated, e.g., etched, by supporting the wafers vertically by contacting their edges with annularly grooved drive rollers, immersing the supported wafers in a body of chemical medium (e.g., etchant solution) for treatment, and rotating the wafers...     

A substrate stripping and cleaning apparatus including a closed bowl with an exhaust vent and a liquid drain, a rotating turntable in the bowl carrying baskets of substrates, a spray post with multiple fluid passages, orifices and spray nozzles directing rinsing spray outwardly against the turntable...     

Apparatus adapted for cleaning or degreasing work pieces by contacting with an organic degreasing agent such as a halogenated hydrocarbon. The work pieces are moved in and out of contact with the degreasing agent and are supported on an array of substantially parallel, spaced, elongate members, in fixed...     

Apparatus for cleaning articles in volatile solvent is provided wherein the article to be cleaned is situated in a solvent collector with siphon tube attached above a reservoir of solvent and below a water-cooled vapor condenser, the solvent being heated to boiling to generate solvent vapors to bathe...     

A fluid application system which is useful for the subjection of substantially planar objects to various fluids for cleaning, etching, photoresist developing and the like. The system includes a chamber which has at least one agitation mechanism. The agitation mechanism includes an orificed plate positioned...     

To eliminate the manual handling of individual articles associated with loading and unloading conventional treating apparatus, a plurality of articles are simultaneously treated in the carriers which are used for batch handling prior to and subsequent to the treating operation. In a disclosed embodiment,...     

Apparatus adapted for cleaning or degreasing work pieces by contacting with an organic degreasing agent such as a halogenated hydrocarbon. The work pieces are moved in and out of contact with the degreasing agent and are supported on an array of substantially parallel, spaced, elongate members, in fixed...     

An apparatus for washing semiconductor wafers is disclosed which comprises a washing tub, a basket holding semiconductor wafers to be washed and placed in the washing tub, nozzles provided above and below the basket respectively for constantly squirting a washing liquid over the wafers, and a vent provided...     

A transducer assembly adapted to oscillate at an ultrasonic frequency comprises a metallic foil having a back surface, at least one transducer having one face thereof mounted adjacent to the back surface by conductive means disposed therebetween, and insulating means disposed in the area adjacent to...     

Semiconductor materials are cleaned after silica polishing by treatment with an aqueous quarternary ammonium salt solution followed by rinsing in water. The treatment coagulates the silica sols and suspends them so that they do not form a film on the semiconductor surface. The treatment preserves the...     

A positive developer and method spraying developer solution against rotating wafers stacked along rotation axis to remove photoresist and recycling the developer solution in successive cycles and batches of wafers being processed; adding small quantities of fresh developer solution in each cycle of operation...     

A process and machine are disclosed for reflowing solder plated continuous flexible circuit webs. During reflow in a vapor environment, the flexible web is maintained in a planar orientation to produce a relatively uniform distribution of solder. Virtually all of the heat transfer fluid used in producing...     

A surface treatment device capable of carrying out the surface treatment such as washing or etching of plate-like articles such as semiconductor wafers maintaining high degree of reliability, wherein a surface treating liquid is introduced into a ring-like or a conduit-like treating vessel. The plate-like...     

Applying photoresist to silicon wafers in the manufacture of integrated circuit chips by carrying the wafers upon a rotor in a chamber and spraying from a plurality of nozzles in the chamber toward the rotor for application to the wafers.

An automatic production apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers which include a rotor rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis where the rotor includes a removable carrier capable of holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers or glass photomask plates and a plastic-coated bar for retaining...     

The cleaning apparatus includes a pre-rinse tank, a cleaning tank, and at least one post-rinse tank. The cleaning tank cleans oil, flux and other foreign matter off the surface of a work product by subjecting the work project to a rising stream of bubbles of uniform density which overflow the upper end...     

An apparatus for soldering printed circuit boards includes a carrier adapted to support a printed circuit board and to be moved along a predetermined transfer path, preferably in the form of a closed loop; a pair of laterally spaced movable rails defining a part of the transfer path and adapted for supporting...     

The method of solder leveling comprising maintaining a zone of hot saturated inert vapor at substantially the temperature of molten solder above a molten bath of solder, moving the part to be treated through the vapor at a rate such that it will become uniformly heated to substantially the temperature...     

An apparatus for chemically processing an item by submersion in a liquid bath having a means for rotating the item while it is submerged. The means for rotating the item includes a positive displacement continuous-rotation motor capable of submersion in the liquid bath jointly with the item being processed....     

An apparatus for cleaning a surface of an article such as a semiconductor wafer with cleaning fluid includes a nozzle extending from a chamber for developing a jet of cleaning fluid. The fluid is pressurized and megasonic energy is applied to the fluid by a megasonic transducer. The nozzle is shaped...     

A multiphase modular chemical processing station including an exterior frame in the shape of an open rectangular solid, a plumbing-electrical structure extending across the lower back portion of such frame, the plumbing-electrical structure including liquid and gaseous input and exhaust connections as...     

An improved apparatus for washing semiconductor materials is provided, which comprises any type of washing container in which a predetermined number of semiconductor materials held in a carrier are washed with pure water, and one or a plurality of shower devices mounted above said washing container to...     

In a dip treating apparatus for carrying out a multiple-step process, e.g. for film processing, the objects to be treated are transferred in separate groups step by step through a row of stations by means of a series of individually operatable conveyors, one for each adjacent pair of stations. Each such...     

An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus which is configured for transportation to an object positioned for use for in situ cleaning and a method for accomplishing the cleaning. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a substantially planar transducer array which can be employed to clean biofouling...     

This printed circuit plate washing apparatus is used for effectively washing the openings of printed circuit plates, eliminating a cleaning water after etching printed circuit plates or nameplates, degreasing aluminum plates before printing and number plates before painting and washing iron, plastic...     

The cleaning apparatus disclosed herein employs ultrasonic energy applied through a transducer face which overlies the entire wafer face. A cleaning liquid is introduced through the center of the transducer faceplate into the gap between the wafer and the faceplate. The transducer includes a plurality...     

Disclosed is the continuous processing of flat workpieces such as printed circuit boards which are suspended by a hanger conveyorized for continuous horizontal transport. More specifically, the conveyorizing passes the workpieces through a plurality of chambers having slotted-end members, one such chamber...     

Cleaning system to clean articles to remove foreign matters from surfaces of the articles. At least two treatment baths filled with respective cleaning liquids are provided. An intermediate bath is located between the adjacent two treatment baths. The intermediate bath is filled with the cleaning liquid...     

Apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers is described as having a rotor mounted on a horizontal axis with support bearings at each end of the rotor. Wafers are arranged in a carrier which can be loaded and unloaded into the rotor of the apparatus through an access opening which is directed in a...     

An automatic work transfer system for conveying a basket carrying work through a row of processing stages at a work station in any desired sequence. The basket is lowered into a tank at each stage and oriented therein for processing for a predetermined dwell period, at the conclusion of which the basket...     

A PFA Teflon carrier for silicon wafers being processed in hot baths in the production of integrated circuit chips with sidewalls having wafer spacing webs and grooves receiving the wafers in confronting and spaced relation. The sidewalls having outboard channel supports or stiffening bars extending...     

The disclosure relates to a compact apparatus which effectively washes holes of printed circuit cards, flushes exfoliation off printed circuit cards and nameplates after etching, degreases and flushes number-plates before painting, and cleans iron, plastic, and glass plates, wherein a processing cistern...     

A cycle wheel mounting fixture for a dynamic balancing machine includes a first cone that is axially slidable on the spindle of the balancer, with its apex facing towards the distal end of the spindle, to engage the inner surface of a cycle wheel hub. This cone is biased away from the flange by a spring...     

A cleaning machine for cleaning annular discs is disclosed. Annular discs of rigid or flexible material are designed to receive a magnetic coating capable of operating as a memory for a computer. The cleaning machine uses a spindle that aligns and holds the disc. The spindle rotates and high pressure...     

A mechanized work transfer system in which a robot assembly riding on a horizontal rail and driven by an external motor acts to convey a basket carrying work along a row of processing stages on a work bench. The assembly includes a robot provided with an elevator operated by an internal motor which serves...     

Ultrasonic transducer apparatus for cleaning applications and method for cleaning wafers of semiconductor material in which the method includes positioning the wafer proximate to but closely spaced away from a cleansing face of the ultrasonic transducer, supplying space between the cleansing face and...     

A printed circuit processing apparatus includes a modular tank arrangement with each of the tanks receiving a printed circuit board to be processed on edge, or in other words vertically, and which guides the printed circuit board through the tank for processing without leaving marks or "tracks" on the...     

A rotatable tray for supporting at least one package together with at least one nozzle for projecting a jet of liquid along an axis which is substantially at 45.degree. to the axis of rotation of the tray.

Cleaning apparatus for cleaning semiconductor wafers and the like in a chamber of cleaning fluid vibrating at ultrasonic (megasonic) frequencies utilizing an electrically energized transducer, such as a piezoelectric crystal, mounted on a conductive foil formed of tantalum or zirconium. Pinholes or other...     

A VLSI chemical reactor includes a fluid flow guide spaced from the corresponding substrate in the form of a wafer for significantly reducing contamination in the processing of semiconductor wafers. Processing chemicals are introduced in a continuous process through a central tube and through the fluid...     

An apparatus and system for wet processing a substrate, which can be used for chemical processing such as etching or washing a semiconductor substrate are disclosed. The apparatus has a processing chamber in which the substrate is wet processed. Processing liquid is injected into the processing chamber...     

A solder leveller comprising a solder bath into which a board to be soldered can be inserted and then, as it is withdrawn, levelled by air knives positioned above the bath. Recirculating means are provided in the form of ducts on each side wall of the bath, the ducts having ports directing a flow of...     

An improved apparatus for enclosed flow-line semiconductor wafer treatment includes a wafer-containing vessel and a mechanism for imparting plug-flow to a treatment fluid flowing into the vessel. One plug-flow imparting mechanism includes a flow-expansion input element and a fixed helical flow-diverting...     

An apparatus that cleans printed wiring assemblies. A plurality of assemblies are positioned in a rack on their respective edges so that each of them is maintained in a substantially vertical plane. A spray header member mounted for reciprocation between an uppermost and a lowermost position has a plurality...     

An apparatus for the in-situ cleaning of Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition tube chambers (32) or Reduced Pressure Epitaxy bell jar chambers (42) having a base member (22) to create a vacuum seal upon engagement with the loading end of the chamber, at least one powered electrode (62) which protrudes...     

Centrifugal processing machine for spray processing wafers of silicon and the like the machine having a processing chamber closed by a door and having a generally horizontal orientation with the rotor also substantially horizontally oriented. The peripheral sidewall of the process chamber has an offset...     

Processing cassette for processing of hard rigid memory disks including a plurality of open supported opposing disk dividers for supporting a plurality of disks in alignment by the dividers of the cassette. The cassette is intended for use in automated robotic processing of the disks while in the cassette....     

Rinsing methods and apparatus employ a rotatable work support to spray rinsing liquid against a surrounding wall of a processing station. The rinsing liquid washes residual processing liquid from the surrounding wall of the processing station, whereby the work support performs a cleaning function in...     

A vapor phase bonding apparatus wherein articles to be bonded are heated with hot vapors of a heat transfer liquid so that a bonding agent such as a solder provided between the articles to be bonded is melted to effect the bonding. The apparatus includes a vessel for containing the heat transfer liquid,...     

Centrifugal processing machine for spray processing wafers of silicon and the like the machine having a processing chamber closed by a door and having a generally horizontal orientation with the rotor also substantially horizontally oriented. The peripheral sidewall of the process chamber has an offset...     

A developer is drawn up from a developer tank (1) by a developer pump (5) and after the flow rate of the developer has been regulated by a developer flow rate control valve (12), the developer passes through a developer flow meter (14) and reaches a pipe (16). A rinse solution is drawn up from a rinse...     

An apparatus for producing semiconductor devices in which a plurality of treatment chambers such as a load chamber, an etching chamber, a sputtering chamber, an ion implantation chamber, a CVD chamber, an unload chamber, a transfer chamber, a heat-treatment chamber, a rinsing chamber and the like, are...     

Dynamic flood conveyor. The conveyor permits a chemical solution to be applied to the surface of a material such that the solution interacts with the material at a generally uniform rate at each point on the surface of the material. The apparatus promotes laminar flow of the chemical solution over the...     

Vertical photoresist developer for processing of any size of printed circuit boards carried on a processing cassette. The processing cassette is carried by a chain through a main chamber, a rinse chamber and a drying chamber, all the processing chambers in line with each other. The processing system...     

A vapor drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers, which is capable of preventing dust particles from entering the interior of the vapor drying apparatus incorporating therein a water washing part and a vapor drying part for a semiconductor wafer and, at the same time, thoroughly removing from the surface...     

Vertical photoresist developer for processing of any size of printed circuit boards carried on a processing cassette. The processing cassette is carried by a chain through a main chamber, a rinse chamber and a drying chamber, all the processing chambers in line with each other. The processing system...     

An automatic developing apparatus comprises a developing tank and a pipe for introducing a developing solution into the developing tank. The developing tank is constituted by a stage on which a substrate is to be set, and a processing case movable relative to the stage, to receive said stage.

This disclosure includes an improvement relating to a square basin for applying a treatment such as etching, development, plating or washing to surfaces of semiconductor materials housed in a carrier which is supported in the basin, by a treatment liquid introduced upwardly through a passage formed in...     

This invention is described an automatic developing device. The automatic developing device according to this invention is comprising: a stage on which the substrate to be treated is disposed after application of the resist and the patterning step is complete; a sealed frame capable of movement, that...     

A vapor drying apparatus for semiconductor wafers, which is capable of preventing dust particles from entering the interior of the vapor drying apparatus incorporating therein a water washing part and a vapor drying part for a semiconductor wafer and, at the same time, thoroughly removing from the surface...     

Guide elements are provided to be mounted on rotatable drive rods of a conveyor apparatus, preferably of the type for wet processing of thin electrical printed circuit boards or printed circuit film, as the same is subjected to acid, neutralizer, water, air, sprays, rinses or the like, as such thin materials...     

A wafer holding mechanism horizontally holds, one at a time, wafers which are sequentially transported thereto. Wafers are treated with liquids such as an etchant, rinsing liquid, and the like, at the same time that the wafer is rotated at a high speed. The mechanism includes a hollow rotary shaft having...     

A thin-film coating apparatus for coating a thin film on a material includes a casing, a spinner mounted in the casing for rotating the material, and a pipe disposed upwardly of the spinner and having in a lower end thereof a nozzle for dropping a film-forming coating solution onto the material. The...     

A transducer array for use in a megasonic cleaning system comprising a flat plate made of quartz or sapphire or boron nitride and a transducer having a conductive flat surface bonded to the flat plate and a conductive surface spaced from the flat plate.

A resist developing apparatus comprising a developing tank consisting of a top portion, a body portion, and a bottom portion, at least one of the top, body, and bottom portions being comprised of an inner wall and an outer wall, a heat exchange chamber being defined between the inner and outer walls...     

An improved processing apparatus for a substrate surface, which provides uniform and smooth air flows A within the processing chamber 26, by which an even thin film of a processing solution can be formed on the substrate surface. Undersirable surplus processing solution is collected primarily in a first...     

Apparatus for stripping photoresist and other coatings from integrated circuit wafers comprises a series of vertically positioned casings with rotary turrets within each casing each accommodating approximately 10 wafers. Wafers are received in conventional "boats", lifted one at a time and inserted in...     

In a developing apparatus according to the present invention, a supply path of a developing solution is formed in a cup member which constitutes a dip tank of the developing solution so that the spraying pressure of the developing solution is not directly applied to an object to be processed. As a result,...     

The transducer array for use in a megasonic cleaning system comprising a flat plate made of quartz or sapphire or boron nitride and a transducer having a conductive flat surface bonded to the flat plate and a conductive surface spaced from the flat plate. In another embodiment the array employs a semi-cylindrical...     

Apparatus to enclose a resistivity probe, to be used with a semiconductor wafer washer. Said apparatus is detachable and easy to maintain; is made of readily available and inexpensive plumbing parts; substantially encloses said probe, reducing contamination; allows nitrogen purge of said probe, keeping...     

An apparatus for rapidly stripping a photoresist which utilizes an oxidizing fluid such as ozone. A very thin layer of oxidizing fluid of four millimeters or less is flowed over the photoresist. The fluid flows at high velocity over the resist, while the resist is heated. Additionally, the resist may...     

Known methods of remaining flux from printed circuit boards include spraying jets of solvent onto the board and/or immersing the board in solvent. However, these techniques are not effective when applied to ceramic boards comprising ceramic chip carries as the spacing between the board and the carries...     

A wafer washing and drying apparatus including a chemical cleaning bath for cleaning a wafer, such as a semiconductor wafer and a silicon wafer set in a carrier, with a liquid chemical reserved therein, a rinse bath for washing off the liquid chemical attached to the wafer with a washing liquid such...     

This invention relates to the supply piping system of the process gas for various types of thin-film making and fine pattern dry etching process, and more particularly to the process gas supply system, which makes it possible to form high quality thin films and to perform high quality etching. Specifically,...     

To provide for improved uniformity of photoresist developing of silicon wafers, developer solution is injected via an inlet port through a set of holes in a surface in a chuck and distributed across the wafer thereby developing the wafer pattern. A second set of holes in the same surface of the chuck...     

A wafer transporting device for transposing and transferring wafers charged in at least two first carriers to second carriers, including a wafer holding device provided with a holder for holding the wafers which are removed from the first carriers and a wafer transferring device for removing the wafers...     

Apparatus for cleaning printed circuit panels includes a pair of manifolds having closely spaced faces forming a narrow passage therebetween. Transverse slots in the manifold faces supply cleaning liquid to printed circuit panels conveyed through the narrow passage. A high velocity flow of cleaning liquid...     

A carrier cleaning and drying apparatus for cleaning and drying a wafer processing carrier has a cleaning tank for accommodating the carrier and a high-pressure injection nozzle disposed in an upper portion of the cleaning tank and for injecting a pressurized cleaning solution. This high-pressure injection...     

A rectangular container having a divider at one end of the container. The divider separates the container into a large processing region and a second region from which the solvent fluid is drained from the container. The divider acts as a weir over which the solvent flows from the processing region into...     

Improvements to an integrated circuit wafer rinsing and washing machine which include a streamlined housing for low turbulence air flow, improved rear maintenance capability, improved wafer carriers, foot operated switches and improved rotating part fastening means.

A dynamic flood conveyor. The conveyor permits a chemical solution to be applied to the surface of a material such that the solution interacts with the material at a generally uniform rate at each point on the surface of the material. The apparatus promotes laminar flow of the channel solution over the...     

Rinser dryer system for rinsing process chemical from silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks and drying os silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrate, masks or disks positioned in a wafer cassette. A wafer cassette is positioned in a rotor assembly and the rotor assembly positioned...     

A high frequency ultrasonic system for sonically removing particles from substrates or wafers held in a carrier or carriers in a tank of liquid, such as DI water. A frame encompasses the tank and supports the transducer housing at an angle with respect to the tank bottom and also provides for horizontal...     

An automatic cleaning apparatus for disks is provided with detachable sections including, in order, a workpiece feeder section, an isolation section, a scrubber section, a second isolator section, and a workpiece receiver section. Additional units of any section may also be assembled into the cleaning...     

A parts container to be utilized within the liquid cleaning solution of an ultrasonic bath which is to be formed within an enclosing side wall having an open top and an enclosed bottom. Mounted within the enclosing side wall are a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which are to supply energy from an...     

Described herein is a disk washing apparatus for cleaning substrate disks of memory medium, which comprises in combination: a loader section having a magazine for holding a number of disks to be washed; a working section including a washing stage arranged to wash the front and rear faces of a disk simultaneously...     

Rinser dryer system for rising process chemical from silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks and drying of silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks positioned in a wafer cassette. A wafer cassette is positioned in a rotor assembly and the rotor assembly positioned...     

A disk cleaning apparatus includes an enclosed housing with a door mounted on the forward wall of the housing operable between open and closed positions. In the preferred embodiment, the door is mounted so as to move away from the front wall of the housing, generally parallel thereto, between opened...     

A cleaning process and its relative apparatus for cleaning a substance placed in a cleaning space to which superheated steam is supplied and filled thereby making the space under a state of non-oxygen. Greater cleaning effect can be obtained without using any toxic substance.

A parts container to be utilized within the liquid cleaning solution of an ultrasonic bath which is to be formed within an enclosing side wall having an open top and an enclosed bottom. Mounted within the enclosing side wall are a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which are to supply energy from an...     

A cleaning system for semiconductor wafers wherein a megasonic energy cleaning system is utilized. Megasonic energy cleaning systems comprise a piezo-electric transducer and a transmitter. The transducer emits high frequency energy into the body of the transmitter. The transmitter radiates this energy...     

A cleaning apparatus is disclosed which is used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device. A plurality of treatment chambers are vertically mounted in a parallel array along a path of carriage of a substrate to be treated. One sheet of substrate is held within one of the treatment chambers...     

A parts container to be utilized within the liquid cleaning solution of an ultrasonic bath which is to be formed within an enclosing side wall having an open top and an enclosed bottom. Mounted within the enclosing side wall and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which are to supply energy from an...     

A single wafer processor supports a semiconductor wafer having at least one surface that is to be subjected to contact with a fluid. The equipment includes a portable module including a gripper assembly that is rotatable about the axis of a portable housing and is capable of mechanically engaging or...     

A single wafer processing apparatus includes a portable processing head that can be a portable module or a movable unit mounted to a supporting machine frame. The processing head has movable fingers adapted to grip a wafer. The fingers protrude from a protective wafer plate. Indexing and rotation monitoring...     

Device for cleaning silicon wafers having an upper mist-generating chamber with a high frequency oscillator to generate an aqueous hydrofluoric acid mist and a lower region processing chamber separated by a partitioning wall having a shutter to open and close. Silicon wafers are held in an upright position...     

A cleaning device in the present invention comprises cleaning chambers each for cleaning subjects to be cleaned, transport units for transporting the subjects, transport chambers each having one of the transport units, first decompression means for decompressing each of the transport chambers to keep...     

An apparatus for semiconductor wafers is disclosed which comprises a plurality of washing tanks for semiconductor wafers, air duct means defining blowing ports for discharging a flow of air over the washing tank, suction port means disposed opposite the blowing ports to remove the air after passing over...     

A dipping type wafer treatment apparatus includes housing having first and second openings, a wafer treatment bath provided inside the housing, a clean air unit for producing a downflow, a flow rectifier for introducing the downflow into the housing, a communicating chamber provided below the housing...