Appeal 2007-0908 Application 10/152,077 38. According to Ueno, rinsing nozzle 7 and replacing medium nozzle 8 are moved outward across the wafer to scan it, "with the nozzle 7 going ahead of the nozzle 8, so that the pure water and IPA vapor are essentially simultaneously supplied. By doing so, the pure water supplied on the wafer W is immediately removed by the IPA vapor, thereby effectively preventing water marks from being generated." (Ueno at 12:22-31.) Yoneda 39. Yoneda teaches methods of spin cleaning semiconductor wafers. (Yoneda at 1:6-9.) 40. In particular, Yoneda teaches in the flow chart shown in Yoneda figure 2, step S1, purging the inside of the chamber with hot N2 for 1 minute. (Yoneda at 9:63-66.) 41. Yoneda also teaches rinsing the wafer with ultrapure water (Figure 2, S5), spraying with IPA at 25�C (S6), and with IPA and N2 at 100�C (IPA boils at ~82�C at 1 atmosphere pressure) to decrease spot generation (S7), followed by further N2 spray at 100�C (S8). (Yoneda at 11:14-33.) Bergman 42. Bergman teaches a vapor-assisted rotary drying process for semiconductor wafers in which a wet water-rinsed wafer is mounted vertically. (Bergman at 3:49-67.) 43. The preferably not moving wafer is then exposed to a vapor stream of a low vapor pressure substance such as isopropyl alcohol, and brought to a first rotation speed of 300-700 rpm, low enough to allow condensate to form on the wafer and displace the rinsing fluid (water). (Bergman at 4:1-35.) 13Page: Previous 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Next
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