Patent ID: 6964724
Filing Date: 2005-11-15
Classification: B08B,C23F,C23G,H01L

Abstract:
1. An etching apparatus comprising: a rotating means for holding a semiconductor wafer and for rotating said wafer in a horizontal plane, wherein said wafer comprises a device area and a surface peripheral area on a first surface, said surface peripheral area being located outside said device area; and an edge nozzle for emitting an etching liquid toward the surface peripheral area of said wafer, wherein said etching liquid emitted from said edge nozzle selectively etches out an unnecessary material existing in said surface peripheral area of said wafer, wherein said etching liquid emitted from said edge nozzle has an emission direction oriented along a rotation direction of said wafer or outward with respect to a tangent of said wafer formed near a contact point of said liquid with said surface peripheral area of said wafer, and wherein said rotating means is of a pin-chucking type comprising first pins and second pins supported by a supporting member; said first pins and said second pins are alternately arranged along an end face of said wafer; and said first pins and said second pins are alternatively contacted with said end face of said wafer to hold said wafer and rotate said wafer synchronously with said member.