Wafer residual gas removal device with injection nozzle structure

Abstract

To provide a wafer residual gas removal device with an injection nozzle structure.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a wafer residual gas removal device with an injection nozzle structure. The wafer residual gas removal device with the injection nozzle structure includes: at least one injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N), each of which is formed at the front side of a loading space 12 formed inside a housing 11 and linearly extends in the horizontal direction; and a plurality of injection holes (21_1 to 21_L) formed along the extending direction of each injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N). Gas or CDA injected from the plurality of injection holes (21_1 to 21_L) removes residual gas or contaminants from the surface of the wafer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wafer residual gas removal device having a spray nozzle structure, and more particularly, to a wafer residual gas removal device having a spray nozzle structure that removes residual gas or contaminants attached to a wafer surface by gas sprayed from a linear spray nozzle. [Background technology]

[0002] In the semiconductor industry, many types of gas are used, and residual gas remaining on the wafer after processing is discharged into the atmosphere. The discharged gas can generate additional by-products, which can have a negative effect on the process. In addition, some of the gases used in the process are toxic, and if the toxic gas is dispersed, it can harm the health of workers. Wafers are supplied to equipment through a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), and after processing, the wafers can be stored in a side storage and then moved to the FOUP to remove residual gas from the wafer. If processed wafers are stored in the FOUP immediately, residual gas can affect the wafer before processing, so the wafers are stored in the side storage to separate them before and after processing. Such side storage can include a means for spraying nitrogen or CDA (Clean Dry Air) to remove residual gas, and a means for storing the wafers.

[0003] In relation to the removal of residual gas or foreign matter on the wafer surface, Patent Document 1 discloses a wafer residual gas removal device. Patent Document 2 discloses an exhaust device that temporarily stores wafers while the etching process is suspended during a semiconductor manufacturing process and exhausts contaminants. Patent Document 3 discloses a fume removal device. These prior art techniques have a drawback in that it is difficult to effectively remove residual gas or contaminants from wafers. Therefore, there is a need to develop an exhaust device that removes residual gas or contaminants and can solve the problems of these prior art techniques.

[0004] The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art and has the following objects. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-0989887 (GS Co., Ltd., 2010.10.26. Announcement) Wafer residual gas removal device [Patent Document 2] Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1874809 (Kim Won-gi, 2018.07.05. Announcement) Pollutant Discharge Device [Patent Document 3] Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0087152 (Woo Beom Jae, published on 2015.07.29) Fume removal device Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a wafer residual gas removal device having a spray nozzle structure that effectively removes gas or contaminants remaining on the wafer surface by nitrogen or CDA sprayed from a plurality of spray holes formed in at least one spray nozzle formed at an inlet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to a suitable embodiment of the present invention, a wafer residual gas removal device having a spray nozzle structure includes at least one spray nozzle formed at the front side of a loading space formed inside a housing, each spray nozzle extending linearly along a horizontal direction; and a plurality of spray holes formed along the extension direction of each spray nozzle; and gas or contaminants remaining on the surface of the wafer are removed by gas or CDA sprayed from the plurality of spray holes.

[0008] According to another suitable embodiment of the invention, the at least one injection nozzle comprises a multiplicity of nozzles arranged vertically.

[0009] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the invention, the at least one jet nozzle comprises a first group of jet nozzles and a second group of jet nozzles arranged opposite each other.

[0010] According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of injection holes are formed in a spiral shape along an extension direction of the injection nozzle.

[0011] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the invention, the at least one injection nozzle is rotatable along a circumferential direction.

[0012] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the invention, each of the at least one injection nozzle is inclined outwardly while extending inwardly from a side surface of the housing.

[0013] According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wafer carrier may further include a plurality of loading members disposed in the loading space for loading wafers, each of which has a spherical, cone-shaped or hemispherical contact tip formed on an end thereof for contacting the wafer.

[0014] According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device further includes a discharge module formed on a rear surface of the housing, the discharge module including a discharge plate having a plurality of through holes uniformly formed therein. Effect of the Invention

[0015] The wafer residual gas removal device with an injection nozzle structure according to the present invention controls the flow of nitrogen or CDA injected from a large number of injection holes formed in a linearly extending injection nozzle to effectively remove gas or contaminants remaining on the surface of the wafer. In various process steps in the semiconductor manufacturing process, the wafer needs to be loaded into the storage space. If the area of the loading means in contact with the wafer increases in the state where the wafer is loaded, the wafer will be contaminated by contaminants or particles. The removal device according to the present invention has a structure that minimizes the contact area between the loading means and the wafer, thereby preventing the wafer from being contaminated by the loading means. The present invention is applicable to the wafer storage space stored for various purposes of the removal device according to the present invention, and thus the present invention is not limited.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a drawing showing an embodiment of a wafer residual gas removal device with an injection nozzle structure according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] It is a drawing showing an embodiment of an injection nozzle for a gas removal device according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] It is a drawing showing an embodiment of a gas flow structure for removing gas or contaminants in a gas removal device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a drawing showing an embodiment of a gas injection form by an injection nozzle in a removal device according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] It is a drawing showing an embodiment of a structure in which a wafer is loaded inside a removal device according to the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a drawing showing an embodiment of a discharge plate for a removal device according to the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but the embodiments are for a clear understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following description, components having the same reference numerals in different drawings have similar functions, so that they will not be described repeatedly unless necessary for understanding the invention, and known components will be described briefly or omitted, but will not be understood to be excluded from the embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a wafer residual gas removal device having a jet nozzle structure according to the present invention.

[0019] 1, the wafer residual gas removal device with the injection nozzle structure includes at least one injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) each extending linearly, formed in front of the loading space 12 formed inside the housing 11, and a number of injection holes (21_1 to 21_L) formed along the extension direction of each injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N), and gas or contaminants remaining on the wafer surface are removed by gas or CDA injected from the number of injection holes (21_1 to 21_N). The injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) extend in various directions, preferably linearly along the horizontal direction.

[0020] Wafers are loaded in a loading space 12 formed inside a housing 11, and are moved to the loading space 12 through an entrance and loaded in a layer structure. A loading means for loading and storing wafers in multiple layers is disposed in the loading space 12. The housing 11 may have various structures for loading and storing wafers therein, and the present invention is not limited thereto. An entrance for inserting wafers is formed at the front side of the housing 11, and at least one injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) is disposed at the entrance or at the front side of the loading space 12. Each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) is shaped like a rod having a linearly extending circular cross section, and gas can flow along the inside of each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N). Fixed blocks 13a and 13b are formed on both sides of the housing 11, and a pair of guide blocks 14a and 14b extending vertically may be coupled to the fixed blocks 13a and 13b. Each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) is coupled to the guide blocks 14a and 14b such that one end of each of the injection nozzles is inserted into the guide blocks 14a and 14b, and each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) may have a structure extending horizontally with one end fixed. At least one of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) may be composed of a plurality of nozzles arranged along the vertically extending guide blocks 14a and 14b. Also, the at least one injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) may be composed of a first group injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N) having one end connected to the first guide block 14a and a second group injection nozzle (16_1 to 16_N) having one end connected to the second guide block 14b. The injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) of each group are arranged along the vertical direction, and each injection nozzle (16_1 to 16_N) extends from the side of the housing 11 toward the middle part or the inside of the front part. The at least one injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) may be arranged in various ways, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0021] A number of injection holes may be formed in each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N). Each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) may extend linearly, and a number of injection holes may be formed along the extension direction of each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N). Gas injected into the inside of the guide blocks 14a and 14b may flow to each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N). Thereafter, the gas may be injected to the outside through the injection holes formed in the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) to remove gas or contaminants remaining on the surface of the wafer. The injection holes may be formed in various structures capable of injecting gas, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) is rotatable along the circumferential direction. As shown on the right side of FIG. 1, a cylinder or drum-shaped rotation guiding unit (18_1 to 18_N) performing a function similar to a pinion gear may be coupled to an end of each injection hole (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N). A meshing tooth is formed on the circumferential surface of the rotation guiding unit (18_1 to 18_N) so that the linear bracket 17 can rotate while meshing with the linear bracket 17. The linear bracket 17 may include a pair of vertical extension parts extending vertically and a connecting part connecting the upper ends of the pair of vertical extension parts. The pair of vertical extension parts may have a shape similar to a rack gear, and linear teeth that mesh with the meshing tooth of the rotation guiding unit (18_1 to 18_N) may be formed. A moving tap 171 is formed in the middle part of the connecting part, and can move up and down along a tap guide 172. The movable tap 171 is moved up and down by the same driving means such as air pressure, a motor, or the like, and when the movable tap 171 is moved up and down, the pair of vertical extension parts can be moved up and down. As a result, the rotation guide units (18_1 to 18_N) engaged with the pair of vertical extension parts rotate, and each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) can rotate. The multiple injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) can rotate in various ways, for example, the first group injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N) and the second group injection nozzles (16_1 to 16_N) can rotate independently in a circumferential direction. Alternatively, each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) can rotate independently in a circumferential direction. The linear bracket 17 and the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) rotate while meshing with each other through gears, and the angle of the injection hole is adjusted by raising and lowering the linear bracket 17. The angle of the injection hole is adjusted, for example, according to the outer diameter of the wafer or the state of the wafer depending on the type of process.When the linear bracket 17 reciprocates up and down, the direction of the spray holes formed in the spray nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) changes, and the wind direction changes continuously. As a result, gas such as nitrogen or CDA is sprayed uniformly onto the surface of the entire wafer, effectively removing contaminants such as residual gas or fumes. There are various methods for adjusting the spray angle of the spray holes, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of an injection nozzle for a gas removal device according to the invention.

[0024] 2, the multiple injection nozzles 15_1, 15_2 have the same or similar shape and are arranged at regular intervals along the vertical direction. Each injection nozzle 15_1, 15_2 extends to a point at a certain distance (X) from the side of the end effector inside the loading space 12 formed in the housing 11 by the guide block 14a. Also, the lower part of each injection nozzle 15_1, 15_2 may be positioned at a certain height (Y) above the upper surface of the wafer W moving to the loading space 12 for loading. The certain distance (X) and the certain height (Y) are determined in various ways, and the vertical distance between the injection nozzles 15_1, 15_2 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction is determined according to the set certain height (Y). 2, each of the injection nozzles 15_1, 15_2 may be formed in a linear rod shape, and may have a number of injection holes 21_1 to 21_L formed along the extension direction of each of the injection nozzles 15_1, 15_2. Also, a cylinder or drum-shaped rotation induction unit 18_1 may be coupled to one end of each of the injection nozzles 15_1, 15_2.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multiple injection holes 21_1 to 21_N may be formed in a spiral shape along the extension direction of the injection nozzles 15_1 to 15_2. Specifically, the position of the injection hole 21_K located at the center of the injection nozzles 15_1 and 15_2 is determined, and based on this, the positions of the first injection hole 21_1 and the end injection hole 21_N on both sides of the injection nozzles 15_1 and 15_2 are determined. For example, the first injection hole 21_1 may be located at a point that is 45° in circumference in a clockwise direction from the middle injection hole 21_K. The last injection hole 21_N may be located at a point that is 45° in circumference in a counterclockwise direction. The positions of the injection holes 21_1 to 21_N along the circumference of the injection nozzles 15_1 and 15_2 are determined based on the wafer W. Specifically, the injection hole 21_K located at the center of the wafer W may extend perpendicularly to the surface of the wafer W and make an angle of, for example, 70 to 80 degrees with a straight line passing through the center of the injection nozzle. The injection hole (for example, 21_N or 21_1) located at the furthest position based on the above may be formed at an angle of 20 degrees with the vertical extension line. The remaining injection holes (21_1 to 21_N) may be formed at positions with angles in the range between them. In this way, the nitrogen injected by the multiple injection holes (21_1 to 21_N) formed in a spiral shape along the peripheral surface of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_2) is injected onto the surface of the wafer W without being lost to the outside of the wafer W. The injection holes (21_1 to 21_N) may be formed in various structures that guide the injected gas to the surface of the wafer, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a gas flow structure for gas or contaminant removal in a gas removal apparatus according to the invention.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 3, at least one of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) may extend inward from the side of the housing 11 and be inclined outward. The wafer (W) is moved to the loading space 12 formed in the housing 11 by the end effector (E), and the wafer (W) may move to the loading space 12 through the inlet of the housing 11. As shown on the left side of FIG. 3, the wafer (W) may pass through a nozzle fixing block formed at the inlet of the housing 11 while one end of the injection nozzle (15_1, 16_1) is fixed. The injection nozzle (15_1, 16_1) may be inclined outward while extending from the fixed one end. An exhaust port 32 is formed on the rear side of the housing 11, and gas is not injected from the injection nozzle (15_1, 16_1) when the wafer (W) is inserted, for example, 1 / 3 of the way. Thereafter, while the wafer (W) is moving into the loading space 12, gas for removing residual gas or contaminants is injected from the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) when 1 / 2 of the wafer (W) has entered. The gas injected from the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) is injected onto the surface of the entered portion of the wafer (W). As shown on the right side of FIG. 3, when the wafer (W) is completely inserted into the loading space 12 and loaded, the gas is injected from the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) onto the entire surface of the wafer (W). In this manner, when the wafer (W) is completely inserted into the loading space 12 and loaded, the gas is injected from the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) evenly onto the entire surface of the wafer (W). The injection of gas from the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) can be adjusted in various ways, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a gas injection form by an injection nozzle in the removal device according to the present invention.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 4, a number of injection holes (21_1 to 21_K) are formed in the injection nozzle (15_1), and the injection holes (21_1 to 21_K) are arranged in a spiral shape along the extension direction of the injection nozzle (15_1). The arrangement positions of the injection holes (21_1 to 21_K) along the longitudinal direction of the injection nozzle (15_1) are determined based on the wafer (W). Specifically, the injection holes (e.g., 21_K) formed at positions corresponding to the center and adjacent parts of the wafer (W) may form the smallest angle based on the wafer (W) in a stacked state. And, the injection holes (e.g., 21_1) formed at positions corresponding to parts away from the center of the wafer (W) may form a large angle based on the wafer (W). Specifically, the injection holes (21_1 to 21_K) may be formed so that the gas reaches the end of the wafer (W) in a stacked state. As described above, the injection nozzles (15_1 to 16_1) may be inclined outward along the extension direction, and the inclination level may be such that the injection holes (e.g., 21_K) formed at the ends of the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) are directed toward the center of the loaded wafers (W). Due to the extension structure of the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) that extend in an inclined manner and the formation structure of the spiral injection holes (21_1 to 21_K), the gas injected from the injection holes (21_1 to 21_K) can flow uniformly over the entire surface of the wafers (W) to remove contaminants such as residual gas or fumes on the wafer surface. Referring to the right side of FIG. 4, the injection nozzles (15_1, 16_1) are disposed on both sides, either in front of the entrance of the housing 11 or in front of the loading space 12. The gas injected from the injection holes 21_1 to 21_K can form a number of circular flow paths with a diameter gradually decreasing from the center to both sides on the surface of the loaded wafer W. This allows the injected gas to be injected uniformly over the entire surface of the wafer W without being lost. There are various methods for adjusting the injection of gas onto the wafer surface, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a structure in which wafers are loaded inside a removal apparatus according to the present invention.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 5, the loading space 12 further includes a number of loading members (51_1 to 51_K) for loading wafers (W), and a spherical, cone-shaped or hemispherical contact tip (52_1 to 52_K) for contacting the wafer (W) is formed at the end of each loading member (51_1 to 51_K).

[0032] In order to load a number of wafers (W), a number of loading members (51_1 to 51_K) are arranged in the loading space 12, and the loading members (51_1 to 51_K) can support the lower surface of the wafers (W). At least a portion of the wafers (W) is supported by the loading members (51_1 to 51_K). Contaminants may exist in the loading members (51_1 to 51_K) having such a function, and the wafer portion contacted by the loading members (51_1 to 51_K) is not cleaned of residual gas or contaminants by gas such as nitrogen or CDA. Therefore, it is advantageous that the portion of the wafer (W) that contacts the loading members (51_1 to 51_K) is smaller. The loading members (51_1 to 51_K) are arranged at regular intervals along the vertical direction with one end fixed to the member fixing block 53. A spherical, cone-shaped or hemispherical contact tip (52_1 to 52_K) may be formed at the end of each load member (51_1 to 51_K). As a result, the wafer (W) comes into point contact with the end of the load member (51_1 to 51_K), minimizing the contact area. The contact tips (52_1 to 52_K) may have various shapes that minimize the contact area with the wafer (W) while separating the rest of the load members (51_1 to 51_K) except for the end from the wafer (W), and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a drainage plate for a removal device according to the invention.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 6, the housing 11 further includes an exhaust module 61 formed on the rear surface thereof, and the exhaust module 61 includes an exhaust plate 62 in which a number of through holes (63_1 to 63_N) are uniformly formed. The gas injected from the injection nozzles disposed in the housing 11 includes residual gas or contaminants separated from the wafer, and must be discharged to the outside of the housing 11 for processing. The exhaust module 61 is formed in the upper part of the rear surface of the housing 11, and the gas is discharged to the outside through the exhaust module 61. An exhaust pipe is connected to an exhaust port formed in the exhaust module 61, and the gas is discharged from the inside of the housing 11 to the outside. The exhaust module 61 is formed on the inside of the exhaust plate 62, and the exhaust plate 62 has a rectangular structure as a whole. The exhaust plate 62 has a number of through holes (63_1 to 63_N) uniformly formed in a two-dimensional matrix form, and the exhaust gas flows through the number of through holes (63_1 to 63_N) and is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port. The exhaust gas is efficiently discharged through the exhaust port while the pressure is adjusted through the through holes 63_1 to 63_N. The exhaust plate 62 may have various structures, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0035] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments presented above, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention by referring to the embodiments presented above. The present invention is not limited by such modifications and alterations, but is limited only by the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 11: Housing 12: Loading space 15_1 to 15_N: Injection nozzle 16_1 to 16_N: Injection nozzle 21_1 to 21_N: Injection holes 51_1 to 51_K: Loading members 52_1 to 52_K: Contact tip 61: Emission module 62: Discharge plate 63_1 to 63_N: Through holes

Claims

1. At least one injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) formed in a front side of a loading space 12 formed inside the housing 11 and each of which linearly extends along a horizontal direction; a plurality of injection holes (21_1 to 21_L) formed along an extension direction of each of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N); Gas or contaminants remaining on the surface of the wafer are removed by gas or CDA injected from the multiple injection holes 21_1 to 21_N.

2. A wafer residual gas removal device having a jet nozzle structure.

2. At least one of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) is a plurality of nozzles arranged in a vertical direction.

2. A wafer residual gas removing device having the injection nozzle structure according to claim 1.

3. At least one of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) is composed of a first group of injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N) and a second group of injection nozzles (16_1 to 16_N) arranged to face each other.

2. A wafer residual gas removing device having the injection nozzle structure according to claim 1.

4. The injection holes 21_1 to 21_N are arranged in a spiral shape along the extension direction of the injection nozzles 15_1 to 15_1, 16_1 to 16_N.

2. A wafer residual gas removing device having the injection nozzle structure according to claim 1.

5. At least one of the injection nozzles (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) is rotatable along the circumferential direction.

2. A wafer residual gas removing device having the injection nozzle structure according to claim 1.

6. Each of the at least one injection nozzle (15_1 to 15_N, 16_1 to 16_N) extends inward from the side surface of the housing 11 and is inclined outward.

2. A wafer residual gas removing device having the injection nozzle structure according to claim 1.

7. The wafer W is further provided with a plurality of loading members 51_1 to 51_K arranged in the loading space 12 to load the wafer W thereon, and the loading members 51_1 to 51_K each have a spherical, cone-shaped or hemispherical contact tip 52_1 to 52_K formed at an end thereof to come into contact with the wafer W.

2. A wafer residual gas removing device having the injection nozzle structure according to claim 1.

8. The housing 11 further includes a discharge module 61 formed on the rear surface thereof. The discharge module 61 includes a discharge plate 62 having a number of through holes 63_1 to 63_N uniformly formed therein.

2. A wafer residual gas removing device having the injection nozzle structure according to claim 1.

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