US5727332A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contamination control in substrate processing system
Assignee: Lam Research Corp
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Filing: 1997-01-13
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Granted: 1998-03-17
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Expires: 2017-01-13
Abstract
Abstract An improved substrate processing system. The system may be used for double sided scrubbing of a semiconductor substrate. The wet stations of the system has covers which prevent accumulated liquid from dripping outside of the station and which minimize dripping on the substrates. Transport tunnels are provided between modules to prevent leakage between the modules. A substrate transport mechanism which is moveable along a rail is provided with the stabilizer to provide for stable substrate transfer. The processing system has two brush stations which are placed within a single enclosure. The sensors located throughout the system, which sense the presence of a wafer, are fixedly mounted in a frame so that they are self-aligned to one another. In the sender station, two sensors are used, with the system requiring both sensors to sense the presence of a wafer to increase the reliability. In the dry station, the heating lamp is shielded from the substrate to reduce particulate contamination. Various flow meters are mounted on a transparent panel to provide easy and convenient hook-up. The system is provided with an airflow control bulkhead between the clean and dirty side of the system to prevent intermixing to thereby provide for lower contamination levels in the clean side of the system.
Inventors
- 👤 David L. Thrasher
- 👤 John S. Hearne
- 👤 Lynn S. Ryle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:37
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0406; H10P72/0411; H10P72/0414; B; B08; B08B; B08B1/00; B08B1/20; H10P72/0412
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A spin drying station for drying a substrate comprising: a substrate holder, said substrate holder receiving a substrate from a wet processing station, said substrate holder capable of spinning said substrate; a heat lamp disposed to heat said substrate disposed in said substrate holder, wherein said substrate holder and said heat lamp operate to dry said substrate; and a shield disposed between said substrate holder and said heat lamp in order to reduce contamination from said heat lamp; wherein said heat lamp is disposed in a first compartment and said substrate holder is disposed in a second compartment, said station comprising a divider between said first and said second compartment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
A spin drying station for drying a substrate comprising: a substrate holder, said substrate holder receiving a substrate from a wet processing station, said substrate holder capable of spinning said substrate; a heat lamp disposed to heat said substrate disposed in said substrate holder, wherein said substrate holder and said heat lamp operate to dry said substrate; and a shield disposed between said substrate holder and said heat lamp in order to reduce contamination from said heat lamp; wherein said heat lamp is disposed in a first compartment and said substrate holder is disposed in a second compartment, said station comprising a divider between said first and said second compartment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The spin drying station as described in claim 1 wherein said heat lamp is disposed above and to the side of said substrate holder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The spin drying station as described in claim 1 further comprising laminar air flow apparatus disposed above said first and said second compartments, said first and said second compartments each having an opening to admit said laminar air flow in order to prevent intermixing of the airflow between said first and second compartments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The spin drying station as described in claim 1 wherein said substrate is a semiconductor substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
166 words
A processing system comprising: a first processing module, said first processing module having a first upper section comprising a wet processing apparatus; a second processing module, said second processing module having a second upper section comprising second processing apparatus, said second processing module having a lower contamination level than said first processing module; a third processing module disposed between said first processing module and said second processing module, said third processing module having a third upper section comprising a spin dry station; a first air outlet in a first lower section of said first processing module and a second air outlet in a second lower section of said second processing module; and a divider between said first processing module and said second processing module, said divider disposed between said first lower section of said first processing module and said second lower section of said second processing module in order to prevent intermixing of the airflow between said modules thus decreasing the contamination levels in said modules.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
166 words
A processing system comprising: a first processing module, said first processing module having a first upper section comprising a wet processing apparatus; a second processing module, said second processing module having a second upper section comprising second processing apparatus, said second processing module having a lower contamination level than said first processing module; a third processing module disposed between said first processing module and said second processing module, said third processing module having a third upper section comprising a spin dry station; a first air outlet in a first lower section of said first processing module and a second air outlet in a second lower section of said second processing module; and a divider between said first processing module and said second processing module, said divider disposed between said first lower section of said first processing module and said second lower section of said second processing module in order to prevent intermixing of the airflow between said modules thus decreasing the contamination levels in said modules.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The processing system as described in claim 5 wherein said wet processing apparatus comprises a scrub station and said second processing apparatus comprises an output station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The processing system as described in claim 5 wherein said divider is disposed between a third lower section of said third processing module and said second lower section of said second processing module.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The processing system as described in claim 7 wherein said wet processing apparatus comprises a scrub station, said second processing apparatus comprises an output station, and said third processing apparatus comprises a spin dry station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The processing system as described in claim 7 further comprising a second divider disposed between said first lower section of said first processing module and said third lower section of said third processing module.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The processing system as described in claim 8 further comprising a second divider disposed between said first lower section of said first processing module and said third lower section of said third processing module.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The spin drying station described in claim 8 further comprising a laminar air flow apparatus disposed above said spin drying station.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A processing system as described in claim 5 wherein said substrate is a semiconductor substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
157 words
A spin drying station for spin drying a substrate comprising: a substrate holder, said substrate holder receiving a substrate from a wet processing station, said substrate holder capable of spinning said substrate; a heat lamp disposed to heat a substrate disposed in said substrate holder, wherein said substrate holder and said heat lamp operate to dry said substrate; and a shield disposed between said substrate holder and said heat lamp in order to reduce contamination from said heat lamp; wherein said heat lamp is disposed in a first compartment and said substrate holder is disposed in a second compartment, said station comprising a divider between said first and said second compartment, said drying station further comprising laminar air flow apparatus disposed above said first and second compartments, said first and said second compartment each having an opening to admit said laminar air flow in order to prevent intermixing of the airflow between said first and second compartments.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
157 words
A spin drying station for spin drying a substrate comprising: a substrate holder, said substrate holder receiving a substrate from a wet processing station, said substrate holder capable of spinning said substrate; a heat lamp disposed to heat a substrate disposed in said substrate holder, wherein said substrate holder and said heat lamp operate to dry said substrate; and a shield disposed between said substrate holder and said heat lamp in order to reduce contamination from said heat lamp; wherein said heat lamp is disposed in a first compartment and said substrate holder is disposed in a second compartment, said station comprising a divider between said first and said second compartment, said drying station further comprising laminar air flow apparatus disposed above said first and second compartments, said first and said second compartment each having an opening to admit said laminar air flow in order to prevent intermixing of the airflow between said first and second compartments.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The spin drying station as described in claim 13 wherein said first compartment comprises an exhaust opening separate from said second compartment.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The spin drying station as described in claim 14 wherein said heat lamp is disposed above and to the side of said substrate holder.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The spin drying station as described in claim 15 wherein said heat lamp is disposed above and to the side of said substrate holder.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The spin drying station as described in claim 13 wherein said substrate is a semiconductor substrate.
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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) | 2001-03-16 | 2001-09-15 | 2002-03-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-16 | 2005-09-15 | 2006-03-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-16 | 2009-09-15 | 2010-03-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |