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Cleaning method and a cleaning device for cleaning an edge portion and back face of a wafer

a cleaning method and cleaning device technology, applied in the direction of cleaning process and apparatus, cleaning using liquids, semiconductor/solid-state device testing/measurement, etc., can solve the problems of reducing yield, generating resist particles, and unable to completely remove dust or resist from the edge portion of a semiconductor wafer

Inactive Publication Date: 2010-03-04
KK TOSHIBA
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method and device for cleaning a wafer by measuring its shape and wettability, and using this information to determine the amount of cleaning liquid and the speed at which the wafer should be rotated. The cleaning liquid is then sprayed onto the back face of the rotating wafer, and the edge portion and back face of the wafer are cleaned by centrifugal force. This method and device allow for efficient and effective cleaning of wafers during semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Problems solved by technology

Moreover, during a lot process in the semiconductor fabrication processes, there are some cases where dust generated from semiconductor wafers or from processing equipment adheres to a semiconductor wafer.
Accordingly, there are some cases where dust or resist adhering to the edge portion of a semiconductor wafer cannot be perfectly removed and consequently remains.
If resist remains on the edge portion of a semiconductor wafer, a problem arises that resist particles may be generated due to contact with a robot arm and the like when the semiconductor wafer is being transported.
If dust remains on the edge portion of a semiconductor wafer, a problem arises that the dust may migrate to a device region on the front face of the semiconductor wafer, resulting in a fatal defect, leading to a decrease in yield.
On the other hand, if a large quantity of cleaning liquid is supplied to remove resist and dust remaining on the edge portion, a problem also arises that the cleaning liquid may migrate to the front side and enter a device region on the front face of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the resist-coated region formed in the device region, resulting in a smaller device region.
These problems are not peculiar to the semiconductor device fabrication, and similar problems also exist in the manufacturing of various electronic devices such as crystal liquid displays, magnetic storage media, and superconducting devices.

Method used

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  • Cleaning method and a cleaning device for cleaning an edge portion and back face of a wafer
  • Cleaning method and a cleaning device for cleaning an edge portion and back face of a wafer
  • Cleaning method and a cleaning device for cleaning an edge portion and back face of a wafer

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Experimental program
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first modification

(First Modification)

[0043]A different point for a cleaning method for removing resist according to a first modification of the embodiment of the present invention is that the wafer is monitored by using the measurement unit 50 to determine whether the resist remains on the edge portion 16 of the wafer 10. Other parts are substantially the same as the cleaning device shown in FIG. 1, and therefore overlapping description will be omitted.

[0044]Referring to the flowchart of FIG. 8, the cleaning method of the first modification further includes Step S107 after the resist removal process at Step S104. In Step S107, a measurement unit 50 such as a CCD camera monitors whether a resist film remains on the edge portion 16 of the wafer 10. The monitoring result is sent to the determination unit 60 as a signal. The determination unit 60 determines, from the transmitted signal, whether or not resist remains on the edge portion 16. When no resist remains, the process goes to the high-temperature...

second modification

(Second Modification)

[0045]A wafer cleaning method for removing dust according to a second modification of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9.

[0046](A) In Step S201, the wafer 10 is transported onto the stage 20 and fixed thereto. By using the measurement unit 50, the front-side length Lf of the edge portion 16 in the front face 12 of the wafer 10 is measured. The measurement result is sent to the determination unit 60 as a signal.

[0047](B) In Step S202, using the front-side length Lf of the edge portion 16 as a determination criterion, the determination unit 60 determines which one of the groups in the first class the wafer 10 belongs. For each group in the first class, information is previously stored relating optimum amounts of cleaning liquid to be supplied and optimum rotational speeds at which the wafer 10 is rotated, with respect to the front-side length Lf of the edge portion 16. Accordingly, depending a determ...

third modification

(Third Modification)

[0051]A cleaning device according to a third modification of the embodiment of the present invention is different from the cleaning device shown in FIG. 1 in that the front-side supply unit 30 is connected to the determination unit 60. The other parts are substantially the same as the cleaning device shown in FIG. 1, and therefore overlapping description will be omitted.

[0052]The front-side supply unit 30 blows gas, such as nitrogen (N2), to the front face 12 of the wafer 10. The gas blown to the front face 12 of the wafer 10 prevents the cleaning liquid that comes over to the front side from contacting the device region.

[0053]A determination criterion of at least one of the measured front-side length Lf and wettability H of the edge portion 16, which are obtained from the signal sent from the measurement unit 50, is used. The determination unit 64 in the determination unit 60 determines which one of the groups, in the first or second class, the wafer 10 belongs,...

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PUM

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Abstract

A method for cleaning a wafer includes measuring a cross-sectional shape of an edge portion of wafer cut along a radial direction, assigning the measured shape to one of a plurality of groups classified by the shapes, determining an amount of cleaning liquid to be supplied and rotational speed at which the wafer is rotated depending a determination criterion, rotating the wafer and spraying the cleaning liquid toward a back face of the rotating wafer, and cleaning the edge portion and the back face of the wafer by spreading the cleaning liquid to the edge portion of the wafer.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE[0001]This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. P2005-161589, filed on Jun. 1, 2005; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a cleaning device used in manufacturing processes for various electronic devices manufactured on a disk-shaped wafer, such as semiconductor devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and device for cleaning the edge portion and back face of a wafer while rotating the wafer.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]In the photolithography process of the semiconductor device fabrication processes, a resist coating process for coating a semiconductor wafer with a resist film is performed.[0006]In general, the resist coating process is performed by using a spin-coating metho...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B08B7/04
CPCH01L21/02087H01L22/12H01L21/67051Y10S134/902
Inventor IWASE, MASAOTAKASE, KAZUHIKO
Owner KK TOSHIBA