Title:
COMBINED CMP AND WAFER CLEANING APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO1999013498
Kind Code:
A8
Abstract:
An integral machine for polishing, cleaning, rinsing and drying workpieces such as semiconductor wafers. A load/unload station has a plurality of platforms for receiving cassettes of wafers to be processed. A dry end-effector of a robot retrieves wafers from the cassettes and transfers them to an index table. A transfer apparatus having wafer carrier elements picks up wafers from the index table, moves the wafers to a polishing table for polishing, and returns the wafers to the index table for further processing. A flipper moves the polished wafers to a cleaning station. The cleaning station includes scrub stations, a rinsing station and a spin dryer station, and a connective system of water tracks. A wet end-effector of the robot transfers rinsed wafers to the spin dryer station. The dry end-effector of the robot moves dried wafers from the spin dryer station back to the cassette of origination.
Inventors:
GONZALEZ-MARTIN JOSE R
KARLSRUD CHRIS
ALLEN ROBERT F
JORDAN TOBY
HOWARD CRAIG M
HAMER ARTHUR
CUNNANE JEFF
GOPALAN PERIYA
THORNTON WILLIAM
MACERNIE JON R
CALDERON FERNANDO
KARLSRUD CHRIS
ALLEN ROBERT F
JORDAN TOBY
HOWARD CRAIG M
HAMER ARTHUR
CUNNANE JEFF
GOPALAN PERIYA
THORNTON WILLIAM
MACERNIE JON R
CALDERON FERNANDO
Application Number:
PCT/US1998/018897
Publication Date:
September 23, 1999
Filing Date:
September 10, 1998
Export Citation:
Assignee:
SPEEDFAM CORP (US)
International Classes:
B24B37/04; B24B41/00; B65G49/07; H01L21/304; H01L21/306; H01L21/677; (IPC1-7): H01L21/00
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