Apparatus and method for cleaning a conductive ring of a horizontal plating head

By using a cleaning tool and a motor drive system to rotate the conductive ring relative to the cleaning pad without disassembling the conductive ring, the problem of cleaning the conductive ring is solved, the stains on the surface of the conductive ring are cleaned, and the cleanliness of the wafer and product quality are improved.

CN118768262BActive Publication Date: 2026-05-01SINYANG SEMICONDUCTOR (SHANGHAI) TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
SINYANG SEMICONDUCTOR (SHANGHAI) TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION CO LTD
Filing Date
2023-03-28
Publication Date
2026-05-01

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In current high-end chip manufacturing processes, conductive rings cannot be effectively cleaned during electroplating, leading to wafer contamination and affecting product performance and reliability.

Method used

Design a device for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head. By using a cleaning tool and a motor drive system to rotate the conductive ring relative to a cleaning cotton pad without disassembling the conductive ring, the dirt on the surface of the conductive ring can be cleaned.

Benefits of technology

Thoroughly clean the conductive rings to prevent wafer contamination by residual process liquids, thereby improving product performance and reliability.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The application provides a device and method for cleaning a conductive ring of a horizontal plating head, wherein the device comprises a plating head and a cleaning tool; the plating head is provided with a driving part, a fixing part, a wafer mounting position and a conductive ring; the cleaning tool has the same size as the wafer, and comprises a disc, an air bag arranged on the disc and a cleaning cotton sheet arranged on the air bag; after the cleaning tool is mounted on the wafer mounting position, the fixing part fixes the disc, and the cleaning cotton sheet contacts the conductive ring; the conductive ring rotates relative to the cleaning cotton sheet under the driving of the driving part. Through the ingenious structure design, the application realizes the cleaning of stains on the surface of the conductive ring after the plating work is completed without disassembling the conductive ring, thereby avoiding the pollution of the wafer by the residual process liquid on the conductive ring, and achieving the purpose of completely cleaning the wafer to improve the product performance and reliability.
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Description

An apparatus and method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head. Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, specifically to an apparatus and process for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, particularly an apparatus and method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head used in high-end chip electroplating processes. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of high-end integrated circuit manufacturing technology, copper interconnect technology is widely used in TSV, damask or double damask structures, 3D stacked isomorphic or heterogeneous integration, and advanced packaging. Excellent electroplating quality control must ensure that the contact resistance between the conductive rings of the electroplated components and the wafer is minimized and remains stable over a long period. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the conductive rings that may be contaminated by the electroplating solution regularly, and cleaning in-line (i.e., within the conditions of the electroplating head itself) as much as possible constitutes the key to reducing conductive ring oxidation and improving productivity (without unloading the conductive rings).

[0003] During the electroplating process, the wafer is held in place by the electroplating head and enters the process chamber. The structure of a commonly used electroplating head 200 is shown in Figure 1. Its bottom is an annular sealing ring 210, and the inner opening of the annular sealing ring 210 forms an electroplating hole 220. During electroplating, the wafer is fixed to the wafer mounting position inside the electroplating head 200 by the sealing ring 210. The outer ring of the wafer contacts the conductive ring, while the inner ring is exposed through the electroplating hole 220 for related processes. The structural design of the electroplating head and the electroplating process of the wafer are well known to those skilled in the art, and therefore will not be elaborated upon here.

[0004] Because the conductive ring is in contact with the wafer throughout the electroplating process, it is repeatedly immersed in the process liquid along with the wafer. Furthermore, due to the surface roughness of the components that make up the electroplating head, a small amount of process liquid inevitably seeps into the electroplating head and adheres to the conductive ring.

[0005] However, in subsequent cleaning processes, the wafer working surface and the electroplating head surface are kept clean by spraying or immersing in cleaning solution. However, the cleaning solution cannot penetrate into the electroplating head and reach the surface of the conductive ring. As a result, the conductive ring is always unclean. This will cause the wafer to be contaminated by the conductive ring in subsequent processes, resulting in a significant decrease in the performance of the finished product.

[0006] Current high-end chip manufacturing processes, particularly electroplating cleaning, address the surface cleaning of wafers and plating heads, and in some cases, also clean the process chambers. However, almost none of these cleaning processes involve cleaning the conductive rings. Cleaning the conductive rings has become the final hurdle to achieving wafer cleanliness requirements; therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a device and process capable of cleaning conductive rings. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide an apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, as well as a cleaning method using this apparatus. Through ingenious structural design, the present invention achieves the cleaning of contaminants on the surface of the conductive ring after electroplating without disassembling the conductive ring, thereby preventing the wafer from being contaminated by residual process liquid on the conductive ring. This achieves the goal of thoroughly cleaning the wafer to improve product performance and reliability.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head is provided, comprising an electroplating head and a cleaning fixture;

[0010] The electroplating head is provided with a drive unit, a fixing component, a wafer mounting position, and a conductive ring; the drive unit includes a hollow shaft, a motor rotor sleeved outside the hollow shaft, and a motor stator sleeved outside the motor rotor;

[0011] The cleaning tool is the same size as the wafer. The cleaning tool includes a disk, an airbag on the disk, and a cleaning pad attached to the airbag. The airbag is connected to an inflation tube, which passes through a hollow shaft to connect to an external inflation device.

[0012] After the cleaning tool is installed in the wafer mounting position, the fixing component fixes the disk, and the cleaning cotton pad contacts the conductive ring; the conductive ring is connected to the motor rotor, and after the motor stator is energized, the motor rotor drives the conductive ring to rotate relative to the cleaning cotton pad.

[0013] In this technical solution, when the conductive ring needs cleaning, the cleaning tool is installed on the wafer mounting position, and the disc of the cleaning tool is fixed in place by a fixing component. The airbag is connected to an external inflation device via an inflation tube, and the airbag is inflated until it reaches a preset value. This causes the cleaning pad on the airbag to form a flexible compression with the surface of the conductive ring. Then, the motor stator is energized, and the motor rotor drives the conductive ring to rotate. This puts the conductive ring and the cleaning pad in a relative rotational state. The cleaning pad uses this relative rotation to perform flexible friction cleaning on the surface of the conductive ring, thus completing the cleaning of stains on the surface of the conductive ring after electroplating. This technical solution achieves online cleaning of the conductive ring through ingenious structural design.

[0014] Preferably, the fixing component is a solenoid valve or a mechanical lock located near the wafer mounting position.

[0015] Preferably, the fastener is a male or female buckle, and the fastener is located at the bottom of the hollow shaft. The cleaning tool's disc is provided with a corresponding female or male buckle for use.

[0016] In this technical solution, the snap-fit ​​assembly formed by the male and female snap-fits enables quick connection and disassembly of the cleaning tool disc and the hollow shaft. Since the hollow shaft is not driven to rotate when the motor rotor rotates, this structural design also avoids the disc from rotating, thereby ensuring the relative rotation state of the subsequent conductive ring and the cleaning cotton pad.

[0017] Preferably, the cleaning cotton pad is a fiber cotton pad soaked in isopropyl alcohol.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head is provided, employing the apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head as described in any one of the first aspects, comprising the following steps:

[0019] S10. After loading the cleaning tool onto the electroplating head, fix the disc with the fastener and connect the airbag to the external inflation device through the inflation tube.

[0020] S20. Inflate the airbag using the inflation device until the air pressure inside the airbag reaches the preset value;

[0021] S30. Charge the motor stator, and the motor rotor drives the conductive ring to rotate relative to the cleaning cotton pad.

[0022] S40. After the conductive ring has rotated for a preset time, remove the cleaning tool from the electroplating head.

[0023] In this technical solution, by adopting the above-described method and steps, it is possible to clean the surface of the conductive ring after electroplating without disassembling the conductive ring, thereby avoiding contamination of the wafer by residual process liquid on the conductive ring. Furthermore, this technical solution achieves flexible contact between the cleaning pad and the conductive ring through the design of the airbag. The contact force can be controlled by controlling the inflation volume of the inflation device, thereby keeping the surface of the conductive ring and the cleaning pad in a state of flexible friction, thus achieving better cleaning of the conductive ring and improving the performance and reliability of the wafer product.

[0024] Preferably, in step S40, after the conductive ring rotates for 10 to 20 seconds, the cleaning tool is removed from the electroplating head.

[0025] The method further includes the following steps:

[0026] S50. Clean the cleaning tools and replace the cleaning pads;

[0027] S60. Repeat the above steps 3 to 5 times.

[0028] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head is provided, comprising a drive mechanism, an electroplating head, a cleaning fixture, and a cleaning chamber, wherein the electroplating head is provided with a fixing element, a wafer mounting position, and a conductive ring;

[0029] The size of the cleaning tool is consistent with that of the wafer. The cleaning tool includes a disk and a cleaning pad disposed on the disk. The cleaning pad includes a cleaning surface and an exposed surface that are connected to each other. When the cleaning tool is installed in the wafer mounting position, the fixing component fixes the disk. The cleaning surface of the cleaning pad contacts the conductive ring, and the exposed surface is exposed through the electroplating hole at the bottom of the electroplating head.

[0030] The cleaning chamber is equipped with several nozzles, which are used to spray cleaning liquid onto the exposed surface of the cleaning cotton pad; the driving mechanism is connected to the electroplating head, and the driving mechanism can drive the electroplating head to translate and rotate.

[0031] In this technical solution, when the conductive ring needs to be cleaned, the cleaning tool is loaded onto the wafer mounting position of the electroplating head and fixed. Then, the nozzle of the cleaning chamber is opened and the electroplating head is rotated. The nozzle sprays cleaning fluid onto the exposed surface of the cleaning pad. After the exposed surface of the cleaning pad absorbs the cleaning fluid, it quickly penetrates the cleaning fluid to the cleaning surface in contact with the conductive ring. This dilutes and absorbs the stains on the surface of the conductive ring on the cleaning surface of the cleaning pad. As the nozzle continuously sprays cleaning fluid, the stains on the conductive ring adsorbed by the cleaning surface of the cleaning pad will diffuse to the exposed surface, and the cleaning fluid adsorbed by the exposed surface will diffuse to the cleaning surface, until all the stains on the surface of the conductive ring are absorbed. During this process, the cleaning waste liquid on the cleaning pad will be thrown out by the rotation of the electroplating head. The structure of this technical solution is simple and ingenious. Compared with the device provided in the first aspect of the present invention, it eliminates the structural design of airbags, drive units and other structures. The only additions are the cleaning chamber and drive mechanism commonly used in wafer processing. Thus, while simplifying the device structure, it completes the cleaning of stains on the surface of the conductive ring after electroplating.

[0032] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head is provided, employing the apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head as described in the third aspect, comprising the following steps:

[0033] S10. Load the cleaning tool onto the wafer mounting position of the electroplating head and fix the disc with the fastener;

[0034] S20. Use the drive mechanism to move the electroplating head into the cleaning chamber, open the nozzle to spray cleaning liquid onto the exposed surface of the cleaning cotton pad, and at the same time, use the drive mechanism to control the electroplating head to rotate to throw out the cleaning wastewater from the cleaning cotton pad.

[0035] S30. After the nozzle has been in operation for the preset time, close the nozzle and control the electroplating head to stop rotating. Remove the cleaning tool from the electroplating head.

[0036] In this technical solution, by adopting the above-described method and steps, and utilizing the clever combination of the cleaning chamber and cleaning fixture, along with the rotation of the electroplating head, the conductive ring is thoroughly cleaned to improve the performance and reliability of the wafer product.

[0037] Preferably, the method further includes the following steps:

[0038] S40. Clean the cleaning tools and replace the cleaning pads;

[0039] S50. Repeat the above steps 3 to 5 times.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0041] This invention, through its ingenious structural design, enables the cleaning of contaminants on the surface of the conductive ring after electroplating without disassembling the conductive ring. This avoids contamination of the wafer by residual process liquid on the conductive ring, thereby achieving the goal of thoroughly cleaning the wafer to improve product performance and reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electroplating head in the prior art;

[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the device for cleaning the conductive ring of the horizontal electroplating head according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cleaning tool in Embodiment 1 of the present invention (dashed lines represent the inflated airbag).

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the disk in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the device for cleaning the conductive ring of the horizontal electroplating head according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0048] The diagram shows:

[0049] 200-Electroplation head;

[0050] 210 - Sealing ring;

[0051] 220 - Electroplating hole;

[0052] 100 - A device for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head;

[0053] 110-Electroplation head;

[0054] 111-Drive Unit;

[0055] 111a - Hollow shaft;

[0056] 111b - Motor rotor;

[0057] 111c - Motor stator;

[0058] 112 - Conductive ring;

[0059] 113 - Spring assembly;

[0060] 150 - Cleaning tools;

[0061] 151-Disc;

[0062] 151a-Female Snap

[0063] 152-Airbag;

[0064] 160 - Cleaning chamber;

[0065] 161-Nozzle Detailed Implementation

[0066] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0067] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0068] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. Furthermore, all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, bottom, etc.) in this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and movements between components in a specific orientation (as shown in the figures). If the specific orientation changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0069] Furthermore, the term "connection" in this application can refer to a direct connection between two components or an indirect connection between two components through other components; this application does not limit this.

[0070] Example 1

[0071] This embodiment provides a device 100 for cleaning the conductive ring 112 of a horizontal electroplating head, used to clean the conductive ring 112 installed on the electroplating head 110 without disassembling it. As shown in Figure 2, the device generally includes two parts: the electroplating head 110 and the cleaning tool 150. The structural design of the electroplating head 110 is largely the same as that of the conventional electroplating head 200 shown in Figure 1, that is, it also has an annular sealing ring at its bottom. The inner circle opening of the annular sealing ring forms an electroplating hole. During electroplating, the wafer is fixed to the wafer mounting position inside the electroplating head by the sealing ring. The outer ring of the wafer is in contact with the conductive ring, while the inner ring is exposed through the electroplating hole for the electroplating process.

[0072] In this embodiment, the electroplating head 110 is further provided with a drive unit 111. The drive unit 111 includes a hollow shaft 111a, a motor rotor 111b sleeved outside the hollow shaft 111a, and a motor stator 111c sleeved outside the motor rotor 111b. The motor rotor 111b is connected to the conductive ring 112 through a spring assembly 113 designed inside the electroplating head 110. When the motor stator 111c is energized to make the motor rotor 111b rotate, the conductive ring 112 rotates under the drive of the motor rotor 111b, while the hollow shaft 111a does not rotate with the motor rotor 111b, but remains fixed.

[0073] As shown in Figure 3, the cleaning tool 150 is the same size as the wafer and includes a disk 151, an airbag 152 disposed on the disk 151, and a cleaning pad attached to the airbag 152 (the dotted line in Figure 3 represents the airbag 152 in an inflated state; when the airbag 152 is not inflated, it is attached to the surface of the disk 151). The airbag 152 needs to be connected to an inflation tube during use, and the inflation tube needs to be connected to an external inflation device. In this embodiment, to ensure that the inflation tube smoothly enters the electroplating head 110 from the outside and to prevent the inflation tube from being rotated when the motor rotor 111b rotates, the inflation tube is inserted into the electroplating head 110 through the hollow design of the hollow shaft 111a and connected to the airbag 152.

[0074] In addition, a fixing component is provided inside the electroplating head 110. The fixing component can be a solenoid valve or a mechanical lock, used to fix the cleaning tool 150 in contact with the conductive ring 112 when the conductive ring 112 is in a rotating state, so as to prevent the cleaning tool 150 from rotating with the conductive ring 112 under the action of friction, thereby realizing the relative rotation state of the cleaning tool 150 and the conductive ring 112. When the fixing component is a mechanical lock, it can be fixed by a snap-fit. For example, the fixing component is a male snap (or female snap), which is set at the bottom of the hollow shaft 111a, and a corresponding female snap 151a (or male snap) is set around the disk 151 of the cleaning tool 150, so that the disk 151 of the cleaning tool 150 and the hollow shaft 111a can be quickly fixed and disassembled by the snap-fit ​​assembly formed by the male and female snaps. As mentioned above, the hollow shaft 111a does not rotate with the motor rotor 111b, so this structural design also realizes the relative fixation of the cleaning tool 150.

[0075] When the conductive ring 112 needs cleaning, the cleaning tool 150 is installed on the wafer mounting position, and the disc 151 of the cleaning tool 150 is fixed in place by a fixing member. The airbag 152 is connected to an external inflation device through an inflation tube. At this time, since the airbag 152 is not yet inflated, the cleaning cotton pad attached to the airbag 152 only makes slight contact with the surface of the conductive ring 112. Then, the airbag 152 is inflated until it reaches a preset value, thereby causing the cleaning cotton pad on the airbag 152 to form a flexible compression with the surface of the conductive ring 112. Subsequently, the motor stator 111c is energized, and the motor rotor 111b drives the conductive ring 112 to rotate, thereby causing the conductive ring 112 and the cleaning cotton pad to be in a state of relative rotation.

[0076] In this embodiment, the cleaning cotton pad is a fiber cotton pad soaked in isopropanol. It is in a flexible compression state with the conductive ring 112, which can quickly absorb the dirt on the surface of the conductive ring 112. In addition, it is in a relative rotation state with the conductive ring 112, so even if there are stains deposited on the surface of the conductive ring 112, the cleaning cotton pad can quickly remove them through flexible friction.

[0077] The device 100 for cleaning the conductive ring of the horizontal electroplating head provided in this embodiment achieves the cleaning of stains on the surface of the conductive ring 112 after the electroplating process is completed without disassembling the conductive ring 112. This avoids the wafer being contaminated by residual process liquid on the conductive ring 112. Furthermore, this embodiment achieves flexible contact between the cleaning cotton pad and the conductive ring through the design of the airbag 152. The contact force can be controlled by controlling the inflation volume of the inflation device, thereby keeping the surface of the conductive ring 112 and the cleaning cotton pad in a state of flexible friction, thereby achieving the purpose of thoroughly cleaning the wafer to improve product performance and reliability.

[0078] Example 2

[0079] This embodiment provides a method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, using the apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head described in Embodiment 1, and includes the following steps:

[0080] S10. After the cleaning tool 150 is loaded onto the electroplating head 110, the disc 151 is fixed by the fastener, and the airbag 152 is connected to the external inflation device through the inflation tube.

[0081] S20. Inflate the airbag 152 using the inflation device until the air pressure inside the airbag 152 reaches the preset value.

[0082] S30. Charge the motor stator 111c and drive the motor rotor 111b to rotate relative to the cleaning cotton pad.

[0083] S40. After the conductive ring 112 rotates for 10 to 20 seconds, the cleaning tool 150 is removed from the electroplating head 110.

[0084] S50. Clean the cleaning tool 150 and replace the cleaning pad;

[0085] S60. Repeat the above steps 3 to 5 times.

[0086] Example 3

[0087] This embodiment provides a device 100 for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head. Its structure is largely the same as the device described in Embodiment 1. The difference lies in that Embodiment 1 uses the design of an airbag 152 and a drive unit 111 to create a flexible friction state between the surface of the conductive ring 112 and the cleaning cotton pad, thereby completing the cleaning of the conductive ring 112. This embodiment, however, eliminates the airbag 152 and drive unit 111, and instead adds a cleaning chamber 160 and a drive structure, allowing the cleaning tool 150 to work in conjunction with the cleaning process of the cleaning chamber 160 to complete the cleaning of the conductive ring 112.

[0088] Specifically, the device 100 for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head provided in this embodiment includes a drive mechanism, an electroplating head 110, a cleaning fixture 150, and a cleaning chamber 160. The drive mechanism is connected to the electroplating head 110 and can drive the electroplating head to move and rotate. The structural design of the electroplating head 110 is largely the same as that of a conventional electroplating head 200, including a wafer mounting position and a conductive ring 112, as well as a fixing member. The cleaning fixture 150 is the same size as the wafer and includes a disk 151 and a cleaning pad disposed on the disk 151. After the cleaning fixture 150 is installed in the wafer mounting position, the fixing member secures the disk 151.

[0089] The cleaning pad includes a cleaning surface and an exposed surface, which are connected to each other. When the cleaning fixture 150 is installed in the wafer mounting position, the cleaning surface of the cleaning pad contacts the conductive ring 112, and the exposed surface of the cleaning pad is exposed through the electroplating hole at the bottom of the electroplating head 110. A number of nozzles 161 are provided in the cleaning chamber 160, and the nozzles 161 are used to spray cleaning fluid onto the exposed surface of the cleaning pad.

[0090] When the conductive ring 112 needs to be cleaned, the cleaning fixture 150 is loaded onto the wafer mounting position of the electroplating head 110 and its disk 151 is fixed with a fastener. Then, the nozzle 161 of the cleaning chamber 160 is opened so that the nozzle 161 is aimed at the exposed surface of the cleaning cotton pad and sprays the cleaning liquid. At the same time, the electroplating head 110 is rotated by the drive mechanism.

[0091] After the exposed surface of the cleaning pad absorbs the cleaning solution, it quickly penetrates the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface that contacts the conductive ring 112. This dilutes and absorbs the stains on the surface of the conductive ring 112 on the cleaning surface of the cleaning pad. As the nozzle 161 continuously sprays the cleaning solution, the stains on the conductive ring 112 adsorbed by the cleaning surface of the cleaning pad will diffuse to the exposed surface, and the cleaning solution adsorbed by the exposed surface will diffuse to the cleaning surface, until all the stains on the surface of the conductive ring 112 are adsorbed. During this process, the cleaning wastewater is thrown out by the rotation of the electroplating head 110.

[0092] The device 100 for cleaning the conductive ring of the horizontal electroplating head provided in this embodiment enables the cleaning of the surface of the conductive ring 112 after the electroplating process without disassembling the conductive ring 112, thereby avoiding contamination of the wafer by residual process liquid on the conductive ring 112. Furthermore, this embodiment achieves the purpose of thoroughly cleaning the conductive ring by the clever cooperation between the cleaning chamber 160 and the cleaning fixture 150, thereby improving the performance and reliability of the wafer product.

[0093] Example 4

[0094] This embodiment provides a method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, using the apparatus 100 for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head described in Embodiment 3, and includes the following steps:

[0095] S10. The cleaning fixture 150 is mounted on the wafer mounting position of the electroplating head 110, and the disc 151 of the cleaning fixture 150 is fixed with a fastener.

[0096] S20. The electroplating head 110 is moved into the cleaning chamber 160 by the drive mechanism, and the nozzle 161 is turned on to spray cleaning liquid onto the exposed surface of the cleaning cotton pad. At the same time, the electroplating head 110 is rotated by the drive mechanism to throw out the cleaning wastewater of the cleaning cotton pad.

[0097] S30. After the nozzle 161 has been in operation for a preset time, the nozzle is closed and the electroplating head 110 is stopped rotating. The cleaning tool 150 is then removed from the electroplating head 110.

[0098] S40. Clean the cleaning tool 150 and replace the cleaning pad;

[0099] S50. Repeat the above steps 3 to 5 times.

[0100] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, characterized in that, The device includes an electroplating head and a cleaning fixture. The electroplating head contains a drive unit, a fixing component, a wafer mounting position, and a conductive ring. The drive unit includes a hollow shaft, a motor rotor fitted outside the hollow shaft, and a motor stator fitted outside the motor rotor. The cleaning fixture is the same size as the wafer and includes a disc, an air bladder on the disc, and a cleaning pad attached to the air bladder. The air bladder is connected to an inflation tube, which passes through the hollow shaft to connect to an external inflation device. After the cleaning fixture is installed in the wafer mounting position, the fixing component secures the disc, and the cleaning pad contacts the conductive ring. The conductive ring is connected to the motor rotor; when the motor stator is energized, the motor rotor drives the conductive ring to rotate relative to the cleaning pad.

2. The apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing component is a solenoid valve or mechanical lock located near the wafer mounting position.

3. The apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fastener is a male or female buckle, and the fastener is located at the bottom of the hollow shaft. The cleaning tool's disc is provided with a corresponding female or male buckle for use.

4. The apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning pads are fiber pads soaked in isopropyl alcohol.

5. A method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, characterized in that, The apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head according to any one of claims 1 to 4 includes the following steps: S10, after loading the cleaning tool onto the electroplating head, fixing the disc with a fixing member, and connecting the airbag to an external inflation device via an inflation tube; S20, inflating the airbag with the inflation device until the air pressure inside the airbag reaches a preset value; S30, charging the motor stator, and driving the motor rotor to rotate the conductive ring relative to the cleaning cotton pad; S40, after the conductive ring has rotated for a preset time, removing the cleaning tool from the electroplating head.

6. The method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S40, after the conductive ring rotates for 10-20 seconds, the cleaning tool is removed from the electroplating head; and the method further includes the following steps: S50, cleaning the cleaning tool and replacing the cleaning cotton pad; S60, repeating the above steps 3-5 times.

7. An apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, characterized in that, The device includes a drive mechanism, an electroplating head, a cleaning fixture, and a cleaning chamber. The electroplating head contains a fixing component, a wafer mounting position, and a conductive ring. The cleaning fixture is the same size as the wafer and includes a disc and a cleaning pad mounted on the disc. The cleaning pad has a cleaning surface and an exposed surface that are connected to each other. When the cleaning fixture is installed in the wafer mounting position, the fixing component secures the disc, the cleaning surface of the cleaning pad contacts the conductive ring, and the exposed surface is exposed through an electroplating hole at the bottom of the electroplating head. The cleaning chamber contains several nozzles for spraying cleaning fluid onto the exposed surface of the cleaning pad. The drive mechanism is connected to the electroplating head, and the drive mechanism can drive the electroplating head to translate and rotate.

8. A method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head, characterized in that, The apparatus for cleaning the conductive ring of the horizontal electroplating head as described in claim 7 includes the following steps: S10, loading the cleaning fixture onto the wafer mounting position of the electroplating head, and fixing the disc with a fixing member; S20, using a driving mechanism to move the electroplating head into the cleaning chamber, opening the nozzle to spray cleaning fluid onto the exposed surface of the cleaning cotton pad, and simultaneously using the driving mechanism to control the rotation of the electroplating head to fling out the cleaning wastewater on the cleaning cotton pad; S30, after the nozzle has worked for a preset time, closing the nozzle and controlling the electroplating head to stop rotating, and removing the cleaning fixture from the electroplating head.

9. The method for cleaning the conductive ring of a horizontal electroplating head according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: S40, clean the cleaning tool and replace the cleaning pad; S50, repeat the above steps 3 to 5 times.

Citation Information

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