Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/608,244 entitled “Capillary Proximity Heads for Single Wafer Cleaning and Drying” filed on Jun. 30, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,040. The aforementioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to semiconductor wafer cleaning and drying and, more particularly, to apparatuses and techniques for more efficiently removing fluids from wafer surfaces while reducing contamination and decreasing wafer cleaning cost. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   In the semiconductor chip fabrication process, it is well-known that there is a need to clean and dry a wafer where a fabrication operation has been performed that leaves unwanted residues on the surfaces of wafers. Examples of such a fabrication operation include plasma etching (e.g., tungsten etch back (WEB)) and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). In CMP, a wafer is placed in a holder which pushes a wafer surface against a rolling conveyor belt. This conveyor belt uses a slurry which consists of chemicals and abrasive materials to cause the polishing. Unfortunately, this process tends to leave an accumulation of slurry particles and residues at the wafer surface. If left on the wafer, the unwanted residual material and particles may cause, among other things, defects such as scratches on the wafer surface and inappropriate interactions between metallization features. In some cases, such defects may cause devices on the wafer to become inoperable. In order to avoid the undue costs of discarding wafers having inoperable devices, it is therefore necessary to clean the wafer adequately yet efficiently after fabrication operations that leave unwanted residues. 
   After a wafer has been wet cleaned, the wafer must be dried effectively to prevent water or cleaning fluid remnants from leaving residues on the wafer. If the cleaning fluid on the wafer surface is allowed to evaporate, as usually happens when droplets form, residues or contaminants previously dissolved in the cleaning fluid will remain on the wafer surface after evaporation (e.g., and form spots). To prevent evaporation from taking place, the cleaning fluid must be removed as quickly as possible without the formation of droplets on the wafer surface. In an attempt to accomplish this, one of several different drying techniques are employed such as spin drying, IPA, or Marangoni drying. All of these drying techniques utilize some form of a moving liquid/gas interface on a wafer surface which, if properly maintained, results in drying of a wafer surface without the formation of droplets. Unfortunately, if the moving liquid/gas interface breaks down, as often happens with all of the aforementioned drying methods, droplets form and evaporation occurs resulting in contaminants being left on the wafer surface. 
   The most prevalent drying technique used today is spin rinse drying (SRD).  FIG. 1  illustrates movement of cleaning fluids on a wafer  10  during an SRD drying process. In this drying process, a wet wafer is rotated at a high rate by rotation  14 . In SRD, by use of centrifugal force, the water or cleaning fluid used to clean the wafer is pulled from the center of the wafer to the outside of the wafer and finally off of the wafer as shown by fluid directional arrows  16 . As the cleaning fluid is being pulled off of the wafer, a moving liquid/gas interface  12  is created at the center of the wafer and moves to the outside of the wafer (i.e., the circle produced by the moving liquid/gas interface  12  gets larger) as the drying process progresses. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the inside area of the circle formed by the moving liquid/gas interface  12  is free from the fluid and the outside area of the circle formed by the moving liquid/gas interface  12  is the cleaning fluid. Therefore, as the drying process continues, the section inside (the dry area) of the moving liquid/gas interface  12  increases while the area (the wet area) outside of the moving liquid/gas interface  12  decreases. As stated previously, if the moving liquid/gas interface  12  breaks down, droplets of the cleaning fluid form on the wafer and contamination may occur due to evaporation of the droplets. As such, it is imperative that droplet formation and the subsequent evaporation be limited to keep contaminants off of the wafer surface. Unfortunately, the present drying methods are only partially successful at the prevention of moving liquid interface breakdown. 
   In addition, the SRD process has difficulties with drying wafer surfaces that are hydrophobic. Hydrophobic wafer surfaces can be difficult to dry because such surfaces repel water and water based (aqueous) cleaning solutions. Therefore, as the drying process continues and the cleaning fluid is pulled away from the wafer surface, the remaining cleaning fluid (if aqueous based) will be repelled by the wafer surface. As a result, the aqueous cleaning fluid will want the least amount of area to be in contact with the hydrophobic wafer surface. Additionally, the aqueous cleaning solution tends cling to itself as a result of surface tension (i.e., as a result of molecular hydrogen bonding). Therefore, because of the hydrophobic interactions and the surface tension, balls (or droplets) of aqueous cleaning fluid forms in an uncontrolled manner on the hydrophobic wafer surface. This formation of droplets results in the harmful evaporation and the contamination discussed previously. The limitations of the SRD are particularly severe at the center of the wafer, where centrifugal force acting on the droplets is the smallest. Consequently, although the SRD process is presently the most common way of wafer drying, this method can have difficulties reducing formation of cleaning fluid droplets on the wafer surface especially when used on hydrophobic wafer surfaces. 
   Therefore, there is a need for a method and an apparatus that avoids the prior art by allowing quick and efficient cleaning and drying of a semiconductor wafer, but at the same time reducing the formation of numerous water or cleaning fluid droplets which may cause contamination to deposit on the wafer surface. Such deposits as often occurs today reduce the yield of acceptable wafers and increase the cost of manufacturing semiconductor wafers. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Broadly speaking, the present invention fills these needs by providing a cleaning and drying apparatus that is capable of removing fluids from wafer surfaces quickly while at the same time reducing wafer contamination. It should be appreciated that the present invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device or a method. Several inventive embodiments of the present invention are described below. 
   In one embodiment, a substrate preparation system is provided which includes a head having a head surface where the head surface is proximate to a surface of the substrate when in operation. The system also includes a first conduit for delivering a first fluid to the surface of the substrate through the head, and a second conduit for delivering a second fluid to the surface of the substrate through the head, where the second fluid is different than the first fluid. The system also includes a third conduit for removing each of the first fluid and the second fluid from the surface of the substrate where the first conduit, the second conduit and the third conduit act substantially simultaneously when in operation. 
   In another embodiment, a method for processing substrate is provided which includes applying a first fluid onto a surface of a substrate, and applying a second fluid onto the surface of the substrate where the second fluid is applied in close proximity to the application of the first fluid. The method also includes removing the first fluid and the second fluid from the surface of the substrate where the removing is processed just as the first fluid and the second fluid are applied to the surface of the substrate. The applying and the removing forms a controlled meniscus. 
   In yet another embodiment, a substrate preparation apparatus to be used in substrate processing operations is provided. The apparatus includes a proximity head being configured to move toward a substrate surface. The proximity head includes at least one of a first source inlet where the first source inlet applies a first fluid towards the substrate surface when the proximity head is in a position that is close to the substrate surface. The apparatus also includes at least one of a second source inlet where the second source inlet is configured to apply a second fluid towards the substrate surface when the proximity head is in the position that is close to the substrate surface. The apparatus further includes at least one of a source outlet where the source outlet is configured to apply a vacuum pressure to remove the first fluid and the second fluid from the substrate surface when the proximity head is in the position that is close to the substrate surface. 
   In another embodiment, a wafer cleaner and dryer to be used in wafer manufacturing operations is provided which includes a proximity head carrier assembly that travels in a linear movement along a radius of a wafer. The proximity head carrier assembly includes a first proximity head capable of being disposed over a wafer and a second proximity head capable of being disposed under the wafer. The proximity head carrier assembly also includes an upper arm connected with the first proximity head where the upper arm is configured so the first proximity head is movable into close proximity over the wafer to initiate one of a wafer cleaning and a wafer drying. The proximity head carrier assembly also includes a lower arm connected with the second proximity head where the lower arm is configured so the second proximity head is movable into close proximity under the wafer to initiate one of the wafer cleaning and the wafer drying. 
   In yet another embodiment, a method for cleaning and drying a semiconductor wafer is provided. In this embodiment, the method provides a proximity head which includes at least one of a first source inlet, at least one of a second source inlet, and at least one of a source outlet. The method also includes moving the proximity head toward a wafer surface, and generating a first pressure on a fluid film present on the wafer surface when the proximity head is in a first position that is close to the wafer surface. The method further includes generating a second pressure on the fluid film present on the wafer surface when the proximity head is in a first position that is close to the wafer surface, and introducing a third pressure on the fluid film present on the wafer surface when the proximity head is in the first position. The method also includes generating a pressure difference wherein the first pressure and the second pressure is greater than the third pressure, and the pressure difference causes the removal of the fluid film from the wafer surface. 
   In another embodiment, a substrate preparation apparatus to be used in substrate processing operations is provided. The apparatus includes a proximity head carrier assembly configured to travel in a linear movement along a radius of a substrate. The proximity head carrier assembly includes a first proximity head being disposed over a substrate and a second proximity head being disposed under the substrate. The assembly also includes an upper arm connected with the first proximity head where the upper arm is configured so the first proximity head is movable into close proximity over the substrate to initiate substrate preparation. The assembly further includes a lower arm connected with the second proximity head where the lower arm is configured so the second proximity head is movable into close proximity under the substrate to initiate substrate preparation. 
   The advantages of the present invention are numerous. Most notably, the apparatuses and methods described herein efficiently dry and clean a semiconductor wafer while reducing fluids and contaminants remaining on a wafer surface. Consequently, wafer processing and production may be increased and higher wafer yields may be achieved due to efficient wafer drying with lower levels of contamination. The present invention enables the improved drying and cleaning through the use of vacuum fluid removal in conjunction with fluid input. The pressures generated on a fluid film at the wafer surface by the aforementioned forces enable optimal removal of fluid at the wafer surface with a significant reduction in remaining contamination as compared with other cleaning and drying techniques. In addition, the present invention may utilize application of an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor and deionized water towards a wafer surface along with generation of a vacuum near the wafer surface at substantially the same time. This enables both the generation and intelligent control of a meniscus and the reduction of water surface tension along a deionized water interface and therefore enables optimal removal of fluids from the wafer surface without leaving contaminants. The meniscus generated by input of IPA, DIW and output of fluids may be moved along the surface of the wafer to clean and dry the wafer. Therefore, the present invention evacuates fluid from wafer surfaces with extreme effectiveness while substantially reducing contaminant formation due to ineffective drying such as for example, spin drying. 
   Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the present invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To facilitate this description, like reference numerals designate like structural elements. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates movement of cleaning fluids on a wafer during an SRD drying process. 
       FIG. 2A  shows a wafer cleaning and drying system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2B  shows an alternate view of the wafer cleaning and drying system in accordance with one embodiment of present invention. 
       FIG. 2C  illustrates a side close-up view of the wafer cleaning and drying system holding a wafer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2D  shows another side close-up view of the wafer cleaning and drying system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3A  shows a top view illustrating the wafer cleaning and drying system with dual proximity heads in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of the wafer cleaning and drying system with dual proximity heads in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4A  shows a top view of a wafer cleaning and drying system which includes multiple proximity heads for a particular surface of the wafer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4B  shows a side view of the wafer cleaning and drying system which includes multiple proximity heads for a particular surface of the wafer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5A  shows a top view of a wafer cleaning and drying system with a proximity head in a horizontal configuration which extends across a diameter of the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5B  shows a side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system with the proximity heads in a horizontal configuration which extends across a diameter of the wafer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5C  shows a top view of a wafer cleaning and drying system with the proximity heads in a horizontal configuration which is configured to clean and/or dry the wafer that is stationary in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5D  shows a side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system with the proximity heads in a horizontal configuration which is configured to clean and/or dry the wafer that is stationary in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5E  shows a side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system with the proximity heads in a vertical configuration enabled to clean and/or dry the wafer that is stationary in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5F  shows an alternate side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system that is shifted 90 degrees from the side view shown in  FIG. 5E  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6A  shows a proximity head inlet/outlet orientation that may be utilized to clean and dry the wafer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6B  shows another proximity head inlet/outlet orientation that may be utilized to clean and dry the wafer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6C  shows a further proximity head inlet/outlet orientation that may be utilized to clean and dry the wafer in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6D  illustrates a preferable embodiment of a wafer drying process that may be conducted by a proximity head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6E  shows another wafer drying process using another source inlet/outlet orientation that may be conducted by a proximity head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6F  shows another source inlet and outlet orientation where an additional source outlet may be utilized to input an additional fluid in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7A  illustrates a proximity head performing a drying operation in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7B  shows a top view of a portion of a proximity head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7C  illustrates a proximity head with angled source inlets performing a drying operation in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8A  illustrates a side view of the proximity heads for use in a dual wafer surface cleaning and drying system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8B  shows the proximity heads in a dual wafer surface cleaning and drying system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9A  shows a top view of a proximity head with a circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9B  shows a side view of the proximity head with a circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9C  illustrates a bottom view of the proximity head  106 - 1  with a circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10A  shows a proximity head with an elongated ellipse shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10B  shows a top view of the proximity head with an elongated ellipse shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10C  shows a side view of the proximity head with an elongated ellipse shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11A  shows a top view of a proximity head with a rectangular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11B  shows a side view of the proximity head with a rectangular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11C  illustrates a bottom portion of the proximity head in a rectangular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12A  shows a proximity head with a partial rectangular and partial circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12B  shows a rear view of the proximity head with a partial rectangular and partial circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12C  shows a top view of the proximity head with a partial rectangular and partial circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 13A  illustrates a top view of a proximity head with a circular shape similar to the proximity head shown in  FIG. 9A  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 13B  shows the proximity head from a bottom view in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 13C  illustrates the proximity head from a side view in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 14A  shows a proximity head similar in shape to the proximity head shown in  FIG. 12A  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 14B  illustrates a top view of the proximity head where one end is squared off while the other end is rounded in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 14C  shows a side view of a square end of the proximity head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 15A  shows a bottom view of a 25 holes proximity head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 15B  shows a top view of the 25 holes proximity head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 15C  shows a side view of the 25 holes proximity head in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   An invention for methods and apparatuses for cleaning and/or drying a wafer is disclosed. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be understood, however, by one of ordinary skill in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. 
   While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art upon reading the preceding specifications and studying the drawings will realize various alterations, additions, permutations and equivalents thereof. It is therefore intended that the present invention includes all such alterations, additions, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 
     FIGS. 2A through 2D  below illustrate embodiments of an exemplary wafer processing system. It should be appreciated that the system is exemplary, and that any other suitable type of configuration that would enable movement of the proximity head(s) into close proximity to the wafer may be utilized. In the embodiments shown, the proximity head(s) may move in a linear fashion from a center portion of the wafer to the edge of the wafer. It should be appreciated that other embodiments may be utilized where the proximity head(s) move in a linear fashion from one edge of the wafer to another diametrically opposite edge of the wafer, or other non-linear movements may be utilized such as, for example, in a circular motion, in a spiral motion, in a zig-zag motion, etc. In addition, in one embodiment, the wafer may be rotated and the proximity head moved in a linear fashion so the proximity head may process all portions of the wafer. It should also be understood that other embodiments may be utilized where the wafer is not rotated but the proximity head is configured to move over the wafer in a fashion that enables processing of all portions of the wafer. In addition, the proximity head and the wafer cleaning and drying system described herein may be utilized to clean and dry any shape and size of substrates such as for example, 200 mm wafers, 300 mm wafers, flat panels, etc. The wafer cleaning and drying system may be utilized for either or both cleaning and drying the wafer depending on the configuration of the system. 
     FIG. 2A  shows a wafer cleaning and drying system  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system  100  includes rollers  102   a,    102   b,  and  102   c  which may hold and rotate a wafer to enable wafer surfaces to be dried. The system  100  also includes proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  that, in one embodiment, are attached to an upper arm  104   a  and to a lower arm  104   b  respectively. The upper arm  104   a  and the lower arm  104   b  are part of a proximity head carrier assembly  104  which enables substantially linear movement of the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  along a radius of the wafer. 
   In one embodiment the proximity head carrier assembly  104  is configured to hold the proximity head  106   a  above the wafer and the proximity head  106   b  below the wafer in close proximity to the wafer. This may be accomplished by having the upper arm  104   a  and the lower arm  104   b  be movable in a vertical manner so once the proximity heads are moved horizontally into a location to start wafer processing, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  can be moved vertically to a position in close proximity to the wafer. The upper arm  104   a  and the lower arm  104   b  may be configured in any suitable way so the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  can be moved to enable wafer processing as described herein. It should be appreciated that the system  100  may be configured in any suitable manner as long as the proximity head(s) may be moved in close proximity to the wafer to generate and control a meniscus as discussed below in reference to  FIGS. 6D through 8B . It should also be understood that close proximity may be any suitable distance from the wafer as long as a meniscus as discussed in further reference to  FIGS. 6D through 8B  may be maintained. In one embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  (as well as any other proximity head described herein) may each be moved to between about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm from the wafer to initiate wafer processing operations. In a preferable embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  (as well as any other proximity head described herein) may each be moved to between about 0.5 mm to about 4.5 mm from the wafer to initiate wafer processing operations, and in more preferable embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  (as well as any other proximity head described herein) may be moved to about 2 mm from the wafer to initiate wafer processing operations. 
     FIG. 2B  shows an alternate view of the wafer cleaning and drying system  100  in accordance with one embodiment of present invention. The system  100 , in one embodiment, has the proximity head carrier assembly  104  that is configured to enable the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  to be moved from the center of the wafer towards the edge of the wafer. It should be appreciated that the proximity head carrier assembly  104  may be movable in any suitable manner that would enable movement of the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  to clean and/or dry the wafer as desired. In one embodiment, the proximity head carrier assembly  104  can be motorized to move the proximity head  106   a  and  106   b  from the center of the wafer to the edge of the wafer. It should be understood that although the wafer cleaning and drying system  100  is shown with the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b,  that any suitable number of proximity heads may be utilized such as, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. The proximity heads  106   a  and/or  106   b  of the wafer cleaning and drying system  100  may also be any suitable size or shape as shown by, for example, the proximity heads  106 ,  106 - 1 ,  106 - 2 ,  106 - 3 ,  106 - 4 ,  106 - 5 ,  106 - 6 ,  106 - 7  which are discussed in reference to  FIGS. 6 through 15 . The different configurations described herein generate a fluid meniscus between the proximity head and the wafer. The fluid meniscus may be moved across the wafer to clean and dry the wafer by applying fluid to the wafer surface and removing the fluids from the surface. Therefore, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  can have any numerous types of configurations as shown herein or other configurations that enable the processes described herein. It should also be appreciated that the system  100  may clean and dry one surface of the wafer or both the top surface and the bottom surface of the wafer. 
   In addition, besides cleaning or drying both the top and bottom surfaces and of the wafer, the system  100  may also be configured to clean one side of the wafer and dry another side of the wafer if desired by inputting and outputting different types of fluids. It should be appreciated that the system  100  may utilize the application of different chemicals top and bottom in the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  respectively depending on the operation desired. The proximity heads can be configured to clean and dry the bevel edge of the wafer in addition to cleaning and/or drying the top and/or bottom of the wafer. This can be accomplished by moving the meniscus off the edge the wafer which cleans the bevel edge. It should also be understood that the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may be the same type of head or different types of heads. 
     FIG. 2C  illustrates a side close-up view of the wafer cleaning and drying system  100  holding a wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The wafer  108  may be held and rotated by the rollers  102   a,    102   b,  and  102   c  in any suitable orientation as long as the orientation enables a desired proximity head to be in close proximity to a portion of the wafer  108  that is to be cleaned or dried. In one embodiment, the roller  102   b  may be rotated by using a spindle  111 , and the roller  102   c  may held and rotated by a roller arm  109 . The roller  102   a  may also be rotated by its own spindle (as shown in  FIG. 3B . In one embodiment, the rollers  102   a ,  102   b,  and  102   c  can rotate in a clockwise direction to rotate the wafer  108  in a counterclockwise direction. It should be understood that the rollers may be rotated in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction depending on the wafer rotation desired. In one embodiment, the rotation imparted on the wafer  108  by the rollers  102   a ,  102   b,  and  102   c  serves to move a wafer area that has not been processed into close proximity to the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b.  However, the rotation itself does not dry the wafer or move fluid on the wafer surfaces towards the edge of the wafer. Therefore, in an exemplary drying operation, the wet areas of the wafer would be presented to the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  through both the linear motion of the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  and through the rotation of the wafer  108 . The drying or cleaning operation itself is conducted by at least one of the proximity heads. Consequently, in one embodiment, a dry area of the wafer  108  would expand from a center region to the edge region of the wafer  108  in a spiral movement as a drying operation progresses. By changing the configuration of the system  100  and the orientation of and movement of the proximity head  106   a  and/or the proximity head  106   b,  the drying movement may be changed to accommodate nearly any suitable type of drying path. 
   It should be understood that the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may be configured to have at least one of first source inlet configured to input deionized water (DIW) (also known as a DIW inlet), at least one of a second source inlet configured to input isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in vapor form (also known as IPA inlet), and at least one source outlet configured to output fluids from a region between the wafer and a particular proximity head by applying vacuum (also known as vacuum outlet). It should be appreciated that the vacuum utilized herein may also be suction. In addition, other types of solutions may be inputted into the first source inlet and the second source inlet such as, for example, cleaning solutions, ammonia, HF, etc. It should be appreciated that although IPA vapor is used in some of the exemplary embodiments, any other type of vapor may be utilized such as for example, nitrogen, any suitable alcohol vapor, organic compounds, etc. that may be miscible with water. 
   In one embodiment, the at least one IPA vapor inlet is adjacent to the at least one vacuum outlet which is in turn adjacent to the at least one DIW inlet to form an IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation. It should be appreciated that other types of orientations such as IPA-DIW-vacuum, DIW-vacuum-IPA, vacuum-IPA-DIW, etc. may be utilized depending on the wafer processes desired and what type of wafer cleaning and drying mechanism is sought to be enhanced. In a preferable embodiment, the IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation may be utilized to intelligently and powerfully generate, control, and move the meniscus located between a proximity head and a wafer to clean and dry wafers. The DIW inlets, the IPA vapor inlets, and the vacuum outlets may be arranged in any suitable manner if the above orientation is maintained. For example, in addition to the IPA vapor inlet, the vacuum outlet, and the DIW inlet, in an additional embodiment, there may be additional sets of IPA vapor outlets, DIW inlets and/or vacuum outlets depending on the configuration of the proximity head desired. Therefore, another embodiment may utilize an IPA-vacuum-DIW-DIW-vacuum-IPA or other exemplary embodiments with an IPA source inlet, vacuum source outlet, and DIW source inlet configurations are described in reference to  FIGS. 7 to 15  with a preferable embodiment being described in reference to  FIG. 6D . 
     FIG. 2D  shows another side close-up view of the wafer cleaning and drying system  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  have been positioned in close proximity to a top surface  108   a  and a bottom surface  108   b  of the wafer  108  respectively by utilization of the proximity head carrier assembly  104 . Once in this position, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may utilize the IPA and DIW source inlets and a vacuum source outlet(s) to generate wafer processing meniscuses in contact with the wafer  108  which are capable of removing fluids from a top surface  108   a  and a bottom surface  108   b . The wafer processing meniscus may be generated in accordance with the descriptions in reference to  FIGS. 6 through 9B  where IPA vapor and DIW are inputted into the region between the wafer  108  and the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b . At substantially the same time the IPA and DIW is inputted, a vacuum may be applied in close proximity to the wafer surface to output the IPA vapor, the DIW, and the fluids that may be on a wafer surface. It should be appreciated that although IPA is utilized in the exemplary embodiment, any other suitable type of vapor may be utilized such as for example, nitrogen, any suitable alcohol vapor, organic compounds, hexanol, ethylglycol, etc. that may be miscible with water. The portion of the DIW that is in the region between the proximity head and the wafer is the meniscus. It should be appreciated that as used herein, the term “output” can refer to the removal of fluid from a region between the wafer  108  and a particular proximity head, and the term “input” can be the introduction of fluid to the region between the wafer  108  and the particular proximity head. 
   In another exemplary embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may be moved in a manner so all parts of the wafer  108  are cleaned, dried, or both without the wafer  108  being rotated. In such an embodiment, the proximity head carrier assembly  104  may be configured to enable movement of the either one or both of the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  to close proximity of any suitable region of the wafer  108 . In one embodiment, the proximity heads may be configured to move in a spiral manner from the center to the edge of the wafer  108  or vice versa. In another embodiment, the proximity heads  104   a  and  104   b  may be configured to move in a linear fashion back and forth across the wafer  108  so all parts of the wafer surfaces  108   a  and/or  108   b  may be processed. In yet another embodiment, a configuration as discussed below in reference to  FIGS. 5C through 5F  may be utilized. Consequently, countless different configurations of the system  100  may be utilized in order to obtain an optimization of the wafer processing operation. 
     FIG. 3A  shows a top view illustrating the wafer cleaning and drying system  100  with dual proximity heads in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As described above in reference to  FIGS. 2A to 2D , the upper arm  104   a  may be configured to move and hold the proximity head  106   a  in a position in close proximity over the wafer  108 . The upper arm  104   a  may also be configured to move the proximity head  106   a  from a center portion of the wafer  108  towards the edge of the wafer  108  in a substantially linear fashion  113 . Consequently, in one embodiment, as the wafer  108  moves as shown by rotation  112 , the proximity head  106   a  is capable of removing a fluid film from the top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108  using a process described in further detail in reference to  FIGS. 6 through 8 . Therefore, the proximity head  106   a  may dry the wafer  108  in a substantially spiral path over the wafer  108 . In another embodiment as shown in reference to  FIG. 3B , there may be a second proximity head located below the wafer  108  to remove a fluid film from the bottom surface  108   b  of the wafer  108 . 
     FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of the wafer cleaning and drying system  100  with dual proximity heads in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system  100  includes both the proximity head  106   a  capable of processing a top surface of the wafer  108  and the proximity head  106   b  capable of processing a bottom surface of the wafer  108 . In one embodiment, spindles  111   a  and  111   b  along with a roller arm  109  may rotate the rollers  102   a ,  102   b,  and  102   c  respectively. This rotation of the rollers  102   a ,  102   b,  and  102   c  may rotate the wafer  108  so substantially all surfaces of the wafer  108  may be presented to the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  for drying and/or cleaning. In one embodiment, while the wafer  108  is being rotated, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  are brought to close proximity of the wafer surfaces  108   a  and  108   b  by the arms  104   a  and  104   b  respectively. Once the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  are brought into close proximity to the wafer  108 , the wafer drying or cleaning may be begun. In operation, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may each remove fluids from the wafer  108  by applying IPA, deionized water and vacuum to the top surface and the bottom surface of the wafer  108  as described in reference to  FIG. 6 . 
   In one embodiment, by using the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b , the system  100  may dry a 200 mm wafer in less than 3 minutes. It should be understood that drying or cleaning time may be decreased by increasing the speed at which the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  travels from the center of the wafer  108  to the edge of the wafer  108 . In another embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may be utilized with a faster wafer rotation to dry the wafer  108  in less time. In yet another embodiment, the rotation of the wafer  108  and the movement of the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may be adjusted in conjunction to obtain an optimal drying/cleaning speed. In one embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may move linearly from a center region of the wafer  108  to the edge of the wafer  108  at between about 5 mm per minute to about 500 mm per minute. 
     FIG. 4A  shows a top view of a wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ′ which includes multiple proximity heads for a particular surface of the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system  100 ′ includes an upper arm  104   a - 1  and an upper arm  104   a - 2 . As shown in  FIG. 4B , the system  100 ′ also may include lower arm  104   b - 1  and lower arm  104   b - 2  connected to proximity heads  106   b - 1  and  106   b - 2  respectively. In the system  100 ′, the proximity heads  106   a - 1  and  106   a - 2  (as well as  106   b - 1  and  106   b - 2  if top and bottom surface processing is being conducted) work in conjunction so, by having two proximity heads processing a particular surface of the wafer  108 , drying time or cleaning time may be cut to about half of the time. Therefore, in operation, while the wafer  108  is rotated, the proximity heads  106   a - 1 ,  106   a - 2 ,  106   b - 1 , and  106   b - 2  start processing the wafer  108  near the center of the wafer  108  and move outward toward the edge of the wafer  108  in a substantially linear fashion. In this way, as the rotation  112  of the wafer  108  brings all regions of the wafer  108  in proximity with the proximity heads so as to process all parts of the wafer  108 . Therefore, with the linear movement of the proximity heads  106   a - 1 ,  106   a - 2 ,  106   b - 1 , and  106   b - 2  and the rotational movement of the wafer  108 , the wafer surface being dried moves in a spiral fashion from the center of the wafer  108  to the edge of the wafer  108 . 
   In another embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a - 1  and  106   b - 1  may start processing the wafer  108  and after they have moved away from the center region of the wafer  108 , the proximity heads  106   a - 2  and  106   b - 2  may be moved into place in the center region of the wafer  108  to augment in wafer processing operations. Therefore, the wafer processing time may be decreased significantly by using multiple proximity heads to process a particular wafer surface. 
     FIG. 4B  shows a side view of the wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ′ which includes multiple proximity heads for a particular surface of the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system  100 ′ includes both the proximity heads  106   a - 1  and  106   a - 2  that are capable of processing the top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108 , and proximity heads  106   b - 1  and  106   b - 2  capable of processing the bottom surface  108   b  of the wafer  108 . As in the system  100 , the spindles  111   a  and  111   b  along with a roller arm  109  may rotate the rollers  102   a ,  102   b,  and  102   c  respectively. This rotation of the rollers  102   a ,  102   b,  and  102   c  may rotate the wafer  108  so substantially all surfaces of the wafer  108  may brought in close proximity to the proximity heads  106   a - 1 ,  106   a - 2 ,  106   b - 1 , and  106   b - 2  for wafer processing operations. 
   In operation, each of the proximity heads  106   a - 1 ,  106   a - 2 ,  106   b - 1 , and  106   b - 2  may remove fluids from the wafer  108  by applying IPA, deionized water and vacuum to the top surface and the bottom surface of the wafer  108  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 6 through 8 . By having two proximity heads per wafer side, the wafer processing operation (i.e., cleaning and/or drying) may be accomplished in substantially less time. It should be appreciated that as with the wafer processing system described in reference to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the speed of the wafer rotation may be varied to any suitable speed as long as the configuration enables proper wafer processing. In one embodiment, the wafer processing time may be decreased when half a rotation of the wafer  108  is used to dry the entire wafer. In such an embodiment, the wafer processing speed may be about half of the processing speed when only one proximity head is utilized per wafer side. 
     FIG. 5A  shows a top view of a wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ″ with a proximity head  106   a - 3  in a horizontal configuration which extends across a diameter of the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106   a - 3  is held by an upper arm  104   a - 3  that extends across a diameter of the wafer  108 . In this embodiment, the proximity head  106   a - 3  may be moved into a cleaning/drying position by a vertical movement of the upper arm  104   a - 3  so the proximity head  106   a - 3  can be in a position that is in close proximity to the wafer  108 . Once the proximity head  106   a - 3  is in close proximity to the wafer  108 , the wafer processing operation of a top surface of the wafer  108  can take place. 
     FIG. 5B  shows a side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ″ with the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  in a horizontal configuration which extends across a diameter of the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106   a - 3  and the proximity head  106   b - 3  both are elongated to be able to span the diameter of the wafer  108 . In one embodiment, while the wafer  108  is being rotated, the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  are brought to close proximity of the wafer surfaces  108   a  and  108   b  by the top arm  104   a  and a bottom arm  106   b - 3  respectively. Because the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  extend across the wafer  108 , only half of a full rotation may be needed to clean/dry the wafer  108 . 
     FIG. 5C  shows a top view of a wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ′″ with the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  in a horizontal configuration which is configured to clean and/or dry the wafer  108  that is stationary in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the wafer  108  may be held stationary by any suitable type of wafer holding device such as, for example, an edge grip, fingers with edge attachments, etc. The proximity head carrier assembly  104 ′″ is configured to be movable from one edge of the wafer  108  across the diameter of the wafer  108  to an edge on the other side of the wafer  108  after crossing the entire wafer diameter. In this fashion, the proximity head  106   a - 3  and/or the proximity head  106   b - 3  (as shown below in reference to  FIG. 5D ) may move across the wafer following a path along a diameter of the wafer  108  from one edge to an opposite edge. It should be appreciated that the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and/or  106   b - 3  may be move from any suitable manner that would enable moving from one edge of the wafer  108  to another diametrically opposite edge. In one embodiment, the proximity head  106   a - 3  and/or the proximity head  106   b - 3  may move in directions  121  (e.g., top to bottom or bottom to top of  FIG. 5C ). Therefore, the wafer  108  may stay stationary without any rotation or movement and the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and/or the proximity head  106   b - 3  may move into close proximity of the wafer and, through one pass over the wafer  108 , clean/dry the top and/or bottom surface of the wafer  108 . 
     FIG. 5D  shows a side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ′″ with the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  in a horizontal configuration which is configured to clean and/or dry the wafer  108  that is stationary in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106   a - 3  is in a horizontal position with the wafer  108  also in a horizontal position. By use of the proximity head  106   a - 3  and the proximity head  106   b - 3  that spans at least the diameter of the wafer  108 , the wafer  108  may be cleaned and/or dried in one pass by moving proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  in the direction  121  as discussed in reference to  FIG. 5C . 
     FIG. 5E  shows a side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ″″ with the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  in a vertical configuration enabled to clean and/or dry the wafer  108  that is stationary in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  are in a vertical configuration, and the proximity heads  106   a - 3  and  106   b - 3  are configured to move either from left to right, or from right to left, beginning from a first edge of the wafer  108  to a second edge of the wafer  108  that is diametrically opposite to the first edge. Therefore, in such as embodiment, the proximity head carrier assembly  104 ′″ may move the proximity heads  104   a - 3  and  104   b - 3  in close proximity with the wafer  108  and also enable the movement of the proximity heads  104   a - 3  and  104   b - 3  across the wafer from one edge to another so the wafer  108  may be processed in one pass thereby decreasing the time to clean and/or dry the wafer  108 . 
     FIG. 5F  shows an alternate side view of a wafer cleaning and drying system  100 ″″ that is shifted 90 degrees from the side view shown in  FIG. 5E  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the proximity head carrier assembly  104 ′″ may be oriented in any suitable manner such as for example, having the proximity head carrier assembly  104 ′″ rotated 180 degrees as compared with what is shown in  FIG. 5F . 
     FIG. 6A  shows a proximity head inlet/outlet orientation  117  that may be utilized to clean and dry the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the orientation  117  is a portion of a proximity head  106  where other source inlets  302  and  306  in addition to other source outlets  304  may be utilized in addition to the orientation  117  shown. The orientation  117  may include a source inlet  306  on a leading edge  109  with a source outlet  304  in between the source inlet  306  and the source outlet  302 . 
     FIG. 6B  shows another proximity head inlet/outlet orientation  119  that may be utilized to clean and dry the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the orientation  119  is a portion of a proximity head  106  where other source inlets  302  and  306  in addition to other source outlets  304  may be utilized in addition to the orientation  119  shown. The orientation  119  may include a source outlet  304  on a leading edge  109  with a source inlet  302  in between the source outlet  304  and the source inlet  306 . 
     FIG. 6C  shows a further proximity head inlet/outlet orientation  121  that may be utilized to clean and dry the wafer  108  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the orientation  121  is a portion of a proximity head  106  where other source inlets  302  and  306  in addition to other source outlets  304  may be utilized in addition to the orientation  119  shown. The orientation  119  may include a source inlet  306  on a leading edge  109  with a source inlet  302  in between the source outlet  304  and the source outlet  306 . 
     FIG. 6D  illustrates a preferable embodiment of a wafer drying process that may be conducted by a proximity head  106  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Although  FIG. 6  shows a top surface  108   a  being dried, it should be appreciated that the wafer drying process may be accomplished in substantially the same way for the bottom surface  108   b  of the wafer  108 . In one embodiment, a source inlet  302  may be utilized to apply isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor toward a top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108 , and a source inlet  306  may be utilized to apply deionized water (DIW) toward the top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108 . In addition, a source outlet  304  may be utilized to apply vacuum to a region in close proximity to the wafer surface to remove fluid or vapor that may located on or near the top surface  108   a . It should be appreciated that any suitable combination of source inlets and source outlets may be utilized as long as at least one combination exists where at least one of the source inlet  302  is adjacent to at least one of the source outlet  304  which is in turn adjacent to at least one of the source inlet  306 . The IPA may be in any suitable form such as, for example, IPA vapor where IPA in vapor form is inputted through use of a N 2  gas. Moreover, although DIW is utilized herein, any other suitable fluid may be utilized that may enable or enhance the wafer processing such as, for example, water purified in other ways, cleaning fluids, etc. In one embodiment, an IPA inflow  310  is provided through the source inlet  302 , a vacuum  312  may be applied through the source outlet  304  and DIW inflow  314  may be provided through the source inlet  306 . Therefore, an embodiment of the IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation as described above in reference to  FIG. 2  is utilized. Consequently, if a fluid film resides on the wafer  108 , a first fluid pressure may be applied to the wafer surface by the IPA inflow  310 , a second fluid pressure may be applied to the wafer surface by the DIW inflow  314 , and a third fluid pressure may be applied by the vacuum  312  to remove the DIW, IPA and the fluid film on the wafer surface. 
   Therefore, in one embodiment, as the DIW inflow  314  and the IPA inflow  310  is applied toward a wafer surface, any fluid on the wafer surface is intermixed with the DIW inflow  314 . At this time, the DIW inflow  314  that is applied toward the wafer surface encounters the IPA inflow  310 . The IPA forms an interface  118  (also known as an IPA/DIW interface  118 ) with the DIW inflow  314  and along with the vacuum  312  assists in the removal of the DIW inflow  314  along with any other fluid from the surface of the wafer  108 . In one embodiment, the IPA/DIW interface  118  reduces the surface of tension of the DIW. In operation, the DIW is applied toward the wafer surface and almost immediately removed along with fluid on the wafer surface by the vacuum applied by the source outlet  304 . The DIW that is applied toward the wafer surface and for a moment resides in the region between a proximity head and the wafer surface along with any fluid on the wafer surface forms a meniscus  116  where the borders of the meniscus  116  are the IPA/DIW interfaces  118 . Therefore, the meniscus  116  is a constant flow of fluid being applied toward the surface and being removed at substantially the same time with any fluid on the wafer surface. The nearly immediate removal of the DIW from the wafer surface prevents the formation of fluid droplets on the region of the wafer surface being dried thereby reducing the possibility of contamination drying on the wafer  108 . The pressure (which is caused by the flow rate of the IPA) of the downward injection of IPA also helps contain the meniscus  116 . 
   The flow rate of the IPA assists in causing a shift or a push of water flow out of the region between the proximity head and the wafer surface and into the source outlets  304  through which the fluids may be outputted from the proximity head. Therefore, as the IPA and the DIW is pulled into the source outlets  304 , the boundary making up the IPA/DIW interface  118  is not a continuous boundary because gas (e.g., air) is being pulled into the source outlets  304  along with the fluids. In one embodiment, as the vacuum from the source outlet  304  pulls the DIW, IPA, and the fluid on the wafer surface, the flow into the source outlet  304  is discontinuous. This flow discontinuity is analogous to fluid and gas being pulled up through a straw when a vacuum is exerted on combination of fluid and gas. Consequently, as the proximity head  106  moves, the meniscus moves along with the proximity head, and the region previously occupied by the meniscus has been dried due to the movement of the IPA/DIW interface  118 . It should also be understood that the any suitable number of source inlets  302 , source outlets  304  and source inlets  306  may be utilized depending on the configuration of the apparatus and the meniscus size and shape desired. In another embodiment, the liquid flow rates and the vacuum flow rates are such that the total liquid flow into the vacuum outlet is continuous, so no gas flows into the vacuum outlet. 
   It should be appreciated any suitable flow rate may be utilized for the IPA, DIW, and vacuum as long as the meniscus  116  can be maintained. In one embodiment, the flow rate of the DIW through a set of the source inlets  306  is between about 25 ml per minute to about 3,000 ml per minute. In a preferable embodiment, the flow rate of the DIW through the set of the source inlets  306  is about 400 ml per minute. It should be understood that the flow rate of fluids may vary depending on the size of the proximity head. In one embodiment a larger head may have a greater rate of fluid flow than smaller proximity heads. This may occur because larger proximity heads, in one embodiment, have more source inlets  302  and  306  and source outlets  304  More flow for larger head. 
   In one embodiment, the flow rate of the IPA vapor through a set of the source inlets  302  is between about 1 standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM) to about 100 SCFM. In a preferable embodiment, the IPA flow rate is between about 10 and 40 SCFM. 
   In one embodiment, the flow rate for the vacuum through a set of the source outlets  304  is between about 10 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH) to about 1250 SCFH. In a preferable embodiment, the flow rate for a vacuum though the set of the source outlets  304  is about 350 SCFH. In an exemplary embodiment, a flow meter may be utilized to measure the flow rate of the IPA, DIW, and the vacuum. 
     FIG. 6E  shows another wafer drying process using another source inlet/outlet orientation that may be conducted by a proximity head  106  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106  may be moved over the top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108  so the meniscus may be moved along the wafer surface  108   a . The meniscus applies fluid to the wafer surface and removes fluid from the wafer surface thereby cleaning and drying the wafer simultaneously. In this embodiment, the source inlet  306  applies a DIW flow  314  toward the wafer surface  108   a , the source inlet  302  applies IPA flow  310  toward the wafer surface  108   a , and the source outlet  312  removes fluid from the wafer surface  108   a . It should be appreciated that in this embodiment as well as other embodiments of the proximity head  106  described herein, additional numbers and types of source inlets and source outlets may be used in conjunction with the orientation of the source inlets  302  and  306  and the source outlets  304  shown in  FIG. 6E . In addition, in this embodiment as well as other proximity head embodiments, by controlling the amount of flow of fluids onto the wafer surface  108   a  and by controlling the vacuum applied, the meniscus may be managed and controlled in any suitable manner. For example, in one embodiment, by increasing the DIW flow  314  and/or decreasing the vacuum  312 , the outflow through the source outlet  304  may be nearly all DIW and the fluids being removed from the wafer surface  108   a . In another embodiment, by decreasing the DIW flow  314  and/or increasing the vacuum  312 , the outflow through the source outlet  304  may be substantially a combination of DIW and air as well as fluids being removed from the wafer surface  108   a.    
     FIG. 6F  shows another source inlet and outlet orientation where an additional source outlet  307  may be utilized to input an additional fluid in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The orientation of inlets and outlets as shown in  FIG. 6E  is the orientation described in further detail in reference to  FIG. 6D  except the additional source outlet  307  is included adjacent to the source inlet  306  on a side opposite that of the source outlet  304 . In such an embodiment, DIW may be inputted through the source inlet  306  while a different solution such as, for example, a cleaning solution may be inputted through the source inlet  307 . Therefore, a cleaning solution flow  315  may be utilized to enhance cleaning of the wafer  108  while at substantially the same time drying the top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108 . 
     FIG. 7A  illustrates a proximity head  106  performing a drying operation in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The proximity head  106 , in one embodiment, moves while in close proximity to the top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108  to conduct a cleaning and/or drying operation. It should be appreciated that the proximity head  106  may also be utilized to process (e.g., clean, dry, etc.) the bottom surface  108   b  of the wafer  108 . In one embodiment, the wafer  108  is rotating so the proximity head  106  may be moved in a linear fashion along the head motion while fluid is removed from the top surface  108   a . By applying the IPA  310  through the source inlet  302 , the vacuum  312  through source outlet  304 , and the deionized water  314  through the source inlet  306 , the meniscus  116  as discussed in reference to  FIG. 6  may be generated. 
     FIG. 7B  shows a top view of a portion of a proximity head  106  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In the top view of one embodiment, from left to right are a set of the source inlet  302 , a set of the source outlet  304 , a set of the source inlet  306 , a set of the source outlet  304 , and a set of the source inlet  302 . Therefore, as IPA and DIW are inputted into the region between the proximity head  106  and the wafer  108 , the vacuum removes the IPA and the DIW along with any fluid film that may reside on the wafer  108 . The source inlets  302 , the source inlets  306 , and the source outlets  304  described herein may also be any suitable type of geometry such as for example, circular opening, square opening, etc. In one embodiment, the source inlets  302  and  306  and the source outlets  304  have circular openings. 
     FIG. 7C  illustrates a proximity head  106  with angled source inlets  302 ′ performing a drying operation in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the source inlets  302 ′ and  306  and the source outlet(s)  304  described herein may be angled in any suitable way to optimize the wafer cleaning and/or drying process. In one embodiment, the angled source inlets  302 ′ that input IPA vapor onto the wafer  108  is angled toward the source inlets  306  such that the IPA vapor flow is directed to contain the meniscus  116 . 
     FIG. 8A  illustrates a side view of the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  for use in a dual wafer surface cleaning and drying system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, by usage of source inlets  302  and  306  to input IPA and DIW respectively along with the source outlet  304  to provide a vacuum, the meniscus  116  may be generated. In addition, on the side of the source inlet  306  opposite that of the source inlet  302 , there may be a source outlet  304  to remove DIW and to keep the meniscus  116  intact. As discussed above, in one embodiment, the source inlets  302  and  306  may be utilized for IPA inflow  310  and DIW inflow  314  respectively while the source outlet  304  may be utilized to apply vacuum  312 . It should be appreciated that any suitable configuration of source inlets  302 , source outlets  304  and source inlets  306  may be utilized. For example, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may have a configuration of source inlets and source outlets like the configuration described above in reference to  FIGS. 7A and 7B . In addition, in yet more embodiments, the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  may be of a configuration as shown below in reference to  FIGS. 9 through 15 . Any suitable surface coming into contact with the meniscus  116  may be dried by the movement of the meniscus  116  into and away from the surface. 
     FIG. 8B  shows the proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b  in a dual wafer surface cleaning and drying system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106   a  processes the top surface  108   a  of the wafer  108 , and the proximity head  106   b  processes the bottom surface of  108   b  of the wafer  108 . By the inputting of the IPA and the DIW by the source inlets  302  and  306  respectively, and by use of the vacuum from the source outlet  304 , the meniscus  116  may be formed between the proximity head  106   a  and the wafer  108  and between the proximity head  106   b  and the wafer  108 . The proximity heads  106   a  and  106   b , and therefore the meniscus  116 , may be moved over the wet areas of the wafer surface in an manner so the entire wafer  108  can be dried. 
     FIGS. 9 through 15  illustrate exemplary embodiments of the proximity head  106 . As shown by the exemplary figures that follow, the proximity head may be any suitable configuration or size that may enable the fluid removal process as described in  FIGS. 6 to 8 . Therefore, any, some, or all of the proximity heads described herein may be utilized in any suitable wafer cleaning and drying system such as, for example, the system  100  or a variant thereof as described in reference to  FIGS. 2A to 2D . In addition, the proximity head may also have any suitable numbers or shapes of source outlets  304  and source inlets  302  and  306 . It should be appreciated that the side of the proximity heads shown from a top view is the side that comes into close proximity with the wafer to conduct wafer processing. All of the proximity heads described in  FIGS. 9 through 15  enable usage of the IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation or a variant thereof as described above in reference to  FIGS. 2 and 6 . In addition, the proximity heads described herein may be utilized for either cleaning or drying operations depending on the fluid that is inputted and outputted from the source inlets  302  and  306 , and the source outlets  304 . In addition, the proximity heads described herein may have multiple inlet lines and multiple outlet lines with the ability to control the relative flow rates of liquid and/or vapor and/or gas through the outlets and inlets. It should be appreciated that every group of source inlets and source outlets can have independent control of the flows. 
   It should be appreciated that the size as well as the locations of the source inlets and outlets may be varied as long as the meniscus produced is stable. In one embodiment, the size of the openings to source inlets  302 , source outlets  304 , and source inlets  306  are between about 0.02 inch and about 0.25 inch in diameter. In a preferable embodiment, the size of the openings of the source inlets  302  and the source outlets  304  is about 0.03 inch, and the size of the openings of the source inlets  306  is about 0.06 inch. 
   In one embodiment the source inlets  302  and  306  in addition to the source outlets  304  are spaced about 0.03 inch and about 0.5 inch apart. In a preferable embodiment, the source inlets  306  are spaced 0.125 inch apart from each other and the source outlets  304  are spaced 0.03 inch apart and the source inlets  302  are spaced about 0.03 inch apart. 
     FIG. 9A  shows a top view of a proximity head  106 - 1  with a circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 1  includes three of the source inlets  302  which, in one embodiment, applies IPA to a surface of the wafer  108 . The proximity head  106 - 1  also includes three of the source outlets  304  in a center portion of the head  106 - 1 . In one embodiment, one of the source inlets  306  is located adjacent to the source inlets  302  and the source outlets  304 . In this embodiment, another one the source inlets  306  is located on the other side of the source outlets  304 . 
   In this embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 1  shows that the three source outlets  304  are located in the center portion and is located within an indentation in the top surface of the proximity head  106 - 1 . In addition, the source inlets  302  are located on a different level than the source inlets  306 . The side of the proximity head  106 - 1  is the side that comes into close proximity with the wafer  108  for cleaning and/or drying operations. 
     FIG. 9B  shows a side view of the proximity head  106 - 1  with a circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The proximity head  106 - 1  has inputs at a bottom portion  343  which lead to the source inlets  302  and  306  and the source outlets  304  as discussed in further detail in reference to  FIG. 9C . In one embodiment, a top portion  341  of the proximity head  106 - 1  is smaller in circumference than the bottom portion  343 . As indicated previously, it should be appreciated that the proximity head  106 - 1  as well as the other proximity heads described herein may have any suitable shape and/or configuration. 
     FIG. 9C  illustrates a bottom view of the proximity head  106 - 1  with a circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The proximity head  106 - 1  also includes ports  342   a ,  342   b,  and  342   c  that, in one embodiment, correspond to the source inlet  302 , source outlet  304 , and source inlet  306  respectively. By inputting or removing fluid through the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c,  fluids may be inputted or outputted through the source inlet  302 , the source outlet  304 , and the source inlet  306  as discussed in reference to  FIG. 9A . 
   It should be appreciated that the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  for any of the proximity heads described herein may be any suitable orientation and dimension as long as a stable meniscus can be generated and maintained by the source inlets  302 , source outlets  304 , and source inlets  306 . The embodiments of the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  described herein may be applicable to any of the proximity heads described herein. In one embodiment, the port size of the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  may be between about 0.03 inch and about 0.25 inch in diameter. In a preferable embodiment, the port size is about 0.06 inch to 0.18 inch in diameter. In one embodiment, the distance between the ports is between about 0.125 inch and about 1 inch apart. In a preferable embodiment, the distance between the ports is between about 0.25 inch and about 0.37 inch apart. 
     FIG. 10A  shows a proximity head  106 - 2  with an elongated ellipse shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The proximity head  106 - 2  includes the source inlets  302 , source outlets  304 , and source inlets  306 . In this embodiment, the source inlets  302  are capable of applying IPA toward a wafer surface region, the source inlets  306  are capable of applying DIW toward the wafer surface region, and the source outlets  304  are capable of applying vacuum to a region in close proximity of a surface of the wafer  108 . By the application of the vacuum, the IPA, DIW, and any other type of fluids that may reside on a wafer surface may be removed. 
   The proximity head  106 - 2  also includes ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  that, in one embodiment, correspond to the source inlet  302 , source outlet  304 , and source inlet  306  respectively. By inputting or removing fluid through the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c,  fluids may be inputted or outputted through the source inlet  302 , the source outlet  304 , and the source inlet  306 . Although the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  correspond with the source inlet  302 , the source outlet  304 , and the source inlet  306  in this exemplary embodiment, it should be appreciated that the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  may supply or remove fluid from any suitable source inlet or source outlet depending on the configuration desired. Because of the configuration of the source inlets  302  and  306  with the source outlets  304 , the meniscus  116  may be formed between the proximity head  106 - 2  and the wafer  108 . The shape of the meniscus  116  may vary depending on the configuration and dimensions of the proximity head  106 - 2 . 
     FIG. 10B  shows a top view of the proximity head  106 - 2  with an elongated ellipse shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 10B , the pattern of the source outlets  304  and the source inlets  302  and  306  is indicated. Therefore, in one embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 2  includes the source inlets  302  located outside of the source outlets  304  which are in turn located outside of the source inlets  306 . Therefore, the source inlets  302  substantially surround the source outlets  304  which in turn substantially surround the source inlets  306  to enable the IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation. In one embodiment, the source inlets  306  are located down the middle of the long axis of the of the proximity head  106 - 2 . In such an embodiment, the source inlets  302  and  306  input IPA and DIW respectively to a region of the wafer  108  that is being dried and/or cleaned. The source outlets  304  in this embodiment exert vacuum in close proximity of the region of the wafer  108  being dried thereby outputting the IPA and the DIW from the source inlets  302  and  306  as well as other fluids from the region of the wafer  108  that is being dried. Therefore, in one embodiment, a drying/cleaning action as discussed in reference to  FIG. 6  may occur to clean/dry the wafer  108  in an extremely effective manner. 
     FIG. 10C  shows a side view of the proximity head  106 - 2  with an elongated ellipse shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the proximity head  106 - 2  is exemplary in nature and may be any suitable dimension as long as the source inlets  302  and  306  as well as the source outlet  304  are configured in a manner to enable cleaning and/or drying of the wafer  108  in the manner described herein. 
     FIG. 11A  shows a top view of a proximity head  106 - 3  with a rectangular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1A , the proximity head  106 - 3  includes two rows of the source inlets  302  at the top of the figure, the source outlets  304  in a row below the source inlets  302 , a row of source inlets  306  below the source outlets  304 , and a row of the source outlets  304  below the source inlets  306 . In one embodiment, IPA and DIW may be inputted to the region of the wafer  108  that is being dried through the source inlets  302  and  306  respectively. The source outlets  304  may be utilized to pull away fluids from the surface of the wafer  108  such as the IPA and the DIW in addition to other fluids on the surface of the wafer  108 . 
     FIG. 11B  shows a side view of the proximity head  106 - 3  with a rectangular  106 - 3  includes ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  which, in one embodiment, may be utilized to input and/or output fluids through the source inlets  302  and  306  as well as the source outlets  304 . It should be appreciated that any suitable number of ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  may be utilized in any of the proximity heads described herein depending on the configuration and the source inlets and outlets desired. 
     FIG. 11C  illustrates a bottom portion of the proximity head  106 - 3  in a rectangular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The proximity head  106 - 3  includes ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  on a back portion while connecting holes  340  on the bottom portion may be utilized to attach the proximity head  106 - 3  to the top arm  104   a  as discussed above in reference to  FIGS. 2A through 2D . 
     FIG. 12A  shows a proximity head  106 - 4  with a partial rectangular and partial circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 4  includes one row of source inlets  306  that is adjacent on both sides to rows of source outlets  304 . One of the rows of source outlets  304  is adjacent to two rows of source inlets  302 . Perpendicular to and at the ends of the rows described above are rows of source outlets  304 . 
     FIG. 12B  shows a rear view of the proximity head  106 - 4  with a partial rectangular and partial circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 4  includes ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  on a back side as shown by the rear view where the back side is the square end of the proximity head  106 - 4 . The ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  may be utilized to input and/or output fluids through the source inlets  302  and  306  and the source outlets  304 . In one embodiment, the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  correspond to the source inlets  302 , the source outlets  304 , and the source inlets  306  respectively. 
     FIG. 12C  shows a top view of the proximity head  106 - 4  with a partial rectangular and partial circular shape in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown this view, the proximity head  106 - 4  includes a configuration of source inlets  302  and  306 , and source outlets  304  which enable the usage of the IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation. 
     FIG. 13A  illustrates a top view of a proximity head  106 - 5  with a circular shape similar to the proximity head  106 - 1  shown in  FIG. 9A  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the pattern of source inlets and source outlets is the same as the proximity head  106 - 1 , but as shown in  FIG. 13B , the proximity head  106 - 5  includes connecting holes  340  where the proximity head  106 - 5  can be connected with an apparatus which can move the proximity head close to the wafer. 
     FIG. 13B  shows the proximity head  106 - 5  from a bottom view in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. From the bottom view, the proximity head  106 - 5  has the connecting holes  340  in various locations on a bottom end. The bottom end may be connected to either the upper arm  106   a  or the bottom arm  106   b  if the proximity head  106 - 5  is utilized in the system  100  as shown above in reference to  FIGS. 2A through 2D . It should be appreciated that the proximity head  106 - 5  may have any suitable number or type of connecting holes as long as the proximity head  106 - 5  may be secured to any suitable apparatus that can move the proximity head  106 - 5  as discussed above in reference to  FIGS. 2A through 2D . 
     FIG. 13C  illustrates the proximity head  106 - 5  from a side view in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The proximity head  106 - 5  has a side that is a larger circumference than the side that moves into close proximity with the wafer  108 . It should be appreciated although the circumference of the proximity head  106 - 5  (as well as the other embodiments of the proximity head  106  that is described herein) may be any suitable size and may be varied depending on how much surface of the wafer  108  is desired to be processed at any given time. 
     FIG. 14A  shows a proximity head  106 - 6  where one end is squared off while the other end is rounded in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 6  has a pattern of the source inlets  302  and  306  as well as the source outlets  304  similar to the pattern as shown in the proximity head  106 - 4  described in reference to  FIG. 12A  except there are additional rows of source inlets  302  as can be seen from the top view of  FIG. 14B . 
     FIG. 14B  illustrates a top view of the proximity head  106 - 6  where one end is squared off while the other end is rounded in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 6  includes a dual tiered surface with the configuration of source inlets  302  and  306  and source outlets  304  that enables the ability to apply the IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation during wafer processing. 
     FIG. 14C  shows a side view of a square end of the proximity head  106 - 6  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 6  includes the ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  which enables input and output of fluid both to and from the source inlets  302  and  306  as well as the source outlets  304 . 
     FIG. 15A  shows a bottom view of a 25 holes proximity head  106 - 7  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the proximity head  106 - 7  includes 25 openings any of which may be utilized as ports  342   a,    342   b,  and  342   c  depending on the configuration desired. In one embodiment, seven openings are the ports  342   a,  six openings are the source outlets  342   b,  and three openings are ports  342   c . In this embodiment, the other nine openings are left unused. It should be appreciated that the other holes may be used as ports  342   a,    342   b,  and/or  342   c  depending on the configuration and type of function desired of the proximity head  106 - 7 . 
     FIG. 15B  shows a top view of the 25 holes proximity head  106 - 7  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The side of the proximity head  106 - 7  shown by  FIG. 15B  is the side that comes into close proximity with the wafer  108  to conduct drying and/or cleaning operations on the wafer  108 . The proximity head  106 - 7  includes an IPA input region  382 , a vacuum outlet regions  384 , and a DIW input region  386  in a center portion of the proximity head  106 - 7 . In one embodiment, the IPA input region  382  includes a set of the source inlets  302 , the vacuum outlet regions  384  each include a set of the source outlets  304 , and the DIW input region  386  includes a set of the source inlets  306 . 
   Therefore, in one embodiment when the proximity head  106 - 7  is in operation, a plurality of the source inlet  302  inputs IPA into the IPA input region, a plurality of the source outlet  304  generates a negative pressure (e.g., vacuum) in the vacuum outlet regions  384 , and a plurality of the source inlet  306  inputs DIW into the DIW input region  386 . In this way, the IPA-vacuum-DIW orientation may be utilized to intelligently dry a wafer. 
     FIG. 15C  shows a side view of the 25 holes proximity head  106 - 7  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this view, a top surface of the proximity head  106 - 7  has a dual level surface. In one embodiment, the level with the plurality of the source inlet  302  is below the level with the plurality of the source outlet  304  and the plurality of the source inlet  306 . 
   While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art upon reading the preceding specifications and studying the drawings will realize various alterations, additions, permutations and equivalents thereof. It is therefore intended that the present invention includes all such alterations, additions, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 4