In-situ Chemical Collection Ring (Patent Pending)
The novel chemical collection ring allows in-situ collection and reuse of processing chemistries, enabling reduced consumption of these expensive materials. Independent time control of solution collection ensures the most pure chemistry recirculation.

When in the closed position, the collection ring is completely sealed, maintaining purity of chemistry, free of cross-contamination. All drainage is gravity-driven, which, combined with the sealed collection ring, eliminates the need for forced exhaust. It also avoids hygroscopic action which could water-load the chemistries, making them unsuitable for recirculation.

High Velocity Spray Scrub
Nitrogen-atomized, high velocity sprays—filtered down to 0.003 µm—perform double-sided cleaning or rinsing in a construction that utilizes a 100% PFA plumbing path, eliminating metals contamination as required by Front-End-of-Line (FEOL) cleaning processes. On-the-fly control of droplet size and speed, by adjustment of N2 pressure and flow, meets the needs of trench and ultra-small particle cleans at 88 and 65 nm.

Single-sided PVA Brush
Final touch-up clean is accomplished with a high speed rotary scrub brush, servo-driven at typical speeds to 1,000 RPM. Two pad sizes are available, depending on the process requirements. A horizontal rolling PVA sponge or nylon bristle brush scrub achieves the highest performance and most repeatable cleans. The horizontal brush is servo-driven for maximum speed control, and designed to provide 0.002" concentricity. All brush scrubs feature through-the-brush chemical dispensing for the most uniform distribution and minimum contaminant buildup. Automatic brush height control with 0.001" resolution maintains uniform contact at the surface.

Drying Technology
Spot-free spin drying is the final step in clean wafer production. Spin speed and acceleration/deceleration are PC-controlled, with the rotation profile fully optimized. Additional drying capabilities complement the rotation with .003 µm filtered nitrogen assist, nitrogen through IPA assist, IPA/DI water assist, or IR lamp assist as your application requires.

Piranha Photoresist Strip
A Teflon nozzle with mixing chamber for H2SO4 and H2O2 starts the exothermic reaction that continues on the wafer surface, for full organic absorption and contamination removal, while minimizing chemical use. Typically, < 200 ml of piranha solution is used for a 6" x 6" final reticle clean. In-situ temperature measurement is made of the exothermic reaction to ensure the process effectiveness.

VUV Dry Processing
Treatment with 172 nm USHIO Excimer light dry clean cycle improves subsequent wet processing steps. The pre-treatment conditions the surface for better wetting action, and generates free oxygen and ozone that transform organics to volatile oxides. The illumination also improves hydrophilic properties.

Immersion Solvent Processing
A batch immersion station complements single wafer processing to give the best of both technologies, speeding subsequent single wafer stripping and reducing the chemistry usage and force of spray processing. Soaking in ambient, heated, fresh, or recirculated solvents, under control of exclusive “Equal Soak Time” and "scheduling" software, optimizes processing and ensures uniform results and maximum chamber usage. The immersion process includes wafer agitation, cascade solvent overflow, and a nitrogen blanket environment, with sealed door, to reduce moisture absorption into solvents for corrosion-free processing and lowest costs.

Closed and Open Cup Spin Coating
Open cup spin coating for resists and polyimides, with programmable air flow, nozzle tip cleaning, and a motorized positive displacement resist pump, optimizes the process. For thick resists and square panels, closed cup processing in a solvent-rich environment provides fringe-free coating for large square glass.

Spin Motor Control
Real time control of the spindle motor with digital signal processing and flash-loaded instruction set, including acceleration rates and spindle speeds to 10,000 RPM, achieves highly uniform film thickness control, typically well under 1%.

Backside EBR Clean Technology
A unique through-the-chuck backside EBR dispense is provided for square panels or wafers with backside patterns. Cleaning of the sides and back of substrates enables fully automatic hot plate bake processing after coating, with minimal maintenance requirements.

Application-specific Robots
SCARA edge-grip handling robots for wafers may be equipped with 2, 3, or 4 blades, allowing separation of in-process from completed wafers. The SCARA robotic handlers are completely sealed, for operation in the SSEC 3300 system’s Class 1 mini-environment. In a typical configuration, four blades move wet wafers through serial processing steps, with two blades for wet wafers and two blades for dry wafers. All axes are driven by high speed servos. Systems may be equipped with two, three, or more handling robots for high throughput operation, including complex serial processes. Generally one robot is dedicated to input/output, while the others handle wafers between processing modules.

Tooling for Thin Wafers and
SEMI Standard Wafers
Single wafer tooling that supports both thin wafers, to
80 µ, and SEMI standard wafers for wet processing meets the demand for ultra-thin wafers used in advanced device packaging. This innovative tooling, used in robotics, spindle tools, and immersion, supports and protects the delicate thin wafers from damage. There is no hardware changeover for handling either thin or SEMI standard wafers.

Backside Thinning and Stress Relief
(Patent Pending)
Etch processing can be used for thinning both silicon and GaAs wafers to 70 µ. The active area is protected by backside nitrogen flow on the gas-sealed tool. The fluid flow and direction depend on the wafer rotation, dispense rate, and delivery arm profile. In thinning operation, the WaferChek monitoring system is calibrated with two standards, allowing measurement of intermediate layer thicknesses.

Per Wafer Data Logging
Process variables are logged on a per wafer basis, with a choice of the variables to track, including temperature, flow, concentrations, spin speeds, WaferChek™, endpoint, etc. The operator also has a choice of when the data is to be tracked.

Ergonomic Cassette Loading
Handlers accept wafers in safe, horizontal orientation, positioned for input/output access. This approach reduces the risk of damage and operator strain, a part of SEMI® S2-0703aE Safety and SEMI S8-0705 Ergonomics compliance.

FOUP Openers and SMIFs
A fully integrated system handles FOUPs, including Asyst and Brooks, and SMIFs with smart tags, in compliance with SEMI E-15. SSEC's SECS-II/GEM software provides full management capability, including E-87 Carrier Management, E-94 Control Job Management, E-40 Process Job Management, and E-90 Substrate Tracking.

Bulk Chemistry Management
and Blending Systems
A fully vacuum- and pressure-driven chemistry management system controls all flows, without the potential for contamination in a system with moving
parts.

Programmable chemical blending and dilution, with supplies from concentrate, and recirculation minimize operating expense and chemistry disposal requirements. The entire chemistry circuit is constructed of the highest grade wet chemistry components, including pneumatic valves with flared fittings, flared manifolds, and connectors.

Supply can be from either built-in or separate chemistry management systems, with bulk feed from containers from one-gallon bottles to 55-gallon drums.