Rotary Wafer Etching System for Semiconductor Manufacturing
A rotary wafer etching system is a dual-tank batch wet station that combines chemical processing and rinsing in a single enclosed unit, using continuous rotation to maintain uniform etch, strip, or clean across every wafer in the carrier. Modutek’s Rotary Wafer Etching System, Model SPS, performs chemical etching, developing, stripping, resist etching, and wafer reclaim or cleaning in a single automated cycle, with the carrier assembly rotating at up to 80 rpm throughout the process.
How the Rotary Wafer Etching System Works
The operator loads wafer boats into the carrier assembly, closes the fume door, and presses START. The carrier transfers into the chemical process tank and rotates continuously for a preset time, then moves into the rinse tank in under 3 seconds for a Quench-Quick Dump-Overflow rinse cycle, which combines a rapid tank dump with continuous cascade overflow to flush contaminants faster than a standard overflow rinse alone. An audible alarm signals the end of the cycle, and the carrier keeps spinning until the operator presses RESET, at which point it moves to the unload position for transfer to a drying unit.
Benefits
- Automatic wafer transfer from process to rinse in less than 3 seconds
- Freestanding compact design
- Continuous rotation adjustable up to 80 rpm
- Multiple wafer sizes in one toll with rotor change
- Touch screen control with programmable recipes
Features
- The Model-SPS produces consistent results by rotation the wafer boat during the process cycles and rapid transfer from the chemistry process bath to quench tank.
- Closed loop motor control with encoder provides precise rotational agitation.
- The microprocessor based system with Touch-screen offers reliable and precise process control. All operator controls are easily operable and accessible.
- Up to 5 process “recipes” can be programmed through a touch-screen. The screen displays the summary of the “recipe” and process information on a single screen for easy reference.
- High throughput.
- Double containment construction.
- “Fail-Safe” feature when electrical power on N2 pressure is lost.
- Precise control of the bath temperature. Two Liquid level sensors with over temperature protection.
- All components that come into contact with corrosive liquid are constructed of inert plastic or are sealed from direct contact.
- Small footprint.
Specifications
- PRODUCTION CAPACITY: Up to 6”-50 wafers or 8”-25 wafers at a time.
- AGITATION is accomplished by axial rotation of wafers, variable over a range of 0-80 rpm.
- PROCESS TIME can be set within the range of 0-9999 seconds or 0.0-999.9
- PRERINSE TIME can be set within the range of 0-9999 seconds
- QUICK DUMP CYCLE can be set within the range of 0-9999 cycles.
- PROCESS CHEMISTRY TEMERATURE can be controlled to ±1 / 2ºC over a range of ambient- 100ºC. (Optional RTD sensor provides 0.1ºC readout).
Options
- Larger size wafer capability
- Process tank material.
- Heating/Cooling system in process tank.
- RTD sensor for 0.1ºC temperature readout.
- Resistivity monitoring system in rinse tank.
- Chemical recirulation / Filtration system.
- Ultrasonic, Megasonic system.
- Fume Condenser
- Gravity chemical fill system.
- Cabinet material
Benefits
- Automatic wafer transfer from process to rinse in less than 3 seconds
- Freestanding compact design
- Continuous rotation adjustable up to 80 rpm
- Multiple wafer sizes in one toll with rotor change
- Touch screen control with programmable recipes
Features
- The Model-SPS produces consistent results by rotation the wafer boat during the process cycles and rapid transfer from the chemistry process bath to quench tank.
- Closed loop motor control with encoder provides precise rotational agitation.
- The microprocessor based system with Touch-screen offers reliable and precise process control. All operator controls are easily operable and accessible.
- Up to 5 process “recipes” can be programmed through a touch-screen. The screen displays the summary of the “recipe” and process information on a single screen for easy reference.
- High throughput.
- Double containment construction.
- “Fail-Safe” feature when electrical power on N2 pressure is lost.
- Precise control of the bath temperature. Two Liquid level sensors with over temperature protection.
- All components that come into contact with corrosive liquid are constructed of inert plastic or are sealed from direct contact.
- Small footprint.
Specifications
- PRODUCTION CAPACITY: Up to 6”-50 wafers or 8”-25 wafers at a time.
- AGITATION is accomplished by axial rotation of wafers, variable over a range of 0-80 rpm.
- PROCESS TIME can be set within the range of 0-9999 seconds or 0.0-999.9
- PRERINSE TIME can be set within the range of 0-9999 seconds
- QUICK DUMP CYCLE can be set within the range of 0-9999 cycles.
- PROCESS CHEMISTRY TEMERATURE can be controlled to ±1 / 2ºC over a range of ambient- 100ºC. (Optional RTD sensor provides 0.1ºC readout).
Options
- Larger size wafer capability
- Process tank material.
- Heating/Cooling system in process tank.
- RTD sensor for 0.1ºC temperature readout.
- Resistivity monitoring system in rinse tank.
- Chemical recirulation / Filtration system.
- Ultrasonic, Megasonic system.
- Fume Condenser
- Gravity chemical fill system.
- Cabinet material
Benefits
- Automatic wafer transfer from process to rinse in less than 3 seconds
- Freestanding compact design
- Continuous rotation adjustable up to 80 rpm
- Multiple wafer sizes in one toll with rotor change
- Touch screen control with programmable recipes
Features
- The Model-SPS produces consistent results by rotation the wafer boat during the process cycles and rapid transfer from the chemistry process bath to quench tank.
- Closed loop motor control with encoder provides precise rotational agitation.
- The microprocessor based system with Touch-screen offers reliable and precise process control. All operator controls are easily operable and accessible.
- Up to 5 process “recipes” can be programmed through a touch-screen. The screen displays the summary of the “recipe” and process information on a single screen for easy reference.
- High throughput.
- Double containment construction.
- “Fail-Safe” feature when electrical power on N2 pressure is lost.
- Precise control of the bath temperature. Two Liquid level sensors with over temperature protection.
- All components that come into contact with corrosive liquid are constructed of inert plastic or are sealed from direct contact.
- Small footprint.
Specifications
- PRODUCTION CAPACITY: Up to 6”-50 wafers or 8”-25 wafers at a time.
- AGITATION is accomplished by axial rotation of wafers, variable over a range of 0-80 rpm.
- PROCESS TIME can be set within the range of 0-9999 seconds or 0.0-999.9
- PRERINSE TIME can be set within the range of 0-9999 seconds
- QUICK DUMP CYCLE can be set within the range of 0-9999 cycles.
- PROCESS CHEMISTRY TEMERATURE can be controlled to ±1 / 2ºC over a range of ambient- 100ºC. (Optional RTD sensor provides 0.1ºC readout).
Options
- Larger size wafer capability
- Process tank material.
- Heating/Cooling system in process tank.
- RTD sensor for 0.1ºC temperature readout.
- Resistivity monitoring system in rinse tank.
- Chemical recirulation / Filtration system.
- Ultrasonic, Megasonic system.
- Fume Condenser
- Gravity chemical fill system.
- Cabinet material
Rotary Wafer Etching System FAQs
Rotating the carrier throughout the process step keeps fresh etchant moving across every wafer surface instead of letting spent chemistry sit against it, which helps keep the etch, strip, or clean rate consistent from the center to the edge of each wafer and from wafer to wafer within the same carrier.
It combines two rinse techniques in a single tank rather than relying on either alone. A quick dump rapidly empties the tank to flush away the bulk of the chemistry and particulate. At the same time, cascade overflow continuously replaces the water at the wafer surface with fresh DI water. Rinse quality is typically confirmed by checking that the resistivity of the drained water approaches that of clean DI water. Combining both in one tank enables the under-3-second transfer from process to rinse, rather than moving the carrier through separate quick-dump and overflow tanks.
Yes, wafer reclaim is one of its listed applications. Reclaim strip-deposited films such as oxide, resist, or metal from a used test or monitor wafer so the substrate can be reused, typically with sulfuric, hydrofluoric, or phosphoric acid chemistries depending on what’s being removed. Because the system runs a full etch-and-rinse cycle automatically, it supports the repeatable strip-step reclaim required, though the final polish and inspection steps of a complete reclaim line occur outside this equipment.
The system accepts multiple wafer sizes within one tool, with a rotor change to switch between them, so a facility running mixed wafer sizes doesn’t need a separate tool for each size. However, the maximum wafer size is 200mm.
The system runs from a touchscreen with programmable recipes, so process time, rotation speed up to 80 rpm, and rinse cycle parameters are set in advance and automatically repeated each run, rather than an operator manually timing each step.
Get a Rotary Wafer Etching System Built for Your Process
Modutek designs, builds, and tests every Rotary Wafer Etching System in-house at its San Jose, California, facility, sized to your wafer size, chemistry, and process recipe.
Contact us if you need more information about using our Rotary Wafer Etching System or to request a quote.