US4856456A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for the fluid treatment of a workpiece
Assignee: Machine Technology Inc
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Filing: 1988-10-03
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Granted: 1989-08-15
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Expires: 2008-10-03
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method achieves the submersiontype processing of silicon wafers in a manufacturing process for the fabrication of semiconductor devices therefrom. The silicon wafer is uniformly flooded with the process fluid in a manner which prevents impingement thereof during chemical processing, such as wet etching, cleaning, photoresist developing and the like. Upon flooding the silicon wafer, a gas pocket is formed between a portion of the lower surface of the wafer and an adjacent portion of vacuum chuck to which the wafer is mounted. The resulting gas pocket prevents accumulation of processed fluid therein to facilitate spin drying of the wafer.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary Hillman
- 👤 Richard H. Rubin
- 👤 Bernard H. Paulfus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:11
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0404; B; B05; B05C; B05C11/00; B05C11/02; B05C11/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
An apparatus for the fluid treatment of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising mounting means for mounting a workpiece thereto, fluid supplying means for supplying a fluid for treating the surface of said workpiece, and forming means for forming a gas pocket between a portion of said mounting means and a portion of said workpiece upon supplying said fluid to said workpiece from said fluid supplying means, whereby said gas pocket prevents contact of said fluid with said portion of said mounting means and said portion of said workpiece.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
An apparatus for the fluid treatment of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising mounting means for mounting a workpiece thereto, fluid supplying means for supplying a fluid for treating the surface of said workpiece, and forming means for forming a gas pocket between a portion of said mounting means and a portion of said workpiece upon supplying said fluid to said workpiece from said fluid supplying means, whereby said gas pocket prevents contact of said fluid with said portion of said mounting means and said portion of said workpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said forming means includes an annular body having a contour upper surface surrounding said mounting means underlying said workpiece.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said contour upper surface of said annular body forms an annular chamber surrounding said portion of said mounting means and underlying said portion of said workpiece wherein said gas pocket is formed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 3, further including resilient sealing means of annular shape within said annular chamber, said sealing means having a portion in fluid sealing contact with the lower surface of said workpiece when said workpiece is mounted to said mounting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said contour upper surface of said annular body forms an annular gap underlying said workpiece between said annular chamber and a peripheral portion of said workpiece, the distance between the lower surface of said workpiece and said contour upper surface forming said annular gap being less than the corresponding distance forming said annular chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said contour upper surface of said annular body forms a first annular fluid reservoir underlying said workpiece about a peripheral portion thereof outwardly of said annular gap.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the distance between the lower surface of said workpiece and said contour upper surface forming said annular gap is less than the corresponding distance forming said first annular fluid reservoir.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said contour upper surface of said annular body forms a second annular fluid reservoir extending beyond the periphery of said workpiece and above the upper surface thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said contour upper surface of said annular body forming said second annular fluid reservoir extends outward and upward with respect to the upper surface of said workpiece at an obtuse angle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said fluid supplying means comprises an annular manifold arranged overlying said second annular fluid reservoir.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises a rotatable vacuum chuck.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said workpiece comprises a silicon wafer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said forming means includes an annular body having an upper surface surrounding said mounting means underlying said workpiece, said upper surface spaced from the lower surface of said workpiece to provide an annular chamber adjacent said mounting means wherein said gas pocket is formed and a first annular fluid reservoir underlying a peripheral portion of said workpiece wherein a portion of said fluid supplied from said fluid supplying means is received.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said upper surface of said annular body is contoured forming said annular chamber and said first annular reservoir, said upper surface further forming an annular gap underlying said workpiece between said annular chamber and said first annular fluid reservoir, the distance between the lower surface of said workpiece and said contour upper surface forming said annular gap being less than the corresponding distance forming said first annular fluid reservoir and said annular chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 13, further including resilient sealing means of annular shape within said annular chamber, said sealing means having a portion in fluid sealing contact with the lower surface of said workpiece when said workpiece is mounted to said mounting means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said upper surface of said annular body is substantially planar.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said upper surface of said annular body forms a second annular fluid reservoir extending beyond the periphery of said workpiece and above the upper surface thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 17, further including an annular ring separating said first annular fluid reservoir from said second annular fluid reservoir, the lower edge of said annular ring forming a fluid seal with the upper surface of said annular body.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 18, further including means for moving said annular ring into and out of sealing engagement with said upper surface of said annular body to provide fluid communication between said first annular fluid reservoir and said second annular fluid reservoir.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said upper surface of said annular body forming said second fluid reservoir extends outward and upward with respect to the upper surface of said workpiece at an obtuse angle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the surface of said annular body forming said second fluid reservoir is a substantially planar surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said fluid supplying means comprises an annular manifold arranged overlying said second annular fluid reservoir.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the distance between the lower surface of said workpiece and said upper surface of said annular body is substantially uniform between said mounting means and the peripheral edge of said workpiece.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
86 words
In an apparatus for treating with a fluid a workpiece mounted to a chuck, a device comprising a body having an upper surface surrounding said chuck underlying said workpiece, said upper surface forming an annular chamber surrounding a portion of said chuck and underlying a portion of said workpiece, said annular chamber trapping a pocket of gas upon supplying said fluid to said workpiece, whereby said pocket of gas prevents contact of said fluid with said portion of said chuck and said portion of said workpiece.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
86 words
In an apparatus for treating with a fluid a workpiece mounted to a chuck, a device comprising a body having an upper surface surrounding said chuck underlying said workpiece, said upper surface forming an annular chamber surrounding a portion of said chuck and underlying a portion of said workpiece, said annular chamber trapping a pocket of gas upon supplying said fluid to said workpiece, whereby said pocket of gas prevents contact of said fluid with said portion of said chuck and said portion of said workpiece.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
73 words
The device of claim 24, wherein said upper surface of said body further forms a first annular fluid reservoir underlying a peripheral portion of said workpiece and an annular gap underlying said workpiece between said annular chamber and said first annular fluid reservoir, the distance between the lower surface of said workpiece and said upper surface of said body forming said annular gap being less than the corresponding distance forming said annular chamber.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 25, wherein the distance between the lower surface of said workpiece and said upper surface of said body forming said annular gap is less than the corresponding distance forming said first annular fluid reservoir.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 25, further including resilient sealing means of annular shape within said annular chamber, said sealing means having a portion in fluid sealing contact with the lower surface of said workpiece when said workpiece is mounted to said chuck.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 25, wherein said upper surface of said body forms a second annular fluid reservoir extending beyond the periphery of said workpiece and above the upper surface thereof, said second annular fluid reservoir having a surface extending outwardly from the upper surface of said workpiece at an obtuse angle.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 24, wherein said workpiece comprises a silicon wafer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 24, wherein the distance between the lower surface of said workpiece and said upper surface of said body is substantially uniform from said annular chamber to the peripheral edge of said workpiece.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-08-14 | 1993-02-13 | 1993-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-08-14 | 1997-02-13 | 1997-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-08-14 | 2001-02-13 | 2001-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |