Method and apparatus for liquid treatment of wafer-shaped articles

Abstract

An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprises a spin chuck for holding a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation, a liquid dispenser for dispensing a treatment liquid onto a downwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck, and a gas dispenser for dispensing a gas within a gap defined between the downwardly-facing surface of the wafer-shaped article and an upper surface of the spin chuck.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprising:
 a spin chuck for holding a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation wherein a lower surface of the wafer-shaped article, when positioned on the spin chuck, is downwardly-facing and spaced a predetermined distance from an upper surface of the spin chuck, thereby defining a gap between the lower surface of the wafer-shaped article and the upper surface of the spin chuck;   a lower gas dispenser located and configured for dispensing gas at least to an annular region of the gap defined by the upper surface of the spin chuck and the lower surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck, and   at least one lower liquid dispenser located and configured for dispensing liquid onto a downwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck, wherein the at least one lower liquid dispenser is operatively connected to at least two different liquid sources for subsequently dispensing two different liquids onto a downwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said spin chuck further comprises a peripheral series of upwardly projecting gripping elements positioned so as to be engageable with a peripheral edge of a wafer-shaped article to be held by the spin chuck, each of the upwardly projecting gripping elements being pivotable about an axis parallel to an axis of rotation of the spin chuck. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower gas dispenser comprises a plurality of annularly arranged gas nozzles. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower gas dispenser comprises an annular gas nozzle. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lower liquid dispenser comprises two lower liquid dispensers, each terminating at a same liquid nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lower liquid dispenser comprises two lower liquid dispensers, each terminating at a different liquid nozzle. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an upper dispenser positioned and configured for dispensing liquid or gas onto an upwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the different liquid sources include an etching liquid source and a rinsing liquid source. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the different liquid sources include an etching liquid source and a rinsing liquid source. 
     
     
         10 . A process for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprising:
 positioning a wafer-shaped article on a spin chuck in a predetermined orientation wherein a lower surface of the wafer-shaped article is downwardly-facing and spaced a predetermined distance from an upper surface of the spin chuck thereby defining a gap between the lower surface of the wafer-shaped article and the upper surface of the spin chuck;   dispensing a treatment liquid onto the lower surface of the wafer-shaped article while rotating the wafer-shaped article; and   dispensing a gas at least to an annular region of the gap defined by the lower surface of the wafer-shaped article and the upper surface of the spin chuck.   
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 10 , wherein the steps of dispensing a treatment liquid and dispensing a gas are at least partly performed concurrently. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 10 , wherein the treatment liquid is an etching liquid. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the etching liquid is dilute hydrogen fluoride. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 dispensing a rinsing liquid onto the lower surface of the wafer-shaped article while rotating the wafer-shaped article; and   dispensing a gas into the gap defined by the lower surface of the wafer-shaped article and the upper surface of the spin chuck.   
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the steps of dispensing a rinsing liquid and dispensing a gas are at least partly performed concurrently.