An adapter wafer box compatible with 6-inch wafer and 8-inch cleaning machine and a cleaning method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an adapter wafer box compatible with 6-inch wafers and 8-inch cleaning machines and a cleaning method thereof, and particularly relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing. The adapter wafer box comprises a wafer box body, a wafer bearing cavity in the wafer box body, a plurality of wafer clamping grooves arranged on both sides of the wafer bearing cavity, a machine positioning structure arranged on the outer side of the wafer box body, and a cleaning fluid channel arranged on the wafer box body. The machine positioning structure is used for cooperating with a standard wafer box bearing station of an 8-inch cleaning machine, the wafer bearing cavity and the wafer clamping grooves are used for bearing and limiting 6-inch wafers, and the cleaning method comprises wafer loading, loading positioning, cleaning and wafer taking steps. The adapter wafer box compatible with 6-inch wafers and 8-inch cleaning machines and the cleaning method thereof can make 6-inch wafers keep a predetermined cleaning posture in the 8-inch cleaning machine, and make cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, drying gas flow and cleaning waste liquid enter and exit the wafer bearing cavity through the cleaning fluid channel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a converter wafer cassette compatible with 6-inch wafers and 8-inch cleaning machines, and a cleaning method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, wafer cleaning typically requires the use of wafer cassettes for carrying, transporting, and positioning the wafers. The wafer cassette structure, equipment mounting stations, and cleaning chambers corresponding to different wafer sizes are usually set according to their respective specifications.

[0003] Currently, 6-inch wafers are typically carried in 6-inch wafer cassettes and used in conjunction with 6-inch washing machines; 8-inch wafers are typically carried in 8-inch standard wafer cassettes and used in conjunction with 8-inch washing machines. Due to the difference in outer diameter between 6-inch and 8-inch wafers, 6-inch wafer cassettes and 8-inch standard wafer cassettes differ in terms of outer contour dimensions, positioning references, limiting structures, and internal slot dimensions.

[0004] In existing structures, the external dimensions and positioning structure of 6-inch wafer cassettes are typically incompatible with the standard wafer cassette mounting station of 8-inch washing machines. Furthermore, the internal slot dimensions of 8-inch standard wafer cassettes are usually designed for 8-inch wafers, making it difficult to provide adequate support and positioning for 6-inch wafers that match their outer diameter. If a 6-inch wafer is placed inside an 8-inch standard wafer cassette, there is a dimensional difference between the wafer edge and the slot, resulting in insufficient positional constraint of the wafer within the cassette.

[0005] Meanwhile, during the wet wafer cleaning process, the cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, and drying airflow need to enter the wafer cassette and act on the wafer surface, while the cleaning waste liquid needs to be discharged from the wafer cassette. The arrangement of the internal support structure and cleaning fluid channels of the wafer cassette will affect the support state of the wafer and the fluid inlet and outlet paths during the cleaning process.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need to provide a wafer cassette structure that can be externally integrated with the standard wafer cassette carrier station of an 8-inch washing machine, internally capable of carrying and limiting 6-inch wafers, and has fluid channels for the passage of cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, drying airflow, and cleaning waste liquid. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The main objective of this invention is to provide a converter wafer cassette compatible with 6-inch wafers and 8-inch washing machines, and a cleaning method thereof, which can effectively solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A compatible wafer cassette for both 6-inch wafers and 8-inch washing machines includes a cassette body, a wafer carrier cavity, multiple wafer slots, a machine positioning structure, and a cleaning fluid channel. The wafer carrier cavity, formed inside the cassette body, accommodates 6-inch wafers. The multiple wafer slots are located on both sides of the wafer carrier cavity, allowing the edges of the 6-inch wafers to be inserted and providing spacing and positioning for the wafers. The machine positioning structure is located on the outside of the cassette body and is designed to mate with the standard wafer cassette mounting station of an 8-inch washing machine. The cleaning fluid channel is located on the cassette body and communicates with the wafer carrier cavity, for introducing cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, and drying airflow, and for discharging cleaning waste liquid.

[0009] Furthermore, the outer contour dimensions of the tablet holder body match the outer contour dimensions of an 8-inch standard tablet holder. The machine positioning structure includes a bottom positioning reference, a side limiting part, and a top mounting lip. The bottom positioning reference is used to cooperate with the positioning slot of the 8-inch washing machine, the side limiting part is used to cooperate with the lateral limiting mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine, and the top mounting lip is used to cooperate with the clamping mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine.

[0010] Furthermore, the effective carrying size of the wafer carrier cavity is adapted to the outer diameter of a 6-inch wafer. The multiple sets of wafer slots are arranged at intervals along the front-to-back direction of the wafer cassette body and are paired left-right on both sides of the wafer carrier cavity. Each pair of left-right wafer slots is used to jointly hold one 6-inch wafer.

[0011] Furthermore, the wafer slot includes an arc-shaped support surface and limiting sidewalls. The arc-shaped support surface mates with the edge of the 6-inch wafer, and the limiting sidewalls are located on both sides of the arc-shaped support surface, forming a limiting gap between the limiting sidewalls for inserting a single 6-inch wafer. The arc-shaped support surface is one of a rounded corner transition structure or a chamfered corner transition structure.

[0012] Furthermore, the cleaning fluid channel includes a perforated groove on the front of the wafer cassette body, a permeable grid on the side of the wafer cassette body, and a drain hole at the bottom of the wafer cassette body. The perforated groove, permeable grid, and drain hole are all connected to the wafer carrier cavity. The perforated groove allows cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, and drying airflow to enter the wafer carrier cavity. The permeable grid allows cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, and drying airflow to enter the wafer carrier cavity and allows cleaning waste liquid to flow out of the wafer carrier cavity. The drain hole discharges cleaning waste liquid from the wafer carrier cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, the cartridge body is integrally molded from one of semiconductor-grade acid and alkali resistant PP material or PFA material. The outer wall of the cartridge body is provided with an identification marking area, which is used to set at least one of OCR code, barcode, QR code, and RFID tag.

[0014] The present invention also provides a cleaning method using the above-described adapter cartridge, comprising the following steps: S1. Insert the 6-inch wafers to be cleaned one by one into the wafer slots, so that each 6-inch wafer is confined in the wafer carrier cavity by the paired wafer slots on the left and right. S2. The adapter cassette loaded with 6-inch wafers is placed into the 8-inch washing machine in the same way as the standard 8-inch cassette, and the machine positioning structure is used to coordinate with the standard cassette bearing station of the 8-inch washing machine. S3. Start the cleaning program of the 8-inch washing machine, so that the cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid and drying airflow enter the wafer carrier cavity through the cleaning fluid channel to clean, rinse and dry the 6-inch wafer; S4. After cleaning, remove the adapter cassette and take the 6-inch wafer out of the wafer slot.

[0015] Furthermore, in step S1, the edge of each 6-inch wafer is inserted into the arc-shaped support surface of the corresponding wafer slot, and the two sides of the 6-inch wafer are respectively located within the limiting gap of the left and right paired wafer slots.

[0016] Furthermore, in step S2, the bottom positioning reference engages with the positioning slot of the 8-inch washing machine, the side limiting part engages with the lateral limiting mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine, and the top mounting lip engages with the clamping mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine.

[0017] Furthermore, in step S3, the cleaning liquid and rinsing liquid enter the wafer carrier cavity through the hollowed-out groove and the water-permeable grid, and are discharged through the drain hole at the bottom of the wafer cassette body; the drying airflow enters the wafer carrier cavity through the hollowed-out groove and the water-permeable grid.

[0018] Furthermore, before or during step S2, at least one of the following is read through the identification area: OCR code, barcode, QR code, RFID tag, and the reading result is used for machine identification, batch recording, or loading / unloading management of the transfer cartridge.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention sets the outer contour dimensions, bottom positioning reference, side limiting part and top mounting lip of the wafer cassette body to match the 8-inch standard wafer cassette, so that the adapter wafer cassette that loads 6-inch wafers can be used in conjunction with the standard wafer cassette carrying station of the 8-inch washing machine. This makes it easier for 6-inch wafers to share the cleaning process of the 8-inch washing machine and reduces the need to configure separate 6-inch dedicated washing equipment and matching wafer cassettes. This invention provides a wafer carrier cavity inside the wafer cassette body that is adapted to the outer diameter of a 6-inch wafer, and wafer slots arranged in pairs on the left and right and spaced apart on the front and back sides of the wafer carrier cavity, so that multiple 6-inch wafers can be carried and positioned in an intermittent manner; at the same time, a cleaning fluid channel is formed by a hollowed-out through groove, a water-permeable grid and a drainage hole, which facilitates the entry and exit of cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, drying airflow and cleaning waste liquid into and out of the wafer carrier cavity. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the adapter-type cartridge structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the cleaning method of the present invention.

[0021] In the figure: 1. Wafer cartridge body; 2. Wafer carrier cavity; 3. Wafer slot; 4. Hollowed-out through slot; 5. Water-permeable grid; 6. Top mounting lip; 7. Bottom positioning reference; 8. Side limiting part; 9. Drain hole; 10. Identification marking area. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a converter wafer cassette compatible with 6-inch wafers and 8-inch washing machines, including a wafer cassette body 1, a wafer carrier cavity 2, a wafer slot 3, a hollow through slot 4, a water-permeable grid 5, a top mounting lip 6, a bottom positioning reference 7, a side limiting part 8, a drain hole 9, and an identification marking area 10.

[0025] The film cassette body 1 is a frame structure. The outer contour dimensions of the film cassette body 1 include length, width, and height, which are set according to the corresponding outer dimensions of an 8-inch standard film cassette. A machine positioning structure is provided on the outside of the film cassette body 1, which includes a bottom positioning reference 7, a side limiting part 8, and a top mounting lip 6.

[0026] A bottom positioning reference 7 is located at the bottom of the tablet holder body 1. The position, number, and protrusion height of the bottom positioning reference 7 are matched with the positioning slot of the 8-inch washing machine. Side limiting parts 8 are located on the left and right sides of the tablet holder body 1. The position of the side limiting parts 8 is matched with the lateral limiting mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine. A top mounting lip 6 is located along the top edge of the tablet holder body 1. The width, height, and extension position of the top mounting lip 6 are matched with the clamping mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine.

[0027] The wafer carrier cavity 2 is formed inside the wafer cassette body 1 and is located in the central region of the wafer cassette body 1. The effective carrying size of the wafer carrier cavity 2 is adapted to the outer diameter of the 6-inch wafer. The wafer carrier cavity 2 is used to accommodate multiple 6-inch wafers and provides space for the loading, cleaning, rinsing and drying of 6-inch wafers.

[0028] Multiple sets of wafer slots 3 are disposed on the left and right sides of the wafer carrier cavity 2. Specifically, the multiple sets of wafer slots 3 are respectively disposed on the left inner sidewall and the right inner sidewall of the wafer carrier cavity 2. The wafer slots 3 located on the left inner sidewall and the wafer slots 3 located on the right inner sidewall are arranged opposite each other, and each pair of oppositely arranged wafer slots 3 is used to accommodate the two edges of the same 6-inch wafer. The multiple sets of wafer slots 3 are arranged at intervals along the front-back direction of the wafer cassette body 1.

[0029] The wafer slot 3 has its opening facing the center of the wafer carrier cavity 2, and extends along the insertion direction of the 6-inch wafer. The wafer slot 3 is used for edge insertion of the 6-inch wafer and provides spacing and positioning for the 6-inch wafer. Adjacent sets of wafer slots 3 are spaced apart along the front-back direction of the wafer cassette body 1, and the spacing between adjacent wafer slots 3 is set according to the cleaning and loading spacing of the 6-inch wafer. The depth of each wafer slot 3 is set according to the insertion depth of the edge of the 6-inch wafer.

[0030] In one embodiment, the wafer slot 3 includes a slot bottom, an arc-shaped support surface, and limiting sidewalls. The arc-shaped support surface is located on the side of the slot bottom near the wafer carrier cavity 2 and mates with the edge contour of the 6-inch wafer. The limiting sidewalls are located on both sides of the arc-shaped support surface, forming a limiting gap between the two limiting sidewalls for inserting a single 6-inch wafer. After the 6-inch wafer is inserted into the wafer slot 3, the edge of the 6-inch wafer is located within the limiting gap and supported by the arc-shaped support surface. The arc-shaped support surface is one of a rounded corner transition structure or a chamfered corner transition structure.

[0031] A cleaning fluid channel is provided on the tablet box body 1. The cleaning fluid channel includes a perforated groove 4, a water-permeable grid 5, and a drain hole 9. The perforated groove 4 is located on the front of the tablet box body 1, the water-permeable grid 5 is located on the side of the tablet box body 1, and the drain hole 9 is located at the bottom of the tablet box body 1.

[0032] The perforated slot 4 penetrates the front wall of the wafer cassette body 1 and connects to the wafer carrier cavity 2. The perforated slot 4 is used to form a forward channel for cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid and drying airflow to enter the wafer carrier cavity 2. There are multiple perforated slots 4, which are spaced apart along the height direction of the wafer cassette body 1 or along the width direction of the wafer cassette body 1.

[0033] A permeable grid 5 penetrates the side wall of the wafer cassette body 1 and connects to the wafer carrier cavity 2. The permeable grid 5 forms a lateral channel for cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, and drying airflow to enter the wafer carrier cavity 2, and also forms a lateral channel for cleaning waste liquid to flow out of the wafer carrier cavity 2. The permeable grid 5 includes a plurality of spaced-apart grid holes, which are distributed along the height and front-back directions of the wafer cassette body 1.

[0034] The drain hole 9 penetrates the bottom wall of the wafer cassette body 1 and connects to the wafer carrier cavity 2. The drain hole 9 forms a bottom channel for the cleaning waste liquid to drain from the bottom of the wafer carrier cavity 2. The drain hole 9 is located in the low-lying area at the bottom of the wafer carrier cavity 2. There are multiple drain holes 9, which are spaced apart along the front-back direction of the wafer cassette body 1.

[0035] In one embodiment, the position of the perforated slot 4 corresponds to the upper and lower spray nozzles of the 8-inch washer. The position of the permeable grid 5 corresponds to the side spray pipe of the 8-inch washer. The cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, and drying airflow enter the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the perforated slot 4 and the permeable grid 5, and the cleaning waste liquid flows out of the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the permeable grid 5 and the drain hole 9.

[0036] The cartridge body 1 is integrally molded from one of semiconductor-grade acid and alkali resistant PP material or PFA material. An identification marking area 10 is provided on the outer wall of the cartridge body 1. The identification marking area 10 is used to set at least one of OCR code, barcode, QR code, and RFID tag. The identification marking area 10 is located on the outer side wall, front outer wall, or top outer wall of the cartridge body 1.

[0037] This embodiment also provides a cleaning method using the above-described adapter cartridge. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 Specifically, it includes the following steps.

[0038] S1. Mounting steps.

[0039] The 6-inch wafers to be cleaned are inserted one by one into the wafer slots 3 within the wafer carrier cavity 2. The edge of each 6-inch wafer is inserted into the arc-shaped support surface of the corresponding wafer slot 3, and the two side edges of the 6-inch wafer are respectively located within the limiting gaps of the left and right paired wafer slots 3. After loading, each 6-inch wafer is confined in the wafer carrier cavity 2 by its corresponding left and right paired wafer slots 3.

[0040] S2, Material loading and positioning steps.

[0041] The adapter cassette containing 6-inch wafers is placed into the 8-inch washing machine using the same loading method as the standard 8-inch cassette. The bottom positioning reference 7 engages with the positioning slot of the 8-inch washing machine, the side limiting part 8 engages with the lateral limiting mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine, and the top mounting lip 6 engages with the clamping mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine.

[0042] Before or during step S2, at least one of OCR code, barcode, QR code, and RFID tag is read through the identification area 10, and the reading result is used for machine identification, batch recording, or loading / unloading management of the transfer cartridge.

[0043] S3, Cleaning steps.

[0044] The cleaning program of the 8-inch washer is started. The cleaning liquid enters the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the perforated channel 4 and the permeable grid 5, and acts on the 6-inch wafer. The rinsing liquid enters the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the perforated channel 4 and the permeable grid 5, and acts on the 6-inch wafer. The cleaning waste liquid exits the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the permeable grid 5 and the drain hole 9. The drying airflow enters the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the perforated channel 4 and the permeable grid 5, and acts on the 6-inch wafer.

[0045] In this step, the cleaning process includes a chemical cleaning step, a pure water rinsing step, and a drying step. In the chemical cleaning step, the cleaning liquid enters the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the perforated channel 4 and the water-permeable grid 5. In the pure water rinsing step, the rinsing liquid enters the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the perforated channel 4 and the water-permeable grid 5. In the drying step, the drying airflow enters the wafer carrier cavity 2 through the perforated channel 4 and the water-permeable grid 5.

[0046] S4, Unloading and Removing Sheets.

[0047] After cleaning, remove the adapter cassette and take the 6-inch wafer out of wafer slot 3.

[0048] In other embodiments, the number, shape, and arrangement of the perforated slots 4, permeable grids 5, and drainage holes 9 are determined according to the spray position, drainage position, and wafer cassette structure dimensions of the 8-inch washer. The number, spacing, and depth of the wafer slots 3 are determined according to the loading quantity and loading spacing of 6-inch wafers. The positions of the bottom positioning reference 7, side limiting parts 8, and top mounting lip 6 are determined according to the standard wafer cassette bearing position of the 8-inch washer. The material of the wafer cassette body 1 is selected from chemical-resistant resin materials used in semiconductor wet cleaning.

[0049] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of this invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A converter wafer cassette compatible with 6-inch wafers and 8-inch washing machines, characterized in that, It includes a wafer cassette body, a wafer carrier cavity formed inside the wafer cassette body, multiple sets of wafer slots on both sides of the wafer carrier cavity, a machine positioning structure on the outside of the wafer cassette body, and a cleaning fluid channel on the wafer cassette body. The machine positioning structure includes a bottom positioning reference, a side limiting part, and a top mounting lip that cooperate with the standard wafer cassette bearing station of an 8-inch washing machine. The outer contour dimensions of the wafer cassette body match the outer contour dimensions of the 8-inch standard wafer cassette. The effective bearing size of the wafer bearing cavity is adapted to the outer diameter of a 6-inch wafer. The multiple sets of wafer slots are arranged at intervals along the front-back direction of the wafer cassette body and are arranged in pairs on both sides of the wafer carrier cavity. The wafer slots are used to insert the edge of the 6-inch wafer and to limit the spacing of the 6-inch wafer. The cleaning fluid channel includes a perforated groove on the front of the wafer cassette body, a permeable grid on the side of the wafer cassette body, and a drain hole at the bottom of the wafer cassette body. The perforated groove, the permeable grid, and the drain hole are respectively connected to the wafer carrier cavity and are used to introduce cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid, and drying airflow and to discharge cleaning waste liquid.

2. The adapter cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer slot includes an arc-shaped support surface that mates with the edge of a 6-inch wafer and limiting sidewalls located on both sides of the arc-shaped support surface. The arc-shaped support surface is either a rounded corner transition structure or a chamfered corner transition structure. A limiting gap is formed between the limiting sidewalls to allow insertion of a single 6-inch wafer. The spacing between adjacent wafer slots is set according to the cleaning and loading spacing of the 6-inch wafer, and the slot depth of each wafer slot is set according to the insertion depth of the edge of the 6-inch wafer.

3. The adapter cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer cartridge body is integrally molded from one of semiconductor-grade acid and alkali resistant PP material and PFA material; the outer wall of the wafer cartridge body is provided with an identification marking area, which is used to set at least one of OCR code, barcode, QR code, and RFID tag; the position of the hollow through groove corresponds to the upper and lower spray nozzles of the 8-inch washing machine, the position of the water permeable grid corresponds to the side spray pipe of the 8-inch washing machine, and the drain hole is located in the bottom low area of ​​the wafer carrier cavity.

4. A cleaning method using the adapter cassette compatible with 6-inch wafers and 8-inch washing machines as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Insert the 6-inch wafers to be cleaned one by one into the wafer slots, so that each 6-inch wafer is confined in the wafer carrier cavity by the paired wafer slots on the left and right. S2. The adapter cassette loaded with 6-inch wafers is placed into the 8-inch washing machine in the same way as the standard 8-inch cassette, and the machine positioning structure is used to coordinate with the standard cassette bearing station of the 8-inch washing machine. S3. Start the cleaning program of the 8-inch washing machine, so that the cleaning liquid, rinsing liquid and drying airflow enter the wafer carrier cavity through the cleaning fluid channel to clean, rinse and dry the 6-inch wafer; S4. After cleaning, remove the adapter cassette and take the 6-inch wafer out of the wafer slot.

5. The cleaning method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step S1, the edge of each 6-inch wafer is inserted into the arc-shaped support surface of the corresponding wafer slot, and the two sides of the 6-inch wafer are respectively located in the limiting gap of the left and right paired wafer slots.

6. The cleaning method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step S2, the bottom positioning reference engages with the positioning slot of the 8-inch washing machine, the side limiting part engages with the lateral limiting mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine, and the top mounting lip engages with the clamping mechanism of the 8-inch washing machine.

7. The cleaning method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step S3, the cleaning liquid and rinsing liquid enter the wafer carrier cavity through the hollowed-out groove and water-permeable grid, and are discharged through the drain hole at the bottom of the wafer cassette body; The dry airflow enters the wafer carrier cavity through the hollowed-out slots and water-permeable grid.

8. The cleaning method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Before or during step S2, at least one of the following is read through the identification area: OCR code, barcode, QR code, RFID tag, and the reading result is used for machine identification, batch recording, or loading / unloading management of the transfer cartridge.

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