Patent ID: 7585686
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: G03F,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of processing a wafer comprising: transferring a wafer having a patterned photoresist layer formed on a thin film from a wafer cassette into an atmospheric transfer chamber; transferring said wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber; reducing the pressure in said load lock to a sub-atmospheric pressure; transferring said wafer from said load lock into a sub-atmospheric transfer chamber coupled to said load lock; transferring said wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into an etch chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber; etching said thin film in alignment with said patterned photoresist layer in said etch chamber at a sub-atmospheric pressure to form an etched wafer; transferring said etched wafer from said etch chamber to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber; transferring said etched wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber to an ashing chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber; ashing said etched wafer in said ashing chamber to remove said patterned photoresist layer; transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said ashing chamber to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber; transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock at said sub-atmospheric pressure; raising the pressure in said load lock to atmospheric pressure; transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said load lock to said atmospheric transfer chamber; transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber to a wet cleaning chamber coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber; cleaning said etched and ashed wafer in said wet cleaning chamber to produce an etched, ashed, and cleaned wafer; transferring said etched, ashed, and cleaned wafer from said wet cleaning chamber to said atmospheric transfer chamber; and removing said etched, ashed, and cleaned processed wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber.