公开(公告)号：US06368985B1

公开(公告)日：2002-04-09

申请号：US09580078

申请日：2000-05-30

申请人： Ted Wakamiya ,  Vince L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

发明人： Ted Wakamiya ,  Vince L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

IPC分类号： H01L2131

CPC分类号： H01L21/67225 ,  G03F7/70525 ,  G03F7/70991

摘要： An apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers includes a single imaging stepper for exposing wafers processed on a first track and a second track. A method for processing semiconductor wafers includes selecting one of a first coater and a second coater for coating a first wafer with a photoresist. The coated wafer is exposed in a single stepper to form an exposed wafer. An operator selects one of a first developer and second developer to develop the exposed wafer.

摘要翻译： 一种用于处理半导体晶片的设备包括用于曝光在第一轨道和第二轨道上处理的晶片的单个成像步进器。 一种用于处理半导体晶片的方法包括选择第一涂布机和第二涂布机中的一个，以用光致抗蚀剂涂覆第一晶片。 涂覆的晶片在单个步进器中暴露以形成暴露的晶片。 操作者选择第一显影剂和第二显影剂中的一个以显影曝光的晶片。

公开(公告)号：US6130016A

公开(公告)日：2000-10-10

申请号：US288688

申请日：1999-04-09

申请人： Eric R. Kent

发明人： Eric R. Kent

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  G03F9/00

CPC分类号： G03F7/70483

摘要： A device and method to prepare a stepper to form semiconductor structure lines by using a calibration reticle to determine optimum numerical aperture and partial coherence values for the stepper. The calibration reticle includes a light-transmissive substrate having a plurality of patterns disposed thereon, each of the plurality of patterns including a series of structures of a constant size spaced an equal distance from one another and having a predetermined pitch intended to mimic a pitch value of a semiconductor structure reticle. The method includes positioning the calibration reticle on a stepper and optimizing the performance characteristics (e.g., the partial coherence value and the numerical aperture value) of the stepper using one of the patterns of the calibration reticle corresponding to a predetermined pitch of a semiconductor structure reticle.

摘要翻译： 一种通过使用校准掩模来制备步进器以形成半导体结构线以确定步进器的最佳数值孔径和部分相干值的装置和方法。 校准掩模版包括具有设置在其上的多个图案的透光基板，多个图案中的每一个图案包括彼此间隔相等距离且具有预定间距的一系列恒定尺寸的一系列结构，用于模拟间距值 的半导体结构掩模版。 该方法包括将校准掩模版定位在步进机上，并使用对应于半导体结构标线的预定间距的校准掩模版之一来优化步进机的性能特征（例如，部分相干值和数值孔径值） 。

公开(公告)号：US6082379A

公开(公告)日：2000-07-04

申请号：US390933

申请日：1999-09-07

申请人： Eric R. Kent ,  Vincent L. Marinaro

发明人： Eric R. Kent ,  Vincent L. Marinaro

IPC分类号： B08B1/00 ,  B08B5/04 ,  H01L21/00 ,  A47L5/24

CPC分类号： H01L21/67028 ,  B08B1/00 ,  B08B5/04

摘要： A mechanism for effectively removing unwanted material stuck on a hot plate for holding an IC (Integrated Circuit) wafer at an operating temperature during fabrication of the IC wafer. A cleaning head includes a rough surface, facing a bottom of the cleaning head, for scraping against the unwanted material on the hot plate to remove the unwanted material from the hot plate. Additionally, the cleaning head includes a vacuum port, disposed near the rough surface and facing the bottom of the cleaning head, for sucking away the loose unwanted material scraped from the hot plate by the rough surface. Furthermore, a handle is coupled to the cleaning head, and an operator manipulates the handle to cause movement of the cleaning head with respect to the hot plate. In a general aspect of the present invention, the cleaning head is made of material having a melting temperature higher than the operating temperature of the hot plate such that the cleaning head is used to remove the unwanted material from the hot plate while the hot plate is at the operating temperature. Thus, because the hot plate is cleaned without first cooling down the hot plate, down time for cleaning the hot plate is minimized during fabrication of integrated circuits on the IC wafers.

摘要翻译： 一种用于在IC晶片的制造期间有效地去除粘附在热板上用于保持IC（集成电路）晶片在工作温度下的不需要的材料的机构。 清洁头包括面向清洁头的底部的粗糙表面，用于刮擦热板上的不需要的材料以从热板上去除不需要的材料。 此外，清洁头包括设置在粗糙表面附近并面向清洁头的底部的真空端口，用于从粗糙表面吸出从热板刮掉的松散的不需要的材料。 此外，手柄连接到清洁头，并且操作者操纵手柄以引起清洁头相对于热板的移动。 在本发明的一般方面，清洁头由熔化温度高于加热板的操作温度的材料制成，使得清洁头用于从热板中除去不需要的材料，而热板是 在工作温度。 因此，由于热板在没有首先冷却热板的情况下被清洁，因此在IC晶片的集成电路制造期间，用于清洁热板的停机时间被最小化。

公开(公告)号：US06299688B1

公开(公告)日：2001-10-09

申请号：US09389577

申请日：1999-09-03

申请人： Vincent L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

发明人： Vincent L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

IPC分类号： B05C500

CPC分类号： B05B15/52 ,  B05B15/50

摘要： A developer nozzle used to apply developer and other chemicals to a wafer in the processing of semiconductors is kept free of hardened developer or other chemicals by placing a comb-like device in a position that will let the comb be inserted into the spray holes of the nozzle when the nozzle is not in use. The teeth of the comb are tapered for easy insertion by the robot or other programmed device that controls motion of the nozzle. Although hardened developer is the principal concern in such processing, an appropriate comb can be used to maintain the cleanliness of other nozzles used in semiconductor processing.

摘要翻译： 用于在半导体加工中将显影剂和其他化学品施加到晶片上的显影剂喷嘴通过将梳状装置放置在将梳子插入到喷射孔的位置的位置而不含硬化的显影剂或其它化学品 喷嘴不使用喷嘴时。 梳子的齿是锥形的，以便于机器人或其他编程装置的插入，这些装置控制喷嘴的运动。 虽然硬化显影剂是这种加工中的主要关注点，但是可以使用适当的梳子来保持半导体加工中使用的其它喷嘴的清洁度。

公开(公告)号：US06238747B1

公开(公告)日：2001-05-29

申请号：US09390934

申请日：1999-09-07

申请人： Vincent L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

发明人： Vincent L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

IPC分类号： B05D312

CPC分类号： H01L21/6708 ,  B05C11/08 ,  G03F7/3021 ,  H01L21/67051

摘要： A mechanism for effectively dispensing liquid onto a surface of an IC (Integrated Circuit) wafer with minimized back-splash. A nozzle includes a liquid chamber that fills up with the liquid to be dispensed onto the surface of the IC wafer, and the nozzle includes a plurality of nozzle passages. A nozzle passage carries and directs the liquid from the liquid chamber toward the surface of the IC wafer to provide a respective liquid stream from a respective location on the nozzle to a respective spot on the surface of the IC wafer as the IC wafer is spinning. A nozzle passage is disposed within the nozzle at a respective angle with respect to the surface of the IC wafer such that the respective liquid stream from the nozzle passage is directed toward a velocity vector at the respective spot on the surface of the IC wafer where the respective liquid stream hits the surface of the IC wafer. For example, the respective angle of the nozzle passage with respect to the surface of the IC wafer may be 45°. The angling of the liquid stream toward the velocity vector on the IC wafer as the IC wafer spins reduces back-splash when the liquid stream hits the IC wafer. In addition, the liquid stream may be applied onto the surface of the IC wafer with relatively low pressure. Thus, the nozzle of the present invention dispenses liquid onto the surface of the IC wafer with minimized back-splash to reduce bubble defects within the integrated circuit fabricated on the surface of the IC wafer.

摘要翻译： 用于将液体有效地分配到IC（集成电路）晶片的表面上并具有最小化的反溅射的机构。 喷嘴包括填充有待分配的液体到IC晶片的表面上的液体室，并且喷嘴包括多个喷嘴通道。 喷嘴通道将液体从液体室朝向IC晶片的表面引导并引导，以便当IC晶片旋转时，从喷嘴上的相应位置向IC晶片表面上的相应点提供相应的液体流。 喷嘴通道相对于IC晶片的表面以相应的角度设置在喷嘴内，使得来自喷嘴通道的相应液体流指向IC晶片表面上的各个点处的速度矢量，其中 相应的液体流撞击IC晶片的表面。 例如，喷嘴通道相对于IC晶片的表面的相应角度可以是45°。 当IC晶片旋转时液体流向IC晶片上的速度矢量的倾斜在液体流撞击IC晶片时减少了反溅射。 此外，液体流可以以相对低的压力施加到IC晶片的表面上。 因此，本发明的喷嘴将液体分配到IC晶片的表面上，具有最小化的反溅射，以减少制造在IC晶片表面上的集成电路内的气泡缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US06361599B1

公开(公告)日：2002-03-26

申请号：US09781821

申请日：2001-02-12

申请人： Vincent L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

发明人： Vincent L. Marinaro ,  Eric R. Kent

IPC分类号： B05C502

CPC分类号： H01L21/6708 ,  B05C11/08 ,  G03F7/3021 ,  H01L21/67051

摘要： A mechanism for effectively dispensing liquid onto a surface of an IC (Integrated Circuit) wafer with minimized back-splash. A nozzle includes a liquid chamber that fills up with the liquid to be dispensed onto the surface of the IC wafer, and the nozzle includes a plurality of nozzle passages. A nozzle passage carries and directs the liquid from the liquid chamber toward the surface of the IC wafer to provide a respective liquid stream from a respective location on the nozzle to a respective spot on the surface of the IC wafer as the IC wafer is spinning. A nozzle passage is disposed within the nozzle at a respective angle with respect to the surface of the IC wafer such that the respective liquid stream from the nozzle passage is directed toward a velocity vector at the respective spot on the surface of the IC wafer where the respective liquid stream hits the surface of the IC wafer. For example, the respective angle of the nozzle passage with respect to the surface of the IC wafer may be 45°. The angling of the liquid stream toward the velocity vector on the IC wafer as the IC wafer spins reduces back-splash when the liquid stream hits the IC wafer. In addition, the liquid stream may be applied onto the surface of the IC wafer with relatively low pressure. Thus, the nozzle of the present invention dispenses liquid onto the surface of the IC wafer with minimized back-splash to reduce bubble defects within the integrated circuit fabricated on the surface of the IC wafer.

摘要翻译： 用于将液体有效地分配到IC（集成电路）晶片的表面上并具有最小化的反溅射的机构。 喷嘴包括填充有待分配的液体到IC晶片的表面上的液体室，并且喷嘴包括多个喷嘴通道。 喷嘴通道将液体从液体室朝向IC晶片的表面引导并引导，以便当IC晶片旋转时，从喷嘴上的相应位置向IC晶片表面上的相应点提供相应的液体流。 喷嘴通道相对于IC晶片的表面以相应的角度设置在喷嘴内，使得来自喷嘴通道的相应液体流指向IC晶片表面上的各个点处的速度矢量，其中 相应的液体流撞击IC晶片的表面。 例如，喷嘴通道相对于IC晶片的表面的相应角度可以是45°。 当IC晶片旋转时液体流向IC晶片上的速度矢量的倾斜在液体流撞击IC晶片时减少了反溅射。 此外，液体流可以以相对低的压力施加到IC晶片的表面上。 因此，本发明的喷嘴将液体分配到IC晶片的表面上，具有最小化的反溅射，以减少制造在IC晶片表面上的集成电路内的气泡缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US06360959B1

公开(公告)日：2002-03-26

申请号：US09592920

申请日：2000-06-13

申请人： Eric R. Kent ,  Vince L. Marinaro ,  Ted Wakamiya

发明人： Eric R. Kent ,  Vince L. Marinaro ,  Ted Wakamiya

IPC分类号： B05B1700

CPC分类号： B05B1/14 ,  B05B9/002

摘要： A dual tip nozzle replaces a single tip nozzle in a resist applicator station to double the number of photoresists that are available. The resist applicator station is of the type having a nozzle holder block, at least one single tip nozzle attached to the nozzle holder bock, and a first resist line extending through the nozzle holder block and into engagement with the nozzle. The dual tip nozzle includes two cavities having respective orifices. Each cavity receives a separate resist line for dispensing separate photoresists.

摘要翻译： 双尖头喷嘴替代抗蚀剂涂布工位中的单个尖端喷嘴，使可用的光致抗蚀剂数量增加一倍。 抗蚀剂涂布工位是具有喷嘴保持器块的类型，附接到喷嘴保持器块的至少一个单个尖端喷嘴，以及延伸穿过喷嘴保持器块并与喷嘴接合的第一抗蚀剂线。 双头喷嘴包括具有相应孔口的两个空腔。 每个腔容纳单独的抗蚀剂线，用于分配单独的光致抗蚀剂。