Nozzle cleaning device applied to semiconductor equipment and semiconductor equipment system

Abstract

The utility model discloses a nozzle cleaning device applied to semiconductor equipment and a semiconductor equipment system, the nozzle cleaning device comprises an anti-sputtering assembly, the anti-sputtering assembly is provided with an accommodating cavity, and the accommodating cavity is used for at least accommodating a plurality of nozzles to be cleaned; the cleaning assembly comprises a spray head and an auxiliary cleaning unit, the spray head is connected with the auxiliary cleaning unit through a pipeline, and at least part of the head of the spray head extends into the containing cavity; wherein the auxiliary cleaning unit is configured to convey cleaning objects used for cleaning the multiple nozzles to the spray head through the pipeline, and the spray head is configured to spray the cleaning objects towards the multiple nozzles. The nozzle cleaning device disclosed by the utility model is short in cleaning time consumption and low in equipment overhead.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In semiconductor photolithography, a layer of photoresist needs to be uniformly coated onto the wafer surface first. After exposure and development, the circuit pattern on the photomask can be displayed on the wafer surface. If the equipment pipeline is idle for a long time without spraying photoresist, crystalline particles can easily form around the nozzles. If the wafer then enters the coating chamber and rotates at high speed, these crystalline particles will be coated onto the wafer surface along with the photoresist, and under centrifugal force, they will spin into linear defects, seriously affecting product yield and normal equipment operating time. Therefore, cleaning the photoresist nozzles of the equipment is crucial.

[0003] In related technologies, manual cleaning of multiple nozzles on the same layer is generally required. This is not only time-consuming, but also prone to scratching the nozzles due to the small distance between them, which can damage the nozzle surface, reduce their service life, and result in high costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a nozzle cleaning device and a semiconductor equipment system for use in semiconductor equipment, so as to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems. The technical solution is as follows:

[0005] On one hand, this utility model provides a nozzle cleaning device for semiconductor equipment, comprising:

[0006] A splash guard assembly, the splash guard assembly having a receiving cavity for accommodating at least a plurality of nozzles to be cleaned;

[0007] A cleaning assembly, comprising a nozzle and an auxiliary cleaning unit, wherein the nozzle and the auxiliary cleaning unit are connected via a pipe, and the head of the nozzle extends at least partially into the receiving cavity;

[0008] The auxiliary cleaning unit is configured to deliver a cleaning object for cleaning the plurality of nozzles to the nozzle through the pipe, and the nozzle is configured to spray the cleaning object toward the plurality of nozzles.

[0009] In some embodiments, the splash-proof assembly includes a housing and a cover that can enclose the receiving cavity, the cover having an opening through which the plurality of nozzles can pass and extend into the receiving cavity.

[0010] In some embodiments, the box body and the cover body are detachably connected, and the cover body is composed of at least two panels.

[0011] In some embodiments, the plurality of nozzles are mounted on the bottom of the nozzle housing, and the size of the opening on the anti-splash assembly matches the size of the nozzle housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the auxiliary cleaning unit includes a pressurization unit and a storage unit for storing the object to be cleaned;

[0013] One end of the pressurization unit is connected to the storage unit via a pipe, and the other end of the pressurization unit is connected to the nozzle via a pipe.

[0014] In some embodiments, the auxiliary cleaning unit further includes a mobile power source electrically connected to the booster unit.

[0015] In some embodiments, the nozzle is a pressurized nozzle, the anti-splash assembly has an opening, the nozzle is disposed on the anti-splash assembly through the opening, and the tail of the nozzle is detachably connected to the pipe.

[0016] In some embodiments, the number of nozzles is multiple, and the multiple nozzles are respectively disposed on different sides of the anti-splash assembly, and the multiple nozzles spray in different directions toward the object being cleaned.

[0017] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a semiconductor device system, including any of the nozzle cleaning devices described above for use in semiconductor devices.

[0018] In some embodiments, it also includes:

[0019] A support platform is configured to support the anti-splash assembly in the nozzle cleaning device;

[0020] A movable component, connected to a plurality of nozzles, is configured to move the plurality of nozzles to a cleaning position where the anti-splash component is located.

[0021] The nozzle cleaning device and semiconductor equipment system provided by this utility model have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0022] This nozzle cleaning device for semiconductor equipment includes: an anti-splash assembly with a receiving cavity for accommodating at least a plurality of nozzles to be cleaned; and a cleaning assembly including a nozzle and an auxiliary cleaning unit, the nozzle being connected to the auxiliary cleaning unit via a conduit, with at least a portion of the nozzle head extending into the receiving cavity; wherein the auxiliary cleaning unit is configured to supply cleaning materials for cleaning the plurality of nozzles to the nozzle via the conduit, and the nozzle is configured to spray the cleaning materials toward the plurality of nozzles. Thus, the anti-splash assembly and the cleaning assembly work together to achieve rapid cleaning of multiple nozzles, resulting in high cleaning efficiency, short cleaning and maintenance time, reduced splashing of cleaning materials during spraying, and high and stable cleaning cleanliness. Simultaneously, it reduces reliance on manual cleaning of each nozzle individually and avoids the problem of nozzle surface damage caused by manual cleaning, extending nozzle lifespan and reducing semiconductor equipment costs.

[0023] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and do not limit the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and advantages in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a nozzle cleaning device for semiconductor equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor device system including a nozzle cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] The following are explanations of the reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0028] 10. Anti-splash assembly; 11. Housing; 12. Cover; 20. Nozzle; 31. Spray head; 32. Auxiliary cleaning unit; 321. Pressurization unit; 322. Storage unit; 323. Power supply; 40. Pipeline; 50. Support platform; 60. Movable assembly.

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely one embodiment of this utility model, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0031] The term "an embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing the present invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0032] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0033] Furthermore, the term "at least one" refers to one or more, and the term "more" refers to two or more. The term "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone.

[0034] In semiconductor photolithography, a layer of photoresist needs to be uniformly coated onto the wafer surface first. After exposure and development, the circuit pattern on the photomask can be displayed on the wafer surface. If the equipment pipeline is idle for a long time without spraying photoresist, crystalline particles can easily form around the nozzles. If the wafer then enters the coating chamber and rotates at high speed, these crystalline particles will be coated onto the wafer surface along with the photoresist, and under centrifugal force, they will spin into linear defects, seriously affecting product yield and normal equipment operating time. Therefore, cleaning the photoresist nozzles is crucial.

[0035] In related technologies, manual cleaning of multiple nozzles on the same layer is generally required, but this process has the following drawbacks:

[0036] 1. Since the same layer on the machine includes multiple nozzles of the same type (e.g., 10 nozzles of the same type), and the entire process generally includes multiple machines, and each machine includes multiple layers of nozzles, if manual cleaning is carried out once a month, the annual cleaning time will exceed 100 hours, resulting in high cleaning and maintenance time costs and a large amount of time consumption.

[0037] 2. Due to the small spacing between nozzles, the shaking of the arm during manual cleaning can easily cause the fingers to scratch the nozzles, resulting in damage to the nozzle surface, reducing its service life, and requiring timely replacement of new nozzles, leading to high costs.

[0038] In view of this, the present invention provides a nozzle cleaning device for semiconductor equipment and a semiconductor equipment system having the cleaning device, so as to reduce the cleaning and maintenance time and avoid the problem of nozzle surface damage caused by manual cleaning.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, this utility model provides a nozzle cleaning device for semiconductor equipment, including an anti-splashing component 10 and a cleaning component. The semiconductor equipment can be a device for spraying photoresist or photocoating, such as a photoresist coating and developing machine. The semiconductor equipment has at least one layer of nozzles 20 groups, each layer of nozzles 20 generally including multiple nozzles 20. Typically, multiple nozzles 20 in the same layer are arranged side-by-side and spaced apart, with a small distance between adjacent nozzles 20 (e.g., less than 1 cm). A layer of photoresist is uniformly coated onto the wafer surface through the multiple nozzles 20 and then exposed and developed to transfer the circuit pattern on the photomask onto the wafer. To reduce the occurrence of defects, the crystal particles of the multiple nozzles 20 need to be cleaned and maintained.

[0040] The anti-splash assembly 10 is provided with a receiving cavity for accommodating at least a plurality of nozzles 20 to be cleaned. Optionally, the anti-splash assembly 10 may be disposed below the plurality of nozzles 20, and when the plurality of nozzles 20 need to be cleaned, the plurality of nozzles 20 to be cleaned may be moved into the receiving cavity of the anti-splash assembly 10.

[0041] The cleaning assembly includes a nozzle 31 and an auxiliary cleaning unit 32. The nozzle 31 and the auxiliary cleaning unit 32 are connected via a conduit 40. The head of the nozzle 31 extends at least partially into the receiving cavity. The auxiliary cleaning unit 32 is configured to supply cleaning material for cleaning the plurality of nozzles 20 to the nozzle 31 via the conduit 40. The nozzle 31 is configured to spray the cleaning material towards the plurality of nozzles 20. Optionally, the nozzle 31 includes a head and a tail. The head is used to spray the cleaning material, which can be any object suitable for cleaning the plurality of nozzles 20, such as, but not limited to, cleaning solutions like acetone. The tail is connected to the auxiliary cleaning unit 32 via the conduit 40, through which the cleaning material is delivered to the head of the nozzle 31. The head of the nozzle 31 extends at least partially into the receiving cavity to spray the cleaning material towards the plurality of nozzles 20, thereby cleaning the plurality of nozzles 20 inside the receiving cavity.

[0042] The above embodiment achieves rapid cleaning of multiple nozzles 20 by cooperating with the anti-splash component 10 and the cleaning component. This not only results in high cleaning efficiency and short cleaning and maintenance time, but also reduces splashing of the cleaning objects during spraying, leading to a high and stable level of cleaning. Simultaneously, it reduces reliance on manual cleaning of each nozzle individually and avoids the problem of damage to the nozzle 20 surface caused by manual cleaning, thus extending the service life of the nozzles 20 and reducing semiconductor equipment costs.

[0043] In some embodiments, the splash shield 10 can be a splash shield box. In this case, the splash shield 10 includes a box body 11 and a cover body 12, which can enclose the receiving cavity. The cover body 12 is provided with an opening, through which the plurality of nozzles 20 can pass and extend into the receiving cavity.

[0044] In some embodiments, the box body 11 and the cover body 12 are detachably connected, and the cover body 12 is composed of at least two panels. For example, the cover body 12 may be composed of two panels arranged on the left and right sides, or two panels arranged in front and back.

[0045] Specifically, the cover 12 and the box 11 of the anti-splash assembly 10 are not integrally formed. The cover 12 can be composed of a first partition plate and a second partition plate. During the cleaning process, the box 11 of the anti-splash assembly 10 can be placed first, and then multiple nozzles 20 can be moved to the cleaning position. After that, the first partition plate and the second partition plate are placed on the box 11. The first partition plate and the second partition plate are respectively provided with opening slots. The first partition plate and the second partition plate are combined together so that the two opening slots are spliced ​​together to form the opening. The projection area of ​​the multiple nozzles 20 toward the bottom of the box 11 is less than or equal to the projection area of ​​the opening toward the bottom of the box 11, so as to form the cover 12 of the anti-splash assembly 10.

[0046] In the above embodiment, by setting the anti-splash assembly 10 as a detachable housing 11 and a cover 12, and the cover 12 including at least two partitions, it is easy to completely enclose multiple nozzles 20 in the receiving cavity, which not only makes it convenient to use, but also further reduces splashing of the cleaning object during spraying. In addition, it can reduce the problem of the anti-splash assembly 10 scratching the nozzles 20, and further extend the service life of the nozzles 20.

[0047] In some embodiments, the plurality of nozzles 20 are mounted on the bottom of the nozzle 20 housing, and the size of the opening on the anti-splash assembly 10 matches the size of the nozzle 20 housing. Optionally, the nozzle 20 housing may contain a photoresist solution for coating, and the bottom of the nozzle 20 housing is equipped with a plurality of nozzles 20 through which the photoresist solution is coated on the wafer. The top of the anti-splash assembly 10 has an opening whose size matches the size of the nozzle 20 housing, such that the boundary of the opening can contact the bottom of the nozzle 20 housing, while ensuring that the plurality of nozzles 20 are accommodated at the location of the opening.

[0048] In some embodiments, the auxiliary cleaning unit 32 includes a pressurization unit 321 and a storage unit 322 for storing the object to be cleaned; one end of the pressurization unit 321 is connected to the storage unit 322 via a pipe 40, and the other end of the pressurization unit 321 is connected to the nozzle 31 via a pipe 40. Optionally, the pressurization unit 321 may include, but is not limited to, a pressurization motor, a pressurization pump, etc. The storage unit 322 may be, for example, a storage bottle, a storage container, etc. For example, the storage bottle may be a special bottle for holding cleaning solutions such as acetone. The pipe 40 may be a flexible hose.

[0049] In the above embodiment, by introducing the pressurization unit 321, the cleaning object in the storage unit 322 is easily transported to the nozzle 31 at high speed, thereby increasing the spray rate and spray pressure of the nozzle 31 and thus improving the cleaning power and effect.

[0050] In some embodiments, the auxiliary cleaning unit 32 further includes a portable power supply 323 electrically connected to the booster unit 321. Optionally, the voltage of the portable power supply 323 may be less than or equal to 12 volts, such as 9 volts. Accordingly, the booster unit 321 uses a supported voltage matched to the electrically connected portable power supply 323, such as 9 volts.

[0051] In some embodiments, the nozzle 31 is a pressurized nozzle 31. The anti-splash assembly 10 has an opening, and the nozzle 31 is mounted on the anti-splash assembly 10 through the opening. The tail of the nozzle 31 is detachably connected to the pipe 40. Optionally, the nozzle 31 can be a pressurized nozzle 31 with a pressurization function. By introducing the pressurized nozzle 31 and combining it with the pressurization unit 321, the spray pressure of the cleaning object such as acetone sprayed from the nozzle 31 is further enhanced, improving the cleaning power and cleaning effect. The anti-splash assembly 10 may have an opening that matches the nozzle 31. The head of the nozzle 31 is mounted on a preset position on the anti-splash assembly 10 through the opening by means of snapping or spiraling. Optionally, this preset position can be parallel to any position between 1 / 3 and 2 / 3 of the nozzle 20. The tail of the nozzle 31 is detachably connected to the pipe 40 by means of, for example, snaps or screws, so that the pipe 40 can be installed and connected to the nozzle 31 when cleaning is required to perform the corresponding nozzle 20 cleaning work.

[0052] In some embodiments, the number of nozzles 31 is not limited to one; the number of nozzles 31 can be multiple, such as two, three, four, five, or even more. Multiple nozzles 31 are respectively disposed on different sides of the anti-splash assembly 10, and the spray directions of the multiple nozzles 31 towards the cleaning object are different. Specifically, if the number of nozzles 31 is two, the nozzles 31 can be installed on opposite sides of the anti-splash assembly 10, such as the front and rear sides, or the left and right sides. Taking the example of one nozzle each on the front and rear sides of the anti-splash assembly 10, multiple nozzles 20 can be arranged side-by-side in a row, and the line connecting two nozzles can intersect the arrangement direction of the multiple nozzles 20. The nozzle located on the front side of the anti-splash assembly 10 sprays backward toward the row of nozzles 20, and the nozzle located on the rear side of the anti-splash assembly 10 sprays forward toward the row of nozzles 20.

[0053] like Figure 2 As shown, this utility model also provides a semiconductor device system, including any of the above-described nozzle 20 cleaning devices applied to semiconductor devices.

[0054] In some embodiments, the semiconductor device system further includes:

[0055] The support platform 50 is configured to support the anti-splash assembly 10 in the nozzle 20 cleaning device;

[0056] The movable component 60, connected to a plurality of nozzles 20, is configured to move the plurality of nozzles 20 to the cleaning position where the anti-splash component 10 is located.

[0057] Optionally, the moving component 60 can be a robotic arm, which moves multiple nozzles 20 from their initial positions to the cleaning position where the anti-splash component 10 is located, so as to clean the multiple nozzles 20 by means of a nozzle cleaning device.

[0058] To facilitate understanding, the working process of a semiconductor device system is briefly described below:

[0059] During cleaning and maintenance of the machine, the storage unit 322 containing a cleaning solution such as acetone, the pressurization unit 321, and the pressurization nozzle 31 are connected by a hose. Simultaneously, the power supply 323 is connected to the pressurization unit 321, and the anti-splash assembly 10 is placed on the support platform 50. Multiple nozzles 20 are moved to the cleaning position of the anti-splash assembly 10 using the moving assembly 60, and the multiple nozzles 20 are enclosed in a sealed space by the cover plate of the anti-splash assembly 10. Next, the power is turned on, and the pressurization unit 321 is activated, delivering the acetone from the storage unit 322 to the pressurization nozzle 31 via the hose to spray and clean the multiple photoresist nozzles 20. The cleaning waste liquid is stored in the housing 11 of the anti-splash assembly 10 to prevent liquid splashing and contamination of the cavity during nozzle cleaning. Utilizing the pressurized spray effect, a layer of crystalline particles on the surface of the photoresist nozzles 20 (e.g., 10 nozzles) can be quickly and completely removed, achieving a one-time rapid cleaning of multiple nozzles 20 on the moving assembly 60. Compared to the traditional method of manually cleaning multiple nozzles one by one, the nozzle cleaning device and semiconductor equipment provided in this application not only have a fast cleaning speed and good cleaning effect, but also save machine maintenance time, ensure nozzle cleanliness, and the entire cleaning operation is simple and can be operated by a single person. It can ensure nozzle cleanliness and prevent scratches, and the consumable cost is low, reducing equipment cost expenses.

[0060] It should be noted that for the specific implementation details and beneficial effects of the nozzle cleaning device applied to semiconductor equipment in this semiconductor equipment system, please refer to the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0061] The above are preferred embodiments of this utility model. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A nozzle cleaning device for semiconductor equipment, characterized in that, include: A splash guard assembly, the splash guard assembly having a receiving cavity for accommodating at least a plurality of nozzles to be cleaned; A cleaning assembly, comprising a nozzle and an auxiliary cleaning unit, wherein the nozzle and the auxiliary cleaning unit are connected via a pipe, and the head of the nozzle extends at least partially into the receiving cavity; The auxiliary cleaning unit is configured to deliver a cleaning object for cleaning the plurality of nozzles to the nozzle through the pipe, and the nozzle is configured to spray the cleaning object toward the plurality of nozzles.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The splash-proof assembly includes a housing and a cover, which can enclose the receiving cavity. The cover has an opening through which the plurality of nozzles can pass and extend into the receiving cavity.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The box body and the cover body are detachably connected, and the cover body is composed of at least two panels.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of nozzles are assembled at the bottom of the nozzle housing, and the size of the opening on the anti-splash assembly matches the size of the nozzle housing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary cleaning unit includes a pressurization unit and a storage unit for storing the object to be cleaned. One end of the pressurization unit is connected to the storage unit via a pipe, and the other end of the pressurization unit is connected to the nozzle via a pipe.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The auxiliary cleaning unit also includes a portable power source, which is electrically connected to the booster unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle is a pressurized nozzle, the anti-splash assembly has an opening, the nozzle is mounted on the anti-splash assembly through the opening, and the tail of the nozzle is detachably connected to the pipe.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The number of nozzles is multiple, and the multiple nozzles are respectively located on different sides of the anti-splash assembly. The multiple nozzles spray in different directions toward the object being cleaned.

9. A semiconductor device system, characterized in that, Includes the nozzle cleaning device for semiconductor equipment as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: A support platform is configured to support the anti-splash assembly in the nozzle cleaning device; A movable component, connected to a plurality of nozzles, is configured to move the plurality of nozzles to a cleaning position where the anti-splash component is located.

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