How Quick Dump Rinsers Improve Silicon Wet Etching Process

Quick dump rinsers provide fast and effective rinsing of silicon wafers from chemicals and particles. During semiconductor fabrication silicon wafers are etched with chemicals and particles, which have to be rinsed off to prevent continued etching.

Modutek's quick dump rinser uses de-ionized water to wash away all traces of chemicals while introducing no new particle contamination source. It uses state-of-the-art engineering techniques that allow it to reduce de-ionized water consumption while featuring a short rinsing time and particle reduction. The large trap door and the contoured rinsing vessel shorten dump times and promote laminar flow to rinse away contaminants. The machined dump door doesn't have any seals or gaskets that could entrap particles, and the smooth polypropylene construction of the tank ensures that it is not a source of new particle contamination.

Once the silicon wafers are placed in the rinser, de-ionized water jets rinse the chemicals from the wafer surfaces. The tank fills, bringing the rinsed contaminants to the surface where they leave the tank through the overflow weir. A nitrogen bubbler produces gas bubbles that rise through the water and remove additional particles and contaminants. At the final stage of the rinse cycle, the trap door at the bottom of the tank opens to drain the water.

The entire rinsing process is fast and thorough without introducing new contamination. The use of Modutek's quick dump rinsers can improve production and output quality. When quick dump rinsers work rapidly, effectively removing chemicals, particles, and contaminants leads to an increase of throughput and reduced chances of product rejection.

Rinsing is required after most of the wet process production steps, and any time saved with a quick dump rinser is multiplied by the number of times rinsing takes place in the semiconductor production process. Modutek's quick dump rinser provides these benefits by addressing overall semiconductor manufacturing requirements.

Modutek's quick dump rinsers provide additional benefits, such as reduced costs and faster production line operation. Reduced de-ionized water lowers costs, and an optional reclaim system can result in extra savings. Besides quick dump rinsers, Modutek also supports customers with full line of standard or customized silicon wet etching equipment.

For more details read the complete article, How Quick Dump Rinsers Improve Silicon Wet Etching Process. If you have questions, or would like to set up a free consultation, call 866-803-1533 or email modutek@modutek.com.

How Quick Dump Rinsers Improve Silicon Wet Etching Results

Manufacturing lines in semiconductor fabrication facilities and research labs use corrosive chemicals in cleaning and etching silicon wafers. A silicon wafer will undergo multiple steps in baths that contain such chemicals as hydrochloric acid or hydrogen peroxide.

Once the cleaning and etching are done, using Quick Dump Rinsers the silicon wafer then undergoes rinsing – the rinsing process should remove the contaminants from the corrosive chemicals completely without introducing new contaminants. The chemicals from the silicon wafer must be completely rinsed before the wafer can undergo further process steps.

If traces of chemicals are not completely removed, etching of the wafer may result in defective and low-quality products. That is why in many process steps, rinser performance is critical for product output quality.

When the wafers are placed into the Quick Dump Rinser tank, powerful jets spray de-ionized water over the wafers to remove all traces of chemicals. As the tank fills up, all the chemical residue and particles are flushed out and rise to the surface. A nitrogen gas bubbler system agitates the de-ionized water further, removing additional contaminants from the surface of the wafers. An overflow weir allows the surface to flush the chemical residues and other impurities out of the tank. Once the rinsing process is complete, the quick dump door at the bottom of the tank opens and drains the water in a matter of seconds.

Modutek's Quick Dump Rinsers are designed to meet the needs of advanced semiconductor fabrication. Their features include:

• Contoured vessel design
• Nitrogen bubble on all models
• Natural polypropylene or PVDF (option) tanks, nozzles and fittings
• Large machined dump door without gaskets or seals
• 360-degree overflow weir

The rinsers are available either as standalone units or integrated into a wet bench process manufacturing line.

The rapid operation of Modutek's Quick Dump Rinsers help reduce the use of de-ionized water as well as save process time. It removes contaminants completely without introducing new chemicals. Modutek has an extensive line of silicon wet etching equipment from which to choose.

For more information read the blog article titled “How Quick Dump Rinsers Improve Silicon Wet Etching Results” . For a free consultation or quote contact Modutek at Modutek@modutek.com or call 866-803-1533 to discuss your specific requirements.

Improvements to the Silicon Wet Etching Process

Continuous improvements to equipment design and materials has enabled the silicon wet etching process to produce improved wafer yields with less minimized defects on smaller sized geometries. To promote further improvements, Modutek strives to provide equipment designed to promote efficiency, safety, and low cost. 

·         Modutek's QFa Series High Temperature Recirculating Quartz Baths/Qa Series Constant Temperature Quartz Baths have been designed for etching, stripping, and heating.

·         Teflon Tanks - Standard and customized carrier sizes, different tank configurations, inline heating, and immersion heating are also available.

·         Silicon nitride etch baths - deliver exceptional process control while retaining flexibility in installation and operation.

·         Quick Dump Rinsers - can boost process efficiency by reducing rinse times and DI water consumption.

Modutek provides equipment and solutions that meet customer requirements. For more information on this topic read the blog article titled “Improvements to the silicon wet etching process”. For any questions on selecting the right manufacturing equipment for your requirements call Modutek at 866-803-1533.