Electroplating equipment and cleaning method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides electroplating equipment and a cleaning method of the electroplating equipment, the electroplating equipment comprises a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit is configured to spray at least two liquid columns, the at least two liquid columns penetrate through a movable space and are sprayed to a wafer support ring, and the at least two liquid columns are separated from the wafer support ring under the condition that the at least two liquid columns are not shielded by the support column. Forming at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas on the wafer support ring, wherein the at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas are distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer support ring; when the driving device drives the supporting column to drive the wafer chuck and the wafer supporting ring to do central rotation motion, at least one cleaning area is not shielded by the supporting column. According to the invention, through the arrangement of the double liquid columns, the cleaning dead angles generated by the supporting columns are complementally cleaned, the problem that the electroplating liquid is not thoroughly cleaned is avoided, and the wafer yield is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing, and in particular relates to an electroplating device and a cleaning method for the electroplating device. Background Art

[0002] In the wafer electroplating process of semiconductor manufacturing, the wafer needs to be fixed on the wafer chuck and placed in the electroplating chamber so that the entire surface of the wafer is in contact with the electroplating liquid and slowly rotated for the electroplating process. Fig.31 As shown, it includes: a plating chamber 100 and a driving device 200 disposed in the plating chamber 100, and the driving device 200 is connected to the wafer chuck 13 through a support column 12. The space formed between the driving device 200 and the wafer chuck 13 is convenient for taking and placing the wafer. Fig.32 As shown, a wafer support ring 11 is arranged inside the wafer chuck 13, and the wafer support ring 11 is used for placing the wafer.

[0003] During the electroplating process, the drive device 200 drives the wafer chuck 13 to perform a central rotational motion through the transmission action of the support column, thereby driving the wafer set in the wafer chuck 13 to rotate. In order to ensure that each new wafer processing environment is clean, after each wafer electroplating process is completed, the wafer support ring 11 that is in direct contact with the wafer needs to be cleaned to avoid the long-term accumulation of residual substances from the electroplating process of the previous wafer, which may cause qualitative changes and contaminate the next wafer. In the actual cleaning process of the existing machine, the cleaning unit 17 sprays the cleaning solution from the side through the activity space for wafer placement to a specific position. At the same time, the drive device 200 drives the wafer chuck 13 to perform a central rotational motion through the transmission action of the support column 12, so that the wafer support ring 11 is cleaned evenly. However, in the actual cleaning process, it was found that when the liquid column sprayed by the cleaning unit 17 passes through the active space for wafer placement, due to the existence of the support column 12, there will always be a moment when the support column 12 blocks the liquid column, forming a cleaning dead corner on the wafer support ring 11. Even if the drive device 200 drives the wafer chuck 13 and the wafer support ring 11 to rotate continuously, the cleaning dead corner will not disappear. The plating liquid cannot be completely rinsed in the dead corner area, and the residual substances will undergo qualitative changes or uncontrollable chemical reactions in a humid environment for a long time and become pollutants, resulting in an increase in product defective rate.

[0004] It should be noted that the above introduction to the technical background is only for the convenience of providing a clear and complete description of the technical solutions of the present application and for the convenience of understanding by those skilled in the art. It cannot be considered that the above technical solutions are well known to those skilled in the art simply because these solutions are described in the background technology part of the present application. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above shortcomings of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an electroplating device and a method for cleaning the electroplating device, so as to solve the problem of residual electroplating solution when cleaning the electroplating solution in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides an electroplating device, which includes: a wafer chuck; a wafer support ring, which is arranged in the wafer chuck; a driving device, which is located above the wafer chuck; at least one supporting column, wherein the two ends of the supporting column are respectively connected to the driving device and the upper end of the wafer chuck, so that an active space for lateral placement of the wafer is formed between the upper end of the wafer chuck and the driving device; a cleaning unit, which is configured to spray at least two liquid columns, and at least two liquid columns pass through the active space and are sprayed onto the wafer support ring, and at least two liquid columns form at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas on the wafer support ring without being blocked by the supporting columns, and at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas are distributed along the circumference of the wafer support ring; when the driving device drives the supporting column to drive the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to perform central rotation movement, at least one cleaning area is not blocked by the supporting column.

[0007] Optionally, the wafer support ring includes a fixing portion and a supporting portion, wherein the fixing portion is used to install and fix the wafer support ring in the wafer chuck, and a terminal end of the supporting portion contacts an edge of the wafer during the electroplating process to conduct electricity to the wafer.

[0008] Optionally, the at least two liquid columns sprayed by the cleaning unit are sprayed onto the supporting part.

[0009] Optionally, the cleaning unit sprays two liquid columns onto the supporting part.

[0010] Optionally, the cleaning unit includes a nozzle mounting seat, a nozzle part and a nozzle joint, the nozzle part includes a first nozzle and a second nozzle, and the nozzle part is connected to the nozzle joint through a nozzle interface; the nozzle mounting seat is sleeved on the nozzle part, and the nozzle mounting seat is used to fix the nozzle part.

[0011] Optionally, the end of the nozzle portion is configured as two inclined surfaces with an angle, and the first nozzle and the second nozzle are respectively disposed on the two inclined surfaces, so that directions of liquid columns ejected from the first nozzle and the second nozzle have an angle.

[0012] Optionally, the number of the nozzle interfaces is 1, and the nozzle interface is connected to the first nozzle and the second nozzle at the same time.

[0013] Optionally, the number of the nozzle interfaces is 2, one nozzle interface is connected to the first nozzle, and the other nozzle interface is connected to the second nozzle.

[0014] Optionally, the first nozzle is correspondingly provided with a first switch valve, and the second nozzle is correspondingly provided with a second switch valve.

[0015] Optionally, the first nozzle is correspondingly provided with a first flow control valve, and the second nozzle is correspondingly provided with a second flow control valve.

[0016] The present invention also provides a cleaning method for electroplating equipment, the cleaning method comprising: a driving device drives a wafer chuck and a wafer support ring to rotate through a support column; at least two liquid columns are sprayed through a cleaning unit, at least two liquid columns pass through an active space and are sprayed onto the wafer support ring, at least two liquid columns form at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas on the wafer support ring without being blocked by the support column, and at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas are distributed along the circumference of the wafer support ring; in the process of the driving device driving the support column to drive the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to perform central rotation movement, when a cleaning area is blocked by the support column and a blocking area is generated on the wafer support ring, the blocking area is cleaned when it rotates to another cleaning area.

[0017] Optionally, the liquid column passes through the active space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring to clean the wafer support ring, and the wafer support ring rotates in a clockwise direction for at least one circle and in a counterclockwise direction for at least one circle alternately.

[0018] Optionally, the two liquid columns are ejected simultaneously or alternately at preset time intervals.

[0019] The present invention also provides a cleaning method for electroplating equipment, the cleaning method comprising the steps of: providing an electroplating equipment, the electroplating equipment comprising a wafer chuck; a wafer support ring, the wafer support ring being arranged in the wafer chuck; a driving device, located above the wafer chuck; at least one supporting column, the two ends of the supporting column being respectively connected to the driving device and the upper end of the wafer chuck, so that an active space for lateral wafer placement and taking in is formed between the upper end of the wafer chuck and the driving device; and a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit being configured to spray at least one liquid column, and the at least one liquid column passes through the active space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring;

[0020] The driving device drives the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to rotate through the support column;

[0021] At least one liquid column is sprayed through the cleaning unit, and the liquid column passes through the active space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring to clean the wafer support ring. The wafer support ring rotates in a clockwise direction for at least one circle and in a counterclockwise direction for at least one circle alternately.

[0022] As described above, the electroplating equipment and the cleaning method of the electroplating equipment of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0023] The present invention realizes supplementary cleaning of the cleaning dead corners generated by the support column by setting up double liquid columns, avoids the problem of incomplete cleaning of the electroplating liquid, and thus greatly improves the wafer yield;

[0024] The present invention uses the wafer support ring to rotate alternately clockwise and counterclockwise, which can reduce the blocking area and is more conducive to thorough cleaning of the blocking area;

[0025] The present invention makes the cleaning process more flexible through the structural setting that the double nozzles can work alternately, which is beneficial to reducing the material waste of ineffective cleaning and the wafer damage caused by excessive cleaning. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 Shown is a schematic diagram of the top view of the electroplating equipment in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 Shown is a side structural schematic diagram of the electroplating equipment in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 Shown is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of a wafer support ring in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 Shown is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a nozzle structure in an optional example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 Shown is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a nozzle in an optional example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 Shown is a schematic diagram of a front view of a nozzle in an optional example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 7 Shown is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a nozzle in an optional example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 Shown is a schematic diagram of a front view of a nozzle in an optional example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Fig. 9 Shown is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a nozzle structure in an optional example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the first support column through the first nozzle in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Fig.11 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the first support column through the second nozzle in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Fig.12 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the second support column through the first nozzle in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Fig.13It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the second support column through the second nozzle in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Fig.14 It is a schematic diagram showing that the first blocking area will be cleaned by the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column sprayed by the second nozzle as the wafer support ring rotates.

[0040] Fig.15 It is a schematic diagram showing that the third blocking area will be cleaned in the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column sprayed by the first nozzle as the wafer support ring rotates.

[0041] Fig.16 It is a schematic diagram showing that the second blocking area will be cleaned by the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column sprayed by the second nozzle as the wafer support ring rotates.

[0042] Fig.17 It is a schematic diagram showing that the fourth blocking area will be cleaned in the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column sprayed by the first nozzle as the wafer support ring rotates.

[0043] Fig.18 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed out from the first support column through the first nozzle in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Fig.19 It is a schematic structural diagram showing a liquid column ejected from a first support column through a second nozzle and a liquid column ejected from a second support column through a first nozzle in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Fig. 20 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the second support column through the second nozzle in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Fig.21 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the first support column through the first nozzle in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Fig. 22 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the second support column through the first nozzle in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Fig.23 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the first support column through the second nozzle in another third embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Fig.24 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the second support column through the second nozzle in another third embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Fig.25 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed out from the first support column through the first nozzle in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Fig.26 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a first support column in another embodiment of the present invention, in which a liquid column ejected from a first nozzle and a liquid column ejected from a second nozzle are simultaneously ejected.

[0052] Fig. 27 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the liquid column sprayed from the first support column through the second nozzle in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Fig.28 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the second support column in another embodiment of the present invention, which is presented by the liquid column sprayed by the first nozzle and the liquid column sprayed by the second nozzle at the same time.

[0054] Fig.29 It is a schematic structural diagram showing the reduction of the blocking area when the wafer support ring rotates clockwise in the cleaning method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Fig.30 It is a schematic structural diagram showing the reduction of the blocking area when the wafer support ring rotates counterclockwise in the cleaning method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Fig.31 Shown is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electroplating equipment.

[0057] Fig.32 Shown is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer chuck and a wafer support ring of an electroplating device.

[0058] Component number description:

[0059] 101, protective cover; 11, wafer support ring; 111, blocking area; 112, fixing part; 113, supporting part; 12, supporting column; 121, first supporting column; 122, second supporting column; 13, wafer chuck; 141, first nozzle; 142, second nozzle; 143 and 144, liquid column; 145 and 146, cleaning area; 15, nozzle mounting seat; 16, nozzle; 161, nozzle joint; 1611 and 1611', nozzle interface; 162, inclined surface; 163a, first switch valve; 163b, second switch valve; 163c main switch valve; 164a, first flow control valve; 16 4b, second flow control valve; 165, water inlet; 166a, first pipeline; 166b, second pipeline; 166c, input pipeline; a11, 1st blocking area; a12, 2nd blocking area; b11, 3rd blocking area; b12, 4th blocking area; a21, 5th blocking area; a22, 6th blocking area; b21, 7th blocking area; b22, 8th blocking area; a31, 9th blocking area; a32, 10th blocking area; b31, 11th blocking area; b32, 12th blocking area; a41, 13th blocking area; a42, 14th blocking area; b41, 15th blocking area; b42, 16th blocking area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention through specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0061] For example, when describing the embodiments of the present invention in detail, for the sake of convenience, the schematic diagrams showing the device structure will not be partially enlarged according to the general scale, and the schematic diagrams are only examples, which should not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, in actual production, the three-dimensional dimensions of length, width and depth should be included.

[0062] For convenience of description, spatially relative terms such as "under", "below", "below", "below", "above", "on", etc. may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature shown in the drawings to other elements or features. It will be understood that these spatially relative terms are intended to encompass other orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings.

[0063] In the context of the present application, a structure in which a first feature is described as being "above" a second feature may include embodiments in which the first and second features are in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features are formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.

[0064] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only used to illustrate the basic concept of the present invention in a schematic manner, and therefore the illustrations only show components related to the present invention rather than being drawn according to the number, shape and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity and proportion of each component may be changed arbitrarily, and the component layout may also be more complicated.

[0065] Embodiment 1

[0066] Please refer to Figure 1 The present embodiment provides an electroplating device comprising: a wafer chuck 13; a wafer support ring 11, the wafer support ring 11 is arranged in the wafer chuck 13; a driving device, located above the wafer chuck 13; at least one supporting column 12, the two ends of the supporting column 12 are respectively connected to the driving device and the upper end of the wafer chuck 13, so that a movable space for lateral placement of the wafer is formed between the upper end of the wafer chuck 13 and the driving device; a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit is configured to spray at least two liquid columns 143, 144, and the two The liquid columns 143 and 144 pass through the active space and are sprayed onto the wafer support ring 11. When the two liquid columns 143 and 144 are not blocked by the support column 11, two non-overlapping cleaning areas 145 and 146 are formed on the wafer support ring 11, and the two non-overlapping cleaning areas 145 and 146 are distributed along the circumference of the wafer support ring; when the driving device drives the support column 12 to drive the wafer chuck 13 and the wafer support ring 11 to make a central rotation movement, at least one cleaning area is not blocked by the support column 12. The electroplating equipment of the present invention forms two non-overlapping cleaning areas on the wafer support ring through the two liquid columns of the electroplating equipment. When the driving device drives the support column to drive the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to make a central rotation movement, at least one cleaning area is not blocked by the support column, thereby eliminating cleaning dead corners and avoiding the problem of residual substances causing pollution after the electroplating process is completed.

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown, the electroplating equipment further includes a protective cover 101 surrounding the periphery of the wafer chuck 13 .

[0068] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the wafer support ring 11 includes a fixing portion 112 and a supporting portion 113 connected to the fixing portion 112 . The end of the supporting portion 113 contacts the edge of the wafer during the electroplating process to conduct electricity to the wafer. The fixing portion 112 is used to install and fix the wafer support ring 11 in the wafer chuck 13 .

[0069] The cleaning unit can be arranged on the outside 13 of the wafer chuck, for example, it can be arranged on the protective cover 101, for cleaning a specific position. Exemplarily, in the embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning position is the supporting portion 113 of the wafer support ring 11. In one embodiment, the cleaning unit includes a nozzle mounting seat, a nozzle part and a nozzle joint. The nozzle part is connected to the nozzle joint; the nozzle mounting seat is sleeved on the nozzle part for fixing the nozzle part. The nozzle part is mounted on the protective cover 101 outside the wafer chuck 13 through the nozzle mounting seat. The nozzle mounting seat and the nozzle part can be fixed by means of, but not limited to, screws or snaps. Exemplarily, in the present embodiment, the nozzle mounting seat 15 is fixed to the protective cover 101 by screws. Furthermore, the nozzle part is connected to the nozzle joint through a nozzle interface, and the nozzle part can be provided with one nozzle interface, or two or more nozzle interfaces can be provided.

[0070] For example, in one embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the nozzle portion 16 is provided with a nozzle interface 1611, and the nozzle interface 1611 is connected to the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 at the same time. Specifically, when the nozzle interface 1611 is connected to the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 at the same time, it can be connected through a three-way interface, etc. When only one nozzle interface 1611 is provided, the nozzle interface 1611 is connected to two nozzles at the same time, and a nozzle joint can be saved in subsequent connections. At the same time, the water flow speed, water flow rate, and water flow interruption of the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 can be ensured to be consistent, so that the cleaning effect of each position on the wafer support ring 11 can be uniform.

[0071] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the nozzle portion 16 is provided with two nozzle interfaces 1611 and 1611', the nozzle interface 1611 is connected to the first nozzle 141, and the nozzle interface 1611' is connected to the second nozzle 142. When two nozzle interfaces are provided, each nozzle interface is connected to a nozzle respectively, and the water inlet of each nozzle can be controlled separately, so that the water flow speed and on-off control between different nozzles can be adjusted more flexibly, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency and maximizing the saving of cleaning liquid; in the actual process, the connection mode between the nozzle interface 1611 and the nozzle can be set according to specific needs.

[0072] In this embodiment, the cleaning unit is configured to spray two liquid columns, and the nozzle portion 16 includes a first nozzle 141 and a second nozzle 142; the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 are used to spray liquid columns 143 and 144 respectively, and the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 are arranged at a certain angle, so that the liquid columns 143 and 144 form two non-overlapping cleaning areas 145 and 146 on the wafer support ring 11. Figure 7-Figure 8 As shown, the end of the nozzle portion 16 is provided with two inclined surfaces 162 having an angle, and the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 are respectively provided on the two inclined surfaces 162, so that the directions of the liquid columns ejected by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 have an angle. The angle between the directions of the liquid columns ejected by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 is, for example, between 5° and 45°, but is not limited to the angle range listed above.

[0073] In a specific example, the direction of the liquid column sprayed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 is preferably perpendicular to the inclined surface 162 on which they are located, so that the direction of the liquid column sprayed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 can be controlled by the angle of the inclined surface 162. In this embodiment, the angle formed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 is controlled by the angle between the inclined surfaces 162.

[0074] In one embodiment, Fig. 9 As shown, the first nozzle 141 is provided with a first switch valve 163a, and the second nozzle 142 is provided with a second switch valve 163b. Specifically, the first switch valve 163a and the second switch valve 163b are used to control the liquid flow injection on and off of the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142.

[0075] Furthermore, the first nozzle 141 may be provided with a first flow control valve 164a, and the second nozzle 142 may be provided with a second flow control valve 164b. Specifically, the first flow control valve 164a and the second flow control valve 164b are used to control the water injection speed and injection flow of the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142.

[0076] like Fig. 9 As shown, the nozzle structure can also be provided with a main switch valve 163c for simultaneously controlling the liquid injection on and off conditions of the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142.

[0077] In a specific example, combining Figure 4 and Fig. 9 The first switch valve 163a and the first flow control valve 164a can be arranged on the first pipe 166a connected to one nozzle joint 161, and the second switch valve 163b and the first flow control valve 164b can be arranged on the second pipe 166b connected to the other nozzle joint 161'. The main switch valve 163c can be arranged on the input pipe 166c connected to both the first pipe 166a and the second pipe 166b, and the main switch valve 163c is arranged between the water inlet 165 and the two nozzle joints 161, 161'.

[0078] During the cleaning process, the driving device 200 drives the wafer chuck 13 to perform central rotation movement of the wafer chuck 13 through the transmission action of the support column 12, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed toward the support part 113 of the wafer support ring 11 through the cleaning liquid outlet of the first nozzle 141 and the cleaning liquid outlet of the second nozzle 142 respectively, so as to achieve the purpose of cleaning the support part 113 of the wafer support ring 11. When the support column 12 sprays the liquid column 143 through the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142, even if blocking areas are left on the wafer support ring 11 respectively, resulting in the liquid column sprayed from a single nozzle being unable to clean the blocking area, but because two nozzles are set, and the liquid columns sprayed from the cleaning liquid outlets of the two nozzles do not overlap with the areas blocked by the support column 12, a complementary effect can be produced, so that the liquid column 143 sprayed by the nozzle structure can eventually clean all areas on the wafer support ring 11, so as to avoid the generation of cleaning dead corners, thereby improving the product yield.

[0079] To further illustrate the principles of the present invention, please refer to Figure 10 to Figure 17 In a specific example, the electroplating equipment includes two support columns, namely a first support column 121 and a second support column 122. The first support column 121 and the second support column 122 have two projection points 121a and 122a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the liquid columns 143 and 144 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 have two projection points 143a and 144a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the distance between the projection points 121a and 122a is greater than the distance between the projection points 143a and 144a.

[0080] like Fig.10 As shown, at time t1, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, the first blocking area a11 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; as the wafer support ring 11 rotates, at time t2, as shown Fig.11 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142, the second blocking area a12 on the blocking wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; at time t3, as shown in FIG. Fig.12 As shown, when the second support column 122 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, the third blocking area b11 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; at time t4, as shown in FIG. Fig.13 As shown, when the second support column 122 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142, the fourth blocking area b12 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned. Fig.14 As shown, the first blocking area a11 is cleaned in the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column 144 sprayed by the second nozzle 142 as the wafer support ring 11 rotates; at time t6, as shown in FIG. Fig.15 As shown, the third blocking area b11 is cleaned in the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column 144 sprayed by the second nozzle 142 as the wafer support ring 11 rotates; at time t7, as shown in FIG. Fig.16 As shown, the second blocking area a12 is cleaned in the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 as the wafer support ring 11 rotates; at time t8, as shown in FIG. Fig.17 As shown, the above-mentioned fourth blocking area b12 will be cleaned in the cleaning area of ​​the liquid column 144 sprayed by the first nozzle 142 as the wafer support ring 11 rotates. At this point, all blocking areas formed by the first support column 121 and the second support column 122 are respectively cleaned by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 complementarily, thereby completely eliminating the cleaning dead corners left on the wafer support ring 11.

[0081] This embodiment is described by taking two liquid columns as an example. However, in other embodiments, the cleaning unit may also be configured to spray three or more liquid columns, and is not limited to the examples listed above.

[0082] In another embodiment, the electroplating apparatus and Figure 10 to Figure 17 The difference is that the first support column 121 and the second support column 122 have two projection points 121a and 122a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the liquid columns 143 and 144 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 have two projection points 143a and 144a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the distance between the projection points 121a and 122a is equal to the distance between the projection points 143a and 144a.

[0083] Therefore, if Fig.18 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, the fifth blocking area a21 on the blocking wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; Fig.19 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142, the sixth blocking area a22 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned, and at the same time, the second support column 122 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, and the seventh blocking area b21 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; as shown Fig. 20As shown, when the second support column 122 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142, the 8th blocking area b22 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned. Similarly, the 5th blocking area a21 and the 7th blocking area b21 will be cleaned by the liquid column 144 sprayed by the second nozzle 142 during the rotation of the wafer support ring 11, and the 6th blocking area a22 and the 8th blocking area b22 will be cleaned by the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 during the rotation of the wafer support ring 11. Finally, all the blocking areas formed by the first support column 121 and the second support column 122 are cleaned by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 respectively, thereby eliminating the cleaning dead corners left on the wafer support ring 11.

[0084] In yet another embodiment, the electroplating apparatus and Figure 10 to Figure 17 The difference is that: the first support column 121 and the second support column 122 have two projection points 121a, 122a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the liquid columns 143, 144 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 have two projection points 143a, 144a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the distance between the projection points 121a, 122a is smaller than the distance between the projection points 143a, 144a.

[0085] Therefore, if Fig.21 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, the ninth blocking area a31 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; Fig. 22 As shown, when the second support column 122 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, the 11th blocking area b31 on the blocking wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; Fig.23 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142, the 10th blocking area a32 on the blocking wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; Fig.24 As shown, when the second support column 122 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, the 12th blocking area b32 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned. Similarly, the 9th blocking area a31 and the 11th blocking area b31 will be cleaned by the liquid column 144 sprayed by the second nozzle 142 during the rotation of the wafer support ring 11, and the 10th blocking area a32 and the 12th blocking area b32 will be cleaned by the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 during the rotation of the wafer support ring 11. At this time, all the blocking areas formed by the first support column 121 and the second support column 122 are respectively cleaned by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142, thereby eliminating the cleaning dead corners left on the wafer support ring 11.

[0086] In yet another embodiment, the electroplating apparatus and Figure 10 to Figure 17 The difference lies in that: the first support column 121 has a projection point 121a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the second support column 122 has a projection point 122a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the liquid columns 143 and 144 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 have two projection points 143a and 144a on the wafer support ring 11 close to the cleaning unit side; the width of the projection point 121a is greater than or equal to the distance between the projection points 143a and 144a; the width of the projection point 122a is greater than or equal to the distance between the projection points 143a and 144a.

[0087] Therefore, if Fig.25 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, the 13th blocking area a41 on the blocking wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned; Fig.26 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142, the 14th blocking area a42 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned. At this time, the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 is still blocked, forming a part of the 13th blocking area a41; as shown in FIG. Fig. 27 As shown, when the first support column 121 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142 and does not block the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141, only the 14th blocking area a42 on the wafer support ring 11 is blocked and cannot be cleaned; Fig.28 As shown, when the second support column 122 passes through the liquid column 143 sprayed by the second nozzle 142, the 16th blocking area b42 on the wafer support ring 11 cannot be cleaned, and at this time, the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 is still blocked, forming a part of the 15th blocking area b41. Similarly, the 13th blocking area a41 and the 15th blocking area b41 will be cleaned by the liquid column 144 sprayed by the second nozzle 142 during the rotation of the wafer support ring 11, and the 14th blocking area a42 and the 16th blocking area b42 will be cleaned by the liquid column 143 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 during the rotation of the wafer support ring 11. At this time, all the blocking areas formed by the first support column 121 and the second support column 122 are respectively cleaned by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142, thereby eliminating the cleaning dead corners left on the wafer support ring 11.

[0088] This embodiment also provides a method for cleaning an electroplating device, the cleaning method comprising the following steps:

[0089] Step 1), the driving device drives the wafer chuck 13 and the wafer support ring 11 therein to perform central rotation movement through the support column 12.

[0090] Step 2), at least two liquid columns 143, 144 are sprayed through the cleaning unit, the two liquid columns 143, 144 pass through the active space and are sprayed onto the wafer support ring 11, and the two liquid columns 143, 144 form two non-overlapping cleaning areas 145, 146 on the wafer support ring 11 without being blocked by the support column, and the two non-overlapping cleaning areas 145, 146 are distributed along the circumference of the wafer support ring 11; in the process of the driving device driving the support column 12 to drive the wafer chuck 13 and the wafer support ring 11 to make a central rotation movement, when a cleaning area is blocked by the support column and a blocking area is generated on the wafer support ring, the blocking area is cleaned when it rotates to another cleaning area.

[0091] In one embodiment, the liquid columns 143 and 144 pass through the active space and are sprayed onto the wafer support ring 11 to clean the wafer support ring 11. The wafer support ring 11 rotates in a clockwise direction for at least one cycle and in a counterclockwise direction for at least one cycle alternately.

[0092] The present invention alternates the rotation direction of the wafer support ring 11 and utilizes the difference in the movement time of the liquid column 143 between the position where the liquid columns 143 and 144 sprayed by the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 actually reach the wafer support ring 11 and the preset position where the liquid columns 143 reach the wafer support ring 11. In this way, the blocking area 111 caused by the support column 12 actually cleaning the wafer support ring 11 is reduced during the alternating rotation direction, thereby reducing the possibility of overlapping of the blocking area 111 during the cleaning process, improving the tolerance rate for cleaning dead corners, and further improving the product yield.

[0093] In one embodiment, the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 spray the liquid columns simultaneously or spray the liquid columns alternately at a preset time interval.

[0094] The present invention controls the alternating manner of spraying liquid columns from the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142, thereby ensuring that there are no dead corners in cleaning and reducing the amount of liquid used, which is beneficial to saving liquid and reducing costs, while preventing damage to the wafer or fixture caused by excessive cleaning, further improving product yield.

[0095] In one embodiment, please combine Figure 4 and Fig. 9When the nozzle structure is configured such that the first nozzle 141 is connected to a nozzle joint 161, and the second nozzle 142 is connected to another nozzle joint 161', the nozzle joint 161 or 161' may be respectively provided with a first switch valve 163a and a second switch valve 163b to control the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 to spray liquid columns simultaneously or alternately spray liquid columns at a preset time interval. The first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142 may also be correspondingly provided with a first flow control valve 164a and a second flow control valve 164b to control the flow rate of the liquid column 143 sprayed from the first nozzle 141 and the second nozzle 142, so as to improve the control of the sprayed liquid and improve the use efficiency of the liquid.

[0096] The present application also provides a method for cleaning an electroplating device, the cleaning method comprising: providing an electroplating device, the electroplating device can refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , where Figure 1 and Figure 2 The difference is that the cleaning unit of this embodiment can be configured to spray only one liquid column, or can be configured to spray two or more liquid columns; the electroplating equipment of this embodiment includes a wafer chuck 13; a wafer support ring 11, which is arranged in the wafer chuck 13; a driving device, which is located above the wafer chuck 13; at least one supporting column 12, and the two ends of the supporting column 12 are respectively connected to the driving device and the upper end of the wafer chuck 13, so that an active space for lateral wafer placement is formed between the upper end of the wafer chuck 13 and the driving device. active space; and a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit is configured to spray at least one liquid column, and at least one liquid column passes through the active space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring 11; the driving device drives the wafer chuck 13 and the wafer support ring 11 to rotate through the support column 12; at least one liquid column is sprayed through the cleaning unit, and the liquid column passes through the active space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring 11 to clean the wafer support ring 11, and the rotation mode of the wafer support ring 11 is to rotate clockwise for at least one circle and counterclockwise for at least one circle alternately, such as Fig.29 and Fig.30 shown.

[0097] like Fig.29 and Fig.30 In this embodiment, the rotation direction of the wafer support ring 11 is alternated, and the difference in movement time of the liquid column 143 between the position where the liquid column 143 actually reaches the wafer support ring 11 and the preset position where the liquid column 143 reaches the wafer support ring 11 is utilized. In this way, the blocking area 111 caused by the support column 12 actually cleaning the wafer support ring 11 is reduced during the alternating rotation direction, thereby reducing the possibility of overlapping of the blocking area 111 during the cleaning process, improving the tolerance rate for cleaning dead corners, and further improving the product yield.

[0098] To sum up, the electroplating equipment and the cleaning method of the electroplating equipment of the present invention can realize the supplementary cleaning of the cleaning dead corners caused by the support column through the setting of double liquid columns, avoid the problem of incomplete cleaning of the electroplating liquid, and thus greatly improve the wafer yield; at the same time, the wafer support ring is set to rotate alternately clockwise and counterclockwise, which can reduce the blocking area and is more conducive to thorough cleaning of the blocking area; in addition, the structural setting of the double nozzles that can work alternately makes the cleaning process more flexible, which is conducive to reducing material waste due to ineffective cleaning and wafer damage caused by excessive cleaning.

[0099] Therefore, the present invention effectively overcomes various shortcomings in the prior art and has high industrial utilization value.

[0100] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone familiar with the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed by the present invention shall still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electroplating device, characterized in that: The electroplating equipment comprises: Wafer chuck; A wafer support ring, the wafer support ring is arranged in the wafer chuck; A driving device, located above the wafer chuck; At least one supporting column, two ends of which are respectively connected to the driving device and the upper end of the wafer chuck, so that a movable space for lateral placement of the wafer is formed between the upper end of the wafer chuck and the driving device; A cleaning unit, wherein the cleaning unit is configured to spray at least two liquid columns, and at least two of the liquid columns pass through the active space and are sprayed onto the wafer support ring, and at least two of the liquid columns form at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas on the wafer support ring without being blocked by the support column, and at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas are distributed along the circumference of the wafer support ring; when the driving device drives the support column to drive the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to perform central rotational motion, at least one of the cleaning areas is not blocked by the support column.

2. The electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wafer support ring comprises a fixing portion and a supporting portion, wherein the fixing portion is used to install and fix the wafer support ring in the wafer chuck, and the supporting portion contacts the edge of the wafer during the electroplating process to conduct electricity to the wafer.

3. The electroplating equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The at least two liquid columns sprayed by the cleaning unit are sprayed onto the supporting portion.

4. The electroplating equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cleaning unit sprays two liquid columns onto the supporting part.

5. The electroplating equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cleaning unit comprises a nozzle mounting seat, a nozzle part and a nozzle joint, wherein the nozzle part is connected to the nozzle joint via a nozzle interface; the nozzle mounting seat is sleeved on the nozzle part, and the nozzle mounting seat is used to fix the nozzle part.

6. The electroplating equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The nozzle portion includes a first nozzle and a second nozzle, and the end of the nozzle portion is configured as two inclined surfaces with an angle, and the first nozzle and the second nozzle are respectively disposed on the two inclined surfaces so that the directions of the liquid columns ejected by the first nozzle and the second nozzle have an angle.

7. The electroplating equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The number of the nozzle interface is 1, and the nozzle interface is connected to the first nozzle and the second nozzle at the same time.

8. The electroplating equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The number of the nozzle interfaces is 2, one of the nozzle interfaces is connected to the first nozzle, and the other of the nozzle interfaces is connected to the second nozzle.

9. The electroplating equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first nozzle is provided with a first switch valve corresponding to the first nozzle, and the first switch valve is configured to control the on and off of the liquid flow injected through the first nozzle; the second nozzle is provided with a second switch valve corresponding to the second nozzle, and the second switch valve is configured to control the on and off of the liquid flow injected through the second nozzle.

10. The electroplating equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first nozzle is correspondingly provided with a first flow control valve, and the first flow control valve is configured to control the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the first nozzle; the second nozzle is correspondingly provided with a second flow control valve, and the second flow control valve is configured to control the flow rate of the liquid flowing through the second nozzle.

11. A method for cleaning electroplating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The cleaning method comprises: The driving device drives the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to rotate through the support column; At least two liquid columns are sprayed through the cleaning unit, at least two of the liquid columns pass through the active space and are sprayed onto the wafer support ring, and at least two of the liquid columns form at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas on the wafer support ring without being blocked by the support column, and at least two non-overlapping cleaning areas are distributed along the circumference of the wafer support ring; in the process of the driving device driving the support column to drive the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to make a central rotation movement, when one of the cleaning areas is blocked by the support column and a blocking area is generated on the wafer support ring, the blocking area is cleaned when it rotates to another cleaning area.

12. The cleaning method according to claim 11, characterized in that: The liquid column passes through the active space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring to clean the wafer support ring. The wafer support ring rotates in a clockwise direction for at least one cycle and in a counterclockwise direction for at least one cycle alternately.

13. The cleaning method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: The two liquid columns are sprayed out simultaneously or alternately at a preset time interval.

14. A method for cleaning electroplating equipment, characterized in that: The cleaning method comprises the steps of: Providing an electroplating apparatus, the electroplating apparatus comprising a wafer chuck; A wafer support ring, the wafer support ring is arranged in the wafer chuck; a driving device, located above the wafer chuck; at least one support column, the two ends of the support column are respectively connected to the driving device and the upper end of the wafer chuck, so that an activity space for lateral placement of wafers is formed between the upper end of the wafer chuck and the driving device; a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit is configured to spray at least one liquid column, and at least one of the liquid columns passes through the activity space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring; The driving device drives the wafer chuck and the wafer support ring to rotate through the support column; At least one liquid column is sprayed through the cleaning unit, and the liquid column passes through the active space and is sprayed onto the wafer support ring to clean the wafer support ring. The wafer support ring rotates in a clockwise direction for at least one circle and in a counterclockwise direction for at least one circle alternately.

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