Chapter 2.9

Sink9 & Spin Dryer Operation

(sink9)

1.0         Title

Sink9 & Spin Dryer Operation

 

2.0         Purpose

This document has specific information about wet sink9, Microlab’s MOS and Non-MOS 6” sink.

 

3.0         Scope

Wet Sink9 provides Piranha and HF clean modules as well as DI water rinse followed by a quick dump. The sink is setup with two symmetrical processing areas, one for VLSI (MOS clean) and the other for non-VLSI (Non-MOS clean).

 

4.0         Applicable Documents 

Chapter 2.3 of the lab manual (Wet Sinks  and Spin Dryers)

Chapter 2.1 of the lab manual, which explains wafer boxes, tweezers, and other tool cleaning prior to using VLSI sink.

 

5.0         Definitions & Process Terminology

5.1         Full Plenum Lockout Alarm: Early warning alarm indicating sink drain failure.

5.2         Quick dump (QD): DI water fills the sink followed by a quick dump to get ride of excess acid and/or contaminants.

5.3         Spin Rinse Dryer (SRD): DI rinse followed by dry cycle.

 

6.0         Safety

Never touch any surface while wearing chemical-resistant gloves that other lab members may come into contact with, such as the table tops, door handles, computer keyboards, face shields, aprons, etc. If you need to step away from the sink at any time, rinse off gloves at the glove wash, dry with techni-cloths, and put away in your drawer until you are ready to resume your work at the sink.

Follow general safety guidelines for the lab, safety rules outlined in chapter 2.3 and the following:

6.1         This sink contains HF acid and Piranha bath, therefore appropriate safety attire should be worn, while working at this station. This means chemically resistant gloves on top of the surgical gloves, face shield and apron has to be worn while working at or around sink9.  Do not put metal tweezers in this sink, especially in the piranha bath.

6.2         Do not adjust the heater controllers as they have been preset to produce proper bath temperatures.

6.3         Only use chemically resistance cassettes provided at the station (Teflon type), Failure to do so can cause damage to the station and/or compromise the operator’s safety.

7.0         Statistical/Process Data

N/A

8.0     Available Processes

8.1         HF and Piranha clean processes are available in this sink as well as quick dump rinse to properly clean the wafers prior to going into the 6” spin rinse dryer (top SRD on the rack).

8.2         Six-inch wafers going into any furnace shall go through sink9’s MOS clean side LAST, regardless of MOS or Non-MOS nature of the furnace. This means, for example: MEMS (non-MOS) processed wafers would need to first get cleaned in MEMs side of sink9, then go into MOS clean side, before entering furnaces.

The only exception to this rule is metal wafers, which are absolutely not allowed in sink9.

Special provision has been made to allow 6” metal wafers in sink7 (general use hot bath).

 

9.0         Equipment Operation

The sink operation is relatively easy, however special care must be taken to control cross contamination into the MOS clean process area/sinks. The piranha and HF sinks are set up much like the other sinks (6 and 8). The main difference is that here members invoke the dump rinse cycle from special keypad mounted on the face of the station (one for each station).

 

9.1         Control Key Description

There are three control/displays at this station, see Appendices A and B.  Members should only use the control key marked as “SPS Filterchem”.   This is the control pad for the quick dump (QD) station.  QD is currently set up for two dump rinse cycles. Wafers are initially showered with DI water followed by two DI fill-dump cycles. These cycles end with wafers submerged in the water for operator to extract and place them in SRD. During the QD cycle resistivity as well as the piranha bath temperature can be read from “Thorton display monitor” in front of the station. See Appendix-B for more detail. The station performs an automatic self-cleaning, every 60 minutes by one QD cycle.

9.2         Quick Dump Rinse Operation

9.2.1    Place wafers in the sink, sink initially should be full of water.

9.2.2    Press START button to activate the dump rinse cycle.

9.2.3    Upon completion of two rinse cycles remove wafer and place in SRD.

9.2.4    Dump the QDR water by pressing the OPEN button and, as soon as the water is drained, press the STOP/RESET button. Leave the QDR with no water in it and with closed lid before leaving the station.

10.0      Troubleshooting Guidelines

 

10.1      Rinse cycle stopped in the middle QD cycles:  press open to dump the water out. Press stop/reset key followed by restart the dump rinse cycle from the start.

Spin Rinse/Dryer  HElp  Messages

HELP-0

Power Failure

The power failed while the unit was operating. Check the electrical lines in the unit, and for a blown fuse. Press START to reset the microprocessor. The rinser/dryer indexes the rotor and resets to the beginning of the interrupted cycle.

HELP-1

Bladder Pressure

There is inadequate nitrogen pressure to inflate the door seal. Check the door bladder, the nitrogren pressure, and the pressure switch. Be sure there is 20-21 psi on RG2 and that the pressure switch turns off when the pressure reaches 17-18 psi.

HELP-2

Nitrogen Pres

There is insufficient pressure in the system nitrogen line. Check the nitrogen pressure switch (PSW1). It should be set to approximately 13 psi. Check the system line for leaks. Be sure that the pressure at RG1 is 23 psi dynamic. Check the Clean Coil thermostat and reset if necessary.

HELP-3

Door Open

The door is not completely closed. Check the door. If the door is properly aligned, check the micro-swtich actuating arm.

HELP-4

Index Failure

The unit is not able to index the rotor. Check the rotor positioner.

HELP-5

Excessive Speed

The rotor speed has exceeded 3400 RPM. Retry the cycle a few minutes. If the problem persists, there is a hardware problem. Call maintenance or VERTEQ for assistance.

 

11.0      Figures & Schematics

 

12.0      Appendices

 

 

 

DECK HOSE Instructions

The de-ionized (DI) water deck hose for the sinks is ALWAYS available for emergencies; it provides a good safety backup in the event of exposure to chemicals.

If this hose (the black curly cord) develops a leak, please observe the following procedure:

1)       Locate the self-closing, stainless steel "quick connect" fitting at the end of the black curly cord.

Caution! This hose is under pressure, so be sure to wear the following safety apparel before proceeding further:

►      Face shield

►      Lab apron

►      Chemical resistant gloves

(as the water will spurt a bit)

2)       Depress the "quick connect" locking mechanism. The fitting should snap apart quickly, thereby disconnecting the deck hose from its base.

3)       Report as a problem on FAULTS.

4)       Set the deck hose at the rear of the sink deck for replacement.                      

Sink9 Study Guide

 

Be sure to know…


1.   What size wafers sink9 handles.

2.       Left vs. Right stations.

3.       What full plenum lockout means; what to do.

4.       Protection for hands and body.

5.       Tweezers allowed in the sink.

6.       Adjusting heater controls.

7.       How much H2O2 to use for piranha.          

8.       A complete dump rinse cycle.

9.       What to do if it stops in the middle of a quick dump cycle.

10.      Easy-to-make mistakes that would contaminate sink station.

Rev. 00 – 9/02, M. Kushner

Rev. 01 – 6/04, S. Parsa

Rev. 02 – 8/04, M. Kushner

Rev. 03 – 10/05, W. Flounders - Suppression of labwide vacuum drain system to be replaced by new definition of Full Plenum Lockout Alarm.