Apparatus including light source supplying light to wafer and window protector receiving a portion of chemical liquid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11798801-B2
Application number	US-202218048924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2022
Priority date	Jan 15, 2021
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

A wafer-cleaning apparatus includes an inner pin that supports a wafer. The wafer-cleaning apparatus further includes a nozzle disposed above the inner pin, a light source disposed under the inner pin, a window disposed between the light source and the wafer, and a window protector disposed between the wafer and the window. The nozzle supplies a chemical liquid to the wafer and the inner pin distributes a portion of the chemical liquid on an upper surface of the wafer by rotating the wafer. The window protector receives a portion of the chemical liquid that flows out of the wafer and the light source supplies the light to the wafer through the window protector and the window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
supplying, by a nozzle included in an apparatus, a first amount of a chemical liquid to a wafer;
performing a first process with the first amount of the chemical liquid, wherein the first process comprises supplying, by a light source, a first light to the wafer and rotating, by an inner pin included in the apparatus, the wafer;
performing a rinsing process with a second amount of a rinsing liquid, wherein the rinsing process comprises supplying, by the nozzle, the second amount of the rinsing liquid to the wafer and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer; and
performing a second process with a third amount of the chemical liquid, wherein the second process comprises supplying, by the nozzle, the third amount of the chemical liquid to the wafer, supplying, by the light source, fourth light to the wafer, and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer,
wherein a portion of the first amount of the chemical liquid, a portion of the second amount of the rinsing liquid, and a portion of the third amount of the chemical liquid are introduced into a window protector at least partially disposed between the wafer and the light source and comprising a sloping upper surface configured to protect the light source by discharging an excess of the chemical liquid, an excess of the rinsing liquid, or a combination thereof away from the light source, and
wherein the inner pin is disposed on the window protector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first process further comprises:
forming a first puddle by heating the wafer from a first temperature to a second temperature via the first light and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer at a first speed; and
performing a first removal process by maintaining a temperature of the wafer at the second temperature via a second light provided to the wafer by the light source and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer at a second speed.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the rinsing process further comprises:
cooling the wafer from the second temperature to a third temperature; and
rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer at a third speed.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first speed is less than the third speed.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second process further comprises:
forming a second puddle by heating the wafer from the third temperature to a fourth temperature via a third light provided by the light source to the wafer and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer at a fourth speed; and
performing a second removal process by maintaining the temperature of the wafer at the fourth temperature via the fourth light provided by the light source to the wafer and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer at a fifth speed.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second temperature and the fourth temperature are identical.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fourth speed decreases from the third speed to 0 revolutions per minute.

9. A method comprising:
preparing an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
an inner pin, wherein the inner pin supports a wafer;
a nozzle disposed above the inner pin and the wafer, wherein the nozzle supplies a chemical liquid and a rinsing liquid to the wafer and wherein the inner pin distributes a portion of the chemical liquid and a portion of the rinsing liquid on an upper surface of the wafer by rotating the wafer;
a light source disposed under the inner pin;
a window disposed between the light source and the wafer;
a window protector disposed between the wafer and the window; and
at least one support pin disposed between and connecting the window and the window protector and supporting the window protector;

supplying, by the nozzle, a first amount of the chemical liquid to the upper surface of the wafer;
forming a first puddle on the upper surface of the wafer by performing a first process with the first amount of the chemical liquid, wherein the first process comprises supplying, by the light source, a first light to a lower surface of the wafer and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer;
removing the first puddle on the upper surface of the wafer by performing a rinsing process with a second amount of the rinsing liquid, wherein the rinsing process comprises supplying, by the nozzle, the second amount of the rinsing liquid to the upper surface of the wafer and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer; and
forming a second puddle on the upper surface of the upper surface of the wafer by performing a second process with a third amount of the chemical liquid, wherein the second process comprises supplying, by the nozzle, the third amount of the chemical liquid to the upper surface of the wafer, supplying, by the light source, a second light to the lower surface of the wafer, and rotating, by the inner pin, the wafer,
wherein the window protector receives a portion of the first amount of chemical liquid, a portion of the second amount of the rinsing liquid and a portion of the third amount of chemical liquid that flows out of the wafer, and
wherein, during the forming the first puddle and the forming the second puddle, the light source supplies the first light and the second light to the lower surface of the wafer through the window protector and the window.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wafer comprises a silicon nitride or a polysilicon, and
wherein the silicon nitride or the polysilicon of the wafer is removed by the first puddle and the second puddle of the chemical liquid.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the chemical liquid comprises at least one of phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ), ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH), or tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH).

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the window protector comprises:
a tank configured to store the portion of the first amount of chemical liquid, the portion of the second amount of the rinsing liquid and the portion of the third amount of chemical liquid received by the window protector; and
a drain disposed on an edge of the tank to discharge an excess of the chemical liquid and an excess of the rinsing liquid overflowing the tank.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the inner pin or the support pin discharges the excess of the chemical liquid and the excess of the rinsing liquid from the drain by vibrating the drain.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the inner pin or the support pin discharges the excess of the chemical liquid and the excess of the rinsing liquid from the drain by rotating the drain.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the tank includes a hole in an upper portion of the tank,
wherein the hole penetrates an inner surface and an outer surface of the tank,
wherein the drain is a pipe that contacts the hole, and
wherein the drain discharges the excess of the chemical liquid and the excess of the rinsing liquid to outside of the apparatus.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus further comprises an outer pin disposed an edge of the wafer, and
wherein, when the performing the rinsing process, the outer pin supports the wafer in a horizontal direction.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the window protector has a convex shape that curves toward the wafer.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jang Hunjae
• Shin Seungmin
• Lee Kuntack
• Kim Seungho
• Kim Younghoo
• Kim Taehong
• Park Sunghyun

Classifications

• H10P70/20 Primary

  Cleaning during device manufacture · CPC title

• H10P72/7614

  characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions · CPC title

• H10P72/7612

  characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/0436

  mainly by radiation · CPC title