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  Etching apparatusUSPTO Application #: 20070000609Title: Etching apparatus Abstract: An etching apparatus, for etching copper or silver, which includes a hydrogen peroxide tank, an ammonium hydroxide tank, a water tank, an etching tank, a piping system and a temperature control device, is provided. The piping system connects the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank, the water tank to the etching tank, and the temperature control device is disposed around the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank and the etching tank to maintain the temperatures of them below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade. An etching process is also provided. First, hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide having a temperature in a temperature-range below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade, is provided. Then, water, hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide are mixed to be an etchant with a temperature maintained in said temperature temperature-range. Next, the etchant is utilized for etching copper or silver. (end of abstract) Agent: Jianq Chyun Intellectual Property Office - Taipei, TW Inventors: Wei-Jen Tai, Chuan-Yi Wu, Mei-Kuei Tseng, Ming-Tan Hsu USPTO Applicaton #: 20070000609 - Class: 156345180 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070000609. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 11/161,309, filed on Jul. 29, 2005, which claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application serial no. 94122059, filed Jun. 30, 2005 and is now pending. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to an etching apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an etching apparatus and an etching process with stable etching rate. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] In semiconductor processing, an etching process is used to remove a thin film that is not covered by a photoresist layer or a mask layer by way of chemical reaction or physical phenomenon to transfer a pattern from a photomask to the thin film. Meanwhile, a complete removal of a thin film is often accomplished by an etching process. The current etching techniques in semiconductor processing are basically divided into wet etching and dry etching, wherein dry etching mainly relies on the electron beam to perform the etching of the thin film, and wet etching mainly relies on chemical reaction to perform the etching of the thin film. [0006] Copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) are general used as conductive material in semiconductor elements. Copper film or silver film can be used to form a patterned conductive layer with multi-function by wet etching. When the patterned conductive layer in circuit structure, it could be the conductive wires, electrodes bonding pads and others. The etchant mixed with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) is often used to etch the copper film of the silver film. That is, a substrate with the copper film of the silver film formed thereon will be immersed in an etching tank filled with the etchant mixed with hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide during the etching of the copper film or the silver film. Thereafter, chemical reaction occurs between the etchant and the copper film or the silver film, and the copper film or the silver film will be etched. For example, the reaction between the etchant and the silver film is: 2Ag(s)+H2O2(aq)+2H+2Ag+.fwdarw.2H2O(l) (1) 4NH4OH(aq).fwdarw.4NH3(aq)+4H2O(l) (2) 2Ag++4NH3(aq).fwdarw.2Ag(NH3)2 (3) and the total reaction is (1)+(2)+(3) as follow: 2Ag(s)+H2O2(aq)+2H++4NH4OH(aq).fwdarw.2Ag(NH3)2+6H2O(l) (4) [0007] General, the etching apparatus for etching silver or copper includes a hydrogen peroxide tank, an ammonium hydroxide tank, a water tank, an etching tank and a piping system, wherein the etching tank is connected to the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank and the water tank by the piping system. Hydrogen peroxide, ammonium hydroxide and deionized water are delivered to the etching tank by the piping system to form the etchant for etching the copper film or the silver film. [0008] However, hydrogen peroxide, ammonium hydroxide and deionized water are delivered and mixed in the room temperature in the etching apparatus, wherein the room temperature is between 22 degree centigrade and 23 degree centigrade. Therefore, part of hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide will be influenced by the room temperature and vaporized during delivering, and the delivering pipes will be block by the bubbles formed from vaporized hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide. The suction of hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide is difficult in the blocked delivering pipes, such that the operation reliability of the conventional etching apparatus will be decreased. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide also influenced by the room temperature and vaporized during mixing, and the concentration of the etchant is changed consequently. Therefore, the etching rate of the etchant for copper film and silver film is unstable. Else, vaporized ammonium hydroxide produces stimulative smell. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an etching apparatus and an etching process for avoiding the block in the piping system while hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide are delivered. [0010] The present invention is also directed to an etching apparatus and an etching process for avoiding the decrease of the concentration of the etchant in the etching tank, such that the etching rate of the etchant for copper or silver will be more stable. [0011] The present invention is further directed to an etching apparatus and an etching process for avoiding the stimulative smell produced by vaporized ammonium hydroxide. [0012] In order to achieve the objects mentioned above, the present invention provides an etching apparatus. The etching apparatus for etching copper or silver includes a hydrogen peroxide tank, an ammonium hydroxide tank, a water tank, an etching tank, a piping system and a temperature control device. The piping system connects the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank and the water tank to the etching tank. The temperature control device is disposed around the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank and the etching tank to maintain the temperatures of them below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade. [0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperatures of the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank and the etching tank can be maintained among 12 degree centigrade to 18 degree centigrade. [0014] According to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the temperature control device can be also disposed around the water tank to maintain the temperature of the water tank below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade. [0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the temperature control device can be also disposed around the piping system to maintain the temperature of the piping system below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade. [0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the etching apparatus further includes a buffer tank disposed between the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank, the water tank and the etching tank, and the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank and the water tank are connected to the buffer tank through the piping system, and the buffer tank is also connected to the etching tank through the piping system. [0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the temperature control device can be also disposed around the buffer tank to maintain the temperature of the buffer tank below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade. [0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the etching apparatus further includes a pump connected to the piping system. [0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the etching apparatus further includes a flow meter disposed in the piping system between the hydrogen peroxide tank, the ammonium hydroxide tank, the water tank and the etching tank. [0020] In order to achieve the objects mentioned above, the present invention further provides an etching process. The first step of the etching process is providing hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide, wherein the temperatures of hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide are maintained within a temperature-range below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade. Thereafter, mixing water, hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide to form an etchant, and the temperature of the etchant is maintained within the temperature-range below the room temperature and above 12 degree centigrade. Afterward, etching copper or silver with the etchant. [0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the temperature-range is among 12 degree centigrade to 18 degree centigrade, for example. Continue reading... Full patent description for Etching apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Etching apparatus patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Etching apparatus or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Machine for bonding films made of different materials, in multiple layers, and the corresponding method Next Patent Application: Etching method in a semiconductor processing and etching system for performing the same Industry Class: Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Etching apparatus patent info. 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