Dry cleaning device and dry cleaning method

Abstract

The invention provides a dry cleaning device and a dry cleaning method, which are suitable for cleaning container parts of a semiconductor processing container and cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes. According to the dry type cleaning device, the container parts before and after cleaning can be inspected firstly, the container parts are cleaned with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to a preset cleaning work set until the container parts are cleaned, and then the container parts are executed to the next work station. The dry-type cleaning device is suitable for cleaning the semiconductor processing container which is rapid and effective and does not need to use a liquid-phase solvent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention provides a dry cleaning device and a dry cleaning method, in particular to a dry cleaning device and a dry cleaning method for cleaning elements or containers. Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor containers are commonly used in the semiconductor industry to protect, store, and transport semiconductor workpieces. The interior of the semiconductor process container may be contaminated due to many factors such as the process and the environment, and thus need to be cleaned. Semiconductor workpieces can be wafers, masks, PCBs, carriers, or other electronic parts; semiconductor containers can be wafer transfer boxes, mask transfer boxes, PCB transfer boxes, or other electronic parts transfer boxes. Components are set up in the semiconductor process container to work with semiconductor workpieces. The components are repeatedly contacted with semiconductor workpieces, environmental dust, process gas volatilization, and many other factors. Semiconductor process containers also include components that are set up in automated production lines or used in conjunction with machines. The components or semiconductor workpieces in the container are also cross-contaminated due to contamination outside the container. The existing cleaning methods for semiconductor containers and their components are all cleaned with liquid solvents. In addition to the large amount of liquid solvents required in the washing process, a drying and baking process is still required after the washing process to remove residual solvents.

[0003] However, due to the special structural design, the components in the semiconductor process container are more susceptible to contaminants and even need to be cleaned, dried and baked multiple times. This cleaning method will consume more liquid solvents and take a long time to dry and bake. Therefore, it is very important to provide a fast and effective dry cleaning device or method that does not require the use of liquid solvents to meet the cleaning needs of a large number of semiconductor process containers and reduce the use of liquid solvents and process operation time. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the dry cleaning device and dry cleaning method provided by the present invention can effectively provide appropriate cleaning procedures for different pollution conditions and forms, and do not require the material and time consumption of liquid solvent cleaning.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention provides a dry cleaning device suitable for cleaning a container component of a semiconductor process container. The dry cleaning device comprises: a dry cleaning module suitable for cleaning the container component with carbon dioxide snowflakes; an inspection module suitable for inspecting the container component to obtain an inspection result; a storage module suitable for storing the container component and a corresponding cleaning work set; and a programmable logic controller (PLC) signal-connecting the dry cleaning module, the inspection module, and the storage module. The programmable controller is suitable for executing the following steps: cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the cleaning work set through the dry cleaning module; inspecting the container parts before and after cleaning through the inspection module to obtain the inspection results; judging the component type of the container parts according to the inspection results before cleaning, selecting the preset cleaning process of the corresponding component type from the self-cleaning work set according to the component type, and cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the preset cleaning process through the dry cleaning module; judging whether the container parts are cleaned according to the inspection results after cleaning, and generating a judgment result; and selecting a subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the inspection result from the self-cleaning work set according to the judgment result, cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the subsequent cleaning process through the dry cleaning module, or executing the container parts to the next work station.

[0006] In one embodiment, the dry cleaning module includes: a cavity; a cleaning carrier disposed in the cavity, the cleaning carrier is suitable for holding a container component; a filter disposed in the cavity, the filter is suitable for filtering gas to allow clean gas to flow into the cavity; and a dry cleaning nozzle disposed in the cavity, the dry cleaning nozzle sprays carbon dioxide snowflakes toward the container component according to a cleaning work set.

[0007] In one embodiment, there are multiple dry cleaning nozzles disposed at different positions in the chamber, and the dry cleaning nozzles can be rotated and controlled in different directions to clean the container parts.

[0008] In one embodiment, the dry cleaning module further includes a cleaning moving module, and the cleaning moving module is controlled by a programmable controller to adjust the relative position relationship between the dry cleaning nozzle and the container component.

[0009] In one embodiment, the inspection module includes: an inspection platform suitable for carrying the container component; an inspection lens suitable for inspecting the container component; and an inspection analyzer for analyzing the state of the container component after inspection to obtain the inspection result.

[0010] In one embodiment, the inspection module further includes an inspection moving module, and the programmable controller is used to control the inspection moving module to adjust the relative position relationship between the inspection lens and the container component.

[0011] In one embodiment, the programmable controller divides the container parts into regions in a grid format according to the inspection results before or after cleaning, and marks a contamination status.

[0012] In one embodiment, the programmable controller determines whether the cleaning is completed by comparing the amount of defective materials in a unit area in the inspection result after cleaning with a preset inspection standard.

[0013] In one embodiment, the programmable controller obtains a subsequent cleaning process for enhancing local area cleaning from the cleaning work set according to the post-cleaning inspection result.

[0014] In one embodiment, the storage module stores multiple component types of container components and their corresponding contamination status forms, preset cleaning processes, and subsequent cleaning processes in a cleaning work set. The programmable controller determines the component type and its contamination status form based on the inspection results before or after cleaning, and selects the preset cleaning process or subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the contamination status form.

[0015] In one embodiment, the programmable controller feeds back and adjusts the cleaning work set in the storage module according to the inspection result, wherein the cleaning work set includes a preset cleaning process and a subsequent cleaning process.

[0016] In one embodiment, the programmable controller further includes an artificial intelligence engine for adjusting the cleaning work set in the storage module according to the inspection result.

[0017] In one embodiment, the inspection module further includes an inspection artificial intelligence engine, and the inspection result is obtained by processing the inspection artificial intelligence engine.

[0018] One aspect of the present invention provides a dry cleaning method suitable for cleaning semiconductor process containers and container parts thereof, the dry cleaning method comprising: inspecting the component type of the container parts before cleaning; selecting a preset cleaning process corresponding to the component type from a self-cleaning work set according to the component type; cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the preset cleaning process; inspecting the cleaning condition of the container parts after cleaning to obtain an inspection result; judging whether the container parts have been cleaned based on the inspection result, and generating a judgment result; based on the judgment result, if the container parts have not been cleaned, selecting a subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the inspection result from the self-cleaning work set, and cleaning the container parts again with carbon dioxide snowflakes until the container parts have been cleaned; if the container parts have been cleaned, executing the container parts to the next station.

[0019] In one embodiment, the step of determining whether the container component has been cleaned is to use an inspection artificial intelligence engine to divide the container component into regions of the container component in a grid format and mark the amount of defective material in the region, which is compared with a preset inspection standard to generate a judgment result.

[0020] In one embodiment, the step of inspecting the component types of the container components before cleaning further includes: storing a plurality of component types of the container components and their corresponding contamination status forms in the cleaning work set, a preset cleaning process, and a subsequent cleaning process.

[0021] In one embodiment, the step of inspecting the container parts before and after cleaning is performed by a programmable controller to determine the type of parts and their contamination status based on the inspection results before or after cleaning, and select a preset cleaning process or subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the contamination status.

[0022] In one embodiment, the dry cleaning method is performed by a dry cleaning device, which includes a dry cleaning module, an inspection module, a storage module and a programmable controller, and wherein the dry cleaning module cleans the container components with carbon dioxide snowflakes, the inspection module inspects the container components to obtain inspection results, the storage module stores the container components and their corresponding cleaning work sets, the programmable controller signal connects the dry cleaning module, the inspection module and the storage module, and the programmable controller is used to execute the dry cleaning method.

[0023] Through the dry cleaning device and dry cleaning method of the present invention, a fast and effective dry cleaning device or dry cleaning method that does not require the use of liquid solvents can be achieved to meet the cleaning needs of a large number of semiconductor process containers and reduce the use of liquid solvents and process operation time. Through the dry cleaning device or dry cleaning method of the present invention, since there is no need to use liquid solvents, it is possible to avoid consuming a large amount of cleaning pure water (DI water), and therefore a large amount of cleaning wastewater will not be generated. In addition, compared to the traditional cleaning process that requires steps such as cleaning, drying, and baking, the dry cleaning device or dry cleaning method of the present invention only requires a dry cleaning step. In addition to saving process time, it also reduces the cost of materials and parts used in the cleaning device, further improving the efficiency and quality of the container cleaning process necessary in the semiconductor process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a dry cleaning module of a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3AA schematic diagram of an inspection module of a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3B A schematic diagram of an inspection module of a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention that divides regions in a grid format and indicates the contamination status;

[0028] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of a dry cleaning method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a process of applying a dry cleaning method in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 It is an exemplary schematic diagram of a dry cleaning device suitable for inspecting different container parts in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 It is an exemplary schematic diagram of different contamination states stored in a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Fig. 9A is an exemplary schematic diagram of the surface of a container component before dry cleaning in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Fig. 9B FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the surface of a container component after dry cleaning in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Reference numerals

[0036] 10 Dry cleaning device

[0037] 100 Dry Cleaning Module

[0038] 110 Cavity

[0039] 120 Cleaning the stage

[0040] 130 Filters

[0041] 140 Dry cleaning nozzle

[0042] 150 Cleaning the mobile module

[0043] 200 Inspection module

[0044] 210 Cavity

[0045] 220 Inspection platform

[0046] 240 Inspection Lens

[0047] 250 Check mobile module

[0048] 300 Storage Module

[0049] 400 Programmable Controller

[0050] 510 Feeding module

[0051] 511 Container Import

[0052] 520 Disassembly module

[0053] 530 Inspection Module

[0054] 540 Dry Cleaning Module

[0055] 550 Assembly Module

[0056] 560 Continuous Inflation Module

[0057] 570 Discharging Module

[0058] 571 Container Export

[0059] 580 Transmission Module

[0060] 900 Container Parts

[0061] 901 Container or container component transmission path

[0062] CG Clean Gas

[0063] DG Dirty Gas

[0064] MD Moving direction

[0065] Steps S510 to S570

[0066] Steps S610 to S690 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] In order to explain the technical content of the present invention in detail, the following is further explained in combination with the implementation mode and the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the content of this article, terms such as "first", "second" and "third" are used to distinguish the differences between components, rather than to limit the components themselves or to indicate a specific order of components. In addition, in the content of this article, when a specific number is not specifically specified, the article "a" refers to one component or more than one component.

[0068] In order to fully understand the purpose, features and effects of the present invention, the present invention is described in detail as follows through the following specific embodiments and in conjunction with the attached drawings.

[0069] One aspect of the present invention discloses a dry cleaning device suitable for cleaning containers and components of semiconductor processes, such as cleaning containers of wafer transfer boxes, mask transfer boxes, carrier transfer boxes or other components in semiconductor processes, as well as outer shells, supports, limiters, door panels, trays, etc. of the containers, but not limited to these examples.

[0070] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The dry cleaning device 10 includes a dry cleaning module 100, a testing module 200, a storage module 300 and a programmable logic controller (PLC) 400, wherein the programmable logic controller 400 is signal-connected to the dry cleaning module 100, the testing module 200 and the storage module 300.

[0071] The dry cleaning module 100 is suitable for cleaning semiconductor process containers and / or container parts thereof with carbon dioxide snowflakes. The inspection module 200 is suitable for inspecting container parts to obtain inspection results. In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection results may include component type, appearance inspection, cleaning target type and size inspection, and contamination quantity, type and area inspection. Figure 1 The arrow in represents the transmission path 901 of the semiconductor process container and / or its container parts. In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection is performed by optical or image detection. The storage module 300 is suitable for storing a cleaning work set of different containers and different container parts and their corresponding cleaning procedures and cleaning process combinations, that is, the cleaning work set stored in the storage module 300 includes a variety of cleaning tasks to be cleaned, corresponding to the cleaning conditions corresponding to any components such as container shells, supports, limiters, door panels, etc., wherein the cleaning conditions include items such as but not limited to cleaning modes, preset values ​​that meet the cleaning conditions such as cleaning time, intensity, area, etc., and are not limited to this example. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning work set includes a preset cleaning process and a subsequent cleaning process. The various cleaning processes in the cleaning work set can have different classifications and sub-cleaning procedures according to different containers and container parts, and the preset cleaning process can refer to the cleaning process corresponding to the first cleaning of the parts to be cleaned, and the subsequent cleaning process can refer to the cleaning process when the cleaning is strengthened according to the inspection results. The cleaning processes can actually be the same or different.

[0072] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning work set includes a plurality of cleaning processes corresponding to different container shapes.

[0073] In one embodiment of the present invention, there may be multiple subsequent cleaning processes to correspond to different cleaning requirements after inspection.

[0074] In one embodiment of the present invention, the storage module 300 stores a plurality of component types of container components and their corresponding contamination status forms in the cleaning work set, a preset cleaning process, a subsequent cleaning process, etc.

[0075] In one embodiment of the present invention, the storage module 300 is a storage medium such as a database, a hard disk, a memory, a memory card, a cloud, a server, a workstation, an electronic device of the Internet, etc.

[0076] The programmable controller 400 is suitable for executing the following steps: cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the cleaning work set through the dry cleaning module 100; inspecting the container parts before and after cleaning through the inspection module 200 to obtain inspection results; judging the component type of the container parts according to the inspection results, selecting the preset cleaning process corresponding to the component type from the cleaning work set according to the component type, and cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the preset cleaning process through the dry cleaning module 100; judging whether the container parts are cleaned according to the inspection results and generating a judgment result; and selecting the subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the inspection result from the cleaning work set according to the judgment result, cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the subsequent cleaning process through the dry cleaning module 100, or executing the container parts to the next work station. Among them, in the above-mentioned operation of judging the subsequent process according to the judgment result, according to the aforementioned judgment result, if it is judged that the cleaning is not completed, the cleaning is further strengthened again, and the cleaning work is concentrated, and the cleaning flow program corresponding to the inspection result is selected, such as the corresponding subsequent cleaning process, and the cleaning process is executed again. If it is judged that the cleaning is completed according to the aforementioned judgment result, the next workstation is executed, such as other subsequent procedures or processes.

[0077] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection results include but are not limited to appearance inspection, inspection of the type and size of the cleaning target, and inspection of the number and area of ​​contamination. For example, before cleaning, the inspection module 200 can inspect the container parts to determine what type of container and what type of parts they belong to, and accordingly, the programmable controller 400 can select the preset cleaning process corresponding to the type of container parts, and control the dry cleaning module 100 to perform cleaning with the preset cleaning process. In addition, the inspection module 200 can also inspect the results of the container parts after cleaning to inspect the cleaning results, and determine, for example, whether the cleaning is clean, whether there are any contamination forms or areas that need to be further strengthened, and accordingly select the corresponding subsequent cleaning process through the programmable controller 400 to further strengthen the cleaning, that is, the programmable controller 400 can determine the type of parts and their contamination forms according to the inspection results before or after cleaning, and select the preset cleaning process or the subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the contamination form from the multiple types of container parts and the contamination forms, preset cleaning processes, and subsequent cleaning processes in the corresponding cleaning work set stored in the storage module 300. It should be noted that computing devices, processors, and microprocessors such as the programmable controller 400 can be set in the dry cleaning module 100 or the inspection module 200 to perform calculations and judgments. The programmable controller 400 can also be externally installed outside the dry cleaning module 100, the inspection module 200, or the storage module 300 and connected by signals.

[0078] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a dry cleaning module 100 of a dry cleaning device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning module 100 may include a chamber 110, a cleaning stage 120, a filter 130, and a programmable dry cleaning nozzle 140, wherein the programmable control means that the dry cleaning module 100 may be controlled by a programmable controller 400 or other electronic devices, computing devices, network devices, or may be controlled by a computing device such as a microprocessor of the dry cleaning module 100 itself. The chamber 110 is suitable for accommodating a container component 900. The cleaning stage 120 is suitable for carrying and holding the container component 900. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning stage 120 is suitable for fixing, clamping, adsorbing or carrying the container component 900, but is not limited thereto. The cleaning stage 120 is suitable for holding the container component 900 in any manner. The filter 130 may be a HEPA filter, and the filter 130 may be located above the chamber 110. After the gas passes through the filter 130, it becomes a filtered clean gas CG gas flow and enters the chamber 110. The container part 900 is placed in the cavity 110, and the dry cleaning nozzle 140 is controlled by a program to spray carbon dioxide snowflakes to the container part 900 according to the cleaning work set to remove the contamination or defective substances (for example, dust, foreign particles, etc.) of the container part 900. The controllable parameters and cleaning conditions of the programmable dry cleaning nozzle 140 include but are not limited to time, flow rate, position, angle and other condition parameters. The defective substances generated by cleaning will be carried out of the cavity 110 downward along with the clean gas flow filtered by the filter 130, and will become dirty gas DG with cleaned dust. It should be noted that the flow direction of the airflow is not limited to the example of this embodiment. In one embodiment of the present invention, there can be multiple dry cleaning modules 100 to perform the cleaning process synchronously and multiplexed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of filters 130 is not limited, and they can be set at different positions in the cavity 110 according to needs.

[0079] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning module 100 can adjust the size and quantity of the chamber 110 according to different semiconductor process containers or different types of container components 900 to be compatible with semiconductor process containers or their container components 900 of various sizes and types.

[0080] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning module 100 can set different cleaning processes in the cleaning work set according to different semiconductor process containers or their container components 900 through the programmable controller 400 or the microprocessor or user interface of the dry cleaning module 100 itself to meet the characteristics or requirements of different containers or their different container components 900.

[0081] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning module 100 may have a plurality of dry cleaning nozzles 140 arranged at different angles and disposed at different positions in the chamber 110, and the plurality of dry cleaning nozzles 140 may be rotatably controlled to spray different directions to clean the container component. In one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of programmable dry cleaning nozzles 140 may be arranged oppositely, for example, one group of dry cleaning nozzles 140 is suitable for cleaning the first surface of the container component 900, and another group of dry cleaning nozzles 140 is suitable for cleaning the second surface of the container component 900. By moving the oppositely arranged dry cleaning nozzles 140, multiple surfaces of the container component 900 may be cleaned simultaneously.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning nozzle 140 of the dry cleaning module 100 is arranged on a programmable control cleaning moving module 150, wherein the programmable control can be controlled by a programmable controller 400 or other electronic devices, computing devices, network devices, or by computing devices such as microprocessors that can be installed in the dry cleaning module 100 or the cleaning moving module 150 itself. The cleaning moving module 150 is suitable for providing the dry cleaning nozzle 140 with three-dimensional spatial movement in the cavity 110, so that the dry cleaning nozzle 140 can be moved to different positions, distances, and angles for cleaning through program control, and its relative position relationship can be freely adjusted. Among them, the arrow represents an example of its moving direction MD. In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning nozzle 140 moves on the cleaning moving module 150. In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning nozzle 140 moves with the cleaning moving module 150. In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning nozzle 140 can move on the cleaning moving module 150 and move with the cleaning moving module 150. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning moving module 150 can be in the form of a slide rail, a pulley, an automatic arm, a telescopic mechanism, a micro self-propelled vehicle, etc. but is not limited thereto.

[0083] Figure 3A FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an inspection module 200 of a dry cleaning device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3B This is an exemplary form of the inspection result obtained by the inspection module 200 of the dry cleaning device 10 in one embodiment of the present invention. The inspection module 200 or the programmable controller 400 connected thereto can display the inspection result through a user interface or other electronic devices, and can distinguish the areas of the container parts in a grid form and mark the schematic diagram of the contamination status. Please refer to Figure 3AIn one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection module 200 may include a cavity 210, an inspection stage 220, an inspection lens 240, and an inspection analyzer (not shown). The inspection lens 240 may be controlled by a program. The inspection module 200 is suitable for inspecting the container component 900. The program control may be controlled by a programmable controller 400 or other electronic devices, computing devices, network devices, or by computing devices such as a microprocessor of the inspection module 200 itself. The inspection analyzer is used to analyze the state of the container component after inspection to obtain the inspection result. The state of the container component includes but is not limited to the appearance inspection before and after cleaning, the component type and component size of the container component (i.e., the cleaning target) before cleaning, and / or the contamination form, degree, quantity and area of ​​the container component after cleaning. For example, before cleaning, the inspection module 200 can inspect the component type of the container component to obtain the inspection result of what type of container or what type of component it belongs to through the inspection analyzer, and based on this, the programmable controller 400 can select the preset cleaning process corresponding to the container component type, and control the dry cleaning module 100 to perform cleaning with the corresponding preset cleaning process. The cavity 210 is suitable for accommodating the container component 900. The inspection platform 220 is suitable for carrying and holding the container component 900, and its carrying and holding method can be the same as that of the cleaning platform 120. Among them, the cavity 210 of the inspection module 200 can be the same cavity or a different cavity as the cavity 110 of the dry cleaning module 100. Please refer to Figure 3B In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection module 200 or the programmable controller 400 connected thereto can display the inspection results through a user interface or other electronic device or display module (such as a screen or a control panel), and can distinguish the areas of the container part 900 in a grid form. In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection module 200 or the programmable controller 400 distinguishes the areas of the container part 90 in a grid form, and marks the types of the contamination conditions (defective forms), such as marking water mark areas and scratch areas. The aforementioned distinguishing the areas of the container parts in a grid form and marking the contamination conditions can identify the contaminated areas according to, for example, the contour features, graphic shapes, grayscale change features, preset reference features, preset thresholds, etc. of the contamination conditions, and mark the contaminated areas and mark the contamination conditions according to preset or dynamic standards or conditions. For example, when a linear grayscale change of a slender contour feature appears in a part of the area, it may be a scratched form, and the area where it appears is marked. In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection lens 240 is an optical lens. In one embodiment of the present invention, there can be multiple inspection modules 200 to perform inspections in multiplexed synchronization. In one embodiment of the present invention, there can be multiple inspection lenses 240 to perform inspections from different positions and angles, and the aforementioned program control can be used to manually or automatically control different inspection positions, inspection angles, inspection times, inspection modes, etc.

[0084] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection lens 240 of the inspection module 200 is arranged on a programmable inspection moving module 250, the programmable control is the same as the above, and the inspection moving module 250 is suitable for providing the inspection lens 240 with three-dimensional spatial movement in the cavity 210, so that the inspection lens 240 can be moved to different positions, distances, and angles for inspection through program control, and its relative position relationship can be freely adjusted. Among them, the arrow represents an example of its moving direction MD.

[0085] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection lens 240 moves on the inspection moving module 250. In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection lens 240 moves with the inspection moving module 250. In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection lens 240 can move on the inspection moving module 250 and move with the inspection moving module 250.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection moving module 250 and the cleaning moving module 150 are the same shared mechanism.

[0087] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection moving module 250 and the cleaning moving module 150 are independently operated mechanisms. It should be noted that the aforementioned dry cleaning module 100 and the inspection module 200 can be controlled by the programmable controller 400, and a processor, a microprocessor, a computing device, etc. such as the programmable controller 400 can also be set in the dry cleaning module 100 and the inspection module 200, so that the aforementioned judgment, calculation, program control, output of results through the user interface and receiving input functions can be completed by the dry cleaning module 100 and the inspection module 200 themselves.

[0088] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning device 20 further includes a feeding module 510, a disassembly module 520, an inspection module 530, a dry cleaning module 540, an assembly module 550, a continuous gas filling module 560, a discharging module 570 and a transmission module 580. The arrows indicate the transmission path 901 of the semiconductor process container and / or its container components. The inspection module 530 and the dry cleaning module 540 are the same as those described above and will not be repeated here.

[0089] The feeding module 510 is suitable for introducing the container of the semiconductor process into the dry cleaning device 20, that is, the container introduction 511. The container of the semiconductor process is, for example, a wafer transfer box, a mask transfer box, a carrier transfer box, etc. In one embodiment of the present invention, the feeding module 510 can be multiple, and the operation is performed synchronously in multiplex. The disassembly module 520 is suitable for disassembling the container of the semiconductor process into several container parts 900, for example, disassembling the mask transfer box or the wafer transfer box into container parts such as a cover, a base, a carrier or components. In one embodiment of the present invention, the disassembly module 520 can be multiple, and the operation is performed synchronously in multiplex. The assembly module 550 is suitable for assembling the container parts 900 that have been dry-cleaned by the dry cleaning module 540 into a container. For example, the dry-cleaned mask / wafer transfer box parts are assembled into a mask / wafer transfer box.

[0090] In one embodiment of the present invention, there can be multiple assembly modules 550 to perform multiplexed synchronous operations. The continuous inflation module 560 is suitable for continuously inflating the assembled container, for example, to eliminate moisture to keep the inside of the container dry, or to fill it with low-reactivity gas to facilitate the use of storing semiconductor components.

[0091] In one embodiment of the present invention, there can be multiple continuous air filling modules to perform multiplexed synchronous operations. The discharge module 570 is suitable for discharging the semiconductor process container from the dry cleaning device 20, that is, the container discharge 571.

[0092] In one embodiment of the present invention, there can be multiple unloading modules 570 to perform multiplexed synchronous operations. The transport module 580 is suitable for moving the semiconductor process container or the disassembled container component 900 thereof in the dry cleaning device 20 .

[0093] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transmission module 580 may be an automatic arm, or a conveyor belt, a transmission platform, etc. In one embodiment of the present invention, there may be a plurality of transmission modules 580 to perform multiplexed synchronous operations.

[0094] Another aspect of the present invention discloses a dry cleaning method suitable for a dry cleaning device to clean a container and / or container parts thereof in a semiconductor process such as the above.

[0095] Please also see Figure 1 and Figure 5 , Figure 5The dry cleaning method of one embodiment of the present invention is a flow chart of a dry cleaning method. The dry cleaning method of one embodiment of the present invention is suitable for a dry cleaning device to clean container parts of a semiconductor process container. The dry cleaning device 10 includes a dry cleaning module 100, an inspection module 200, and a storage module 300. The storage module 300 stores a cleaning work set corresponding to the container parts. The dry cleaning method includes: step (S510) inspecting the component type of the container parts before cleaning; step (S520) selecting a preset cleaning process corresponding to the component type from the cleaning work set according to the component type; step (S530) cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the preset cleaning process; step (S540) inspecting the container after cleaning. The cleaning condition of the parts is determined to obtain the inspection result; step (S550) determines whether the cleaning of the container parts is completed according to the inspection result, and generates a judgment result; if it is determined according to step (S550) that the cleaning of the container parts is not completed, then the step (S560) is continued according to the judgment result. If the container parts are not cleaned, the subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the inspection result is selected from the cleaning work set, and the container parts are cleaned again with carbon dioxide snowflakes until the container parts are cleaned; if it is determined according to step (S550) that the cleaning of the container parts is completed, then the step (S570) is continued according to the judgment result. If the container parts are cleaned, the container parts are executed to the next work station.

[0096] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining whether the container component has been cleaned is to use an inspection artificial intelligence engine to divide the container component into regions of the container component in a grid format and mark the amount of defective material in the region, which is compared with a preset inspection standard to generate a determination result.

[0097] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of inspecting the component types of the container components before cleaning further includes: storing a plurality of component types of the container components and their corresponding contamination status forms in the cleaning work set, a preset cleaning process, and a subsequent cleaning process.

[0098] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of inspecting the container parts before and after cleaning is performed by a programmable controller to determine the type of parts and / or their contamination status based on the inspection results before or after cleaning, and select a preset cleaning process or a subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the type of parts and / or the contamination status.

[0099] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dry cleaning method may be performed by the aforementioned dry cleaning device.

[0100] Figure 6The present invention is a schematic diagram of a process flow of a container or semiconductor workpiece using a dry cleaning method in one embodiment of the present invention. The dry cleaning method in one embodiment of the present invention comprises: step (S610) of introducing a container or semiconductor workpiece; step (S620) of disassembling container components; step (S630) of inspecting the appearance before cleaning; step (S640) of performing dry cleaning with carbon dioxide snowflakes; step (S650) of inspecting the appearance after cleaning; step (S660) of assembling container components; step (S670) of continuously inflating; step (S680) of exporting the container; and step (S690) of comparing the appearance inspections before and after cleaning.

[0101] Please refer to Figure 6 First, the container of the semiconductor process is disassembled into container parts by the disassembly module, and then transferred to the inspection module by the transmission module for a pre-cleaning appearance inspection, such as an inspection of the appearance, type, and size of the container parts to determine the type of the container parts and / or the contamination status before cleaning. After the inspection, the container parts are transferred to the dry cleaning module by the transmission module, and cleaned with carbon dioxide snowflakes to remove defective substances on the container parts, and then transferred to the detection module by the transmission module for a post-cleaning appearance inspection to determine whether the contamination status after cleaning meets the cleaning standards. If the post-cleaning appearance inspection fails (NG), the inspection module can compare the appearance inspection results before and after cleaning, and transfer the container parts to the dry cleaning module to re-clean the contaminated residual area where defective substances are detected, or strengthen the cleaning for specific areas and contamination forms, that is, operation step (S690). If the appearance inspection after cleaning passes (PASS), the container parts will be executed to the next workstation, such as other subsequent procedures after cleaning. In one embodiment of the present invention, the container parts are transferred to the assembly module by the transmission module for assembly, and after the continuous inflation module is inflated, the container parts are transferred to the discharge module by the transmission module to export the container parts from the dry cleaning device.

[0102] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection module determines whether the appearance inspection after cleaning passes through a preset inspection standard. For example, an exemplary inspection standard is that when the number of defective materials in a unit area is greater than the preset standard, it is judged as failed; for example, an exemplary inspection standard is that when the number of defective materials in a unit area is less than or equal to the preset standard, it is judged as passed.

[0103] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the appearance inspection after cleaning fails, the inspection module reads the corresponding subsequent cleaning process from a storage module such as a database through a programmable controller after comparing the appearance inspection results before and after cleaning, and the dry cleaning module performs carbon dioxide snow cleaning (CO2 clean) with the subsequent cleaning process.

[0104] In one embodiment of the present invention, a storage module (e.g., a database) stores cleaning procedures and cleaning processes corresponding to a plurality of different contamination conditions (e.g., different defective material forms) so as to judge the contamination conditions of different appearance inspection results and select subsequent cleaning processes corresponding to different contamination conditions (e.g., different defective material forms) so as to select an appropriate subsequent cleaning process for a specific defect form.

[0105] In one embodiment of the present invention, a storage module (e.g., a database) stores cleaning programs and cleaning processes corresponding to different contamination types, different contamination areas, and different contamination quantities. In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of cleaning programs and cleaning parameters in the cleaning process in the cleaning work set, such as but not limited to cleaning time, cleaning distance, carbon dioxide snowflake flow rate, carbon dioxide snowflake nozzle movement rate, and carbon dioxide snowflake nozzle movement path, are used to clean different contamination types, different contamination degrees, and different contamination areas.

[0106] In one embodiment of the present invention, the contamination condition of the container component may be, for example, but not limited to, water marks, contamination marks, scratches, marks, and particles. In one embodiment of the present invention, the defective material may be, for example, but not limited to, carbon-containing compounds, oxygen-containing compounds, metal-containing compounds, and silicon-containing compounds.

[0107] In one embodiment of the present invention, the programmable controller adjusts the cleaning program, cleaning process and / or its cleaning parameters in the cleaning work set in the storage module (e.g., database) according to the appearance inspection results after cleaning and / or the comparison of the appearance inspection results before and after cleaning, so as to optimize the cleaning program, cleaning process and / or its cleaning parameters corresponding to different appearance inspection results, so as to automatically adjust the parameters of the cleaning program and cleaning process corresponding to different pollution conditions. The cleaning program and cleaning process may include the aforementioned preset cleaning process and subsequent cleaning process, and the actual cleaning content and parameters of the preset cleaning process and the subsequent cleaning process may be the same, and the classification of preset or subsequent is not used as a necessary distinction of the actual cleaning parameter conditions.

[0108] In one embodiment of the present invention, the programmable controller further includes a judgment artificial intelligence engine for adjusting the cleaning work set in the storage module according to the inspection results, so as to automatically feedback and adjust the cleaning work set such as the cleaning program, cleaning process and / or its cleaning parameters. For example, when the corners of the cleaned parts still have contaminants after cleaning, the cleaning work set can be adjusted to strengthen the cleaning of the corners.

[0109] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection module also includes an inspection artificial intelligence engine to automatically adjust and optimize the analysis and judgment of the pollution status morphology according to different appearance inspection results through a machine learning model or a deep learning model.

[0110] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pollution status morphology analysis standard can be fed back to the inspection module and / or storage module (such as a database) through a machine learning model or a deep learning model to optimize the standard for judging the pollution status morphology.

[0111] In one embodiment of the present invention, the operation of the aforementioned inspection module may be performed by a programmable controller. In another embodiment of the present invention, the operation performed by the aforementioned programmable controller may be performed by the inspection analyzer or inspection artificial intelligence engine of the inspection module itself. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the programmable controller may be included in the inspection module.

[0112] Figure 7 This is an exemplary schematic diagram of a dry cleaning device suitable for inspecting different container parts in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 , showing a schematic diagram of different container components of a container component inspected by an inspection module in one embodiment of the present invention, such as a cover, a base, a carrier or a component and other container components.

[0113] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection module may preset different inspection areas for different container components, for example, different inspection ROIs may be set for different container component areas.

[0114] Figure 8 This is an exemplary schematic diagram of different contamination states stored in a dry cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 , showing an exemplary container component defect type diagram of different contamination conditions (e.g., different defect material conditions) stored in the inspection module and / or database in one embodiment of the present invention. The contamination conditions of the container components may be, for example, but not limited to, water marks, contamination marks, scratches, prints, and particles.

[0115] Fig. 9A is an exemplary schematic diagram of the surface of a container component before dry cleaning in one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9B FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the surface of a container component after dry cleaning in one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9A , showing two different areas of the surface of the container component before dry cleaning, it can be seen within the dotted line range that there are residual contaminants on the surface of the container component. Fig. 9B , showing two surfaces of the container part and Fig. 9A The schematic diagram of the same area after dry cleaning shows that in the same area, residual contaminants originally present on the surface are removed by dry cleaning.

[0116] Thus, through the dry cleaning device or dry cleaning method of the present invention, a fast and effective dry cleaning device or dry cleaning method that does not require the use of liquid solvents can be achieved to meet the cleaning needs of a large number of semiconductor process containers and reduce the use of liquid solvents and process operation time. Through the dry cleaning device or dry cleaning method of the present invention, since there is no need to use liquid solvents, it is possible to avoid consuming a large amount of cleaning pure water (DI water), and therefore a large amount of cleaning wastewater will not be generated. In addition, compared to the traditional cleaning procedure that requires steps such as cleaning, drying, and baking, the dry cleaning device or dry cleaning method of the present invention only requires a dry cleaning step. In addition to saving process time, it also reduces the material and parts cost of the cleaning device, the development and assembly schedule of the device, and reduces the footprint of the device, further improving the efficiency and quality of the container cleaning procedure necessary in the semiconductor process.

[0117] The present invention has been disclosed in the above with preferred embodiments, but those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments are only used to describe the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that all changes and substitutions equivalent to the embodiments should be included in the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be based on the scope of the patent application, and the scope of the attached claims shall be interpreted in the broadest sense to include all modifications, similar arrangements and processes.

Claims

1. A dry cleaning device, characterized in that: The dry cleaning device is suitable for cleaning container parts of a semiconductor process container, and the dry cleaning device comprises: A dry cleaning module, suitable for cleaning the container parts with carbon dioxide snow; An inspection module, adapted to inspect the container component to obtain an inspection result; A storage module, adapted to store the container components and their corresponding cleaning work sets; as well as A programmable controller, signal-connecting the dry cleaning module, the inspection module, and the storage module, is suitable for performing the following steps: Cleaning the container component with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the cleaning work set by the dry cleaning module; By using the inspection module, the container component before and after cleaning is inspected to obtain the inspection result; According to the inspection result before cleaning, the component type of the container component is determined, and according to the component type, a preset cleaning process corresponding to the component type is selected from the cleaning work set, and the container component is cleaned with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the preset cleaning process through the dry cleaning module; According to the inspection result after cleaning, judging whether the container component has been cleaned, and generating a judgment result; as well as According to the judgment result, a subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the inspection result is selected from the cleaning work set, and the container component is cleaned with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the subsequent cleaning process through the dry cleaning module, or the container component is executed to the next work station.

2. The dry cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dry cleaning module includes: Cavity; A cleaning carrier is disposed in the cavity, and the cleaning carrier is suitable for holding the container component; a filter disposed in the cavity, the filter being adapted to filter the gas so that clean gas flows into the cavity; and A dry cleaning nozzle is arranged in the cavity, and the dry cleaning nozzle sprays carbon dioxide snowflakes toward the container component according to the cleaning work set.

3. The dry cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The dry cleaning nozzles are multiple and are arranged at different positions in the cavity. The dry cleaning nozzles can be rotated and controlled in different directions to clean the container component.

4. The dry cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The dry cleaning module also includes a cleaning moving module, and the programmable controller controls the cleaning moving module to adjust the relative position relationship between the dry cleaning nozzle and the container component.

5. The dry cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inspection module includes: An inspection platform, suitable for carrying the container component; an inspection lens adapted to inspect the container component; and The inspection analyzer is used to analyze the state of the container component after inspection to obtain the inspection result.

6. The dry cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inspection module also includes an inspection moving module, and the programmable controller is used to control the inspection moving module to adjust the relative position relationship between the inspection lens and the container component.

7. The dry cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The programmable controller divides the container component into areas of the container component in a grid form according to the inspection result before or after cleaning, and marks the contamination status.

8. The dry cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The programmable controller determines whether the cleaning is completed by comparing the amount of defective materials in the unit area of ​​the inspection result after cleaning with the preset inspection standard.

9. The dry cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The programmable controller obtains the subsequent cleaning process for strengthening the cleaning of the local area from the cleaning work set according to the inspection result after cleaning.

10. The dry cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage module stores multiple component types of the container components and their corresponding contamination status forms in the cleaning work set, the preset cleaning process, and the subsequent cleaning process. The programmable controller determines the component type and its contamination status form based on the inspection results before or after cleaning, and selects the preset cleaning process or the subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the contamination status form.

11. The dry cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The programmable controller feeds back and adjusts the cleaning work set in the storage module according to the inspection result, wherein the cleaning work set includes the preset cleaning process and the subsequent cleaning process.

12. The dry cleaning device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The programmable controller also includes an artificial intelligence engine for determining the cleaning work set in the storage module according to the inspection result.

13. The dry cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inspection module also includes an inspection artificial intelligence engine, and the inspection result is obtained by processing the inspection artificial intelligence engine.

14. A dry cleaning method, characterized in that: The dry cleaning method is suitable for cleaning a semiconductor process container and its container parts, and the dry cleaning method comprises: Check the component types of the container components before cleaning; Selecting a preset cleaning process corresponding to the component type from the self-cleaning work set according to the component type; Cleaning the container component with carbon dioxide snowflakes according to the preset cleaning process; Inspecting the cleaning condition of the container component after cleaning to obtain an inspection result; According to the inspection result, judging whether the container component has been cleaned, and generating a judgment result; According to the judgment result, if the container part has not been cleaned, the subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the inspection result is selected from the cleaning work set, and the container part is cleaned again with carbon dioxide snowflakes until the container part is cleaned. If the container part has been cleaned, the container part will be executed to the next workstation.

15. The dry cleaning method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The step of determining whether the cleaning of the container component is completed is to use an inspection artificial intelligence engine to divide the container component into areas of the container component in the form of a grid, and mark the amount of defective material in the area, which is compared with a preset inspection standard to generate the judgment result.

16. The dry cleaning method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The step of inspecting the component type of the container component before cleaning also includes: A plurality of component types of the container component and the contamination status forms corresponding to the cleaning work set, the preset cleaning process, and the subsequent cleaning process are stored.

17. The dry cleaning method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The step of inspecting the container component before and after cleaning is that the programmable controller determines the type of the component and its contamination status according to the inspection results before or after cleaning, and selects the preset cleaning process or the subsequent cleaning process corresponding to the contamination status.

18. The dry cleaning method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The dry cleaning method is performed by a dry cleaning device, which includes a dry cleaning module, an inspection module, a storage module and a programmable controller, wherein the dry cleaning module cleans the container component with carbon dioxide snowflakes, the inspection module inspects the container component to obtain the inspection result, the storage module stores the container component and its corresponding cleaning work set, the programmable controller signal connects the dry cleaning module, the inspection module and the storage module, and the programmable controller is used to execute the dry cleaning method.

Images