Importance

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Abstract

A multi-process bake/chill station for processing semiconductor wafers, comprising an insulated housing with an open bottom of approximately the same diameter as the wafer, a heated bake plate within the housing having a number of vertical gas flow passages through the plate, a plenum between the bake plate and the housing communicating with the gas flow passages, vent openings in the housing communicating with the plenum, a shroud for confining the wafer when it is in close proximity to the bake plate, a chill plate below the bake plate, and a lift for moving the wafer between the bake plate and the chill plate. The invention reduces contamination of the wafer by handling the wafer only minimally, increases the throughput of the manufacturing process by minimizing the extent of the mechanical movement between the bake plate and the chill plate, allows precise control of the time of the bake cycle and the chill cycle, and produces uniform heating of the wafer by minimizing air movement between the wafer and the bake plate.

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First Claim