Abstract: An apparatus includes a wafer stage and a particle removing assembly. The wafer stage includes a cup adjacent to a wafer chuck. The particle removing assembly is configured to remove contaminant particles from the cup. In some embodiments, the particle removing assembly comprises a flexible ejecting member that includes one or more elongated tubes, a front tip, and a cleaning tip adapter configured to attach the front tip to each of the one or more elongated tubes. The front tip includes front openings and lateral openings from which pressurized cleaning material are introduced onto an unreachable area of the cup to remove the contaminant particles from the cup.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a wafer stage and a particle removing assembly. The wafer stage includes a cup adjacent to a wafer chuck. The particle removing assembly is configured to remove contaminant particles from the cup. In some embodiments, the particle removing assembly comprises a flexible ejecting member that includes one or more elongated tubes, a front tip, and a cleaning tip adapter configured to attach the front tip to each of the one or more elongated tubes. The front tip includes front openings and lateral openings from which pressurized cleaning material are introduced onto an unreachable area of the cup to remove the contaminant particles from the cup.

Abstract: A method for forming shallow trench isolation (STI) structure including providing a substrate comprising an overlying hardmask layer; patterning the hardmask layer to form a hardmask layer opening for etching a trench through a substrate thickness portion; etching a trench according to the patterned overlying hardmask layer; carrying out a wet chemical oxidizing process to form an oxidized surface portion on the hardmask layer; carrying out a wet chemical etching process to remove at least a portion of the oxidized surface portion to form the hardmask opening having an enlarged width and the trench opening comprising rounded upper corners; and, forming a completed planarized STI structure filled with oxide.

Abstract: A process for forming a semiconductor device with multiple gate insulator thicknesses, wherein exposed surfaces of a semiconductor substrate are protected during a photoresist stripping procedure, has been developed. After growth of an insulator layer on the entire surface of a semiconductor substrate portions of the insulator layer not covered by a photoresist masking shape are selectively removed. A two step photoresist removal procedure is then employed initiating with an ozone water cycle which partially removes the photoresist shape while forming a thin silicon oxide layer on the portions of bare semiconductor surface. A acid-hydrogen peroxide mixture (SPM), is then used to complete the photoresist removal procedure including removal of photoresist residues, with the thin silicon oxide layer formed during the ozone water cycle protecting the previously bare underlying semiconductor surface.

Abstract: An automatic tool change mechanism containing a cam shaft linked with a moter and a slotted cam. The cam shaft is driven by the motor to actuate the slotted cam to turn. The slotted cam is provided with a cam-profile groove, which is dimensioned so as to permit a driven roller to roll along the groove. The driven roller is caused to travel along the course of the cam-profile groove so as to cause an L-shaped rod to rock when the slotted cam is rotated by the cam shaft. The L-shaped rod is linked with a planetary gear, which engages a sector gear. The L-shaped rod contains a rocking section which actuates the planetary gear to turn. The planetary gear is connected with an output pitman, which is in turn coupled with a tool change shaft to cause the tool change shaft to engage in a linear motion. The driven roller also causes a turret, which is normal to the cam shaft, to rotate, and the rotation of the turret causes the tool change shaft to engage in a revolving motion.