Wafer drying equipment and method thereof

A wafer drying equipment includes a base, a casing and a microwave generator. The base is configured to support a wafer. The casing forms a chamber with the base. The chamber is configured to accommodate the wafer. The casing has an exhaust vent away from the base. The microwave generator is disposed on the casing and is configured to emit a microwave to the chamber.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to wafer drying equipment.

Description of Related Art

In the semiconductor industry, a wide variety of manufacturing and testing processes are involved. In some processes, chemical treatment is involved in which chemical solution contacts and reacts with the wafers.

Following the rinsing treatment by deionized water (DIW) to the wafers after the chemical treatment, the wafers should be made dry first to avoid damage of the wafers and to maintain the performing accuracy in the subsequent processes.

SUMMARY

A technical aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a wafer drying equipment, which can simplify the drying process for the wafer and effectively reduce the operating cost.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a wafer drying equipment includes a base, a casing and a microwave generator. The base is configured to support a wafer. The casing forms a chamber with the base. The chamber is configured to accommodate the wafer. The casing has an exhaust vent away from the base. The microwave generator is disposed on the casing and is configured to emit a microwave to the chamber.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the microwave generator is disposed outside the casing. The casing has a plurality of through holes. The through holes are configured to allow the microwave to penetrate through.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a quantity of the microwave generator is plural and the microwave generators are distributed around the chamber.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the wafer drying equipment further includes a rotator. The rotator is connected with the base and is configured to rotate the base.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a rotating speed of the base is about 10 rpm.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the casing is made of metal.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the exhaust vent is in a form of plurality of through holes.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for drying a wafer is provided. The method includes holding the wafer in a chamber; emitting a microwave to the wafer to heat up a water on the wafer to become a steam; and discharging the steam away from the chamber.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the method includes rotating the wafer.

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a rotating speed of the wafer is about 10 rpm.

When compared with the prior art, the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure have at least the following advantages:

(1) By the application of microwave to remove the water remained on the surface of the wafer from previous manufacturing process, the drying process is made simple and the operating cost to dry the wafer is thus effectively reduced.

(2) Since the microwave generators are evenly distributed around the chamber, the microwave reaching the chamber and thus the wafer located in the chamber can be in an even manner, facilitating the drying process of the wafer.

(3) Since the wafer is rotated at a low speed of about 10 rpm, the wafer can be evenly exposed to the microwave emitted from the microwave generators, and the drying process of the wafer can be facilitated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Drawings will be used below to disclose embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of clear illustration, many practical details will be explained together in the description below. However, it is appreciated that the practical details should not be used to limit the claimed scope. In other words, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the practical details are not essential. Moreover, for the sake of drawing simplification, some customary structures and elements in the drawings will be schematically shown in a simplified way. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Reference is made toFIG. 1.FIG. 1is a sectional view of a wafer drying equipment100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1, a wafer drying equipment100includes a base110, a casing120and a microwave generator130. The base110is configured to support a wafer200. The casing120is made of metal and forms a chamber C with the base110. In practice, the casing120is in contact with the base110. According to actual situations, the contact between the casing120and the base110can be sealed. However, this does not intend to limit the present disclosure. The chamber C formed by the casing120and the base110is configured to accommodate the wafer200. The casing120has an exhaust vent121. The exhaust vent121is located away from the base110. The microwave generator130is disposed on the casing120. Moreover, the microwave generator130is configured to emit a microwave W to the chamber C where the wafer200is located.

During the operation of the wafer drying equipment100, the wafer200is first held by the base110such that the wafer200is located in the chamber C formed by the casing120and the base110. Afterwards, the microwave generator130emits a microwave W to the wafer200located in the chamber C, such that the water (not shown) remained on the surface of the wafer200from previous manufacturing process receives the microwave W from the microwave generator130. In this way, the water on the surface of the wafer200is heated up to become steam S. The steam S is then discharged away from the chamber C through the exhaust vent121of the casing120. Therefore, the water on the surface of the wafer200is removed and the wafer200is made dry.

By the application of microwave W to remove the water remained on the surface of the wafer200from previous manufacturing process, the drying process is made simple and the operating cost to dry the wafer200is thus effectively reduced.

Furthermore, as shown inFIG. 1, the microwave generator130is disposed outside the casing120. The casing120has a plurality of through holes H1. Practically, the through holes H1are configured to allow the microwave W to penetrate through, such that the microwave W emitted from the microwave generator130is able to reach the chamber C and thus the wafer200located in the chamber C.

In practical applications, the quantity of the microwave generator130is plural. In general, the microwave generators130are evenly distributed around the chamber C. In this way, the microwave W reaching the chamber C and thus the wafer200located in the chamber C can be in an even manner, facilitating the drying process of the wafer200. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, at least two numbers of microwave generators130are evenly distributed outside the casing120and thus around the chamber C.

Moreover, it is worth to note that, the casing120in the present disclosure can be disposed practically on an existing single wafer wet equipment (not shown) of the industry. In general, the single wafer wet equipment has a rotating base. The rotating base is used to hold a single piece of wafer for various treatments in the single wafer wet equipment. After a wafer is treated by the single wafer wet equipment, the wafer can be remained on the rotating base while the casing120disposed with the microwave generator130in the present disclosure can be disposed on the rotating base of the single wafer wet equipment, and the process to dry the wafer as mentioned as above can be carried out.

Reference is made toFIG. 2.FIG. 2is a sectional view of a wafer drying equipment100according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 2, the wafer drying equipment100further includes a rotator140. The rotator140is connected with the base110. Moreover, the rotator140is configured to rotate the base110. During the operation of drying process to the wafer200by the wafer drying equipment100, the base100is rotated by the rotator140. In practice, for instance, the rotating speed of the base110is about 10 rpm. This means, the wafer200is also rotated at a low speed of about 10 rpm. In this way, the wafer200can be evenly exposed to the microwave W emitted from the microwave generators130, and the drying process of the wafer200can be further facilitated.

In practical applications, the application of rotator140to the base110can be also referred as the rotating base in an existing single wafer wet equipment as mentioned above.

Reference is made toFIG. 3.FIG. 3is a sectional view of a wafer drying equipment100according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 3, the exhaust vent121of the casing120is in a form of plurality of through holes H2. In this way, the steam S formed from the water originally on the surface of the wafer200can be discharged through the through holes H2. Thus, a flexible design for the casing120is provided according to actual situations.

In conclusion, when compared with the prior art, the aforementioned embodiments of the present disclosure have at least the following advantages:

(1) By the application of microwave to remove the water remained on the surface of the wafer from previous manufacturing process, the drying process is made simple and the operating cost to dry the wafer is thus effectively reduced.

(2) Since the microwave generators are evenly distributed around the chamber, the microwave reaching the chamber and thus the wafer located in the chamber can be in an even manner, facilitating the drying process of the wafer.

(3) Since the wafer is rotated at a low speed of about 10 rpm, the wafer can be evenly exposed to the microwave emitted from the microwave generators, and the drying process of the wafer can be facilitated.

It will be apparent to the person having ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of the present disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.