This invention relates to a coating equipment to be used for coating a coating solution (coating diffusion agent, photo-resist agent, etc.) on a film which forms patterns of photo mask substrates (hereinafter merely called "substrates") used for production of reticle and photo masks or of glass substrates used for liquid crystal display. It features that said coating equipment comprises of a substrate table (spin head) being formed on the upper part of the spindle, a through hole whose dimension is a little larger than said substrate and whose section is of a reversed-U shape to said spin head being prepared at the central part of the upper part thereof, an aerial stream control frame body having a peripheral wall of a specified height and being provided with an air exhaust hole on said peripheral wall side, both said through hole and said aerial stream control frame body being able to rotate altogether, a doughnut-like cup being provided and arranged so that said aerial stream control frame body can be wrapped at the inside center thereof, an air suction hole of a little higher dimension than the height of the peripheral wall side of said aerial stream control frame body being drilled at the internal face thereof, and the bottom of said cup is interconnected to a pipe equipped with an exhaust fan.
A combination gate valve and throttle valve is presented for use between a process chamber and at least one pump includes a base plate a lower plate and a gate plate. The base plate is attached to the process chamber and includes a base plate gas port for each pump in the system. Each pump is attached to the lower plate. Where each pump is attached to the lower plate there is a lower plate gas port. Each of the lower plate gas ports lines up with one of the base plate gas ports. The gate plate is attached between the lower plate and the base plate. The gate plate has gate plate gas ports so that when the gate plate is moved into an open position with respect to the base plate and the lower plate, the gate plate gas ports line up with the lower plate gas ports and the base plate gas ports allowing gas to flow from the process chamber through the gas ports to the pumps. When the gate plate is moved into a closed position the process chamber is sealed from the pumps. The process chamber is now isolated from the pumps allowing the pumps to be removed without contaminating the process chamber.
A spin-apply tool avoids contamination of a substrate back surface by providing exhaust along or beyond a periphery of a splash shield. The peripheral exhaust pulls a mist of droplets of liquid spun off the substrate away from the substrate. The spin-apply tool includes a spin chuck for holding the substrate, a basin extending around the chuck, a splash shield in the basin, and an exhaust substantially symmetric with the center of the substrate. The chuck surface defines a plane, and the splash shield extends as a ring around the chuck at an angle to that plane sufficient to deflect liquid flying off the chuck down to the basin. The basin may have a removable liner that can be cleaned and reused. Use of solvent to clean the backside of substrates is avoided. And a basin drain is eliminated, eliminating the need for any solvent consumption.
An improved spin coating apparatus (10) having a spin tub (28) surrounding a chuck (14), the chuck (14) being adapted for hold a workpiece (16) for coating. The chuck (14) and the spin tub (28) are spun coaxially and independently such that the chuck (14) may be stopped while the spin tub (28) remains spinning. The spin tub (28) defines a frustum of a cone with a plurality of outlet slots (60) distributed at a large end (52) thereof such that centrifugal force will direct contaminants out of the spin tub (28) through the outlet slots (60). A plurality of fan vanes (62) create an air stream (88) through the spin tub (28) which pulls contaminants through the outlet slots (60) and into a plenum chamber (72) where they are expelled therefrom through a vent tube (64).
A method for dispensing a chemical, such as an edge bead removal solvent, onto a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of dispensing the chemical selectively onto the wafer and applying a suction to the area immediately surrounding the location at which the chemical is dispensed onto the wafer. Preferably, the suction is applied simultaneously with the dispensing of the chemical. One specific version of the invention provides an edge bead removal system wherein suction is applied to the area immediately surrounding the solvent dispensing nozzle to remove dissolved coating material and excess solvent from the wafer. In one aspect of this system, an apparatus for removing the edge bead includes a mechanism for dispensing a solvent selectively onto the edge of the wafer, and a mechanism surrounding the dispensing mechanism for vacuuming excess solvent and dissolved coating material from the edge of the wafer. The edge bead removal apparatus preferably also includes mechanisms for spinning the semiconductor wafer and coating material on the spinning wafer. Another aspect of the system provides a method for removing an edge bead of a coating of material that has been spun onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The method includes the steps of dispensing a solvent selectively onto the edge of the wafer to dissolve the coating material at the extreme edge of the wafer, and applying a suction to vacuum excess solvent and dissolved coating material from the wafer.
A method for dispensing a chemical, such as an edge bead removal solvent, onto a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of dispensing the chemical selectively onto the wafer and applying a suction to the area immediately surrounding the location at which the chemical is dispensed onto the wafer. Preferably, the suction is applied substantially simultaneously with the dispensing of the chemical. One specific version of the invention provides an edge bead removal system wherein suction is applied to the area immediately surrounding the solvent dispensing nozzle to remove dissolved coating material and excess solvent from the wafer. In one aspect of this system, an apparatus for removing the edge bead includes a mechanism for dispensing a solvent selectively onto the edge of the wafer, and a mechanism surrounding the dispensing mechanism for vacuuming excess solvent and dissolved coating material from the edge of the wafer. The edge bead removal apparatus preferably also includes mechanisms for spinning the semiconductor wafer and coating material on the spinning wafer. Another aspect of the system provides a method for removing an edge bead of a coating of material that has been spun onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The method includes the steps of dispensing a solvent selectively onto the edge of the wafer to dissolve the coating material at the extreme edge of the wafer, and applying a suction to vacuum excess solvent and dissolved coating material from the wafer.
