Wafer cleaning method, apparatus and device

Abstract

The application discloses a wafer cleaning method, device and equipment, and belongs to the technical field of chip manufacturing. The wafer cleaning device comprises a chuck, a clamping piece, a clamping piece cleaning mechanism, a liquid spraying mechanism and a rotating mechanism. The wafer cleaning method is realized by the wafer cleaning device as mentioned above. The chuck is driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism, and the clamping jaws are sequentially rotated to the cleaning station for cleaning. The clamping jaws located in the cleaning station are sprayed by the nozzle to clean. The wafer cleaning equipment comprises the wafer cleaning device as mentioned above. The above technical scheme can realize automatic cleaning of the clamping piece, reduce manual operation, improve the cleaning efficiency, and has a significant advantage in industrial scale application. The device can clean without stopping, and the cleaning can be completed in the interval of replacing the wafer, which helps to improve the overall production efficiency and reduce the downtime.

Description

[0001] This application is an invention patent application filed on March 26, 2025, with application number 2025103604590.

[0002] Please submit a divisional application. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a wafer cleaning method, apparatus, and equipment, belonging to the field of chip manufacturing technology. Background Technology

[0004] In chip manufacturing, wafer cleaning is a crucial step because it directly impacts the quality and yield of the final chip. The purpose of wafer cleaning is to remove various contaminants that may remain from the manufacturing process, such as particles, organic matter, metal ions, and oxides. If these contaminants are not removed promptly, they will affect the smoothness of the wafer surface, thus impacting the effectiveness of subsequent process steps, such as photolithography, doping, and metallization.

[0005] Wet cleaning is the most common cleaning method, which uses chemical solutions to clean wafers. During wet cleaning, the wafer must first be clamped to ensure its stability during the cleaning process, avoid mechanical stress or damage, and ensure that the cleaning solution evenly covers the wafer surface, thus achieving the best cleaning effect.

[0006] Wafer clamping methods typically include mechanical clamping, rotary clamping, non-contact clamping, and adsorption clamping. Among them, wafer cleaning mechanisms using mechanical clamping typically include a chuck, clamping components, a rotary mechanism, and a liquid recovery mechanism. The chuck is mounted on the rotary mechanism, the support is set on the chuck, and the clamping components are used to clamp and fix the wafer. The chuck, clamping components, and wafer can rotate synchronously through the rotation mechanism.

[0007] During wafer rotation, cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the wafer via a spray mechanism. The wafer's rotation causes the cleaning fluid to be flung radially outward by centrifugal force. A liquid recovery mechanism is arranged in a ring on the radially outer side of the chuck to form an isolation ring, which collects the cleaning fluid flung outward by the rotating wafer. Different chemical cleaning solutions are typically used to clean the wafer to achieve a high particle removal rate, and multiple isolation rings are employed to collect the different solutions.

[0008] During wafer cleaning, cleaning solutions adhere to the surface of the clamping components. If not effectively removed, the residual solutions will affect the cleaning effect on the wafer edges, especially in the area where the wafer contacts the clamping components, leading to incomplete cleaning. Furthermore, residual solutions may contain particles, contaminants, or chemical components shed during previous cleaning processes. These residues can contaminate new wafers during subsequent cleaning, causing cross-contamination. In addition, some cleaning solutions are corrosive; prolonged adhesion to the clamping component surface can cause corrosion or aging of the component material, affecting the equipment's lifespan and stability. Simultaneously, long-term solution residue on the clamping components may alter the surface friction coefficient, accelerating wear, especially at the contact points during wafer rotation. If solutions remain on the clamping component surface for an extended period, it may cause the clamping components to jam or become inflexible, affecting wafer clamping effectiveness and even causing wafer displacement or detachment during rotation.

[0009] Common methods for cleaning residual chemicals on clamping components include manual wiping, immersion cleaning, and ultrasonic cleaning. Manual cleaning requires significant manual labor, is time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially when cleaning large or complex-shaped clamping components, where wiping becomes more difficult. Compared to automated methods, manual cleaning is less efficient, suitable for small-batch cleaning, and unsuitable for large-scale industrial cleaning needs. Immersion cleaning typically requires time to dissolve residual chemicals on the clamping component surface, making it slower and less efficient than other methods. Both ultrasonic cleaning and immersion cleaning require disassembling the clamping components and placing them in specialized equipment, increasing the disassembly and reassembly process, resulting in longer downtime and impacting wafer cleaning efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a wafer cleaning method, apparatus, and equipment. By setting a clamping component cleaning mechanism in the wafer cleaning equipment, the clamping components can be automatically cleaned, effectively improving the cleaning efficiency of the clamping components. Furthermore, the cleaning of the clamping components can be completed only during the interval between wafer replacements without stopping the machine, which is beneficial to improving the wafer cleaning effect.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a wafer cleaning apparatus comprising:

[0012] Chuck;

[0013] The clamping component includes multiple jaws, which are circumferentially distributed on a chuck for clamping and fixing the wafer.

[0014] The spraying mechanism is used to spray cleaning fluid onto the wafer for cleaning.

[0015] A clamping cleaning mechanism includes a nozzle, on which at least one spray channel is provided, the nozzle being used to spray fluid toward the cleaning station;

[0016] A rotating mechanism, connected to the chuck, is used to rotate the jaws to the cleaning station and then drive the chuck to rotate back and forth, thereby causing the jaws located at the cleaning station to swing back and forth.

[0017] The injection channels are multiple, and the multiple injection channels are used to inject fluid toward different positions on the swing path of the claw.

[0018] Each of the spray channels is connected to an independent spray pipe, and each spray pipe is equipped with a valve that can be independently controlled to open and close.

[0019] The clamping cleaning mechanism also includes a follow-drive component, which is used to drive the nozzle to move along a preset path when the jaws reciprocate, thereby aligning the nozzle with the jaws in real time to spray fluid.

[0020] The following drive assembly includes a first universal ball, a second universal ball, a transverse motor screw drive device, and a longitudinal motor screw drive device; the nozzle is a straight rod that passes through the first and second universal balls in sequence, and the nozzle is slidably connected to the first universal ball and fixedly connected to the second universal ball; the first universal ball is mounted on a first universal ball seat, and the second universal ball is mounted on a second universal ball seat; the transverse and longitudinal sides of the first universal ball seat are respectively provided with a transverse slide rod and a longitudinal slide rod, and the transverse slide rod, the longitudinal slide rod, and the nozzle are perpendicular to each other; the transverse motor screw drive device includes a transverse motor, a transverse screw, and a transverse nut threaded onto the transverse screw, and the longitudinal slide rod is slidably mounted on the transverse nut; the longitudinal motor screw drive device includes a longitudinal motor, a longitudinal screw, and a longitudinal nut threaded onto the longitudinal screw, and the transverse slide rod is slidably mounted on the longitudinal nut.

[0021] The nozzle is located radially outside the rotation trajectory of the gripper and sprays at an angle toward the cleaning station.

[0022] The angle between the liquid outlet angle of the nozzle and the horizontal plane is 45° to 85°.

[0023] The wafer cleaning apparatus further includes:

[0024] The liquid recovery mechanism includes an isolation ring arranged in a ring on the radially outer side of the chuck for receiving liquid ejected outwards during wafer rotation.

[0025] The liquid recovery mechanism also includes a lifting drive device, which is used to drive the isolation ring to rise to a position where the top of the inner wall of the isolation ring is 3mm to 8mm above the top of the jaw before the clamping cleaning mechanism cleans the jaws.

[0026] The fluid includes liquids and / or gases.

[0027] The clamping cleaning mechanism also includes an adjustable bracket, and the nozzle is mounted on the adjustable bracket.

[0028] The adjustable bracket includes a rotatable arm and a mounting base. The nozzle is located on the rotatable arm, and the rotatable arm is mounted on the mounting base via a mounting shaft and can be locked in terms of rotation angle and height via a locking device.

[0029] The mounting shaft is fixed to the mounting base. The rotatable arm is provided with a shaft hole for the mounting shaft to pass through. A slot is provided at the end of the rotatable arm, which divides the end of the rotatable arm into a first clamping plate portion and a second clamping plate portion. A portion of the shaft hole is located on the first clamping plate portion, and another portion is located on the second clamping plate portion. The locking device includes fastening bolts installed at both ends of the first clamping plate portion and the second clamping plate portion.

[0030] The mounting base is provided with an adjustment elongated hole, through which the fixing bolts for fixing the mounting base pass.

[0031] The adjustment orifice extends radially along the chuck.

[0032] The rotatable arm is equipped with a spray pipe inside, and the nozzle is threadedly connected to the end of the rotatable arm. The spray pipe is inserted into the receiving cavity of the nozzle, and a spray channel is provided on the nozzle, which is connected to the receiving cavity.

[0033] The present invention also provides a wafer cleaning method, implemented by the wafer cleaning apparatus as described above, comprising:

[0034] Wafer cleaning steps: The chuck is driven to rotate by a rotating mechanism, and the liquid spraying mechanism sprays cleaning solution onto the wafer for cleaning.

[0035] Cleaning steps for clamped parts: The chuck is driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism, and the clamping jaws are rotated to the cleaning station in sequence. The nozzle sprays fluid onto the clamping jaws located at the cleaning station for cleaning. While the nozzle is spraying fluid, the chuck is driven to rotate back and forth by the rotating mechanism, causing the clamping jaws located at the cleaning station to swing back and forth.

[0036] The nozzle cleans the jaws by spraying liquid. Before cleaning, a lifting drive device raises the isolation ring to a position where the top of the inner wall of the isolation ring is 3mm to 8mm above the top of the jaws. After cleaning, the lifting drive device continues to raise the isolation ring, and a rotating mechanism drives the chuck to rotate, throwing the liquid outward and collecting it through the isolation ring.

[0037] Multiple injection channels are provided on the nozzle to spray fluid toward different positions on the swing path of the chuck; when the chuck swings to the position opposite to any injection channel, the valve of that injection channel opens, and the valves of the other injection channels close.

[0038] A single spray channel is set on the nozzle; when the claw swings back and forth, the nozzle is driven by the follow drive component to move in accordance with the preset path so as to spray fluid in real time with the claw.

[0039] The gripper claws are dried by spraying gas through a nozzle.

[0040] The present invention also provides a wafer cleaning apparatus, comprising the wafer cleaning device as described above, and further comprising:

[0041] The liquid spraying control system, connected to the liquid spraying mechanism, is used to control the liquid spraying mechanism to spray cleaning fluid onto the wafer when the chuck drives the wafer to rotate.

[0042] The cleaning control system is connected to the clamping cleaning mechanism and is used to control the clamping cleaning mechanism to spray fluid to the cleaning station.

[0043] The chuck drive control system is connected to the rotating mechanism and is used to control the rotating mechanism to drive the chuck to rotate, to control the rotating mechanism to drive the chuck to rotate the jaws to the cleaning station, and to control the rotating mechanism to drive the chuck to reciprocate so that the jaws located at the cleaning station swing back and forth.

[0044] When multiple spray channels are provided on the nozzle, the cleaning control system is also used to control the valve of the spray channel to open and the valves of the other spray channels to close when the chuck swings to the position opposite to one of the multiple spray channels.

[0045] When a single spray channel is provided on the nozzle, the cleaning control system is also used to control the follow drive assembly to drive the nozzle to move in accordance with a preset path when the chuck swings back and forth, so as to spray fluid in real time into the chuck.

[0046] The wafer cleaning equipment also includes:

[0047] A lifting control system, connected to a lifting drive device, is used to control the lifting drive device to raise the isolation ring to a position where the top of the inner wall of the isolation ring is 3mm to 8mm above the top of the jaw before cleaning the jaws, and to control the lifting drive device to continue moving the isolation ring upward after cleaning the jaws. By adopting the above technical solution, the wafer cleaning method, apparatus, and equipment of the present invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0048] a. By setting up a clamping component cleaning mechanism, automatic cleaning of clamping components can be achieved, reducing manual operation and improving cleaning efficiency, which has significant advantages, especially in industrial-scale applications; at the same time, it avoids the secondary pollution caused by opening the chamber for manual cleaning, and eliminates the need to run the equipment empty after wiping; the device can perform cleaning without stopping the machine, and can complete the cleaning in the interval between wafer changes, which helps to improve overall production efficiency and reduce downtime.

[0049] b. By spraying liquid and gas onto the clamping parts through the nozzle, the residual chemicals adhering to the surface of the clamping parts can be effectively removed, improving the cleaning effect of the wafer edge and reducing the risk of cross-contamination;

[0050] c. The nozzle is equipped with multiple independent spray channels, and the fluid sprayed out repeatedly cleans the clamped parts at various different angles to ensure that all areas of the clamped parts can be cleaned, especially complex-shaped parts, thereby improving the uniformity and thoroughness of cleaning and further improving the cleaning effect.

[0051] d. When the nozzle is configured with a single spray channel, the follow drive assembly drives the nozzle to spray fluid onto the surface of the jaw. The nozzle angle can be freely and flexibly controlled by two universal ball joints and two lead screw motor drive devices, overcoming the defect that the fluid sprayed by the nozzle cannot be aligned with the real-time position of the jaw when the jaw swings back and forth. When the nozzle is equipped with multiple spray channels, it can also spray separately towards different positions on the jaw swing trajectory through different spray channels, so that the liquid is accurately sprayed onto the surface of the jaw during the jaw swing, thereby controlling the splash area range and avoiding an excessively wide spray range.

[0052] e. The annular liquid recovery mechanism can recover the liquid splashed from the clamping parts during the cleaning process. Specifically, by driving the isolation ring to rise above the jaws, the liquid droplets splashed after the liquid jet from the nozzle hits the jaws can fall onto the inner wall of the isolation ring and slide down, without disrupting the overall atmosphere in the chamber. At the same time, the isolation ring can also effectively catch the liquid thrown outward during rotation, reducing liquid waste and preventing environmental pollution, which is conducive to the effective management of waste liquid.

[0053] f. The adjustable bracket and rotatable arm design allow cleaning parameters to be adjusted according to specific needs, increasing the flexibility and adaptability of the device. Attached Figure Description

[0054] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer cleaning apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a clamping cleaning mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention in operation.

[0057] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the isolation ring continuing to move upwards in the embodiment;

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping cleaning mechanism provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the clamping cleaning mechanism in the embodiment;

[0060] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping cleaning mechanism provided in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 7 This is an oblique sectional view of the nozzle in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the clamped component within its swing range during the cleaning process.

[0063] Figure 9 A schematic diagram showing the usage state of the clamping cleaning mechanism provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the follow-drive component in the embodiment;

[0065] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the assembly of the nozzle with the first and second omnidirectional balls.

[0066] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the cleaning mechanism for the clamping parts, showing the spray cleaning of the gripper claws;

[0067] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a clamping member provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of a wafer cleaning method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0069] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0070] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0071] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0072] In this invention, a wafer is also called a substrate, which has the same meaning and practical function.

[0073] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0074] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer cleaning apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The wafer cleaning apparatus includes a housing 1, a chuck 2 disposed in the housing 1, a clamping member, a clamping member cleaning mechanism 4, a rotating mechanism 5, a liquid recovery mechanism, and a liquid spraying mechanism 7.

[0075] The chuck 2 is mounted on the rotating mechanism 5, and the clamping element is disposed on the chuck 2. The clamping element includes multiple jaws 3, which are evenly distributed circumferentially on the chuck 2. Of course, in other embodiments, the jaws 3 may also be unevenly distributed to better coordinate with the robotic arm for picking up and placing wafers. The multiple jaws 3 are used to horizontally clamp and fix the wafer, and the rotating mechanism 5 enables the chuck 2, the clamping element, and the wafer to rotate synchronously.

[0076] During wafer rotation, the spraying mechanism 7 sprays cleaning fluid onto the wafer for cleaning. The wafer rotation causes the cleaning fluid to be thrown radially outward by centrifugal force. The liquid recovery mechanism is arranged in a ring on the radially outer side of the chuck 2 to receive the cleaning fluid thrown outward by the wafer rotation.

[0077] In this embodiment, the liquid recovery mechanism includes an isolation ring 6 and a lifting drive device (not shown). The lifting drive device can drive the isolation ring 6 to descend below the chuck 2 and drive the isolation ring 6 to rise above the jaw 3 to match the wafer cleaning process.

[0078] In Embodiment 1, the clamping cleaning mechanism 4 includes an adjustable bracket and a nozzle 41. Figure 4 (As shown), an adjustable bracket is mounted on the side wall of the housing 1, and a nozzle 41 is located at the front end of the adjustable bracket. The nozzle 41 is used to spray fluid toward the cleaning station. The rotating mechanism 5 can rotate the gripper 3 to the cleaning station, thereby cleaning the surface of the gripper 3 through the clamping cleaning mechanism 4. It should be noted that the cleaning station in this invention refers to the position of the gripper 3 during the cleaning process.

[0079] In this invention, the adjustable bracket design allows the position and angle of the nozzle 41 to be adjusted according to requirements, ensuring that the fluid can be accurately sprayed onto the cleaning station. The nozzle 41 faces directly towards the cleaning station, enabling efficient and concentrated fluid spraying for comprehensive cleaning of the grippers 3 and improving cleaning effectiveness. Installing the adjustable bracket on the side wall of the housing 1 effectively utilizes space and reduces the equipment's footprint. The adjustable bracket, in conjunction with the rotating mechanism 5, enables automatic cleaning of the grippers 3, improving production efficiency and reducing labor costs. The independence of the clamping cleaning mechanism 4 helps prevent cross-contamination during the cleaning process, maintaining high-quality standards for wafer cleaning.

[0080] In this embodiment, the adjustable bracket includes a rotatable arm 42 and a mounting base 43, such as Figure 4 As shown, the nozzle 41 is located at the front end of the rotatable arm 42, which is fixed to the mounting base 43 by the mounting shaft 44 and can lock the rotation angle by the locking device.

[0081] Specifically, the mounting shaft 44 is fixed on the mounting base 43, and the rotatable arm 42 is provided with a shaft hole 421 for the mounting shaft 44 to pass through. A slot 422 is provided at the end of the rotatable arm 42, which divides the end of the rotatable arm 42 into a first clamping plate portion 423 and a second clamping plate portion 424. A part of the shaft hole 421 is located on the first clamping plate portion 423, and another part is located on the second clamping plate portion 424. The locking device is a fastening bolt 45, which is installed at the ends of both the first clamping plate portion 423 and the second clamping plate portion 424.

[0082] During installation, loosen the fastening bolt 45, and coaxially fit the shaft hole 421 of the rotatable arm 42 onto the mounting shaft 44, so that the first clamping plate 423 and the second clamping plate 424 clamp the mounting shaft 44. Then adjust the rotatable arm 42 to a suitable angle, and tighten the fastening bolt 45 to lock the first clamping plate 423 and the second clamping plate 424 into place.

[0083] Furthermore, the mounting base 43 is provided with an adjustment elongated hole 431 to allow the fixing bolt 46 to pass through. Figure 4 The adjustment orifice 431 is shown. The adjustment orifice 431 extends radially along the chuck 2. By adjusting the position of the fixing bolt 46 in the adjustment orifice 431, the distance between the mounting base 43 and the chuck 2 can be adjusted, thereby precisely adjusting the horizontal position of the nozzle 41.

[0084] In this invention, the design of the rotatable arm 42 allows the nozzle 41 to be flexibly adjusted in angle after installation, ensuring precise positioning of the sprayed fluid and improving the cleaning effect. The locking device securely locks the position of the rotatable arm 42, preventing changes in the nozzle 41's position due to vibration or other factors during operation, ensuring consistent cleaning. The tightening and loosening of the fastening bolts 45 is simple, facilitating quick installation and adjustment to adapt to different work requirements. The segmented clamping design, with the first clamping plate 423 and the second clamping plate 424, ensures a more uniform clamping force on the mounting shaft 44, enhancing installation stability and reducing wear caused by uneven clamping force. Simultaneously, different installation heights can be adjusted by changing the position of the rotatable arm 42 fixed to the mounting shaft 44. The adjustment elongated hole 431 on the mounting base 43 provides a wider adjustment range, allowing for convenient adjustment of the distance between the nozzle 41 and the chuck 2 according to actual needs, improving structural flexibility. The adjustable bracket features a compact design that makes efficient use of space, making it suitable for use in limited working environments. Combined with the flexibility of the rotating mechanism 5, it enables an efficient cleaning process, adapts to clamps of various shapes, and ensures thorough cleaning.

[0085] Figure 5In the embodiment shown, a spray pipe 47 is provided inside the rotatable arm 42, and a nozzle 41 is threadedly connected to the end of the rotatable arm 42. The spray pipe 47 is inserted into the receiving cavity 412 of the nozzle 41. A spray channel 411 is provided on the nozzle 41, and the spray channel 411 communicates with the receiving cavity 412 to spray cleaning fluid toward the claw 3 in the housing 1.

[0086] Furthermore, the spray pipe 47 is connected to a liquid source or a gas source, and can be switched between the two sources via a valve, allowing liquid or gas to flow into the nozzle 41 through the spray pipe 47 and be sprayed outward through the spray channel 411. When using liquid to clean the gripper 3, the liquid can be a chemical agent or deionized water, depending on actual needs; when using gas to clean the gripper 3, or when drying the gripper 3 after cleaning with deionized water, nitrogen or other inert gases can be used.

[0087] In this invention, the design of the spray pipe 47 and nozzle 41 allows for flexible selection of liquid or gas according to cleaning needs, supporting multiple cleaning schemes and improving cleaning adaptability. The valve enables rapid switching between liquid and gas sources, simplifying operation, saving time and manpower, and improving work efficiency. When using liquid cleaning, different chemical agents or deionized water can be selected according to specific circumstances to meet specific cleaning requirements and improve cleaning effect. After liquid cleaning, gas drying is used to ensure rapid drying of the gripper 3, avoiding moisture residue and reducing the risk of cross-contamination. In addition to meeting the need for flexible selection of liquid or gas, the design of the spray channel 411 also ensures uniform fluid spraying, improving cleaning effect and coverage, especially suitable for complex-shaped clamping parts. Nitrogen or other inert gases can be used for cleaning and drying, reducing environmental impact, and gas cleaning effectively removes residues. The internal spray pipe 47 and nozzle 41 installation structure saves space, making the overall equipment more compact and adaptable to different working environments.

[0088] In embodiment two, the nozzle 41 of the clamping cleaning mechanism 4 is provided with multiple spray channels 411, for example, three channels. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, each spray channel 411 corresponds to a spray pipe 47. By spraying in different directions through multiple spray channels 411, the gripper 3 can be sprayed by different spray channels 411 when it swings to different positions on its trajectory during small reciprocating swings. This avoids the defect that a single spray channel 411 cannot clean the gripper 3 from multiple angles, thus achieving a better cleaning effect. On the other hand, as the gripper 3 swings to different positions and is sprayed directionally through the corresponding spray channel 411, the splash area range can also be controlled, avoiding an excessively wide spray range that could cause unnecessary splashing.

[0089] In this embodiment, the included angle θ between the two side injection channels 411 and the middle injection channel 411 is equal, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the included angle θ is the included angle between the center lines of adjacent injection channels 411.

[0090] The spray channel 411 is inclined relative to the central axis of the nozzle 41, that is, the spray channel 411 forms an angle α with the horizontal plane. Figure 12 (As shown), this is because the central axis of the nozzle 41 is set horizontally. To better show the internal structure of the spray channel 411, the cross-section is deliberately passed through the center line of the spray channel 411.

[0091] Preferably, the angle θ between the two side spray channels 411 and the middle spray channel 411 is 5° to 30°, so that the sprayed cleaning fluid can better cover the surface of the claw 3 to achieve precise and efficient cleaning.

[0092] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a clamping member provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The clamping member includes a clamping base 31, which is fixed on a chuck 2. The clamping base 31 is provided with a jaw 3. The jaw 3 is usually equipped with a pair of top pins 32 so that when the jaw 3 is open, the top pins 32 horizontally support the wafer, so that the robot can grasp the wafer from below.

[0093] Furthermore, the claw 3 is roughly a rectangular rod structure, which includes a claw back 3a and a claw side 3b. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The multiple spray channels 411 shown can be used to rinse the back 3a and sides 3b of the jaws to prevent particulate matter from remaining on the surface of the jaws 3 due to inaccurate coverage by the sprayed liquid.

[0094] Specifically, by controlling the small rotation of the rotating mechanism 5, the position of the claw 3 is adjusted so that the spray channel 411 on the nozzle 41 can be precisely aligned with the back 3a and side 3b of the claw to prevent unnecessary splashing caused by spraying onto parts such as the top pin 32.

[0095] In embodiment three, a structure is further provided that can drive the nozzle 41 to rotate freely in the left-right and up-down directions. For example... Figure 8 As shown, since the rotation trajectory L of the gripper 3 is circular, its running trajectory is arc-shaped when the gripper 3 reciprocates. The gripper 3 swings between the first station S1 and the second station S2, and the gripper 3 sweeps between the first station S1 and the second station S2 to form an arc-shaped trajectory. Since the nozzle 41 is located above the outside of the gripper 3, driving the nozzle 41 to swing left and right with a single power source cannot achieve the effect of following the running trajectory of the gripper 3. The nozzle 41 must satisfy the combined action of left and right swing and forward and backward swing. Therefore, the clamping cleaning mechanism also includes Figures 9 to 11The follow drive component 9 shown is used to drive the nozzle 41 to move in accordance with a preset path when the claw 3 reciprocates, so as to align the nozzle 41 with the claw 3 and spray fluid in real time.

[0096] Understandably, when the clamping cleaning mechanism 4 is cleaning the clamping jaws 3, the jaws 3 will swing slightly under the drive of the rotating mechanism 5. Figure 8 The rotation trajectory of the chuck 3 is only for better illustration of the arc. The actual swing amplitude of the chuck 3 is 5° to 20°.

[0097] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a following drive assembly 9 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. It includes a first universal ball 91, a second universal ball 92, a horizontal motor screw drive device 95, and a vertical motor screw drive device 96. The following drive assembly 9 also includes an isolation cover (not shown) to isolate the first universal ball 91, the second universal ball 92, and other components from the environment inside the housing 1, so as to avoid the following drive assembly 9 being affected by the multi-particulate matter and multi-water environment in the housing 1.

[0098] Furthermore, the nozzle 41 has a straight rod-shaped structure, with its end protruding outwards within the isolation cover. The nozzle 41 passes sequentially through the first omnidirectional ball 91 and... Figure 11 The second omnidirectional ball 92 is shown, and the nozzle 41 is slidably connected to the first omnidirectional ball 91 and fixedly connected to the second omnidirectional ball 92. The first omnidirectional ball 91 is mounted on the first omnidirectional ball seat 910, and the second omnidirectional ball 92 is mounted on the second omnidirectional ball seat 920. The second omnidirectional ball 92 is fixedly mounted on the equipment frame. The first omnidirectional ball seat 910 is movably set. One end of the nozzle 41 is connected to a hose (equivalent to a jet pipe 47) that provides fluid. The nozzle 41 can rotate in all directions with the second omnidirectional ball 92 as a reference, and the nozzle 41 can also slide relative to the second omnidirectional ball 92.

[0099] Furthermore, the first universal ball seat 910 is provided with a transverse slide rod 93 and a longitudinal slide rod 94 on its transverse and longitudinal sides, respectively, with the transverse slide rod 93, the longitudinal slide rod 94 and the nozzle 41 being perpendicular to each other; the transverse motor screw drive device 95 includes a transverse motor 951, a transverse screw 952 and a transverse nut 953 threadedly connected to the transverse screw 952, and the longitudinal slide rod 94 is slidably mounted on the transverse nut 953; the longitudinal motor screw drive device 96 includes a longitudinal motor 961, a longitudinal screw 962 and a longitudinal nut 963 threadedly connected to the longitudinal screw 962, and the transverse slide rod 93 is slidably mounted on the longitudinal nut 963. Two sets of motor screw drive devices installed perpendicularly to each other can drive the first universal ball seat 910 to move laterally and longitudinally respectively. During the swing of the claw 3, as the claw 3 moves to different positions, the horizontal motor 951 and the vertical motor 961 can cooperate with the rotating mechanism 5 to drive the nozzle 41 to move according to the preset stroke, so that the nozzle 41 meets the requirement of facing the claw 3, and can follow the swing of the claw 3 to spray and clean it.

[0100] Meanwhile, this invention provides a wafer cleaning method, the flowchart of which is as follows: Figure 14 As shown, the wafer cleaning method includes:

[0101] Wafer cleaning step (S1): The chuck 2 is driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism 5, and the liquid spraying mechanism 7 sprays cleaning liquid onto the wafer for cleaning.

[0102] It should be noted that the "cleaning" mentioned here refers to a more macroscopic cleaning process, which includes cleaning and drying the wafer surface to obtain a clean and dry wafer. The spraying unit 7 can spray cleaning chemicals and / or drying chemicals.

[0103] Cleaning step of clamping parts (S2): The chuck 2 is driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism 5, and the jaws 3 are rotated to the cleaning station in sequence. The nozzle 41 sprays fluid to the jaws 3 located in the cleaning station for cleaning. When the nozzle 41 sprays fluid, the chuck 2 is driven to rotate back and forth by the rotating mechanism 5, so that the jaws 3 located in the cleaning station swing back and forth, so as to repeatedly rinse the surface of the jaws 3 to achieve efficient cleaning.

[0104] In this invention, the clamping component cleaning step is separated from the wafer cleaning step. Usually, the clamping component is cleaned only when there is no wafer in the housing 1, in order to prevent contaminants attached to the claws 3 from splashing onto the wafer surface and causing secondary contamination.

[0105] During cleaning of the clamping parts, the nozzle 41 cleans the gripper 3 through the spray channel 411; before cleaning, the lifting drive device raises the isolation ring 6 to a position where the top of the inner wall of the isolation ring 6 is 3mm to 8mm above the top of the gripper; after cleaning, the lifting drive device continues to move the isolation ring 6 upwards, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the chuck 2 is driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism 5, which throws the liquid outward and collects it through the isolation ring 6 to prevent cleaning fluid from remaining on the surface of the chuck 3.

[0106] In some embodiments, the nozzle 41 is provided with a plurality of spray channels 411 for spraying fluid toward different positions on the swing path of the claw 3; when the claw 3 swings to the position opposite to any spray channel 411, the valve of that spray channel 411 opens and the valves of the other spray channels 411 close, so as to avoid the other spray channels 411 spraying to other components of the housing 1 and causing unnecessary liquid splashing.

[0107] Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the embodiment shown, the central spray channel 411 and one of the side spray channels 411 are opened simultaneously to clean the back 3a of the jaw and one of the jaw sides 3b, so that the spray channel 411 can accurately deliver to the outer side of the jaw 3, thereby removing contaminants from the surface of the jaw 3.

[0108] Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, a single spray channel 411 is provided on the nozzle 41; when the gripper 3 reciprocates, it sprays through... Figure 10 The follow drive assembly 9 shown drives the nozzle 41 to move according to a preset path, thereby aligning with the claw 3 to spray fluid in real time.

[0109] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a wafer cleaning apparatus, which includes the wafer cleaning device described above, and further includes:

[0110] The liquid spraying control system is connected to the liquid spraying mechanism and is used to control the liquid spraying mechanism to spray cleaning fluid onto the wafer when the chuck 2 drives the wafer to rotate.

[0111] The chuck drive control system is connected to the rotating mechanism 5. It is used to control the rotating mechanism 5 to drive the chuck 2 to rotate, to control the rotating mechanism 5 to drive the chuck 2 to rotate the jaw 3 to the cleaning station, and to control the rotating mechanism 5 to drive the chuck 2 to reciprocate so that the jaw 3 located at the cleaning station swings back and forth.

[0112] The cleaning control system is connected to the clamping cleaning mechanism 4. It is used to control the clamping cleaning mechanism 4 to spray fluid to the cleaning station, and to control the operation of the horizontal motor 951 and the vertical motor 961 so that when the gripper 3 swings, the nozzle 41 is driven to spray fluid toward the position of the gripper 3. It is also used to control the horizontal motor 951 and the vertical motor 961 to drive the nozzle 41 to move according to the preset stroke.

[0113] The lifting control system is connected to the lifting drive device and is used to control the lifting drive device to raise the isolation ring 6 to a position where the top of the inner wall of the isolation ring 6 is 3mm to 8mm above the top of the claw 3 before cleaning the claw 3, and to control the lifting drive device to continue moving the isolation ring 6 upward after cleaning the claw 3.

[0114] In this invention, when multiple spray channels 411 are provided on the nozzle 41, the cleaning control system is also used to control the valve of the spray channel 411 to open and the valves of the other spray channels to close when the claw 3 swings to the position opposite to one of the multiple spray channels 411; when a single spray channel 411 is provided on the nozzle 41, the cleaning control system is also used to control the follow drive assembly 9 to drive the nozzle 3 to move according to a preset path and spray fluid in real time to the claw 3 when the claw 3 swings back and forth. Since the nozzle 41 is located radially outside the rotation trajectory of the claw 3 and above the isolation ring 6, the spray channel 411 is inclined and can spray downwards towards the cleaning station. The angle α between the outlet angle of the nozzle 41 and the horizontal plane is 45° to 85°. Figure 12 As shown, when the chuck 3 clamps the wafer, the nozzle 41 is located on the outside of the wafer, thus effectively preventing the residual droplets at the end of the nozzle 41 from dripping down onto the area where the wafer to be cleaned is located, and avoiding these contaminant-containing liquids from adhering to the wafer surface again and affecting the wafer cleaning effect.

[0115] In this invention, the rotating mechanism 5 can sequentially drive each jaw 3 to rotate to the cleaning station for individual cleaning. It also drives the chuck 2 to reciprocate within a small angle range during jaw cleaning, causing the jaw 3 located at the cleaning station to swing back and forth. During this process, the fluid sprayed from the nozzle 41 can repeatedly act on the surface of the jaw 3 at multiple angles, enhancing the coverage of the fluid sprayed from the nozzle 41 on the jaw 3 and ensuring that all areas of the jaw 3 are cleaned, especially complex-shaped areas, ensuring thorough cleaning without dead angles. Through dynamic cleaning, the accumulation of cleaning fluid in a certain area is avoided, enhancing the uniformity of cleaning fluid distribution. The combination of reciprocating swing and multi-angle spraying significantly improves the thoroughness of cleaning, ensuring the removal of residues and contaminants, and improving the cleanliness of the jaw 3.

[0116] When cleaning the clamped parts, the chuck 2 is first driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism 5, which rotates one of the jaws 3 to the cleaning station for cleaning. Fluid is then sprayed onto the jaw 3 located at the cleaning station through the nozzle 41. While the nozzle 41 is spraying fluid, the chuck 2 is driven to rotate back and forth by the rotating mechanism 5, causing the jaw 3 located at the cleaning station to swing back and forth.

[0117] When there is a light residue on the surface of the chuck 3, nitrogen can be used as the spray fluid to blow away the liquid on the surface of the chuck 3. Of course, deionized water, as described above, can be used to spray and wash the chuck 3 at any time. When using liquid to spray and wash the chuck 3, before spraying, the isolation ring 6 needs to be raised above the chuck 3 using the lifting drive device, such as... Figure 2 As shown, in this state, the liquid ejected from the nozzle 41 will splash outwards after hitting the surface of the claw 3, and the splashed droplets can be blocked and collected by the isolation ring 6.

[0118] like Figure 12 As shown, the distance H between the top of the inner wall of the isolation ring 6 and the top of the claw 3 is 3mm to 8mm. The inner surface of the isolation ring 6 includes an annular surface 61, a first conical surface 62 and a second conical surface 63. The annular surface 61 is the radially inner end face closest to the claw 3. The first conical surface 62 is connected to the lower end of the annular surface 61 and extends outward. The horizontal inclination angle between the second conical surface 63 and the end of the first conical surface 62 decreases.

[0119] Before cleaning the claw 3, the isolation ring 6 is moved up to the working position. The top of the inner wall of the isolation ring 6 is close to the liquid jet sprayed from the nozzle 41. When the liquid jet impacts the claw 3, it forms a back splash. Most of the back splashed droplets hit the first conical surface 62, and the droplets roll down along the first conical surface 62 under the action of inertia, thereby achieving directional collection of the back splashed droplets.

[0120] In summary, the wafer cleaning apparatus of this invention can periodically remove residual cleaning solution from the surface of the clamping components, reducing wear on the clamping components caused by solution adhesion and extending the service life of the equipment. Simultaneously, this wafer cleaning equipment integrates clamping, cleaning, and recycling functions, simplifying the operation process, improving overall work efficiency, and adapting to the needs of modern production. This improved wafer cleaning apparatus and method not only enhances the cleaning efficiency of the clamping components but also improves the cleaning quality, reduces operational complexity, and meets higher industrial demands.

[0121] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A wafer cleaning apparatus, characterized in that, include: Chuck; The clamping element includes multiple jaws distributed circumferentially on the chuck for clamping and fixing the wafer. The spraying mechanism is used to spray cleaning fluid onto the wafer for cleaning. A clamping cleaning mechanism includes a nozzle, an adjustable bracket, and a follow-drive assembly; the nozzle is provided with a spray channel; the adjustable bracket is installed on the side wall of the housing, and the nozzle is located at the front end of the adjustable bracket; the follow-drive assembly is used to drive the nozzle to move according to a preset path when the clamping jaws swing back and forth, so as to spray fluid in real time with the clamping jaws; the swing amplitude of the clamping jaws is 5°~20°. The rotating mechanism, connected to the chuck, is used to rotate the jaws to the cleaning station and drive the chuck to rotate back and forth, thereby causing the jaws located at the cleaning station to swing back and forth. The injection channels are used to spray fluid toward different positions along the swing path of the jaws; each injection channel is connected to an independent spray pipe, and each spray pipe is equipped with a valve that can be independently controlled to open and close; as the jaws swing to different positions, the corresponding injection channels are opened to control the range of the splash area and avoid unnecessary splashing. The angle between the spray channels on both sides and the spray channel in the middle is 5°~30°, so that the sprayed cleaning fluid covers the surface of the chuck, thereby achieving precise and efficient cleaning; the nozzle is located on the radially outer side of the chuck's rotation trajectory and sprays at an angle toward the cleaning station; the angle between the nozzle's liquid outlet angle and the horizontal plane is 45°~85°. It also includes a liquid recovery mechanism, which includes an isolation ring arranged in a ring on the radially outer side of the chuck for receiving liquid thrown outward by the rotating wafer; the inner side of the isolation ring includes an annular surface, a first conical surface and a second conical surface, the annular surface is the radially inner end face closest to the jaws, the first conical surface is connected to the lower end of the annular surface and extends outward, and the horizontal inclination angle at the end of the second conical surface connected to the first conical surface decreases.

2. The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The following drive assembly includes a first omnidirectional ball and a second omnidirectional ball. The nozzle passes through the first omnidirectional ball and the second omnidirectional ball in sequence, and the nozzle is slidably connected to the first omnidirectional ball and fixedly connected to the second omnidirectional ball. The first omnidirectional ball is mounted on a first omnidirectional ball seat, the second omnidirectional ball is mounted on a second omnidirectional ball seat, and the second omnidirectional ball seat is fixedly mounted on the equipment frame.

3. The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first universal ball seat is provided with a transverse slide bar and a longitudinal slide bar on its transverse and longitudinal sides, respectively, and the transverse slide bar, the longitudinal slide bar and the nozzle are perpendicular to each other.

4. The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The following drive assembly further includes a transverse motor screw drive device and a longitudinal motor screw drive device; the transverse motor screw drive device includes a transverse motor, a transverse screw, and a transverse nut threaded onto the transverse screw, and the longitudinal slide rod is slidably mounted on the transverse nut; the longitudinal motor screw drive device includes a longitudinal motor, a longitudinal screw, and a longitudinal nut threaded onto the longitudinal screw, and the transverse slide rod is slidably mounted on the longitudinal nut.

5. The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The follow drive assembly also includes an isolation cover to isolate the first omnidirectional ball and the second omnidirectional ball from the environment inside the housing, so as to prevent the follow drive assembly from being affected by the multi-particulate matter and multi-water environment inside the housing.

6. The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid recovery mechanism also includes a lifting drive device, which is used to drive the isolation ring to rise to a position 3mm to 8mm above the top of the claw before the clamping cleaning mechanism cleans the claw.

7. A wafer cleaning method, characterized in that, Using the wafer cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: Wafer cleaning steps: The chuck is driven to rotate by a rotating mechanism, and the liquid spraying mechanism sprays cleaning solution onto the wafer for cleaning. Cleaning steps for clamped parts: The chuck is driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism, and the clamping jaws are rotated to the cleaning station in sequence. The nozzle sprays fluid onto the clamping jaws located at the cleaning station for cleaning. While the nozzle is spraying fluid, the chuck is driven to rotate back and forth by the rotating mechanism, causing the clamping jaws located at the cleaning station to swing back and forth.

8. The wafer cleaning method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The nozzle cleans the chuck by spraying liquid; before cleaning, the lifting drive device raises the isolation ring to a position where the top of the inner wall of the isolation ring is 3mm to 8mm above the top of the chuck; after cleaning, the lifting drive device continues to move the isolation ring upward, and the chuck is driven to rotate by the rotating mechanism, so that the liquid is thrown outward and collected through the isolation ring.

9. The wafer cleaning method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Multiple injection channels are provided on the nozzle to spray fluid toward different positions on the swing path of the chuck; when the chuck swings to the position opposite to any injection channel, the valve of that injection channel opens, and the valves of the other injection channels close.

10. A wafer cleaning device, characterized in that, The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 6 further includes: The liquid spraying control system, connected to the liquid spraying mechanism, is used to control the liquid spraying mechanism to spray cleaning fluid onto the wafer when the chuck drives the wafer to rotate. The cleaning control system is connected to the clamping cleaning mechanism and is used to control the clamping cleaning mechanism to spray fluid to the cleaning station. The chuck drive control system is connected to the rotating mechanism and is used to control the rotating mechanism to drive the chuck to rotate, to control the rotating mechanism to drive the chuck to rotate the jaws to the cleaning station, and to control the rotating mechanism to drive the chuck to reciprocate so that the jaws located at the cleaning station swing back and forth.

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