US4718974A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoresist stripping apparatus using microwave pumped ultraviolet lamp
Assignee: ULTRAPHASE EQUIPMENT Inc A CORP OF
•
Filing: 1987-01-09
•
Granted: 1988-01-12
•
Expires: 2007-01-09
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for removing organic polymers, such as photoresist, from the surface of an object, such as a semiconductor wafer. The apparatus comprises a microwave energy source and a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp and a platform for holding a semiconductor wafer. A portion of the chamber's exterior, between the ultraviolet lamp and the microwave energy source, is permeable to microwaves. The reaction chamber has an inlet and an outlet for passing a reaction gas through the reaction chamber. The platform is situated so that the full surface of a semiconductor wafer thereon is exposed to light emitted by the ultrtaviolet lamp which responds to microwave stimulation from the microwave energy source by emitting ultraviolet radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms. Photoresist can be stripped from a semiconductor wafer on the platform by energizing the ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through the reaction chamber and thereby ablating organic polymers and impurities from the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
Inventors
- 👤 Behrooz Minaee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 00:26
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/26; G03F7/42; B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/08; B01J19/12; B01J19/122; B01J19/123; B01J19/124
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
Photoresist and surface contaminant stripping apparatus, comprising a microwave energy source; and a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp and a platform for holding a semiconductor wafer, said chamber having an exterior portion between said ultraviolet lamp and said microwave energy source which is permeable to microwaves; wherein said reaction chamber has an inlet and an outlet for passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber; said platform is situated so that the full surface of a semiconductor wafer thereon is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp responds to microwave stimulation from said microwave energy source by emitting UV radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby photoresist can be stripped from a semiconductor wafer on said platform by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating organic polymers and impurities from the surface of said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
Photoresist and surface contaminant stripping apparatus, comprising a microwave energy source; and a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp and a platform for holding a semiconductor wafer, said chamber having an exterior portion between said ultraviolet lamp and said microwave energy source which is permeable to microwaves; wherein said reaction chamber has an inlet and an outlet for passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber; said platform is situated so that the full surface of a semiconductor wafer thereon is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp responds to microwave stimulation from said microwave energy source by emitting UV radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby photoresist can be stripped from a semiconductor wafer on said platform by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating organic polymers and impurities from the surface of said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said external portion of said reaction chamber is glass which at least partially internally reflects ultraviolet light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the interior surfaces of said reaction chamber which face the upper surface of a semiconductor wafer on said platform substantially reflect ultraviolet light, thereby maximizing the intensity of the ultraviolet light impinging on the upper surface of said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inlet is situated so that said reaction gas flows past said lamp, so that said reaction gas is heated and excited before contacting said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reaction gas chemically combines with ablated photoresist.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of removing organic polymers from the surface of an object, the steps of the method comprising: placing said object, having organic polymers on at least a portion of the object's surface, in a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp, said chamber having an exterior portion adjacent said ultraviolet lamp which is permeable to microwaves; pumping said ultraviolet lamp with microwaves generated outside said reaction chamber; and passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber for carrying ablated organic polymers from said reaction chamber; wherein said object is placed so that at least a portion of the organic polymers on the surface of said object is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp emits ultraviolet radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby organic polymers can be stripped from a object's surface by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating organic polymers and impurities from the surface of said object.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of removing organic polymers from the surface of an object, the steps of the method comprising: placing said object, having organic polymers on at least a portion of the object's surface, in a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp, said chamber having an exterior portion adjacent said ultraviolet lamp which is permeable to microwaves; pumping said ultraviolet lamp with microwaves generated outside said reaction chamber; and passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber for carrying ablated organic polymers from said reaction chamber; wherein said object is placed so that at least a portion of the organic polymers on the surface of said object is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp emits ultraviolet radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby organic polymers can be stripped from a object's surface by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating organic polymers and impurities from the surface of said object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An organic polymer stripping method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said external portion of said reaction chamber is glass which at least partially internally reflects ultraviolet light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An organic polymer stripping method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said reaction gas chemically combines with ablated photoresist.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of stripping photoresist from the surface of a semiconductor wafer, the steps of the method comprising: placing a semiconductor wafer, having photoresist on at least a portion of the wafer's surface, in a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp, said chamber having an exterior portion adjacent said ultraviolet lamp which is permeable to microwaves; pumping said ultraviolet lamp with microwaves generated outside said reaction chamber; and passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber for carrying ablated photoresist from said reaction chamber; wherein said semiconductor wafer is placed so that all of the photoresist on the surface of said wafer is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp emits UV radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby photoresist can be stripped from a semiconductor wafer by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating organic polymers and impurities from the surface of said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of stripping photoresist from the surface of a semiconductor wafer, the steps of the method comprising: placing a semiconductor wafer, having photoresist on at least a portion of the wafer's surface, in a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp, said chamber having an exterior portion adjacent said ultraviolet lamp which is permeable to microwaves; pumping said ultraviolet lamp with microwaves generated outside said reaction chamber; and passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber for carrying ablated photoresist from said reaction chamber; wherein said semiconductor wafer is placed so that all of the photoresist on the surface of said wafer is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp emits UV radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby photoresist can be stripped from a semiconductor wafer by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating organic polymers and impurities from the surface of said semiconductor wafer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A photoresist stripping method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said external portion of said reaction chamber is glass which at least partially internally reflects ultraviolet light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A photoresist stripping method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said reaction gas chemically combines with ablated photoresist.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of preparing a semiconductor wafer for a coating process, the steps of the method comprising: placing said wafer, having surface contaminants on at least a portion of the wafer's upper surface, in a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp, said chamber having an exterior portion adjacent said ultraviolet lamp which is permeable to microwaves; pumping said ultraviolet lamp with microwaves generated outside said reaction chamber; and passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber for carrying ablated surface contaminants from said reaction chamber; wherein said wafer is placed so that at least a portion of the upper surface of said wafer is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp emits ultraviolet radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby surface contaminants can be stripped from a wafer's surface by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating surface contaminants from the surface of said wafer.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of preparing a semiconductor wafer for a coating process, the steps of the method comprising: placing said wafer, having surface contaminants on at least a portion of the wafer's upper surface, in a reaction chamber housing an ultraviolet lamp, said chamber having an exterior portion adjacent said ultraviolet lamp which is permeable to microwaves; pumping said ultraviolet lamp with microwaves generated outside said reaction chamber; and passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber for carrying ablated surface contaminants from said reaction chamber; wherein said wafer is placed so that at least a portion of the upper surface of said wafer is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp; and said ultraviolet lamp emits ultraviolet radiation having a preselected wavelength between 100 and 300 angstroms; whereby surface contaminants can be stripped from a wafer's surface by energizing said ultraviolet lamp while passing a reaction gas through said reaction chamber and thereby ablating surface contaminants from the surface of said wafer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said wafer is placed so that the entire upper surface of said wafer is exposed to light emitted by said ultraviolet lamp.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-01-11 | 1991-07-13 | 1992-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-01-11 | 1995-07-13 | 1996-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-01-11 | 1999-07-13 | 2000-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |