Substrate rinsing systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016175857-A1
Application number	US-201514626903-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An example waterfall apparatus includes (1) a first portion of a first width having (a) a first plenum, a second plenum, and a restricted fluid path therebetween; (b) a first coupling surface; and (c) an inlet opening that creates a fluid path between the first coupling surface and the first plenum; and (2) a second portion of a second width larger than the first width and having (a) a second coupling surface; and (b) an inlet aligned with the first portion inlet opening. The first and second coupling surfaces form a slot that extends along at least a portion of a length of the waterfall apparatus and that connects to the second plenum. Fluid introduced into the second portion inlet fills the first plenum, travels through the restricted fluid path to the second plenum, and exits the slot between the first and second portions to form a rinsing fluid waterfall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A waterfall apparatus configured to provide rinsing fluid to a substrate comprising:
a first portion of a first width having:
a first plenum, a second plenum separated from the first plenum, and a restricted fluid path between the first and second plenums;
a first coupling surface; and
an inlet opening that creates a fluid path between the first coupling surface and the first plenum; and
a second portion of a second width that is larger than the first width and having:
a second coupling surface; and
an inlet that aligns with the inlet opening of the first portion to create a fluid path to the first plenum through the second portion;
wherein the first coupling surface of the first portion and the second coupling surface of the second portion form a slot that extends along at least a portion of a length of the waterfall apparatus and that connects to the second plenum; and wherein fluid introduced into the inlet of the second portion fills the first plenum of the first portion, travels through the restricted fluid path to the second plenum, and exits the slot between the first and second portions to form a rinsing fluid waterfall.

2 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein the slot formed between the first and second portions has a length that is longer than a diameter of a substrate rinsed with the waterfall apparatus.

3 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 2 wherein the slot has a length that is approximately 10 to 100 mm longer than a diameter of a substrate rinsed with the waterfall apparatus.

4 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 3 wherein the slot has a length that is approximately 30 to 70 mm longer than a diameter of a substrate rinsed with the waterfall apparatus.

5 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 2 wherein the slot is approximately 310 to 400 mm in length.

6 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 5 wherein the slot is approximately 330 to 370 mm in length.

7 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein the slot has a height of approximately less than 0.5 mm.

8 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 7 wherein the slot has a height of less than approximately 0.2 mm.

9 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first plenum includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side and a third side extending between the first side and the second side, wherein the first side is shorter than the second side and the third side extends between the first and second sides at an angle relative to the first coupling surface of the first portion.

10 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein the angle of the third side is between about 1 and 10 degrees relative to the first coupling surface.

11 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 10 wherein the angle of the third side is between about 3 and 6 degrees relative to the first coupling surface.

12 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the restricted flow path has a length equal to a length of the slot and the first and second plenums have a length equal to a length of the slot.

13 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second coupling surface of the second portion has a width that is larger than a width of the first coupling surface of the first portion so that fluid travelling through the slot formed between the first and second coupling surfaces breaks contact with the first coupling surface prior to the second coupling surface.

14 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second portion includes a flow deflector positioned at an end of the slot that redirects rinsing fluid flowing through the slot at an angle relative to the second coupling surface of the second portion.

15 . The waterfall apparatus of claim 14 wherein the angle is approximately 40 to 60 degrees relative to the second coupling surface.

16 . A system configured to rinse a substrate comprising:
a frontside waterfall apparatus; a backside waterfall apparatus; and a mounting mechanism that adjustably positions the frontside waterfall apparatus and the backside waterfall apparatus a predetermined distance apart so as to allow a substrate to pass between the frontside waterfall apparatus and the backside apparatus during a rinsing operation; wherein each of the frontside waterfall apparatus and the backside waterfall apparatus includes:
a first portion of a first width having:
a first plenum, a second plenum separated from the first plenum, and a restricted fluid path between the first and second plenums;
a first coupling surface; and
an inlet opening that creates a fluid path between the first coupling surface and the first plenum; and

a second portion of a second width that is larger than the first width and having:
a second coupling surface; and
an inlet that aligns with the inlet opening of the first portion to create a fluid path to the first plenum through the second portion;

wherein the first coupling surface of the first portion and the second coupling surface of the second portion form a slot that extends along at least a portion of a length of the waterfall apparatus and that connects to the second plenum; and
wherein fluid introduced into the inlet of the second portion fills the first plenum of the first portion, travels through the restricted fluid path to the second plenum, and exits the slot between the first and second portions to form a rinsing fluid waterfall.

17 . The system of claim 16 wherein the mounting mechanism allows adjustment of the horizontal, lateral and rotational positions of the frontside waterfall apparatus and the backside waterfall apparatus.

18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the predetermined distance between the frontside waterfall apparatus and the backside waterfall apparatus is less than approximately 25 mm.

19 . The system of claim 16 wherein the slot formed between the first and second portions of the frontside waterfall apparatus has a length that is longer than a diameter of a substrate rinsed with the waterfall apparatus.

20 . A method of rinsing a substrate comprising:
providing a waterfall apparatus configured to provide rinsing fluid to a substrate comprising:
a first portion of a first width having:
a first plenum, a second plenum separated from the first plenum, and a restricted fluid path between the first and second plenums;
a first coupling surface; and
an inlet opening that creates a fluid path between the first coupling surface and the first plenum; and

a second portion of a second width that is larger than the first width and having:
a second coupling surface; and
an inlet that aligns with the inlet opening of the first portion to create a fluid path to the first plenum through the second portion;

wherein the first coupling surface of the first portion and the second coupling surface of the second portion form a slot that extends along at least a portion of a length of the waterfall apparatus and that connects to the second plenum; and
wherein fluid introduced into the inlet of the second portion fills the first plenum of the first portion, travels through the restricted fluid path to the second plenum, and exits the slot between the first and second portions to form a rinsing fluid waterfall;
positioning a substrate in front of the slot of the waterfall apparatus; directing a rinsing fluid into the inlet of the second portion to fill the first plenum of the first portion so that the rinsing fluid travels through the restricted fluid path to the second plenum, and exits the slot betw

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Frankel Jonathan S
• Brown Brian J
• Francischetti Vincent S
• Mchugh Paul
• Hanson Kyle M
• Mikhaylichenko Ekaterina

Classifications

• H10P70/15

  by wet cleaning only (H10P70/52 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10P72/0416

  with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels · CPC title

• H10P72/0414 Primary

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

• B05B1/046 Primary

  Outlets formed, e.g. cut, in the circumference of tubular or spherical elements · CPC title