Chamber for wafer cleaning and method for making the same
View Patent ↗A wafer processing chamber “chamber” is provided. Broadly speaking, the chamber allows a fluid flow and a fluid pressure within the chamber to be controlled in a variable manner. More specifically, the chamber utilizes removable plates that can be configured to control the fluid flow and the fluid pressure in an inner volume within the chamber. Also, the removable plates can be used to separate the inner volume within the chamber from an outer volume within the chamber. In this manner, the removable plates can be used to create a pressure differential between the inner volume within the chamber and the outer volume within the chamber. A lower pressure in the outer volume within the chamber requires less outer chamber strength to withstand the lower pressure. A lower outer chamber strength requirement translates into an overall decrease in chamber size.
1. A wafer cleaning chamber, comprising:
a lower support having a number of support surfaces, the lower support containing a first volume dispersed between the number of support surfaces;
a plate supported by the number of support surfaces of the lower support, the plate overlying the first volume, the plate having a number of wafer support surfaces to receive and support a wafer, the plate having a second volume dispersed between the number of wafer support surfaces, the plate including fluid inlets and fluid outlets defined in a periphery of the plate and outside a location that is to receive the wafer; and
an upper support configured to extend completely over the plate, the upper support configured to interface with the lower support outside a periphery of the plate, a lower surface of the upper support configured to have a recessed region that forms a third volume over the wafer to be supported by the plate, wherein an upper extent of the third volume over the wafer support surfaces of the plate is enclosed by the upper support,
wherein the fluid inlets and the fluid outlets of the plate are oriented to direct a fluid flow through the third volume in a set configuration when the upper support is interfaced with the lower support outside the periphery of the plate.
2. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first volume represents an intermediate volume located between a center region and an outer region of the wafer cleaning chamber, the second volume represents an underlying volume with respect to the wafer, and the third volume represents an overlying volume with respect to the wafer.
3. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlets and the fluid outlets of the plate are oriented to introduce the fluid flow in a linear set configuration.
4. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlets of the plate are plumbed to a pressurization source to enable establishment of a pressure differential between the third volume and the second volume, the pressure differential enabling limited fluid communication between the third volume and the second volume.
5. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 4 , wherein the pressure differential is sufficient to hold the wafer to the wafer support surfaces of the plate.
6. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 4 , wherein the pressure differential is to be established within a range extending from about 1 atm to about 4 atm.
7. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
pressure monitors disposed to determine pressures within each of the first volume, the second volume, and the third volume.
8. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
pressure control devices disposed to control pressures in each of the first volume, the second volume, and the third volume.
9. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a first volume inlet for providing a fluid to the first volume; and
a first volume outlet for removing the fluid from the first volume.
10. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second volume inlet for providing a fluid to the second volume; and
a second volume outlet for removing the fluid from the second volume.
11. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , wherein the chamber is configured to introduce a supercritical fluid flow in the third volume through the fluid inlets and the fluid outlets of the plate.
12. A wafer cleaning chamber as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a seal disposed between the upper support and the lower support, the seal serving to isolate the third volume from an outside environment.