Cleaning device

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a cleaning apparatus that can properly position a substrate storage container while a rotating stage is rotating. The cleaning apparatus includes: a cleaning treatment tank for cleaning the substrate storage container; and a container holding part for holding and rotating the substrate storage container. The container holding part includes: a rotating stage for holding the substrate storage container; and a container fixing part disposed on the rotating stage, which fixes the substrate storage container when the rotating stage is rotating. When the rotating stage is stopped, the container fixing part does not contact the substrate storage container. When the rotating stage is rotating, a portion of the container fixing part contacts 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 apparatus for a substrate storage container for storing substrates such as semiconductor wafers. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the semiconductor device manufacturing process, front-opening unified pods (FOUPs) or front-opening shipping boxes (FOSBs) are used as containers for storing semiconductor wafers. During the storage of semiconductor wafers, these containers sometimes become contaminated, necessitating periodic cleaning. Typically, a wafer cleaning apparatus places the wafer container on a rotating stage and sprays cleaning fluid while the stage rotates. The wafer container on the rotating stage is positioned by multiple locking components provided on the stage. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-109523 [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The size or shape of the wafer storage container sometimes varies depending on the type or purpose of the container. In this case, it is sometimes impossible to properly position the wafer storage container according to the size or shape of the wafer storage container, and the locking member cannot be used. If the rotating stage is rotated in this state, the position of the wafer storage container is uncertain, which may cause large vibrations in the cleaning device or the wafer storage container to fall off.

[0005] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus that can appropriately position a substrate storage container during the rotation of a rotating stage. [Technical 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 part for holding and rotating the substrate storage container, the container holding part including: a rotating platform for placing the substrate storage container; and a container fixing part disposed on the rotating platform, which fixes the substrate storage container when the rotating platform is rotating, and when the rotating platform is stopped, the container fixing part does not contact the substrate storage container, and when the rotating platform is rotating, a portion of the container fixing part contacts the substrate storage container due to the centrifugal force acting on the rotating platform.

Implementation Method

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

[0009] In the specification and claims of this application, "upper" refers to the direction moving vertically away from the mounting surface of the cleaning device (e.g., the floor of a factory) when the cleaning device is set up for normal use, and "lower" refers to the opposite direction to "upper". In addition, "inner side" refers to the direction closer to the center of the cleaning device, and "outer side" refers to the opposite direction to "inner side".

[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, and also include a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate storage container for storing other substrates such as glass substrates and intermediate masks.

[0011] [Structure of Cleaning Apparatus 10] FIG1 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of the cleaning apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The cleaning apparatus 10 is disposed, for example, in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing plant, to clean used wafer storage containers. The cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes a housing 100, a loading port 200, a conveying mechanism 300, a disassembly / connection stage 400, a cleaning processing unit 500, a drying processing unit 600, an unloading port 700, and a control unit 800. However, the structure of the cleaning apparatus 10 is not limited to the example described above; some of the components shown in FIG1 may be omitted, and other components may be added.

[0012] The housing 100 serves as a frame protecting the cleaning device 10. The housing 100 houses the aforementioned conveying mechanism 300, disassembly / connection platform 400, cleaning processing unit 500, and drying processing unit 600. On the other hand, the loading port 200 and unloading port 700 are provided spanning both the interior and exterior of the housing 100. Regarding the control unit 800, an example shown in FIG1 is disposed inside the housing 100, but it can also be disposed outside the housing 100.

[0013] The loading port 200 is a component for moving the wafer storage container 900, which is the object to be cleaned, into the interior of the cleaning apparatus 10. The wafer storage container 900 is, for example, a FOUP or FOSB. The wafer storage container 900 is initially placed in the portion of the loading port 200 located outside the housing 100. When the loading gate 110 provided in the housing 100 is opened, the wafer storage container 900 moves to the portion of the loading port 200 located inside the housing 100. The movement of the wafer storage container 900 is performed, for example, by a conveying device such as a slide conveyor (not shown). Afterward, the loading gate 110 is closed, and the loading of the wafer storage container 900 is completed.

[0014] The conveying mechanism 300 is a component that conveys the wafer storage container 900 to various components. The conveying mechanism 300 includes a conveying arm 310 and a gripper 320. While the wafer storage container 900 is gripped by the gripper 320, the conveying mechanism 300 moves the conveying arm 310 to extend, retract, or rotate to convey the wafer storage container 900 to various components. The conveying mechanism 300 is also referred to as a conveying robot.

[0015] The decomposition / connection stage 400 is an assembly that decomposes the wafer storage container 900 into a container body (also referred to as a shell) and a cover (also referred to as a door), or connects the container body and the cover. The wafer storage container 900, which is transported from the loading port 200 by the transfer mechanism 300, is decomposed into a container body and a cover while being fixed on the decomposition / connection stage 400. In addition, the wafer storage container 900, which has undergone drying treatment by the drying treatment unit 600 described later, is transported from the drying treatment unit 600 to the decomposition / connection stage 400 by the transfer mechanism 300, and the container body and the cover are connected again on the decomposition / connection stage 400.

[0016] The cleaning processing unit 500 is an element that performs cleaning processing on the wafer storage container 900. Although not shown in the figure, the cleaning processing unit 500 includes a cleaning solution reservoir for storing cleaning solution. Regarding the wafer storage container 900, which is to be cleaned, the container body and the cover are separately transported from the disassembly / connection stage 400 and held in the cleaning processing unit 500 in a separated state. For example, the container body of the wafer storage container 900 is held inside the cleaning processing tank of the cleaning processing unit 500, and the cover of the wafer storage container 900 is held inside the cleaning processing unit 500 with the cover portion installed in the cleaning processing unit 500. As will be described later, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the container body is cleaned in the cleaning processing tank and the cover portion is cleaned, but it is not limited to this example, and the container body and the cover portion may also be cleaned in separate cleaning processing tanks. Alternatively, if only the container body is moved into the cleaning device 10 without the lid installed, it is not necessary to separate the container body and the lid during the cleaning process; the container body can be cleaned in the cleaning tank alone.

[0017] As described below, the cleaning processing unit 500 is configured as a container body capable of holding 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 cleaning is performed while cleaning fluid is blown onto the rotating container body. Detailed structure and operation of the cleaning processing unit 500 will be described later.

[0018] The cleaning processing unit 500 includes a drying component for temporary drying (generally removing water droplets adhering to the surface of the wafer storage container 900), enabling the drying process of the cleaned wafer storage container 900. As described above, the interior of the cleaning processing unit 500 is a rotatable structure, thus, by increasing the rotation speed, a rotational drying process can be performed on the cleaned wafer storage container 900. Furthermore, the cleaning processing unit 500 can supply heated drying air to its interior; by performing rotational drying while blowing drying air, water droplets adhering to the wafer storage container 900 can be generally removed. The container body and lid of the wafer storage container 900, after temporary drying, are separately transferred to the drying processing unit 600.

[0019] The drying processing unit 600 is a component for performing a drying process (formal drying) on ​​the wafer storage container 900 by means of reduced pressure drying. The drying processing unit 600 is configured to hold the wafer storage container 900 inside and has airtightness to form a reduced pressure environment (vacuum environment) inside. Similar to the cleaning processing unit 500, the container body and the cover of the wafer storage container 900 are respectively held inside the drying processing unit 600 and are respectively subjected to drying processing. Although not shown in the figure, the drying processing unit 600 includes an exhaust device (e.g., an exhaust pump) for reducing internal pressure and forming a reduced pressure environment.

[0020] After the wafer storage container 900 is held inside the drying processing unit 600, it is placed in a reduced-pressure environment to perform a drying process (reduced-pressure drying). Specifically, reduced-pressure drying is performed by reducing the pressure inside the drying processing unit 600 after the wafer storage container 900 is placed inside the drying processing unit 600. Water droplets and other moisture adhering to the surface of the wafer storage container 900 under reduced-pressure environment disappear due to vaporization and are dried.

[0021] After the drying process of the wafer storage container 900 in the drying process unit 600 is completed, the wafer storage container 900 returns to the disassembly / connection stage 400, and the container body and the cover are connected again. The wafer storage container 900, with the container body and the cover connected, is transported to the unloading port 700 by the conveying mechanism 300.

[0022] The unloading port 700 is a component for removing the wafer storage container 900 to the outside of the cleaning apparatus 10. The wafer storage container 900 is initially placed in the portion of the unloading port 700 located inside the housing 100. When the removal gate 120 provided in the housing 100 is opened, the wafer storage container 900 moves to the portion of the unloading port 700 located outside the housing 100. Afterward, the removal gate 120 is closed, and the removal of the wafer storage container 900 is completed.

[0023] The control unit 800 controls the operation of the cleaning apparatus 10. The control unit 800 includes an arithmetic unit 810 and a storage device 820. The arithmetic unit 810 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The storage device 820 is, for example, read-only memory (ROM). In the control unit 800, the operation of each component of the cleaning apparatus 10 is controlled by reading and executing the control program 821 stored in the storage device 820. The control program 821 includes command groups for performing various processes such as cleaning, drying, and transfer. The components constituting the control unit 800 are not limited to those shown in FIG1. ​​For example, the control unit 800 may also include other components such as a large storage device such as a hard disk for storing various data or a communication interface for communicating with an external network.

[0024] [Structure of Cleaning Processing Unit 500] FIG2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the cleaning processing unit 500 in the cleaning apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. The cleaning processing unit 500 includes a cleaning processing tank 510, a cover 520, a container holding part 530, a rotation drive part 540, cleaning nozzles 551 to 553, and drying nozzles 561 to 563. However, the structure of the cleaning processing unit 500 shown in FIG2 is only one example and is not limited to the example described therein. For example, the cleaning processing unit 500 may also be provided with other components such as a rotation detector for detecting the rotation speed of the rotating stage 532 described later, and an analysis device for measuring the internal state of the cleaning processing tank 510 (e.g., the drying state of the wafer storage container 900). In addition, the drying nozzles 561 to 563 may be omitted.

[0025] The cleaning tank 510 is a frame that forms a space for cleaning the container body 910 (shown as dashed lines in FIG2) of the wafer storage container 900. As will be described later, a part of the container holding part 530 (rotating stage 532, container fixing part 533, etc.), or cleaning nozzles 551 to 553 and drying nozzles 561 to 563, etc., are disposed inside the cleaning tank 510.

[0026] The cover portion 520 functions not only as a cover for sealing the cleaning treatment tank 510, but also as a retainer for holding the cover body 920 (shown as a dashed line in FIG. 2) of the wafer storage container 900. In other words, the cover portion 520 functions as a frame forming a space for cleaning the cover body 920 of the wafer storage container 900. The cover portion 520 includes a cover body retainer 521 and a rotation drive 522.

[0027] The cover holding portion 521 has the function of holding the cover 920 of the wafer storage container 900 and rotating it during cleaning. The cover holding portion 521 includes a rotating shaft portion 521a, a rotating support portion 521b, and a holding portion 521c. The rotating support portion 521b is configured to be connected to the rotating shaft portion 521a, which is supported by the rotating drive portion 522, and is capable of rotating at a predetermined rotational speed. The cover 920 is held in the rotating support portion 521b by a plurality of holding portions 521c provided in the rotating support portion 521b. Thus, the cover 920, which is held inside the cover portion 520, is held in a position to rotate by the rotating support portion 521b. As will be described later, when the cleaning process begins, the cover 920 also rotates along with the rotation of the rotating support portion 521b. The cover 920 is cleaned by the supply of cleaning fluid from the cleaning nozzle 552 while rotating.

[0028] The container holding part 530 has the function of holding the container body 910 and rotating it during cleaning of the container body 910 of the wafer storage container 900. The container holding part 530 includes a rotation shaft part 531, a rotation stage 532, a container fixing part 533, and a balance adjustment part 534. The container body 910 is moved in from above the cleaning processing tank 510, as shown in FIG2, and is placed on the rotation stage 532 with the opening for storing the substrate (the side with the cover 920) facing downward.

[0029] The rotating stage 532 is configured to be connected to the rotating shaft 531, which is supported by the rotating drive unit 540, and is capable of rotating at a predetermined rotational speed. The rotating stage 532 is a quadrilateral with chamfered corners when viewed from above. A cleaning nozzle 553 and a drying nozzle 563 are fixedly disposed independently of the rotating stage 532 at its center. As described later, the cleaning nozzle 553 is a nozzle for supplying cleaning fluid for cleaning the container body 910 from the inside. The drying nozzle 563 is a nozzle for supplying heated drying air for drying the container body 910 from the inside. The cleaning fluid supplied to the cleaning nozzle 553 and the drying air supplied to the drying nozzle 563 are supplied via piping provided inside the cylindrical member constituting the rotating shaft 531. Furthermore, the shape of the rotating stage 532 is not limited to the above shape and may also be circular or polygonal. For example, the ideal 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 the weight balance is not lost when the rotating stage 532 rotates.

[0030] In addition to functioning as a stage for holding the container body 910 of the wafer receiving container 900 that is moved in from above the cleaning tank 510, the rotary stage 532, as described above, also has the function of rotating the container body 910. The rotary stage 532 has a plurality of drain holes 532a and a movement limiting part 532b (see Figure 3) that restricts the movement of the container body 910 in the horizontal direction (strictly speaking, the direction of the centrifugal force when the rotary stage 532 rotates). Furthermore, a container fixing part 533 and a balance adjustment part 534 are installed on the rotary stage 532. Details about the rotary stage 532, the container fixing part 533 and the balance adjustment part 534 will be described later.

[0031] Cleaning nozzles 551 to 553 are nozzles that supply cleaning fluid to the container body 910 during cleaning. For ease of explanation, simplified illustrations are provided, but cleaning nozzles 551 to 553 have a structure in which multiple discharge holes are provided in the cylindrical member. Cleaning fluid supplied to the inside of the cylindrical member at a certain pressure is discharged from each discharge hole. In Figure 2, only the nozzle portion (the rod-shaped portion with discharge holes) is shown; in reality, each cleaning nozzle 551 to 553 is installed inside the cleaning treatment tank 510 by a support member or the like. Cleaning fluid is supplied to each cleaning nozzle 551 to 553 from a cleaning fluid storage tank (not shown) located outside the cleaning treatment 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 platform 532, thus supplying cleaning fluid to the entire side of the container body 910 by supplying cleaning fluid from the cleaning nozzle 551. The cleaning nozzle 552 supplies cleaning fluid toward the bottom surface of the container body 910 (the surface facing the cleaning nozzle 552 in FIG. 2) and the cover 920. Therefore, a plurality of discharge holes provided in the cleaning nozzle 552 are positioned facing both the container body 910 and the cover 920. The cleaning nozzle 553 supplies cleaning fluid to the inside of the container body 910 as described above. Similarly, in this case, since the container body 910 rotates during the cleaning process, cleaning fluid is supplied to the entire inside of the container body 910 by supplying cleaning fluid from the cleaning nozzle 553.

[0033] Although not shown in the figure, one end of the cleaning nozzle 552 is connected to a rotatable support member extending in the vertical direction. Therefore, when the support member rotates, the cleaning nozzle 552 rotates and moves in an arc shape around the support member. With this structure, when the container body 910 is moved into the cleaning treatment tank 510, the cleaning nozzle 552 can be moved to a position that does not obstruct the movement of the container body 910, and during cleaning, the cleaning nozzle 552 can be moved above the container body 910.

[0034] Drying nozzles 561 to 563 are nozzles that supply heated dry air to the container body 910 after cleaning. Similar to cleaning nozzles 551 to 553, drying nozzles 561 to 563 have a structure in which multiple ejection holes are provided in a cylindrical member. Dry air supplied to the inside of the cylindrical member at a certain pressure is ejected from each ejection hole. In FIG2, only the nozzle part (the rod-shaped part with ejection holes) is shown, but in reality, each drying nozzle 561 to 563 is installed inside the cleaning tank 510 by a support member or the like. Dry air is supplied to each drying nozzle 561 to 563 from a gas cylinder or the like (not shown) located outside the cleaning tank 510 via piping or the like (not shown).

[0035] Drying nozzle 561 supplies drying air from the side of container body 910. During the rotary drying process after cleaning, container body 910 rotates due to the rotation of the rotating platform 532, thus the entire side of container body 910 is dried by supplying drying air from drying nozzle 561. Drying nozzle 562 supplies drying air toward the bottom surface of container body 910 and cover 920. Therefore, a plurality of nozzles provided in drying nozzle 562 are positioned facing both container body 910 and cover 920. Drying nozzle 563 supplies drying air to the inside of container body 910 as described above. Similarly, in this case, since container body 910 rotates during rotary drying, the entire inside of container body 910 is dried by supplying drying air from drying nozzle 563.

[0036] Although not shown in the figure, the drying nozzle 562 has the same structure as the cleaning nozzle 552, and can rotate in an arc shape by rotating a rotatable support member (not shown). That is, when the container body 910 is moved into the cleaning treatment tank 510, the drying nozzle 562 can be moved to a position that does not obstruct the movement, and during the rotary drying process, the drying nozzle 562 can be moved above the container body 910.

[0037] [Structure of Container Holding Part 530] FIG3 is a plan view schematically showing the structure of the container holding part 530 in the cleaning apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG3, a holding region HA for holding the wafer receiving container 900 is provided on the rotating stage 532. The plurality of drain holes 532a are arranged in the region inside the holding region HA. The plurality of drain holes 532a are through holes for discharging downward the liquid (cleaning fluid or pure water) that falls onto the rotating stage 532 during the cleaning process of the container body 910. In the example shown in FIG3, eight drain holes 532a are shown, but the number of drain holes 532a is not limited to the example shown.

[0038] In the region outside the holding area HA, the movement restriction part 532b, container fixing part 533, and balance adjustment part 534 described above are arranged. That is, the structure is such that when the container body 910 is placed on the rotating platform 532, multiple movement restriction parts 532b, container fixing parts 533, and balance adjustment parts 534 are arranged to surround the container body 910. At this time, the positions of the movement restriction parts 532b, container fixing parts 533, and balance adjustment parts 534 are ideally arranged considering the operation path of the gripper 320 (see Figure 1) of the conveying mechanism 300 used to move the container body 910 in and out. Since the gripper 320 grips a part of the container body 910 (e.g., the flange portion) to move the container body 910, it is ideal that the movement restriction part 532b, container fixing part 533, and balance adjustment part 534 are not arranged near the gripped part of the gripper 320. For example, in the rotating stage 532 shown in FIG3, the flange portion is located on the left side of FIG3. Corresponding to the position of the flange portion, the container fixing portion 533 is provided in two locations on the left side of the container body 910, which is represented by a rectangle in terms of the holding area HA, avoiding the center where the flange is provided, and one location is provided on the right side at the center.

[0039] As described above, the movement restriction part 532b has the function of restricting the movement of the container body 910 in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the movement restriction part 532b of this embodiment includes a pin-shaped protruding member 532ba that protrudes upward from the rotating stage 532. When cleaning begins and the rotating stage 532 rotates, a centrifugal force is applied to the container body 910, which rotates together with the rotating stage 532, and the center of gravity of the container body 910 may sometimes become off-center. This is because the shape of the container body 910 or the position of its center of gravity varies depending on the type of wafer storage container 900. In addition, a gap is provided between the movement restriction part 532b and the container body 910. The gap is provided with consideration of the following: the size of the container body 910 may vary depending on the type of wafer storage container 900; or even wafer storage containers 900 of the same type may have individual differences. Alternatively, the gap is provided to prevent interference between the movement restriction part 532b and 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 container body 910 may sometimes rotate towards the eccentric direction and move horizontally due to centrifugal force. The movement restriction part 532b is provided to limit this horizontal movement of the container body 910 during rotation.

[0040] In this embodiment, a movement limiting part 532b is provided at a position slightly outward from the holding area HA to prevent it from becoming an obstacle when the container body 910 is placed on the rotating platform 532. Therefore, even if the center of gravity of the container body 910 becomes off-center and the container body 910 moves in the horizontal direction, the movement of the container body 910 can be limited by the contact between the container body 910 and the protruding member 532ba.

[0041] The container fixing part 533 has the following function: to prevent the container body 910 from tilting due to the eccentricity of its center of gravity when centrifugal force is applied to the container body 910 along with the rotation of the rotating stage 532. The surface of the wafer storage container 900 that serves as the bottom surface (the surface facing the surface where the flange portion is provided) has the greatest weight when the substrate is stored. This is because a base member is provided on the bottom surface to maintain the levelness of the wafer storage container 900 itself, so that the substrate is kept level within the wafer storage container 900. In the cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment, as described above, the substrate is placed on the rotating stage 532 with the opening for storing the substrate (the surface where the cover 920 is installed) facing downwards, therefore the right side of the rotating stage 532 shown in FIG3 becomes heavier. When the rotating platform 532 and container body 910 rotate in this state, the center of gravity of the container body 910 becomes eccentric, or the center of gravity of the rotating platform 532 and container body 910 as a whole becomes eccentric. Therefore, if the rotation continues in this state, the container body 910 may eventually tilt in the direction of the eccentric center of gravity due to centrifugal force, causing one side of the container body 910 to float off the rotating platform 532. As mentioned above, the movement limiting part 532b restricts the movement of the container body 910 in the horizontal direction and cannot cope with the upward floating of the container body 910, i.e., the vertical movement. In contrast, the container fixing part 533 prevents the container body 910 from tilting or floating relative to the rotating platform 532 by physically pressing the container body 910. The detailed structure of the container fixing part 533 will be described later.

[0042] The balance adjustment unit 534 is a part used to adjust the imbalance that occurs when the rotating platform 532 rotates. Specifically, the balance adjustment unit 534 functions as a counterweight to correct the shift in the center of gravity of the rotating platform 532 caused by the installation of the container fixing part 533 on the rotating platform 532. As described later, the container fixing part 533 includes a counterweight, and the weight or arrangement of these components can cause the center of gravity of the rotating platform 532 to shift. Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, the balance adjustment unit 534 is provided at a position symmetrical to the container fixing part 533 with reference to the rotation axis of the rotating platform 532 to adjust the imbalance that occurs when the rotating platform 532 rotates.

[0043] The balance adjustment unit 534 can be any component, as long as it functions as a counterweight, and can be made of metal components (lead, tungsten, steel, etc.). As a metal component, one or more components capable of achieving the specified weight can be used, and there are no particular restrictions on its shape. To enable the balance adjustment unit 534 to function as a counterweight for the container fixing unit 533, the weight of the counterweight constituting the balance adjustment unit 534 is preferably the same as the weight of the counterweight included in the corresponding container fixing unit 533. If the balance adjustment unit 534 is composed of multiple metal plates, it can be fixed to the rotating platform 532 using bolts or other fastening components. In this case, the weight can be adjusted arbitrarily by varying the number of metal plates.

[0044] [Structure of Container Fixing Part 533] FIG4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the container fixing part 533 in the cleaning apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. Specifically, FIG4 is a view of the container fixing part 533 viewed 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 counterweight part 44. In the example shown in FIG4, the container fixing part 533 is configured to cooperate with the cutout part 532c of the rotating platform 532.

[0045] The support portion 41 is a component for supporting the rotating portion 43 and is configured to be mounted on the rotating platform 532. The support portion 41 includes a first support portion 41a and a second support portion 41b for supporting the rotating shaft portion 42. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG3, the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b are connected to each other, forming a U-shaped integral structure in plan view. However, it is not limited to the above example, and the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b may also be separated. Although not shown in FIG4, the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b can be detachably mounted on the mounting surface 532d of the rotating platform 532 using fastening members such as bolts. However, it is not limited to the above example, and the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b may also be fixed to the mounting surface 532d using adhesives or other fixing means.

[0046] The rotating shaft portion 42 is composed of a cylindrical or cylindrical member supported on the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b. In other words, the rotating shaft portion 42 is mounted between the first support portion 41a and the second support portion 41b. The rotating shaft portion 42 is configured to rotate about a direction intersecting the rotation axis of the rotating platform 532 (i.e., the rotation axis of the rotating shaft portion 531). Specifically, the rotating portion 43 supported on the rotating shaft portion 42 swings at its second end 43b in directions approaching and moving away from the rotation axis of the rotating platform 532. That is, the rotating shaft portion 42 is arranged parallel to the tangent of the concentric circle centered on the rotation axis of the rotating platform 532 (i.e., orthogonal to the radial direction relative to the rotation axis of the rotating platform 532). More specifically, the rotating shaft portion 42 is arranged parallel to the side of the rectangular holding area HA set on the rotating platform 532 corresponding to the position where the container fixing portion 533 is arranged. The rotating shaft 42 is connected to the rotating part 43 and functions as the rotating shaft when the rotating part 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 supported by the first support part 41a and the second support part 41b to be able to rotate, so the rotating part 43 becomes a structure that can rotate together with the rotating shaft part 42. At this time, as shown in FIG4, since the rotating shaft part 42 is connected to the center of the rotating part 43, the lower end (first end 43a) and the upper end (second end 43b) of the rotating part 43 move in opposite directions.

[0048] A counterweight 44 is detachably mounted at the first end 43a of the rotating part 43. In the example shown in FIG4, an example of the counterweight 44 being composed of a single component is shown, but it is not limited to this example, and the counterweight 44 can also be composed of multiple components (e.g., multiple metal plates). The counterweight 44 can be adjusted arbitrarily by being designed as a whole or a part that can be detached.

[0049] The weight of the counterweight 44 is set taking into account 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 calculated based on the offset (eccentricity) of the center of gravity of the container body 910 relative to the rotation center of the rotating stage 532 and the rotational speed (angular velocity) of the rotating stage 532, and the weight of the counterweight 44 is determined by taking into account the magnitude of the calculated centrifugal force. Alternatively, the lateral load when the container body 910 begins to tilt due to centrifugal force can be measured by actually rotating the rotating stage 532 at a predetermined rotational speed while the container body 910 is mounted, and the weight exceeding the measured lateral load (e.g., more than 3 times the weight) can be set as the weight of the counterweight 44.

[0050] In the example shown in FIG4, the rotating part 43 is designed to overlap with the cutout 532c provided on the rotating platform 532 when viewed from above. 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 platform 532. That is, the counterweight 44 installed on the rotating part 43 is also located below the mounting surface 532d. By configuring the container fixing part 533 in conjunction with the cutout 532c in this way, the length of the portion of the rotating part 43 below the rotating shaft part 42 can be designed without being limited by the rotating platform 532. As a result, the moment of inertia applied to the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 can be increased even without drastically increasing the weight of the counterweight 44. Furthermore, the rotating part 43 can also be configured on the rotating platform 532 without providing the cutout 532c. In this case, ideally, when the rotating part 43 is configured such that its first end 43a is located lower than the mounting surface 532d, sufficient distance is ensured between the rotating part 43 and the rotating platform 532 to avoid interference between the rotating part 43 and the rotating platform 532 during rotation. Additionally, in this case, the weight of the counterweight 44 can be further increased compared to when the cutout portion 532c is provided, and the container body 910 can be pressed using the second end 43b of the rotating part 43, just as with the cutout portion 532c.

[0051] [Operation of Container Fixing Part 533] Figures 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the container fixing part 533 in the cleaning apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. Figure 5A shows the state before the cleaning process begins, with the container body 910 arranged on the rotary table 532. Figure 5B shows the state after the cleaning process is performed, with the container body 910 arranged on the rotary table 532.

[0052] As shown in FIG5A, when the rotating platform 532 is in a stopped state, the container fixing part 533 does not contact the container body 910, and the rotating part 43 remains in a generally upright state. That is, when the rotating platform 532 is stopped, it becomes such that, due to the weight of the counterweight 44, the rotating part 43 extends in the vertical direction (up and down direction) in a manner that is approximately orthogonal to the mounting surface 532d of the rotating platform 532. More specifically, the rotating part 43 is configured to rotate clockwise until the position of the center of gravity, including the counterweight 44, reaches a position directly below the rotating shaft part 42, at which point the rotating part 43 comes into contact with the abutment part (not shown), thereby stopping in a vertical state. The abutment part may, for example, be the innermost edge of the cut part 532c (the edge closest to the holding area HA). Therefore, when the container body 910 is moved in from above (open side) of the cleaning treatment tank 510 and placed in the holding area HA, the container fixing part 533 does not obstruct the movement.

[0053] As described above, in top view, the rotating part 43 and the counterweight part 44 are located inside the cutout 532c provided on the rotating platform 532. In this embodiment, as described above, the rotating part 43 can be maintained in a substantially upright state by the abutment part (not shown). However, it is not limited to the above example, and it may also be configured such that the rotation of the rotating part 43 is stopped when the counterweight part 44 is located directly below the rotating shaft part 42 without the abutment part.

[0054] When the container body 910 is placed in the holding area HA of the rotating stage 532, the cleaning process begins, and the rotating stage 532 rotates at a predetermined speed. At this time, as shown in FIG5B, centrifugal force is applied to the counterweight 44 of the container fixing part 533, and as indicated by the arrow, the first end 43a of the rotating part 43 moves outward (away from the rotation center of the rotating stage 532). Conversely, the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 moves inward (closer to the rotation center of the rotating stage 532). As a result, the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 comes into contact with a part of the container body 910 (in the example shown in FIG5B, the side of the container body 910).

[0055] In the state shown in FIG. 5B, a force is applied to the container body 910 in an obliquely downward direction by the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 of the container fixing part 533. Therefore, even if the center of gravity of the container body 910 becomes eccentric during the rotation of the rotating platform 532 as described above, resulting in a force that causes the container body 910 to tilt, the downward pressing of the container body 910 by the container fixing part 533 can prevent the container body 910 from floating (tilting).

[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 platform 532, the weight of the counterweight 44, the distance from the rotating shaft 42 to the counterweight 44, the distance from the rotating shaft 42 to the second end 43b, and the weight of the rotating part 43. Furthermore, 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 platform 532, the weight of the container body 910, the height of the center of gravity of the container body 910, and the offset (eccentricity) of the center of gravity of the container body 910 relative to the rotational center of the rotating platform 532. In this embodiment, when designing the container fixing part 533, these parameters are comprehensively considered to estimate the centrifugal force acting on the container body 910 when the rotating container body 910 begins to tilt. 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 press the container body 910 with a force exceeding the centrifugal force acting on the container body 910.

[0057] Furthermore, in the examples shown in Figures 5A and 5B, an example is shown where the rotating part 43, which serves as the container fixing part 533, presses against the side of the container body 910, but this is not limited to such an example. For example, it is also possible to configure the second end 43b of the rotating part 43 to abut against the upward-facing surface when the container body 910 has an upward-facing surface (e.g., surface 910a shown in Figures 5A and 5B). In this case, the container fixing part 533 can press the container body 910 with a downward force, thus more effectively preventing the container body 910 from floating.

[0058] As explained above, the cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment has a container fixing part 533 installed on the rotating platform 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 apart from the holding area HA of the rotating platform 532, it does not obstruct the placement of the container body 910 on the rotating platform 532. That is, when the rotating platform 532 is in a stopped state, the container fixing part 533 does not contact the container body 910. On the other hand, when the cleaning process begins and the rotating platform 532 is rotating, the rotating part 43 of the container fixing part 533 rotates and comes into contact with the container body 910 due to the centrifugal force acting on the counterweight 44. By having the rotating part 43 contact the container body 910, the rotating container body 910 is prevented from floating up or falling off the rotating platform 532 due to centrifugal force.

[0059] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the cleaning process is performed while the container body 910 is rotated, the container body 910 can be appropriately positioned with a simple structure. In addition, during the rotary drying process, the higher the rotation speed of the rotating platform 532, the greater the force of the container fixing part 533 pressing the container body 910, so the rotation speed can also be increased to shorten the time required for the rotary drying process.

[0060] (Modification 1) The container fixing part 533 shown in FIG4 illustrates an example where the upper end (second end 43b) of the rotating part 43 is only the end of the columnar member, but is not limited to the example. The second end 43b may also have a structure that protrudes inward (towards the container body 910).

[0061] FIG6A is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the container fixing part 533-1 in a modified example of the cleaning device 10 of the first embodiment. In the example shown in FIG6A, the second end of the rotating part 43-1 has a protrusion 43-1b that protrudes toward the container body 910. By providing this structure, as shown in FIG6A, the protrusion 43-1b hooks onto the upward-facing surface 910a of the container body 910, thereby more effectively preventing the container body 910 from floating.

[0062] Furthermore, since a portion of the rotating part 43-1 protrudes toward the container body 910, compared to the case without the protrusion 43-1b, even with a reduced rotational speed of the rotating part 43, the protrusion 43-1b can still contact the container body 910. That is, the structure shown in FIG6A is effective in the following situations: suppressing the rotational speed of the rotating stage 532 during cleaning, suppressing the center of gravity eccentricity of the container body 910, or reducing the weight of the counterweight 44.

[0063] FIG6B is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the container fixing part 533-2 in a modified example of the cleaning apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. In the example shown in FIG6B, 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 structure, even when cleaning the container body 910 whose upward-facing surface 910a is lower than that in FIG6A, the second protrusion 43-2c can be hooked onto the upward-facing surface 910a, thereby preventing the container body 910 from floating. By providing multiple protrusions (first protrusion 43-2b and second protrusion 43-2c) in the rotating part 43-2, it is possible to accommodate wafer storage containers of various shapes.

[0064] The example shown in FIG. 6B illustrates a structure with a first protrusion 43-2b and a second protrusion 43-2c, but more than three protrusions may also be provided. Furthermore, the positions of each protrusion may be variable. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 6B, the structure may be such that the position of the second protrusion 43-2c in the long side direction of the rotating part 43-2 can be changed to any position. In this case, by changing the position of the second protrusion 43-2c to a suitable position according to the shape of the container body 910, the upward floating of the container body 910 can be prevented more effectively.

[0065] (Modification 2) In this embodiment, an example is shown where a counterweight made of a metal component or the like is used as the balance adjustment part 534. However, this is not limited to this example; a container fixing part 533 may be used instead of the balance adjustment part 534. That is, the imbalance that occurs when the rotating platform 532 rotates can be adjusted without the balance adjustment part 534 by utilizing the arrangement of the container fixing part 533 on the rotating platform 532 or the weight of the counterweight 44 provided on the container fixing part 533. In this case, for example, other container fixing parts 533 for balance adjustment can be provided at positions symmetrical to the container fixing part 533, with the rotation axis of the rotating platform 532 as a reference, and the weight of the counterweight 44 provided on each container fixing part 533 can be made the same, thereby adjusting the imbalance during rotation.

[0066] <Second Embodiment> In this embodiment, an example is described in which the structure of the container fixing part is different from that of the first embodiment. The basic structure of the cleaning device in this embodiment is the same as that of the cleaning device 10 in the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the parts with different structures will be described with attention. Regarding structures that are the same as those in the cleaning device 10 of the first embodiment, repeated descriptions are sometimes omitted by using the same symbols.

[0067] Figures 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams showing the structure of the container fixing part 533-3 in the cleaning apparatus of 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 where the counterweight part 44 is installed).

[0068] As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, compared to the container fixing part 533 of the first embodiment, the support part 41-3 of the container fixing part 533-3 of this embodiment is longer in the vertical direction (up and down direction), and the position of the rotating shaft part 42 is higher. Specifically, in the container fixing part 533-3, the position of the rotating shaft part 42 in the vertical direction is closer to the center of gravity of the container body 910. In addition, since the position of the rotating shaft part 42 is set high, even if the rotating part 43-3 is lengthened, the rotating part 43-3 can be arranged entirely above the rotating platform 532 without the need to provide the cutout part 532c shown in Figure 4 on the rotating platform 532.

[0069] In the examples shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the rotating part 43-3 has a generally U-shaped cross-section and is configured to cover the support part 41-3 from the rear side. Therefore, although the figures are omitted, similar to the first embodiment, when centrifugal force is applied to the counterweight part 44, the rotating part 43-3 rotates about the rotating shaft part 42 as the center of rotation and comes into contact with the container body 910.

[0070] In this embodiment, a protrusion 41-3a is provided on the back side of the support portion 41-3. Therefore, when the rotating platform 532 is in a stopped state, the rotating portion 43-3 returns to its original position by the weight of the counterweight 44, and a portion of the rotating portion 43-3 (the portion where the counterweight 44 is provided) abuts against the protrusion 41-3a. Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 7A, the rotating portion 43-3 can remain stationary in an upright state.

[0071] In the container fixing part 533-3 of this embodiment, the rotating part 43-3 rotates at a higher position than in the example shown in the first embodiment, so the side of the container body 910 can be pressed at a position close to the center of gravity of the container body 910. That is, even if a large horizontal force is applied to the container body 910 due to the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the rotating platform 532, the upward floating (tilting) of the container body 910 can be effectively prevented because the side of the container body 910 can be pressed at a higher position.

[0072] The cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments (including variations, the same below), and appropriate modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, embodiments in which those skilled in the art appropriately add, delete, or design changes constituent elements based on the embodiments are included within the scope of the present invention as long as they possess the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the structures of the foregoing embodiments can be appropriately combined as long as they do not contradict each other, and common technical matters in the embodiments are included in the structures even if not explicitly stated.

[0073] Even if there are other effects that are different from the effects brought about by the various embodiments described above, the effects that are clear from the description in this specification or that can be easily predicted by those skilled in the art can of course be understood as the effects brought about by the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0007] FIG1 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the cleaning processing unit in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG3 is a plan view schematically showing the structure of the container holding unit in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG4 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the container fixing unit in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG5A is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the container fixing unit in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG5B is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the container fixing unit in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG6A is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the container fixing unit in a modified example of the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG6B is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the container fixing unit in a modified example of the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG7A is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the container fixing unit in the cleaning apparatus of the second embodiment. FIG7B is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the container fixing unit in the cleaning apparatus of the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning treatment tank for cleaning a substrate storage container; and a container holding portion for holding and rotating the substrate storage container, the container holding portion comprising: a rotating platform for placing the substrate storage container; and a container fixing portion disposed on the rotating platform for fixing the substrate storage container when the rotating platform is in a rotating state, the container fixing portion comprising a rotating portion including a first end on which a counterweight is mounted and a second end located above the first end; and a rotating shaft portion located between the first end and the second end, the rotating shaft being a direction parallel to the tangent of a concentric circle centered on the rotation axis of the rotating platform, wherein when the rotating platform is in a stopped state, the second end is located at a position spaced apart from the substrate storage container, and when the rotating platform is in a rotating state, the rotating portion is rotated by changing the position of the counterweight using centrifugal force acting on the counterweight, thereby causing the second end to contact a portion of the substrate storage container.

2. The cleaning apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein, The container fixing part further includes a support part, which is mounted on the rotating platform and supports the rotating shaft part so that it can rotate.

3. The cleaning apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein, The first end is located below the mounting surface of the support portion on the rotating platform.

4. The cleaning apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The counterweight is installed in a manner that allows it to be detached from the first end, either as a whole or in part.

5. The cleaning apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The rotating part has a protrusion that protrudes toward the side where the substrate storage container is disposed, located closer to the second end than the rotating shaft part.

6. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The protrusion is provided in multiple parts.

7. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The position of the protrusion can be changed along the long side of the rotating part.

8. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further includes a balance adjustment unit disposed on the rotating platform for adjusting the imbalance of the rotating platform during rotation.

9. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein, The balance adjustment unit is positioned symmetrically to the container fixing unit, with the rotation axis of the rotating platform as the reference.

10. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The balance adjustment unit includes a counterweight of the same weight as the counterweight of the container fixing unit located at the symmetrical position.

11. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The substrate storage container is a wafer storage container.

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