18282509. PROCESS CELL FOR FILED GUIDED POST EXPOSURE BAKE PROCESS simplified abstract (Applied Materials, Inc.)

PROCESS CELL FOR FILED GUIDED POST EXPOSURE BAKE PROCESS

Organization Name

Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor(s)

Dmitry Lubomirsky of Cupertino CA (US)

Kyle M. Hanson of Kalispell MT (US)

Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. of Livermore CA (US)

Alan L. Tso of San Jose CA (US)

Rahul Kozhikkalkandi of Bangalore (IN)

Paul R. Mchugh of Santa Clara CA (US)

Jiayi Sun of Santa Clara CA (US)

Qiwei Liang of Fremont CA (US)

Nithin Thomas Alex of Bangalore (IN)

Lancelot Huang of Santa Clara CA (US)

Ellie Y. Yieh of San Jose CA (US)

PROCESS CELL FOR FILED GUIDED POST EXPOSURE BAKE PROCESS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18282509 titled 'PROCESS CELL FOR FILED GUIDED POST EXPOSURE BAKE PROCESS

Simplified Explanation

The apparatus and method described in the patent application are directed towards a field guided post exposure bake operation on a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus includes a processing module with an upper portion containing an electrode and a base portion configured to support the substrate. The upper and base portions are actuated towards and away from each other using one or more arms, forming a process volume filled with a process fluid. An electric field is applied to the substrate by the electrode before the process fluid is drained from the process volume.

• The apparatus is designed for performing a field guided post exposure bake operation on a semiconductor substrate.
• The processing module includes an upper portion with an electrode and a base portion for supporting the substrate.
• The upper and base portions are actuated towards and away from each other using one or more arms.
• A process volume is formed between the upper and base portions, filled with a process fluid.
• An electric field is applied to the substrate by the electrode before draining the process fluid from the process volume.

Potential Applications

The technology described in the patent application could be applied in the semiconductor industry for improving the post exposure bake process on substrates.

Problems Solved

This technology solves the problem of achieving a more controlled and efficient post exposure bake operation on semiconductor substrates.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include improved process control, enhanced substrate processing efficiency, and potentially higher quality semiconductor products.

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology could find commercial applications in semiconductor manufacturing companies looking to optimize their substrate processing operations.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology could be traditional post exposure bake methods that may not offer the same level of control and efficiency as the apparatus and method described in the patent application.

Unanswered Questions

How does this technology compare to existing post exposure bake methods in terms of process efficiency and substrate quality?

The article does not provide a direct comparison between this technology and existing post exposure bake methods.

What are the potential cost implications of implementing this technology in semiconductor manufacturing processes?

The article does not address the potential cost implications of implementing this technology in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Original Abstract Submitted

Apparatus and method for substrate processing are described herein. More specifically, the apparatus and method are directed towards apparatus and method for performing a field guided post exposure bake operation on a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus is a processing module () and includes an upper portion () with an electrode () and a base portion () which is configured to support a substrate () on a substrate support surface (). The upper portion () and the base portion () are actuated toward and away from one another using one or more arms () and form a process volume (). The process volume () is filled with a process fluid and the processing module () is rotated about an axis (A). An electric field is applied to the substrate () by the electrode () before the process fluid is drained from the process volume ().