Washing device

Abstract

To provide a cleaning apparatus that can properly position a substrate storage container when the rotating stage is rotating. [Solution] The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning tank for cleaning a substrate storage container and a container holding unit for holding and rotating the substrate storage container, wherein the container holding unit includes a rotating stage on which the substrate storage container is placed, and a container fixing unit provided on the rotating stage for fixing the substrate storage container when the rotating stage is rotating, wherein when the rotating stage is stopped, the container fixing unit does not come into contact with the substrate storage container, and when the rotating stage is rotating, a part of the container fixing unit comes into contact with the substrate storage container due to the centrifugal force acting on the rotating stage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a cleaning device for a substrate storage container that stores substrates such as semiconductor wafers.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, wafer storage containers such as FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) and FOSB (Front Opening Shipping Box) are used as containers for storing (accommodating) semiconductor wafers. Since the inside of the wafer storage container may be contaminated when storing semiconductor wafers, etc., cleaning treatment is regularly performed. Usually, a cleaning device for a wafer storage container places the wafer storage container on a rotating stage and performs a cleaning process by spraying a cleaning liquid while rotating the rotating stage. At this time, the wafer storage container placed on the rotating stage is positioned by a plurality of locking members provided on the rotating stage.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since the size and shape of the wafer storage container may vary depending on the type and use of the container. In this case, it may not be possible to accommodate the size and shape of the wafer storage container, and the above-described locking members may not be able to properly position the wafer storage container. If the rotating stage is rotated in such a state, the position of the wafer storage container may not be determined, and there is a risk that large vibrations may occur in the cleaning device or the wafer storage container may fall off.

[0005] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus that can appropriately position a substrate storage container when a rotating stage is rotating. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a cleaning treatment tank for cleaning a substrate storage container, and a container holding unit for holding and rotating the substrate storage container, wherein the container holding unit includes a rotating stage on which the substrate storage container is placed, and a container fixing unit provided on the rotating stage for fixing the substrate storage container when the rotating stage is in a rotating state, wherein when the rotating stage is in a stopped state, the container fixing unit does not come into contact with the substrate storage container, and when the rotating stage is in a rotating state, a part of the container fixing unit comes into contact with the substrate storage container due to the centrifugal force acting on the rotating stage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the cleaning apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the cleaning unit in the cleaning apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the container holding section in the washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure schematically shows the configuration of the container fixing part in the washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the container fixing part in the washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the container fixing part in the washing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6A] This figure schematically shows the configuration of the container fixing part in a modified example of the cleaning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6B] This figure schematically shows the configuration of the container fixing part in a modified example of the cleaning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7A] This figure schematically shows the configuration of the container fixing part in the washing device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7B] This figure schematically shows the configuration of the container fixing part in the washing device according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] A cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, a cleaning apparatus to which the present invention is applied can be implemented in many different forms, and the description shall not be limited to the examples shown below.

[0009] In the specification and claims of this application, "up" refers to the direction away from the installation surface of the cleaning device (e.g., the factory floor) when the cleaning device is installed in a state where it can be used normally, and "down" refers to the direction opposite to "up". Furthermore, "inside" refers to the direction towards the center of the cleaning device, and "outside" refers to the direction opposite to "inside".

[0010] <First Embodiment> As an example of a cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning apparatus for a wafer storage container will be described. However, the embodiments of the cleaning apparatus are not limited to a cleaning apparatus for a wafer storage container, but also include cleaning apparatuses for cleaning substrate storage containers that store other substrates such as glass substrates and reticles.

[0011] [Configuration of the cleaning device 10] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a cleaning apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The cleaning apparatus 10 is installed, for example, in a factory that manufactures semiconductor wafers and cleans wafer storage containers after use. The cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes a casing 100, a load port 200, a transport mechanism 300, a disassembly / connection stage 400, a cleaning processing unit 500, a drying processing unit 600, an unload port 700, and a control unit 800. However, the configuration of the cleaning apparatus 10 is not limited to this example, and some of the components shown in Figure 1 may be omitted, or other components may be added.

[0012] The casing 100 is a housing that protects the cleaning device 10. The aforementioned transport mechanism 300, disassembly / connection stage 400, cleaning processing unit 500, and drying processing unit 600 are housed inside the casing 100. On the other hand, the load port 200 and unload port 700 are provided both inside and outside the casing 100. In Figure 1, the control unit 800 is shown as being located inside the casing 100, but it may also be located outside the casing 100.

[0013] The load port 200 is a component for loading wafer storage containers 900, which are the objects to be cleaned, into the cleaning apparatus 10. The wafer storage containers 900 are, for example, FOUPs or FOSBs. The wafer storage containers 900 are first placed on the part of the load port 200 that is located outside the casing 100. When the loading gate 110 provided on the casing 100 opens, the wafer storage containers 900 move to the part of the load port 200 that is located inside the casing 100. The movement of the wafer storage containers 900 is carried out by a transport device such as a slide conveyor (not shown). After that, the loading gate 110 closes, and the loading of the wafer storage containers 900 is completed.

[0014] The transport mechanism 300 is a component that transports the wafer storage container 900 to each component. The transport mechanism 300 includes a transport arm 310 and a gripping hand 320. The transport mechanism 300 transports the wafer storage container 900 to each component by gripping it with the gripping hand 320 and extending or rotating the transport arm 310. The transport mechanism 300 is also called a transport robot.

[0015] The disassembly / connection stage 400 is a component that disassembles the wafer storage container 900 into a container body (also called a shell) and a lid (also called a door), and connects the container body and the lid. The wafer storage container 900, transported from the load port 200 by the transport mechanism 300, is disassembled into a container body and a lid while fixed on the disassembly / connection stage 400. After drying in the drying processing unit 600 (described later), the wafer storage container 900 is transported from the drying processing unit 600 to the disassembly / connection stage 400 by the transport mechanism 300, where the container body and lid are connected again.

[0016] The cleaning unit 500 is a component that performs cleaning on the wafer storage container 900. Although not shown in the figure, the cleaning unit 500 includes a cleaning solution tank for storing the cleaning solution. The wafer storage container 900 to be cleaned is transported separately from the disassembly / connection stage 400, with the container body and lid being held in the cleaning unit 500 in a separated state. For example, the container body of the wafer storage container 900 is held inside the cleaning tank of the cleaning unit 500, and the lid of the wafer storage container 900 is held inside the cleaning unit 500 with the lid attached to the lid of the cleaning unit 500. As will be described later, this embodiment shows an example in which the container body is cleaned in the cleaning tank and the lid is cleaned in the lid section, but it is not limited to this example, and the container body and lid may be held and cleaned in separate cleaning tanks. Also, if only the container body is brought into the cleaning device 10 without the lid attached, it is not necessary to separate the container body and lid during the cleaning process, and only the container body may be cleaned in the cleaning tank.

[0017] As will be described later, the cleaning processing unit 500 is configured to be able to hold the container body of the wafer storage container 900 on a rotating stage disposed inside. During the cleaning process of the container body, the container body rotates due to the rotation of the rotating stage, and the cleaning process is performed while spraying a cleaning liquid onto the rotating container body. The detailed configuration and operation of the cleaning processing unit 500 will be described later.

[0018] The cleaning processing unit 500 includes a drying means for preliminary drying (substantially removing water droplets adhering to the surface of the wafer storage container 900), and it is possible to perform a drying process on the wafer storage container 900 after cleaning. As described above, since the inside of the cleaning processing unit 500 has a rotatable structure, by increasing the rotation speed, a spin drying process can be performed on the wafer storage container 900 after cleaning. Also, the cleaning processing unit 500 can supply heated dry air inside, and by performing a spin drying process while blowing the dry air, water droplets adhering to the wafer storage container 900 can be substantially removed. After the preliminary drying, the wafer storage container 900 with the container body and the lid are separately transported to the drying processing unit 600.

[0019] The drying processing unit 600 is a component that performs a drying process (main drying) on the wafer storage container 900 by reduced-pressure drying. The drying processing unit 600 is configured to be able to hold the wafer storage container 900 inside and has airtightness capable of forming a reduced-pressure environment (vacuum environment) inside. Similar to the aforementioned cleaning processing unit 500, the container body and the lid of the wafer storage container 900 are separately held inside the drying processing unit 600 and individually subjected to the drying process. Although not shown in the figure, the drying processing unit 600 includes an exhaust device (for example, an exhaust pump) for reducing the internal pressure and forming a reduced-pressure environment.

[0020] The wafer storage container 900 is held inside the drying processing unit 600 and then subjected to a drying process (vacuum drying) by being placed in a reduced-pressure environment. Specifically, vacuum drying is performed by placing the wafer storage container 900 inside the drying processing unit 600 and then reducing the pressure inside the drying processing unit 600. The wafer storage container 900, placed in a reduced-pressure environment, dries out as any moisture such as water droplets adhering to its surface evaporates.

[0021] Once the drying process of the wafer storage container 900 is completed in the drying section 600, the wafer storage container 900 is returned to the disassembly / connection stage 400, and the container body and lid are connected again. The wafer storage container 900, with the container body and lid now connected, is transported to the unload port 700 by the transport mechanism 300.

[0022] The unload port 700 is a component for transporting the wafer storage container 900 to the outside of the cleaning apparatus 10. The wafer storage container 900 is first placed on the portion of the unload port 700 located inside the casing 100. When the unload gate 120 provided in the casing 100 opens, the wafer storage container 900 moves to the portion of the unload port 700 located outside the casing 100. After that, the unload gate 120 closes, and the unloading of the wafer storage container 900 is completed.

[0023] The control unit 800 controls the operation of the cleaning device 10. The control unit 800 includes an arithmetic unit 810 and a storage device 820. The arithmetic unit 810 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage device 820 is, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory). In the control unit 800, the operation of each component of the cleaning device 10 is controlled by the arithmetic unit 810 reading and executing a control program 821 stored in the storage device 820. The control program 821 includes a set of instructions for executing various processes such as cleaning, drying, and transport. The components constituting the control unit 800 are not limited to those shown in Figure 1. For example, the control unit 800 may also include other components such as a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk for storing various data, and a communication interface for communicating with an external network.

[0024] [Configuration of the cleaning unit 500] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the cleaning processing unit 500 in the cleaning apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The cleaning processing unit 500 includes a cleaning tank 510, a lid 520, a container holding unit 530, a rotary drive unit 540, cleaning nozzles 551 to 553, and drying nozzles 561 to 563. However, the configuration of the cleaning processing unit 500 shown in Figure 2 is merely an example and is not limited to this example. For example, the cleaning processing unit 500 may be provided with other components such as a rotation detector for detecting the rotation speed of the rotary stage 532 (described later), and an analysis device for measuring the internal state of the cleaning tank 510 (for example, the drying state of the wafer storage container 900). Also, the drying nozzles 561 to 563 may be omitted.

[0025] The cleaning tank 510 is a housing that forms a space for cleaning the container body 910 (shown as a dotted line in Figure 2) of the wafer storage container 900. As will be described later, parts of the container holding section 530 (such as the rotating stage 532 and the container fixing section 533), cleaning nozzles 551 to 553, and drying nozzles 561 to 563 are arranged inside the cleaning tank 510.

[0026] The lid 520 functions as a lid for sealing the cleaning tank 510, and also as a retaining part for holding the lid 920 of the wafer storage container 900 (shown by a dotted line in Figure 2). In other words, the lid 520 functions as a housing that forms a space for cleaning the lid 920 of the wafer storage container 900. The lid 520 includes a lid retaining part 521 and a rotary drive part 522.

[0027] The lid holding section 521 has the function of holding and rotating the lid 920 of the wafer storage container 900 when cleaning the lid 920. The lid holding section 521 includes a rotating shaft section 521a, a rotating support section 521b, and a holding section 521c. The rotating support section 521b is connected to the rotating shaft section 521a, which is pivotally supported by the rotating drive section 522, and is configured to rotate at a predetermined rotational speed. The lid 920 is held by the rotating support section 521b by a plurality of holding sections 521c provided on the rotating support section 521b. As a result, the lid 920, held inside the lid section 520, is rotatably held by the rotating support section 521b. As described later, when the cleaning process is started, the lid 920 also rotates along with the rotation of the rotating support section 521b. The lid 920 is cleaned by the supply of cleaning liquid from the cleaning nozzle 552 while it is rotating.

[0028] The container holding unit 530 has the function of holding and rotating the container body 910 of the wafer storage container 900 when cleaning the container body 910. The container holding unit 530 includes a rotating shaft unit 531, a rotating stage 532, a container fixing unit 533, and a balance adjustment unit 534. The container body 910 is brought in from above the cleaning tank 510 and placed on the rotating stage 532 with the opening for storing the substrate (the surface on which the lid 920 is attached) facing downwards, as shown in Figure 2.

[0029] The rotating stage 532 is connected to a rotating shaft 531 supported by a rotary drive unit 540 and is configured to rotate at a predetermined rotational speed. In plan view, the rotating stage 532 is a rectangle with chamfered corners at four points. A cleaning nozzle 553 and a drying nozzle 563 are fixedly positioned in the center of the rotating stage 532, independently of the rotating stage 532. As will be described later, the cleaning nozzle 553 is a nozzle that supplies cleaning liquid for cleaning the container body 910 from the inside. The drying nozzle 563 is a nozzle that supplies heated drying air for drying the container body 910 from the inside. The cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning nozzle 553 and the drying air supplied to the drying nozzle 563 are supplied through piping provided inside the cylindrical member constituting the rotating shaft 531. Note that the shape of the rotating stage 532 is not limited to the shape described above and may be circular or polygonal. For example, it is desirable that the shape of the rotating stage 532 is such that the rotation center of the rotating stage 532 coincides with the center of the holding area HA, and that the weight balance is not disrupted when the rotating stage 532 rotates.

[0030] The rotating stage 532 functions as a support platform for holding the container body 910 of the wafer storage container 900, which is brought in from above the washing tank 510, and also has the function of rotating the container body 910, as described above. The rotating stage 532 has a plurality of drainage holes 532a and a movement limiting unit 532b (see Figure 3) that restricts the horizontal movement of the container body 910 (more precisely, the direction in which centrifugal force acts when the rotating stage 532 rotates). Furthermore, the rotating stage 532 is fitted with a container fixing unit 533 and a balance adjustment unit 534. Details of the rotating stage 532, the container fixing unit 533 and the balance adjustment unit 534 will be described later.

[0031] The cleaning nozzles 551 to 553 are nozzles that supply cleaning fluid to the container body 910 during the cleaning process. For the sake of explanation, the diagram is simplified, but the cleaning nozzles 551 to 553 have a configuration in which multiple discharge holes are provided on a cylindrical member. The cleaning fluid supplied to the inside of the cylindrical member at a constant pressure is discharged from each discharge hole. In Figure 2, only the nozzle portion (the rod-shaped portion in which the discharge holes are provided) is shown, but in reality, each cleaning nozzle 551 to 553 is attached inside the cleaning tank 510 by a support member or the like. Cleaning fluid is supplied to each cleaning nozzle 551 to 553 from a cleaning fluid tank (not shown) located outside the cleaning tank 510 via piping or the like (not shown).

[0032] The cleaning nozzle 551 supplies cleaning fluid from the side of the container body 910. During the cleaning process, the container body 910 rotates due to the rotation of the rotating stage 532, so the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle 551 is supplied to the entire side of the container body 910. The cleaning nozzle 552 supplies cleaning fluid toward the bottom surface of the container body 910 (the surface facing the cleaning nozzle 552 in Figure 2) and the lid 920. Therefore, the multiple discharge holes provided in the cleaning nozzle 552 are positioned to face both the container body 910 and the lid 920. As described above, the cleaning nozzle 553 supplies cleaning fluid to the inside of the container body 910. In this case as well, since the container body 910 rotates during the cleaning process, the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle 553 is supplied to the entire inside of the container body 910.

[0033] Although not shown in the diagram, one end of the cleaning nozzle 552 is connected to a rotatable support member that extends vertically. Therefore, when the support member rotates, the cleaning nozzle 552 rotates in an arc around the support member. With this configuration, when the container body 910 is brought into the cleaning tank 510, the cleaning nozzle 552 can be moved to a position that does not obstruct the loading of the container body 910, and during the cleaning process, the cleaning nozzle 552 can be moved above the container body 910.

[0034] The drying nozzles 561-563 are nozzles that supply heated drying air to the container body 910 after the washing process. Similar to the washing nozzles 551-553, the drying nozzles 561-563 have a configuration in which a cylindrical member is provided with a plurality of ejection holes. Drying air supplied to the inside of the cylindrical member at a constant pressure is ejected from each ejection hole. In Figure 2, only the nozzle portion (the rod-shaped portion provided with the discharge holes) is shown, but in reality, each drying nozzle 561-563 is attached inside the washing tank 510 by a support member or the like. Drying air is supplied to each drying nozzle 561-563 from a cylinder or the like (not shown) located outside the washing tank 510 via piping or the like (not shown).

[0035] The drying nozzle 561 supplies drying air from the side of the container body 910. During the spin drying process after the washing process, the container body 910 rotates due to the rotation of the rotating stage 532, so the entire side of the container body 910 is dried by the supply of drying air from the drying nozzle 561. The drying nozzle 562 supplies drying air toward the bottom surface of the container body 910 and the lid 920. Therefore, the multiple ejection holes provided in the drying nozzle 562 are positioned to face both the container body 910 and the lid 920. As described above, the drying nozzle 563 supplies drying air to the inside of the container body 910. In this case as well, since the container body 910 rotates during the spin drying process, the entire inside of the container body 910 is dried by the supply of drying air from the drying nozzle 563.

[0036] Although not shown in the diagram, the drying nozzle 562 has the same configuration as the washing nozzle 552, and can rotate in an arc shape by the rotation of a rotatable support member (not shown). That is, when loading the container body 910 into the washing tank 510, the drying nozzle 562 can be moved to a position that does not obstruct loading, and during the spin drying process, the drying nozzle 562 can be moved above the container body 910.

[0037] [Configuration of the container holding section 530] Figure 3 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the container holding section 530 in the cleaning apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the rotating stage 532 has a holding area HA in which the container body 910 of the wafer storage container 900 is held. The aforementioned multiple drainage holes 532a are arranged in the area inside the holding area HA. ​​The multiple drainage holes 532a are through holes for draining liquid (cleaning solution or pure water) that falls onto the rotating stage 532 during the cleaning process of the container body 910 downwards. In the example shown in Figure 3, eight drainage holes 532a are shown, but the number of drainage holes 532a is not limited to this example.

[0038] The aforementioned movement-restricting section 532b, container fixing section 533, and balance adjustment section 534 are arranged in the area outside the holding area HA. ​​In other words, when the container body 910 is placed on the rotating stage 532, multiple movement-restricting sections 532b, container fixing sections 533, and balance adjustment sections 534 are arranged to surround the container body 910. At this time, it is desirable that the positions of the movement-restricting section 532b, container fixing section 533, and balance adjustment section 534 be arranged considering the movement path of the gripping hand 320 (see Figure 1) in the transport mechanism 300 for loading and unloading the container body 910. Since the gripping hand 320 grips a part of the container body 910 (for example, the flange portion) to transport the container body 910, it is desirable that the movement-restricting section 532b, container fixing section 533, and balance adjustment section 534 are not placed near the part that the gripping hand 320 grips. For example, in the rotating stage 532 shown in Figure 3, the flange portion is located on the left side of Figure 3. Corresponding to the position of this flange portion, two container fixing portions 533 are provided on the left side of the container body 910, which is represented as a rectangle as the holding area HA, avoiding the center where the flange is provided, and one is provided in the central part of the right side.

[0039] As described above, the movement limiting section 532b has the function of limiting the horizontal movement of the container body 910. Specifically, the movement limiting section 532b in this embodiment includes a pin-shaped protruding member 532ba that protrudes upward from the rotating stage 532. When cleaning is started and the rotating stage 532 rotates, centrifugal force is applied to the container body 910, which rotates with the rotating stage 532, and the center of gravity of the container body 910 may become eccentric (shifted from the rotation center of the rotating stage 532). This is because the shape and position of the center of gravity of the container body 910 vary depending on the type of wafer storage container 900. In addition, a gap is provided between the movement limiting section 532b and the container body 910. This gap is provided taking into consideration that the size of the container body 910 may differ depending on the type of wafer storage container 900, or that there may be individual differences even among wafer storage containers 900 of the same type. Alternatively, this gap is provided to prevent the movement limiting section 532b from interfering with the descending container body 910 when the container body 910 is placed on the rotating stage 532. Due to the presence of this gap, when the rotating stage 532 rotates, the centrifugal force may cause the container body 910 to rotate eccentrically and move horizontally. The movement limiting section 532b is provided to limit the horizontal movement of the container body 910 during such rotation.

[0040] In this embodiment, the movement limiting member 532b is positioned slightly outward from the holding area HA so as not to interfere with placing the container body 910 on the rotating stage 532. Therefore, even if the center of gravity of the container body 910 shifts and the container body 910 moves horizontally, the movement of the container body 910 is limited by contact with the protruding member 532ba.

[0041] The container fixing part 533 has the role of preventing the container body 910 from tilting due to eccentricity of the center of gravity of the container body 910 when centrifugal force acts on the container body 910 as the rotating stage 532 rotates. The wafer storage container 900 is heaviest on the bottom surface (the surface opposite to the surface on which the flange portion is provided) when a substrate is placed inside. This is because a base member is provided on the bottom surface to maintain the horizontality of the wafer storage container 900 itself, so that the substrate is held horizontally inside the wafer storage container 900. In the cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment, as mentioned earlier, the opening for storing the substrate (the surface on which the lid 920 is attached) is facing downwards and is placed on the rotating stage 532, so the right side of the rotating stage 532 shown in Figure 3 becomes heavier. In this state, when the rotating stage 532 and the container body 910 rotate, the center of gravity of the container body 910 becomes eccentric, or the center of gravity of the entire rotating stage 532 and the container body 910 becomes eccentric. Therefore, if rotation continues in that state, the container body 910 may eventually tilt in the direction of the eccentric center of gravity due to centrifugal force, and one side of the container body 910 may lift off the rotating stage 532. As mentioned above, the movement limiting unit 532b limits the horizontal movement of the container body 910 and cannot address the lifting of the container body 910, i.e., vertical movement. In contrast, the container fixing unit 533 can prevent the container body 910 from tilting or lifting off the rotating stage 532 by physically holding it down. The detailed configuration of the container fixing unit 533 will be described later.

[0042] The balance adjustment section 534 is a part for adjusting the imbalance that occurs when the rotating stage 532 rotates. Specifically, the balance adjustment section 534 functions as a counterweight to correct the shift in the center of gravity of the rotating stage 532 that occurs when the container fixing section 533 is attached to the rotating stage 532. As will be described later, the container fixing section 533 is equipped with weights, and the center of gravity of the rotating stage 532 shifts depending on the weight and arrangement of the individual weights. Therefore, in this embodiment, the imbalance that occurs when the rotating stage 532 rotates is adjusted by, for example, providing the balance adjustment section 534 at a position symmetrical to the container fixing section 533 with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating stage 532.

[0043] The balance adjustment section 534 can be any member that functions as a counterweight, for example, a metal member (lead, tungsten, steel, etc.). As the metal member, one or more members that can achieve a predetermined weight can be used, and the shape is not particularly limited. Since the balance adjustment section 534 functions as a counterweight for the container fixing section 533, it is preferable that the weight of the weight constituting the balance adjustment section 534 is the same as the weight of the corresponding weight provided in the container fixing section 533. When the balance adjustment section 534 is composed of multiple metal plates, it can be fixed to the rotating stage 532 using fastening members such as bolts. In this case, the weight can be arbitrarily adjusted by changing the number of metal plates.

[0044] [Configuration of the container fixing part 533] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the container fixing part 533 in the washing device 10 according to the first embodiment. Specifically, Figure 4 corresponds to a view of the container fixing part 533 from the upper left. The container fixing part 533 includes a support part 41, a rotating shaft part 42, a rotating part 43, and a weight part 44. In the example shown in Figure 4, the container fixing part 533 is positioned to match the notch 532c of the rotating stage 532.

[0045] The support portion 41 is a member for supporting the rotating portion 43 and is configured to be attachable to the rotating stage 532. The support portion 41 includes a first support portion 41a and a second support portion 41b that pivotally support the rotating shaft portion 42. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b are connected to each other to form a U-shaped integrated structure in plan view. However, this is not limited to this example, and the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b may be separated individually. Although not shown in Figure 4, the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b are detachably attached to the mounting surface 532d of the rotating stage 532 using fastening members such as bolts. However, this is not limited to this example, and the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b may be fixed to the mounting surface 532d using fastening means such as adhesive.

[0046] The rotating shaft portion 42 is composed of a cylindrical or cylindrical member pivotally supported by the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b described above. In other words, the rotating shaft portion 42 is spanned between the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b. The rotating shaft portion 42 is configured to rotate with respect to a direction intersecting the rotation axis of the rotating stage 532 (i.e., the rotation axis of the rotating shaft portion 531). Specifically, the rotating portion 43 supported by the rotating shaft portion 42 swings in a direction in which the second end portion 43b approaches and moves away from the rotation axis of the rotating stage 532. That is, the rotating shaft portion 42 is provided so as to be parallel to the tangents of the concentric circles centered on the rotation axis of the rotating stage 532 (i.e., perpendicular to the radial direction with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating stage 532). More specifically, the rotating shaft portion 42 is provided so as to be parallel to the side of the rectangular holding area HA set on the rotating stage 532 that corresponds to the position where the container fixing portion 533 is located. The rotating shaft portion 42 is connected to the rotating portion 43 and functions as the axis of rotation when the rotating portion 43 rotates.

[0047] The rotating part 43 is a columnar member connected to the rotating shaft part 42. As described above, the rotating shaft part 42 is rotatably supported by the first support part 41a and the second support part 41b, so the rotating part 43 is configured to rotate together with the rotating shaft part 42. In this case, as shown in Figure 4, since the rotating shaft part 42 is connected near the center of the rotating part 43, the lower end (first end part 43a) and the upper end (second end part 43b) of the rotating part 43 move in opposite directions.

[0048] A weight portion 44 is detachably attached to the first end portion 43a of the rotating portion 43. In the example shown in Figure 4, the weight portion 44 is made of a single component, but it is not limited to this example, and the weight portion 44 can be made of multiple components (for example, multiple metal plates). The weight portion 44 can be made detachable in whole or in part, allowing the weight to be adjusted as needed.

[0049] The weight of the weight section 44 is set considering the magnitude of the centrifugal force applied to the rotating substrate storage container (in this embodiment, the container body 910) during the cleaning process. For example, the centrifugal force applied to the container body 910 can be determined from the amount of deviation (eccentricity) of the center of gravity of the container body 910 from the rotation center of the rotating stage 532 and the rotation speed (angular velocity) of the rotating stage 532, and the weight of the weight section 44 can be determined considering the magnitude of the determined centrifugal force. Alternatively, the lateral load at which the container body 910 begins to tilt due to centrifugal force can be measured by actually rotating the rotating stage 532 at a predetermined rotation speed with the container body 910 placed on it, and the weight of the weight section 44 can be set to a weight exceeding the measured lateral load (for example, three times or more weight).

[0050] In the example shown in Figure 4, the rotating part 43 is designed to be positioned in a location that overlaps with the notch 532c provided on the rotating stage 532 in a plan view. Therefore, the first end 43a of the rotating part 43 can be located below the mounting surface 532d of the support part 41 on the rotating stage 532. In other words, the weight part 44 attached to the rotating part 43 is also located below the mounting surface 532d. By positioning the container fixing part 533 in accordance with the notch 532c in this way, the length of the part of the rotating part 43 below the rotating shaft part 42 can be designed without being limited by the rotating stage 532. As a result, the moment of inertia applied to the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 can be increased without making the weight of the weight part 44 extremely large. Note that the rotating part 43 can also be placed on the rotating stage 532 without providing the notch 532c. In this case, when positioning the rotating part 43 such that its first end 43a is below the mounting surface 532d, it is desirable to ensure a sufficient distance between the rotating part 43 and the rotating stage 532 so that the rotating part 43 does not interfere with the rotating stage 532 when it rotates. Also in this case, by increasing the weight of the weight part 44 compared to when the notch 532c is provided, the container body 910 can be pressed down by the second end 43b of the rotating part 43, just as when the notch 532c is provided.

[0051] [Operation of container fixing part 533] Figures 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the container fixing part 533 in the cleaning apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. Figure 5A shows the state in which the container body 910 is placed on the rotating stage 532, before the cleaning process is started. Figure 5B shows the state in which the cleaning process is being performed after the container body 910 has been placed on the rotating stage 532.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5A, when the rotating stage 532 is stopped, the container fixing part 533 does not come into contact with the container body 910, and the rotating part 43 maintains a nearly upright position. In other words, when the rotating stage 532 is stopped, the weight of the weight part 44 causes the rotating part 43 to extend vertically (up and down) so as to be approximately perpendicular to the mounting surface 532d of the rotating stage 532. More specifically, the rotating part 43 is configured to rotate clockwise until the center of gravity, including the weight part 44, is directly below the rotating shaft part 42, and then come into contact with a contact part (not shown), stopping in a vertical position. The contact part may be, for example, the innermost edge of the notch 532c (the edge closest to the holding area HA). Therefore, when the container body 910 is brought into the washing tank 510 from above (opening side) and placed in the holding area HA, the container fixing part 533 does not obstruct the bringing in process.

[0053] As described above, in a plan view, the rotating part 43 and the weight part 44 are located inside the notch 532c provided in the rotating stage 532. In this embodiment, as described above, the rotating part 43 can maintain a nearly upright position by a contact part (not shown). However, the invention is not limited to this example, and the rotation of the rotating part 43 may be stopped when the weight part 44 is located directly below the rotating shaft part 42 without providing a contact part.

[0054] After the container body 910 is placed in the holding area HA of the rotating stage 532, the washing process begins, and the rotating stage 532 rotates at a predetermined rotational speed. At this time, as shown in Figure 5B, centrifugal force acts on the weight portion 44 of the container fixing portion 533, and as indicated by the arrow, the first end portion 43a of the rotating portion 43 moves outward (away from the rotation center of the rotating stage 532). Conversely, the second end portion 43b of the rotating portion 43 moves inward (towards the rotation center of the rotating stage 532). As a result, the second end portion 43b of the rotating portion 43 comes into contact with a part of the container body 910 (in the example shown in Figure 5B, the side surface of the container body portion 910).

[0055] In the state shown in Figure 5B, the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 of the container fixing part 533 exerts a downward force on the container body 910. Therefore, as described above, even if the center of gravity of the container body 910 becomes eccentric when the rotating stage 532 rotates, and a force is generated that causes the container body 910 to tilt, the container fixing part 533 can prevent the container body 910 from lifting (tilting) by pressing downward on the container body 910.

[0056] The magnitude of the force exerted by the container fixing part 533 on the container body 910 is determined by various parameters, such as the rotational speed (angular velocity) of the rotating stage 532, the weight of the weight part 44, the distance from the rotating shaft part 42 to the weight part 44, the distance from the rotating shaft part 42 to the second end part 43b, and the weight of the rotating part 43. Similarly, the magnitude of the centrifugal force acting on the container body 910 is determined by various parameters, such as the rotational speed (angular velocity) of the rotating stage 532, the weight of the container body 910, the height of the center of gravity of the container body 910, and the deviation (eccentricity) of the center of gravity of the container body 910 from the rotation center of the rotating stage 532. In this embodiment, when designing the container fixing part 533, the aforementioned parameters are comprehensively considered to estimate the centrifugal force acting on the container body 910 when it begins to tilt while rotating. Based on this, the parameters of the container fixing part 533 are designed so that the rotating part 43 of the container fixing part 533 can hold down the container body 910 with a force that exceeds the aforementioned centrifugal force acting on the container body 910.

[0057] In the examples shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the rotating part 43 of the container fixing part 533 is shown to press against the side surface of the container body 910, but the configuration is not limited to this example. For example, if the container body 910 has an upward-facing surface (for example, the surface 910a shown in Figures 5A and 5B), it is also possible to configure the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 to contact the upward-facing surface. In this case, the container fixing part 533 can press against the container body 910 with a downward force, thereby more effectively preventing the container body 910 from lifting up.

[0058] As described above, in this embodiment, the cleaning device 10 has a container fixing part 533 attached to the rotating stage 532 of the cleaning processing unit 500, which uses centrifugal force to fix the container body 910. Since the container fixing part 533 is positioned away from the holding area HA of the rotating stage 532, it does not interfere when the container body 910 is placed on the rotating stage 532. In other words, when the rotating stage 532 is stopped, the container fixing part 533 does not come into contact with the container body 910. On the other hand, when the cleaning process is started and the rotating stage 532 is rotating, the centrifugal force acting on the weight part 44 causes the rotating part 43 of the container fixing part 533 to rotate and come into contact with the container body 910. By the rotating part 43 coming into contact with the container body 910, it is possible to prevent the rotating container body 910 from being lifted up by centrifugal force or falling off the rotating stage 532.

[0059] As described above, according to this embodiment, when performing a washing process while rotating the container body 910, the container body 910 can be appropriately positioned with a simple structure. Furthermore, during the spin drying process, the force with which the container fixing part 533 holds the container body 910 increases as the rotation speed of the rotating stage 532 increases, so the time required for the spin drying process can also be shortened by increasing the rotation speed.

[0060] (Variation 1) The container fixing portion 533 shown in Figure 4 is an example where the upper end (second end portion 43b) of the rotating portion 43 is simply the end of a columnar member, but the example is not limited to this, and the second end portion 43b may have a configuration that protrudes inward (towards the container body 910).

[0061] Figure 6A is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the container fixing part 533-1 in a modified example of the cleaning device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the example shown in Figure 6A, the second end of the rotating part 43-1 has a protruding part 43-1b that protrudes toward the container body 910. With this configuration, as shown in Figure 6A, the protruding part 43-1b catches on the upward-facing surface 910a of the container body 910, thereby more efficiently preventing the container body 910 from floating up.

[0062] Furthermore, because a portion of the rotating part 43-1 protrudes toward the container body 910, the protruding part 43-1b can be brought into contact with the container body 910 even if the rotation speed of the rotating part 43 is reduced compared to the case where the protruding part 43-1b is absent. In other words, the configuration shown in Figure 6A is effective in suppressing the rotation speed of the rotating stage 532 during washing, thereby suppressing the eccentricity of the center of gravity of the container body 910, and reducing the weight of the weight part 44.

[0063] Figure 6B is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the container fixing part 533-2 in a modified example of the cleaning device 10 according to the first embodiment. In the example shown in Figure 6B, the second end of the rotating part 43-2 has a first protrusion 43-2b and a second protrusion 43-2c. The second protrusion 43-2c is provided between the first protrusion 43-2b and the rotating shaft part 42. With this configuration, even when cleaning a container body 910 in which the upward-facing surface 910a is lower than in Figure 6A, the second protrusion 43-2c can be hooked onto the upward-facing surface 910a, preventing the container body 910 from floating up. In this way, by providing multiple protrusions (first protrusion 43-2b and second protrusion 43-2c) on the rotating part 43-2, it becomes possible to accommodate wafer storage containers of various shapes.

[0064] In the example shown in Figure 6B, a configuration is shown in which a first protrusion 43-2b and a second protrusion 43-2c are provided, but three or more protrusions may be provided. Furthermore, the position of each protrusion may be variable. For example, in the example shown in Figure 6B, the position of the second protrusion 43-2c in the longitudinal direction of the rotating part 43-2 may be configured to be changeable to any position. In this case, by changing the position of the second protrusion 43-2c to an appropriate position according to the shape of the container body 910, the floating of the container body 910 can be prevented more effectively.

[0065] (Modification 2) In this embodiment, an example is shown in which a counterweight made of a metal member or the like is placed as the balance adjustment unit 534. However, the embodiment is not limited to this example, and a container fixing unit 533 may be placed instead of the balance adjustment unit 534. That is, it is also possible to adjust the imbalance that occurs when the rotating stage 532 rotates without providing a balance adjustment unit 534 by utilizing the arrangement of the container fixing unit 533 placed on the rotating stage 532, or the weight of the weight portion 44 provided on the container fixing unit 533. In this case, for example, another container fixing unit 533 for balance adjustment may be provided at a position symmetrical to the container fixing unit 533 with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating stage 532, and the imbalance during rotation may be adjusted by making the weight of the weight portion 44 provided on each the same.

[0066] <Second Embodiment> In this embodiment, an example in which the container fixing part has a different configuration from that of the first embodiment will be described. The basic configuration of the cleaning device of this embodiment is the same as that of the cleaning device 10 of the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the explanation will focus on the parts that have different structures. For components that are the same as those of the cleaning device 10 of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used to omit redundant explanations.

[0067] Figures 7A and 7B schematically show the configuration of the container fixing part 533-3 in the washing device according to the second embodiment. Specifically, Figure 7A is a view of the container fixing part 533-3 from the side, and Figure 7B is a view of the container fixing part 533-3 from the rear side (the side to which the weight part 44 is attached).

[0068] As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the container fixing part 533-3 of this embodiment has a longer support part 41-3 in the vertical direction (up and down direction) and a higher position of the rotating shaft part 42 compared to the container fixing part 533 of the first embodiment. Specifically, the position of the rotating shaft part 42 in the vertical direction of the container fixing part 533-3 is brought closer to the position of the center of gravity of the container body 910. Furthermore, because the position of the rotating shaft part 42 is set higher, even if the rotating part 43-3 is made longer, the entire rotating part 43-3 can be placed above the rotating stage 532, eliminating the need to provide a notch 532c on the rotating stage 532 as shown in Figure 4.

[0069] In the examples shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the rotating part 43-3 has a roughly U-shaped cross-section and is positioned so as to be placed over the support part 41-3 from the rear side. Therefore, although not shown in the illustration, similar to the first embodiment, when centrifugal force acts on the weight part 44, the rotating part 43-3 rotates around the rotating shaft part 42 as the center of rotation and comes into contact with the container body 910.

[0070] In this embodiment, the support portion 41-3 is provided with a protruding portion 41-3a on its rear side. Therefore, when the rotating stage 532 comes to a stopped state, the rotating portion 43-3 returns to its original position due to the weight of the weight portion 44, and a part of the rotating portion 43-3 (the portion to which the weight portion 44 is provided) comes into contact with the protruding portion 41-3a. Thus, in the state shown in Figure 7A, the rotating portion 43-3 can remain stationary in an upright position.

[0071] In this embodiment, the container fixing part 533-3 rotates at a higher position than the example shown in the first embodiment, so that it can press down on the sides of the container body 910 at a position close to the center of gravity of the container body 910. In other words, even if a large horizontal force is applied to the container body 910 due to the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the rotating stage 532, the sides of the container body 910 can be pressed down at a high position, so that the lifting (tilting) of the container body 910 can be efficiently prevented.

[0072] Although a cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above (including modified examples; the same applies hereinafter), and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, any additions, deletions, or design changes made by a person skilled in the art based on each embodiment are also included in the scope of the present invention, as long as they retain the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, the configurations of each embodiment described above can be combined as appropriate as long as they do not contradict each other, and technical matters common to each embodiment are included in each configuration even without explicit description.

[0073] Any effects or benefits other than those brought about by the embodiments described above, if they are clear from the description herein or easily predictable to a person skilled in the art, are naturally considered to be brought about by the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 10...Washing device, 41, 41-3...Support part, 41-3a...Protruding part, 41a...First support part, 41b...Second support part, 42...Rotating shaft part, 43, 43-1...Rotating part, 43-1b...Protruding part, 43-2...Rotating part, 43-2b...First protruding part, 43-2c...Second protruding part, 43-3...Rotating part, 43a...First end, 43b...Second end, 44...Weight part, 100...Casing, 110...Input gate, 120...Output gate, 200...Load port, 300...Conveying mechanism, 310...Conveying arm, 320...Gripping hand, 400...Connecting stage, 500...Washing processing part, 510...Washing processing tank, 520...Lid part, 521...Lid holding part, 521a...Rotating shaft part, 521b... Rotating stage, 521c... Holding part, 522... Rotating drive part, 530... Container holding part, 531... Rotating shaft part, 532... Rotating stage, 532a... Drainage hole, 532b... Movement limiting part, 532ba... Protruding member, 532c... Notch part, 532d... Mounting surface, 533, 533-1, 533-2, 533-3... Container fixing part, 534... Balance adjustment part, 540... Rotating drive part, 551~553... Cleaning nozzle, 561~563... Drying nozzle, 600... Drying processing part, 700... Unload port, 800... Control unit, 810... Calculation unit, 820... Memory device, 821... Control program, 900... Wafer storage container, 910... Container body, 920... Lid

Claims

1. A cleaning tank for cleaning the circuit board storage container, A container holding unit that holds and rotates the substrate storage container, Includes, The container holding portion includes a rotating stage on which the substrate storage container is placed, and a container fixing portion provided on the rotating stage for fixing the substrate storage container when the rotating stage is in a rotating state. When the rotating stage is stopped, the container fixing part does not come into contact with the substrate storage container. A cleaning device wherein, when the rotating stage is in a rotating state, a part of the container fixing part comes into contact with the substrate storage container due to the centrifugal force acting on the rotating stage.

2. The container fixing portion includes a rotating portion that includes a first end to which a weight is attached and a second end located above the first end, and a rotating shaft portion located between the first end and the second end, with its axis of rotation parallel to the tangent of the concentric circles centered on the rotation axis of the rotating stage. When the rotating stage is stopped, the second end is located at a position separated from the substrate housing container. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the rotating stage is in a rotating state, the position of the weight is changed by the centrifugal force acting on the weight, causing the rotating part to rotate and the second end to come into contact with a part of the substrate storage container.

3. The washing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the container fixing portion further includes a support portion attached to the rotating stage and rotatably supporting the rotating shaft portion.

4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first end is located below the mounting surface of the support portion on the rotating stage.

5. The washing device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the weight is detachably attached to the first end in whole or in part.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the rotating part has a projection that protrudes toward the side where the substrate storage container is arranged, at a position closer to the second end than the rotating shaft part.

7. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the aforementioned protrusions are provided.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the position of the protruding portion can be changed in the longitudinal direction of the rotating portion.

9. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising a balance adjustment unit provided on the rotating stage for adjusting the imbalance when the rotating stage is rotating.

10. The washing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the balance adjustment unit is provided at a position symmetrical to the container fixing unit with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating stage.

11. The washing device according to claim 10, wherein the balance adjustment unit includes a weight having the same weight as the weight of the container fixing unit provided at the symmetrical position.

12. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the substrate storage container is a wafer storage container.

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