Cleaning device and cleaning method for wafer spin coating chuck

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of cleaning device suitable for wafer spin coating chuck, comprising: cleaning unit, including brush and cleaning liquid supply assembly, the cleaning liquid supply assembly includes spray head, spray head is set on brush, first drive unit is used to drive the brush rotation and lifting;Control unit is used to receive and execute preset cleaning instruction, and with first drive unit electric connection;Position sensing unit is used to sense the position of the brush, and with the control unit electric connection.The application is suitable for wafer spin coating chuck cleaning device, can realize the automatic cleaning of wafer chuck, improve equipment automation, reduce cleaning cost, shorten cleaning cycle, improve the cleaning work efficiency of chuck.The application also discloses a kind of cleaning method for wafer spin coating chuck.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology. Specifically, this invention relates to a chuck suitable for wafer spin coating and a cleaning method. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, photoresist coating (spin coating) is one of the key steps in pattern transfer. As the core component that carries the wafer for spin coating, the cleanliness of the wafer chuck directly affects the wafer processing quality and production yield.

[0003] In existing technologies, during spin coating processes on wafer chucks, organic materials such as photoresist are prone to splattering under high-speed rotation, and some of these organic materials adhere to the outer surface of the chuck. These adhered organic materials gradually crystallize in subsequent processing environments, forming solid residues. On one hand, the crystallized organic materials pollute the internal environment of the equipment during volatilization, causing the accumulation of airborne particles. If these particles adhere to the wafer surface or the chuck, they will directly affect the precision of the photolithography pattern and the wafer processing quality, significantly reducing product yield. On the other hand, the continuous accumulation of crystals will damage the surface condition of the chuck, affecting its adsorption stability and positioning accuracy for the wafer.

[0004] To address these issues, existing technologies typically employ manual cleaning of the chuck by periodic disassembly. However, this cleaning method has significant drawbacks: First, the disassembly and cleaning process consumes substantial manpower and time, resulting in high cleaning costs and long cycles. Second, to avoid excessive downtime due to cleaning, spare parts must be readily available for replacement, increasing equipment maintenance costs and spare parts inventory pressure. Third, after long-term storage, the assembly accuracy of spare parts is easily affected, and they are prone to positional misalignment during assembly. Misaligned chucks are highly susceptible to wafer breakage when carrying wafers, causing production losses. Furthermore, after replacing spare parts, the equipment requires lengthy debugging and dummy (virtual) fabrication processes to return to normal production, further reducing production efficiency.

[0005] This invention provides a cleaning device suitable for wafer spin coating chucks, particularly concerning how to achieve automated cleaning of wafer chucks, reduce cleaning costs, and shorten cleaning cycles to meet the requirements of semiconductor manufacturing for high precision, high efficiency, and high yield. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides a cleaning device suitable for wafer spin-coating chucks, with the purpose of achieving automatic cleaning of wafer chucks and improving cleaning efficiency.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a cleaning device suitable for a wafer spin coater chuck, comprising:

[0008] A cleaning unit includes a brush and a cleaning fluid supply assembly, wherein the cleaning fluid supply assembly includes a nozzle disposed on the brush.

[0009] The first drive unit is used to drive the brush to rotate and move up and down;

[0010] A control unit, configured to receive and execute preset cleaning commands, and electrically connected to the first drive unit; and

[0011] A position sensing unit is used to sense the position of the brush and is electrically connected to the control unit;

[0012] The control unit can control the first drive unit to move the cleaning unit to the cleaning position according to the preset cleaning instructions, control the cleaning liquid supply component to deliver cleaning liquid, and control the brush to rotate to clean the chuck surface.

[0013] The position sensing unit includes three sensors, which are used to sense the brush being in the standby position, the initial positioning position, and the cleaning operation position, respectively.

[0014] The three sensors are a standby position sensor, an initial positioning sensor, and a cleaning operation sensor. The standby position sensor is set at the lowest limit position, the initial positioning sensor is set at the middle reference position, and the cleaning operation sensor is set at the highest point of the chuck cleaning area.

[0015] The nozzle is located at the center of the brush and is connected to a dual-fluid switching system. The dual-fluid switching system is configured to provide the nozzle with positive and negative photoresist cleaning agents.

[0016] The cleaning device suitable for wafer spin coating chucks further includes:

[0017] The second drive unit is used to drive the chuck to rotate.

[0018] The second drive unit includes a conveyor for placing the chuck, a motor, and a transmission mechanism connected to the motor and the conveyor.

[0019] The present invention also provides a cleaning method for a wafer spin coater chuck, employing the aforementioned cleaning device, and comprising the following steps:

[0020] S1, Data Interaction Phase: The control unit receives preset cleaning parameters and generates cleaning instructions;

[0021] S2, Positioning Stage: The brush is driven by the first drive unit to move to the initial positioning position, and after confirmation, it continues to rise to the cleaning operation position;

[0022] S3, Cleaning stage: The control unit controls the cleaning fluid supply component to deliver cleaning fluid, and at the same time controls the brush to rotate to clean the chuck surface;

[0023] S4. Completion Stage: After the preset cleaning time is reached, the brush stops rotating and returns to the standby position.

[0024] In step S3, the chuck is rotated by the second drive unit.

[0025] The cleaning solution is a positive photoresist cleaner or a negative photoresist cleaner.

[0026] This invention is suitable for a cleaning device for wafer spin coating chucks, which can realize automatic cleaning of wafer chucks, improve equipment automation, reduce cleaning costs, shorten cleaning cycles, and improve the cleaning efficiency of chucks. Attached Figure Description

[0027] This manual includes the following figures, which illustrate the following:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning device of the present invention suitable for a chuck for wafer spin coating;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the connection between the brush and the nozzle;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the sensor arrangement;

[0031] The following are labeled in the diagram: 1. Brush; 2. Conveying pipe; 3. Conveyor; 4. Chuck; 5. Nozzle; 6. Standby position sensor; 7. Initial positioning sensor; 8. Cleaning operation sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in order to help those skilled in the art to have a more complete, accurate and in-depth understanding of the concept and technical solutions of the present invention, and to facilitate its implementation.

[0033] It should be noted that in the following embodiments, the terms "first" and "second" do not represent an absolute distinction in structure and / or function, nor do they represent the order of execution, but are merely for the convenience of description.

[0034] Firstly, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a cleaning device suitable for a wafer spin coater chuck, comprising:

[0035] The cleaning unit includes a brush 1 and a cleaning liquid supply assembly. The cleaning liquid supply assembly includes a nozzle 5, which is disposed on the brush 1.

[0036] The first drive unit is used to drive the brush 1 to rotate and move up and down;

[0037] A control unit, configured to receive and execute preset cleaning commands, and electrically connected to the first drive unit; and

[0038] A position sensing unit is used to sense the position of brush 1 and is electrically connected to the control unit;

[0039] The control unit can control the first drive unit to move the cleaning unit to the cleaning position according to the preset cleaning instructions, control the cleaning fluid supply component to deliver cleaning fluid, and control the brush 1 to rotate to clean the chuck surface.

[0040] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, the position sensing unit includes three sensors, which are used to sense the position of the brush 1 in the standby position, the initial positioning position, and the cleaning operation position, respectively. The three sensors are the standby position sensor 6, the initial positioning sensor 7, and the cleaning operation sensor 8. The standby position sensor 6 is located at the lowest limit position, the initial positioning sensor 7 is located at the middle reference position, and the cleaning operation sensor 8 is located at the highest point of the chuck cleaning area. That is, the height of the standby position sensor 6 is less than the height of the initial positioning sensor 7, and the height of the initial positioning sensor 7 is less than the height of the cleaning operation sensor 8.

[0041] The standby position sensor 6, initial positioning sensor 7, and cleaning operation sensor 8 are fixedly arranged in layers according to height. These sensors are electrically connected to the control unit. The standby position sensor 6 senses the reset position of the brush 1 when it is not in operation. The initial positioning sensor 7 serves as a position calibration point before cleaning; when the brush 1 moves to this point, it triggers the initial positioning sensor 7. The cleaning operation sensor 8 corresponds to the cleaning height on the chuck surface; when triggered, the brush 1 has just reached the cleaning area of ​​the chuck. Through the coordinated action of these three sensors, accurate control of the brush 1's position is achieved.

[0042] In this embodiment of the invention, a first driving unit is connected to the brush 1. The first driving unit mainly includes a lifting actuator, a mounting base, and a first motor. The first motor is mounted on the mounting base, and the lifting actuator is connected to the mounting base. The first motor is connected to the brush 1 through a first transmission mechanism. The first motor drives the brush 1 to rotate through the first transmission mechanism, which transmits the rotational force generated by the first motor to the brush 1, causing the brush 1 to rotate around its axis, thus enabling the brush 1 to wipe the surface of the chuck. The lifting actuator is a retractable component. Through the extension and retraction of the lifting actuator, the mounting base and its mounted first motor, brush 1, etc., move synchronously, realizing the positional movement of the brush 1. When the first motor and the lifting actuator are working, the rotation and lifting of the brush 1 can be realized.

[0043] Nozzle 5 is used to spray cleaning fluid onto the chuck surface. The cleaning fluid is either a positive or negative photoresist cleaner. Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, the nozzle 5 is located at the center of the brush 1. The cleaning fluid supply assembly also includes a dual-fluid switching system. The nozzle 5 is connected to the dual-fluid switching system, which is configured to provide the nozzle 5 with both positive and negative photoresist cleaning agents. A through hole is provided at the center of the brush 1 for mounting the nozzle 5, with the nozzle 5 outlet facing the chuck surface. The nozzle 5 is mounted on the mounting plate and connected to the dual-fluid switching system via a delivery pipe 2.

[0044] In this embodiment of the invention, the dual-fluid switching system mainly includes two independent storage tanks, a three-way valve, and a water pump. The two independent storage tanks are respectively filled with positive and negative photoresist cleaning agents. The two inlets of the three-way valve are connected to the two independent storage tanks, and the outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the water pump. The outlet of the water pump is connected to the delivery pipe 2. The water pump and the three-way valve are electrically connected to the control unit. The two inlets of the three-way valve can be selectively opened. When the inlet of the three-way valve to the storage tank containing the positive photoresist cleaning agent is opened, the water pump operates, delivering the positive photoresist cleaning agent from the storage tank to the nozzle 5, which sprays the positive photoresist cleaning agent onto the chuck surface. When the inlet of the three-way valve to the storage tank containing the negative photoresist cleaning agent is opened, the water pump operates, delivering the negative photoresist cleaning agent from the storage tank to the nozzle 5, which sprays the negative photoresist cleaning agent onto the chuck surface.

[0045] By setting up a dual-fluid switching system to work in conjunction with nozzle 5, two liquids can be quickly switched to adapt to the cleaning needs of different residues on the chuck surface (such as positive / negative photoresist).

[0046] like Figure 1As shown, the cleaning device for a wafer spin coater chuck in this embodiment of the invention further includes a second drive unit, which drives the chuck to rotate. In this embodiment, the second drive unit mainly includes a conveyor platform 3 for placing the chuck, a second motor, and a second transmission mechanism connected to the motor and the conveyor platform 3. The second motor is connected to the conveyor platform 3 through the second transmission mechanism, and the second motor drives the conveyor platform 3 and the chuck on it to rotate through the second transmission mechanism. The second transmission mechanism is used to transmit the rotational force generated by the second motor to the conveyor platform 3, causing the conveyor platform 3 to rotate around its axis, and the conveyor platform 3 drives the chuck to rotate synchronously.

[0047] The present invention also provides a cleaning method for a wafer spin coater chuck, employing the cleaning device described above, and comprising the following steps:

[0048] S1, Data Interaction Phase: The control unit receives preset cleaning parameters and generates cleaning instructions;

[0049] S2, Positioning Stage: The first drive unit drives the brush 1 to move to the initial positioning position, and after confirmation, it continues to rise to the cleaning operation position;

[0050] S3, Cleaning stage: The control unit controls the cleaning fluid supply component to deliver cleaning fluid, and at the same time controls the brush 1 to rotate to clean the chuck surface;

[0051] S4. Completion Stage: After the preset cleaning time is reached, brush 1 stops rotating and returns to the standby position.

[0052] In step S1 above, the preset cleaning parameters may include cleaning agent type, cleaning time, chuck speed, etc.

[0053] Step S2 above includes:

[0054] S201, Initial positioning of brush 1: The control unit sends a lifting command to the lifting actuator of the first drive unit. The lifting actuator extends and pushes the mounting base to drive brush 1 to rise.

[0055] S202, Reference Position Calibration: When the brush 1 moves to the initial positioning sensor 7, the initial positioning sensor 7 sends a signal to the control unit, and the control unit pauses the lifting actuator operation and automatically calibrates the position deviation.

[0056] S202 Cleaning position in place: After calibration, the lifting actuator continues to extend, and the brush 1 rises until the cleaning operation sensor 8 is triggered. The control unit sends a stop rising command, and the lifting actuator stops moving. At this time, the brush 1 is in contact with the chuck surface, and the positioning is completed.

[0057] In step S3 above, the cleaning stage begins. The control unit sends a signal to the water pump of the dual-fluid switching system according to preset parameters. The cleaning fluid, atomized by nozzle 5, is sprayed onto the chuck surface and the contact area with brush 1. The cleaning fluid is either a positive or negative photoresist cleaner. The control unit sends a rotation command to the first motor, causing brush 1 to rotate at a set speed. The second motor rotates the chuck, and brush 1 cleans the chuck surface.

[0058] In step S3 above, the brush 1 and the chuck rotate in opposite directions. For example, if the brush 1 rotates clockwise, the chuck rotates counterclockwise. This reverse friction improves the efficiency of removing residual photoresist, effectively enhancing the cleaning power. Furthermore, when the chuck rotates, the cleaning solution spreads rapidly under centrifugal force, shortening the cleaning time.

[0059] In step S4 above, after the preset cleaning time is reached, the control unit sends a stop command, the water pump stops supplying liquid, and the brush 1 and chuck stop rotating. The control unit sends a descent command to the lifting actuator of the first drive unit, which drives the brush 1 to descend. After a brief calibration at the initial positioning sensor 7, it finally descends to the standby position sensor 6, the lifting actuator stops, and the brush 1 returns to the standby state.

[0060] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any non-substantial improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution; or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution to other situations without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cleaning device suitable for a chuck used in wafer spin coating, characterized in that, include: A cleaning unit includes a brush and a cleaning fluid supply assembly, wherein the cleaning fluid supply assembly includes a nozzle disposed on the brush. The first drive unit is used to drive the brush to rotate and move up and down; The control unit is used to receive and execute preset cleaning instructions and is electrically connected to the first drive unit; as well as A position sensing unit is used to sense the position of the brush and is electrically connected to the control unit; The control unit can control the first drive unit to move the cleaning unit to the cleaning position according to the preset cleaning instructions, control the cleaning liquid supply component to deliver cleaning liquid, and control the brush to rotate to clean the chuck surface.

2. The cleaning apparatus for a wafer spin coater chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The position sensing unit includes three sensors, which are used to sense the brush being in the standby position, the initial positioning position, and the cleaning operation position, respectively.

3. The cleaning apparatus suitable for a wafer spin coater chuck according to claim 2, characterized in that, The three sensors are a standby position sensor, an initial positioning sensor, and a cleaning operation sensor. The standby position sensor is set at the lowest limit position, the initial positioning sensor is set at the middle reference position, and the cleaning operation sensor is set at the highest point of the chuck cleaning area.

4. The cleaning apparatus suitable for a wafer spin coater chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The nozzle is located at the center of the brush and is connected to a dual-fluid switching system. The dual-fluid switching system is configured to provide the nozzle with positive and negative photoresist cleaning agents.

5. The cleaning apparatus suitable for a wafer spin coater chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Also includes: The second drive unit is used to drive the chuck to rotate.

6. The cleaning apparatus for a wafer spin coater chuck according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second drive unit includes a conveyor for placing the chuck, a motor, and a transmission mechanism connected to the motor and the conveyor.

7. A method for cleaning a chuck used for wafer spin coating, characterized in that, The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is used, and includes the following steps: S1, Data Interaction Phase: The control unit receives preset cleaning parameters and generates cleaning instructions; S2, Positioning Stage: The brush is driven by the first drive unit to move to the initial positioning position, and after confirmation, it continues to rise to the cleaning operation position; S3, Cleaning stage: The control unit controls the cleaning fluid supply component to deliver cleaning fluid, and at the same time controls the brush to rotate to clean the chuck surface; S4. Completion Stage: After the preset cleaning time is reached, the brush stops rotating and returns to the standby position.

8. The cleaning method for the wafer spin coater chuck according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S3, the chuck is rotated by the second drive unit.

9. The cleaning method for the wafer spin coater chuck according to claim 7, characterized in that, The cleaning solution is a positive photoresist cleaner or a negative photoresist cleaner.

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