Cleaning Equipment

Abstract

To propose a new technique for cleaning a nozzle in order to prevent a problem caused by dripping of cleaning liquid adhering to the nozzle due to rebounding from a workpiece.SOLUTION: A cleaning device includes: a holding table 52 for holding a workpiece (wafer 11); a nozzle unit 55 having at least a cleaning liquid nozzle 56 for supplying cleaning liquid 56z to the workpiece held by the holding table 52; a moving unit 58 for moving the nozzle unit between a supply position where the nozzle unit 55 faces the workpiece held by the holding table 52 and a retraction position outside the workpiece held by the holding table; and a nozzle cleaning unit 70 disposed in the retraction area and guiding the cleaning liquid 56z sprayed from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 toward a predetermined location of the nozzle unit 55.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning the surface of a workpiece. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, a protective film forming apparatus is known that forms a protective film on the surface of a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, when the workpiece is subjected to ablation processing by a laser processing apparatus.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, in order to prevent debris generated during ablation processing from adhering to the device, the surface of the workpiece is covered with a protective film made of a water-soluble resin before laser processing. After ablation processing, the workpiece is washed with a cleaning solution to remove the protective film together with the debris that has adhered to the protective film from the workpiece.

[0004] In Patent Document 1, a protective film agent nozzle for supplying a protective film agent for forming a protective film and a cleaning liquid supply nozzle for supplying a cleaning liquid are provided. This type of device includes a holding table (spinner table) for holding a workpiece, and is called a protective film coating and cleaning device or a spin coater.

[0005] In addition to the laser processing device that performs the above-mentioned ablation processing, a cleaning device equipped with a cleaning liquid supply nozzle for supplying a cleaning liquid for cleaning the surface of the workpiece after cutting is also known for a cutting device equipped with a cutting blade that dices a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. This type of device is equipped with a holding table (spinner table) that holds the workpiece, and is called a spinner cleaning device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-216291 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In a protective film application and cleaning device, a part of the protective film agent sprayed from a nozzle onto a workpiece may bounce off the workpiece and adhere to the nozzle. In addition, as the workpiece spins during drying of the protective film, a part of the protective film agent may scatter and adhere to the nozzle. If the protective film agent adheres to the nozzle, it may drip onto the workpiece during the protective film formation, causing uneven application or air bubbles in the protective film, or it may drip onto the workpiece during cleaning, contaminating the workpiece.

[0008] In addition, in a spinner cleaning device, the cleaning liquid sprayed toward the workpiece may collect machining debris, bounce back, and adhere to the nozzle. Furthermore, as the holding table rotates, the cleaning liquid containing machining debris may scatter and adhere to the nozzle. If the cleaning liquid containing machining debris adheres to the nozzle, it may drip and contaminate the workpiece or the top surface of the holding table.

[0009] In view of the above problems, the present invention proposes a new technique for cleaning nozzles in order to prevent problems caused by dripping cleaning liquid and the like that has bounced off the workpiece and adhered to the nozzle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The problem to be solved by the present invention has been described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be described.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a cleaning apparatus includes a holding table for holding a workpiece, a nozzle unit having at least a cleaning liquid nozzle for supplying cleaning liquid to the workpiece held by the holding table, a moving unit for moving the nozzle unit to a supply position where the nozzle unit faces the workpiece held by the holding table and a retracted position outside the workpiece held by the holding table, and a moving unit for moving the nozzle unit to a retracted position outside the workpiece held by the holding table. positionThe cleaning liquid jetted from the cleaning liquid nozzle is disposed in the nozzle unit. Outer and a nozzle cleaning unit that guides the nozzle toward a predetermined location.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, The nozzle cleaning unit includes: a curved surface curved in a bowl shape to receive the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid nozzle; The curved surface is The cleaning liquid received on the curved surface is discharged toward a predetermined location of the nozzle unit. It is a cleaning device.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, The nozzle cleaning unit includes: an inlet through which the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid nozzle flows; a spray port that sprays the cleaning liquid flowing in from the inlet toward a predetermined location of the nozzle unit; A cleaning liquid guide tube having It is a cleaning device.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, The nozzle unit comprises: a protective film agent nozzle for supplying a protective film agent to the workpiece held by the holding table; The nozzle cleaning unit includes: directing the cleaning liquid toward at least the protective film agent nozzle; It is a cleaning device. Effect of the Invention

[0015] The present invention has the following advantages.

[0016] That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, the nozzle cleaning unit is retracted from the nozzle unit. positionIn this case, a configuration can be realized in which the nozzle unit is arranged in the nozzle hole and the cleaning liquid sprayed from the cleaning liquid nozzle is guided toward the nozzle unit. This eliminates the need to provide a cleaning mechanism for supplying cleaning liquid to the nozzle unit from a separate route, and the nozzle unit can self-clean using the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid nozzle of the nozzle unit. In addition, in a configuration in which the nozzle unit is swung in the horizontal direction, this can be applied without increasing the number of moving parts, without increasing the risk of failure, and since the structure is simple and does not take up much space, it can be implemented without increasing the size of the device.

[0017] Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, in a nozzle cleaning unit having a protective film agent nozzle that supplies a protective film agent, the protective film agent nozzle can be cleaned, preventing the protective film agent from dripping onto a workpiece during protective film formation, which could result in uneven application or air bubbles in the protective film, or from dripping onto a workpiece during cleaning, thereby contaminating the workpiece. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a laser processing device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a protective film coating and cleaning device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a top view of the protective film coating and cleaning device with a workpiece set therein. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the nozzle unit is in a supply position. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the nozzle unit is in a retracted position. [Figure 6] 1A is a diagram showing an embodiment of a nozzle cleaning unit having one curved surface, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an embodiment of a nozzle cleaning unit having two curved surfaces. [Figure 7] 7A is a diagram showing an embodiment of a nozzle cleaning unit constituted by a cleaning liquid guide tube, and FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an embodiment of a nozzle cleaning unit provided at a position different from that shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] An embodiment according to one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a laser processing device 2. Note that in the following embodiment, an example using the laser processing device 2 will be described, but the present invention is also applicable to a cutting device that dices a workpiece using a cutting blade.

[0020] 1, the laser processing device 2 is equipped with a base 4 that supports each component. The base 4 includes a rectangular parallelepiped base 6 and a wall 8 that extends upward at the rear end of the base 6. On the upper surface side of the base 6, a chuck table 10 is arranged that suctions and holds a wafer 11, which is a plate-shaped workpiece (object to be processed), via tape 15.

[0021] A Y-axis moving unit 16 that moves the chuck table 10 in the Y-axis direction (indexing feed direction) is provided below the chuck table 10. The Y-axis moving unit 16 includes a pair of Y-axis guide rails 18 that are fixed to the upper surface of the base 6 and are parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0022] A Y-axis moving table 20 is slidably installed on the Y-axis guide rail 18. A nut portion (not shown) is provided on the underside of the Y-axis moving table 20, and a Y-axis ball screw 22 parallel to the Y-axis guide rail 18 is rotatably coupled to this nut portion.

[0023] A Y-axis pulse motor 24 is connected to one end of the Y-axis ball screw 22. When the Y-axis pulse motor 24 rotates the Y-axis ball screw 22, the Y-axis moving table 20 moves along the Y-axis guide rail 18 in the Y-axis direction.

[0024] An X-axis moving unit 26 that moves the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction (processing feed direction) perpendicular to the Y-axis direction is provided on the upper surface side of the Y-axis moving table 20. The X-axis moving unit 26 includes a pair of X-axis guide rails 28 that are fixed to the upper surface of the Y-axis moving table 20 and are parallel to the X-axis direction.

[0025] An X-axis moving table 30 is slidably installed on the X-axis guide rail 28. A nut portion (not shown) is provided on the underside of the X-axis moving table 30, and an X-axis ball screw 32 parallel to the X-axis guide rail 28 is rotatably coupled to this nut portion.

[0026] An X-axis pulse motor 34 is connected to one end of the X-axis ball screw 32. When the X-axis pulse motor 34 rotates the X-axis ball screw 32, the X-axis moving table 30 moves in the X-axis direction along the X-axis guide rail 28.

[0027] A support base 36 is provided on the upper surface side of the X-axis moving table 30. A chuck table 10 is disposed on the upper part of the support base 36. The chuck table 10 is connected to a rotation drive source (not shown) provided below, and rotates around the Z axis. Four clamps 38 are provided around the chuck table 10 to clamp and fix an annular frame 17 that supports a wafer 11 from all sides.

[0028] The surface of the chuck table 10 is configured as a holding surface 10a that suction-holds the wafer 11 via the tape 15. A negative pressure from a suction source (not shown) acts on this holding surface 10a through a flow path (not shown) formed inside the chuck table 10, generating a suction force that sucks the tape 15.

[0029] The wafer 11 and frame 17 are fixed to a tape 15 to form a wafer unit 19. A grid-like planned dividing lines (streets) are designed on the wafer 11, and it is planned that the wafer 11 will be divided along the planned dividing lines by laser processing (ablation processing). The wafer 11 is, for example, a plate-like workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer, but is not limited thereto.

[0030] A support arm 40 extending forward is provided on the upper front surface of the wall portion 8, and a processing head 12a of the laser beam irradiation unit 12 is provided on the tip of this support arm 40. The laser beam irradiation unit 12 is configured to include a laser oscillator (not shown), and the processing head 12a is configured to include a condenser lens (not shown) that condenses the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator onto the wafer 11 held by the chuck table 10.

[0031] The chuck table 10 is positioned below a processing head 12a of a laser beam irradiation unit 12, and a laser beam emitted from the processing head 12a performs ablation processing on a wafer 11 held on a holding surface 10a.

[0032] A transfer device 60 for transferring the wafer unit 19 on the chuck table 10 to the holding table 52 of the protective film coating and cleaning device 50 is provided on the front upper part of the wall portion 8 beside the support arm 40 .

[0033] The transport device 60 is composed of a holding arm 61 having a plurality of suction portions 61a that suction-hold the upper surface of the frame 17 of the wafer unit 19, a lifting portion 62 that raises and lowers the holding arm, a horizontal movement portion 63 to which the lifting portion 62 is connected and which moves horizontally in the X-axis direction, and an X-axis movement mechanism 64 for moving the horizontal movement portion 63.

[0034] The X-axis direction moving mechanism 64 is composed of a pair of X-axis guide rails 64a arranged horizontally on the front surface of the wall portion 8, an X-axis ball screw 65 arranged between the X-axis guide rails 64a, and an X-axis pulse motor 66 arranged at one end of the X-axis ball screw 65.

[0035] The X-axis ball screw 65 is inserted into a nut portion (not shown) provided on the horizontal movement portion 63, and when the X-axis ball screw 65 is rotated by the X-axis pulse motor 66, the horizontal movement portion 63 moves in the X-axis direction along the X-axis guide rail 64a, and accordingly the holding arm 61 also moves in the X-axis direction.

[0036] Next, the configuration of the cleaning device will be described. 2 and 3 are diagrams showing the configuration of a protective film coating and cleaning apparatus 50 (also called a spin coater) having two functions of cleaning and forming a protective film.

[0037] The protective film coating and cleaning device 50 is accommodated in an accommodation space 51 a formed in a housing 51 . The protective film coating and cleaning equipment 50 includes a holding table 52 (spinner table) that is rotated by a motor (not shown) and holds the workpiece (wafer 11), a support base 53 that supports the lower part of the holding table 52 and raises and lowers it, a clamp 54 that clamps the wafer unit 19 (FIG. 1) held by the holding table 52, a nozzle unit 55 that supplies cleaning liquid and protective film agent to the workpiece (wafer 11), a moving unit 58 that moves the nozzle unit 55, and a nozzle cleaning unit 70 for directing the cleaning liquid toward the nozzle unit 55.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the holding table 52 has a suction holding portion 52a that forms a flat holding surface and a frame holding portion 52b that surrounds the periphery of the suction holding portion 52a. The suction holding portion 52a suction-holds the wafer 11 of the wafer unit 19 shown in FIG. 1 from below, and the frame holding portion 52b supports the frame 17 of the wafer unit 19.

[0039] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, frame holding portion 52b of holding table 52 is provided with four pendulum-type clamps 54, which tilt due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of holding table 52, and press down and clamp frame 17 (Figure 1) from above.

[0040] 2 and 3, the nozzle unit 55 has two swing arms 56a, 57a arranged in parallel, and the rear end of each arm is fixed to a rotation shaft 58a of a moving unit 58. The moving unit 58 rotates the rotation shaft 58a by a motor 58b (FIG. 4), thereby swinging the swing arms 56a, 57a of the nozzle unit 55 in the horizontal direction above the holding table 52 and positioning them at a predetermined angle.

[0041] 2 and 3, in the nozzle unit 55, a cleaning liquid nozzle 56 is provided at the tip of one of the swing arms 56a, and a cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56. The cleaning liquid is a single liquid such as pure water, or a mixed fluid (two fluids) obtained by mixing a liquid such as pure water with a gas such as air. As shown in Fig. 4, the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 is connected to a cleaning liquid supply source 56d via a control valve 56c.

[0042] 2 and 3, in the nozzle unit 55, a protective film agent nozzle 57 is provided at the tip of the other swing arm 57a, and a water-soluble resin is supplied downward from the protective film agent nozzle 57. The water-soluble resin is a material for forming a protective film, and examples of this water-soluble resin include PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), PEG (polyethylene glycol), PEO (polyethylene oxide), and PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone). As shown in FIG. 4, the protective film agent nozzle 57 is connected to a protective film agent supply source 57d via a control valve 57c.

[0043] 3, the nozzle unit 55 is moved by a moving unit 58 so that a cleaning liquid nozzle 56 and a protective film agent nozzle 57 provided at the tip thereof can be positioned at a supply position A facing the work (wafer unit 19) held by the holding table 52 within the accommodation space 51a of the housing 51, and at a retracted position B outside the work (wafer unit 19) held by the holding table 52. Note that if the work held by the holding table 52 is not the wafer unit 19 in which the wafer 11 is fixed to the frame 17 but is the wafer 11 alone, the outside of the wafer 11 becomes the retracted position.

[0044] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the nozzle unit 55 is in supply position A, when cleaning the wafer 11, the oscillating arm 56 is oscillated back and forth above the wafer 11, so that the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 moves back and forth between the outer edge and the center of the wafer 11, and cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56.

[0045] Similarly, when the nozzle unit 55 is in the supply position A, when forming a protective film on the wafer 11, the protective film agent nozzle 57 is positioned above the wafer 11, approximately at the center of the wafer 11, and protective film agent 57z is supplied from the protective film agent nozzle 57.

[0046] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, when the nozzle unit 55 is in the retracted position B, the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 and the protective film agent nozzle 57 are located above the nozzle cleaning unit 70.

[0047] 5, the nozzle cleaning unit 70 is for guiding the cleaning liquid 56z sprayed from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 toward a predetermined location of the nozzle cleaning unit 70. The nozzle cleaning unit 70 can be installed in an accommodation space 51a formed in the housing 51, as shown in FIG.

[0048] 5, in this embodiment, the nozzle cleaning unit 70 is configured to have two nozzles, a cleaning liquid nozzle 56 and a protective film agent nozzle 57, and the predetermined locations to which the cleaning liquid is guided are the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 and the protective film agent nozzle 57. When only the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 is provided, the predetermined location to which the cleaning liquid is guided is the cleaning liquid nozzle 56.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 6(A), the nozzle cleaning unit 70 has a curved surface 72 curved like a bowl for receiving the cleaning liquid 56z from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56, and the curved surface 72 is shaped to release the cleaning liquid received by the curved surface 72 toward the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 and the protective film agent nozzle 57.

[0050] In this manner, the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 and the protective film agent nozzle 57 are cleaned with the cleaning liquid, and processing debris and foreign matter such as the protective film agent adhering to these nozzles can be removed, thereby preventing the occurrence of problems such as contamination of the wafer 11 due to the foreign matter dripping later.

[0051] The nozzle cleaning unit 70A in the example of Figure 6(B) is configured to have two curved surfaces 72A, 72B, and is shaped to release the cleaning liquid received by each of the curved surfaces 72A, 72B toward the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 and the protective film agent nozzle 57, respectively.

[0052] FIG. 7A shows another embodiment of the nozzle cleaning unit 70B. The nozzle cleaning unit 70B in this example is composed of a first cleaning liquid guide pipe 74 having an inlet 74a through which the cleaning liquid 56z flows from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56, and an outlet 74b through which the cleaning liquid flowing in from the inlet 74a is sprayed toward a predetermined location (protective film agent nozzle 57) of the nozzle unit.

[0053] In this example, the cleaning liquid guide pipe 74 is configured with a substantially C-shaped pipe member. When the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 is positioned above the inlet 74a and the cleaning liquid 56z is sprayed, the cleaning liquid passes through the cleaning liquid guide pipe 74 and is sprayed from the outlet 74b toward the protective film agent nozzle 57. In this manner, the protective film agent nozzle 57 can be cleaned.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7(B), a second cleaning liquid guide pipe 75 serving as a nozzle cleaning unit 70C may be provided at a position separate from the cleaning liquid guide pipe 74 in FIG. 7(A) within the area outside the wafer unit within the storage space 51a of the housing 51, which is the retracted position B, and on the path of movement of the nozzle unit by the moving unit 58, and the cleaning liquid 56z from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 may be sprayed directly toward the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 to clean the cleaning liquid nozzle 56.

[0055] By providing cleaning liquid guide pipes at a plurality of locations in this manner, it becomes possible to pinpoint and clean a desired location in the nozzle unit.

[0056] As described above, according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6A, the nozzle cleaning unit 70 is retracted from the nozzle unit 55. position In this case, a configuration can be realized in which the nozzle unit 55 is arranged in such a manner that the cleaning liquid 56z sprayed from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 is guided toward the nozzle unit 55. This eliminates the need to provide a cleaning mechanism for supplying cleaning liquid for cleaning the nozzle unit 55 from a separate route, and the nozzle unit 55 can self-clean using the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid nozzle 56 of the nozzle unit 55. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, in a configuration in which the nozzle unit 55 is swung in the horizontal direction, this can be applied without increasing the number of moving parts, without increasing the risk of failure, and since the structure is simple and does not take up much space, this can be implemented without enlarging the size of the device.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6(A), in a nozzle unit 55 having a protective film agent nozzle 57 that supplies a protective film agent, the protective film agent nozzle 57 can be cleaned, thereby preventing the protective film agent from dripping onto a workpiece during protective film formation, which could result in uneven application or air bubbles in the protective film, or from dripping onto a workpiece during cleaning, which could result in contamination of the workpiece. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 2 Laser processing equipment 10 Chuck table 11 Wafers 12 Laser beam irradiation unit 19 Wafer Unit 50 Protective film coating and cleaning equipment 52 Holding Table 53 Support stand 55 Nozzle unit 56 Cleaning fluid nozzle 56a Swing arm 56z Cleaning Solution 57 Protective film nozzle 57a Swing arm 57z Protective Film Agent 58 Mobile Units 58a Rotating shaft 58b Motor 60 Transport Equipment 70 Nozzle cleaning unit 72 Curved Surface 74 Cleaning solution guide tube

Claims

1. A holding table for holding the workpiece; a nozzle unit having at least a cleaning liquid nozzle for supplying a cleaning liquid to the workpiece held by the holding table; a moving unit that moves the nozzle unit between a supply position where the nozzle unit faces the workpiece held by the holding table and a retracted position outside the workpiece held by the holding table; a nozzle cleaning unit that is disposed at the retracted position and that guides the cleaning liquid sprayed from the cleaning liquid nozzle toward a predetermined location outside the nozzle unit.

2. The nozzle cleaning unit includes: a curved surface curved in a bowl shape to receive the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid nozzle; The curved surface is The cleaning liquid received on the curved surface is discharged toward a predetermined location of the nozzle unit.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1.

3. The nozzle cleaning unit includes: an inlet through which the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid nozzle flows; a spray port that sprays the cleaning liquid flowing in from the inlet toward a predetermined location of the nozzle unit; A cleaning liquid guide tube having 2. The cleaning device according to claim 1.

4. The nozzle unit comprises: a protective film agent nozzle for supplying a protective film agent to the workpiece held by the holding table; The nozzle cleaning unit includes: directing the cleaning liquid toward at least the protective film agent nozzle; 4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is a cleaning unit.

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