Wafer cell carriers, wafer cell cleaning equipment, and wafer cell cleaning methods

Abstract

This application provides a wafer cassette carrier, a wafer cassette cleaning device including the carrier, and a method for cleaning wafer cassettes using the wafer cassette carrier. The aim is to solve the technical problems of existing wafer cassette carriers, such as complex structure, high operating costs, insufficient contact between wafer cassette components and cleaning fluid, and difficulty in draining the cleaning fluid. The wafer cassette carrier disclosed in this application not only has a simple structure but also has highly efficient cleaning capabilities. The rotation of the carrier ensures sufficient contact between the inner wall of the wafer cassette components and the cleaning fluid during cleaning, thereby improving the cleaning effect. After cleaning, the cleaning fluid can be completely drained, preventing inconvenience to subsequent processing steps.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wafer cell processing equipment technology, specifically to a wafer cell carrier, wafer cell cleaning equipment, and wafer cell cleaning method. Background Technology

[0002] A wafer case, as the name suggests, is used to hold wafers, while a wafer case carrier is the container for the wafer case. Because wafers require a high degree of cleanliness, the cleanliness of the wafer case also has certain requirements.

[0003] With the continuous development of cleaning technology and the improvement of intelligence, the cleaning technology of wafer cells is also constantly being improved and developed.

[0004] In existing technologies, traditional wafer cassette cleaning methods often involve spraying or immersion. However, since the main components of a wafer cassette typically have at least one open part, the use of traditional cleaning carriers and methods can lead to the following problems: First, when the open part of the wafer cassette is immersed in the cleaning solution with the opening facing downwards, air in the cavity formed by the part and the cleaning solution cannot be effectively expelled, resulting in poor cleaning performance. To solve this problem, existing technologies require the design of a dedicated exhaust mechanism to remove air, increasing the complexity and cost of the equipment. Second, when the open part of the wafer cassette is cleaned with the opening facing upwards in the cleaning solution, after the wafer cassette is cleaned and removed from the cleaning solution, the liquid contained in the cavity of the wafer cassette opening often cannot be completely drained, increasing the burden on the lifting mechanism and causing inconvenience to subsequent processing steps. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a wafer cassette carrier for carrying multiple components of a disassembled wafer cassette, for immersion cleaning of the components. The plurality of components includes at least one component having an opening; the carrier includes: Frame; The mounting bracket, connected to the frame body via bearings, is used to house the component with the opening and can rotate relative to the frame body under external force to drive the component with the opening to rotate. A drive device for driving the rotation of the mounting bracket; The drive device drives the rotation of the mounting frame by receiving external input energy and / or by interacting with the environment. The driving device that interacts with the environment is specifically configured to include a tilting mechanism, a buoyancy mechanism, and / or a counterweight mechanism. The flipping mechanism is adapted to rotate under the action of external force and drive the mounting bracket to rotate; When the carrier enters the cleaning fluid, the buoyancy mechanism is buoyed by the cleaning fluid, providing external force to the tilting mechanism and driving the mounting frame to rotate to the second position, so that the air in the open component on the mounting frame is completely discharged. When the carrier is removed from the cleaning fluid, the counterweight mechanism drives the mounting frame to rotate to the first position, so that the liquid in the open component on the mounting frame is completely drained.

[0006] Optionally, the mounting bracket is configured as follows: It can be driven to rotate to a first position so that when it is removed from the cleaning fluid, the liquid inside the components of the wafer cassette can be completely drained.

[0007] Optionally, the mounting bracket is configured as follows: It can be driven to rotate to a second position so that when the mounting bracket is immersed in the cleaning solution, the air inside the components of the wafer cassette can be completely expelled.

[0008] The wafer cassette carrier further includes one or more limiting mechanisms to control the mounting bracket to rotate to a first position and then stop, and / or control the mounting bracket to rotate to a second position and then stop.

[0009] The wafer cassette carrier further includes a locking mechanism for restricting the rotation of the mounting bracket; the locking mechanism is configured to release the restriction on the mounting bracket when the mounting bracket is immersed in a cleaning solution.

[0010] The drive device that receives external input energy is specifically configured to include a motor and a transmission mechanism connecting the motor and the mounting bracket. The motor drives the mounting bracket to rotate via a transmission mechanism.

[0011] The tilting mechanism further includes a tilting component connected to the buoyancy mechanism, and the tilting component is connected to the bearing. The flipper is configured to rotate so that it can drive the bearing to rotate, thereby driving the open component on the mounting bracket to rotate.

[0012] A wafer cassette cleaning apparatus includes a wafer cassette carrier as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0013] A method for cleaning a wafer cassette, using any of the wafer cassette carriers described above, includes the following steps: Step 1: After the wafer cassette is disassembled, the components with openings are fixedly placed on the mounting bracket of the wafer cassette carrier so that they can move with the mounting bracket. Step 2: Gradually immerse the wafer carrier in the cleaning solution to perform the cleaning process; Step 3: After the cleaning process is completed, the wafer cassette carrier is gradually lifted until it is removed from the cleaning solution. The drive device drives the mounting bracket to rotate to the first position so that the liquid inside the components of the wafer cassette is completely drained.

[0014] Before the cleaning process in step two, the method further includes: gradually immersing the wafer cassette carrier in the cleaning solution, and driving the mounting bracket to gradually rotate to the second position so that the air inside the components of the wafer cassette is completely expelled.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: By providing a mounting bracket connected to the frame via bearings and a drive device for rotating the mounting bracket in the carrier, when a component with an opening in the wafer cassette is placed on the mounting bracket for immersion cleaning, the drive device can drive the mounting bracket to rotate, thereby causing the component of the wafer cassette on it to rotate. This causes the closed cavity containing gas in the component with an opening in the wafer cassette to be destroyed or unable to form a closed cavity, thereby allowing the gas in the closed cavity inside the component to be discharged, thus achieving thorough cleaning of the component with an opening. After the wafer cassette component has been cleaned, the drive device can also drive the mounting bracket to rotate, thereby causing the wafer cassette component to rotate, allowing the cleaning fluid remaining in the wafer cassette component to be discharged, facilitating subsequent operations on the wafer cassette component. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer cassette shown in this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer cassette carrier shown in this application with the mounting bracket in the first position; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wafer cassette carrier shown in this application, in which the mounting bracket is in the second position; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer cassette carrier shown in this application from another perspective; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A partial enlarged view of the wafer cassette carrier shown; Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A partial structural schematic diagram of the wafer cassette carrier shown; Figure 7 yes Figure 6A partial enlarged view of the wafer cassette carrier shown; Figure 8 yes Figure 6 A partially enlarged view of another part of the wafer cassette carrier shown; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the wafer cassette in the cleaning solution when the mounting bracket is in the first position and the second position, respectively; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the special structure of the wafer cassette in this application.

[0018] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of another special structure of a wafer cassette in this application.

[0019] In the picture: 10-Component, 101-Opening, 20-Carrier, 30-Wafer cassette top cover, 40-Wafer cassette bottom cover, 50-Wafer cassette carrier; 1-Frame; 2-Mounting bracket; 3-Flipping mechanism, 31-Flipping component, 311-First flipping rod, 312-Second flipping rod, 313-Second connecting hole; 4-Limiting mechanism; 5-Buoyancy mechanism, 51-Buoyancy component, 511-First connecting hole, 5111-Top end, 5112-Bottom end; 6-Counterweight mechanism, 61-Counterweight component; 7-Bearings; 8-Locking mechanism, 81-Clocking part, 82-Locking element, 821-Inclined surface, 822-Smooth surface, 823-Step surface. Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of this application will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. The application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0021] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0022] In this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings, or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction of the component itself; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not used to limit this application.

[0023] Wafer boxes come in various sizes depending on the size of the wafers they hold and the manufacturer. A typical 8-inch wafer box is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a wafer cassette top cover 30, a wafer cassette bottom cover 40, and a wafer carrier 50. Both the wafer cassette top cover 30 and the wafer cassette bottom cover 40 have an opening on one side, and the other five sides form cavities with openings. The wafer cassette top cover 30 and the wafer cassette bottom cover 40 can be closed to form a sealed cavity, within which the wafer carrier 50 is housed.

[0024] It is easy to understand that there may be other specifications of wafer cassettes in the art, where only the wafer cassette body has a cavity and the wafer cassette cover has a basic planar structure.

[0025] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The wafer cassette carrier 20 shown in a preferred embodiment of this application is suitable for installation on a wafer cassette cleaning device. The wafer cassette carrier 20 is used to carry multiple components of a disassembled wafer cassette for immersion cleaning. For example, the wafer cassette carrier 20 can be used to carry the wafer cassette top cover 30, wafer cassette bottom cover 40, and wafer carrier 50 after disassembly of the aforementioned 8-inch wafer cassette.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of components include at least one component 10 having an opening on one side, such as a wafer cassette top cover 30 or a wafer cassette bottom cover 40, which has an opening on only one side, and the other five sides form cavities with openings.

[0027] The wafer cassette carrier 20 in this embodiment can not only clean the wafer carrier 50, but also thoroughly clean the wafer cassette top cover 30 and wafer cassette bottom cover 40 with cavities.

[0028] In this embodiment, the wafer cassette carrier 20 includes a frame 1, a mounting bracket 2 connected to the frame 1 via a bearing 7, and a drive device for rotating the mounting bracket 2. The mounting bracket 2 is used to house the component 10 having an opening 101. The mounting bracket 2 is configured to be driven to rotate to a first position so that liquid within the component 10 of the wafer cassette can be completely drained when it is removed from the cleaning solution. Furthermore, the mounting bracket 2 can also be driven to rotate to a second position so that air within the component 10 of the wafer cassette can be completely drained when the mounting bracket 2 is immersed in the cleaning solution.

[0029] The driving source of the drive device can be achieved by receiving external input energy and / or by its own interaction with the environment, so as to drive the rotation of the mounting frame 2.

[0030] For example, when the driving source of the drive device is receiving external input energy, the drive device can be specifically configured as follows: including a motor, a transmission mechanism connecting the motor and the mounting frame; the motor drives the rotation of the mounting frame 2 through the transmission mechanism.

[0031] The transmission mechanism can adopt common transmission methods in the mechanical field, such as gears, threaded rods, etc., as long as it can cooperate with the motor to drive the rotation of the mounting bracket 2. No specific limitations are made here.

[0032] Alternatively, other methods in the mechanical field can be used by receiving external energy input, which will not be listed here, as long as they can drive the rotation of the mounting bracket 2.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the drive device is driven by its interaction with the environment to rotate the mounting frame. The drive device is specifically configured as follows: it includes a tilting mechanism 3, a buoyancy mechanism 5, and / or a counterweight mechanism 6. The tilting mechanism 3 is adapted to rotate under external force, driving the mounting frame 2 and component 10 to rotate. After the carrier enters the cleaning fluid, the buoyancy mechanism 5, acting on the buoyancy of the cleaning fluid, provides external force to the tilting mechanism 3, driving the mounting frame 2 to rotate to a second position, thus completely expelling air from the component 10 with the opening 101 on the mounting frame 2. This allows the component 10 to fully contact the cleaning fluid, achieving a better cleaning effect. For example, by equipping the cleaning tank with an ultrasonic or megaphone device, the inner wall of the cavity with the opening 101 in the component 10 can be thoroughly cleaned using ultrasonic or megaphone methods.

[0034] In one feasible embodiment, the buoyancy mechanism 5 can be made of a material that floats due to the buoyancy of the cleaning fluid, such as polypropylene. In other embodiments, the buoyancy mechanism 5 can also be made of other materials, as long as the above-described effects can be achieved.

[0035] It should be noted that the drive unit can also be configured without the buoyancy mechanism 5, but include the tilting mechanism 3 and the counterweight mechanism 6. For example, before the vehicle enters the cleaning fluid, by fixing the component 10 with the opening 101 facing upward or at an angle on the mounting frame 2 of the vehicle, the air inside the component 10 can be completely expelled after immersion in the cleaning fluid, so that the mounting frame 2 does not need to be tilted by the buoyancy mechanism.

[0036] After the component 10 with opening 101 is cleaned, and the carrier is removed from the cleaning fluid, the counterweight mechanism 6 drives the mounting frame 2 to rotate to the first position, so that the liquid inside the component 10 with opening 101 on the mounting frame 2 is completely drained. This significantly reduces the weight carried by the carrier 20, thus lowering the structural and performance requirements of the lifting mechanism, reducing manufacturing costs, and increasing equipment stability. Furthermore, the reduced amount of residual liquid inside the component 10 with opening 101 facilitates subsequent processes such as spraying and drying.

[0037] In one feasible implementation, the weight of the counterweight mechanism 6 is configured according to the components 10, the tilting mechanism 3, the buoyancy mechanism, etc., mounted on the mounting frame 2. For example, those skilled in the art can configure the weight of the counterweight mechanism 6 according to the force conditions of the mounting frame 2 around the bearing 7 when it is in the cleaning fluid and when it is removed from the cleaning fluid, so that when it is gradually removed from the carrier, the mounting frame 2 spontaneously rotates around the bearing 7 toward the side where the counterweight mechanism 6 is located, thereby allowing the liquid in the component 10 to flow out of the component 10 by gravity.

[0038] In one possible implementation, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 and Figure 5 The flipping mechanism 3 includes a flipping element 31 connected to the buoyancy mechanism 5, which is connected to the bearing 7. The flipping element 31 is configured to rotate, thereby causing the bearing 7 to rotate, and consequently, the component 10 with the opening 101 on the mounting frame 2 to rotate. In this embodiment, the flipping element 31 includes a first flipping rod 311 and a second flipping rod 312. The first flipping rod 311 is connected to the bearing 7, and the second flipping rod 312 is fixedly connected to the mounting frame 2. When the buoyancy mechanism 5 is subjected to buoyancy, it causes the first flipping rod 311 to rotate around the bearing 7 and also causes the second flipping rod 312 to rotate, thereby causing the mounting frame 2 to rotate. In other embodiments, the second flipping rod 312 may not be provided; only the first flipping rod 311 may be connected to the bearing 7, and the mounting frame 2 may also be directly connected to the bearing 7. This also allows the first flipping rod 311 to rotate around the bearing 7 under external force, thereby causing the mounting frame 2 connected to the bearing 7 to rotate.

[0039] In one feasible implementation, see 5 and Figure 7The wafer cassette carrier also includes a locking mechanism 8, which restricts the rotation of the mounting bracket 2. The locking mechanism 8 is configured to release the restriction on the mounting bracket 2 when it is immersed in the cleaning solution. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 8 includes a holding portion 81 disposed on the buoyancy mechanism 5 and a locking member 82 disposed below the flipping mechanism 3 and adapted to the holding portion 81. The locking member 82 includes an inclined surface 821 and a smooth surface 822 disposed on one side of the inclined surface 821 and at a certain distance from the inclined surface 821. A stepped surface 823 is formed between the inclined surface 821 and the smooth surface 822.

[0040] Please see Figure 5 The buoyancy mechanism 5 includes a buoyancy member 51 connected to the tilting mechanism 3. The buoyancy member 51 includes a first connecting hole 511, and the tilting mechanism 3 includes a second connecting hole 313. A limiting rod (not shown) adapted to the second connecting hole 313 passes sequentially through the second connecting hole 313 and the first connecting hole 511 to movably connect the buoyancy member 51 to the tilting mechanism 3. The longitudinal distance of the first connecting hole 511 is greater than that of the second connecting hole 313. In this embodiment, the second connecting hole 313 is a circular hole adapted to the limiting rod, while the first connecting hole 511 is an elliptical hole with a longitudinal distance greater than that of the second connecting hole.

[0041] See also Figure 5 The first connecting hole 511 has a top end 5111 and a bottom end 5112. Under the action of external force, the buoyancy member 51 can move upward along the limiting rod in the longitudinal direction of the buoyancy member 51, so that the limiting rod abuts against the bottom end 5112 of the first connecting hole 511; under the action of gravity, the buoyancy member 51 can move downward along the limiting rod in the longitudinal direction of the buoyancy member 51, so that the limiting rod abuts against the top end 5111 of the first connecting hole 511.

[0042] When the mounting bracket 2 is immersed in the cleaning fluid, the buoyancy mechanism 5 is driven by the buoyancy to slide the holding part 81 upward under the action of the first connecting hole 511 and the second connecting hole 313, so that the bottom end of the first connecting hole 511 abuts against the limiting rod. At this time, the holding part 81 will disengage from the step surface 823 and rotate to the second position to complete the complete discharge of gas. When the mounting bracket 2 gradually disengages from the cleaning fluid, the flipping part 31 rotates under the action of the counterweight mechanism 6. At this time, the holding part 81 moves downward along the limiting rod under its own weight. The top end 5111 of the first connecting hole 511 abuts against the limiting rod. Then the holding part 81 slides through the inclined surface 821 to the step surface 823, and the locking mechanism 8 holds the holding part 81.

[0043] By providing the locking mechanism 8 and the holding part 81, unwanted movement of the mounting bracket 2 before it is immersed in the cleaning fluid and after it is removed from the cleaning fluid can be prevented, thereby improving the reliability of the carrier and the process.

[0044] By configuring the buoyancy component 51, which includes a first connecting hole 511, and the flipping mechanism 3, which includes a second connecting hole 313, and a limiting rod adapted to the second connecting hole 313, the locking mechanism 8 can be automatically unlocked when the mounting bracket 2 is immersed in the cleaning fluid due to buoyancy, and automatically locked when the mounting bracket 2 is removed from the cleaning fluid due to loss of buoyancy. Through this configuration, automatic unlocking and locking of the mounting bracket 2 can be achieved without using electronic components, resulting in low cost and high stability and reliability.

[0045] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 8 The counterweight mechanism 6 includes a counterweight 61 mounted on the flipping mechanism 3. When the carrier is removed from the cleaning fluid, the gravity of the counterweight 61 drives the flipping mechanism 3 to rotate, completing the drainage of liquid inside the wafer cassette components. Those skilled in the art can set the position and weight of the counterweight 61 according to the actual structure and weight of the mounting bracket 2 and the flipping mechanism 3, as long as it can drive the flipping mechanism to rotate to completely drain the liquid from the component 10.

[0046] It is easy to understand that those skilled in the art can also set the position, density and volume of the buoyancy component 51 according to the actual structure, weight and other conditions of the mounting frame 2 and the flipping mechanism 3, so as to control the buoyancy it can generate to be sufficient to drive the mounting frame 2 to rotate to completely expel the gas from the component 10.

[0047] To control the rotation angle of the mounting bracket 2 and the wafer cassette component 10, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 In this embodiment, the wafer cassette carrier further includes a limiting mechanism 4 to control the mounting frame 2 to stop rotating after reaching a first position and to stop rotating after reaching a second position. In this embodiment, the wafer cassette carrier includes a limiting mechanism 4, which includes a first limiting part and a second limiting part. The mounting frame 2 includes a first abutting part corresponding to the first limiting part and a second abutting part corresponding to the second limiting part. The first limiting part abuts against the first abutting part, causing the mounting frame 2 to stop rotating after reaching the first position; the second limiting part abuts against the second abutting part, causing the mounting frame 2 to stop rotating after reaching the second position.

[0048] In one alternative embodiment, the wafer cassette carrier may include multiple limiting mechanisms 4, such as two limiting mechanisms 4. The two limiting mechanisms 4 may respectively limit the mounting frame 2 to rotate to a first position and then stop rotating, and limit the mounting frame 2 to rotate to a second position and then stop rotating.

[0049] By setting the limiting mechanism 4, the mounting bracket 2 can be prevented from rotating to a position beyond the desired position, so as to obtain the best venting or drainage effect.

[0050] This application also discloses a method for cleaning a wafer cassette, which uses the aforementioned wafer cassette carrier to clean the wafer cassette. The specific cleaning steps are as follows: Step 1: After the wafer cassette is disassembled, the components with openings are placed on the mounting bracket of the wafer cassette carrier so that they can move with the mounting bracket. Step 2: Gradually immerse the wafer carrier in the cleaning solution; Step 3: After the cleaning process is completed, the wafer cassette carrier is gradually lifted until it is removed from the cleaning solution. The drive device drives the mounting bracket to rotate to the first position so that the liquid inside the components of the wafer cassette is completely drained.

[0051] The above-described cleaning method is particularly suitable for situations where the component 10 with opening 101 of the wafer cassette is fixedly mounted on the mounting frame 2 with the opening facing upwards or at an angle. In this case, when using a conventional wafer cassette carrier, if the component 10 with opening 101 is mounted on the mounting frame with the opening facing upwards or at an angle, after cleaning, when it is removed from the cleaning solution, the component 10 with opening 101 will contain a large amount of cleaning solution, greatly increasing the overall weight of the wafer cassette carrier. This requires increasing the load-bearing capacity of the lifting mechanism, increasing equipment costs. Even if the component 10 with opening 101 is arranged at an angle, there is still a possibility that cleaning solution may remain inside the component, which may leak out during subsequent transport, causing contamination of the environment in other processes.

[0052] By using the cleaning method of this embodiment, the wafer cassette carrier can be directly immersed in the cleaning solution, and the gas inside the component 10 with the opening 101 will naturally be discharged from the cavity of the component 10 due to buoyancy. After cleaning is completed, the wafer cassette carrier is gradually lifted until it is removed from the cleaning solution. During this process, the drive device drives the mounting bracket 2 to gradually rotate to the first position, allowing the cleaning solution inside the component 10 to completely flow out of the cavity of the component 10 by gravity. This reduces the load on the lifting mechanism, reduces the requirements for the lifting mechanism, and lowers equipment costs. At the same time, since there is almost no cleaning solution residue, the impact on subsequent processes is also greatly reduced, improving the stability of the cleaning process.

[0053] It is easy to understand that for certain wafer cassettes that do not contain irregularly structured cavities, by providing the opening 101 of the component 10 with the opening 101, such as... Figure 3 The vertical direction shown allows all the liquid inside to flow out; however, for some wafer cells with irregular internal cavities, such as... Figure 10 As shown, Figure 10The central region M1 is an irregularly structured area of ​​component 10 in the wafer cassette, where the opening 101 may need to be fully downward to allow the liquid in the sidewall recesses of component 10 to flow out completely. In particular, for certain highly specialized wafer cassette structures, such as... Figure 11 As shown, Figure 11 Region M2 is a dead zone area of ​​a wafer cassette with an irregular structure. For this type of irregularly structured wafer cassette, even if the opening 101 is set to face completely downwards, the liquid in region M2 within component 10 may still be unable to flow out due to obstruction.

[0054] However, the cleaning method of this embodiment is still effective for cleaning the component 10 of the wafer cassette with such a special structure. This is because the cleaning method of this embodiment drives the mounting bracket to rotate by the driving device, thereby causing the component 10 with the opening 101 to rotate. Therefore, the liquid that is blocked in the region M2 of the component 10 can still be discharged from the obstructing structure by gravity through the rotation of the component 10, such as rotating it by 180°, 270°, 360°, etc.

[0055] In one feasible implementation, in order to ensure that the liquid located in area M2 can be drained, the step of driving the mounting bracket 2 to rotate in step three can be repeated until the liquid in component 10 is completely drained.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment, step two further includes: gradually immersing the wafer cassette carrier in the cleaning solution, and driving the mounting bracket to gradually rotate to a second position so that the air inside the components of the wafer cassette is completely expelled.

[0057] This embodiment is particularly suitable for situations where the component 10 with the opening 101 of the wafer cassette is fixedly mounted on the mounting bracket 2 with the opening facing downwards or at an angle downwards. In this case, if a conventional wafer cassette carrier is used, when immersed in cleaning solution for cleaning, the opening of the component 10 and the horizontal cleaning solution surface ( Figure 9 After contact with the cleaning liquid surface (O), a closed cavity containing gas will be formed inside the component 10 with the opening 101. Figure 9 In this case, P represents a closed cavity. At this point, the gas inside the cavity cannot be spontaneously expelled, resulting in the inner wall of that part of component 10 not being thoroughly cleaned. By configuring the mounting bracket 2, it can be driven to rotate to a second position, causing the closed cavity containing gas to be disrupted or unable to form a closed cavity. This allows the gas inside component 10 to be spontaneously and completely expelled from component 10 solely by buoyancy. Figure 9 (The middle arrow N indicates gas discharge), thereby achieving thorough cleaning of component 10 containing opening 101.

[0058] In particular, the cleaning method of this embodiment is also especially suitable for processes using ultrasonic or megaphone-assisted cleaning. When ultrasonic or megaphone-assisted cleaning is used in the cleaning tank, ultrasonic or megaphone energy is transferred to the cleaning fluid to generate cavitation, achieving efficient cleaning of the components. The applicant has found that in most cases, the bubbles generated by cavitation induced by ultrasonic or megaphone waves will quickly collapse and close. However, for some cavitation bubbles with vibration frequencies lower than ultrasonic or megaphone frequencies, they will undergo more complex vibrations without collapsing. When using a conventional wafer cassette carrier, the component 10 with the opening 101 is fixedly placed on the mounting bracket 2 with the opening facing downward or at an angle downward. These cavitation bubbles that do not collapse may gradually accumulate in the cavity of the component 10, adversely affecting the cleaning of the inner wall of the cavity of the component 10. However, using the solution of this embodiment, by configuring the mounting bracket 2 to be driven to rotate to a second position, even if there are some cavitation bubbles that do not collapse, they will not accumulate in the cavity of the component 10, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the component 10.

[0059] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wafer cassette carrier for carrying multiple components of a disassembled wafer cassette for immersion cleaning of the multiple components, characterized in that, The plurality of components includes at least one component with an opening; the carrier includes: a frame; a mounting frame connected to the frame via bearings, for accommodating the component with the opening, and capable of rotating relative to the frame under external force to drive the component with the opening to rotate; A drive unit for driving the rotation of the mounting bracket; The drive device drives the rotation of the mounting frame through its interaction with the environment; The driving device that interacts with the environment is specifically configured to include a tilting mechanism, a buoyancy mechanism, and / or a counterweight mechanism; The flipping mechanism is capable of rotating under external force and driving the mounting bracket to rotate; The buoyancy mechanism, when the carrier enters the cleaning fluid, is buoyed by the cleaning fluid, providing external force to the tilting mechanism, driving the mounting frame to rotate to the second position, so that the air in the open component on the mounting frame is completely discharged; the counterweight mechanism, when the carrier leaves the cleaning fluid, drives the mounting frame to rotate to the first position, so that the liquid in the open component on the mounting frame is completely discharged.

2. The wafer cassette carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting bracket is configured to be driven to rotate to a first position so that liquid within the components of the wafer cassette can be completely drained when it is removed from the cleaning solution.

3. The wafer cassette carrier according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mounting bracket is configured to be driven to rotate to a second position so that air inside the components of the wafer cassette can be completely expelled when the mounting bracket is immersed in the cleaning solution.

4. The wafer cassette carrier according to claim 3, characterized in that, The wafer cassette carrier further includes one or more limiting mechanisms to control the mounting bracket to rotate to a first position and then stop, and / or control the mounting bracket to rotate to a second position and then stop.

5. The wafer cassette carrier according to claim 3, characterized in that, The wafer cassette carrier further includes a locking mechanism for restricting the rotation of the mounting bracket; the locking mechanism is configured to release the restriction on the mounting bracket when the mounting bracket is immersed in a cleaning solution.

6. The wafer cassette carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tilting mechanism further includes a tilting component connected to the buoyancy mechanism, and the tilting component is connected to the bearing. The flipper is configured to rotate so that it can drive the bearing to rotate, thereby driving the open component on the mounting bracket to rotate.

7. A wafer cell cleaning device, characterized in that, Includes the wafer cassette carrier as described in any one of claims 1-6.

8. A method for cleaning a wafer cassette, characterized in that, Using the wafer cassette carrier as described in any one of claims 1-7 includes the following steps: Step 1: After the wafer cassette is disassembled, the components with openings are fixedly placed on the mounting bracket of the wafer cassette carrier so that they can move with the mounting bracket; Step 2: Gradually immerse the wafer carrier in the cleaning solution to perform the cleaning process; Step 3: After the cleaning process is completed, the wafer cassette carrier is gradually lifted until it is removed from the cleaning solution. The drive device drives the mounting bracket to rotate to the first position so that the liquid inside the components of the wafer cassette is completely drained.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Before the cleaning process in step two, the method further includes: gradually immersing the wafer cassette carrier in the cleaning solution, and driving the mounting bracket to gradually rotate to the second position so that the air inside the components of the wafer cassette is completely expelled.

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