Process and apparatus for treating surfaces of wafer-shaped articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9870933-B2
Application number	US-201313762681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2013
Priority date	Feb 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus and method for processing wafer-shaped articles utilizes at least first and second liquid-dispensing nozzles, wherein a first liquid-dispensing nozzle is positioned closer to an axis of rotation than the second liquid-dispensing nozzle. A liquid supply system supplies heated process liquid to the nozzles such that process liquid dispensed from the first nozzle has a temperature that differs by an amount within a predetermined range from a temperature of process liquid dispensed from the second liquid-dispensing nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing a wafer, the apparatus comprising:
a rotary chuck adapted to hold and rotate the wafer about an axis of rotation;
first and second liquid-dispensing nozzles mounted at a fixed distance from one another, wherein the first liquid-dispensing nozzle is positioned closer to the axis of rotation than the second liquid-dispensing nozzle;
a liquid supply system configured to supply a same process liquid via a same inlet conduit to the first liquid-dispensing nozzle and the second liquid-dispensing nozzle,
wherein
the liquid supply system comprises one or more heaters, and
the one or more heaters are configured to heat at least one of
a first portion of the process liquid dispensed from the first liquid-dispensing nozzle to a first temperature, or
a second portion of the process liquid dispensed from the second liquid-dispensing nozzle to a second temperature, and

a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is within a predetermined range; and

a manifold,
wherein
the one or more heaters include a single heater,
the single heater is disposed within the manifold and extends from a first end of the manifold and across the first liquid-dispensing nozzle and the second liquid dispensing nozzle,
the process liquid enters the manifold at a second end of the manifold, passes across the single heater and to the first liquid-dispensing nozzle and the second liquid-dispensing nozzle,
the second end is opposite the first end,
the first liquid-dispensing nozzle is closer to the second end than the second liquid-dispensing nozzle, and
the single heater heats the first portion of the process liquid more than the second portion of the process liquid.

Assignees

• Lam Res Ag

Inventors

• Engesser Philipp
• Henriks David
• Bjoerk Anders Joel

Classifications

• H10P72/0422

  for wet etching · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

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

• H10P70/20

  Cleaning during device manufacture · CPC title

• H10P72/0602

  Temperature monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0424 Primary

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