Cleaning apparatus and cleaning system

Abstract

The application provides a cleaning device and a cleaning system, which comprise a reaction kettle, a supply module, a temperature control module and a pressure relief module, wherein the supply module, the temperature control module and the pressure relief module are connected with the reaction kettle, the air in the kettle is replaced by carbon dioxide blowing to build a pure processing environment, the supercritical cleaning fluid is generated by using the temperature and pressure conditions of supercritical state, and the fluid spontaneously flows by means of the temperature difference in the height direction, the double disturbance of the pressurized gas supply and the interval pressure relief is used to strengthen the stripping of the internal contaminants of the microstructure, and the cleaning fluid carrying by-products is discharged, and finally, the pressure relief drying without phase change is completed at a preset pressure relief rate, the organic matter residues on the wafer surface are effectively removed, the pattern collapse and watermark defects are avoided, and the wafer cleaning yield is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a cleaning device and cleaning system. Background Technology

[0002] Wafer cleaning typically uses inorganic acid wet cleaning, but wet cleaning is difficult to handle carbonized materials and may even cause photoresist emulsification. It leaves serious residues in the dead corners of chip microstructures, and in actual production, acid needs to be changed frequently to avoid cross-contamination, resulting in poor environmental performance of acid waste disposal.

[0003] The new technology development direction is plasma cleaning, but plasma cleaning process is difficult to avoid defects such as substrate structure damage and low removal efficiency.

[0004] Supercritical carbon dioxide cleaning of wafers causes minimal damage, but the flow control technology is not yet perfect. Due to the special operating conditions of supercritical carbon dioxide temperature and pressure, the fluid flow rate in the cavity is insufficient, and the particles generated after cleaning continue to adhere to the wafer surface, affecting the cleaning effect.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new type of cleaning equipment and cleaning system to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cleaning device and a cleaning system to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the cleaning equipment of the present invention includes a reaction vessel, a supply module, a temperature control module, and a pressure relief module, wherein the supply module, the temperature control module, and the pressure relief module are all connected to the reaction vessel; In the initial stage, the supply module is used to supply carbon dioxide into the reactor, and the pressure relief module is used to relieve pressure to release the air inside the reactor; During the cleaning fluid formation stage, the supply module supplies carbon dioxide and auxiliary solvent to the reactor and raises the pressure inside the reactor to an initial gas pressure greater than 7.39 MPa. The temperature control module controls the temperature of the reactor to be greater than 31.1°C and creates a temperature difference along the height of the reactor so that the carbon dioxide inside the reactor enters a supercritical state under the conditions of the initial gas pressure and a temperature greater than 31.1°C, forming a cleaning fluid to remove residual organic matter from the wafer surface. The temperature difference at different heights of the reactor drives the cleaning fluid to flow. During the disturbance phase, the supply module supplies carbon dioxide into the reactor to agitate the cleaning fluid and increase its fluidity. When the pressure inside the reactor rises from the initial pressure to the agitation pressure, the supply of carbon dioxide to the reactor is stopped. The pressure relief module releases pressure when the pressure inside the reactor exceeds the pressure relief pressure, agitating the cleaning fluid and simultaneously discharging a portion of the cleaning fluid carrying byproducts. The pressure relief pressure is greater than or equal to the initial pressure. During the pressure relief drying stage, the pressure relief module is used to depressurize the reactor according to a preset pressure relief rate to achieve in-situ, phase-change-free drying of the wafer.

[0008] Optionally, the reactor includes a cover and a cavity, the cover being movably connected to the cavity, the supply module and the pressure relief module being connected to the cover, and the temperature control module being connected to the cavity.

[0009] Optionally, the cleaning equipment further includes a recovery module connected to the pressure relief module for recovering carbon dioxide during the agitation phase and the pressure relief drying phase.

[0010] Optionally, the recycling module includes a recycling pipeline, a recycling tank, a filtration unit, a condensate pump, and a booster pump. One end of the recycling pipeline is connected to the pressure relief module or the cover, and the other end of the recycling pipeline is connected to the recycling tank. The filtration unit, the condensate pump, and the booster pump are all located on the recycling pipeline and are positioned downstream of the carbon dioxide transport direction. The condensate pump is located downstream of the filtration unit, and the booster pump is located downstream of the condensate pump. The pressure resistance of the recycling pipeline, the recycling tank, the filtration unit, the condensate pump, and the booster pump is all greater than 15 MPa, and the temperature resistance range of the recycling pipeline, the recycling tank, the filtration unit, the condensate pump, and the booster pump is all 0℃-80℃.

[0011] Optionally, the cleaning equipment further includes a pressure relief control module, which is electrically connected to the pressure relief module. The pressure relief control module is used to drive the pressure relief module to adjust the pressure relief rate according to the temperature change inside the reactor during the pressure relief drying stage, and to drive the pressure relief module to adjust the pressure relief rate according to the pressure inside the reactor during the disturbance stage.

[0012] Optionally, the cavity includes an inner liner, an outer shell, and m partition supports. The inner liner and the outer shell are both spherical or ellipsoidal. The inner liner is disposed inside the outer shell, and a gap is formed between the inner liner and the outer shell. The partition supports are disposed in the gap to divide the gap into m+1 sub-gap along the height of the reactor. Each sub-gap is filled with a heat-conducting medium, where m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. The temperature control module includes m+1 sub-temperature control units that correspond one-to-one with the sub-gap. The sub-temperature control units are disposed within the corresponding sub-gap, and each sub-temperature control unit has a different operating temperature.

[0013] Optionally, the sub-temperature control unit includes at least two heating elements and at least two temperature sensors. The heating elements are arranged at equal intervals around the axis of the liner, and a temperature sensor is provided at the midpoint between every two adjacent heating elements.

[0014] Optionally, the sub-temperature control unit further includes cooling elements in the same number as the heating elements, the cooling elements being disposed within the sub-gap and on one side corresponding to the heating elements.

[0015] Optionally, the cleaning equipment further includes a heat-conducting medium circulation unit with the same number of sub-gap units. The heat-conducting medium circulation unit includes a heat-conducting medium circulation pipe and a heat-conducting medium circulation pump. The outer casing has a heat-conducting medium circulation outlet and a heat-conducting medium circulation inlet. The two ends of the heat-conducting medium circulation pipe are respectively connected to the heat-conducting medium circulation outlet and the heat-conducting medium circulation inlet. The heat-conducting medium circulation pump is installed on the heat-conducting medium circulation pipe. The heat transfer medium circulation outlet and the heat transfer medium circulation inlet are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner with respect to the central axis of the outer shell. A nozzle is provided at the heat transfer medium circulation inlet, and the nozzle is arranged along the circumferential tangential direction of the outer shell, so that the heat transfer medium forms a circulation within the sub-gap.

[0016] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes an inner extension tube, which is disposed inside the reactor and connected to the pressure relief module, and extends along the inner wall of the cavity from the cover to the bottom of the cavity.

[0017] The present invention also provides a cleaning system, including a conveying device and the cleaning device described in any one of the above.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: First, a pure processing environment is created by purging and replacing the air inside the reactor with carbon dioxide; supercritical cleaning fluid is generated using supercritical temperature and pressure conditions, and spontaneous flow of the fluid is achieved by utilizing the temperature difference in the height direction; then, the removal of contaminants inside the microstructure is enhanced by the dual disturbance effect of pressurized gas supply and inter-zone depressurization, while the cleaning fluid carrying by-products is discharged; finally, phase-change-free depressurization drying is completed at a preset depressurization rate, effectively removing organic residues on the wafer surface, avoiding pattern collapse and watermark defects, and improving the wafer cleaning yield. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning equipment in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0020] Figure label: 100. Cavity; 101. Liner; 102. Outer shell; 103. Partition support; 104. Heat transfer medium; 105. Heating element; 106. Temperature sensor; 107. Cooling element; 200. Supply module; 201. Carbon dioxide supply unit; 202. Auxiliary solvent supply unit; 300. Pressure relief module; 400. Recovery module; 401. Recovery pipeline; 402. Recovery tank; 403. Filtration unit; 404. Condensation pump; 405. Booster pump; 500. Heat transfer medium circulation unit; 501. Heat transfer medium circulation pipeline; 502. Heat transfer medium circulation pump; 600. Inner extension pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0022] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a cleaning device. (Refer to...) Figure 1 The cleaning equipment includes a reaction vessel, a supply module 200, a temperature control module, and a pressure relief module 300, all of which are connected to the reaction vessel.

[0023] Reference Figure 1In the initial stage, the supply module 200 supplies carbon dioxide into the reactor, and the pressure relief module 300 relieves pressure to release air from the reactor. In the cleaning fluid formation stage, the supply module 200 supplies carbon dioxide and auxiliary solvent into the reactor, raising the pressure inside the reactor to an initial pressure greater than 7.39 MPa. The temperature control module controls the temperature of the reactor to be greater than 31.1°C, creating a temperature difference along the height of the reactor. This allows the carbon dioxide inside the reactor to enter a supercritical state under the conditions of the initial pressure and a temperature greater than 31.1°C, forming a cleaning fluid to remove residual organic matter from the wafer surface. The temperature difference at different heights in the reactor drives the cleaning fluid to flow. During the agitation phase, the supply module 200 supplies carbon dioxide to the reactor to agitate the cleaning fluid and increase its fluidity. When the pressure inside the reactor rises from the initial pressure to the agitation pressure, the supply of carbon dioxide to the reactor is stopped. The pressure relief module 300 releases pressure when the pressure inside the reactor exceeds the pressure relief pressure, agitating the cleaning fluid and simultaneously discharging some of the cleaning fluid carrying byproducts. The pressure relief pressure is greater than or equal to the initial pressure. During the pressure relief drying phase, the pressure relief module 300 releases pressure to the reactor at a preset pressure relief rate to achieve in-situ, phase-change-free drying of the wafer.

[0024] In this application, by combining the initial stage, the cleaning fluid formation stage, the disturbance stage, and the pressure relief and drying stage, an integrated supercritical cleaning-in-situ drying process for wafers can be achieved.

[0025] In the initial stage, carbon dioxide is introduced into the supply module, and the pressure relief module releases pressure synchronously. This effectively replaces and removes the air inside the reactor, preventing residual air from interfering with the subsequent supercritical environment, preventing impurity gases from mixing into the cleaning fluid, and ensuring the purity of the cleaning environment.

[0026] During the cleaning fluid formation stage, the pressure inside the reactor is increased to greater than 7.39 MPa and the temperature is increased to greater than 31.1 °C, so that the carbon dioxide reaches a supercritical state and forms a cleaning fluid together with the auxiliary solvent. At the same time, the temperature control module creates a temperature difference along the height of the reactor. The cleaning fluid is driven to flow spontaneously by the temperature difference. The cleaning fluid can fully contact the wafer surface without the need for additional stirring components. By utilizing the high diffusion and low surface tension characteristics of supercritical carbon dioxide, the residual organic contaminants on the wafer surface are efficiently dissolved and stripped. It can also reduce the aggregation of particles on the wafer surface and avoid the impact of high concentration of particles on the subsequent cleaning efficiency.

[0027] The disturbance stage employs a combination of gas supply pressurization and threshold pressure relief: on the one hand, carbon dioxide is introduced to increase the gas pressure inside the reactor to the disturbance pressure, creating impact disturbance on the cleaning fluid, enhancing fluid flow, and improving the ability to remove residual organic matter in the micro-grooves and pore structures of the wafer; on the other hand, when the pressure inside the reactor is higher than the pressure relief pressure, pressure relief is performed. The pressure relief pressure is set between the initial gas pressure and the disturbance pressure, further agitating the cleaning fluid while maintaining the supercritical environment inside the reactor. It can also carry out some of the cleaning fluid containing dissolved by-products from the reactor, reducing the concentration of pollutants inside the reactor and reducing the risk of secondary pollution.

[0028] During the depressurization and drying stage, the depressurization module depressurizes the reactor according to the preset depressurization rate. The medium inside the reactor remains in a state without phase change, and there is no surface tension generated by the liquid-gas phase change on the wafer surface. This enables in-situ phase change-free drying of the wafer, avoiding defects such as pattern collapse, watermarks, and particle residue caused by traditional liquid phase drying processes, and improving the yield of finished products after wafer cleaning.

[0029] In some embodiments, the pressure relief pressure is less than the disturbance pressure.

[0030] In some embodiments, the auxiliary solvent is an alcohol solvent, and the amount of the auxiliary solvent added is 0.1%-3% of the volume of carbon dioxide entering the supercritical state.

[0031] In some embodiments, the volume ratio can be calculated by converting the molar flow rates of carbon dioxide and auxiliary solvent feeds.

[0032] In some embodiments, the auxiliary solvent is ethanol or isopropanol, and the amount added is 1%-3% of the volume of carbon dioxide entering the supercritical state. Specifically, the amount of ethanol or isopropanol added is 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, or 3% of the volume of carbon dioxide entering the supercritical state, or any value between any two of the aforementioned values.

[0033] In some embodiments, the auxiliary solvent is acetone, and the amount added is 0.1%-0.5% of the volume of carbon dioxide entering the supercritical state. Specifically, the amount of acetone added is 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, or 0.5% of the volume of carbon dioxide entering the supercritical state, or any value between any two of the aforementioned values.

[0034] In some preferred embodiments, the initial gas pressure is greater than 7.4 MPa, and the temperature control module is used to control the temperature of the reactor so that the temperature of the reactor is greater than 35°C.

[0035] In some embodiments, during the disturbance phase, the pressure relief module begins to release pressure when the pressure inside the reactor is greater than the pressure relief gas pressure, and stops releasing pressure when the pressure inside the reactor equals the initial gas pressure.

[0036] In other embodiments, during the disturbance phase, the pressure relief module begins to release pressure when the pressure inside the reactor is greater than the pressure relief gas pressure, and stops releasing pressure when the pressure inside the reactor is less than or equal to the pressure relief gas pressure.

[0037] In some specific embodiments, the initial air pressure is 7.8 MPa and the disturbance air pressure is 8 MPa.

[0038] In some specific embodiments, the pressure relief pressure is equal to the initial pressure.

[0039] In some embodiments, the preset pressure relief rate includes a rate increasing phase and a rate constant phase. During the rate increasing phase, the preset pressure relief rate gradually increases from 0 MPa / min to 0.5 MPa / min within a preset time. After reaching 0.5 MPa / min, the preset pressure relief rate enters the rate constant phase and is maintained at 0.5 MPa / min until the gas pressure inside the reactor returns to atmospheric pressure. The preset time is 5-10 minutes, specifically 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, or 10 minutes, or any value between any two of the aforementioned times.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 The reactor is a sealable, pressure-resistant structure, capable of withstanding pressures greater than 15 MPa and temperatures ranging from 0°C to 80°C. The reactor is generally spherical or ellipsoidal in shape. The reactor includes a lid and a cavity 100, with the lid movably connected to the cavity 100. The supply module 200 and the pressure relief module 300 are both connected to the lid, and the temperature control module is connected to the cavity 100. Specifically, the cavity 100 has a transfer port for transferring wafers or crystal boats, and the lid is movably mounted on the transfer port and fixed using a commonly used furnace lid locking structure.

[0041] Preferably, the transmission port is circular.

[0042] In some embodiments, the pressure relief module is connected to the cover.

[0043] In some embodiments, the cleaning equipment further includes a pressure relief control module electrically connected to the pressure relief module. This module is used to drive the pressure relief module to adjust the pressure relief rate based on temperature changes within the reactor during the pressure relief drying stage, and to drive the pressure relief module to adjust the pressure relief rate based on pressure within the reactor during the disturbance stage. Specifically, the pressure relief module can be an electronic pressure relief valve capable of withstanding 15 MPa pressure and a temperature range of 0°C-80°C. The pressure relief control module can be a central processing unit (CPU) or a microcontroller unit (MCU). It should be noted that both the supply module and the temperature control module are controlled by a CPU or MCU, or they can share a single CPU or MCU control module (i.e., the pressure relief control module).

[0044] In some embodiments, the pressure relief control module pre-stores a temperature-pressure relief rate relationship model. Based on this model, the pressure relief rate of the module is adjusted according to the temperature inside the reactor. The temperature-pressure relief rate relationship model can be obtained through existing simulation models or by collecting and fitting multiple sets of data.

[0045] In some embodiments, the pressure relief control module pre-stores a pressure-relief rate relationship model. Based on this model, the pressure relief rate of the module is adjusted according to the pressure inside the reactor. The pressure-relief rate relationship model can be obtained through existing simulation models or by collecting and fitting multiple sets of data.

[0046] Reference Figure 1 The cleaning equipment also includes an inner extension tube 600, which is disposed inside the reaction vessel and connected to the pressure relief module 300, and extends along the inner wall of the cavity 100 from the cover to the bottom of the cavity 100.

[0047] During the depressurization process, as the pressure inside the reactor decreases, the dissolving capacity of the cleaning fluid decreases, and impurities precipitate and settle to the bottom of the reactor under gravity. The inner extension tube extends the depressurization suction end to the bottom of the reactor. During depressurization, the cleaning fluid rich in precipitated impurities at the bottom can be discharged first, reducing the retention of impurities in the reactor and preventing precipitated impurities from falling back and contaminating the wafer. This effectively reduces particle defects, improves cleaning yield, and the pipeline is laid along the inner wall of the reactor, so it will not interfere with the wafer station and avoids the risk of damage caused by airflow directly blowing on the wafer.

[0048] In some embodiments, the inner tube comprises two parts, one part being connected to the cover and the other part being fixed to the inner wall of the reactor. When the cover is opened, the two parts of the inner tube separate, and when the cover is closed, the two parts of the inner tube are connected together.

[0049] Reference Figure 1 The supply module 200 includes a carbon dioxide supply unit 201 and an auxiliary solvent supply unit 202, both of which are connected to the cover. The carbon dioxide supply unit 201 is used to supply carbon dioxide into the reactor, control the flow rate of the carbon dioxide, and pressurize the carbon dioxide. The auxiliary solvent supply unit 202 is used to supply auxiliary solvent into the reactor, control the flow rate of the auxiliary solvent, and pressurize the auxiliary solvent. The specific structures of the carbon dioxide supply unit 201 and the auxiliary solvent supply unit 202 are existing technologies in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0050] In some embodiments, the cleaning equipment further includes a recovery module connected to the pressure relief module for recovering carbon dioxide during the agitation phase and the pressure relief drying phase.

[0051] Reference Figure 1 The recovery module 400 includes a recovery pipe 401, a recovery tank 402, a filter unit 403, a condensate pump 404, and a booster pump 405. One end of the recovery pipe 401 is connected to the pressure relief module, and the other end of the recovery pipe 401 is connected to the recovery tank 402. The filter unit 403, the condensate pump 404, and the booster pump 405 are all located on the recovery pipe 401 and are positioned downstream of the carbon dioxide transport direction. The condensate pump 404 is located downstream of the filter unit 403, and the booster pump 405 is located downstream of the condensate pump 404. The recovery pipe 401, the recovery tank 402, the filter unit 403, the condensate pump 404, and the booster pump 405 can withstand pressures greater than 15 MPa, and the temperature range that the recovery pipe 401, the recovery tank 402, the filter unit 403, the condensate pump 404, and the booster pump 405 can withstand is 0℃-80℃.

[0052] Reference Figure 1 Along the flow direction of the cleaning fluid, the condenser pump 404 is located downstream of the filter unit 403, the booster pump 405 is located downstream of the condenser pump 404, and the recovery tank 402 is located downstream of the booster pump 405.

[0053] In some embodiments, the filtration unit is provided with a porous sintered filter element, which is a 316L stainless steel multi-layer gradient sintered filter element, and the filtration accuracy of the porous sintered filter element is 0.05μm-0.2μm.

[0054] In some other embodiments, one end of the recycling pipe is connected to the cover, and an electronic pressure relief valve with a pressure resistance of 15 MPa and a temperature tolerance range of 0°C-80°C may also be provided upstream of the filter unit.

[0055] Reference Figure 1 The cavity 100 includes an inner liner 101, an outer shell 102, and m partition support members 103. The inner liner 101 and the outer shell 102 are both spherical or ellipsoidal. The inner liner 101 is disposed inside the outer shell 102, and a gap is formed between the inner liner 101 and the outer shell 102. The partition support members 103 are disposed in the gap to divide the gap into m+1 sub-gap along the height of the reactor. Each sub-gap is filled with a heat-conducting medium 104, where m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. The temperature control module includes m+1 sub-temperature control units that correspond one-to-one with the sub-gap. The sub-temperature control units are disposed in the corresponding sub-gap, and each sub-temperature control unit has a different operating temperature. Taking three sub-gap units as an example, the temperature of the sub-temperature control unit in the first sub-gap from top to bottom is 39℃; the temperature of the sub-temperature control unit in the second sub-gap from top to bottom is 37℃; and the temperature of the sub-temperature control unit in the third sub-gap from top to bottom is 35℃.

[0056] To create a controllable temperature difference along the height of the reactor, the gap between the outer shell and the inner liner is divided into m+1 independent sub-gap sections along the height using m partition supports. These partition supports also provide support and positioning for the inner liner. Each independent sub-gap is filled with a heat-conducting medium and equipped with a corresponding sub-temperature control unit with a different operating temperature. Each sub-temperature control unit conducts heat to different height positions of the inner liner through the heat-conducting medium, thereby creating a stable and controllable temperature difference along the height of the inner liner and establishing a temperature gradient field along the height within the reactor cavity. Once a temperature difference along the height is established inside the reactor, the thermal convection of the cleaning fluid within the reactor can be actively controlled. This design guides the cleaning fluid within the reactor to form the desired flow pattern, inhibiting the disorderly upward diffusion of particles from the reactor bottom, reducing particle drift to the wafer surface and causing contamination, improving particle defects in wafer cleaning, and increasing product yield. Each sub-gap is independent, reducing temperature interference between different sub-temperature control units. The heat-conducting medium ensures rapid heat transfer, fast temperature control response, and high temperature control accuracy. The partition support, heat-conducting medium, and sub-temperature control units are all arranged inside the gap between the outer shell and the inner liner, without extending into the process cavity of the reactor, without contacting the cleaning fluid, wafer, or crystal boat, without occupying the effective process space of the cavity, and without introducing additional particle contamination sources, ensuring the cleanliness of the reaction cavity.

[0057] In some embodiments, the heat-conducting medium is heat-conducting oil, liquid metal, or high-pressure heat-conducting fluid, etc.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 The sub-temperature control unit includes at least two heating elements 105 and at least two temperature sensors 106. The heating elements 105 are arranged at equal intervals around the axis of the inner liner 101, and a temperature sensor 106 is arranged at the midpoint between every two adjacent heating elements 105.

[0059] Reference Figure 1 The sub-temperature control unit also includes cooling elements 107 in the same number as the heating elements 105. The cooling elements 107 are disposed within the gap and on one side corresponding to the heating element 105, for example, above the heating element 105. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The heating element 105, the temperature sensor 106, and the cooling element 107 mentioned above are not all shown.

[0060] Each sub-gap contains at least two heating elements arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential axis of the lining. These elements can simultaneously output heat at multiple locations along the circumference of the corresponding sub-gap. Combined with temperature sensors positioned at the midpoints of adjacent heating elements, the actual temperature at different points along the circumference of the sub-gap can be collected, enabling multi-point temperature detection and avoiding the detection errors caused by single-point temperature measurement. The heating elements and cooling components work together, allowing for bidirectional heating and cooling control within the same sub-gap. Combined with real-time feedback from the multi-point temperature sensors, the temperature at all points along the circumference of the sub-gap can be evenly adjusted, effectively eliminating temperature deviations along the circumference of the lining and ensuring that the temperature at the same height along the circumference of the lining is consistent, avoiding... Localized overheating or undercooling at the same height within the reactor ensures temperature uniformity within the same height layer. The heating element, temperature sensor, and cooling components are all located within the interlayer gap between the outer shell and inner liner, preventing them from entering the reactor's process chamber, contacting cleaning fluids, wafers, or the crystal boat, thus avoiding the introduction of impurity particles into the reactor and maintaining a clean environment within the reactor by not occupying effective process space. The distributed layout of multiple heating elements, sensors, and cooling components provides higher redundancy compared to single-unit temperature control devices. Even if a heating element or cooling component malfunctions, the remaining components can still participate in temperature control, reducing the impact of single-point failures on the process temperature field and improving equipment process stability.

[0061] In some embodiments, the heating element includes a heating wire or a heating rod, etc.

[0062] In some embodiments, the cooling element is a semiconductor refrigeration chip, a cooling water pipe, or other cooling medium delivery pipe.

[0063] In some embodiments, the pressure relief control module may obtain the temperature inside the reactor from the temperature sensors, for example, by taking the average of the temperatures obtained by all the temperature sensors as the temperature inside the reactor.

[0064] In some embodiments, the sub-temperature control unit further includes a sub-gap temperature control unit, which is electrically connected to the corresponding heating element, the corresponding temperature sensor, and the corresponding cooling element. The sub-gap temperature control unit adjusts the power of the heating element and the cooling element located between the two temperature sensors based on the temperature detected by two adjacent temperature sensors. The sub-gap temperature control unit can be a central processing unit or a microcontroller, or it can share a central processing unit or microcontroller with the pressure relief module. The sub-gap temperature control unit has a pre-stored temperature-power model, and adjusts the power of the corresponding heating element and the cooling element based on this model. The temperature-power model can be obtained through simulation or by fitting multiple sets of collected data.

[0065] Reference Figure 1The cleaning equipment further includes a heat-conducting medium circulation unit 500, the same number as the number of sub-gap units. Each heat-conducting medium circulation unit 500 includes a heat-conducting medium circulation pipe 501 and a heat-conducting medium circulation pump 502. The outer casing 102 has a heat-conducting medium circulation outlet and a heat-conducting medium circulation inlet. The two ends of the heat-conducting medium circulation pipe 501 are respectively connected to the heat-conducting medium circulation outlet and the heat-conducting medium circulation inlet. The heat-conducting medium circulation pump 502 is mounted on the heat-conducting medium circulation pipe 501. The heat-conducting medium circulation outlet and the heat-conducting medium circulation inlet are arranged symmetrically about the central axis of the outer casing 102. A nozzle is provided at the heat-conducting medium circulation inlet, and the nozzle is arranged along the circumferential tangential direction of the outer casing 102, so that the heat-conducting medium 104 forms a circulating flow within the sub-gap. It should be noted that... Figure 1 None of the heat-conducting medium circulation units 500 described herein are shown individually.

[0066] Each sub-gap is equipped with an independent heat transfer medium circulation unit, driven by a heat transfer medium circulation pump to circulate the heat transfer medium within the sub-gap, accelerating heat exchange within the interlayer and improving temperature control response speed. The heat transfer medium circulation inlet and outlet are centrally symmetrically arranged, and the tangential nozzle at the inlet creates circulation of the heat transfer medium within the sub-gap, promoting sufficient flow of the heat transfer medium within the sub-gap, eliminating local stagnation areas, and resulting in a more uniform temperature distribution within the same sub-gap. In conjunction with the sub-temperature control unit, heat can be quickly and evenly transferred to the outer wall of the liner, ensuring the circumferential temperature consistency of the liner at the corresponding height layer and not disrupting the height-direction temperature gradient between each sub-gap. The circulation pipeline and pump body are all located on the outside of the outer shell, with only the nozzle located in the interlayer gap, not intruding into the process cavity and not causing contamination to the internal wafer processing environment.

[0067] The present invention also provides a cleaning system, including a conveying device and the cleaning device. The conveying device is a commonly used crystal boat or wafer conveying device in the art, and its specific structure, composition and working principle are well known to those skilled in the art, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0068] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A cleaning device, characterized in that, It includes a reaction vessel, a supply module, a temperature control module, and a pressure relief module, wherein the supply module, the temperature control module, and the pressure relief module are all connected to the reaction vessel; In the initial stage, the supply module is used to supply carbon dioxide into the reactor, and the pressure relief module is used to relieve pressure to release the air inside the reactor; During the cleaning fluid formation stage, the supply module supplies carbon dioxide and auxiliary solvent to the reactor and raises the pressure inside the reactor to an initial gas pressure greater than 7.39 MPa. The temperature control module controls the temperature of the reactor to be greater than 31.1°C and creates a temperature difference along the height of the reactor so that the carbon dioxide inside the reactor enters a supercritical state under the conditions of the initial gas pressure and a temperature greater than 31.1°C, forming a cleaning fluid to remove residual organic matter from the wafer surface. The temperature difference at different heights of the reactor drives the cleaning fluid to flow. During the disturbance phase, the supply module supplies carbon dioxide into the reactor to disturb the cleaning fluid inside the reactor and increase the fluidity of the cleaning fluid. When the gas pressure inside the reactor rises from the initial gas pressure to the disturbance gas pressure, the supply of carbon dioxide into the reactor is stopped. The pressure relief module is used to release pressure when the pressure inside the reactor is greater than the pressure relief gas pressure, disturb the cleaning fluid inside the reactor, and at the same time discharge a portion of the cleaning fluid carrying by-products. The pressure relief gas pressure is greater than or equal to the initial gas pressure. During the pressure relief drying stage, the pressure relief module is used to depressurize the reactor according to a preset pressure relief rate to achieve in-situ, phase-change-free drying of the wafer.

2. The cleaning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reactor includes a cover and a cavity. The cover is movably connected to the cavity. The supply module and the pressure relief module are both connected to the cover, and the temperature control module is connected to the cavity.

3. The cleaning equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment also includes a recovery module connected to the pressure relief module, which is used to recover carbon dioxide during the disturbance phase and the pressure relief drying phase.

4. The cleaning equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The recycling module includes a recycling pipeline, a recycling tank, a filtration unit, a condenser pump, and a booster pump. One end of the recycling pipeline is connected to the pressure relief module or the cover, and the other end of the recycling pipeline is connected to the recycling tank. The filtration unit, the condenser pump, and the booster pump are all located on the recycling pipeline and are positioned downstream of the carbon dioxide transport direction. The condenser pump is located downstream of the filtration unit, and the booster pump is located downstream of the condenser pump. The recycling pipeline, the recycling tank, the filtration unit, the condenser pump, and the booster pump can all withstand pressures greater than 15 MPa, and the recycling pipeline, the recycling tank, the filtration unit, the condenser pump, and the booster pump can all withstand temperatures ranging from 0°C to 80°C.

5. The cleaning equipment according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment also includes a pressure relief control module, which is electrically connected to the pressure relief module. The pressure relief control module is used to drive the pressure relief module to adjust the pressure relief rate according to the temperature change inside the reactor during the pressure relief drying stage, and to drive the pressure relief module to adjust the pressure relief rate according to the pressure inside the reactor during the disturbance stage.

6. The cleaning equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cavity includes an inner liner, an outer shell, and m partition supports. The inner liner and the outer shell are both spherical or ellipsoidal. The inner liner is disposed inside the outer shell, and a gap is formed between the inner liner and the outer shell. The partition supports are disposed in the gap to divide the gap into m+1 sub-gap along the height of the reactor. Each sub-gap is filled with a heat-conducting medium, where m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. The temperature control module includes m+1 sub-temperature control units that correspond one-to-one with the sub-gap. The sub-temperature control units are disposed within the corresponding sub-gap, and each sub-temperature control unit has a different operating temperature.

7. The cleaning equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sub-temperature control unit includes at least two heating elements and at least two temperature sensors. The heating elements are arranged at equal intervals around the axis of the liner, and a temperature sensor is arranged at the midpoint between every two adjacent heating elements.

8. The cleaning equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sub-temperature control unit also includes cooling elements in the same number as the heating elements. The cooling elements are disposed within the sub-gap and on one side corresponding to the heating elements.

9. The cleaning equipment according to any one of claims 6-8, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment also includes a heat-conducting medium circulation unit with the same number of sub-gap units. The heat-conducting medium circulation unit includes a heat-conducting medium circulation pipe and a heat-conducting medium circulation pump. The outer shell has a heat-conducting medium circulation outlet and a heat-conducting medium circulation inlet. The two ends of the heat-conducting medium circulation pipe are respectively connected to the heat-conducting medium circulation outlet and the heat-conducting medium circulation inlet. The heat-conducting medium circulation pump is installed on the heat-conducting medium circulation pipe. The heat transfer medium circulation outlet and the heat transfer medium circulation inlet are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner with respect to the central axis of the outer shell. A nozzle is provided at the heat transfer medium circulation inlet, and the nozzle is arranged along the circumferential tangential direction of the outer shell, so that the heat transfer medium forms a circulation within the sub-gap.

10. The cleaning equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment also includes an inner extension tube, which is disposed inside the reaction vessel and connected to the pressure relief module, and extends along the inner wall of the cavity from the cover to the bottom of the cavity.

11. A cleaning system, characterized in that, It includes conveying equipment and cleaning equipment as described in any one of claims 1-10.

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