WAFER PROCESSING WITH CARRIER EXTENSION

摘要

Apparatus for treating wafers using a wafer carrier rotated about an axis is provided with a ring which surrounds the wafer carrier during operation. Treatment gasses directed onto a top surface of the carrier flow outwardly away from the axis over the carrier and over the ring, and pass downstream outside of the ring. The outwardly flowing gasses form a boundary over the carrier and ring. The ring helps to maintain a boundary layer of substantially uniform thickness over the carrier, which promotes uniform treatment of the wafers.

主权项

1. A method of processing wafers comprising the steps of:
(a) positioning a wafer carrier inside a reaction chamber so that a ring within the chamber surrounds the carrier, so that top surfaces of the carrier and ring facing in an upstream direction are substantially continuous with one another and so that surfaces of wafers disposed on the carrier face in the upstream direction; and (b) directing one or more treatment gasses in a downstream direction opposite to the upstream direction onto the top surfaces of the wafer carrier and wafers while rotating the wafer carrier and wafers around an upstream-to-downstream axis, so that the treatment gasses flow outwardly over the top surface of the carrier and the surfaces of the wafer, and flow outwardly from the top surface of the carrier over the top surface of the ring.