Purge micro-environment with ionized air to reduce chances of ESD damages to wafers

Huaping Wang; Yingkai Liu; Mike Cisewski

doi:10.1117/12.708055

5 April 2007 Purge micro-environment with ionized air to reduce chances of ESD damages to wafers

Huaping Wang, Yingkai Liu, Mike Cisewski

Proceedings Volume 6518, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXI; 65183Y (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.708055
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2007, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) problem resulting from charges on wafers is a serious concern in IC manufacturing processes. Even though micro-environments, such as a FOUP or a SMIF pod, provide path to ground to conduct away charges on wafers, this method cannot remove charges on the insulative features on a work-in-process wafer. In this study, we integrated an ionization module to a FOUP purge system to neutralize charges on wafers. With a full load of wafers, ionized nitrogen entered the FOUP and effectively reduced the wafer charge level from 1,000 v/cm to 100 v/cm within 5 minutes. The effectiveness of neutralizing charges and ease of integrating with currently available purge facility enable this method a promising way to help reduce wafer charges, thus reduce the possibility of ESD damages to ICs on wafer. The same idea can be applied to reduce charges on reticles in a recticle pod.

Citation Download Citation

Huaping Wang, Yingkai Liu, and Mike Cisewski "Purge micro-environment with ionized air to reduce chances of ESD damages to wafers", Proc. SPIE 6518, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXI, 65183Y (5 April 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.708055

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