Abstract: A single wafer processing apparatus includes a portable processing head that can be a portable module or a movable unit mounted to a supporting machine frame. The processing head has movable fingers adapted to grip a wafer. The fingers protrude from a protective wafer plate. Indexing and rotation monitoring assemblies are provided for automation of the wafer processing steps. A complementary processing base includes an upwardly-open bowl that receives a wafer held by the portable processing head. It has a full-diameter movable bottom wall for rapid draining purposes. Liquid and/or gas jets and nozzles supply fluids required within the bowl for processing of wafers.

Abstract: Rinser dryer system for rising process chemical from silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks and drying of silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks positioned in a wafer cassette. A wafer cassette is positioned in a rotor assembly and the rotor assembly positioned within a removable heated chamber bowl. The wafer cassette rotates past rising and drying manifold nozzles. The removable chamber bowl is secured to a rinser mounting plate by quick disconnect hardware for removal and for external cleansing. A broken chip collector in a lower portion of an exhaust manifold assembly removes small broken chip remains. An acidity sensor is positioned in a bottom portion of the exhaust manifold assembly for monitoring rinse effluent during the rising process. A gated exhaust valve in an exhaust gas manifold of the exhaust manifold assembly provides for gases to exhaust to an external location.

Abstract: Rinser dryer system for rising process chemical from silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks and drying of silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks positioned in a wafer cassette. A wafer cassette is positioned in a rotor assembly and the rotor assembly positioned within a removable heated chamber bowl. The wafer cassette rotates past rising and drying manifold nozzles. The removable chamber bowl is secured to a rinser dryer mounting plate by quick disconnect hardware for removal and for external cleansing. A broken chip collector in a lower portion of an exhaust manifold assembly removes small broken chip remains. An acidity sensor is positioned in a bottom portion of the exhaust manifold assembly for monitoring rinse effluent during the rising process. A gated exhaust valve in an exhaust gas manifold of the exhaust manifold assembly provides for gases to exhaust to an external location.

Abstract: Blending and pumping systems for accurately delivering desired amounts of processing fluids, particularly for use in semiconductor processing and semiconductor processors. Thee blending systems include one or more supply tanks from which a processing fluid is accurately pumped using the novel metering pump and associated pumping and blending methods. The blending systems preferably include a recycle line which includes a control valve which is controlled to recycle process fluid during an initial startup period. The outflow from the pump is preferably totally recycled during this startup period by blocking flow of process fluid to the blending container. The metering pump includes a pump housing having a pumping chamber which is partially defined by a displacement member, such as a flexible bellows structure. The pumping chamber is isolated from inlet and outlet via inlet and outlet valves, respectively.

Abstract: Rinser dryer system for rinsing process chemical from silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrates, masks or disks and drying os silicon or gallium arsenide wafers, substrate, masks or disks positioned in a wafer cassette. A wafer cassette is positioned in a rotor assembly and the rotor assembly positioned within a removable heated chamber bowl. The wafer cassette rotates past rinsing and drying manifold nozzles. The removable chamber bowl is secured to a rinser dryer mounting plate by quick disconnect hardware for removal and for external cleansing. A broken chip collector in a lower portion of an exhaust manifold assembly removes small broken chip remains. An acidity sensor is positioned in a bottom portion of the exhaust manifold assembly for monitoring rinse effluent during the rinsing process. A gated exhaust valve in an exhaust gas manifold of the exhaust manifold assembly provides for gases to exhaust to an external location.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers within a supporting vertical wafer tower are positioned within a vertical process chamber through a lower gate valve fixed to a supporting framework. The gate valve is sealed to a similar gate valve at the upper end of a movable load lock on the framework, within which the wafers are subjected to pre-treatment and post-treatment processes. Two load locks are alternately used in conjunction with the process chamber and a wafer loading station on the framework. In addition, a cleaning element is movably mounted on the framework for periodically maintaining the interior surfaces of the process tube within the process chamber.

Abstract: A slow acting pneumatically operated valve which uses gas pressure and/or pneumatic pressure acting on a diaphragm to counteract the force of a coiled spring, thereby activating a double tapered fluorocarbon plastic poppet against a fluorocarbon plastic valve seat. Actuation of the poppet must be extremely slow and uniform such that fluid in the affected supply line does not experience shocks which can be transmitted to other supply line components. Actuation speed is restricted by use of a damping piston attached to the opposite end of the poppet stem, which restricts the flow of hydraulic fluid to opposite sides of the piston chamber during an actuation cycle. The double taper poppet incorporates an extremely low angle of incidence to the valve seat. Valve opening increases very slowly during the initial opening travel and decreases slowly during final closing travel, thereby further reducing the potential for fluid system shocks.

Abstract: An automatic production apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers which include a rotor rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis where the rotor includes a removable carrier capable of holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers or glass photomask plates and a plastic-coated bar for retaining the semiconductor wafers in the carrier when inverted at low RPM's and a plurality of spray nozzles for providing the processing medium and a recessed drain for removing the expended processing medium. A timing device sequentially controls the processing functions and structure is provided to accomplish these functions.