Abstract: An apparatus and method for modifying the surface of an object by contacting said surface with a liquid processing solution using the liquid applicator geometry and Marangoni effect (surface tension gradient-driven flow) to define and confine the dimensions of the wetted zone on said object surface. In particular, the method and apparatus involve contouring or figuring the surface of an object using an etchant solution as the wetting fluid and using real-time metrology (e.g. interferometry) to control the placement and dwell time of this wetted zone locally on the surface of said object, thereby removing material from the surface of the object in a controlled manner. One demonstrated manifestation is in the deterministic optical figuring of thin glasses by wet chemical etching using a buffered hydrofluoric acid solution and Marangoni effect.

Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a unit for generating a plasma in a vacuum chamber, a wafer stage for holding a semiconductor wafer introduced into the vacuum chamber, a high frequency power supply for applying a high frequency voltage to the wafer stage, a wafer voltage probe for measuring a voltage of the semiconductor wafer at a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer, a current and voltage probe for measuring at least one of a voltage and a current applied to the wafer stage from the high frequency power supply, and a control portion. The control portion obtains an impedance from the semiconductor wafer to earth through the plasma on the basis of a voltage value of the semiconductor wafer measured by the wafer voltage probe, and a voltage value or a current value measured by the current and voltage probe, and performs a processing based on the obtained impedance.

Abstract: A tank is set up to hold a precise volume of acid by first adjusting an overflow pipe to establish a volume that is larger than the desired volume and then adjusting the vertical position of a volume occupying element that extends above and below the surface of the acid. The apparatus includes a drain pipe for directing the acid to a tank that holds deionized water that the acid is mixed with. The bath is used for etching a silicon dioxide layer on a semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A cooling system and a semiconductor apparatus, in which the cooling system may supply a reaction chamber with a coolant (such as helium or a mixture containing helium) during a semiconductor wafer fabrication process. The cooling system may generally include a printed circuit board, a coolant flow controller having a setpoint control to set a flow of coolant by transmitting a voltage signal to the printed circuit board, and a filter for removing undesired noise from the voltage signal to stabilize the flow of coolant.

Abstract: A wafer transfer robot for a wafer processing system, such as a wet bench system, and a method for utilizing the robot. The wafer transfer robot can be constructed by a robot arm that is equipped with a plurality of wafer blades each adapted for picking-up and carrying one of a plurality of wafers. The plurality of wafer blades each has a predetermined thickness, a top surface, a bottom surface and a predetermined spacing from adjacent wafer blades. A plurality of sensors, such as optical sensors, capacitance sensors or magnetic sensors, with at least one mounted on the bottom side of one of the plurality of wafer blades for sensing the presence of metal on a wafer carried on an adjacent wafer blade immediately below the one of the plurality of wafer blades.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for accurately measuring a gap distance between two electrodes. According to the method, a plasma space is formed between the electrodes, across which a DC voltage is coupled. The plasma space has a reactive gas that emits a spectrum of spectral lines. The spectrum is monitored to determine at least one line distance between the spectral lines. Finally, the gap distance can be deduced according to the line distance and a specific rule.

Abstract: A developing processing apparatus for supplying a developing solution to a wafer on which a photoresist film has been formed to thereby perform developing processing includes a wafer holding portion for horizontally holding the wafer, a linear nozzle held above the wafer holding portion for supplying the developing solution onto the wafer while moving in a predetermined horizontal direction, and a resistance bar for imparting discharge resistance to the developing solution discharged from the linear nozzle. This allows all discharge ports to discharge the developing solution uniformly, especially even when discharge pressure for the developing solution to be supplied is low in development of a scan method using a linear nozzle or a slit nozzle.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in processing a workpiece to fabricate a microelectronic component is set forth. The apparatus comprises a process container having a process fluid therein for processing the workpiece and a workpiece holder configured to hold the workpiece. A position sensor is employed to provide position information indicative of the spacing between a surface of the workpiece and a surface of the process fluid. A drive system provides relative movement between the surface of the workpiece and the surface of the process fluid in response to the position information. Preferably, the relative movement provided by the drive system comprises a first motion that causes the surface of the workpiece to contact the surface of the process fluid, and a second motion opposite the direction all of and following the first to generate and maintain a column of process fluid between the surface of the process fluid and the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: Disclosed is an etching apparatus enabling to increase productivity of etching glass substrates. The present invention includes an etching bath having an etchant, a plurality of sensors inside the etching bath detecting a level of the etchant, and a deionized water tube spraying a deionized water to the sensors.

Abstract: At each measurement time, reflected light from a semiconductor wafer W or the like by measurement light from a measurement light source 11 is coupled to reference light from a reference light generating section 14, and interference light is detected by a photodetector 15. A raw thickness value calculating section 16b selects two light intensity peaks corresponding to the upper and lower surfaces of the wafer W from a light intensity distribution between an interference light intensity and a reference optical path length and calculates a raw thickness value. A statistical thickness value calculating section 16c executes statistical processing including data sorting, determination whether the raw thickness value falls within an allowable numerical value range, and determination of a thickness change line, thereby obtaining a statistical thickness value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer to reduce CD variation feeds back information gathered during inspection of the wafer to a previously visited processing tool and feeds forward information to adjust the next process the wafer will undergo. The inspection and processing are performed at a single processing module without exposing the wafer to ambient atmospheric conditions. Embodiments include removing a wafer from a wafer cassette, and measuring a dimension of a feature on the surface of the wafer, such as the feature's CD using an optical measuring tool. A process, such as an etch process, is then performed on the wafer using a set of process parameter values, such as an etch recipe, selected based on the CD measurement, and the wafer is returned to a cassette. The CD measurements are also linked to photolithography adjustable parameters such as stepper focus and exposure settings.

Abstract: A method of reducing the thickness t of a layer of material on a substrate when the substrate is exposed to an etchant for a span of time sufficient to reduce t to a value to, at which point exposure to the etchant is interrupted, includes the thickness to being determined using monitoring means which, at any given instant, allow determination of the depth &Dgr;t of material which has been etched away. The method further includes the monitoring means being embodied as a resonant crystal whose resonant frequency f at any given instant is a function of the mass m of the crystal at that instant. The crystal is coated with a layer of reference material of thickness d, which material can be etched using the same etchant as for the material on the substrate. The crystal is exposed to the etchant simultaneously with the substrate, thus causing m to decrease as reference material is etched away, a decrease Am in m corresponding to a decrease &Dgr;d in d, in turn corresponding to a decrease &Dgr;t in t.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus for etching or stripping a substrate of a liquid crystal display device and a method thereof. The present invention includes carrying out an etching or stripping process on substrates using an etchant in a first etchant tank, counting a number of the substrates etched or stripped using the etchant in the first etchant tank, checking readiness of a second etchant tank at a predetermined point in time before the counted number reaches a maximum substrate number set up previously for the etchant tanks, and carrying out the etching or stripping process on the substrates using an etchant in the second etchant tank when the second etchant tank is in readiness for use and the counted number reaches the maximum substrate number.

Abstract: An apparatus for assessing a silicon dioxide content of a phosphoric acid bath for etching silicon nitride and a system for etching silicon nitride both utilize a sensor. In particular, the apparatus for assessing the silicon dioxide content of a phosphoric acid bath for etching silicon nitride of the present invention contains a sensor for measuring the NH3 concentration of the phosphoric acid bath, a storage unit for storing data which define a relationship between the silicon dioxide content and the NH3 concentration, and a device for calculating the silicon dioxide content of the basis of the measured NH3 concentration and the stored data.

Abstract: Apparatuses (10, 100), and methods of using same, for the simultaneous thinning of the backside surfaces of a plurality of semiconductor wafers (W) using a non-crystallographic and uniform etching process, are described. The apparatuses (10, 100) include a fixture (12, 102) having a plurality of horizontal receptacles (14, 16, 18, 20, 104, 106, 108, 110) for receiving the semiconductor wafers (W). The loaded fixtures (12, 102) are then immersed into an etchant solution (36, 146) that is capable of isotropically removing a layer of semiconductor material from the backside surface of the semiconductor wafers (W). The etchant solution (36, 146) is preferably heated to about 40° C.-50° C. and constantly stirred with a magnetic stirring bar (48, 158). Once a sufficient period of time has elapsed, the thinned semiconductor wafers (W) are removed from the etchant solution (36, 146).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically measuring the concentration of total organic carbon (TOC) in chemicals and ultra-pure water that are used in a wet etch process. The apparatus includes a sampling line extending from a processing bath, and a pump, for extracting a fluid sample from the processing bath, a buffer for filtering foreign material or air bubbles from the fluid, and an analyzer for analyzing the concentration of TOC in the fluid.

Abstract: A particle measurement configuration measures the particle concentration in a liquid or gaseous medium by way of a particle measuring instrument. In order to avoid erroneous measurements or damage to the particle measuring instrument, a measuring cell is provided which measures temperature or pressure or pH of the medium. A system controller shuts off a valve if threshold values are exceeded and it prevents the particle measuring instrument from being operated outside a predefined specification.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for removing deposits from a substrate. In one aspect, a system is provided which supplies etchant to an edge bead removal chamber. The apparatus includes an etchant delivery system, an etchant tank, a sensor, and a mixing tank.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing electronic devices, in particular, but not exclusively, semiconductor devices, and apparatus for carrying out such a method, in which method substrates 1, which are provided at a surface 2 with a silicon oxide-containing material 3 to be removed, are subjected, while being divided into successive batches, to a wet treatment in a bath 4 containing a solution 5 of hydrofluoric acid in water. During this wet treatment the conductivity of the solution 5 is monitored and the silicon oxide-containing material 3 is removed, thereby forming ionic components. The monitored conductivity is brought to approximately a desired conductivity at time intervals by adding hydrofluoric acid and/or water to the solution 5 inside the bath 4.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a boron insitu doped amorphous or polycrystalline silicon film on a substrate. According to the present invention, a substrate is placed into deposition chamber. A reactant gas mix comprising a silicon source gas, boron source gas, and a carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber. The carrier gas is fed into the deposition chamber at a rate so that the residence of the carrier gas in the deposition chamber is less then or equal to 3 seconds or alternatively has a velocity of at least 4 inches/sec. In another embodiment of forming a boron doped amorphous for polycrystalline silicon film a substrate is placed into a deposition chamber. The substrate is heated to a deposition temperature between 580-750° C. and the chamber pressure reduced to a deposition pressure of less than or equal to 50 torr. A silicon source gas is fed into the deposition at a rate to provide a silicon source gas partial pressure of between 1-5 torr.

Abstract: Silicon wafers are treated with chemicals during the manufacture of integrated circuits according to the method of the invnention in the apparatus of the invention which comprises a process tank for cleaning, rinsing, and/or drying silicon wafers; a first chemical supply vessel suitable for being pressurized, fluidly coupled to the process tank; a chemical flow sensor for electronically monitoring the flow rate of chemical from the first hemical supply vessel; a first chemical flow metering valve for electronically controlling the flow rate of chemical from the first chemical supply vessel; a supply of hot DI water fluidly coupled to the process tank; a hot water metering valve for electronically controlling the flow rate of hot DI water from the supply of the hot DI water; a supply of cold DI water fluidly coupled to the process tank; a cold water metering means for electronically controlling the flow rate of cold DI water from the supply of cold DI water; water flow sensor means for electronically monitorin