Laser position confirmation cleaning device

Abstract

To provide a laser position confirmation cleaning device that allows for easier confirmation of the cleaning position. [Solution] A laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus suitable for cleaning wafers 9, comprising: a base unit 1 that limits the position of the wafer; a drive unit 2 including left and right slide rails 23, left and right sliders 24 installed on the left and right slide rails, up and down slide rails 25 fixed to the left and right sliders, up and down sliders 26 installed on the up and down slide rails, and a carrier plate 27 fixed to the up and down sliders; a nozzle seat unit 3 including a nozzle seat body and at least one nozzle for spraying a chemical agent toward the wafer; and a laser unit 4 connected to the left and right slide rails and having a laser emitter 42 that emits laser light toward the wafer, wherein the area where the emitted laser light is irradiated on the wafer overlaps with the area where the chemical agent sprayed from the nozzle is on the wafer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device, and particularly to a laser position confirmation cleaning device.

Background Art

[0002] With the progress of the wafer packaging process, the electronic components on the wafer surface are also becoming more precise. Such electronic components are likely to be damaged easily when contaminants such as minute dust, dirt, and particles adhere to them.

[0003] Therefore, cleaning the wafer with a chemical agent, like the processing device and processing method disclosed in Patent Document 1, is a necessary step.

[0004] However, since many of the various chemical agents used for wafer cleaning are transparent, it is difficult for an operator to confirm whether the cleaning by the chemical agent is being performed along the planned path when cleaning the wafer with a conventional cleaning device.

[0005] Then, it is difficult for the operator to confirm the process of cleaning the wafer with a conventional cleaning device, and doubts arise as to whether the cleaning has been surely performed. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the conventional cleaning device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a laser position confirmation cleaning device that can overcome the above drawbacks.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The present invention is suitable for cleaning wafers, Suitable for cleaning wafers, It includes a base unit, a drive unit, a nozzle unit, and a laser unit. The base unit is for limiting the position of the wafer, The drive unit includes left and right slide rails, left and right sliders installed on the left and right slide rails so as to slide along the left and right direction, up and down slide rails fixed to the left and right sliders, up and down sliders installed on the up and down slide rails so as to slide along the up and down direction perpendicular to the left and right direction, and a carrier plate fixed to the up and down sliders. The nozzle unit is connected to the bottom side of the carrier plate and includes a nozzle seat body and at least one nozzle connected to the nozzle seat body for ejecting a drug toward the wafer. The laser unit is connected to the left and right slide rails and is for emitting laser light toward the wafer, and the location on the wafer where the emitted laser light is irradiated coincides with the location on the wafer where the chemical ejected from the nozzle is present, thus providing a laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the areas on the wafer where the laser light emitted by the laser unit is irradiated overlap with the areas on the wafer where the chemical ejected from the nozzle is present, making it easier to confirm the wafer cleaning process. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing an embodiment of the laser position confirmation cleaning device of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the above-described embodiment of the laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus from a different angle, as well as a wafer. [Figure 3]This is a partially enlarged view showing an embodiment of the laser position confirmation cleaning device described above. [Figure 4] This is a top view showing an embodiment of the laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus and a wafer. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view along the VV line in Figure 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of the laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus of the present invention is suitable for cleaning a wafer 9 and includes a base unit 1, a drive unit 2, a nozzle unit 3, a laser unit 4, and an imaging unit 5.

[0013] The base unit 1 includes a base body 11 that defines six holes 111, and six vacuum suction parts 12, each of which is installed in one of the six holes 111.

[0014] The base unit 1 restricts the position of the wafer 9 by vacuum-suctioning it with the vacuum suction section 12.

[0015] The number of holes 111 and vacuum suction sections 12 is not limited to six and can be adjusted as needed.

[0016] The drive unit 2 includes a front - rear slide rail 21 connected to a base frame (not shown), a front - rear slider set 22 installed on the front - rear slide rail 21 so as to be slidable along the front - rear direction D1, a left - right slide rail 23 fixed to the front - rear slider set 22, a left - right slider 24 installed on the left - right slide rail 23 so as to be slidable along the left - right direction D2 orthogonal to the front - rear direction D1, an up - down slide rail 25 fixed to the left - right slider 24, an up - down slider 26 installed on the up - down slide rail 25 so as to be slidable along the up - down direction D3 orthogonal to the front - rear direction D1 and the left - right direction D2, and a carrier plate 27 fixed to the up - down slider 26.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front - rear slide rail 21 has two rails 211 installed so as to be spaced apart in the left - right direction D2, and the front - rear slider set 22 has two sliders 221 installed on each rail 211 so as to be slidable along the front - rear direction D1.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, the carrier plate 27 has a main board 271, a bottom board 272 connected to the bottom side of the main board 271, and two extension plates 273 connected to the bottom side of the bottom board 272.

[0019] In this embodiment, the bottom board 272 is a board that extends horizontally from the bottom side of the main board 27, and each extension plate 273 is a board that extends downward from the bottom side of the bottom board 272.

[0020] The nozzle unit 3 is connected to the bottom side of the carrier plate 27. Further, the nozzle unit 3 includes a nozzle seat body 31, two nozzles 32, and two auxiliary nozzles 33 fixed to the bottom board 272.

[0021] In this embodiment, each nozzle 32 and each auxiliary nozzle 33 are fan - shaped nozzles.

[0022] In this modified embodiment, each nozzle 32 and each auxiliary nozzle 33 may be a hollow cone nozzle, a filled cone nozzle, a straight nozzle, or an atomizing nozzle.

[0023] In this embodiment, each auxiliary nozzle 33 sprays liquid downwards, and the liquid sprayed may be the same as or different from the liquid sprayed by nozzle 32.

[0024] The nozzle seat body 31 is rotatably mounted between two extension plates 273 and receives the drug via a soft tube (not shown).

[0025] Each nozzle 32 is connected to the nozzle seat body 31 so as to communicate with the inside of the nozzle seat body 31. Each nozzle 32 receives the drug through the nozzle seat body 31 and ejects the drug toward the wafer 9.

[0026] In this embodiment, the agent is SC-1 solution (Standard Clean 1), SC-2 solution (Standard Clean 2), or other cleaning solution.

[0027] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, each nozzle 32 is configured to define an axis L1, which is the axis of the nozzle 32. The axis L1 defines an angle θ together with the wafer 9. The angle θ is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and as shown in Figure 5, it corresponds to the degree of rotation of the nozzle seat body 31 relative to the carrier plate 27.

[0028] Specifically, the nozzle seat body 31 is operated to rotate it relative to the carrier plate 27, and after each axis L1 defines an angle θ together with the wafer 9, it is operated again to fix the nozzle seat body 31 to the carrier plate 27.

[0029] By defining the angle θ, the nozzle 32 cleans the wafer 9 at an angle, making it easier to clean the gap in the wafer 9.

[0030] The number of nozzles 32 and auxiliary nozzles 33 is not limited to two and can be adjusted as needed. In this modified embodiment, the number of nozzles 32 and auxiliary nozzles 33 can be one or three or more.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, the laser unit 4 is connected to the left and right slide rails 23, and therefore, in this embodiment, it can move in step with the nozzle unit 3 in the front-rear direction D1. The laser unit 4 also includes a laser mounting base 41 connected to the left and right slide rails 23, and a laser emitter 42 fixed to the laser mounting base 41.

[0032] The laser mounting base 41 includes a fixed plate 411 fixed to the left and right slide rails 23, two connecting plates 412 rotatably connected to the fixed plate 411, and a mounting portion 413 rotatably connected to the opposite side of the connecting plate 412 from the fixed plate 411.

[0033] The mounting portion 413 is configured to define the mounting hole 414. Specifically, the mounting portion 413 is operated to swing it to a desired position relative to the fixing plate 411 via the connecting plate 412, and then operated again to fix the fixing plate 411 to the left and right slide rails 23.

[0034] The laser emitter 42 is inserted into the mounting hole 414 and fixed to the mounting portion 413. In this embodiment, the laser emitter 42 is a red laser diode (semiconductor laser).

[0035] The laser unit 4 is for emitting laser light toward the wafer 9, and for the operator to inspect it on-site, the area where the emitted laser light irradiates the wafer 9 coincides with the area where the chemical ejected from the nozzle 32 is present on the wafer 9.

[0036] Since the laser unit 4 can move in step with the nozzle unit 3 in the front-rear direction D1, the position of the nozzle unit 3 in the front-rear direction D1 on the cleaning path can be easily observed.

[0037] To explain the cleaning process in more detail, as shown in Figure 4, when a straight line parallel to the front-to-back direction D1 passes through the center of the carrier plate 27 and the laser unit 4, the laser light emitted from the laser unit 4 coincides with the chemical that has just been ejected from the nozzle 32. Then, the carrier plate 27 moves along the left-to-right direction D2 together with the nozzle unit 3 to clean the wafer 9. When the nozzle unit 3 moves away from the straight line, the laser unit 4 does not move, so the laser light emitted from the laser unit 4 coincides with the chemical that was previously ejected from the nozzle 32. Once cleaning along the left-to-right direction D2 is complete, the nozzle unit 3 returns to the position of the straight line. Then, the nozzle unit 3 moves along the front-to-back direction D1 to the next cleaning position. At this time, the laser unit 4 can move in step with the nozzle unit 3 in the front-to-back direction D1, so the area irradiated by the laser light during movement coincides with the chemical that has just been ejected from the nozzle 32. Then, the nozzle unit 3, having arrived at the next cleaning position, moves again along the left-to-right direction D2 to clean the wafer 9. By repeating the above procedure, the wafer 9 can be gradually cleaned along the front-to-back direction D1, and the laser unit 4 indicates the current position of the nozzle unit 3 in the front-to-back direction D1, so the cleaning path can be easily observed. In this embodiment, the straight line passes through the center of the wafer 9.

[0038] The imaging unit 5 is fixed to the nozzle unit 3 and is used to capture images toward the wafer 9 and generate multiple images. These images show the overlap between the areas where the laser light emitted from the laser unit 4 irradiates the wafer 9 and the areas where the chemical sprayed from the nozzle 32 is present on the wafer 9, allowing the operator to confirm the cleaning process after cleaning.

[0039] In this embodiment, multiple images can constitute a single video, meaning that the shooting unit 5 can shoot a video.

[0040] Furthermore, when the nozzle unit 3 moves along the left-right direction D2, the imaging unit 5 can capture the laser light emitted from the laser unit 4 as the nozzle unit 3 passes through the aforementioned straight line, allowing the operator to easily confirm the cleaning process after cleaning.

[0041] Therefore, whether during on-site inspection or post-cleaning confirmation, the laser light emitted from the laser unit 4 indicates the position of the chemical agent ejected from the nozzle 32 in the front-to-back direction D1, allowing the operator to more easily confirm the cleaning process of the wafer 9 using the laser light emitted from the laser unit 4.

[0042] According to the above configuration, this embodiment has the following effects.

[0043] 1. The laser unit 4, which is installed connected to the left and right slide rails 23, and the nozzle unit 3, which is connected to the bottom side of the carrier plate 27, move in sync in the front-rear direction D1. The laser light emitted from the laser unit 4 indicates the position of the chemical ejected from the nozzle 32 in the front-rear direction D1, making it easier to confirm the cleaning process of the wafer 9.

[0044] 2. By installing a shooting unit 5 that takes pictures of the wafer 9 and generates multiple images, the operator can confirm the cleaning process of the wafer 9 after cleaning.

[0045] Therefore, the laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus of the present invention makes it easier to confirm the cleaning process of the wafer 9, and thus reliably achieves the objectives of the present invention.

[0046] The above embodiments are illustrative in illustrating the principles and effects of the present invention and do not limit it. Those skilled in the art can make some modifications and alterations to the above embodiments, provided they do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, all modifications and alterations made by those skilled in the art, provided they do not deviate from the spirit of the invention, should also be considered to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0047] The laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus of the present invention is suitable for cleaning wafers. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1 Base Unit 11 Base Unit 111 holes 12 Vacuum suction section 2 Drive Unit 21 Front and rear sliding rails 211 Rails 22 Front and Rear Slider Set 221 Slider 23 Left and right sliding rails 24 Left and Right Sliders 25 Up and down sliding rails 26 Up and down slider 27 Carrier board 271 Main plate 272 Bottom plate 273 Stretched plate 3 Nozzle Units 31 Nozzle base body 32 nozzles 33 Auxiliary nozzle 4 Laser Units 41 Laser mounting base 411 Fixed plate 412 Connecting plate 413 Mounting part 414 mounting holes 42 Laser emitters 5. Shooting Unit 9 wafers D1 Forward and backward directions D2 Left and right directions D3 up and down direction L1 axis θ (angle)

Claims

1. Suitable for cleaning wafers, It includes a base unit, a drive unit, a nozzle unit, and a laser unit. The base unit is for limiting the position of the wafer, The drive unit includes left and right slide rails, left and right sliders installed on the left and right slide rails so as to slide along the left and right direction, up and down slide rails fixed to the left and right sliders, up and down sliders installed on the up and down slide rails so as to slide along the up and down direction perpendicular to the left and right direction, and a carrier plate fixed to the up and down sliders. The nozzle unit is connected to the bottom side of the carrier plate and includes a nozzle seat body and at least one nozzle connected to the nozzle seat body for ejecting a drug toward the wafer. The laser unit is connected to the left and right slide rails and is for emitting laser light toward the wafer, characterized in that the area where the emitted laser light irradiates the wafer coincides with the area on the wafer where the chemical ejected from the nozzle is located.

2. The laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shooting unit fixed to the nozzle unit and for generating a plurality of images by shooting toward the wafer.

3. The laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base unit includes a base body that defines a plurality of holes, and a plurality of vacuum suction units, each installed in the plurality of holes.

4. The drive unit further includes front and rear slide rails, and a set of front and rear sliders installed on the front and rear slide rails so as to slide along the front and rear directions perpendicular to the left-right and up-down directions, The laser position confirmation cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the left and right slide rails are fixed to the front and rear slider set.

5. The carrier plate comprises a main plate, a bottom plate connected to the bottom side of the main plate, and two extension plates connected to the bottom side of the bottom plate. The nozzle seat body is rotatably installed between the two extension plates, The nozzle is configured to define an axis that surrounds the axis of the nozzle, The laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the axis defines an angle with the wafer.

6. The nozzle unit further includes at least one auxiliary nozzle fixed to the bottom plate, The laser position confirmation cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the auxiliary nozzle is for spraying a drug toward the wafer.

7. The laser unit includes a laser mounting base connected to the left and right slide rails and a laser emitter fixed to the laser mounting base. The laser mounting base comprises a fixed plate fixed to the left and right slide rails, two connecting plates rotatably connected to the fixed plate, and mounting portions rotatably connected to the opposite side of the connecting plates from the fixed plate. The aforementioned mounting portion is configured to define a mounting hole, The laser position confirmation cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the laser emitter is inserted into the mounting hole and fixed to the mounting portion.

Images