Apparatus for cleaning and rinsing wafers
Patent 5069235 Issued on December 3, 1991. Estimated Expiration Date: 
August 2, 2010. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
August 2, 2010. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesApparatus for washing semiconductor wafers Submersible motor chemical processing apparatus Apparatus for washing semiconductor materials Apparatus for liquid disinfecting and sterile rinsing Treatment basin for semiconductor material Cleaning apparatus Constant bath system with weir Patent #: 4955402 InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 561778 filed on 08/02/1990US Classes:134/113, With alarm, signal, indicating, testing, inspecting, illuminating or display means134/182, With non-impelling fluid deflector or baffle other than conduits or nozzles134/186, With means to drain from and/or supply liquid to tank134/902SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERExaminersPrimary: Coe, Philip R.Attorney, Agent or FirmForeign Patent References
International ClassB08B 003/04AbstractApparatus for cleaning and rinsing wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes an inner tank contained within an outer tank. The inner tank has an open top forming a weir edge around the entire top of the tank. A bottom opening in the inner tank is covered by a dump door. The inner tank is contoured so that its cross-sectional area decreases in a direction toward the bottom of the tank. Sprayer manifolds are positioned slightly above the top edge of the inner tank to spray water into the inner tank. Wafers are positioned in the inner tank on a support plate. Manifolds below the support plate allow filling of the tank with water and nitrogen gas. The dump door is opened or closed by a pneumatic piston depending on whether the inner tank is being dumped or filled. A controller operates the apparatus to cycle through a predetermined program including dump, partial dump, cascade and spraying cycles. A monitoring system withdraws water from the outer tank and monitors the water for particular characteristics including resistivity, conductivity and redox potential.Field of SearchSEMICONDUCTOR WAFERWith alarm, signal, indicating, testing, inspecting, illuminating or display means With non-impelling fluid deflector or baffle other than conduits or nozzles Movably mounted, adjustable or removable With means to drain from and/or supply liquid to tank With spray or jet supplying and/or applying means Work circumposable or opposed fluid-applying jets or plural pipes With liquid supply and efflux Drains and overflows Apparatus for treating solid article or material with fluid chemical Including rack, support or handling means | |
