Wafer carrier cleaning apparatus
By designing a wafer stage cleaning device, which utilizes the automated movement of the carriage and cleaning components to spray disinfectant and combine it with brushes and air jets to remove contaminants, the problem of low efficiency and inconsistency in traditional manual cleaning is solved, achieving a highly efficient and thorough cleaning effect.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TONGWEI MICROELECTRONICS CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-17
AI Technical Summary
Traditional manual cleaning methods for wafer stages are inefficient and produce inconsistent cleaning results, making it difficult to meet the high cleanliness requirements of modern semiconductor manufacturing.
Design a wafer stage cleaning device, including a support, a carriage, and a cleaning component. The carriage drives the cleaning component to reciprocate on the surface of the wafer stage, spraying disinfectant and removing contaminants using brushes and air jets.
It enables automated and efficient cleaning of wafer stages, ensuring surface cleanliness, improving cleaning efficiency, and guaranteeing thorough cleaning.
Smart Images
Figure CN224507762U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor processing equipment technology, and in particular to a wafer stage cleaning device. Background Technology
[0002] A wafer stage is a key component of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, primarily used for the precise positioning and movement of silicon wafers during chip manufacturing. It is a core part of precision processing equipment such as lithography machines, ensuring that the wafer can be accurately positioned at the designated location during micro-machining. Wafer stages need to possess high precision, high speed, and high repeatability to meet the demands of modern semiconductor processes for miniaturization and high-efficiency production.
[0003] Traditional wafer stage cleaning methods rely on manual operation, including spraying alcohol and then wiping. This method is not only inefficient, but also difficult to guarantee consistent cleaning results, as human error can lead to incomplete cleaning. With the continuous advancement of semiconductor manufacturing processes, the requirements for cleanliness are becoming increasingly stringent, and traditional manual cleaning methods can no longer meet the needs of modern semiconductor production. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a wafer stage cleaning device that improves cleaning efficiency, cleans more thoroughly, and better ensures the cleanliness of the wafer stage surface.
[0005] The embodiments of this application can be implemented as follows:
[0006] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a wafer stage cleaning device, including a support, a carriage, and a cleaning assembly;
[0007] The slide can be slidably mounted on the bracket;
[0008] The cleaning component is disposed on the carriage and can slide relative to the support along a first preset direction along with the carriage. The cleaning component is used to spray disinfectant, brush, and aspirate on the wafer stage.
[0009] In an optional embodiment, the cleaning assembly includes a cleaning block and a brush disposed on the cleaning block. The cleaning block is disposed on the carriage and has an air jet hole for spraying air onto the wafer stage and a spray nozzle for spraying disinfectant onto the wafer stage.
[0010] In an optional embodiment, the brush is in the shape of a long strip extending along a second preset direction, which is perpendicular to the first preset direction.
[0011] In an optional embodiment, the brush member has air jet holes and liquid spray holes distributed on both sides of the first preset direction.
[0012] In an optional embodiment, the areas on both sides of the brush on the cleaning block are a first area and a second area, respectively. The air jet and liquid spray holes in the first area are used as first holes, and the air jet and liquid spray holes in the second area are used as second holes. The first holes and the second holes are alternately distributed along the second preset direction.
[0013] In an optional implementation, at least one of the spray holes is located between two adjacent spray holes along a direction perpendicular to the first preset direction.
[0014] In an optional embodiment, the carriage is capable of moving the cleaning component relative to the support along a second preset direction, which is perpendicular to the first preset direction.
[0015] In an optional embodiment, the carriage is located in the middle region of the support;
[0016] The carriage includes a first telescopic member and a second telescopic member. The ends of the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member that are close to each other are connected to the cleaning assembly, and the ends of the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member that are far from each other are slidably connected to the bracket.
[0017] When one of the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member extends, the other shortens accordingly.
[0018] In an optional embodiment, the bracket is a rectangular frame structure, and the width direction of the bracket is along the first preset direction;
[0019] The carriage is located in the middle area of the support, and both ends of the carriage are slidably connected to the support.
[0020] In an optional embodiment, the support is provided with a particle collector.
[0021] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application include, for example:
[0022] The cleaning components are reciprocated in a first preset direction by a carriage, which sprays disinfectant onto the wafer stage to dissolve and soften contaminants adhering to the wafer stage surface. At the same time, a brush is used to remove the soft contaminants from the wafer surface. Afterward, air is sprayed to remove all residual contaminants from the wafer stage surface. This automated method of cleaning the wafer stage surface improves cleaning efficiency, ensures a more thorough cleaning, and guarantees the cleanliness of the wafer stage surface. Attached Figure Description
[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a wafer stage cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;
[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cleaning components.
[0026] Icons: 100-Bracket; 200-Slide; 210-First telescopic component; 220-Second telescopic component; 300-Cleaning assembly; 310-Cleaning block; 311-Air jet hole; 312-Spray nozzle; 313-First area; 314-Second area; 315-First hole; 316-Second hole; 320-Brush; 400-Slide rail; 410-Slider; X-First preset direction; Y-Second preset direction. Detailed Implementation
[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0028] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0029] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0030] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this application is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and 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 on this application. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0031] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "sag" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.
[0032] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0033] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0034] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application discloses a wafer stage cleaning device, which is mainly used to achieve automatic and efficient cleaning of the wafer stage.
[0035] The wafer stage cleaning device includes a support 100, a carriage 200, and a cleaning assembly 300;
[0036] The carriage 200 is slidably mounted on the bracket 100;
[0037] The cleaning component 300 is disposed on the carriage 200 and can slide relative to the support 100 along a first preset direction X along with the carriage 200. The cleaning component 300 is used to spray disinfectant, brush and air onto the wafer stage.
[0038] In this way, by having the carriage 200 carry the cleaning component 300 in a reciprocating motion in the first preset direction X, disinfectant can be sprayed onto the wafer stage to dissolve and soften contaminants adhering to the surface of the wafer stage. At the same time, a brush is used to remove the soft contaminants on the wafer surface. Afterwards, air is sprayed to remove all residual contaminants from the surface of the wafer stage. This automated method of cleaning the contaminants on the surface of the wafer stage improves cleaning efficiency, makes the cleaning more thorough, and better ensures the cleanliness of the wafer stage surface.
[0039] In detail, the support 100 is a rectangular frame structure, and the width of the support 100 is along the first preset direction X; the slide 200 is located in the middle area of the support 100, and both ends of the slide 200 are slidably connected to the support 100. This can reduce the area occupied by the entire cleaning device and improve space utilization.
[0040] The carriage 200 can carry the cleaning component 300 and move relative to the support 100 along the second preset direction Y. The second preset direction Y is perpendicular to the first preset direction X. In this way, the movement of the carriage 200 in the second preset direction Y can change the position of the cleaning component 300 relative to the wafer stage, thereby changing the brushing path. Therefore, it can ensure that all areas of the wafer stage surface can be thoroughly cleaned.
[0041] Specifically, the ends of the first telescopic member 210 and the second telescopic member 220 that are close to each other are connected to the cleaning assembly 300, and the ends of the first telescopic member 210 and the second telescopic member 220 that are far from each other are slidably connected to the bracket 100.
[0042] When one of the first telescopic member 210 and the second telescopic member 220 extends, the other shortens accordingly.
[0043] When the first telescopic member 210 extends or shortens, the second telescopic member 220 adapts to shortening or extending, thereby achieving position adjustment of the cleaning component 300 in the second preset direction Y through the coupled movement of the first telescopic member 210 and the second telescopic member 220.
[0044] Of course, in some embodiments, the slide 200 may also be two block-shaped or rod-shaped objects connected to both sides of the cleaning component 300. The slide 200 is then mounted on the bracket 100 via a slide rail 400 extending along the second preset direction Y. The slide 200 is then driven by a drive source such as a cylinder, motor, or hydraulic cylinder to move in the second preset direction Y. This also allows for position adjustment of the cleaning component 300 in the second preset direction Y. Alternatively, the slide 200 may be a single-degree-of-freedom object that can only reciprocate in the first preset direction X relative to the bracket 100. The bracket 100 may also be a plate-shaped or hollow structure.
[0045] The carriage 200 can be slidably connected to the support 100 through the slider 410 and the slide rail 400. That is, the ends of the first telescopic member 210 and the second telescopic member 220 that are far apart from each other are both connected to the slider 410, and the slider 410 is slidably connected to the slide rail 400 on the support 100.
[0046] The cleaning assembly 300 includes a cleaning block 310 and a brush 320 disposed on the cleaning block 310. The cleaning block 310 is disposed on the carriage 200. The cleaning block 310 is provided with an air jet hole 311 for spraying air onto the wafer stage and a spray hole 312 for spraying disinfectant onto the wafer stage. In this way, disinfectant can be sprayed onto the wafer stage through the spray hole 312, the wafer stage can be brushed by the brush 320, and the wafer stage can be blown away by the air jet hole 311.
[0047] The brush 320 is a long strip extending along the second preset direction Y, which is perpendicular to the first preset direction X. This strip-shaped brush 320 can ensure that the surface of the wafer stage is covered, which helps to clean a wider path in one go, reduces the number of reciprocating movements, and thus improves efficiency.
[0048] The brush component 320 is a bristle brush strip made of microfiber, antistatic, and low-dust materials such as polyester and nylon. This ensures that no fibers are shed during brushing, avoiding secondary contamination. The soft bristles effectively remove particles and organic residues without damaging the precision surface of the wafer carrier. The spray nozzle 312 sprays alcohol, which effectively dissolves grease, photoresist residue, and organic contaminants. Its high volatility and easy drying reduce the risk of residue, enhancing cleaning power when used with the bristle brush. The air jet nozzle 311 sprays nitrogen gas, quickly blowing away residual liquids and particles after alcohol spraying and brushing. The inert gas prevents oxidation or chemical reactions.
[0049] In addition, disinfectants such as deionized water and isopropanol can be used. The brush part 320 can be made of lint-free cloth strips. Compressed air or argon can also be used for purging.
[0050] The brush component 320 has air jet holes 311 and liquid spray holes 312 distributed on both sides in the first preset direction X. This bidirectional cleaning makes the cleaning more thorough and improves efficiency.
[0051] The areas on the cleaning block 310 located on both sides of the brush 320 are the first area 313 and the second area 314, respectively. The air jet hole 311 and the liquid spray hole 312 in the first area 313 serve as the first hole position 315, and the air jet hole 311 and the liquid spray hole 312 in the second area 314 serve as the second hole position 316. The first hole position 315 and the second hole position 316 are alternately distributed along the second preset direction Y.
[0052] In this way, the one-step distribution of the first hole position 315 and the second hole position 316 along the second preset direction Y can avoid the problem of local dense or sparse hole positions, ensuring uniform spraying / air jetting without dead angles along the entire second preset direction Y, achieving high-density hole position arrangement, and increasing the spraying density per unit area. This layout achieves uniform coverage and functional synergy continuity in the spatial dimension, enhancing cleaning ability without increasing the volume of the cleaning block 310.
[0053] Along the direction perpendicular to the first preset direction X, that is, along the second preset direction Y, there is at least one liquid injection hole 312 between two adjacent jet holes 311.
[0054] This avoids concentrated spraying of liquid or air in a certain area, allowing the cleaning agent and purging airflow to be distributed more evenly across the entire width, preventing localized over-wetting or under-drying. Furthermore, after the alcohol is sprayed, the adjacent air nozzle 311 can immediately purge, creating a simultaneous spraying and blowing effect, accelerating evaporation and reducing the risk of liquid film residue and watermarks.
[0055] The support 100 is equipped with a particle collector that can actively capture and collect tiny contaminant particles that are blown up by air jets or brushed off during the cleaning process, preventing them from re-settling or spreading into the cleanroom environment.
[0056] The particulate collector can use existing structures, such as a suction port, a filter unit, and a negative pressure unit. The suction port mainly uses the negative pressure unit to generate local negative pressure to guide particles into the filter unit, which intercepts the particles and absorbs pollutants such as volatile organic compounds.
[0057] In summary, this application discloses a wafer stage cleaning device. The cleaning component 300 is carried by a slide 200 and reciprocates in a first preset direction X. Disinfectant is sprayed onto the wafer stage to dissolve and soften contaminants adhering to the wafer stage surface. At the same time, a brush is used to remove the soft contaminants on the wafer surface. Afterward, air is sprayed to remove all residual contaminants from the wafer stage surface. This automated method of cleaning the wafer stage surface improves cleaning efficiency, ensures a more thorough cleaning, and better guarantees the cleanliness of the wafer stage surface.
[0058] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, the terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
[0059] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.
Claims
1. A wafer stage cleaning device, characterized in that, Includes a bracket (100), a carriage (200), and a cleaning assembly (300); The slide (200) is slidably mounted on the bracket (100); The cleaning component (300) is disposed on the carriage (200) and is capable of sliding relative to the support (100) along a first preset direction (X) simultaneously with the carriage (200), wherein the cleaning component (300) is used to spray disinfectant, brush and air on the wafer stage.
2. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein The cleaning assembly (300) includes a cleaning block (310) and a brush (320) disposed on the cleaning block (310). The cleaning block (310) is disposed on the carriage (200). The cleaning block (310) is provided with an air jet hole (311) for spraying air onto the wafer stage and a liquid spray hole (312) for spraying disinfectant onto the wafer stage.
3. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The brush (320) is a long strip extending along a second preset direction (Y), which is perpendicular to the first preset direction (X).
4. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The brush (320) has air jet holes (311) and liquid spray holes (312) distributed on both sides in the first preset direction (X).
5. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The areas on the cleaning block (310) located on both sides of the brush (320) are a first area (313) and a second area (314), respectively. The jet hole (311) and the liquid spray hole (312) in the first area (313) serve as the first hole position (315), and the jet hole (311) and the liquid spray hole (312) in the second area (314) serve as the second hole position (316). The first hole position (315) and the second hole position (316) are alternately distributed along the second preset direction (Y).
6. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of any of claims 2-5, wherein, Along a direction perpendicular to the first preset direction (X), there is at least one liquid injection hole (312) between two adjacent jet holes (311).
7. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The carriage (200) is capable of carrying the cleaning component (300) relative to the support (100) along a second preset direction (Y), which is perpendicular to the first preset direction (X).
8. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The carriage (200) is located in the middle region of the support (100); The carriage (200) includes a first telescopic member (210) and a second telescopic member (220), the ends of the first telescopic member (210) and the second telescopic member (220) that are close to each other are connected to the cleaning assembly (300), and the ends of the first telescopic member (210) and the second telescopic member (220) that are far from each other are slidably connected to the bracket (100); When one of the first telescopic member (210) and the second telescopic member (220) extends, the other shortens accordingly.
9. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The bracket (100) is a rectangular frame structure, and the width direction of the bracket (100) is along the first preset direction (X). The slide (200) is located in the middle region of the support (100), and both ends of the slide (200) are slidably connected to the support (100).
10. The wafer boat cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The bracket (100) is provided with a particle collector.