Wafer cleaning equipment and semiconductor equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides wafer cleaning equipment and semiconductor equipment. The wafer cleaning equipment comprises a wafer loading area, a wafer transmission area and a wafer cleaning area, a loading device is arranged in the wafer loading area and used for loading and unloading a wafer conveying box, a cleaning cavity is arranged in the wafer cleaning area and used for cleaning wafers, and the wafer conveying area is located between the wafer loading area and the wafer cleaning area to achieve wafer conveying. A wafer transmission box buffer area is arranged in the wafer transmission area and used for placing a wafer transmission box, and cleaned wafers are placed in the wafer transmission box. According to the utility model, the wafer transmission box buffer area is arranged in the wafer transmission area, and after the wafer is cleaned in the cleaning area, the wafer is transmitted to the wafer transmission box in the wafer transmission box buffer area. And after the wafer conveying box is filled with the cleaned wafers, the cleaned wafers are conveyed to the loading device to complete unloading of the wafer conveying box, so that full utilization of the loading device is realized, and the capacity of a machine table is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, in particular to wafer cleaning equipment and semiconductor equipment. Background Art

[0002] During the back-end cleaning process, due to the properties of the lithography (Litho) machine, it is necessary to replace the FOUP (front-opening-unified-pod, hereinafter referred to as the wafer transfer box) to avoid metal contamination of the lithography machine.

[0003] The method currently adopted is more to use two wafer transfer boxes on the machine at the same time. The wafers to be cleaned in one wafer transfer box are transferred to the cleaning chamber for cleaning, and then placed in another wafer transfer box without metal contamination. The wafer transfer box without metal contamination needs to be placed in the wafer loading device (Load Port) until the wafer transfer box is full of wafers and then unloaded from the loading device. The loading device is always occupied and cannot load the wafer transfer box with the wafers to be cleaned, which has a certain impact on the production capacity of the machine. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of the present utility model is to provide a wafer cleaning device and a semiconductor device, wherein a wafer transfer box buffer is set in the wafer transmission area for placing the wafer transfer box. The wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box, and there is no need to occupy the wafer loading device all the time, thereby realizing full utilization of the loading device and improving the machine production capacity.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the utility model provides a wafer cleaning equipment, including a wafer loading area, a wafer transfer area and a wafer cleaning area; the wafer loading area is provided with a loading device for loading and unloading a wafer transfer box, the wafer cleaning area is provided with a cleaning chamber for cleaning the wafer, and the wafer transfer area is located between the wafer loading area and the wafer cleaning area to realize the transfer of wafers; the wafer transfer area is provided with a wafer transfer box buffer for placing a wafer transfer box, and the wafer after cleaning is placed in the wafer transfer box.

[0006] Optionally, a wafer transfer box transfer device is further provided in the wafer transfer area, which is used to transfer the wafer transfer box in the wafer transfer box buffer to the loading device, or to transfer the empty wafer transfer box in the loading device to the wafer transfer box buffer.

[0007] Optionally, multiple wafer transfer boxes are placed in the wafer transfer box buffer.

[0008] Optionally, a wafer storage device is further provided in the wafer transfer area for storing wafers to be cleaned.

[0009] Optionally, the wafer storage device stores at least one wafer in the wafer transfer box.

[0010] Optionally, a first wafer transfer device is further provided in the wafer transfer area for transferring the wafers to be cleaned in the wafer transfer box located in the wafer loading area to the wafer storage device.

[0011] Optionally, the first wafer transfer device includes a multi-layer robotic arm to simultaneously transfer multiple wafers to be cleaned.

[0012] Optionally, a second wafer transfer device is provided in the wafer cleaning area, and the second wafer transfer device is used to transfer the wafers to be cleaned from the wafer storage device to the cleaning chamber, or to transfer the wafers to be cleaned between multiple cleaning chambers, or to transfer the wafers after cleaning from the cleaning chamber to the wafer transfer box in the wafer transfer box buffer.

[0013] Optionally, the second wafer transfer device includes at least two layers of robotic arms, at least one layer of robotic arms transfers wafers to be cleaned, and at least one layer of robotic arms transfers wafers after cleaning.

[0014] Correspondingly, the present invention also provides a semiconductor device, including the wafer cleaning device as described above.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the wafer cleaning equipment and semiconductor equipment provided by the present invention include a wafer loading area, a wafer transfer area and a wafer cleaning area; the wafer loading area is provided with a loading device for loading and unloading wafer transfer boxes, the wafer cleaning area is provided with a cleaning chamber for cleaning wafers, and the wafer transfer area is located between the wafer loading area and the wafer cleaning area to realize the transfer of wafers; the wafer transfer area is provided with a wafer transfer box buffer for placing wafer transfer boxes, and the wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box. The utility model sets a wafer transfer box buffer in the wafer transfer area for placing the wafer transfer box, and the wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box. Therefore, after the wafers are cleaned in the cleaning area, they will be transferred to the wafer transfer box located in the wafer transfer box buffer. Only after the wafer transfer box is filled with cleaned wafers will it be transferred to the loading device to complete the unloading of the wafer transfer box. The wafer transfer box for placing cleaned wafers does not need to occupy the wafer loading device all the time. The loading device can load and unload the remaining wafer transfer boxes, thereby realizing full utilization of the loading device, thereby improving the machine production capacity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the accompanying drawings are provided for a better understanding of the present invention and do not constitute any limitation on the scope of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a wafer cleaning equipment.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a wafer cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Description of reference numerals:

[0020] 10-wafer loading area; 11-loading device; 20-wafer transfer area; 21-wafer storage device; 22-first wafer transfer device; 23-wafer transfer box buffer; 24-wafer transfer box transfer device; 30-wafer cleaning area; 31-cleaning chamber; 32-second wafer transfer device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer cleaning equipment, please refer to Figure 1 As shown, the wafer cleaning equipment includes a wafer loading area 10, a wafer transfer area 20 and a wafer cleaning area 30. The wafer loading area 10 is provided with a loading device 11 for loading and unloading wafer transfer boxes. The wafer cleaning area 30 is provided with a cleaning chamber 31 for cleaning wafers. The wafer transfer area 20 is located between the wafer loading area 10 and the wafer cleaning area 30 to realize the transfer of wafers.

[0022] The wafer transfer area 20 is provided with a wafer storage device 21 for storing wafers to be cleaned. The wafer transfer area 20 is also provided with a first wafer transfer device 22 for transferring wafers to be cleaned in the wafer transfer box in the wafer loading area 10 to the wafer storage device 21.

[0023] A second wafer transfer device 32 is provided in the wafer cleaning area 30. The second wafer transfer device 32 is used to transfer the wafer to be cleaned from the wafer storage device 21 to the cleaning chamber 31, or to transfer the wafer to be cleaned between multiple cleaning chambers 31, or to transfer the wafer after cleaning from the cleaning chamber 31 to a new wafer transfer box in the wafer loading device 11.

[0024] In this embodiment, a plurality of loading devices 11 are provided in the wafer loading area 10. One of the loading devices 11 is loaded with a wafer cassette containing wafers to be cleaned. The first wafer transfer device 22 transfers the wafers to be cleaned in the cassette to the wafer storage device 21. The second wafer transfer device 32 transfers the wafers to be cleaned in the wafer storage device 21 to the cleaning chamber 31 for cleaning. Another empty and clean cassette needs to be placed in another loading device 11. The second wafer transfer device 32 transfers the wafers cleaned in the cleaning chamber 31 to the clean cassette. After the clean cassette is filled with wafers, the loading device 11 unloads the clean cassette and then needs to load another clean cassette to continue receiving cleaned wafers.

[0025] During the wafer cleaning process, clean wafers are continuously transferred to the clean wafer pods in the loading device 11. Therefore, the loading device 11 is always in use. At the same time, another loading device 11 is required to load a wafer pod containing wafers to be cleaned, waiting to be transferred by the first wafer transfer device 22 to the wafer storage device 21 in the wafer transfer area 20. Therefore, at least two loading devices 11 need to be occupied simultaneously during the wafer cleaning process. In particular, the loading device 11 holding the clean wafer pods is always occupied, which has a certain impact on the production capacity of the machine.

[0026] In response to the above problems, the present invention provides a new wafer cleaning equipment, which sets a wafer transfer box buffer in the wafer transfer area 20 for storing the wafer transfer box. The wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box. When the wafer transfer box is full of cleaned wafers, it is transferred to the loading device 11 to complete the unloading of the wafer transfer box. The wafer transfer box will not occupy the loading device all the time. The loading device can load and unload the remaining wafer transfer boxes, thereby realizing full utilization of the loading device and thereby improving the machine production capacity.

[0027] Specifically, the utility model provides a wafer cleaning device, including a wafer loading area, a wafer transfer area and a wafer cleaning area; the wafer loading area is provided with a loading device for loading and unloading a wafer transfer box, the wafer cleaning area is provided with a cleaning chamber for cleaning the wafer, and the wafer transfer area is located between the wafer loading area and the wafer cleaning area to realize the transfer of wafers; the wafer transfer area is provided with a wafer transfer box buffer for placing a wafer transfer box, and the wafer after cleaning is placed in the wafer transfer box.

[0028] Correspondingly, the present invention also provides a semiconductor device, including the wafer cleaning device as described above.

[0029] To further clarify the objectives, advantages, and features of the present invention, the present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the drawings are highly simplified and not drawn to scale, and are intended solely to facilitate and clearly illustrate the objectives of the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, the structures shown in the drawings are often portions of the actual structures. In particular, different drawings may require different emphases and may use different scales.

[0030] As used in the present invention, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural objects, unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. As used in the present invention, the term "or" is generally used in a sense including "and / or", unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. As used in the present invention, the term "several" is generally used in a sense including "at least one", unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. As used in the present invention, the term "at least two" is generally used in a sense including "two or more", unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, the terms "first", "second" and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first", "second" and "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or at least two of the features.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the wafer cleaning equipment provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes a wafer loading area 10, a wafer transfer area 20 and a wafer cleaning area 30; the wafer loading area 10 is provided with a loading device 11 for loading and unloading wafer transfer boxes, and the wafer cleaning area 30 is provided with a cleaning chamber 31 for cleaning wafers, and the wafer transfer area 20 is located between the wafer loading area 10 and the wafer cleaning area 30 to realize the transfer of wafers; the wafer transfer area 20 is provided with a wafer transfer box buffer 23 for placing wafer transfer boxes, and the wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, a wafer transfer box transfer device 24 is further provided in the wafer transfer area 20, which is used to transfer the wafer transfer box in the wafer transfer box buffer 23 to the loading device 11, or to transfer the empty wafer transfer box in the loading device 11 to the wafer transfer box buffer 23.

[0033] For example, before or during wafer cleaning, an empty wafer transport box (of course, the wafer transport box is clean and is used to place the wafers after cleaning) is placed in the loading device 11, and the wafer transport box transmission device 24 transmits the wafer transport box to the wafer transport box buffer 23, and the wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transport box one after another. After the wafer transport box is full, the wafer transport box transmission device 24 transmits the wafer transport box to the loading device 11, and then unloads the wafer transport box from the loading device 11.

[0034] The pod buffer 23 can hold multiple pods. After the pods are filled with cleaned wafers, the pods can be transferred to the loading device 11 one by one. Of course, after the pod transfer device 24 transfers a pod filled with cleaned wafers to one loading device 11, it can transfer an empty, clean pod from another loading device 11 to the pod buffer 23. For example, three pods can be placed in the pod buffer 23 (though this is not limited to the present invention). When two pods are filled with cleaned wafers, the pod transfer device 24 transfers the pods to the loading device 11. Alternatively, if there are enough pods in the pod buffer 23, the pod transfer device 24 can transfer the pods to the loading device 11 after the cleaning step is completed.

[0035] The wafer transfer area 20 may include multiple FOUP buffers 23 located at different positions, i.e., multiple FOUP buffers 23 may be located at different positions within the wafer transfer area 20, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Multiple FOUPs may be placed within each FOUP buffer 23, and the position and size of the FOUP buffers 23 may be determined based on the actual space within the wafer transfer area 20.

[0036] In this embodiment, a wafer transfer box buffer 23 is set in the wafer transfer area 20, and a wafer transfer box is placed in the wafer transfer box buffer 23. The wafer transfer box is used to place the wafers after cleaning, that is, the wafers after cleaning do not need to be transferred to the wafer transfer box in the wafer loading area 10 as in the prior art, but are transferred to the wafer transfer box in the wafer transfer box buffer 23. In this way, the wafer loading area 10 does not need to always place a wafer transfer box for placing cleaned wafers, that is, the wafer transfer box for placing cleaned wafers does not need to always occupy the wafer loading device 11. The loading device 11 can load and unload the remaining wafer transfer boxes, thereby realizing the full utilization of the loading device 11, thereby improving the machine production capacity.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present invention, a wafer storage device 21 is further provided in the wafer transfer area 20 for storing wafers to be cleaned. Exemplarily, the wafer storage device 21 is capable of storing at least one wafer in the wafer pod, i.e., the wafer storage device 21 is provided with multiple slots for storing wafers. In this way, all wafers in at least one wafer pod can be transferred to the wafer storage device 21. The wafer pod does not need to be placed in the loading device 11 all the time. The loading device 11 can load and unload the remaining wafer pods, thereby improving the utilization rate of the loading device 11 and increasing the machine production capacity.

[0038] The wafer transfer area 20 is further provided with a first wafer transfer device 22 for transferring the wafers to be cleaned in the wafer transfer box in the wafer loading area 10 to the wafer storage device 21 .

[0039] Exemplarily, a wafer conveying box containing wafers to be cleaned is loaded into the loading device 11 in the wafer loading area 10, and the first wafer transfer device 22 transfers the wafers to be cleaned in the wafer conveying box to the wafer storage device 21. When the first wafer transfer device 22 completes the transfer of all wafers to be cleaned in the wafer conveying box, the wafer conveying box is unloaded from the loading device 11, and then the loading device 11 can load the remaining wafer conveying boxes, and the first wafer transfer device 22 continues to transfer the wafers to be cleaned.

[0040] The wafer storage device 21 can also rotate to facilitate the first wafer transfer device 22 to place the wafer to be cleaned into the wafer storage device 21 , and also facilitate the second wafer transfer device 23 to take out the wafer to be cleaned.

[0041] The first wafer transfer device 22 may include multiple layers of robotic arms to simultaneously transfer multiple wafers, thereby increasing the transfer speed. For example, the first wafer transfer device 22 includes five layers of robotic arms, which can simultaneously transfer five wafers to be cleaned.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, a second wafer transfer device 32 is provided in the wafer cleaning area 30. The second wafer transfer device 32 is used to transfer wafers to be cleaned from the wafer storage device 21 to the cleaning chamber 31, or to transfer wafers to be cleaned between multiple cleaning chambers 31, or to transfer wafers after cleaning from the cleaning chamber 31 to the wafer transfer box in the wafer transfer box buffer 23. Exemplarily, the second wafer transfer device 32 includes at least two layers of robotic arms, at least one layer of robotic arms transfers wafers to be cleaned, and at least one layer of robotic arms transfers wafers after cleaning. The robotic arms that transfer wafers to be cleaned are distinguished from the robotic arms that transfer wafers after cleaning, so as to avoid the robotic arms from mixing wafers to be cleaned and contaminating the robotic arms, and then contaminating the wafers after cleaning through the robotic arms.

[0043] The wafer cleaning area 30 is provided with a plurality of cleaning chambers 31. The cleaning process of each cleaning chamber 31 can be the same, and the wafer to be cleaned can be placed in only one of the cleaning chambers 31 for cleaning. Alternatively, the cleaning processes of the plurality of cleaning chambers 31 are different, and the wafer to be cleaned needs to be cleaned in different cleaning chambers 31 in sequence. Figure 2 As shown, for example, the four cleaning chambers 31 in the same row have different cleaning processes, and the wafers to be cleaned need to be cleaned in the four cleaning chambers 31 in sequence. However, the cleaning chambers 31 corresponding to two rows are the same, and the wafers to be cleaned only need to be cleaned in the four cleaning chambers 31 in a certain row. The second wafer transfer device 32 completes the transfer of wafers between adjacent cleaning chambers 31.

[0044] The wafer loading area 10 is provided with a plurality of loading devices 11, such as Figure 2 As shown, the wafer loading area 10 is provided with four loading devices 11, but the number of loading devices 11 is not limited to this. All four loading devices 11 can load and unload pods. When multiple pod buffers 23 are provided in the wafer transfer area 20, and different pod buffers 23 are located in different areas, the pods in the pod buffers 23 can be transferred to the loading device 11 closest to the pod buffer 23.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, an empty, clean pod is first loaded into the loading device 11 within the wafer loading area 10, and the pod transfer device 24 transfers the pod to the pod buffer 23. Simultaneously, a pod containing wafers to be cleaned is loaded into another loading device 11 within the wafer loading area 10, and the first wafer transfer device 22 transfers the wafers to be cleaned to the wafer storage device 21. (After the cleaned wafers in the pod are transferred, the pod is unloaded from the loading device 11, and the loading device 11 can load the remaining pods.) These two steps can be performed simultaneously, or the empty, clean pod can be transferred first, followed by the wafers to be cleaned, or the wafers to be cleaned can be transferred first, followed by the empty, clean pod. Furthermore, the two transfer steps are not performed only once, but are a sequential transfer process. Next, the second wafer transfer device 32 transfers the wafers to be cleaned from the wafer storage device 21 to the cleaning chamber 31 for cleaning. After cleaning is complete, the second wafer transfer device 32 transfers the cleaned wafers to the pods in the pod buffer 23. When the pods are filled with cleaned wafers (which can also be done at regular intervals, when multiple pods are filled with cleaned wafers, or when the cleaning step is complete), the pod transfer device 24 transfers the pods to the loader 11, which unloads the pods. Thereafter, the pod transfer device 24 transfers the empty, clean pods from the loader 11 to the pod buffer 23. During the above process, the loader 11 places the pods containing the wafers to be cleaned, and the first wafer transfer device 22 transfers the wafers to be cleaned to the wafer storage device 21, until the required wafers to be cleaned are cleaned.

[0046] The loading device 11 for loading the wafer pods can be any loading device 11 within the wafer loading area 10. During the above process, each loading device 11 can complete the loading and unloading of empty and clean wafer pods, loading and unloading of wafer pods filled with cleaned wafers, and loading and unloading of wafer pods containing wafers to be cleaned. A certain wafer pod will not always be placed in the loading device 11, thereby achieving full utilization of the loading devices 11 and improving the production capacity of the machine.

[0047] Correspondingly, the present invention also provides a semiconductor device, including the wafer cleaning device as described above.

[0048] To sum up, the wafer cleaning equipment and semiconductor equipment provided by the present invention include a wafer loading area, a wafer transfer area and a wafer cleaning area; the wafer loading area is provided with a loading device for loading and unloading wafer transfer boxes, the wafer cleaning area is provided with a cleaning chamber for cleaning wafers, and the wafer transfer area is located between the wafer loading area and the wafer cleaning area to realize the transfer of wafers; the wafer transfer area is provided with a wafer transfer box buffer for placing wafer transfer boxes, and the wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box. The utility model sets a wafer transfer box buffer in the wafer transfer area for placing the wafer transfer box, and the wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box. Therefore, after the wafers are cleaned in the cleaning area, they will be transferred to the wafer transfer box located in the wafer transfer box buffer. Only after the wafer transfer box is filled with cleaned wafers will it be transferred to the loading device to complete the unloading of the wafer transfer box. The wafer transfer box for placing cleaned wafers does not need to occupy the wafer loading device all the time. The loading device can load and unload the remaining wafer transfer boxes, thereby realizing full utilization of the loading device, thereby improving the machine production capacity.

[0049] The above description is only a description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the scope of rights of the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make possible changes and modifications to the technical solution of the present invention by using the methods and technical contents disclosed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer cleaning device, characterized in that: It includes a wafer loading area, a wafer transfer area and a wafer cleaning area; the wafer loading area is provided with a loading device for loading and unloading wafer transfer boxes, the wafer cleaning area is provided with a cleaning chamber for cleaning wafers, and the wafer transfer area is located between the wafer loading area and the wafer cleaning area to realize the transfer of wafers; the wafer transfer area is provided with a wafer transfer box buffer for placing wafer transfer boxes, and the wafers after cleaning are placed in the wafer transfer box.

2. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wafer transfer area is also provided with a wafer transfer box transfer device for transferring the wafer transfer box in the wafer transfer box buffer to the loading device, or transferring the empty wafer transfer box in the loading device to the wafer transfer box buffer.

3. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A plurality of wafer transfer boxes are placed in the wafer transfer box buffer area.

4. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A wafer storage device is also provided in the wafer transfer area for storing wafers to be cleaned.

5. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The wafer storage device stores at least one wafer in the wafer transport box.

6. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The wafer transfer area is also provided with a first wafer transfer device for transferring the wafers to be cleaned in the wafer transfer box located in the wafer loading area to the wafer storage device.

7. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first wafer transfer device includes a multi-layer robotic arm to simultaneously transfer multiple wafers to be cleaned.

8. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: A second wafer transfer device is provided in the wafer cleaning area, and the second wafer transfer device is used to transfer the wafers to be cleaned from the wafer storage device to the cleaning chamber, or to transfer the wafers to be cleaned between multiple cleaning chambers, or to transfer the wafers after cleaning from the cleaning chamber to the wafer transfer box in the wafer transfer box buffer.

9. The wafer cleaning equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second wafer transfer device includes at least two layers of robotic arms, at least one layer of robotic arms transfers wafers to be cleaned, and at least one layer of robotic arms transfers wafers after cleaning.

10. A semiconductor device, characterized in that: The invention comprises the wafer cleaning equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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