Claims
- 1. A cover configured to be disposed over a substrate processing apparatus, the cover comprising:
a material capable of being tuned between an opaque state and a transparent state, wherein being tuned closer to the opaque state limits an amount of light capable of passing through the tunable cover and into the substrate processing apparatus during substrate processing, and the cover being tuned closer to the transparent state allows viewing into the substrate processing apparatus without removing the cover.
- 2. A cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the material is a multi-layer composite material that includes,
a first transparent layer; a transparency tunable layer over the first transparent layer; a first set of electrical connections attached to the transparency tunable layer at a first portion; a second set of electrical connections attached to the transparency tunable layer at a second portion; and a second transparent layer over the transparency tunable layer.
- 3. A cover as recited in claim 2, wherein the first transparent layer and the second transparent layer are acrylic.
- 4. A cover as recited in claim 2, wherein the transparency tunable layer is configured to be one of a photochromic and electrochromic material.
- 5. A cover as recited in claim 2, wherein the transparency tunable layer is tungsten oxide.
- 6. A cover configured to be disposed over a substrate processing apparatus, the cover comprising:
a multi-layer composite material capable of being tuned between an opaque state and a transparent state, the multi-layer composite material including,
a first transparent layer; a transparency tunable layer over the first transparent layer; a first set of electrical connections attached to the transparency tunable layer at a first portion; a second set of electrical connections attached to the transparency tunable layer at a second portion; and a second transparent layer over the transparency tunable layer, wherein being tuned closer to the opaque state limits an amount of light capable of passing through the tunable cover and into the substrate processing apparatus during substrate processing, and the cover being tuned closer to the transparent state allows viewing into the substrate processing apparatus without removing the cover.
- 7. A cover as recited in claim in claim 6, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is an integrated chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus.
- 8. A cover as recited in claim in claim 7, wherein the integrated CMP apparatus includes a cleaning module and a CMP module.
- 9. A cover as recited in claim in claim 6, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a post-CMP cleaning system.
- 10. A cover as recited in claim 6, wherein the transparency tunable layer is configured to be one of a photochromic and electrochromic material.
- 11. A cover as recited in claim 6, wherein the transparency tunable layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of WO3, WOx, NB2O5, V2O7, TiO2, ZnO, Cr2O3, MnO2, CoO, and NiO2.
- 12. An integrated substrate processing tool, comprising:
a system control unit; a substrate cleaning apparatus being coupled to the system control unit; a cover configured to be disposed over the substrate cleaning apparatus, the cover being defined from a material capable of being tuned between an opaque state and a transparent state, wherein being tuned closer to the opaque state limits an amount of light capable of passing through the tunable cover and into the substrate cleaning apparatus during substrate processing, and the cover being tuned closer to the transparent state allows viewing into the substrate cleaning apparatus without removing the cover, the cover being coupled to the system control unit for interfacing with tuning control circuitry that communicates commands for moving the cover between the opaque state and the transparent state; and a substrate polishing apparatus being coupled to the system control unit, the substrate polishing apparatus being integrated with the substrate cleaning apparatus, wherein the substrate is transferred between each apparatus for processing.
- 13. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 12, wherein the material is a multi-layer composite material that includes,
a first transparent layer; a transparency tunable layer over the first transparent layer; a first set of electrical connections attached to the transparency tunable layer at a first portion; a second set of electrical connections attached to the transparency tunable layer at a second portion; and a second transparent layer over the transparency tunable layer.
- 14. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 13, wherein a first electrode connector of a voltage controller defined in the substrate cleaning apparatus is coupled to the first set of electrical connections and a second electrode connector of the voltage controller is coupled to the second set of electrical connections.
- 15. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 14, wherein the voltage controller coupled to the cover is integrated to the tuning control circuitry, the tuning control circuitry being configured to set a bias voltage to the transparency tunable layer so as to cause a change in a transparency level of the cover.
- 16. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 15, wherein an increase in the magnitude of the bias voltage decreases the transparency level of the cover.
- 17. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 15, wherein a decrease in the magnitude of the bias voltage increases the transparency level of the cover.
- 18. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 15, wherein when the magnitude of the bias voltage is about zero, the cover is substantially transparent.
- 19. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 13, wherein the first transparent layer and the second transparent layer are acrylic.
- 20. An integrated substrate processing tool as recited in claim 13, wherein the transparency tunable layer is configured to be one of a photochromic and electrochromic material.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/408,001, filed on Sep. 29, 1999, and entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING PHOTO-ASSISTED CORROSION IN WAFERS DURING CLEANING PROCESSES.” This Patent Application is herein incorporated by reference.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09408001 |
Sep 1999 |
US |
Child |
10234413 |
Sep 2002 |
US |