Device and method for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies (12), in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks. The hollow body (12) has a hollow body wall (14), which forms a hollow body inner surface (16), said hollow body inner surface (16) delimiting a hollow body interior (17), and a hollow body opening (18), which is enclosed by the hollow body wall (14) and through which the hollow body interior (17) can be accessed. The device (10) comprises a first holding means (30), by means of which the device (10) can interact with the hollow body wall (14), an evacuation device (60) for applying a negative pressure in the hollow body interior (17) and / or a conveyor device (66) for conveying a flushing fluid through the hollow body interior (17), and a displacement body (48) which is introduced or can be introduced into the hollow body interior (17) through the hollow body opening (18). The invention additionally relates to a corresponding method for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies (12).

Description

[0001] Device and method for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks

[0002] The present invention relates to a device and a method for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks.

[0003] The production of highly integrated electronic circuits and other sensitive semiconductor components today takes place in factories where so-called semiconductor wafers undergo a multitude of processing steps. A large portion of these processing steps takes place in clean rooms, which are kept free of contaminants, especially particles, at great expense. Such complex processing is necessary because particles that come into contact with the semiconductor material of the semiconductor wafers can influence the material properties of the semiconductor wafers to such an extent that an entire production batch becomes defective and unusable, and must be rejected.

[0004] Since cleanliness becomes increasingly important with the increasing integration density of semiconductor circuits, and the effort required for cleanliness increases exponentially with the size of cleanrooms, semiconductor wafers are not transported "openly" from one processing station to the next. Instead, special transport containers (so-called FOUPs, Front Opening Unified Pods) are used. These are box-shaped transport containers into which a large number of semiconductor wafers are inserted. The FOUPs are usually closed with a removable lid. Without the lid, the FOUPs have a pot-shaped basic shape with a rectangular base. When the FOUPs are closed with their lids, the inserted semiconductor wafers can be transported from one cleanroom to another, protected from the environment.Once the FOUPs reach a processing station, they are opened, the semiconductor wafers are removed, and processed accordingly. After processing, the semiconductor wafers are transported back to the FOUPs and then forwarded to the next processing station.

[0005] Due to the high production downtime caused by contamination of semiconductor wafers, it is necessary to clean the FOUPs from time to time using a cleaning fluid. The FOUPs are particularly contaminated by abrasion of the semiconductor wafers during insertion into and removal from the FOUPs.

[0006] The same applies to transport containers for EUV lithography masks ("extreme ultraviolet radiation"). EUV lithography masks are used to manufacture very small integrated circuits. Like semiconductors, EUV lithography masks also need to be transported, which creates a similar situation. When reference is made to FOUPs in the following, the relevant statements apply equally to transport containers for EUV lithography masks.

[0007] Devices for cleaning FOUPs are known, for example, from US 5238 703 A, US 2002 / 0046760 A1, US 2003 / 0102015 A1, WO 2005 / 001888 A2 and EP 1 899 084 B1.

[0008] With such cleaning devices, the FOUPs are cleaned on both their inner and outer surfaces. Typically, the outer surface of the FOUPs is significantly more contaminated than the inner surface. As a result, the cleaning fluid becomes enriched during the cleaning process with particles originating from both the outer and inner surfaces. The particles can therefore be transported from the outer surface to the inner surface. However, a satisfactory cleaning result is only achieved when the number of particles falls below a certain value. Due to the particles originating from the outer surface, the cleaning process must be carried out for a correspondingly long period of time in order to remove a sufficient proportion of the particles.

[0009] Once the cleaning process is complete, a vacuum can be applied to the outer and / or inner surfaces. Applying a sufficiently high vacuum serves to remove any cleaning fluid residue that remains on the surface of the hollow body and lid as a result of cleaning the hollow body in the cleaning device. Due to capillary action, the moisture also diffuses into microscopically small pores in the surface of the hollow body and lid. This moisture can also be removed with the vacuum, enabling drying even at the microscopic level. However, applying a sufficiently high vacuum is a relatively energy-intensive and time-consuming process, which makes the cleaning process more expensive and lengthy.

[0010] The object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a device for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, with which it is possible to remedy the above-mentioned disadvantages using simple and cost-effective means and, in particular, to enable cost-effective and time-saving drying compared to processes known from the prior art. Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention is based on the object of providing a method for operating such a device. This object is achieved with the features specified in claims 1 and 10. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0011] One embodiment of the invention relates to a device for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, wherein the hollow body

[0012] - a hollow body wall forming a hollow body inner surface, wherein the hollow body inner surface defines a hollow body interior, and

[0013] - has a hollow body opening enclosed by the hollow body wall, through which the hollow body interior is accessible, wherein the device comprises - a first holding means, with which the device can cooperate with the hollow body wall in a holding manner, o an evacuation device for applying a negative pressure in the hollow body interior and / or o a conveying device for conveying a flushing fluid through the hollow body interior, and

[0014] - comprises a displacement body that can be or is introduced into the hollow body interior through the hollow body opening. The first holding means serves to position the hollow body within the device during the application of a negative pressure and / or during the conveyance of the flushing fluid through the hollow body interior. In the simplest case, the first holding means can be a support surface.

[0015] A displacement body could be understood as a body that occupies a volume through which a specific fluid cannot flow, or largely cannot flow. The displacement body does not necessarily have to be solid and can be flowed through by another fluid that is guided separately from the specific fluid.

[0016] The displacement body is positioned so that it extends into the hollow body's interior. The displacement body reduces the volume in which the negative pressure is to be created. As a result, the time required to achieve the desired negative pressure is shortened, accelerating the entire drying process, particularly of the hollow body's interior surface. At the same time, the energy required to create the desired negative pressure is also reduced.

[0017] A flushing fluid can be pumped alternatively or in addition to applying a negative pressure using the same device. Nitrogen, for example, can be used as the flushing fluid. However, with the help of the flushing fluid, so-called AMC (airborne molecular contamination) is removed from the hollow body's interior by evaporation. Such AMCs include fluorine, metals, and radicals. The use of the displacement body reduces the volume of flushing fluid required. In addition, the displacement body can be used to induce a flow of the flushing fluid through the hollow body's interior, ensuring that the flushing fluid can also reach hard-to-reach areas where dead spaces can form. The evaporation process described above can therefore be carried out effectively and thoroughly.

[0018] It should be emphasized again at this point that the device can be used both for drying using negative pressure and for cleaning using the rinsing fluid. The device simply needs to be connected to appropriate units, such as the evacuation device or a reservoir for the rinsing fluid. The evacuation device can also simultaneously function as the conveying device, or vice versa, eliminating the need for separate units. With appropriately automated valve control, the cleaning process can be initiated without any significant loss of time after the drying process is complete.

[0019] According to a further embodiment, the displacement body can have a through-bore which opens into the hollow body interior when the displacement body is introduced into the hollow body interior and through which the flushing fluid can be conveyed into the hollow body interior and / or with which a negative pressure can be created in the hollow body interior. In this embodiment, the valve body also serves to supply the flushing fluid into the hollow body interior. As a result, a targeted flow of the flushing fluid in the hollow body interior can be generated in a simple manner, whereby the cleaning effect can be improved. In a further developed embodiment, the device can have a device wall and the displacement body can be detachably connectable to the device wall or formed integrally with the device wall.

[0020] If the displacement body is detachably connected to the device wall, it can be replaced with another displacement body without significant effort in the event of damage. Furthermore, it is possible to connect differently shaped displacement bodies to the device wall. Consequently, a given device can be quickly converted to accommodate differently shaped hollow bodies, thereby increasing the flexibility of the device.

[0021] If the displacement body is formed as one piece with the fixture wall, series production of the fixture can be simplified because one part can be eliminated. Furthermore, a joining step is eliminated.

[0022] In a further developed embodiment, the device wall can have a first wall section and a second wall section, which are detachably connectable to one another and which, in the connected state, enclose a device interior, wherein the first holding means comprises a holding surface and the first wall section forms the holding surface which at least partially delimits the device interior. The holding surface serves to support the hollow body. Since the holding surface at least partially delimits the device interior, the holding surface points into the device interior. Consequently, the hollow body is arranged in the device interior when the hollow body is placed on the holding surface. The device interior is a closed space when the first wall section and the second wall section are connected to one another.Since the first wall section and the second wall section can be separated from each other, the hollow body can be easily inserted into and removed from the device interior. The device wall protects the hollow body from external influences, particularly during drying and cleaning. It is also possible for the holding surface to be formed by the second wall section, if this seems appropriate.

[0023] In a further embodiment, the hollow body wall can form an outer surface of the hollow body, and the device can have at least one fluid guide device with which the rinsing fluid can be guided from the hollow body interior to the outer surface of the hollow body and / or with which a negative pressure can be created in the hollow body interior and / or in the device interior. As mentioned, the semiconductor wafers are arranged in the predominantly closed hollow body interior. Consequently, due to the spatial proximity, the contamination of the semiconductor wafers is mainly caused by contaminants originating from the hollow body interior. Therefore, cleaning the hollow body interior surface is more important than cleaning the hollow body exterior surface. However, the hollow body exterior surface is typically more heavily contaminated than the hollow body interior surface.Since particles can move from the outer surface of the hollow body to the inner surface and from there to the semiconductor wafer when the hollow body is open, cleaning the outer surface of the hollow body also contributes to a reduction in the number of defective semiconductor wafers. In this embodiment, it is also possible to dry the outer surface of the hollow body by applying negative pressure and / or to clean it with appropriate guidance of the rinsing fluid. Both measures contribute to reducing contamination of the outer surface of the hollow body.

[0024] As mentioned, the inner surface of the hollow body is usually less contaminated than the outer surface. In this embodiment, the flushing fluid is guided by the fluid guide device first over the inner surface of the hollow body and then over the outer surface of the hollow body. Consequently, the flushing fluid flows first over the less contaminated surface and then to the more contaminated surface. This prevents flushing fluid heavily laden with particles from being guided over comparatively less contaminated surfaces, which would then be cleaned less effectively or even become contaminated.

[0025] A further developed embodiment can be characterized in that the hollow body has a lid with which the hollow body opening can be closed, and the device has second holding means with which the lid can be releasably fastened to the device wall. As mentioned, the FOUPs can be closed with a removable lid. In this embodiment, the lid can also be dried and cleaned in the present device.

[0026] There is no need for separate processes just for the lid.

[0027] According to a further embodiment, the lid can have an inner lid surface and an outer lid surface, and the device can comprise a gripping and moving device with which the lid can be connected to the second holding means such that the outer lid surface faces the outer surface of the hollow body. Simultaneous cleaning of the hollow body and the lid requires them to be separated before being inserted into the device. Insertion into the device takes place separately. In gripping and moving devices known from the prior art that would be suitable for such handling, the case arises that the inner lid surface of the lid separated from the hollow body faces the outer surface of the hollow body.Since, for example, for the reasons stated above, one strives to keep the volume of the device interior as small as possible, the distance between the hollow body's outer surface and the lid's inner surface is typically not particularly large. Consequently, due to contamination of the hollow body's outer surface, heavily loaded flushing fluid would also flow over the lid's inner surface, making it difficult to clean it effectively or even contaminating it. The flushing fluid must be supplied for a correspondingly long time. By arranging the lid in the device interior in this embodiment so that the lid's outer surface faces the hollow body's outer surface, this situation is avoided and the cleaning process is accelerated. It can be assumed that the loading of the flushing fluid increases with decreasing distance from the surface to be cleaned.

[0028] In a further embodiment, it may be advisable to arrange at least one flow director in the device interior, with which the flow of the flushing fluid can be directed within the device interior. The flow director can comprise a number of deflection plates and / or a partition wall. The flow of the flushing fluid can be guided such that more heavily laden flushing fluid does not flow over the inner lid surface, or flows only to a small extent. The above-described case, in which more heavily laden flushing fluid flows over the comparatively clean inner lid surface and possibly even contaminates it instead of cleaning it, is avoided.

[0029] A further developed embodiment can be characterized in that the hollow body wall forms an edge surface which encloses the hollow body opening and the first holding means comprises a locking device with which the hollow body can be sealingly and releasably connected to the holding surface with the edge surface. By using the locking device, the hollow body is clearly fixed and positioned during drying and cleaning, so that the desired flow can be ensured. The edge surface separates the hollow body inner surface from the hollow body outer surface. Due to the fact that the hollow body rests sealingly with the edge surface on the holding surface, the flushing fluid is prevented from flowing uncontrolled from the hollow body inner surface to the hollow body outer surface or vice versa. Furthermore, it is possible to permanently apply a negative pressure only in the hollow body interior.

[0030] A further embodiment is characterized in that the displacement body encloses a cavity which is accessible via a through-opening, and a heating device is arranged in the cavity, with which the hollow body can be heated for drying. The heating device serves to heat the hollow body after cleaning in order to support the drying process. Since the displacement body is introduced into the interior of the hollow body, the distance between the heating device and the hollow body wall is small, so that effective heating can be implemented. Due to the fact that the cavity is open, atmospheric pressure prevails in the cavity. Therefore, it is not necessary to take special precautions to protect the heating device against negative pressure. In addition, the heating device is easily accessible through the through-opening, so that assembly and repair can be carried out without special measures.

[0031] A further developed embodiment can stipulate that the heating device comprises a number of infrared diodes and the displacement body consists of or comprises a material permeable to infrared radiation. The infrared diodes have the advantage that the infrared radiation they generate lies in a narrowly defined frequency range, which can be optimized for the cleaning fluid used. Some of the infrared diodes can generate infrared radiation to heat the cleaning fluid; other infrared diodes can generate infrared radiation to heat the hollow body wall. The residues of the cleaning fluid still remaining on the inner surface or the outer surface of the hollow body are heated very effectively and thus removed in conjunction with the vacuum.

[0032] One embodiment of the invention relates to a method for cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, with a device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps:

[0033] - Holding interaction of the hollow body wall with the first holding means,

[0034] - Inserting the displacement body into the hollow body interior, and

[0035] - Creating a negative pressure in the hollow body interior by means of an evacuation device and / or

[0036] - Conveying a rinsing fluid through the hollow body interior by means of a conveying device. The technical effects and advantages that can be achieved with the proposed method correspond to those discussed for the present device. In summary, it should be noted that the displacement body reduces the volume in which the negative pressure is to be generated. As a result, the time required to reach the desired negative pressure is shortened, so that the entire drying process, particularly of the hollow body's interior surface, is accelerated. At the same time, the energy required to apply the desired negative pressure is also reduced. For the same reason, the volume of rinsing fluid required to clean the hollow body's interior surface is kept low. It is advisable to carry out the cleaning after the drying process.

[0037] In a further embodiment, the hollow body may have a lid with an inner lid surface and an outer lid surface, with which the hollow body opening can be closed. The device comprises a device wall, second holding means with which the lid can be releasably fastened to the device wall, and a gripping and moving device, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0038] - releasably fastening the lid using the gripping and moving device with the second holding means such that the outer surface of the lid faces the outer surface of the hollow body.

[0039] If the inner surface of the lid faces the outer surface of the hollow body, heavily loaded flushing fluid would also flow over the inner surface of the lid due to contamination of the outer surface of the hollow body, making it difficult to clean or even contaminating it. This situation is avoided by arranging the lid in the device interior so that the outer surface of the lid faces the outer surface of the hollow body.

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figures 1A to 1F show various steps for operating a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

[0042] Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention,

[0043] Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the device according to the invention,

[0044] Figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the device according to the invention,

[0045] Figure 5A is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the device according to the invention,

[0046] Figure 5B is a plan view of the one shown in Figure 5A

[0047] Displacement body,

[0048] Figure 6A is a perspective view of a fifth

[0049] Embodiment of the device according to the invention, and Figure 6B is a sectional view through the sixth embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in Figure 6A.

[0050] Figures 1E and 1F show a first embodiment of a device 101 according to the invention for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies 12, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, using schematic representations. Figures 1E and 1F, to which reference is made below, show a pot-shaped hollow body 12, which is also referred to as FOUP. The hollow body 12 comprises a hollow body wall 14, which forms a hollow body inner surface 16, wherein the hollow body inner surface 16 delimits a hollow body interior 17. Furthermore, the hollow body 12 has a hollow body opening 18 enclosed by the hollow body wall 14, through which the hollow body interior 17 is accessible, for example, in order to load the hollow body 12 with semiconductor wafers. The hollow body wall 14 forms an edge surface 20 which encloses the hollow body opening 18.

[0051] In addition, the hollow body 12 has a hollow body outer surface 22. The edge surface 20 separates the hollow body outer surface 22 from the hollow body inner surface 16.

[0052] Figures 1E and 1F also show a lid 24 with which the hollow body opening 18 can be closed. The lid 24 forms an inner lid surface 26 and an outer lid surface 28. The assignment refers to the state not shown in the figures, in which the hollow body opening 18 is closed with the lid 24. The inner lid surface 26 then faces into the hollow body interior 17 and the outer lid surface 28 faces outwards. The device 101 has a first holding means 30 which can interact with the hollow body 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the first holding means 30 comprises a holding surface 32 onto which the hollow body 12 can be placed with its edge surface 20. Furthermore, the first holding means 30 comprises a locking device 33, with which the hollow body 12 with the edge surface 20 can be sealingly and detachably connected to the holding surface 32.

[0053] In the illustrated embodiment, the holding surface 32 is formed by a device wall 34, which in turn comprises a first wall section 36 and a second wall section 38. The first wall section 36 and the second wall section 38 can be connected to one another and separated again. In this case, the holding surface 32 is formed by the first wall section 36. In the connected state, the first wall section 36 and the second wall section 38 enclose a device interior 40.

[0054] As can be seen from Figures 1E and 1F, the holding surface 32 is arranged on projections 42 of the first wall section 36s. A number of passage channels 44 are arranged in the projections 42, which channels belong to a fluid guide device 46, the function of which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0055] In addition, a displacement body 48i according to a first embodiment, which is conical in shape, is detachably fastened to the first wall section 36, wherein it is also conceivable to design the displacement body 48i as one piece with the first wall section 36. When the hollow body 12 is placed on the holding surface 32 as shown in Figures 1E and 1F, the displacement body 48i projects into the hollow body interior 17, creating a gap between the displacement body 48i and the hollow body wall 14. The shape of the displacement body 48i is selected such that it approximately corresponds to the shape of the hollow body interior 17. As a result, the gap has at least approximately a constant width. A through-bore 50 passes through the displacement body 48i and opens into the hollow body interior 17, provided that the hollow body 12 is placed on the holding surface 32, as shown in Figures 1E and 1F.

[0056] As mentioned, the hollow body opening 18 can be closed by means of the cover 24. The cover 24 is connected to the second wall section 38 by a second retaining means 52.

[0057] The device 101 according to the first embodiment can be operated in the following way:

[0058] Before the steps described below are carried out, the hollow body 12 and the cover 24 have been cleaned with a cleaning fluid in a manner not shown.

[0059] Referring to Figure 1A, it can be seen that the first wall section 36 has been detached from the second wall section 38. For reasons of illustration, the first wall section 36 is not shown in Figure 1A. By means of a gripping and moving device 54, the lid 24 has been separated from the hollow body 12, whereby this separation step is also not shown in Figure 1A. All that can be seen is that the lid 24 is connected to the gripping and moving device 54. The gripping and moving device 54 has a rotating device 56 with which the lid 24 can be rotated about a rotation axis R. The lid 24 is rotated such that the inner surface 26 of the lid points towards the second holding means 52.As soon as the lid 24 has assumed the corresponding rotational position, the lid 24 is gripped by means of a displacement device 58 of the gripping and moving device 54 and moved into the hollow body interior 17 in such a way that the lid 24 comes into contact with the second holding means 52 and can be held by it (see Figure 1B).

[0060] The hollow body 12 is placed with its edge surface 20 on the holding surface 32, as shown in Figure 1C. The locking device 33 is then activated, as a result of which the hollow body 12 is sealingly connected to the first wall section 36. As shown in Figure 1D, the first wall section 36 and the second wall section 38 are now connected to one another, also with the aid of the gripping and moving device 54. Referring to Figure 1E, a negative pressure is now applied in the device interior 40. For this purpose, the device 101 comprises an evacuation device 60, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a vacuum pump 62. The evacuation device is connected to the device interior 40 by means of a connection valve 63. Due to the activation of the vacuum pump 62, the fluid located in the device interior 40, typically air, is sucked out of the device interior 40.To prevent air from flowing through the through-bore 50, the through-bore 50 is connected to a shut-off valve 64, which is closed for this purpose. The resulting flow of the fluid located in the device interior 40 is illustrated by the arrows. It should be noted that the fluid can flow through the passages 44, so that the fluid located in the hollow body interior 17 can also be suctioned out. The locking device 33 is designed such that it does not significantly disrupt the flow to the vacuum pump 62.

[0061] As a result, a vacuum forms over the hollow body inner surface 16, the hollow body outer surface 22, the lid inner surface 26, and the lid outer surface 28, removing residues of the cleaning fluid that remain on the surface of the hollow body 12 and the lid 24 due to the previous cleaning of the hollow body 12 in the cleaning device. The hollow body inner surface 16, the hollow body outer surface 22, the lid inner surface 26, and the lid outer surface 28 are thereby dried.

[0062] Referring to Figure 1F, it can be seen that, after completion of the drying process, the through-bore 50 is now connected to a fluid reservoir 65 containing a flushing fluid, for example, nitrogen. This can be done manually or by means of a corresponding circuit, wherein the shut-off valve 64 can also be used and actuated accordingly to open it. The flushing fluid is conveyed through the device 101 by means of a conveying device 66, wherein the conveying device 66 has a conveying pump 68. The conveying device 66 is also connected to the device interior 40 by means of the aforementioned connection valve 63. At this point, it should be noted that the vacuum pump 62 can be designed such that it can also be used as a conveying pump 68. In this respect, the vacuum pump 62 and the conveying pump 68 can be formed from the same component.In the event that a negative pressure still exists in the device interior 40 before the drying process, the flushing fluid can also be conveyed into the device interior 40 in the following way: With a corresponding design of the shut-off valve 64 and the fluid reservoir, the flushing fluid can be sucked into the device interior 40 as a result of the shut-off valve 64 opening. Active conveying of the flushing fluid by means of the conveying device 66 is not necessary, at least until the pressure is completely equalized. The connection valve 63 and / or the shut-off valve 64 can be designed such that they are capable of not only opening and closing the flow of the flushing fluid or another fluid, but also adjusting the volume flow.In particular, when there is a strong negative pressure in the device interior 40, it is advisable to initially keep the volume flow through the shut-off valve 64 small in order to carry out the pressure equalization slowly and to avoid pressure surges.

[0063] The flushing fluid flows essentially in the same direction as the fluid when a negative pressure is applied, as described in connection with Figure 1E. In Figure 1F, the arrows also indicate the flow direction. The still unloaded flushing fluid flows from the fluid reservoir 65 through the through-bore 50 and then over the hollow body inner surface 16. With the help of the flushing fluid, AMC (airborne molecular contamination), for example, is removed from the hollow body inner surface 16 by evaporation and is absorbed by the flushing fluid and transported further. The flushing fluid then flows through the passage channels 44 and then hits the hollow body outer surface 22. Here, too, the above-mentioned contaminants are removed. Typically, the hollow body outer surface 22 is more heavily contaminated than the hollow body inner surface 16, so that the loading of the flushing fluid increases significantly as it flows over the hollow body outer surface 22.The portion of the flushing fluid that flows directly over the hollow body outer surface 22 has the highest loading. Since the distance between the lid 24 and the hollow body 12 in the device interior 40 is not particularly large, comparatively heavily loaded flushing fluid also flows over the lid outer surface 28. The portion of the flushing fluid that flows along the second wall section 38 and is consequently less heavily loaded flows over the lid inner surface 26. This prevents heavily loaded flushing fluid from flowing over the comparatively clean lid inner surface 26 and contaminating it instead of cleaning it. The flushing fluid then leaves the device 101 and can be stored in a container (not shown) for disposal or processing.

[0064] Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the device 102 according to the invention, also based on a schematic representation. The basic structure of the device 102 according to the second embodiment largely corresponds to that of the device 101 according to the first embodiment, which is why only the essential differences will be discussed. The device 102 according to the second embodiment comprises a flow director 70, which is designed as a partition 72 that can be arranged in the device interior 40 using an adjustment device (not shown). The partition 72 divides the device interior 40 into a first subsection 74 and a second subsection 76. The hollow body 12 is located in the first subsection 74, while the cover 24 is located in the second subsection 76.The adjustment device is therefore necessary to enable access to the second subsection 76 so that the cover 24 can be arranged there and removed from there.

[0065] The device interior 40 is connected to a further fluid reservoir 78, in which further flushing fluid can be stored, which is identical to the flushing fluid stored in the fluid reservoir 65. The further fluid reservoir 78 is in fluid communication with the second subsection 76.

[0066] As already mentioned for the first embodiment of the device 101, the flushing fluid is conveyed through the device interior 40 by means of the conveying device 66. In the second embodiment of the device 102, however, the additional flushing fluid is also conveyed from the additional fluid reservoir 78 into the second subsection 76, with the still unloaded additional flushing fluid flowing directly over the inner lid surface 26 and then over the outer lid surface 28. The additional flushing fluid then leaves the second subsection 76 through a partition opening 80 and combines with the flushing fluid of the first subsection 74. As mentioned, the flushing fluid can be directed into a container (not shown) for disposal or processing.This ensures that the inner surface 26 of the lid is exposed to a flushing fluid that is not or only very slightly loaded, so that effective cleaning of the inner surface 26 of the lid can be achieved.

[0067] Not shown is an embodiment in which the fluid guide device 46 has a number of baffles which divide the flushing fluid into two partial flows as soon as the flushing fluid has flowed through the passageways 44. An outer partial flow is guided along the second wall section 38 towards the cover 24 and an inner partial flow along the hollow body outer surface 22. Mixing of the outer partial flow and the inner partial flow is largely avoided as long as the outer partial flow has not yet reached the cover 24. This also prevents heavily contaminated flushing fluid from flowing over the cover inner surface 26. In this case, it is not necessary to provide an additional fluid reservoir 78.

[0068] Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the device 103 according to the invention, also based on a schematic representation. The first wall section 36 forms a through-opening 82 which is approximately aligned with the hollow body opening 18 when the hollow body 12 is placed on the first wall section 36. In this embodiment too, the fluid guide device 46 comprises the passage channels 44. The first wall section 36 divides the device interior 40 into a first subsection 74 and a second subsection 76, wherein the hollow body 12 can be arranged in the first subsection 74 and the cover 24 in the second subsection 76. The displacement body 48 projects from the second subsection 76 through the through-opening 82 into the first subsection 74 and into the hollow body interior 17.

[0069] In the second subsection 76, the first wall section 36 forms a wall opening 84. The second holding means 52, with which the lid 24 can be fixed, are arranged in the third exemplary embodiment on a lid handling unit 86, to which the lid 24 can be detachably connected using the second holding means 52. The lid handling unit 86 is rotatably mounted on the first wall section 36 about a rotation axis by means of a fastening device 88 and is movable between an open position, in which the lid handling unit 86 releases the wall opening 84 and consequently access to the device interior 40, and a closed position in which the wall opening 84 is closed. In Figure 3, the lid handling unit 86 is in the closed position.It should be noted that the wall opening 84 is closed with the cover 24, with the cover inner surface 26 pointing into the device interior 40.

[0070] The essential mode of operation of the device IO3 according to the third embodiment corresponds to that described for the first and second embodiments. One of the key differences lies in the manner in which the lid 24 is handled. After the lid 24 has been separated from the hollow body 12 by means of the gripping and moving device 54 (not shown in Figure 3), the lid 24 is placed on the second holding means 52. At this point in time, the lid handling unit 86 is in the open position, in which it has been rotated 90° compared to the closed position shown in Figure 3. The lid 24 is placed from above onto the second holding means 52, and the lid handling unit 86 is then rotated 90° into the closed position, as shown in Figure 3. The lid 24 now closes off the wall opening 84.The evacuation device 60, not shown in Figure 3, can now be activated, so that a negative pressure is created in the device interior 40. Residues of the cleaning fluid located on the hollow body inner surface 16, the lid inner surface 26, and the hollow body outer surface 22 are removed, and the hollow body 12 and the lid 24 are dried. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the negative pressure is not applied to the lid outer surface 28, so that residues of the cleaning fluid may still remain there.

[0071] After the drying process is complete, the cleaning process can begin as a result of a corresponding valve circuit, which is shown in Figure 3. As mentioned for the other embodiments, the feed pump 68 of the conveying device 66 is activated, the shut-off valve 64 is opened, and the flushing fluid is conveyed through the through-bore 50, which is connected to the fluid reservoir 65 as a result of the valve circuit, into the device interior 40, where it can flow over the hollow body inner surface 16, the lid inner surface 26, and the hollow body outer surface 22 and remove any contaminants located there. Here, too, the lid outer surface 28 is not reached by the flushing fluid and is also not cleaned by it.

[0072] Figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the device 104 according to the invention, again based on a schematic representation. The essential structure of the device 104102 according to the second embodiment largely corresponds to that of the device 101 according to the first embodiment, which is why only the essential differences will be discussed. As in the first embodiment, the device wall 34 is divided into a first wall section 36 and a second wall section 38, with the separation region extending differently. As can be seen from Figure 4, the first wall section 36 is U-shaped, while the second wall section 38 is flat and essentially plate- or disc-shaped.The first holding means 30 is attached to the second wall section 38 and, using the holding surface 32, interacts with the hollow body outer surface 22 such that the hollow body 12 is arranged at a distance from the device wall 34 within the device interior 40. In the fourth embodiment, the holding surface 32 is thus formed by the second wall section 38. In the fourth embodiment of the device 104, the hollow body 12 is therefore not placed on a surface, but rather "floats" in the device interior 40. The first holding means 30 is designed such that a gap 90 remains between the edge surface 20 and the first wall section 36, through which the flushing fluid can flow in order to reach the hollow body outer surface 22 from the hollow body inner surface 24 to the hollow body outer surface 24.In this respect, in the second embodiment, the first holding means 30, the hollow body wall 14, and the device wall 34 form the fluid guide device 46 and assume its function. The first holding means 30 is designed such that it does not significantly disrupt the flow of the flushing fluid within the device interior 40. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the projections 42 and the passage channels 44. The locking device 33 can also be omitted.

[0073] The second retaining means 52 for securing the cover 24 is also arranged on the second wall section 38. In the fourth embodiment of the device 104, the displacement body 48i is formed integrally with the first wall section 36.

[0074] The device 104 according to the fourth embodiment is operated essentially in the same manner as described for the other embodiments. However, it should be noted that the hollow body 12 and the lid 24 are first attached to the second wall section 38 using the gripping and moving device 54 before the second wall section 38 is connected to the first wall section 36. In this case, the gripping and moving device 54 grips at least one of the two wall sections 36, 38.

[0075] Figures 5A and 5B show a displacement body 482 according to a second embodiment. While the displacement body 481 according to the first embodiment is designed as a solid body, the displacement body 482 according to the second embodiment encloses a cavity 92 accessible via a through-opening 94 formed by a displacement body wall 96. The displacement body 482 is introduced into the device 105 according to a fifth embodiment such that a negative pressure can be applied to its outer side of the displacement body wall 96 located in the device interior 40, while atmospheric pressure prevails in the cavity 92. Of the device IO5 according to the fifth embodiment, which in principle can be constructed in the same way as the devices 101 to 104 according to the previously described embodiments, only the second wall section 38 of the device wall 34 is shown.In Figure 5B, only the displacement body 482 is shown.

[0076] A receiving flange 104 is arranged in the second wall section 38, forming a flange opening 106 through which the displacement body 482 can be inserted and thus introduced into the device interior 40 of the device 105. The receiving flange 104 can also be designed as a separate component. At least one O-ring seal 108, here two O-ring seals 108, is arranged in the receiving flange 104, which seals the second wall section 38 from the displacement body wall 96 when the displacement body 482 is inserted through the flange opening 106, as shown in Figure 5A. This makes it possible to create a vacuum in the device 105. In order to prevent the displacement body 482 from being drawn into the device 105, the displacement body 482 has a radial extension 110 at its through-opening.

[0077] A heating device 98 is arranged in the cavity 92 and is fastened to the displacement body wall 96 by means of a holder 100. The heating device 98 is accessible through the through-opening 94. Since, as mentioned, atmospheric pressure prevails in the cavity 92, no special measures are required to protect the heating device 98 from negative pressure. The heating device 98 comprises a number of infrared diodes 102 for generating infrared radiation. Two groups of infrared diodes 102 can be distinguished. The first group of infrared diodes 102 emits the infrared radiation primarily along a longitudinal axis L of the displacement body 482. This first group of infrared diodes 102 is arranged in the region of the closed end of the displacement body 482 opposite the through-opening 94, in Figure 5A in the upper region.The second group of infrared diodes 102 emits infrared radiation primarily perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is arranged centrally. The displacement body wall 96 is made of a material permeable to infrared radiation, for example, glass.

[0078] As mentioned, the volume in which the negative pressure is to be generated is reduced with the help of the displacement body 482. As also mentioned, the negative pressure serves to remove residues of the cleaning fluid from the hollow body inner surface 16 and / or from the hollow body outer surface 22. This removal can be assisted by the heating device 98. The infrared radiation generated by the infrared diodes 102 lies in a narrowly defined frequency range, which can be optimized for the cleaning fluid used. The residues of the cleaning fluid still remaining on the hollow body inner surface 16 or the hollow body outer surface 22 are very effectively heated and thus removed in conjunction with the negative pressure.

[0079] As previously described, the displacement body 48i according to the first embodiment has the through-bore 50 (see, for example, Figures 1F and 2), through which, after completion of the drying process, a rinsing fluid, for example nitrogen, can flow along the hollow body inner surface 16 and / or the hollow body outer surface 22 of the hollow body 12 (not shown in Figures 5A and 5B). In contrast, the displacement body wall 96 of the displacement body 482 according to the second embodiment is closed, in particular due to the fact that it is made of glass. In order to nevertheless be able to introduce the flushing fluid into the device interior 40 of the device 105, a plurality of connecting channels 112 are arranged in the receiving flange 104 and are distributed around the circumference of the receiving flange 104, which, as described for the through-bore 50, can be connected to the check valve 64 and / or to the fluid reservoir 65 (see, for example, Figure 2).For illustrative purposes, only one check valve 64 is shown in Figure 5A. Otherwise, the device 105 is operated in the same manner as described for the other embodiments of the device 101 to 104.

[0080] Figures 6A and 6B show a sixth embodiment of the device 106 according to the invention using perspective views. The device 106 has a displacement body 483 according to a third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the displacement body 483 is cuboid-shaped and can be designed as a hollow body or as a solid body, but in contrast to the second embodiment of the displacement body 482 shown in Figures 5A and 5B, it is closed. In this embodiment, the displacement body 483 is also connected to the receiving flange 104, which is fastened to the second wall section. The receiving flange 104 also has the connecting channels for introducing the flushing fluid into the device interior 40. The heating device 98 comprises a total of four groups of infrared diodes 102, which are arranged outside the displacement body 483.In this case, the holder is designed as a cross-shaped disc, which is attached to the free end of the displacement body 483. The holder has a mounting hole 114 for each group of infrared diodes 102. Furthermore, each group of infrared diodes 102 is connected to the mounting flange 104.

[0081] The infrared diodes 102 are arranged such that they emit the infrared radiation primarily perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the displacement body 483 (not shown in Figures 6A and 6B). Consequently, a portion of this infrared radiation also strikes the displacement body 483. The displacement body 483 has a reflective surface 116, with which the infrared radiation striking the displacement body 483 is reflected and can consequently be used to heat the hollow body 12 and is not lost. The reflective surface 116 can be provided, for example, by manufacturing the displacement body 483 from metal, for example, aluminum, and providing it with a particularly low roughness where the reflective surface 116 is to be arranged, for example by polishing.

[0082] Otherwise, the device 106 according to the sixth embodiment is operated essentially in the same way as described for the fifth embodiment of the device 105.

[0083] List of reference symbols

[0084] 10 Device

[0085] 101, 102, 103, 104, 105,106Device

[0086] 12 hollow bodies

[0087] 14 Hollow body wall

[0088] 16 Hollow body inner surface

[0089] 17 Hollow body interior

[0090] 18 Hollow body opening

[0091] 20 edge area

[0092] 22 Hollow body outer surface

[0093] 24 lids

[0094] 26 Lid inner surface

[0095] 28 Lid outer surface

[0096] 30 first holding device

[0097] 32 holding surface

[0098] 33 Locking device

[0099] 34 Fixture wall

[0100] 36 first wall section

[0101] 38 second wall section

[0102] 40 Device interior

[0103] 42 projections

[0104] 44 Passage channel

[0105] 46 Fluid guide device

[0106] 48 displacement bodies

[0107] 481, 482, 483 Displacement bodies

[0108] 50 through hole

[0109] 52 second holding device

[0110] 54 Gripping and moving device 56 Rotating device

[0111] 58 Shifting device

[0112] 60 evacuation facility

[0113] 62 Vacuum pump

[0114] 63 Connection valve

[0115] 64 check valve

[0116] 65 Fluid reservoir

[0117] 66 conveyor system

[0118] 68 feed pump

[0119] 70 flow straighteners

[0120] 72 Partition wall

[0121] 74 first subsection

[0122] 76 second subsection

[0123] 78 additional fluid reservoir

[0124] 80 partition wall opening

[0125] 82 passage opening

[0126] 84 Wall opening

[0127] 86 Lid handling unit

[0128] 88 Fastening device

[0129] 90 gap

[0130] 92 cavity

[0131] 94 Passage opening

[0132] 96 Displacement body wall

[0133] 98 Heating device

[0134] 100 bracket

[0135] 102 infrared diodes

[0136] 104 Mounting flange

[0137] 106 Flange opening 108 O-ring seal

[0138] 110 radial extension

[0139] 112 Connecting channel 114 Mounting hole

[0140] 116 reflective surface

[0141] L Longitudinal axis

[0142] R Rotationsachse

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device (10) for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies (12), in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, wherein the hollow body (12) - a hollow body wall (14) forming an inner surface (16) of the hollow body, wherein the inner surface (16) of the hollow body defines an interior space (17) of the hollow body, and - comprising a hollow body opening (18) enclosed by the hollow body wall (14) through which the interior space (17) of the hollow body is accessible, wherein the device (10) - a first holding means (30) with which the device (10) can interact with the hollow body (12) in a holding manner, o an evacuation device (60) for applying a negative pressure in the interior of the hollow body (17) and / or o a conveying device (66) for conveying a rinsing fluid through the interior of the hollow body (17), and - comprises a displacement body (48) which can be inserted or is inserted into the interior of the hollow body (17) through the opening (18).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement body (48) has a through-bore (50) which opens into the interior of the hollow body (17) when the Displacement body (48) is introduced into the interior of the hollow body (17) and - through which the rinsing fluid is conveyed into the interior of the hollow body (17) and / or with which a negative pressure can be created in the interior of the hollow body (17).

3. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the device (10) has a device wall (34), and - the displacement body (48) is detachably connectable to the device wall (34) or is formed in one piece with the device wall (34).

4. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the device wall (34) has a first wall section (36) and a second wall section (38) which are detachably connectable to one another and which, in the connected state, enclose a device interior (40), wherein - the first retaining means (30) comprises a retaining surface (32), and - the first wall section (36) forms the holding surface (32), which at least partially delimits the interior of the device (40).

5. Device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that - the hollow body wall (14) forms a hollow body outer surface (22), and - the device (10) has at least one fluid guidance device (46) with which the rinsing fluid is conveyed from the hollow body interior (17) to the hollow body outer surface (22) can be guided and / or with which a vacuum can be applied in the interior of the hollow body (17) and / or in the interior of the device (40).

6. Device (10) according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the hollow body (12) has a lid (24) with which the hollow body opening (18) can be closed and the device (10) has second retaining means (52) with which the lid (24) can be detachably fastened to the device wall (34).

7. Device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the lid (24) has an inner lid surface (26) and an outer lid surface (28) and the device (10) comprises a gripping and moving device (54) with which the lid (24) can be connected to the second holding means (52) such that the outer lid surface (28) faces the outer surface (22) of the hollow body.

8. Device (10) according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that at least one flow guide (70) is arranged in the interior of the device (40), with which the flow of the flushing fluid can be directed in the interior of the device (40).

9. Device (10) according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that - the hollow body wall (14) forms a boundary surface (20) which surrounds the hollow body opening (18) and - the first holding means (30) comprises a locking device (33) with which the hollow body (12) with the edge surface (20) can be connected to the holding surface (32) in a sealing and detachable manner.

10. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement body (48) has a heating device (98) with which the hollow body (12) can be heated for drying.

11. Device (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the heating device (98) comprises a number of infrared diodes (102).

12. Device (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the displacement body (48) has a reflective surface for reflecting the infrared radiation emitted by the infrared diodes.

13. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the displacement body (48) - encloses a cavity (92) which is accessible by means of a through-opening (94), and - the heating device (98) is arranged in the cavity (92). - a heating device (98) arranged in the cavity (92) 14. Device (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the displacement body (48) consists of or comprises a material permeable to infrared radiation.

15. Method for cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies (12), in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, with a device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - Holding interaction of the hollow body wall (14) with the first holding element (30), - Inserting the displacement body (48) into the hollow body interior (17), and - Applying a negative pressure inside the hollow body (17) by means of an evacuation device (60) and / or - Conveying a rinsing fluid through the interior of the hollow body (17) by means of a conveying device (66).

16. Method according to claim 15, - wherein the hollow body (12) has a lid (24) with an inner lid surface (26) and an outer lid surface (28) with which the hollow body opening (18) can be closed and - the device (10) o a device wall (34), o a second holding means (52) with which the cover (24) can be detachably fastened to the device wall (34) and o has a gripping and moving device (54), and the method comprises the following steps: - Detachable fastening of the lid using the gripping and moving device (54) with the second holding means (52) such that the outer surface of the lid (28) faces the outer surface of the hollow body (22).

Images