Patent ID: 6503363
Filing Date: 2003-01-07
Classification: H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
A system for use in the conditioning of an alkaline etching solution used in silicon wafer production, wherein the system facilitates the decrease of metal contaminants from the etching solution by reduction of the metal contaminants to their elemental oxidation state, such system comprising:a supply of fresh alkaline etching solution; a supply of at least one conditioning chemical; a conditioning tank in communication with said supply of fresh etching solution for mixing a conditioned alkaline etching solution, the conditioned alkaline etching solution including said fresh alkaline etching solution and said at least one conditioning chemical; a conditioning chemical introduction system in communication with the conditioning tank configured to add the at least one conditioning chemical to the conditioning tank; and a buffer tank having an inlet in communication with the conditioning tank and an outlet in communication with an etching apparatus, said buffer tank capable of storing the conditioned alkaline etching solution before the conditioned alkaline solution is used in an etching process, wherein the system is configured such that conditioned etching solution is supplied to the etching apparatus without recycling etching solution to the system from the etching apparatus.