EP0860860A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Wafer processing apparatus, wafer processing method, and semiconductor substrate fabrication method
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1998-02-19
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-02-19
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic bath (30) is arranged below a wafer processing bath (10). Wafers (40) are processed while ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the ultrasonic bath (30) to the wafer processing bath (10). The wafers (40) are processed while being entirely dipped into the wafer processing bath (10) and rotated by wafer rotating rods (53).
Inventors
- 👤 Fumio Uehara
- 👤 Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
- 👤 Kazutaka Yanagita
- 👤 Masakazu Harada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:46
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0406; H10P72/0411; H10P72/0416; B; B08; B08B; B08B3/00; B08B3/04; B08B3/10; B08B3/12; H10P50/00; H10P50/60; H10P50/64; H10P50/642; H10P50/644; H10P90/00; H10P90/19; H10P90/1904; H10P90/1906; H10P90/1914; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A wafer processing apparatus (100) for processing a
wafer by dipping the wafer into a processing solution,
characterized by comprising: a processing bath (10) having a depth that allows
to completely dip the wafer into the processing
solution; wafer rotating means (50 - 59) for rotating one or
a plurality of wafers held by a wafer holder (41) by
using a wafer rotating member (50) which rotates about a
shaft (52) shifted from a portion immediately below a
barycenter of the one or plurality of wafers; and ultrasonic generating means (30 - 32) for
generating ultrasonic waves in said processing bath (10).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized
in that only said wafer rotating member (50) is arranged
as a member for transmitting a rotating force to the
wafer below the one or plurality of wafers held by said
wafer holder (41).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that said wafer rotating member (50)
comprises at least one rod member (53) substantially
parallel to said shaft (52), and said rod member (53)
rotates about said shaft (52).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized
in that said rod member (53) has a diameter much smaller
than a diameter of a cylinder virtually formed upon
rotation of said rod member (53) about said shaft (52).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized
in that said rod member (53) has a groove (53a; 53b;
53c) which engages with a peripheral portion of the
wafer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized
in that the groove (53a) has a V shape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized
in that a section of said rod member (53) taken along
said shaft (52) has a substantially sine-wave shape
(53b).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized
in that a section of said rod member (53) taken along
said shaft (52) has a substantially full-wave rectifying
shape (53c).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that said wafer rotating means (50 -
59) further comprises driving force generating means
(59) arranged outside said processing bath (10), and
driving force transmission means (55, 57, 58) for
transmitting a driving force generated by said driving
force generating means (59) to said wafer rotating
member (50) and rotating said wafer rotating member (50).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized
by further comprising a dividing member (11) for
dividing an interior of said processing bath (10) into a
processing wafer side and a side of said driving force
transmission means (55, 57, 58).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 or 10,
characterized in that said driving force transmission
means (55, 57, 58) transmits the driving force generated
by said driving force generating means (59) through a
crank mechanism (55, 57).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that said processing bath (10)
comprises a circulating mechanism (20, 21) having an
overflow bath (20).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized
in that said circulating mechanism (20, 21) comprises
contamination reducing means (20, 21b) for reducing
contamination of the wafer by particles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized
in that said contamination reducing means comprises a
filter (20).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized
in that said contamination reducing means comprises
means (21c) for adjusting flow of the processing
solution in said processing bath (10).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that said ultrasonic generating means
(30 - 32) comprises an ultrasonic bath (30) and an
ultrasonic source (31), and said processing bath (10)
receives ultrasonic waves through an ultrasonic
transmitting medium set in said ultrasonic bath (30).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized by further comprising driving means (32)
for changing a relative positional relationship between
said ultrasonic source (31) and a wafer to be processed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized
in that said driving means (32) moves said ultrasonic
source (31) within said ultrasonic bath (30).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that at least portions of constituent
members of said processing bath (10) and said wafer
rotating means (50 - 59) which may come into contact
with the processing solution are made of one material
selected from the group consisting of quartz and plastic.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that at least portions of constituent
members of said processing bath (10) and said wafer
rotating means (50 - 59) which may come into contact
with the processing solution are made of one material
selected from the group consisting of a fluorine resin,
vinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene,
polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT), and
polyetheretherketone (PEEK).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
A wafer processing method of processing a wafer
while ultrasonic waves are supplied, characterized by
comprising: processing the wafer while entirely dipping the
wafer into a processing solution and rotating the wafer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
A wafer processing method of processing a wafer
while ultrasonic waves are supplied, characterized by
comprising: processing the wafer while entirely dipping the
wafer into a processing solution, and rotating and
vertically moving the wafer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
A wafer processing method of processing a wafer
while ultrasonic waves are supplied, characterized by
comprising: processing the wafer while entirely dipping the
wafer into a processing solution and changing a position
of an ultrasonic source (31).
Claim 24
Independent Claim
27 words
The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23,
characterized in that the wafer is cleaned using a wafer
cleaning solution as the processing solution.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
27 words
The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23,
characterized in that the wafer is etched using a wafer
etching solution as the processing solution.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
40 words
The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23,
characterized in that a porous silicon layer (502) of a
wafer having said porous silicon layer (502) is etched
using a porous silicon etching solution as the
processing solution.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
92 words
The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23,
characterized in that a porous silicon layer (502) of a
wafer having said porous silicon layer (502) is etched
using, as the processing solution, any one of (a) hydrofluoric acid, (b) solution mixture prepared by adding at least
one of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to hydrofluoric
acid, (c) buffered hydrofluoric acid, (d) solution mixture prepared by adding at least
one of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to buffered
hydrofluoric acid, and (e) solution mixture of hydrofluoric acid, nitric
acid, and acetic acid.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
159 words
A semiconductor substrate fabrication method
characterized by comprising: the step of forming a non porous layer (503, 504)
on a porous layer (502) formed on a surface of a first
substrate (501); the step of bonding a first substrate side (501 -
504) of a prospective structure and a second substrate
(505) prepared separately to sandwich said non porous
layer (503, 504) between the first substrate side and
said second substrate; the removal step of removing said first substrate
(501) from the bonded structure to expose said porous
layer (502) on a second substrate side (503 - 505)
thereof; and the etching step of etching said porous layer (502)
while the second substrate side (503 - 505) on which
said porous layer (502) is exposed is completely dipped
into an etching solution, and ultrasonic waves are
supplied, thereby exposing surface of the second
substrate side (503 - 505), the etching step rotating the second substrate side
(503 - 505).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
162 words
A semiconductor substrate fabrication method
characterized by comprising: the step of forming a non porous layer (503, 504)
on a porous layer (502) formed on a surface of a first
substrate (501); the step of bonding a first substrate side (501 -
504) of a prospective structure and a second substrate
(505) prepared separately to sandwich said non porous
layer (503, 504) between the first substrate side and
said second substrate; the removal step of removing said first substrate
(501) from the bonded structure to expose said porous
layer (502) on a second substrate side (503 - 505)
thereof; and the etching step of etching said porous layer (502)
while the second substrate side (503 - 505) on which
said porous layer (502) is exposed is completely dipped
into an etching solution, and ultrasonic waves are
supplied, thereby exposing surface of the second
substrate side (503 - 505), the etching step rotating and vertically moving the
second substrate side (503 - 505).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
159 words
A semiconductor substrate fabrication method
characterized by comprising: the step of forming a non porous layer (503, 504)
on a porous layer (502) formed on a surface of a first
substrate (501); the step of bonding a first substrate side (501 -
504) of a prospective structure and a second substrate
(505) prepared separately to sandwich said non porous
layer (503, 504) between the first substrate side and
said second substrate; the removal step of removing said first substrate
(501) from the bonded structure to expose said porous
layer (502) on a second substrate side (503 - 505)
thereof; and the etching step of etching said porous layer (502)
while the second substrate side (503 - 505) on which
said porous layer (502) is exposed is completely dipped
into an etching solution, and ultrasonic waves are
supplied, thereby exposing surface of the second
substrate side (503 - 505), the etching step changing a position of an
ultrasonic source (31).
Claim 31
Independent Claim
80 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that the etching solution used in the
etching step is any one of (a) hydrofluoric acid, (b) solution mixture prepared by adding at least
one of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to hydrofluoric
acid, (c) buffered hydrofluoric acid, (d) solution mixture prepared by adding at least
one of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to buffered
hydrofluoric acid, and (e) solution mixture of hydrofluoric acid, nitric
acid, and acetic acid.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
36 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that the removal step comprises
exposing said porous layer (502) by grinding, polishing,
or etching said first substrate (501) from a back
surface.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
39 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that the removal step comprises
separating the first substrate side (501) and the second
substrate side (503 - 505) at a boundary of said porous
layer.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
24 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that said non porous layer is a
single-crystal silicon layer (503).
Claim 35
Independent Claim
39 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that said non porous layer is made up
of a single-crystal silicon layer (503) and a silicon
oxide layer (504) formed on said single-crystal silicon
layer.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
24 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that said non porous layer (503) is a
compound semiconductor layer.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
22 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that said second substrate (505) is a
silicon substrate.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
43 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that said second substrate (505) is a
silicon substrate having a silicon oxide film (504)
formed on a surface to be bonded to the first substrate
side (501 - 504).
Claim 39
Independent Claim
22 words
The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30,
characterized in that said second substrate (505) is a
light-transmitting substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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