US5279316A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiprocessing sonic bath system for semiconductor wafers
Assignee: PCT Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1992-08-18
•
Granted: 1994-01-18
•
Expires: 2012-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A bath system for processing semiconductor wafers includes a container having walls with a sonic transducer mounted on the outside of one side wall which is oblique to the other side walls. The thickness of the one side wall permits sonic energy to pass therethrough to wafers held in a liquid bath. Liquid and gas are introduced into the housing from the bottom wall.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry R. Miranda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:13
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; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A bath system for processing semiconductor wafers comprising a container for receiving at least one semiconductor wafer and for holding liquid for processing said wafer, said container having two vertical end walls, two side walls and a bottom wall, each of said side walls including a top vertical wall portion and a bottom wall portion which forms an oblique angle with respect to said top wall portion, one of said bottom wall portions being larger than the other of said bottom wall portions, means for generating sonic energy attached to the larger of said bottom wall portions outside of said liquid for directing sonic energy through said wall portion and said liquid to said wafer, inlet means for liquid and gas mounted on said bottom wall; whereby liquid and gas may be introduced into said container from the bottom and sonic energy may directed toward said wafer during processing with sonic waves reflected away from said means for generating sonic energy to avoid standing waves and dead spots across the surface of said wafer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
A bath system for processing semiconductor wafers comprising a container for receiving at least one semiconductor wafer and for holding liquid for processing said wafer, said container having two vertical end walls, two side walls and a bottom wall, each of said side walls including a top vertical wall portion and a bottom wall portion which forms an oblique angle with respect to said top wall portion, one of said bottom wall portions being larger than the other of said bottom wall portions, means for generating sonic energy attached to the larger of said bottom wall portions outside of said liquid for directing sonic energy through said wall portion and said liquid to said wafer, inlet means for liquid and gas mounted on said bottom wall; whereby liquid and gas may be introduced into said container from the bottom and sonic energy may directed toward said wafer during processing with sonic waves reflected away from said means for generating sonic energy to avoid standing waves and dead spots across the surface of said wafer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The bath system as in claim 1 wherein said inlet means is located on said bottom wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The bath system as in claim 2 further comprising means for holding a plurality of said wafers in said container, said wafers aligned in a horizontal cylindrical arrangement with a center axis through the center of each aligned wafer and wherein said inlet means is located substantially below said center axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The bath system as in claim 3 wherein said inlet means comprises a first inlet means for liquid and a second inlet means for gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The bath system as in claim 4 wherein said first inlet means is located substantially in the middle of said horizontal arrangement of wafers below said center axis and said second inlet means comprises two gas inlets located substantially below said center axis on either side of said first inlet means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The bath system as in claim 5 wherein said second inlet means comprises a gas manifold for each of said gas inlets to disperse the introduction of gas into liquid in said container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The bath system as in claim 1 wherein one oblique angle is approximately 30°.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3873071A
Cited
GB1456140A
Cited
DE3220404A1
Cited
JPS6489127A
Cited
US5071488A
Cited
JPH0281625A
Cited
JPH03124027A
Cited
JPH049619A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-01-17 | 1997-07-19 | 1998-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-01-17 | 2001-07-19 | 2002-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-01-17 | 2005-07-19 | 2006-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |