Abstract: A cleaning solution for an immersion photolithography system according to example embodiments may include an ether-based solvent, an alcohol-based solvent, and a semi-aqueous-based solvent. In the immersion photolithography system, a plurality of wafers coated with photoresist films may be exposed pursuant to an immersion photolithography process using an immersion fluid. The area contacted by the immersion fluid during the exposure process may accumulate contaminants. Accordingly, the area contacted by the immersion fluid during the exposure process may be washed with the cleaning solution according to example embodiments so as to reduce or prevent defects in the immersion photolithography system.

Abstract: An exemplary etching composition includes about 0.1 to 8% by weight of hydrogen fluoride, about 10 to 25% by weight of ammonium fluoride, about 0.0001 to 3% by weight of a non-ionic polymer surfactant, and water. Using the composition in a wet etching process, an oxide layer may be selectively removed while a pattern or storage electrode including polysilicon may be effectively passivated. The oxide layer may be removed with a high etching selectivity, while at the same time minimizing damage to the polysilicon layer.

Abstract: Provided are a supporter and a substrate cleaning apparatus including the supporter, and a method for cleaning substrates. In the apparatus, a guide plate is provided close to an outer surface of an outermost substrate among substrates arranged in a cleaning process. The guide plate is shaped such that cleaning liquid injected toward a lower edge of the outermost substrate flows to an upper edge of the outermost substrate in a substantially vertical direction.

Abstract: A cleaning composition is disclosed. The cleaning composition comprises about 80 to 99.8999 percent by weight of an ammonium fluoride aqueous solution, about 0.1 to 5 percent by weight of a buffering agent, and about 0.0001 to 15 percent by weight of a corrosion-inhibiting agent. A method of preparing the cleaning composition, a method of cleaning a substrate using the cleaning composition, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the cleaning composition are also disclosed.

Abstract: A wafer guide includes a horizontal support panel and at least three vertical panels attached on one surface of the support panel. Each of the vertical panels has a vertical body panel and a plurality of protrusions upwardly extended from a top surface of the vertical body panel. Gap regions between the protrusions act as slots for holding wafers. Sidewalls of the slots have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a top view, and bottom surfaces of the slots also have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a cross sectional view that crosses the vertical panels.

Abstract: A wafer guide includes a horizontal support panel and at least three vertical panels attached on one surface of the support panel. Each of the vertical panels has a vertical body panel and a plurality of protrusions upwardly extended from a top surface of the vertical body panel. Gap regions between the protrusions act as slots for holding wafers. Sidewalls of the slots have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a top view, and bottom surfaces of the slots also have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a cross sectional view that crosses the vertical panels.

Abstract: A wafer guide used in cleaning and/or drying processes of semiconductor wafers is provided. The wafer guide includes a horizontal support panel and at least three vertical panels attached on one surface of the support panel. Each of the vertical panels has a vertical body panel and a plurality of protrusions upwardly extended from a top surface of the vertical body panel. Gap regions between the protrusions act as slots for holding wafers. Sidewalls of the slots have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a top view, and bottom surfaces of the slots also have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a cross sectional view that crosses the vertical panels. Accordingly, contact areas between the wafers and the wafer guide are reduced to improve a drying efficiency of the wafers.

Abstract: A wafer guide includes a horizontal support panel and at least three vertical panels attached on one surface of the support panel. Each of the vertical panels has a vertical body panel and a plurality of protrusions upwardly extended from a top surface of the vertical body panel. Gap regions between the protrusions act as slots for holding wafers. Sidewalls of the slots have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a top view, and bottom surfaces of the slots also have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a cross sectional view that crosses the vertical panels.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting impurities on a semiconductor wafer includes an airtight process chamber, a rotary chuck disposed in the process chamber for rotating and horizontally supporting the semiconductor wafer, a first scanning unit for forming a droplet of a first scanning solution and for scanning an upper surface of the semiconductor wafer rotated by the rotary chuck with the droplet to collect first impurities, a driving unit for tilting the rotary chuck and the semiconductor wafer supported on the rotary chuck, and a second scanning unit for receiving a second scanning solution for collecting second impurities from an edge portion of the semiconductor wafer, the second scanning solution being in contact with the edge portion of the semiconductor wafer tilted by the driving unit and rotated by the rotary chuck so that the second scanning solution scans the edge portion of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a chamber for containing a fluid, a guide seated in the chamber, and a transfer robot for loading and/or unloading a plurality of wafers to and/or from the guide. The wafers are located on the guide. The guide has a supporting member for supporting a wafer and a stopper member for preventing the wafer from being inclined over a predetermined range. The stopper member is in contact with a wafer edge disposed at a higher position than a wafer edge supported by the supporting member. A wafer guide has a stopper member to prevent adjacent wafers from being inclined and coming in contact with each other. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a poor drying such as water spots (or watermarks) produced when wafers are adhered to each other in a drying process.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying a substrate using an isopropyl alcohol vapor includes a container for receiving an isopropyl alcohol vapor to dry a plurality of substrates wherein an opening is vertically formed through an upper portion of the container to permit the loading and unloading of the substrates; a supporting member for supporting the plurality of substrates in the container in a vertical direction and for supporting the substrates side by side in a horizontal direction, wherein the supporting member extends through the container and through the opening; and a cover for obstructing a flow of clean air from flowing directly from an air cleaner disposed over the container into the container through the opening. In addition, the apparatus may include an inert gas supplying member to supply an inert gas onto the substrates to prevent native oxide films from forming on the substrates.

Abstract: An exemplary etching composition includes about 0.1 to 8% by weight of hydrogen fluoride, about 10 to 25% by weight of ammonium fluoride, about 0.0001 to 3% by weight of a non-ionic polymer surfactant, and water. Using the composition in a wet etching process, an oxide layer may be selectively removed while a pattern or storage electrode including polysilicon may be effectively passivated. The oxide layer may be removed with a high etching selectivity, while at the same time minimizing damage to the polysilicon layer.

Abstract: An apparatus of drying semiconductor substrate using azeotrope effect and a drying method using the apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes a bath for storing a fluid, a chamber located above the bath and an apparatus for supplying an organic solvent onto the surface of the fluid in the bath for forming an azeotrope layer at the surface of the fluid and for forming an organic solvent layer over the azeotrope layer. The organic solvent layer and the atmosphere thereon are heated by a heater. The apparatus may further include a drying gas conduit for introducing a drying gas into the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting impurities on a semiconductor wafer includes an airtight process chamber, a rotary chuck disposed in the process chamber for rotating and horizontally supporting the semiconductor wafer, a first scanning unit for forming a droplet of a first scanning solution and for scanning an upper surface of the semiconductor wafer rotated by the rotary chuck with the droplet to collect first impurities, a driving unit for tilting the rotary chuck and the semiconductor wafer supported on the rotary chuck, and a second scanning unit for receiving a second scanning solution for collecting second impurities from an edge portion of the semiconductor wafer, the second scanning solution being in contact with the edge portion of the semiconductor wafer tilted by the driving unit and rotated by the rotary chuck so that the second scanning solution scans the edge portion of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A wafer guide used in cleaning and/or drying processes of semiconductor wafers is provided. The wafer guide includes a horizontal support panel and at least three vertical panels attached on one surface of the support panel. Each of the vertical panels has a vertical body panel and a plurality of protrusions upwardly extended from a top surface of the vertical body panel. Gap regions between the protrusions act as slots for holding wafers. Sidewalls of the slots have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a top view, and bottom surfaces of the slots also have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a cross sectional view that crosses the vertical panels. Accordingly, contact areas between the wafers and the wafer guide are reduced to improve a drying efficiency of the wafers.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying a substrate using an isopropyl alcohol vapor includes a container for receiving an isopropyl alcohol vapor to dry a plurality of substrates wherein an opening is vertically formed through an upper portion of the container to permit the loading and unloading of the substrates; a supporting member for supporting the plurality of substrates in the container in a vertical direction and for supporting the substrates side by side in a horizontal direction, wherein the supporting member extends through the container and through the opening; and a cover for obstructing a flow of clean air from flowing directly from an air cleaner disposed over the container into the container through the opening. In addition, the apparatus may include an inert gas supplying member to supply an inert gas onto the substrates to prevent native oxide films from forming on the substrates.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a chamber for containing a fluid, a guide seated in the chamber, and a transfer robot for loading and/or unloading a plurality of wafers to and/or from the guide. The wafers are located on the guide. The guide has a supporting member for supporting a wafer and a stopper member for preventing the wafer from being inclined over a predetermined range. The stopper member is in contact with a wafer edge disposed at a higher position than a wafer edge supported by the supporting member. A wafer guide has a stopper member to prevent adjacent wafers from being inclined and coming in contact with each other. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a poor drying such as water spots (or watermarks) produced when wafers are adhered to each other in a drying process.

Abstract: An apparatus of drying semiconductor substrate using azeotrope effect and a drying method using the apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes a bath for storing a fluid, a chamber located above the bath and an apparatus for supplying an organic solvent onto the surface of the fluid in the bath for forming an azeotrope layer at the surface of the fluid and for forming an organic solvent layer over the azeotrope layer. The organic solvent layer and the atmosphere thereon are heated by a heater. The apparatus may further include a drying gas conduit for introducing a drying gas into the chamber.

Abstract: A valve cleaning apparatus and method provide for cleaning of heat resistant, scratch resistant coated valves using deionized water and at least one chemical mixture. The cleaning method includes sampling and analysis of the chemical mixture for the presence of metal impurities to within 0.5 to 1.5 ppb. Valves cleaned using this method and apparatus can then be transferred for use in semiconductor device fabrication equipment without the danger of metal impurities from the valves entering and damaging the fabrication equipment and the semiconductor devices being fabricated. The apparatus uses a single pumping device and a single return line, which are provided with selection devices to alternatively supply to or return from the valves either the deionized water or the chemical mixture. A plurality of same-sized or different-sized valves can be cleaned simultaneously.

Abstract: A chemical refining and reuse method and apparatus efficiently remove water from a waste chemical used in a semiconductor device fabrication process. The method is superior to conventional refining methods, in that water is removed at the end of the refining process, followed only by particle removal, so that water is not reintroduced into the waste chemical during metallic impurity removal. Therefore, the refined waste chemical has a percentage of water therein which is equal to that of the chemical in an initial raw state. The method includes: a) removing ionic impurities contained in the waste chemical; b) removing metallic impurities contained in the waste chemical after removing the ionic impurities; c) removing water contained in the waste chemical after removing the metallic impurities; and d) removing particles contained in the waste chemical after removing the water.