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 present 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, wherein the device (10) has a cleaning unit (44), which can be or is introduced into the hollow body interior (22) through the hollow body opening (24) and which has a first dispensing unit (46), with which a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body inner surface (18) can be dispensed, and a second dispensing unit (48), with which a second fluid for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body inner surface (18) can be dispensed, and an adjusting unit (50) with which the first dispensing unit (46) and the second dispensing unit (48) can be moved independently of one another. The invention also relates to a corresponding method for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies (12) by means of a device (10) of this type.

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. 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. The production of highly integrated electronic circuits and other sensitive semiconductor components currently takes place in factories in which 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 discarded. Since cleanliness becomes increasingly important with increasing integration density of semiconductor circuits, and the effort required for cleanliness increases exponentially with the size of cleanrooms, the 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 can be placed. 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 transported to the next processing station. dert.Due to the high production downtime caused by contamination of the semiconductor wafers, it is necessary to clean the FOUPs from time to time using a cleaning fluid. The FOUPs are particularly contaminated by the abrasion of the semiconductor wafers during insertion into and removal from the FOUPs. The same applies to transport containers for lithography masks, and in particular for EUV lithography masks ("extreme ultraviolet radiation"). EUV lithography masks are used to manufacture very small integrated circuits. Like semiconductors, the EUV lithography masks must also be transported, which creates a similar situation. When FOUPs are referred to below, the relevant statements apply equally to transport containers for EUV lithography machines. ken.Devices for cleaning FOUPs are known, for example, from US 5 238 703 A, US 2002 / 0046760 A1, US2003 / 0102015 A1, WO 2005 / 001888 A2 and EP 1 899 084 B1 bekannt.As mentioned, a large number of semiconductor wafers or EUV lithography masks can be placed in a FOUP. For this purpose, the FOUP has rib-shaped structures on its inner surface, onto which the semiconductor wafers or EUV lithography masks can be deposited with their outer edges. Alternatively, the rib-shaped structures can be arranged as separate units within the interior. During the cleaning process, a cleaning fluid is typically applied to the inner surface of the FOUP in a first step, and the inner surface is then dried with a drying fluid. Purified water, particularly so-called ultrapure water, is typically used as the cleaning fluid, and extremely clean dried air, also referred to as XCDA, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen is often used as the drying fluid. Due to the rib-shaped structures, areas are created that are suitable for the drying fluid.but also difficult for the cleaning fluid to access. The cleaning and drying processes are correspondingly difficult. To ensure adequate cleaning and drying, the cleaning and drying processes in the devices known from the prior art must be carried out for a correspondingly long time, which is time- and resource-intensive. 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, using simple and cost-effective means,To provide a remedy for the above-mentioned disadvantages and, in particular, to enable time-saving and resource-efficient cleaning and 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 subclaims. 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 has a hollow body wall forming a hollow body inner surface, wherein the hollow body inner surface delimits a hollow body interior, and a hollow body opening enclosed by the hollow body wall.through which the hollow body interior is accessible, wherein the device comprises a cleaning device which can be introduced or is introduced through the hollow body opening into the hollow body interior and which has a first dispensing unit with which a first fluid can be dispensed for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body interior surface, and a second dispensing unit with which a second fluid can be dispensed for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body interior surface, and an adjusting device with which the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit can be moved independently of one another. When a hollow body is mentioned below, this primarily means a FOUP. The first fluid is typically used to dry the hollow body interior surface, while the second fluid is used to clean the hollow body interior surface. wird.The requirements for optimal cleaning and drying vary. This can be due solely to the different physical and / or chemical properties of the first fluid and the second fluid used. Furthermore, the FOUP typically has sections that are more heavily contaminated than others. These can be the previously mentioned rib-shaped structures and / or the lid support surface. The lid support surface often needs to be treated with the second fluid for longer than other sections of the hollow body's inner surface to achieve a sufficient cleaning result. However, the lid support surface is relatively easy to access, so it can be dried quickly and easily. The rib-shaped structures, on the other hand, are more difficult to dry.Due to the proposed design of the device, according to which the first dispensing unit is movable independently of the second dispensing unit, the cleaning and drying processes can be adapted to their respective specifics. Thus, the lid support surface can be cleaned for a relatively long time and dried for a relatively short time, while the rib-shaped structures can be cleaned and dried for a relatively long time. It is possible to dry cleaned sections while other sections are still being cleaned. This allows the FOUP to be cleaned in a more time- and resource-efficient manner than is possible with known devices.According to a further embodiment, the device can define a displacement axis along which the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit are displaceable with the adjustment device and / or about which the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit are rotatable with the adjustment device. The type of movement can be adapted to the respective process. During the cleaning process, a translational movement is suitable, while during the drying process, a rotational movement has proven advantageous. However, any movement is advantageous for cleaning and drying the FOUP, as this reduces the likelihood of dead spaces forming that are inadequately cleaned and / or dried. In a further developed embodiment, the second dispensing unit can be displaceably mounted on the first dispensing unit.This allows the design effort required to implement the proposed device to be kept to a minimum, since separate mounting of the second dispensing unit can be largely dispensed with. In a further developed embodiment, the second dispensing unit can be annular and enclose the first dispensing unit. This allows the second fluid to be dispensed at a short distance from the hollow body's inner surface, thereby minimizing momentum losses and allowing the hollow body's inner surface to be cleaned very effectively without adversely affecting the drying process. "Annular" here refers in particular to a second dispensing unit that has a circular, elliptical, or polygonal design when viewed from above.A polygonal ring-shaped dispensing unit is understood to be one that, in plan view, has three or more than three straight tubular sections that are connected to one another to form an angle. Mixed forms are also conceivable. In a further embodiment, the first dispensing unit can have a number of first dispensing nozzles through which the first fluid can be dispensed at a spray angle relative to a reference plane running perpendicular to the displacement axis, wherein the spray angle is between 0° and 30° and / or the first dispensing unit has an adjustment device with which the spray angle can be adjusted. Depending on the embodiment, the spray angle can be fixed or variable. In any case, a spray angle in the range between 0° and 30° has proven advantageous, particularly for drying.If the spray angle is adjustable, an additional directed movement can be performed, further reducing the likelihood of dead spaces forming that are insufficiently cleaned and / or dried. A further developed embodiment can be characterized in that the device comprises a support wall onto which the hollow body can be placed with an edge surface formed by the hollow body wall, wherein the support wall forms a through-opening through which the cleaning device can be passed. The mounting of the hollow body can be implemented simply in this embodiment, so that the design effort for providing the proposed device can be kept low. According to a further embodiment, the device can comprise a locking device with which the hollow body can be releasably connected to the support wall with the edge surface.The locking device can ensure that the hollow body is held in position and does not slip during the cleaning and drying process. Furthermore, the locking device can be designed so that it can only lock the hollow body when it is in a desired position. This prevents collisions with the hollow body and resulting damage during the movement of the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit. Furthermore, it can ensure that a reproducible cleaning and drying result is achieved. In a further embodiment, it may be advisable to arrange a sealing section on or in the support wall, with which the support wall can be sealed against the edge surface when the hollow body is placed on the support wall.The seal prevents, in particular, the second fluid from being distributed uncontrollably within the device, which could lead to further contamination. Depending on the device design, the outer surface of the hollow body can also be cleaned separately from the inner surface, particularly because the outer surface of the hollow body is usually more heavily contaminated than the inner surface, with the inner surface playing a more important role in the defectability of the semiconductor wafers. The sealing section prevents particles from entering the interior of the hollow body as a result of cleaning the outer surface and depositing on the semiconductor wafers. nen.According to a further embodiment, the device can have a discharge channel through which the first fluid and / or the second fluid can be discharged from the device, wherein a particle measuring device for determining the particles contained in the first fluid and / or the second fluid is arranged in the discharge channel. The particle measuring device can, for example, count the number of particles discharged from the device. If the number falls below a certain value for a certain time, it can be assumed that the hollow body has been sufficiently cleaned. In this case, the cleaning process can be interrupted and the drying process can begin. For safety reasons, it is not necessary to carry out the cleaning process significantly longer than necessary. The volume of the second fluid and the time for the cleaning process can be kept low.According to a further developed embodiment, the cleaning device can have an inspection device with which the hollow body's inner surface can be inspected. The inspection device can be operated optically, for example, using lidar or a camera. The hollow body's inner surface can be examined, for example, for dirt residues and / or residues originating from wafers and / or for damage. To ensure that the camera delivers usable images, the inspection device can have a light source, which can provide uniform illumination. The information supplied by the inspection device can be evaluated using an evaluation unit. If anomalies are detected, appropriate countermeasures can be initiated. For example, the hollow body in question can be discarded. The inspection device is preferably part of the cleaning device.Consequently, the adjustment device can be used simultaneously for the inspection device. The inspection of the hollow body's inner surface takes place simultaneously, in particular during drying, since no disruptive influences emanating from the cleaning fluid need to be taken into account during drying. The hollow body can comprise a lid with an outer lid surface and an inner lid surface, with which the hollow body opening can be closed. The device can comprise a lid cleaning device, which has a first lid cleaning dispensing unit, with which a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid's inner surface can be dispensed, and / or a second lid cleaning dispensing unit, with which a second fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid's inner surface can be dispensed, and a lid cleaning adjustment device, with which the first lid cleaning dispensing unit and the second lid cleaning dispensing unit can be moved.The lid is also subject to contamination, which can lead to defective semiconductor wafers. Therefore, cleaning the inner surface of the lid also contributes to keeping the number of defective semiconductor wafers low. The same applies to EUV masks. The lid cleaning device is also capable of first cleaning and then drying, for which purpose the first lid cleaning dispensing unit or the second lid cleaning dispensing unit is used. According to a further developed embodiment, the second dispensing unit has a number of second dispensing nozzles through which the second fluid can be dispensed at a second spray angle relative to a reference plane running perpendicular to the displacement axis. The second dispensing unit has a second adjustment device with which the second spray angle can be adjusted.In this case too, a further movement can be imparted to the second fluid, whereby the probability of dead spaces forming can be kept low.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, using a device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - introducing the cleaning device through the hollow body opening into the hollow body interior, - dispensing a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body interior surface by means of the first dispensing device. einheit,- Dispensing a second fluid for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body's inner surface by means of the second dispensing unit, and - Independently moving the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit by means of the adjustment device. The technical effects and advantages that can be achieved with the proposed method essentially correspond to those discussed for the present device. In summary, it should be noted that due to the proposed design of the device, according to which the first dispensing unit is movable independently of the second dispensing unit, the cleaning process and the drying process can be adapted to their respective specifics. Thus, the FOUP can be cleaned in a more time- and resource-efficient manner than is possible with known devices.In a further embodiment, it can be provided that the dispensing of the first fluid by means of the first dispensing unit takes place at a time offset from the dispensing of the second fluid by means of the second dispensing unit. As mentioned above, water is typically used as the first fluid and air as the second fluid. However, it can be advantageous to use only gaseous or only liquid fluids. However, if water is used as the second fluid, it primarily serves to clean the hollow body's inner surface, while the air, which is used as the first fluid, serves to dry the hollow body's inner surface. First, the second fluid is applied to the hollow body's inner surface, followed by the first fluid.However, it is possible to begin drying in a section of the hollow body's inner surface that has already been cleaned with the second fluid, while another section of the hollow body's inner surface is still being exposed to the second fluid. In this respect, the staggered release of the first fluid and the second fluid can also be applied to a section of the hollow body's inner surface and not to the entire device. A more advanced design can specify that the first fluid is air and the second fluid is water. Extremely clean dried air, also known as XCDA, is used as the air. So-called ultrapure water with a conductivity of 0.052 µS / cm or less is used as the water. This allows sufficient cleaning of the hollow body's inner surface to be achieved with reasonable effort. den.It is also possible for the second fluid, in particular, to be a mixture of one or more gaseous media and one or more liquid media. As mentioned, the second fluid dispensed by the second dispensing unit primarily serves to clean the hollow body's inner surface, while the first fluid serves for drying. If a mixture of gaseous and liquid media is used as the second fluid, increased dynamics can be provided and the momentum of the second fluid can be increased, thereby improving the cleaning result. In principle, however, the first fluid and the second fluid can be largely freely selected and adapted to the respective application. If the first fluid and / or the second fluid contain liquid media, the surface tension of the medium in question, for example, can play a role.According to an advanced design, the spray angle can be changed using the adjustment device during or before the first fluid is dispensed. This minimizes the likelihood of dead spaces forming, which are inadequately cleaned and / or dried. In particular, drying is improved. sert.According to a further embodiment, the method includes the step of inspecting the hollow body's inner surface using the inspection device. Lidar, a camera, or other suitable detection sensors can be used for this purpose. The hollow body's inner surface can be examined, for example, for dirt residues and / or residues originating from wafers and / or for damage. To ensure that the camera delivers usable images, the inspection device can have a light source, which can provide uniform illumination. The information provided by the inspection device can be evaluated using an evaluation unit. If anomalies are detected, appropriate countermeasures can be initiated. werden.The step of inspecting the hollow body's inner surface occurs simultaneously, in particular, with the dispensing of the first fluid (air), with which the hollow body's inner surface is dried, since the interference factors emanating from air on the information provided by the camera are significantly lower than with water. According to a further embodiment, the method comprises the following steps: - Dispensing a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid's inner surface by means of the first lid cleaning dispensing unit, and - Dispensing a second fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid's inner surface by means of the second lid cleaning dispensing unit. As mentioned, the lid is also subject to contamination, which can lead to defective semiconductor wafers. In this respect, cleaning the lid's inner surface also contributes to keeping the number of defective semiconductor wafers low. The same applies to EUV masks.The lid cleaning device is also capable of first cleaning and then drying, for which purpose the first lid cleaning dispensing unit or the second lid cleaning dispensing unit can be used. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows a basic sectional view of a first embodiment of a proposed device for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies in a first position. Figure 2 shows the first embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1 in a second position. Figure 3 shows the first embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1 in a third position. Figure 4 shows a basic sectional view of a second embodiment of a proposed device. tung,Figure 5A shows a schematic representation of a third exemplary embodiment of a proposed device in a first position. Figure 5B shows the third exemplary embodiment of the proposed device shown in Figure 5A in a second position. Figure 5C shows a partial and enlarged representation of a lid cleaning device. Figures 1 to 3 show a first exemplary embodiment of a device 101 for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies 12, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, using a schematic sectional representation in different positions. The hollow body 12 is in particular a transport container for semiconductor wafers, also referred to as FOUPs, or a transport container for EUV lithography masks.The hollow body 12 has a hollow body wall 13 with a bottom wall 14 and, in this case, four side walls 16, so that the pot-shaped hollow body 12 is essentially cuboid-shaped. However, it is entirely possible to provide the pot-shaped hollow body 12 with a different geometry, for example, a cylindrical one. The bottom wall 14 and the four side walls 16 form a hollow body inner surface 18 and a hollow body outer surface 20. The hollow body inner surface 18 delimits a hollow body interior 22. The hollow body 12 has a hollow body opening 24, which is arranged opposite the bottom wall 14 and is enclosed by an edge surface 26. The hollow body interior 22 is accessible through the hollow body opening 24. In the region of the edge surface 26, the hollow body 12 is flange-shaped in the illustrated embodiment.In addition to the edge surface 26, the hollow body 12 has a lid support surface 28, which is part of the hollow body inner surface 18 and which is formed by a shoulder of the side wall 16. The device 101 for drying and / or cleaning the hollow body 12 can, in principle, be constructed largely as described, for example, in DE 10 2020 129 469 A1. Consequently, only the essential features will be discussed below. The device 101 has a support wall 30, onto which the hollow body 12 can be placed with its edge surface 26. The support wall 30 forms a through-opening 32, with a locking device 34 arranged radially outside the through-opening 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the through-opening 32 of the support wall 30 and the hollow body opening 24 are at least approximately of the same size and of the same geometric shape.In the illustrated embodiment, two through-holes 36 are provided in the support wall 30 radially outside the locking device 34; their function will be discussed in more detail later. Furthermore, the device 101 comprises a discharge channel 38 with a channel end 40 that is in fluid communication with the through-opening 32. As can be seen from Figure 1, the discharge channel 38 is connected to the support wall 30 at the channel end 40 such that the channel end 40 is flush with the through-opening 32. Starting from the channel end 40, the discharge channel 38 initially maintains its diameter before the diameter decreases in a funnel shape. Furthermore, a particle measuring device 42 is arranged in the discharge channel 38. Furthermore, the device 101 is equipped with a cleaning device 44, which can be introduced through the hollow body opening 24 into the hollow body interior 22.The cleaning device 44 comprises a first dispensing unit 46, with which a first fluid can be dispensed for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body inner surface 18, and a second dispensing unit 48, with which a second fluid can be dispensed for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body inner surface 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the first fluid is used for drying, and the second fluid is used for cleaning the hollow body inner surface 18. Extremely clean dried air, also referred to as XCDA, can be used as the first fluid, and so-called ultrapure water can be used as the second fluid. Furthermore, the cleaning device 44 comprises an adjustment device 50, with which the first dispensing unit 46 and the second dispensing unit 48 can be moved independently of one another. In the illustrated embodiment of the device 101, the first dispensing unit 46 comprises a first tube 52, into which a second tube 54 is inserted telescopically.An end piece 56 is inserted into the second tube 54, forming a number of first discharge nozzles 57. The first tube 52 and the second tube 54 are arranged concentrically in the discharge channel. The first fluid can be guided through the first tube 52, the second tube 54, and the end piece 56 to the first discharge nozzles 57 and from there discharged onto the hollow body inner surface 18. As can be seen from a comparison of Figures 1 to 3, the adjustment device 50 has adjustment means (not shown) with which the second tube 54 can be displaced relative to the first tube 52 along a displacement axis A. In addition, the end piece 56 can be rotated about the displacement axis A by means of the adjustment device 50. In addition, the first dispensing unit 46 comprises an adjustment device 58 with which a spray angle α, at which the first fluid can be dispensed relative to a reference plane running perpendicular to the displacement axis A, can be adjusted.For this purpose, the end piece 56 can have a flexible section (not shown). The second dispensing unit 48 serves to supply the second fluid to the hollow body inner surface 18. The second dispensing unit 48 is annular and, in the illustrated embodiment, encloses the second tube 54 of the first dispensing unit 46, on which the second dispensing unit 48 is mounted so as to be displaceable along the displacement axis A. The second dispensing unit 48 can be displaced along the displacement axis A independently of the first dispensing unit 46 using the adjusting device 50, as can be seen from a comparison of Figures 1 to 3. It is also conceivable for the second dispensing unit 48 to be rotatable about the displacement axis A. Not shown is an embodiment in which the second dispensing unit 48 has its own bearing and is thus mounted independently of the first dispensing unit 46.For this purpose, the second dispensing unit 48 can be guided, for example, along the inner wall of the discharge channel 38. The second dispensing unit 48 has a number of second dispensing nozzles 60 through which the second fluid can be dispensed at a second spray angle β relative to a reference plane running perpendicular to the displacement axis A, wherein the second dispensing unit 48 has a second adjusting device 62 with which the second spray angle β can be adjusted. In the position shown in Figure 1, the second spray angle β is 30°, while in the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3 it is 0° and is therefore not shown there. An embodiment in which the distance between the second dispensing nozzles 60 is adjustable with respect to the displacement axis A is not shown.Such adjustability is particularly advantageous when the hollow body 12 has a funnel-shaped profile and consequently the distance of the hollow body inner surface 18 along the displacement axis. A ändert. Furthermore, a sealing section 64 is arranged in the support wall 30, which comes into contact with the edge surface 26 when the hollow body 12 is placed on the support wall 30. The device 101 is operated in the following manner: First, the hollow body 12 to be cleaned is placed with the edge surface 26 on the support wall 30 and secured to the support wall 30 with the locking device 34. The edge surface 26 is pressed against the sealing section 64, so that the edge surface 26 is sealed against the support wall 30. ist.As mentioned, the diameter of the discharge channel 38 initially does not change starting from the through-opening 32. This ensures that the cleaning device 44 can be retracted so far that it does not protrude beyond the through-opening 32, or only protrudes to a very small extent (see also Figure 4). This prevents collisions between the cleaning device 44 and the hollow body 12, particularly when the hollow body 12 is placed on the support wall 30 and removed from it. wird.The second fluid can then be conveyed to the second dispensing unit 48 by a conveying unit (not shown) through feed channels (not shown in detail) and applied to the hollow body inner surface 18 through the second dispensing nozzles 60. It may be advisable to first move the second dispensing unit 48 as far as possible toward the bottom wall 14 before dispensing the second fluid, since the second fluid flows down the hollow body inner surface 18 under gravity. For this purpose, the first dispensing unit 46 can also be extended. den.While the second fluid is being dispensed, the second dispensing unit 48 can be displaced along the displacement axis A as a result of a corresponding activation of the adjusting device 50. In addition, the second spray angle β can be changed, so that the entire hollow body inner surface 18 is consequently exposed to the second fluid. For example, the second adjusting device 50 can be moved downward along the second tube 54 of the first dispensing unit 46 relative to the illustration chosen in Figures 1 to 3, which can be seen from a comparison of Figures 2 and 3. lich ist.The lid support surface 28 is usually more heavily soiled than the rest of the hollow body's inner surface 18. It may therefore be advisable to apply the second fluid to the lid support surface 28 more intensively and for a longer period of time than to the rest of the hollow body's inner surface 18 (see Figure 1). The first dispensing unit 46 may initially remain inactive and not dispense any first fluid. However, if the hollow body's inner surface 18 between the bottom wall 14 and the lid support surface 28 has already been completely exposed to the second fluid and the lid support surface 28 is treated with the second fluid for a longer period of time, the first dispensing unit 46 may already be activated, and consequently the first fluid may be applied to the hollow body's inner surface 18 to dry the hollow body's inner surface 18. The first fluid can be conveyed to the first dispensing nozzles 57 by a conveying unit (not shown) and then applied to the hollow body inner surface 18.The second fluid flows, driven by gravity, down the hollow body's inner surface 18 and through the passage opening into the discharge channel 38. The number of particles contained in the second fluid can be determined using the particle measuring device 42 arranged in the discharge channel 38. If the number of particles remains below a certain value for a certain time, it can be assumed that the hollow body's inner surface 18 has been sufficiently cleaned. The supply of the second fluid can then be interrupted. The supply of the first fluid can be continued until it can be assumed that the hollow body's inner surface 18 has been sufficiently dried. The first dispensing unit 46 can be displaced along the displacement axis A and rotated about it. When the hollow body's inner surface 18 has been sufficiently dried, the supply of the first fluid is interrupted.The cleaning device 44 is then displaced along the displacement axis A toward the discharge channel 38. The cleaning of the hollow body's inner surface 18 is now complete. As mentioned, two through-bores 36 are provided in the support wall 30, the number of which can be selected largely freely and is not fixed at two. These can be used to discharge an additional fluid, with which the hollow body's outer surface 20 can be cleaned, in a manner not shown. In this regard, reference is made to DE 10 2020129 469 A1. The sealing section 64 prevents the additional fluid, which is usually heavily laden with particles, from entering the hollow body's interior 22 and causing contamination there.Once the cleaning of the hollow body's outer surface 20 is complete, provided it can and should be cleaned, the locking device 34 can be opened and the hollow body 12 removed from the device 101 and forwarded for further use. Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a device 102 for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies 12. The device 102 according to the second embodiment is largely constructed in the same way as the device 101 according to the first embodiment, which is why only the essential differences will be discussed. The end piece 56 of the first dispensing unit 46 is V-shaped, so that two free ends are present, each of which houses a number of first dispensing nozzles 57.Compared to the first dispensing unit 46 of the first embodiment of the device 101, a more uniform flow is generated in the hollow body interior 22, particularly when air or another gaseous medium is used as the first fluid, and the drying result is improved. The end piece 56 is rigidly constructed, as a result of which the spray angle α is fixed and lies between 0 and 30°. Consequently, the device 102 according to the second embodiment does not have an adjustment device 58. Furthermore, the device 102 according to the second embodiment also does not have a second adjustment device 62 with which the second spray angle β can be adjusted. Instead, the second dispensing unit 48 has a first group of second dispensing nozzles 601 and a second group of second dispensing nozzles 602, each of which is fixedly arranged on the second dispensing unit 48.The first group of second dispensing nozzles 601 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the displacement axis A, and the second group of second dispensing nozzles 602 is oriented parallel to the displacement axis A. The first group of second dispensing nozzles 601 primarily serves to clean the side wall 16, and the second group of second dispensing nozzles 602 serves to clean the bottom wall 14 of the hollow body 12. It is possible to provide a third group of second dispensing nozzles 60 (not shown), which, for example, has a second spray angle β of 45°, in particular to enable intensive cleaning of the lid support surface 28. Figure 4 only indicates that the first group of second dispensing nozzles 601 and the second group of second dispensing nozzles 602 each communicate with their own supply channels. Accordingly, the first group of second dispensing nozzles 601 and the second group of second dispensing nozzles 602 can be operated independently of one another.For example, the second fluid can only be directed to the second group of second dispensing nozzles 602 when the second dispensing unit 48 is located near the bottom wall 14 or near the lid support surface 28. It is also possible to dispense two different second fluids with the first group of second dispensing nozzles 601 or with the second group of second dispensing nozzles 602. The device 102 according to the second embodiment is equipped with an inspection device 66 with which the hollow body inner surface 18 can be inspected. The inspection can be carried out in particular with regard to contamination, damage, and / or residues of semiconductor wafers. Shelf-like projections are arranged on two of the hollow body inner surfaces 18 and are provided with elevations onto which the semiconductor wafers can be placed.These elevations can melt during operation and form sharp-edged edges, which in turn can lead to damage to the semiconductor wafers. Such sharp-edged edges can be detected by the inspection device 66. Furthermore, due to manufacturing inaccuracies during the manufacture of the hollow bodies 12, the distances between adjacent projections may not be equal. This can lead to increased abrasion of the semiconductor wafers and possibly also to damage to the semiconductor wafers. Such manufacturing inaccuracies can also be detected by the inspection device 66. The information provided by the inspection device 66 can be evaluated by an evaluation unit (not shown). If any abnormalities are detected, appropriate countermeasures can be initiated. For example, the hollow body 12 in question can be discarded or the cleaning process can be aborted.The inspection device 66 can have suitable sensors for the stated purpose. In particular, optical sensors can be used. In the second exemplary embodiment of the device 102 shown in Figure 4, the inspection device 66 is equipped with a camera 68. Light sources 70 are also provided to provide sufficient and largely consistent illumination. In the second exemplary embodiment of the device 102, the inspection device 66 is assigned to the first dispensing unit 46 and is consequently moved together with it. However, it is also possible to assign the inspection device 66 to the second dispensing unit 48 and move it together with it. As mentioned, the hollow body 12 to be cleaned has a pot-shaped basic shape with a rectangular base area. Accordingly, four side walls 16 are present.The inspection device 66 can therefore be equipped with four cameras 68, each of which is directed at one of the four side walls 16. As mentioned, the shelf-like projections are arranged on two opposite side walls 16. Since the critical points are located there, it is sufficient to use only two cameras 68 directed at the side walls 16 that have the shelf-like projections. While the second dispensing unit 48, which dispenses the water, does not necessarily have to be rotatable, it is advisable to design the first dispensing unit 46, which dispenses air, to be rotatable in order to achieve the most complete drying possible. Therefore, the cameras 68 can be arranged on the second dispensing unit 48. The number of dispensing nozzles directed at the shelf-like projections can be higher than the number of dispensing nozzles that run perpendicular to them.Figures 5A to 5B show a third embodiment of a device 103 according to the invention for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies 12. The basic structure of the device 103 according to the third embodiment can be the same as the structure of the device 101102 according to the first and second embodiments. In particular, the device 103 according to the third embodiment also has the cleaning device 44 with the first dispensing unit 46 and the second dispensing unit 48, which is only shown schematically in Figures 5A and 5B. The device 103 according to the third embodiment comprises a lid cleaning device 72, which is shown in detail and enlarged in Figure 5C.The lid cleaning device 72 has a first lid cleaning dispensing unit 74 for dispensing a first fluid and a second lid cleaning dispensing unit 76 for dispensing a second fluid, which are arranged on a common base body 78. As with the cleaning device 44, the first fluid can be air and the second fluid water. Figures 5A and 5B show details of the lid cleaning device 72, which is arranged within a housing 80 of the device 103, in which the discharge channel of the cleaning device is also located. The housing 80 is connected to the support wall 30, onto which the hollow body 12 (not shown in Figures 5A and 5B) can be placed for cleaning. The housing 80 forms a cleaning opening 82, which can be opened and closed by a closure body 85 rotatably mounted on the housing 80.The closure body 85 has a receiving unit 84, with which a lid 86, with which the hollow body 12 can be closed, can be releasably attached to the closure body 85. The lid 86 forms an inner lid surface 88 and an outer lid surface 90. The inner lid surface 88 is the side of the lid 86 that directly adjoins the hollow body inner surface when the hollow body 12 is closed with the lid 86. In other words, the inner lid surface 88 in this case faces the bottom wall 14 of the hollow body 12 (see, for example, Figure 4). In the illustrated embodiment, the receiving unit 84 is designed such that it interacts with the lid 86 only at the outer lid surface 90. In Figure 5A, the closure body 85 is in a first position in which the cleaning opening 82 is open.In the first position, the lid 86 can be placed on the receiving unit 84 and removed therefrom again, for example, by means of a gripping unit not shown here. In Figure 5B, the closure body 85 is in a second position, in which the closure body 85 is rotated by 90° relative to the first position and in which the closure body 85 closes the cleaning opening 82. In the second position, the lid cleaning device 72 can be activated and the lid inner surface 88 can be cleaned. For this purpose, first the second fluid, for example water, and then the first fluid, for example air, can be applied to the lid inner surface 88. The first fluid and the second fluid can be guided to the first lid cleaning dispensing unit 74 and the second lid cleaning dispensing unit 76, respectively, via hoses or the like (not shown).Also not shown is an additional discharge channel, through which, in particular, the second fluid can be discharged. The additional discharge channel can open into the discharge channel 38. So that the entire inner lid surface 88 can be treated, the lid cleaning device 72 is provided with a lid cleaning adjustment device 92, which can interact with a rod-shaped guide 94. The guide 94 runs approximately parallel to the inner lid surface 88 when the closure body 85 is in the second position (see Figure 5B). The lid cleaning adjustment device 92 can, for example, have a driven spindle nut, which interacts with an external thread arranged on the guide 94. Other designs, for example, using traction cables, are also conceivable for moving the base body 78 along the guide 94.As mentioned, the first lid cleaning dispensing unit 74 and the second lid cleaning dispensing unit 76 are arranged on a common base body 78 and can therefore only be moved together. However, it is also conceivable to arrange the first lid cleaning dispensing unit 74 on a first base body 78 and the second lid cleaning dispensing unit 76 on a second base body 78, which can be moved largely independently of one another along the guide 94. Furthermore, a separate guide 94 could be provided for each base body 78, so that the first lid cleaning dispensing unit 74 and the second lid cleaning dispensing unit 76 can be moved completely independently of one another. The lid cleaning device 72 has an inspection device 66, which can be constructed as described for the second embodiment of the device 102 and with which the lid inner surface 88 can be inspected.For better orientation as to where the lid cleaning device 72 can be arranged approximately within the device 102 according to the second embodiment, the lid cleaning device 72 is shown in Figure 4 in a very simplified manner.

[0002] List of reference symbols 101, 102, 103 Device 12 Hollow body 13 Hollow body wall 14 Bottom wall 16 Side wall 18 Hollow body inner surface 20 Hollow body outer surface 22 Hollow body interior 24 Hollow body opening 26 Edge surface 28 Lid support surface 30 Support wall 32 Through opening 34 Locking device 36 Through hole 38 Discharge channel 40 Channel end 42 Particle measuring device 44 Cleaning device 46 First dispensing unit 48 Second dispensing unit 50 Adjusting device 52 First tube 54 Second tube 56 End piece 57 First dispensing nozzle 58 Adjusting device 60 Second dispensing nozzle 601, 602 Second dispensing nozzle 62 Second adjusting device 64 Sealing section 66 Inspection device 68 Kamera70 Light source 72 Lid cleaning device 74 First lid cleaning dispensing unit 76 Second lid cleaning dispensing unit 78 Main body 80 Housing 82 Cleaning opening 84 Receptacle 85 Closure body 86 Deckel 88 Lid inner surface 90 Lid outer surface 92 Lid cleaning adjustment device 94 Guide A Shift axis α first spray angle β second spray angle

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) has a hollow body wall (13) forming a hollow body inner surface (18), the hollow body inner surface (18) delimiting a hollow body interior (22), and a hollow body opening (24) enclosed by the hollow body wall (13), through which the hollow body interior (22) is accessible, wherein the device (10) comprises a cleaning device (44) which can be or is introduced into the hollow body interior (22) through the hollow body opening (24), and which has a first dispensing unit (46) with which a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body interior surface (18) can be dispensed, undo has a second dispensing unit (48) with which a second fluid can be dispensed for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body inner surface (18), and - comprises an adjusting device (50) with which the first dispensing unit (46) and the second dispensing unit (48) can be moved independently of one another.

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (10) defines a displacement axis (A) along which the first dispensing unit (46) and the second dispensing unit (48) can be displaced with the adjusting device (50) and / or about which the first dispensing unit (46) and the second dispensing unit (48) can be rotated with the adjusting device (50).

3. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the second dispensing unit (48) is displaceably mounted on the first dispensing unit (46). 4.Device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the second dispensing unit (48) is annular and encloses the first dispensing unit (46).

5. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first dispensing unit (46) has a number of first dispensing nozzles (57) through which the first fluid can be dispensed at a spray angle (α) relative to a reference plane running perpendicular to the displacement axis (A), the spray angle (α) being between 0° and 30°. und / oder- the first dispensing unit (46) has an adjustment device (58) with which the spray angle (α) can be adjusted.

6. Device (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the device (10) comprises a support wall (30) onto which the hollow body (12) can be placed with an edge surface (26) formed by the hollow body wall (13), wherein the support wall (30) forms a through-opening through which the cleaning device (44) can be passed.

7. Device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the device (10) comprises a locking device (34) with which the hollow body (12) with the edge surface (26) can be detachably connected to the support wall (30).

8. Device (10) according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that a sealing section (64) is arranged on or in the support wall (30), with which the support wall (30) can be sealed against the edge surface (26) when the hollow body (12) is placed on the support wall (30).

9. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device has an inspection device with which the hollow body inner surface can be inspected.

10. Device (10) for drying and / or cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies (12) or according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow body (12) comprises a lid with an outer lid surface and an inner lid surface, with which the hollow body opening can be closed, characterized in that the device - a lid cleaning device which o a first lid cleaning dispensing unit with which a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid inner surface can be dispensed. und / odero has a second lid cleaning dispensing unit, with which a second fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid inner surface can be dispensed, and - comprises a lid cleaning adjustment device, with which the first lid cleaning dispensing unit and the second lid cleaning dispensing unit are movable.

11. 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 Schritte:- Inserting the cleaning device (44) through the hollow body opening (24) into the hollow body interior (22), - Dispensing a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body interior surface (18) by means of the first dispensing unit (46), - Dispensing a second fluid for cleaning and / or drying the hollow body interior surface (18) by means of the second dispensing unit (48), and - Moving the first dispensing unit (46) and the second dispensing unit (48) independently by means of the adjusting device (50).

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the dispensing of the first fluid by means of the first dispensing unit (46) occurs at a time offset from the dispensing of the second fluid by means of the second dispensing unit (48).

13. Method according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the first fluid is air and the second fluid is water.

14. Method according to one of claims 11 to 13, comprising the following step: - inspecting the hollow body inner surface by means of the inspection device.

15. Method according to one of claims 11 to 14, comprising the following steps: - dispensing a first fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid inner surface by means of the first lid cleaning dispensing unit, and / or - dispensing a second fluid for cleaning and / or drying the lid inner surface by means of the second lid cleaning dispensing unit.

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