Patent ID: 7404863
Filing Date: 2008-07-29
Classification: B08B,H01L,H05K,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of thinning at least one silicon wafer, comprising: placing the wafer into a process chamber; spinning the wafer; spraying a liquid including water onto the spinning wafer, with the liquid forming a substantially uniform liquid layer on the wafer; controlling a thickness of the liquid layer; providing hydrofluoric acid in an aqueous form in the process chamber, with the hydrofluoric acid etching a silicon dioxide layer on a surface of the wafer; and providing ozone gas in the process chamber, with the ozone gas oxidizing a silicon surface of the wafer exposed by etching the silicon dioxide layer, and with the HF etching the oxidized silicon surface until the wafer is thinned to approximately 5 to 20% of its initial thickness.