Method for cleaning semiconductor manufacturing equipment components and method for manufacturing semiconductor manufacturing equipment components using the same
A cylindrical tank system with ultrasonic vibration and controlled ultrapure water flow addresses the challenge of cleaning large and non-flat semiconductor components, enhancing cleaning efficiency through shear force and ultrasonic vibrations.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2021011709
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2021-01-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-27
- Estimated Expiration
- 2041-01-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing cleaning methods for semiconductor manufacturing equipment components, particularly those with large sizes and non-flat surfaces, face challenges due to the difficulty in maintaining a close proximity of high-pressure nozzles, making them unsuitable for effective cleaning.
A method involving a cylindrical cleaning tank setup with ultrasonic vibration and controlled ultrapure water flow, generating shear force and applying ultrasonic vibrations to enhance cleaning efficacy on large and non-flat surfaces.
The method effectively cleans large and non-flat surfaces by combining shear force from ultrapure water flow with ultrasonic vibrations, reducing cleaning time and ensuring thorough removal of particles.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for cleaning ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment members and a method for manufacturing semiconductor manufacturing equipment members using the same. [Background technology]
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cleaning method using high-speed shear flow, which removes fine foreign matter adhering to the surface of an object to be cleaned by generating a shear flow with a velocity gradient of at least a certain value and having a controlled range and distribution along the surface of the object to be cleaned. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-173965 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] In the cleaning method described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to increase the velocity gradient of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the object (cleaning surface). To achieve this, it is necessary to use a high-pressure nozzle with a small hole diameter (or a narrow slit), and to position the high-pressure nozzle close to the cleaning surface so that the distance between the high-pressure nozzle and the cleaning surface is about 1 to 2 mm.
[0005] In recent years, components used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment have become larger as the size of the semiconductor substrates being manufactured increases. Furthermore, the shapes of the components have become more complex, and the surfaces of the components (cleaning surfaces) are not limited to flat surfaces but may also have curved surfaces. When cleaning such components, it is not easy to scan a high-pressure nozzle along the cleaning surface while maintaining a distance of 1 to 2 mm from the cleaning surface. Therefore, the cleaning method described in Patent Document 1 is unsuitable for cleaning large components or components with non-flat cleaning surfaces.
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for cleaning ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment components that can be easily applied to large components and components having non-flat cleaning surfaces. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] According to an aspect of the present invention, a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing device Cylinder Materials a cylindrical member including an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface as cleaning surfaces; A cleaning method comprising: disposing the first cleaning tank inside a second cleaning tank having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the first cleaning tank; an ultrasonic vibrator is disposed inside the second cleaning tank and outside the first cleaning tank; The aforementioned Cylinder placing a member in the first cleaning tank; The ultrapure water is introduced into the first cleaning tank so that the amount of the ultrapure water flowing in is discharged outside the first cleaning tank, and the ultrasonic vibrator Cylinder Applying ultrasonic vibration to the component a first fluid control member having a first surface parallel to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member, and a second fluid control member having a second surface parallel to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member, the first fluid control member being disposed inside the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and the second fluid control member being disposed outside the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member in the first cleaning tank, such that the inner circumferential surface and the first surface face each other with a gap therebetween and the outer circumferential surface and the second surface face each other with a gap therebetween; The aforementioned Cylinder and cleaning the member; The volume V (m 3 ) and the inflow flow rate of ultrapure water Q (m 3 / min) and V / Q≦10 min and Cylinder The average shear stress τ (Pa) acting on the cleaning surface of the component is τ ≥ 0.09 Pa A ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing device, characterized in that Cylinder A method for cleaning a component is provided. [Effects of the Invention]
[0008] In the above embodiment, shear force is generated by the flow of ultrapure water by flowing ultrapure water into the cleaning tank. Furthermore, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the components to enhance the cleaning performance. Since ultrasonic vibration is applied to the components, a sufficient cleaning effect can be obtained even if the shear force of the ultrapure water flow is small compared to when components are cleaned using only the shear force of the ultrapure water flow. The volume V (m 3 ) is the inflow flow rate of ultrapure water Q (m 3 The volume of the cleaning tank V (m 3 ), ultrapure water inlet flow rate Q (m 3 By adjusting the cleaning speed (speed / min) and the positioning of the component (such as tilt), the cleaning method can be easily applied to large components and components with non-flat cleaning surfaces. Therefore, the cleaning method of the above embodiment can be used to clean large components and components with non-flat cleaning surfaces, and can shorten the cleaning time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ultrapure water cleaning system 100. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the cleaning method according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is an example of a graph showing the change over time in particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20 measured by the particle counter 50. The particle counter 50 detects particles with a particle diameter of 0.2 μm or more. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a fluid control member 90 is attached near the object to be washed 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a table summarizing the results of Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] <Ultrapure Water Cleaning System 100> An ultrapure water cleaning system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the up-down direction 5 is defined based on the ultrapure water cleaning system 100 being installed and ready for use (as shown in FIG. 1). The ultrapure water cleaning system 100 is used to clean ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment components (hereinafter simply referred to as the cleaning object 10). Examples of the cleaning object 10 include ceramic-containing structures used in plasma processes (ceramic sintered bodies such as Al2O3, Y2O3, and SiC, and metal bases with a ceramic spray coating formed by thermally spraying Al2O3, Y2O3, and the like on an Al substrate). As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrapure water cleaning system 100 according to this embodiment includes a first cleaning tank 20, a second cleaning tank 30, three ultrasonic vibrators 40, a particle counter 50, and a discharge unit 60.
[0011] The first cleaning tank 20 is a cylindrical plastic cleaning tank. The second cleaning tank 30 is also cylindrical, and has an outlet 35 at its bottom. The inner diameter of the second cleaning tank 30 is larger than the outer diameter of the first cleaning tank 20, and as shown in FIG. 1, the first cleaning tank 20 is placed inside the second cleaning tank 30. An object to be cleaned 10 is placed inside the first cleaning tank 20. The object to be cleaned 10 is held by a holder (not shown) in a state spaced apart from the bottom surface 22 of the first cleaning tank 20. The first cleaning tank 20 is also held in a state spaced apart from the bottom surface 32 of the second cleaning tank 30. The upper end 21 of the first cleaning tank 20 is located above the upper end 31 of the second cleaning tank 30.
[0012] 1, one ultrasonic vibrator 40 is disposed on the bottom surface 32 of the second cleaning tank 30, and two ultrasonic vibrators 40 are disposed on the side surface 33. The two ultrasonic vibrators 40 disposed on the side surface 33 are disposed so as to be perpendicular to each other in the horizontal plane. Specifically, these ultrasonic vibrators 40 convert power supplied from a transmitter (not shown) into vibrations to generate ultrasonic waves.
[0013] The particle counter 50 includes a water intake port 51 disposed inside the first cleaning tank 20. The water intake port 51 samples the cleaning water in the first cleaning tank 20. The particle counter 50 uses the cleaning water sampled through the water intake port 51 to measure the particle concentration P (number of particles / mL) (hereinafter simply referred to as particle concentration P) contained in the ultrapure water HW in the first cleaning tank 20. In this specification, particles refer to fine particles with a particle diameter of 0.2 μm or more. Particles are generated, for example, by minute foreign matter adhering to the surface (cleaning surface) of the object 10 to be cleaned, or particles constituting ceramics, which are detached from the cleaning surface during cleaning as described below.
[0014] The discharge unit 60 has a discharge port 61 for discharging the ultrapure water HW supplied from the ultrapure water production system 80 into the first cleaning tank 20. The discharge port 61 is formed from a polyvinyl chloride pipe (φ50 mm) cut so that the tip is at a 45° angle. The ultrapure water production system 80 is a well-known ultrapure water production system equipped with a UV irradiation unit, ion exchange resin, a filter, a temperature regulator, a resistivity measurement unit, etc., and a detailed description thereof will be omitted here. Ultrapure water HW having a resistivity of 18 MΩ cm or more is supplied from the ultrapure water production system 80 to the discharge unit 60. The ultrapure water production system 80 can also supply temperature-adjusted ultrapure water HW to the discharge unit 60 as needed.
[0015] Next, a method for cleaning the object 10 using the ultrapure water cleaning system 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. First, the object 10 is placed inside the first cleaning tank 20 (S11). As described above, the object 10 is held apart from the bottom surface 22 of the first cleaning tank 20 by a holder (not shown) (see FIG. 1). Next, the ultrapure water HW supplied from the ultrapure water production device 80 is added to the object 10 at a rate of Q(m 3 / min) into the first cleaning tank 20 from the outlet 61 (S12). 3), the time from when the ultrapure water HW starts to be discharged until the first cleaning tank 20 is filled with water is V / Q (min). In other words, V / Q (min) corresponds to the time required to replace the ultrapure water HW in the first cleaning tank 20. Note that the process (S11) of placing the object to be cleaned 10 inside the first cleaning tank 20 and the process (S20) of discharging the ultrapure water HW supplied from the ultrapure water production system 80 are carried out as follows: 3 The order of this step and the step (S12) of discharging the cleaning agent from the discharge port 61 into the first cleaning tank 20 at a flow rate of 1 / min can be reversed.
[0016] The first cleaning tank 20 does not have an outlet like the outlet 35 of the second cleaning tank 30. Therefore, after the first cleaning tank 20 becomes full, the ultrapure water HW overflows from the upper end 21 of the first cleaning tank 20. As shown in FIG. 1 , the second cleaning tank 30 is disposed below the first cleaning tank 20, and therefore the ultrapure water HW overflowing from the upper end 21 of the first cleaning tank 20 flows into the second cleaning tank 30. At this time, the flow rate of the ultrapure water HW overflowing from the first cleaning tank 20 into the second cleaning tank 30 is also Q (L / min). Note that to prevent the ultrapure water HW from overflowing from the second cleaning tank 30, a portion of the ultrapure water HW that has flowed into the second cleaning tank 30 flows out from the outlet 35. The ultrapure water HW that flows out from the outlet 35 is recovered by a recovery mechanism (not shown) and supplied to the ultrapure water production system 80 as raw ultrapure water for reuse.
[0017] Next, the ultrasonic vibrator 40 is driven to apply ultrasonic vibrations to the object 10 to be cleaned (S13). As described above, since the first cleaning tank 20 is made of plastic, ultrasonic waves propagating through the ultrapure water HW filled in the second cleaning tank 30 can pass through the first cleaning tank 20 and reliably reach the object 10 placed inside the first cleaning tank 20. Furthermore, since ultrasonic vibrators 40 are respectively disposed on the bottom surface 32 and two orthogonal portions of the side surface 33 of the second cleaning tank 30, ultrasonic waves can be applied to the object 10 to be cleaned from multiple directions (here, three directions). Note that two ultrasonic vibrators 40 can also be disposed on the side surface 33 so as to face each other. However, compared to applying ultrasonic vibrations to the object 10 to be cleaned from directions facing each other, applying ultrasonic vibrations to the object 10 to be cleaned from orthogonal directions as in this embodiment can reduce unevenness in the intensity of the ultrasonic vibrations.
[0018] While applying ultrasonic vibrations, the particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20 is measured using the particle counter 50 (S14). As described above, in this specification, particles refer to fine particles with a particle diameter of 0.2 μm or more. In this embodiment, the particle counter 50 detects the concentration of fine particles with a particle diameter of 0.2 μm or more. Needless to say, measurement of the particle concentration P can be started before applying ultrasonic vibrations. Alternatively, as a cleaning procedure, the first cleaning tank 20 and the second cleaning tank 30 may be filled with ultrapure water HW, and then the object to be cleaned 10 may be placed in the first cleaning tank 20 and ultrasonic vibrations may be applied. In this case, the starting point of the cleaning time is the time when ultrasonic vibrations are applied. Alternatively, the first cleaning tank 20 and the second cleaning tank 30 may be filled with ultrapure water HW, and then ultrasonic vibrations may be applied, and then the object to be cleaned 10 may be placed in the first cleaning tank 20. In this case, the starting point of the cleaning time is the time when the object to be cleaned 10 is placed in the first cleaning tank 20.
[0019] FIG. 3 is an example of a graph showing the change over time in particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20, measured by the particle counter 50. The horizontal axis of the graph represents the elapsed time since measurement of particle concentration P began, and the vertical axis represents the number of particles per milliliter. Ultrasonic vibrations were applied two minutes after measurement began. Immediately after application of ultrasonic vibrations began, particle concentration P rose sharply and reached a maximum after time Tm had elapsed since application of ultrasonic vibrations began. Subsequently, particle concentration P gradually decreased, and after time Tc had elapsed since the particle concentration P reached its maximum, particle concentration P had decreased to 20% of its maximum value. In this embodiment, cleaning is determined to be complete when particle concentration P has decreased to 20% of its maximum value. In the following description, the time Tm from when application of ultrasonic vibrations began until particle concentration P reaches its maximum value is referred to as the arrival time Tm. Furthermore, the time Tc from when particle concentration P reaches its maximum until it decreases to 20% of its maximum value is referred to as the decay time Tc.
[0020] In order to shorten the time required for cleaning, it is necessary to shorten the arrival time Tm and the decay time Tc. As described above, the volume V (m 3 ) is calculated by dividing the flow rate Q(m 3 V / Q, which is the value obtained by dividing V / Q by the time required for the ultrapure water HW to be replaced (V / min), corresponds to the time required to replace the ultrapure water HW in the first cleaning tank 20. According to the inventors' findings, the smaller V / Q, the shorter the arrival time Tm and decay time Tc. This is because it is believed that by reducing V / Q, particles detached from the object to be cleaned 10 can be quickly discharged out of the first cleaning tank 20. It is believed that this prevents particles from remaining in the first cleaning tank 20 and prevents particles from re-adhering to the object to be cleaned 10.
[0021] Furthermore, according to the findings of the inventors, the greater the shear force caused by the flow of ultrapure water HW on the surface of the object 10 to be cleaned (hereinafter simply referred to as the shear force on the surface), the shorter the arrival time Tm and the decay time Tc. This is because increasing the shear force on the surface of the object 10 to be cleaned can rapidly detach particles from the object 10 to prevent the detached particles from reattaching to the surface. If one were to simply increase the shear force, it would be possible to reduce the opening area of the outlet 61 and increase the pressure of the flow of ultrapure water HW. However, in such a case, the area that the flow of ultrapure water HW can reach at one time would be narrowed, and it would take longer to clean the entire surface. Furthermore, reducing the opening area of the outlet 61 would reduce the flow rate Q, which would increase the above-mentioned V / Q.
[0022] Therefore, in the present invention, particles are not removed solely by the shear force of the ultrapure water HW flow, but by simultaneously applying ultrasonic vibrations. Because of the assistance of ultrasonic vibrations, particles can be sufficiently removed even when the average shear force τ on the cleaning surface is relatively small. [Example]
[0023] The present invention will be further described below using examples and comparative examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples and comparative examples described below. In both the examples and comparative examples described below, an ultrasonic vibrator with a frequency of 150 kHz and an output of 1000 W was used as the ultrasonic vibrator 40. A liquid particle counter (KS42-A) manufactured by Rion Corporation was used as the particle counter 50. The measurement range was set to 0.2 μm or more, and the concentration of fine particles with a particle diameter of 0.2 μm or more was measured.
[0024] [Example 1] In Example 1, a cylindrical first cleaning tank 20 having dimensions of Φ710 mm x 240 mm was used. The volume V of the first cleaning tank 20 was 0.09497 m 3The object to be washed 10 was a cylindrical alumina ceramic with an outer diameter of 416 mm, an inner diameter of 400 mm, and a height of 100 mm. The flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW was 0.08 m 3 / min (80 L / min). V / Q in Example 1 was 1.19 min. The temperature of the ultrapure water HW was 20°C.
[0025] Under these conditions, the average shear force τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 was calculated using fluid analysis software (STAR-CCM+ manufactured by SIEMENS), and the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface (inner peripheral surface) of the object 10 was found to be 0.09 Pa. Furthermore, when the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, the arrival time Tm was 3 minutes and the decay time Tc was 30 minutes.
[0026] [Example 2] In Example 2, a cylindrical first cleaning tank 20 with dimensions of Φ600 mm × 300 mm was used. The volume V of the first cleaning tank 20 was 0.08478 m 3 The object to be washed 10 was a cylindrical alumina ceramic with an outer diameter of 380 mm, an inner diameter of 365 mm, and a height of 100 mm, which was curved and divided into four parts along a cutting line passing through the center. The flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW was 0.08 m 3 / min (80 L / min). V / Q in Example 2 was 1.06 min. The temperature of the ultrapure water HW was 20°C.
[0027] Under these conditions, the average shear force τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface (inner peripheral surface) of the object 10 was found to be 0.16 Pa. As in Example 1, the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, and the arrival time Tm was 2 minutes and the decay time Tc was 18 minutes.
[0028] [Example 3] In Example 3, a first cleaning tank 20 having the same shape as in Example 2 was used. A disk-shaped metal substrate with a thermal spray coating of yttria, having a diameter of 320 mm and a height of 30 mm, was used as the cleaning object 10. The flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW was 0.04 m3 / min (40 L / min). V / Q in Example 3 was 2.12 min. The temperature of the ultrapure water HW was 20°C.
[0029] Under these conditions, the average shear stress τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and was found to be 0.25 Pa. Furthermore, when the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, the arrival time Tm was 3 minutes and the decay time Tc was 20 minutes.
[0030] [Example 4] In Example 4, a first cleaning tank 20 having the same shape as in Example 1 was used. The object to be cleaned 10 was an alumina ceramic having the same shape as in Example 1 (cylindrical shape with an outer diameter of 416 mm, an inner diameter of 400 mm, and a height of 100 mm). The flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW was 0.12 m 3 / min (120 L / min). V / Q in Example 4 was 0.79 min. The temperature of the ultrapure water HW was 20°C.
[0031] 4, as the fluid control member 90, a first fluid control member 92 (a cylindrical member having an outer diameter of 500 mm, an inner diameter of 450 mm, and a height of 200 mm) was placed outside the outer peripheral surface of the object to be washed 10, and a second fluid control member 94 (a cylindrical member having an outer diameter of 360 mm, an inner diameter of 100 mm, and a height of 200 mm) was placed inside the inner peripheral surface of the object to be washed 10. The inner peripheral surface of the first fluid control member 92 and the outer peripheral surface of the object to be washed 10 were arranged parallel to each other. Similarly, the outer peripheral surface of the second fluid control member 94 and the inner peripheral surface of the object to be washed 10 were arranged parallel to each other.
[0032] Under these conditions, the average shear stress τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and was found to be 0.27 Pa. Furthermore, when the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, the arrival time Tm was 1.5 min and the decay time Tc was 20 min.
[0033] [Example 5] In Example 5, a first cleaning tank 20 having the same shape as that in Example 2 was used. A cylindrical alumina ceramic object 10 having an outer diameter of 416 mm, an inner diameter of 400 mm, and a height of 100 mm was used. The flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW was 0.01 m 3 / min (10 L / min). V / Q in Example 5 was 8.48 min. The temperature of the ultrapure water HW was 20°C.
[0034] Under these conditions, the average shear force τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 to be cleaned was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface (inner peripheral surface) of the object 10 to be cleaned was 0.42 Pa. As in Example 1, the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, and the arrival time Tm was 5 minutes and the decay time Tc was 43 minutes. Note that in Example 5, although the flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW was smaller than in the other Examples, a higher average shear stress τ was obtained than in the other Examples. This is thought to be because the flow rate of the ultrapure water HW is higher on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder.
[0035] [Example 6] In Example 6, the flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW is 0.03 m 3 / min (30 L / min), the V / Q in Example 6 is the same as in Example 3. V / Q in Example 6 is 2.83 min. Under these conditions, the average shear stress τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface (inner peripheral surface) of the object 10 was 0.22 Pa. As in Example 1, the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, and the arrival time Tm was 5 min and the decay time Tc was 35 min.
[0036] [Comparative Example 1] In Comparative Example 1, the flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW is 0.02 m 3 / min (20 L / min). V / Q in Comparative Example 1 is the same as in Example 1. Under these conditions, the average shear stress τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface (inner peripheral surface) of the object 10 was found to be 0.03 Pa. As in Example 1, the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, and the arrival time Tm was 6 min and the decay time Tc was 110 min.
[0037] Comparative Example 2 Comparative Example 2 was the same as Example 1, except that the object 10 to be cleaned was held in the first cleaning tank 20 at an angle of 45°. V / Q in Comparative Example 2 was 1.19 min. Under these conditions, the average shear stress τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 to be cleaned was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface (inner peripheral surface) of the object 10 to be cleaned was 0.05 Pa. As in Example 1, the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, and the arrival time Tm was 6 min and the decay time Tc was 60 min.
[0038] Comparative Example 3 In Comparative Example 3, the flow rate Q of the ultrapure water HW was 0.005 m 3 / min (5 L / min). V / Q in Comparative Example 3 is the same as in Example 2. Under these conditions, the average shear stress τ acting on the cleaning surface of the object 10 was calculated using the same procedure as in Example 1, and the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface (inner peripheral surface) of the object 10 was found to be 0.10 Pa. As in Example 1, the particle concentration in the first cleaning tank 20 during cleaning was measured in real time, and the arrival time Tm was 6 min and the decay time Tc was 90 min.
[0039] <Summary of Examples and Comparative Examples> FIG. 5 shows a table summarizing the results of Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 described above. In the column V / Q≦10 min in the table of FIG. 5, a circle indicates a case where the value of V / Q is 10 min or less, and a cross indicates a case where the value of V / Q is greater than 10 min. In addition, in the column τ≧0.09 Pa, a circle indicates a case where the average shear stress τ is 0.09 Pa or more, and a cross indicates a case where the average shear stress τ is less than 0.09 Pa. As can be seen from a comparison between Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, the volume V (m ) of the first cleaning tank 20 was adjusted so that V / Q was 10 min or less and the average shear stress τ was 0.09 Pa or more. 3 ), the flow rate Q(m of ultrapure water HW flowing into the first cleaning tank 20 3 / min) and the position of the object to be washed 10 (for example, tilt, etc.), it was possible to reduce the arrival time Tm to 5 min or less and the decay time Tc to 45 min or less.
[0040] <Effects of the embodiment> In the above embodiment, the ultrapure water HW is discharged from the discharge port 61 into the first cleaning tank 20, thereby generating shear force due to the water flow of the ultrapure water HW. Furthermore, the particle removal capability is enhanced by applying ultrasonic vibration from the ultrasonic vibrator 40. As described above, the volume V (m 3 ) is calculated by dividing the flow rate Q(m 3 The volume V (m ) of the first cleaning tank 20 is set so that V / Q, which is the value obtained by dividing the volume V by the volume Q (m ), is 10 min or less, and the average shear stress τ acting on the cleaning surface is 0.09 Pa or more. 3 ), the flow rate Q(m of ultrapure water HW flowing into the first cleaning tank 20 3 By adjusting the volume V (m 2 ) of the first cleaning tank 20, the total of the arrival time Tm and the decay time Tc is 50 min or less, and the position of the object 10 to be cleaned is adjusted. 3 ), the flow rate Q(m of ultrapure water HW flowing into the first cleaning tank 20 3 / min), the position of the object 10, etc. can be easily adjusted even for a relatively large object 10 or an object 10 having a curved cleaning surface. Therefore, the cleaning method of this embodiment can also be used to clean a relatively large object 10 or an object 10 having a curved cleaning surface.
[0041] In the above embodiment, the particle counter 50 is used to measure the particle concentration P (the concentration of particles having a size of 0.2 μm or more) in the first cleaning tank 20 while the object 10 is being cleaned. Cleaning can be terminated when it is confirmed that the particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20 has sufficiently decreased, so the object 10 can be cleaned reliably. Furthermore, since the particle concentration P can be measured in real time using the particle counter 50, the time required to complete cleaning can be shortened compared to a batch cleaning method in which the particle concentration P is measured after cleaning for a certain period of time and re-cleaning is performed as necessary.
[0042] In the above embodiment, the time Tm from the start of cleaning the object 10, i.e., from the start of applying ultrasonic vibrations while discharging the ultrapure water HW into the first cleaning tank 20 while the object 10 is immersed in the ultrapure water HW, until the particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20 reaches its maximum, can be set to 5 minutes or less. This allows the time until the cleaning is completed to be shortened.
[0043] In the above embodiment, the decay time Tc from when the particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20 reaches its maximum until the particle concentration P decreases to 20% of the maximum value can be set to 45 minutes or less, thereby shortening the time until the cleaning is completed.
[0044] In the above embodiment, for example, the cylindrical object to be washed 10 (surface area: approximately 25622 cm ) used in Examples 1 and 4 was 2 ) and the curved object 10 used in Example 2 (surface area: approximately 584.8 cm 2 ) like 500cm 2It was possible to clean large objects 10 having the above surface area and objects 10 having curved surfaces.
[0045] In the above embodiment, as in Example 4, a fluid control member 90 having a surface parallel to the cleaning surface of the cleaning object 10 is arranged to face the cleaning surface of the cleaning object 10 at a predetermined distance. By arranging the fluid control member 90 in this manner, it is possible to control the flow of the ultrapure water HW discharged into the first cleaning tank 20 and increase the average shear stress τ on the cleaning surface. This makes it possible to enhance the particle removal effect.
[0046] In the above embodiment, the ultrasonic vibrator 40 was disposed on the bottom surface 32 of the second cleaning tank 30. This allowed ultrasonic vibrations to be applied to the object 10 from the vertical direction 5 intersecting with the bottom surface 32. Furthermore, the ultrasonic vibrator 40 was disposed on the side surface 33 of the second cleaning tank 30. This allowed ultrasonic vibrations to be applied to the object 10 from the horizontal direction 6 intersecting with the side surface 33. By applying ultrasonic vibrations from two orthogonal directions in this way, the effect of removing particles from the cleaning surface due to the water flow of ultrapure water HW can be improved even when the average shear force τ on the cleaning surface is relatively small.
[0047] The parameter τ / (V / Q) (Pa·min) shown in the table of FIG. 5 is a parameter that takes into consideration both the average shear stress τ and V / Q. The larger the value of τ / (V / Q), the more effective it is at removing particles from the cleaning tank while maintaining the particle removal effect. In the above embodiment, as in Examples 1 to 6, it was possible to achieve τ / (V / Q)≧0.05 Pa·min. This made it possible to reliably remove particles from the cleaning surface while quickly removing them from the first cleaning tank 20, thereby shortening the time required for cleaning.
[0048] <Modification form> The above-described embodiment is merely illustrative and may be modified as appropriate. For example, the shapes and dimensions of the first cleaning tank 20 and the second cleaning tank 30 are not limited to those of the above-described embodiment and may be any shape and dimension. For example, the first cleaning tank 20 and the second cleaning tank 30 may be rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the first cleaning tank 20 is made of plastic in consideration of the transmittance of ultrasonic waves. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and a cleaning tank made of any material may be used as long as ultrasonic waves can pass through it.
[0049] In the above embodiment, one of the three ultrasonic vibrators 40 is disposed on the bottom surface 32 of the second cleaning tank 30, and the remaining two ultrasonic vibrators are disposed on the side surfaces 33 facing each other. The present invention is not limited to such disclosure, and the number and arrangement of the ultrasonic vibrators 40 can be set as desired. For example, one ultrasonic vibrator 40 may be disposed in the second cleaning tank 30 so that ultrasonic waves are applied to the object 10 from one direction, or multiple ultrasonic vibrators 40 may be disposed in the second cleaning tank 30 so that ultrasonic waves are applied to the object 10 from three or more intersecting directions.
[0050] In the above embodiment, the particle counter 50 measures the particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20 in real time, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. The particle counter 50 may measure the particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank 20 intermittently (for example, every few seconds).
[0051] In the above-described embodiment, the ultrapure water HW was adjusted to a temperature of 20°C. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and ultrapure water HW at a temperature higher than 20°C or lower than 20°C can be used. It is known that the viscosity of ultrapure water HW increases as the temperature decreases. For example, the viscosity of ultrapure water at 20°C is 1.0016 mPa·s, while the viscosity of ultrapure water at 15°C is 1.1378 mPa·s, and the viscosity of ultrapure water at 10°C is 1.3064 mPa·s. Increasing the viscosity of ultrapure water HW increases the average shear force τ on the cleaning surface, even when the ultrapure water HW is supplied to the first cleaning tank 20 at the same flow rate Q. Therefore, using ultrapure water HW adjusted to a temperature of 15°C or lower increases the average shear force τ on the cleaning surface, compared to using ultrapure water HW adjusted to a temperature of 20°C, thereby shortening the cleaning time.
[0052] In the above embodiment, a polyvinyl chloride pipe (φ50 mm) with a tip cut at a 45° angle was used as the discharge port 61. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the shape of the discharge port 61 can be adjusted as desired depending on the shape of the surface to be cleaned of the object to be cleaned 10. For example, when cleaning the inner surface of a thin cylindrical object to be cleaned 10, a resin tube with an outer diameter of 12 mm and an inner diameter of 10 mm can be used as the discharge port 61.
[0053] The method for cleaning a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment member described in the above embodiment can be incorporated into a method for manufacturing a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment member. In other words, the method for manufacturing a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment member can use the method for cleaning a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment member described in the above embodiment as part of the cleaning process.
[0054] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments and modifications thereof, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope of the above description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.
[0055] The order of execution of each process in the manufacturing method shown in the specification and drawings is not particularly specified, and the processes may be executed in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a subsequent process. For convenience, even if a description is made using "first," "next," etc., it does not mean that the processes must be executed in this order. [Explanation of symbols]
[0056] 10 Washing 20 First cleaning tank 30 Second cleaning tank 40 Ultrasonic transducer 50 Particle Counter 60 Discharge part 100 Ultrapure Water Cleaning System
Claims
1. A method for cleaning a cylindrical member for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the cylindrical member including ceramics, and including an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface as cleaning surfaces, comprising: disposing the first cleaning tank inside a second cleaning tank having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the first cleaning tank; disposing an ultrasonic vibrator inside the second cleaning tank and outside the first cleaning tank; placing the cylindrical member in the first cleaning tank; applying ultrasonic vibrations to the members in the first cleaning tank by the ultrasonic vibrator while flowing ultrapure water into the first cleaning tank so that an inflow flow rate of the ultrapure water is discharged outside the first cleaning tank, and cleaning the cylindrical member by disposing the fluid control members, including a first fluid control member having a first surface parallel to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and a second fluid control member having a second surface parallel to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member, inside the first cleaning tank so that the inner circumferential surface and the first surface face each other with a gap therebetween and the outer circumferential surface and the second surface face each other with a gap therebetween, The volume V (m 3 ) and the inflow flow rate of ultrapure water Q (m 3 / min) and V / Q≦10 min and the average shear stress τ (Pa) acting on the cleaning surface of the cylindrical member is τ≧0.09 Pa 1. A method for cleaning ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment members, comprising:
2. 2. The method for cleaning a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment member according to claim 1, further comprising measuring a particle concentration P (number of particles / mL) in the first cleaning tank when cleaning the cylindrical member.
3. the time Tm (min) from when cleaning of the cylindrical member is started until the particle concentration P (number of particles / mL) in the first cleaning tank reaches a maximum value, Tm≦5 min 3. A method for cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing equipment member comprising the ceramic according to claim 1 or 2, which satisfies the above condition.
4. a decay time Tc (min) from when the particle concentration P (number of particles / mL) in the first cleaning tank reaches a maximum value until the particle concentration P in the first cleaning tank decays to 20% of the maximum value, Tc≦45 min A method for cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing equipment member containing the ceramic according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which satisfies the above.
5. The surface area of the cylindrical member is 500 cm 2 The method for cleaning a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning surface of the cylindrical member has a curved surface.
6. A method for cleaning components for semiconductor manufacturing equipment containing ceramics described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ultrasonic vibration is applied to the cylindrical component from a first direction intersecting the bottom surface of the first cleaning tank and a second direction intersecting the side surface of the first cleaning tank.
7. A method for cleaning components for semiconductor manufacturing equipment containing ceramics described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the temperature of the ultrapure water flowing into the first cleaning tank is less than 15°C.
8. The volume V (m 3 ) of the first cleaning tank, the inflow flow rate Q (m 3 / min) of the ultrapure water, and the average shear stress τ (Pa) acting on the cleaning surface of the member τ / (V / Q)≧0.05 Pa・min A method for cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing equipment member comprising the ceramic according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which satisfies the above.
9. A method for manufacturing a ceramic-containing semiconductor manufacturing equipment component, comprising: A method for manufacturing a member for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, comprising cleaning the cylindrical member by the cleaning method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
Citation Information
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