USP_6872254 (1063349), страница 3
Текст из файла (страница 3)
The sideWalls 144 can include drainholes 146 adjacent to the barrier support 134 positioned suchthat liquid ?oWing off the substrate 112 can ?oW through thedrain holes 146 and through the spaces betWeen the stanexample, approximately 1,000 rpm). The control arm 142can then loWer the barrier 140 into place on the spinningbarrier support 134 and release the barrier 140. The rotationrate of the substrate 112 and the barrier 140 can be graduallycausing the liquid to spread out over the upper surface 113While at the same time spinning the internal air volume 160up to the same rotation rate of the substrate 112 and thebarrier 140.In still another method, gas can be selectively removedfrom the internal air volume 160 as the substrate 112 and thebarrier 140 rotate.
For example, the exhaust port 122 can beopen continuously or periodically to WithdraW gaseous orgas-borne constituents from Within the barrier 140.Accordingly, the barrier 140 and/or the barrier support 13425can have vents 148 (in addition to the drain holes 146) thatchions 135. In other embodiments, the barrier 140 can havealloW some ?uid communication betWeen the internal airother shapes and con?gurations that separate the external air30volume 160 and the external air volume 150. For example,gas can pass out of the internal air volume 160 through thedrain holes 146 and into the internal air volume 160 throughthe vents 148.
Alternatively, the barrier 140 can be periodically lifted from the barrier support to alloW gas to escapefrom Within the barrier 140.In any of the methods discussed above With reference toFIG. 3, rotating the internal air volume 160 can reduce thevolume 150 from the internal air volume 160 and alloWexcess liquid to drain aWay from the substrate 112.In one embodiment, the noZZle aperture 124, the substrate112, and the drive shaft 132 are each aligned With the axis136 so that the substrate 112 spins about its center and thenoZZle aperture 124 dispenses the liquid to the center of thesubstrate upper surface 113. In one embodiment, the liquidsupply conduit 123 can be coupled to a source of liquid (not35 likelihood for the liquid to form Waves or other nonshoWn) that includes a photoresist material for etching thesubstrate 112 generally as discussed above.
Alternatively,uniformities on the upper surface 113 of the substrate 112,particularly toWard the outer edge of the substrate 112.the liquid supply conduit 123 can be coupled to sources ofother liquids.The apparatus 110 can further include a collection vessel120 ?xed relative to the motor 130 and disposed coaxiallyaround the drive shaft 132 and the substrate 112 to collectexcess liquid ?oWing from the substrate 112.
The collectionvessel 120 can include a base. 126 extending outWardly fromthe driveshaft 132 beneath the substrate 112, and Walls 12540that varies from about ten Angstroms to about thirty Angstroms across the surface of a substrate 112 having a45extending upWardly around the substrate 112. Accordingly,the collection vessel 120 can collect liquid that spills overthe edge 115 of the substrate 112 as the substrate 112 spins.A seal 127 betWeen the drive shaft 132 and the base 126prevents the liquid collected in the collection vessel 120from leaking around the drive shaft 132. A drain 121 beloWthe base 126 conducts the collected liquid aWay from theRotating the internal air volume 160 can also reduce the rateof convective heat transfer from the substrate 112.Accordingly, the liquid can be deposited to a more uniformthickness over the entire upper surface 113.
For example, inone embodiment, the liquid can be deposited to a thickness50diameter of greater than eight inches (up to and exceedingtWelve inches). In another embodiment, the liquid can bedeposited to a thickness that varies by no greater than aboutten Angstroms across the surface of the substrate 112, or theliquid can be deposited to thicknesses With other thicknessvariations on substrates 112 having other diameters.The liquid supply conduit 123 then disposes the liquid ontoFurthermore, a liquid having a single viscosity can beused to produce layers on the substrate 112 having a greaterrange of thicknesses than is possible Without the barrier 140.For example, in one embodiment, a ?uid having a singleviscosity value of betWeen about ?ve centipoise and abouttWenty centipoise can be deposited on a substrate 112(having a diameter of greater than eight inches, up to andexceeding tWelve inches) to a selected uniform thicknessWithin a range of approximately 3,000 Angstroms.
In oneembodiment, a liquid having a viscosity of from about ?vecentipoise to about ten centipoise can be deposited on thesubstrate 112 to a thickness of from approximately 5,000the upper surface 113 of the substrate 112, Where it ?oWsAngstroms to approximately 8,000 Angstroms by rotatingcollection vessel 120 via a drain tube 127. The collectionvessel 120 can also include an exhaust port 122 having anadjustable ?oW area to control a How of air past the substrate 55112 and out of the collection vessel 125.In a method in accordance With one embodiment of theinvention, the control arm 142 positions the barrier 140 onthe barrier support 134 and the substrate 112 and the barrier140 rotate together until the internal air volume 160 is60spinning at approximately the same rate as the substrate 112.outWardly under centrifugal force toWard the edges of thesubstrate 112.
In one aspect of this embodiment, the rotationspeed of both the substrate 112 and the barrier 140 can be upto 4,000 rpm, and in a further aspect of this embodiment, thethe substrate 112 at a speed of from about 2,000 rpm to about654,000 rpm. The particular viscosity value and rotation rateselected to produce the desired thickness can be selectedbased on such factors as evaporation rate of the liquid. InUS 6,872,254 B278another embodiment, the thickness can range from approxiextend outWardly beyond an outer edge 115 of the substratemately 7,000 Angstroms to approximately 10,000 Ang112 so that the barrier 240 can be lifted upWardly to accessstroms by depositing on the substrate 112 a liquid having aviscosity of from about ten centipoise to about tWentythe substrate 112, for example to remove the substrate 112after the liquid is disposed on the substrate 112.
In a furtheraspect of this embodiment, the barrier 240 can be lifted Withcentipoise and spinning the substrate at from about 2,000rpm to about 4,000 rpm. This is unlike some conventionala control arm 242 having a positioning head 243, in amanner generally similar to that discussed above With reference to FIG. 3. Alternatively, the barrier shaft 247 can bedirectly coupled to an axial actuator 225 to move the barrierdevices, Which may require coupling the liquid supplyconduit 123 to a plurality of liquid sources (each having adifferent viscosity) to deposit liquid layers of differentthicknesses on different substrates 112.10240 upWardly and doWnWardly.15A feature of the apparatus shoWn in FIG. 4 is that thebarrier 240 can be rotated independently of the substrate112, While still alloWing the barrier 240 to rotate at the samerate as the substrate 112.
Conversely, a feature of theapparatus 110 discussed above With reference to FIG. 3 isAnother feature of the apparatus and methods discussedabove With reference to FIG. 3 is that the substrate 112 canbe supported in a manner that does not trap the ?uid againstthe loWer surface 114 of the substrate 112, While at the sametime eliminating the need for rotating the collection vessel120, unlike some conventional apparatuses. Accordingly, theloWer surface 114 of the substrate 112 can remain relativelyfree of contaminants While the liquid is disposed on theupper surface 113. Furthermore, the apparatus 110 can besimpler to manufacture and operate because the collectionvessel 120 is ?xed relative to the motor 130, eliminating theneed for rotating seals betWeen the drain 121 and the drainline 127.FIG.
4 is a partially schematic, partially cutaWay sideelevation vieW of an apparatus 210 having a barrier 240 thatrotates independently of the substrate 112 in accordanceWith another embodiment of the invention. The apparatusthat the barrier 140 Will alWays rotate at the same rate as thesubstrate 112 When the barrier 140 is supported by thebarrier support 134, ensuring that the internal air volume 160Will spin at the same rate as the substrate 112.2025discussed above With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 canseparate the other gases into an internal volume and anexternal volume. Accordingly, the invention is not limitedexcept as by the appended claims.210 can include a motor 230 having a drive shaft 232coupled to a substrate support 233 that supports the substrate112.
The drive shaft is rotatable about an axis 236, asindicated by arroW A in a manner generally similar to thatdiscussed above With reference to FIG. 3. The apparatus 210can further include a collection vessel 220 disposed annularly around the drive shaft 232 and the substrate 112 tocollect ?uid and to exhaust air, also in a manner generallysimilar to that discussed above With reference to FIG.
3.From the foregoing, it Will be appreciated that, althoughspeci?c embodiments of the invention have been describedherein for purposes of illustration, various modi?cationsmay be made Without deviating from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. For example, Where the environment adjacentthe substrate includes gases other than air, the barriers30What is claimed is:1. An apparatus for disposing a ?uid onto a ?rst surfaceof a microelectronic substrate, the microelectronic substratehaving a second surface opposite the ?rst surface, theapparatus comprising:35The barrier 240 can include a barrier shaft 247 thata support having an engaging portion for engaging themicroelectronic substrate, the support being rotatableabout a rotation axis, the engaging portion being conextends upWardly and annularly around a liquid supply?gured to engage less than the entire second surface ofconduit 223.
The barrier shaft 247 can be coupled to a motorthe microelectronic substrate;a conduit having an opening positioned proximate to the249 (for example, via gears 248a and 248b) to rotate the40barrier 240. Accordingly, the barrier 240 can rotate at a ratesupport for disposing the ?uid on the ?rst surface of theindependent of the rate at Which the substrate 112 and thesubstrate support 233 rotate. In one aspect of thismicroelectronic substrate;a ?xed retaining vessel positioned proximate to the support to collect ?uid from the microelectronic substrate,embodiment, the rate at Which the barrier 240 rotates can be 45matched to the rate at Which the substrate 112 rotates so thatan internal air volume 260 Within the barrier 240 rotates Withthe barrier 240 and the substrate 112, While an external airvolume 250 remains approximately stationary, in a mannerrelative to the ?xed vessel;a plurality of noZZles con?gured to direct a cleaning ?uidtoWard the second surface of the microelectronic subgenerally similar to that discussed above With reference toFIG.
3.a barrier coupled to the support and rotatable With the5055spaced apart from the microelectronic substrate andgenerally stationary relative to the microelectronic substrate; and60the substrate 112 to remove contaminants from the loWersurface. In one embodiment, the source 271 can be coupledto a temperature controller 272 to control the temperature ofthe support includes a ?ange extending radially outWardlyfrom the rotation axis, the barrier being spaced apartfrom the ?ange to de?ne a gap betWeen the ?ange andthe barrier facing toWard the second surface of thethe substrate 112 and the evaporation rate of the liquiddisposed on the upper surface 113 of the substrate 112.In a further aspect of the embodiment shoWn in FIG.
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