Drainage device, wafer cleaning equipment, and control method for drainage device

Abstract

This invention provides a drainage device, a wafer cleaning equipment, and a control method for the drainage device. The drainage device includes: a recovery container; a first fluid pipeline, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber of the wafer cleaning equipment, and the other end of which is connected to the inlet of the recovery container; a second fluid pipeline, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber, and the other end of which is connected to a fluid processing device; a switching component for selectively controlling the on / off state of the first fluid pipeline and the second fluid pipeline; and a negative pressure device connected to the outlet of the recovery container, used to extract gas from the recovery container in response to the switching component controlling the first fluid pipeline to disconnect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically, to a drainage device, a wafer cleaning equipment, and a control method for the drainage device. Prior Technology

[0002] Current semiconductor manufacturing commonly employs wet cleaning to process wafers. After wet cleaning, a wafer drying process is needed to remove residual water from the wafer surface. The wafer drying process typically uses a vacuum pump to extract gas from the cleaning chamber to create a negative pressure environment. Utilizing the principle of low-pressure drying, isopropanol vapor (IPA) on the wafer surface evaporates rapidly, achieving the drying purpose.

[0003] In related technologies, the vacuum pump is usually started to extract the gas in the cleaning chamber only after the cleaning solution draining process in the cleaning chamber is completed. Extracting the gas to create the expected negative pressure environment in the cleaning chamber takes a certain amount of time, which means that the wafer has to wait a long time before drying, which is not conducive to the drying of the wafer surface. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a drainage device, a wafer cleaning equipment and a control method for the drainage device, so as to improve the problem of excessively long negative pressure environment formation time.

[0005] To achieve the objectives of this invention, a drainage device is provided for use in a wafer cleaning equipment. The drainage device includes: a recovery container; a first fluid pipeline, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber of the wafer cleaning equipment, and the other end of which is connected to the inlet of the recovery container; a second fluid pipeline, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber, and the other end of which is connected to a fluid processing device; a switching component for selectively controlling the on / off state of the first fluid pipeline and the second fluid pipeline; and a negative pressure device connected to the outlet of the recovery container, for extracting gas from the recovery container in response to the switching component controlling the first fluid pipeline to disconnect.

[0006] In some embodiments, the drainage device further includes a controller, and the switching component is configured to selectively control the on / off state of the first fluid line and the second fluid line under the control of the controller.

[0007] In some embodiments, the drainage device further includes a third fluid line, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber and the other end of which is connected to the negative pressure device. The switching component is further configured to selectively control the on / off state of the third fluid line under the control of the controller.

[0008] In some embodiments, the drainage device further includes a fourth fluid line, one end of which is connected to the outlet of the recovery container and the other end of which is connected to the negative pressure device, wherein the switching component is further configured to selectively control the on / off state of the fourth fluid line under the control of the controller.

[0009] In some embodiments, the drainage device further includes a fifth fluid line, one end of which is connected to the inlet of the cleaning chamber and the other end of which is connected to the negative pressure device. The switching component is also used to selectively control the on / off state of the fifth fluid line under the control of the controller.

[0010] In some embodiments, the switching component includes a first on / off valve and a second on / off valve, wherein the first on / off valve is located in the first fluid pipeline; the second on / off valve is located in the second fluid pipeline; and the controller is configured to open the second on / off valve and close the first on / off valve in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank in the cleaning chamber.

[0011] In some embodiments, the switching assembly further includes a third on / off valve, wherein the third on / off valve is disposed in the third fluid line; the controller is configured to open the third on / off valve in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber, and to close the third on / off valve in response to completion of drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber.

[0012] In some embodiments, the switching assembly further includes a fourth on / off valve, wherein the fourth on / off valve is disposed in the fourth fluid line; the controller is configured to open the fourth on / off valve in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank in the cleaning chamber, and / or to close the fourth on / off valve in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber.

[0013] In some embodiments, the switching assembly further includes a fifth on / off valve, wherein the fifth on / off valve is disposed in the fifth fluid line; the controller is configured to close the fifth on / off valve in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank in the cleaning chamber, and / or to open the fifth on / off valve in response to the drying of the wafer in the cleaning chamber; and the controller is further configured to close the fifth on / off valve in response to the completion of the drying of the wafer in the cleaning chamber.

[0014] As another technical solution, the present invention also provides a wafer cleaning device, which includes a cleaning chamber, a cleaning tank, a support device and the above-mentioned drainage device, wherein the cleaning tank is disposed in the cleaning chamber and the support device is used to support the wafer.

[0015] In some embodiments, the wafer cleaning apparatus further includes: a shielding assembly disposed between the circumferential inner wall of the cleaning chamber and the circumferential outer wall of the cleaning tank, for preventing atomized or sputtered particles of the cleaning solution below the shielding assembly from reaching above the shielding assembly, the shielding assembly having a fluid channel for allowing gas above the shielding assembly to pass through.

[0016] In some embodiments, the shielding assembly includes: a first shielding member disposed on the circumferential outer wall of the cleaning tank and extending circumferentially along the cleaning tank; and a second shielding member disposed on the circumferential inner wall of the cleaning chamber and extending circumferentially along the cleaning chamber, wherein the orthographic projection of the first shielding member on a radial section of the cleaning chamber at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the second shielding member on a radial section of the cleaning chamber, and the first shielding member and the second shielding member are spaced apart in the vertical direction to form the fluid channel.

[0017] In some embodiments, in the vertical direction, the first shielding member is located above the second shielding member and close to the opening of the cleaning tank, and the upper surface of the first shielding member is inclined downward along the direction away from the circumferential outer wall of the cleaning tank.

[0018] As another technical solution, the present invention also provides a control method for a drainage device, applied to the aforementioned drainage device. The control method includes: responding to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank in the cleaning chamber, controlling the second fluid pipeline to be connected through the switching component, and controlling the first fluid pipeline to be disconnected, so as to discharge the cleaning solution overflowing into the cleaning chamber into a fluid processing device; and extracting gas from the recovery container through the negative pressure device, so as to create a negative pressure environment inside the recovery container.

[0019] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: responding to the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank by discharging it into the cleaning chamber, controlling the first fluid line to be connected and the second fluid line to be disconnected through the switching component, so as to discharge the cleaning solution in the cleaning chamber into the recovery container under negative pressure.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber, controlling the connection of the third fluid pipeline via the switching component, and extracting gas from the cleaning chamber via the negative pressure device.

[0021] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber, controlling the connection of the fourth fluid line and the fifth fluid line via the switching component.

[0022] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: The drainage device provided by this invention includes a recovery container, a first fluid line, a second fluid line, a switching component, and a negative pressure device. One end of the first fluid line is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber of a wafer cleaning equipment, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the recovery container. One end of the second fluid line is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber of the wafer cleaning equipment, and the other end is connected to a fluid processing device. The switching component is used to selectively control the on / off state of the first and second fluid lines. The negative pressure device is connected to the outlet of the recovery container and is used to extract gas from the recovery container in response to the switching component controlling the first fluid line to disconnect. While introducing cleaning solution into the cleaning chamber, the switching component can disconnect the first fluid line and connect the second fluid line to drain the cleaning solution overflowing into the cleaning chamber into the fluid processing device. While the cleaning chamber is connected to the second fluid line, the first fluid line remains disconnected, preventing communication between the cleaning chamber and the recovery container. The negative pressure device, responding to the switching assembly's control to disconnect the first fluid line, can extract gas from the recovery container, allowing it to establish the desired negative pressure environment. Furthermore, when the switching assembly disconnects the second fluid line and connects the first fluid line, linking the cleaning chamber to the negative pressure recovery container, the cleaning chamber can quickly discharge the cleaning solution into the negative pressure recovery container.

[0023] The wafer cleaning equipment provided by this invention includes a cleaning chamber, a cleaning tank, a support device, and the aforementioned drainage device. The cleaning tank is disposed in the cleaning chamber, and the support device is used to support the wafer. Thus, while the cleaning solution is introduced into the cleaning tank within the cleaning chamber, a switching component can control the connection of a second fluid line and the disconnection of a first fluid line to drain the overflowing cleaning solution into the fluid processing device. While the cleaning chamber is connected to the second fluid line, the first fluid line remains disconnected, preventing communication between the cleaning chamber and the recovery container. The negative pressure device, responding to the switching component's control of the first fluid line disconnection, can extract gas from the recovery container, allowing it to establish the desired negative pressure environment beforehand. Furthermore, when the wafer is removed from the cleaning tank, the switching component disconnects the second fluid line and connects the first fluid line, connecting the cleaning chamber to the negative pressure recovery container, allowing the cleaning solution to be quickly drained into the recovery container.

[0024] The control method for the drainage device provided by this invention utilizes the aforementioned drainage device. It includes simultaneously introducing cleaning solution into the cleaning tank within the cleaning chamber, while a switching component controls the connection of a second fluid line and the disconnection of a first fluid line to drain the cleaning solution overflowing into the cleaning chamber into a fluid processing device. Simultaneously, while the cleaning chamber is connected to the second fluid line, a negative pressure device responds by controlling the disconnection of the first fluid line through the switching component to extract and recover gas from the recovery container, thereby creating a negative pressure environment inside the recovery container. During this process, because the first fluid line remains disconnected, the recovery container establishes the expected negative pressure environment in advance. Furthermore, when the wafer is removed from the cleaning tank, the switching component controls the disconnection of the second fluid line and the connection of the first fluid line, connecting the cleaning chamber and the recovery container, which is under negative pressure, allowing the cleaning solution to be quickly drained into the recovery container. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wafer cleaning apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of the drainage device provided in an embodiment of the present invention when the second fluid pipeline is connected, wherein the pipeline disconnected by the drainage device in this example is not shown; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an example of the drainage device provided in an embodiment of the present invention when the first fluid pipeline is connected, wherein the pipeline disconnected by the drainage device in this example is not shown; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an example of the drainage device provided in an embodiment of the present invention when the third fluid pipeline is connected, wherein the pipeline disconnected by the drainage device in this example is not shown; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of the drainage device provided in an embodiment of the present invention when the fifth fluid pipeline is connected, wherein the pipeline disconnected by the drainage device in this example is not shown; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the cleaning chamber of the wafer cleaning equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the cleaning chamber of the wafer cleaning equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a top view of the cleaning chamber of the wafer cleaning equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of moving a wafer into or out of the wafer cleaning apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a wafer being cleaned in a wafer cleaning apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a wafer drying process in a wafer cleaning apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the control method of the drainage device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0026] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the drainage device, wafer cleaning equipment, and control method of the drainage device provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise specified, singular expressions may include plural concepts.

[0028] Furthermore, the terms “first”, “second”, etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance or order.

[0029] Furthermore, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other arbitrarily.

[0030] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 together. This embodiment of the invention provides a drainage device 30, which is applied to a wafer cleaning equipment 1. The wafer cleaning equipment 1 mainly includes a cleaning chamber 10, a fluid supply device 20, and a drainage device 30, which are used for wet cleaning and drying of wafers W.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the cleaning chamber 10 includes, for example, a chamber body 100 and a sealing cover 101 disposed on the top of the chamber body 100, for sealing the internal space of the cleaning chamber 10 during cleaning to form a sealed space. The sealing cover 101 is configured to be openable and closable to open or close the cleaning chamber 10. When the sealing cover 101 is open, the wafer W can be moved into or out of the cleaning chamber 10 from the top of the cleaning chamber 10. The cleaning chamber 10 includes, for example, a drain port 102 disposed at the bottom of the chamber body 100. The drain port 102 can communicate with a drain device 30 to discharge fluid in the cleaning chamber 10 to the drain device 30. The discharged fluid includes, for example, cleaning solutions for cleaning the wafer W, gases (such as air, inert gases), displacement media, etc. The wafer cleaning equipment 1 also includes a cleaning tank 11. A cleaning tank 11 is disposed within the cleaning chamber 10 to hold the cleaning solution and the wafer W during the cleaning process. The size of the cleaning tank 11 allows the wafer W to be completely immersed in the cleaning solution. A cleaning tank drain valve 110 is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank 11 to discharge the cleaning solution into the cleaning chamber 10. The cleaning tank 11 is also provided with a cleaning tank inlet pipe section 111, which is connected to the inlet 105 of the cleaning chamber 10 to receive the cleaning solution from the fluid supply device 20.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the fluid supply device 20 includes, for example, an inert gas supply line 21, a displacement medium supply line 23, and a cleaning solution supply line 25. The inert gas supply line 21 communicates with the internal space of the cleaning chamber 10 via an inert gas inlet 22, supplying inert gas from an inert gas source into the cleaning chamber 10. The displacement medium supply line 23 communicates with the internal space of the cleaning chamber 10 via a displacement medium inlet 24, supplying displacement medium from a displacement medium source into the cleaning chamber 10. Through the Marangoni effect, the displacement medium can displace water molecules on the surface of the cleaned wafer W. The displacement medium is, for example, isopropanol vapor (IPA). The cleaning solution supply line 25 communicates with the cleaning tank inlet section 111 to supply cleaning solution to the cleaning tank 11.

[0033] The drainage device 30 provided in this embodiment of the invention is applied to the wafer cleaning equipment 1 described above. Referring to Figures 1 to 6, the drainage device 30 includes a recovery container 300, a first fluid line 310, a second fluid line 320, a negative pressure device 301, and a switching assembly. One end of the first fluid line 310 is connected to the drain port 102 of the cleaning chamber 10 of the wafer cleaning equipment 1, and the other end is connected to the inlet port 302 of the recovery container 300. One end of the second fluid line 320 is connected to the drain port 102 of the cleaning chamber 10, and the other end is connected to a fluid processing device (not shown). It should be noted that the fluid processing device can be other equipment of the wafer cleaning equipment 1, or other equipment outside of the wafer cleaning equipment 1 (e.g., plant maintenance equipment). The switching assembly is used to selectively control the on / off state of the first fluid line 310 and the second fluid line 320. The negative pressure device 301 is connected to the air outlet 303 of the recovery container 300, and is used to extract gas from the recovery container 300 in response to the switching component controlling the first fluid line 310 to disconnect.

[0034] In related technologies, in order to recover the cleaning solution overflowing from the cleaning tank during the cleaning process, the cleaning chamber and the recovery container need to be kept in constant communication. This means that the vacuuming step of the negative pressure device in the cleaning chamber can only begin after the cleaning solution in the cleaning chamber has been completely drained. This results in a prolonged vacuuming process to create the desired negative pressure environment in the cleaning chamber, leading to an excessively long drying process and consequently affecting the drying efficiency and effect of the wafer. In contrast, in this embodiment, while the cleaning solution is introduced into the cleaning chamber 10, the drainage device 30 can control the second fluid line 320 to open and the first fluid line 310 to close via a switching component, so that the cleaning solution overflowing from the cleaning tank 11 into the cleaning chamber 10 is discharged into the fluid processing device through the second fluid line 320. While the cleaning chamber 10 is connected to the second fluid line 320, the first fluid line 310 remains disconnected, preventing communication between the cleaning chamber 10 and the recovery container 300. The negative pressure device 301, responding to the switching component's control to disconnect the first fluid line 310, can extract gas from the recovery container 300, allowing the recovery container 300 to establish the desired negative pressure environment in advance. Furthermore, when the switching component controls the second fluid line 320 to disconnect and the first fluid line 310 to connect, connecting the cleaning chamber 10 and the negative pressure recovery container 300, the cleaning solution can be quickly discharged into the negative pressure recovery container 300 under the influence of the pressure difference. Thus, the pressure within the cleaning chamber 10 can be rapidly reduced through pressure balancing. In some embodiments, the volume of the recovery container 300 can be larger than the volume of the cleaning tank 11 to make pressure balancing more pronounced. In other words, the larger the volume of the recovery container 300, the more significantly the pressure within the cleaning chamber 10 can be reduced through pressure balancing. In some embodiments, the negative pressure device 301 includes a vacuum pump.

[0035] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, one end of the first fluid conduit 310 can be connected to the first pipe segment L1 at the first node S1, and the first pipe segment L1 is connected to the drain port 102. Similarly, one end of the second fluid conduit 320 can also be connected to the first pipe segment L1 at the first node S1.

[0036] In some embodiments, the drainage device 30 may include a controller (not shown). A switching component is used to selectively control the on / off state of the first fluid line 310 and the second fluid line 320 under the control of the controller.

[0037] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the switching assembly may further include a first on-off valve 311 and a second on-off valve 321. The first on-off valve 311 may be located in the first fluid line 310. The second on-off valve 321 may be located in the second fluid line 320. The controller is configured to open the second on-off valve 321 and close the first on-off valve 311 in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank 11 in the cleaning chamber 10. In other words, the controller is configured to open the second on-off valve 321 and close the first on-off valve 311 simultaneously with the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank 11 in the cleaning chamber 10. In some embodiments, the switching assembly may include a multi-way valve located at the first node S1, and the controller may switch the flow direction of the multi-way valve to either the first fluid line 310 or the second fluid line 320 as needed.

[0038] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the drainage device 30 may further include a third fluid line 330. One end of the third fluid line 330 is connected to the drain port 102 of the cleaning chamber 10, and the other end is connected to the negative pressure device 301. The switching component may also be used to selectively control the on / off state of the third fluid line 330. In some embodiments, the switching component may include a third on / off valve 331. The third on / off valve 331 may be located in the third fluid line 330. One end of the third fluid line 330 may be connected to the negative pressure device 301 at the second node S2. The controller described above is used to open the third on / off valve 331 in response to drying the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10. In other words, the controller described above can be used to open the third on / off valve 331 and disconnect the first fluid line 310 and the second fluid line 320 when drying the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10. Therefore, when drying wafer W, the negative pressure device 301 can be directly switched to connect with the cleaning chamber 10 to create a high negative pressure environment in the cleaning chamber 10, thereby shortening the drying time of wafer W. The controller also closes the third on / off valve 331 in response to the completion of drying wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10. Furthermore, when introducing cleaning solution into the cleaning tank 11 in the cleaning chamber 10, the negative pressure device 301 can be connected separately to the recovery container 300 to pre-establish the desired negative pressure environment within the recovery container 300. When discharging the cleaning solution into the recovery container 300, the recovery container 300, having already established the desired negative pressure environment, can be connected to the cleaning chamber 10 to quickly create a negative pressure environment in the cleaning chamber 10, thereby facilitating rapid drainage. When drying wafer W, the negative pressure device 301 can be directly connected to the cleaning chamber 10 to directly provide a negative pressure environment to the cleaning chamber 10. In other words, the negative pressure environment in the recovery container 300 and the cleaning chamber 10 in the above steps can be achieved by the same negative pressure device 301 (e.g., a single vacuum pump), without the need to provide an additional negative pressure device, which simplifies the structure of the drainage device 30 and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0039] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the drainage device 30 may further include a fourth fluid line 340. One end of the fourth fluid line 340 is connected to the outlet 303 of the recovery container 300, and the other end is connected to the negative pressure device 301. The switching component is also used to selectively control the on / off state of the fourth fluid line 340. One end of the fourth fluid line 340 may be connected to the negative pressure device 301 at the second node S2. In some embodiments, the switching component may include a fourth on / off valve 341. The fourth on / off valve 341 may be located in the fourth fluid line 340. Thus, the recovery container 300 may be disconnected from the negative pressure device 301 by closing the fourth on / off valve 341. In some embodiments, the controller described above may be used to open the fourth on / off valve 341 in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank 11 in the cleaning chamber 10. At this time, the fourth fluid line 340 connects the recovery container 300 and the negative pressure device 301, and the negative pressure device 301 can pre-establish the expected negative pressure environment in the recovery container 300. In some embodiments, the controller described above can be used to close the fourth on / off valve 341 in response to drying the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10. At this time, the fourth fluid line 340 is disconnected, and the negative pressure device 301 can no longer create a negative pressure environment in the recovery container 300. In embodiments where the drainage device 30 includes a third fluid line 330, when the switching component opens the third fluid line 330 to connect the cleaning chamber 10 and the negative pressure device 301, the switching component switches from connecting the fourth fluid line 340 to disconnecting the fourth fluid line 340, reducing the volume of the negative pressure space from the overall volume of the cleaning chamber 10 and the recovery container 300 to the volume of the cleaning chamber 10 alone. This allows the cleaning chamber 10 to further form a high negative pressure environment without changing the operating parameters of the negative pressure device 301 (e.g., without increasing the power of the vacuum pump), so that the displacement medium can evaporate rapidly when drying the wafer W.

[0040] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the drainage device 30 may further include a fifth fluid line 350. One end of the fifth fluid line 350 is connected to the inlet 105 of the cleaning chamber 10, and the other end is connected to the negative pressure device 301. The switching component is also used to selectively control the on / off state of the fifth fluid line 350. One end of the fifth fluid line 350 may be connected to the negative pressure device 301 at the second node S2. The other end of the fifth fluid line 350 may be connected to the inlet pipe section 111 of the cleaning tank at the third node S3, in which case the cleaning solution supply line 25 is also connected to the inlet pipe section 111 of the cleaning tank at the third node S3. In some embodiments, the switching component may include a fifth on / off valve 351. The fifth on / off valve 351 may be located in the fifth fluid line 350. In some embodiments, the controller described above may be used to close the fifth on / off valve 351 in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank 11 in the cleaning chamber 10. In some embodiments, the controller described above can be used to open the fifth on / off valve 351 in response to drying the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10. In some embodiments, the controller can also be used to close the fifth on / off valve 351 in response to the completion of drying the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10. Thus, in certain scenarios, such as when it is necessary to discharge fluid (e.g., cleaning solution or gas) directly from the cleaning tank 11 without passing through the cleaning chamber 10, the fluid can be discharged to the recovery container 300 by sequentially flowing through the cleaning tank inlet pipe section 111 and the fifth fluid line 350. Furthermore, if the cleaning tank inlet pipe section 111 is configured to pass through the side wall of the cleaning chamber 10, in certain scenarios, the fluid in the cleaning chamber 10 can be discharged directly from the side of the cleaning chamber 10 through the cleaning tank inlet pipe section 111, without needing to be discharged from the bottom of the cleaning chamber 10.

[0041] The drainage device 30 of the present invention will now be further described with reference to specific examples. In this example, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, the drainage device 30 includes a first fluid conduit 310, a second fluid conduit 320, a third fluid conduit 330, a fourth fluid conduit 340, and a fifth fluid conduit 350.

[0042] As shown in Figure 2, the on / off state of the above-mentioned fluid pipelines can be set as follows: the first fluid pipeline 310 is disconnected, the second fluid pipeline 320 is connected, the third fluid pipeline 330 is disconnected, the fourth fluid pipeline 340 is connected, and the fifth fluid pipeline 350 is disconnected. In this case, the cleaning chamber 10 is isolated from the recovery container 300. The fluid in the cleaning chamber 10 can flow to the fluid processing device through the second fluid pipeline 320. The negative pressure device 301 is connected to the recovery container 300 through the fourth fluid pipeline 340 to create a negative pressure environment in the recovery container 300.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the on / off state of the above-mentioned fluid pipelines can be set as follows: the first fluid pipeline 310 is connected, the second fluid pipeline 320 is disconnected, the third fluid pipeline 330 is disconnected, the fourth fluid pipeline 340 is connected, and the fifth fluid pipeline 350 is disconnected. In this case, the cleaning chamber 10 can be connected to the recovery container 300 through the first fluid pipeline 310, and the negative pressure device 301 can be connected to the recovery container 300 through the fourth fluid pipeline 340. The negative pressure device 301 can create a negative pressure environment in the recovery container 300 and the cleaning chamber 10.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4, the on / off state of the fluid pipelines can be set as follows: the first fluid pipeline 310 is disconnected, the second fluid pipeline 320 is disconnected, the third fluid pipeline 330 is connected, the fourth fluid pipeline 340 is disconnected, and the fifth fluid pipeline 350 is disconnected. In this case, the negative pressure device 301 is connected to the cleaning chamber 10 via the third fluid pipeline 330, and the negative pressure device 301 can create a negative pressure environment in the cleaning chamber 10. It should be noted that in this case, the fluid in the recovery container 300 can be naturally discharged and the pressure in the recovery container 300 can be restored to normal pressure by connecting the exhaust pipeline 360 ​​and the drain pipeline 370. Since the time of this process is significantly shorter than the drying time of the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10, this process does not require the negative pressure device 301, and therefore will not affect the next process loop, thereby reducing the number of negative pressure devices.

[0045] As shown in Figure 5, the on / off state of the above fluid pipelines can be set as follows: the first fluid pipeline 310 is disconnected, the second fluid pipeline 320 is disconnected, the third fluid pipeline 330 is disconnected, the fourth fluid pipeline 340 is disconnected, and the fifth fluid pipeline 350 is connected. This situation is similar to that shown in Figure 4, except that the negative pressure device 301 is connected to the cleaning chamber 10 via the fifth fluid pipeline 350. It should be noted that the third fluid pipeline 330 and the fifth fluid pipeline 350 can also be connected simultaneously to increase the unit flow rate of fluid discharge; this is not a limitation.

[0046] As another technical solution, as shown in Figures 1 and 6 to 11, this embodiment of the invention also provides a wafer cleaning apparatus 1, including a cleaning chamber 10, a cleaning tank 11, a support device 12, and the aforementioned drainage device 30. The cleaning tank 11 is disposed in the cleaning chamber 10. The support device 12 is used to support the wafer W. The wafer W supported by the support device 12 can enter the cleaning tank 11 through the opening of the cleaning tank 11. Thus, while the cleaning solution is introduced into the cleaning chamber 10, the second fluid line 320 can be connected and the first fluid line 310 can be disconnected by controlling the switching component, so that the cleaning solution overflowing from the cleaning tank 11 into the cleaning chamber 10 is discharged into the fluid processing device. While the cleaning chamber 10 is connected to the second fluid line 320, the first fluid line 310 remains disconnected, preventing communication between the cleaning chamber 10 and the recovery container 300. The negative pressure device 301, responding to the switching component's control to disconnect the first fluid line 310, can extract gas from the recovery container 300, allowing the recovery container 300 to establish the desired negative pressure environment in advance. Based on this, when the switching component controls the second fluid line 320 to disconnect and the first fluid line 310 to connect, connecting the cleaning chamber 10 to the negative pressure recovery container 300, the cleaning solution can be quickly discharged into the negative pressure recovery container 300. In some embodiments, the carrier device 12 may have a lifting function to move the wafer W up and down.

[0047] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6 to 11, the wafer cleaning apparatus 1 may further include a shielding assembly 13. The shielding assembly 13 is disposed between the circumferential inner wall 104 of the cleaning chamber 10 and the circumferential outer wall 112 of the cleaning tank 11, to prevent atomized or sputtered particles of the cleaning solution below the shielding assembly 13 from reaching above the shielding assembly 13. The shielding assembly 13 has a fluid channel 130 for downward flow of gas above the shielding assembly 13. Thus, the shielding assembly 13 divides the cleaning chamber 10 into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, with the wafer W located in the upper chamber during the drying process. The cleaning solution in the cleaning tank 11 may overflow and atomize or sputter when discharged into the cleaning chamber 10. In this case, the shielding assembly 13 can prevent atomized or sputtered particles of the cleaning solution generated in the lower chamber of the cleaning chamber 10 from reaching above the shielding assembly 13, i.e., preventing them from reaching the upper chamber and contaminating the wafer W. Furthermore, when the inert gas supply line 21 and / or the replacement medium supply line 23 supply gas or other media to the cleaning chamber 10, the shielding assembly 13 causes the pressure in the upper part of the chamber to be higher than the pressure in the lower part of the chamber, thereby guiding the gas and the cleaning solution overflowing from the cleaning tank 11 to move towards the lower part of the chamber. In this case, the cleaning chamber 10 may include an exhaust line 103 provided in the lower region of the chamber, and an exhaust line valve may be provided in the exhaust line 103 to allow the gas to be discharged from the cleaning chamber 10.

[0048] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6 to 8, the shielding assembly 13 may include a first shielding member 131 and a second shielding member 132. The first shielding member 131 is disposed on the circumferential outer wall 112 (i.e., the sidewall of the cleaning tank 11) of the cleaning tank 11 and extends circumferentially (i.e., outwardly in the transverse direction of Figure 6) of the cleaning tank 11. The second shielding member 132 is disposed on the circumferential inner wall 104 (i.e., the sidewall of the cleaning chamber 10) of the cleaning chamber 10 and extends circumferentially (i.e., inwardly in the transverse direction of Figure 6) of the cleaning chamber 10. As shown in Figure 8, the orthographic projection of the first shielding member 131 on the radial section of the cleaning chamber 10 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the second shielding member 132 on the radial section of the cleaning chamber 10. In other words, in the radial section, the orthographic projection of the outer edge 1310 of the first shielding member 131 is closer to the orthographic projection of the inner wall of the cleaning chamber 10 than the orthographic projection of the outer edge 1320 (dashed line in FIG. 8) of the second shielding member 132. The first shielding member 131 and the second shielding member 132 are arranged vertically at intervals to form a fluid channel 130, which includes a channel extending laterally along the circumference of the cleaning chamber 10 or the cleaning tank 11 for gas passage. Such a fluid channel 130 can increase the airflow velocity and guide the originally disordered and chaotic airflow.

[0049] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the fluid channel 130 has a length of a ≥ 10 mm along the circumferential direction of the cleaning chamber 10 or the cleaning tank 11; and a height of b ≤ 5 mm ≤ 30 mm along the axial direction of the cleaning chamber 10 or the cleaning tank 11. Experiments have shown that a fluid channel 130 within this size range can effectively increase the airflow velocity and achieve the desired airflow direction when the airflow reaches the lower part of the cavity.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first shielding member 131 is positioned above the second shielding member 132 in the vertical direction. This arrangement ensures that even if atomized cleaning fluid generated below the shielding member 13 flows above the shielding member 13 via the fluid channel 130, the atomized fluid will flow towards the inner wall of the cleaning chamber 10 under the guidance of the fluid channel 130, moving away from the cleaning tank 11. Furthermore, the first shielding member 131 is positioned close to the opening of the cleaning tank 11, and its upper surface is inclined downwards in a direction away from the circumferential outer wall of the cleaning tank 11 (i.e., the upper surface of the first shielding member 131 is inclined outwards and downwards). This facilitates the rapid flow of cleaning fluid overflowing from the opening of the cleaning tank 11 through the fluid channel 130 to the lower part of the cleaning chamber 10 under the guidance of the inclined upper surface.

[0051] As another technical solution, as shown in Figures 9 to 12, this embodiment of the invention also provides a control method for the drainage device 30, which is applied to the aforementioned wafer cleaning equipment 1. The control method includes: Step St1: Introduce cleaning solution into the cleaning tank 11 within the cleaning chamber 10; and Step St2: In response, cleaning solution is introduced into the cleaning tank 11 in the cleaning chamber 10. The second fluid line 320 is connected by the switching component, and the first fluid line 310 is disconnected to discharge the cleaning solution overflowing into the cleaning chamber 10 into the fluid processing device. The gas in the recovery container 300 is extracted by the negative pressure device 301 to create a negative pressure environment inside the recovery container 300.

[0052] In other words, the process of introducing cleaning solution into the cleaning tank 11 within the cleaning chamber 10, connecting the second fluid line 320 and disconnecting the first fluid line 310 via the switching component, and the process of extracting gas from the recovery container 300 via the negative pressure device 301 can be performed simultaneously. During this process, since the first fluid line 310 remains disconnected, the cleaning chamber 10 and the recovery container 300 are not connected, and the negative pressure device 301 can extract gas from the recovery container 300 to allow the recovery container 300 to form the expected negative pressure environment in advance. Based on this, when the switching component controls the second fluid line 320 to disconnect and controls the first fluid line 310 to connect, so that the cleaning chamber 10 and the recovery container 300 in a negative pressure state are connected, the cleaning solution can be quickly discharged into the recovery container 300 in a negative pressure state. In some embodiments, the control method may include connecting the fourth fluid line 340 via the switching component to connect the negative pressure device 301 with the recovery container 300.

[0053] In some embodiments, the control method may further include: discharging the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank 11 into the cleaning chamber 10, controlling the first fluid line 310 to be connected via a switching component, and controlling the second fluid line 320 to be disconnected, so as to discharge the cleaning solution in the cleaning chamber 10 into the recovery container 300 which is under negative pressure. In this way, after the recovery container 300 is connected to the cleaning chamber 10, the fluid in the cleaning chamber 10 reaches the recovery container 300 through the first fluid line 310, and since the expected negative pressure environment has been formed in advance in the recovery container 300, the internal pressure of the cleaning chamber 10 can be rapidly reduced when the recovery container 300 is connected to the cleaning chamber 10, which is conducive to the flow of fluid in the cleaning chamber 10.

[0054] In some embodiments, the control method may further include: in response to drying the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10, controlling the connection of the third fluid line 330 via a switching component, and extracting gas from the cleaning chamber 10 via a negative pressure device 301. In some embodiments, the fourth fluid line 340 and the first fluid line 310 may be disconnected, thereby isolating the recovery container 300 from the cleaning chamber 10, so that the gas in the cleaning chamber 10 can be extracted separately by the negative pressure device 301, reducing the volume of the negative pressure environment and reducing the pressure of the cleaning chamber 10 more quickly.

[0055] In some embodiments, the control method may further include: in response to drying the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10, controlling the connection of the fifth fluid line 350 and the fourth fluid line 340 via a switching component to discharge residual fluid in the cleaning tank 11 through the inlet 105 of the cleaning chamber 10 (more specifically, from the cleaning tank inlet pipe section 111) under certain circumstances. Afterwards, drying of the wafer W in the cleaning chamber 10 can continue, at which point the fourth fluid line 340 can be disconnected.

[0056] The control method of the drainage device 30 in this embodiment of the invention will now be further explained by way of an example of the operation process of the wafer cleaning equipment 1. It should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, valves and other switchable structures mentioned below are in a closed / open state before and during the process. The operation process of the wafer cleaning equipment 1 includes the following steps: Step 1: As shown in Figure 9, open the sealing cover 101 and load the wafer W onto the carrier device 12. Step 2: As shown in Figure 10, operate the carrier device 12 to lower the wafer W into the cleaning tank 11 and close the sealing cover 101. Step 3: Connect the cleaning solution supply line 25 to supply water or chemical cleaning solution to the cleaning tank 11 via an external cleaning solution system to clean the wafer W. At this time, the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank 11 will submerge the wafer W and may overflow. Connect the second fluid line 320 to discharge the overflowed cleaning solution to the fluid processing device. Step 4: Keep the cleaning solution supply line 25 connected, keep the second fluid line 320 connected, and connect the inert gas supply line 21 so that the inert gas enters the cleaning chamber 10 through the inert gas inlet 22. Connect the exhaust line 103 of the cleaning chamber 10 to reduce the oxygen concentration in the cleaning chamber 10. At this time, the shielding component 13 can prevent the atomized cleaning solution from diffusing upward, and the airflow can be quickly guided to the bottom of the cleaning chamber 10 through the "U"-shaped fluid channel 130 formed by the shielding component 13. At this time, as shown in Figure 2, connect the fourth fluid line 340, and the negative pressure device 301 extracts the gas in the recovery container 300 to form a negative pressure environment. Step 5: Keep the inert gas supply line 21, the cleaning solution supply line 25, the exhaust line 103, the second fluid line 320, and the fourth fluid line 340 connected. As shown in Figure 1, connect the replacement medium supply line 23. The support device 12 lifts the cleaned wafer W, and the cleaning solution on the surface of the wafer W is replaced with the replacement medium by the Marangoni effect. At this time, the shielding component 13 can prevent the cleaning solution from splashing onto the wafer W, thereby improving the surface cleanliness of the wafer W. Step 6: Keep the exhaust pipe 103 connected and the fourth fluid pipe 340 connected. As shown in Figure 3, disconnect the inert gas supply pipe 21, the displacement medium supply pipe 23, and the cleaning solution supply pipe 25 to stop supplying fluid to the cleaning chamber 10. Disconnect the second fluid pipe 320 and connect the first fluid pipe 310. The cleaning solution in the cleaning tank 11 will flow to the cleaning chamber 10 through the cleaning tank drain valve 110 and be quickly discharged to the recovery container 300 through the drain port 102 of the cleaning chamber 10. At this time, the cleaning chamber 10 was originally under a slight positive pressure. Under the negative pressure of the recovery container 300, which is in a pre-negative pressure state, and the suction of the negative pressure device 301, the cleaning solution and gas have the power to flow to the recovery container 300. At this time, due to the rapid discharge of the cleaning solution, a large amount of splashed cleaning solution will be generated in the lower part of the cleaning chamber 10. To address this, the shielding component 13 ensures that the pressure in the upper part of the cleaning chamber 10 is greater than the pressure in the lower part. Simultaneously, the structure of the shielding component 13 effectively prevents atomized or sputtered particles of the cleaning solution from reaching the wafer W in the upper part of the chamber. After a certain period, the pressure between the cleaning chamber 10 and the recovery container 300 can quickly reach equilibrium. Therefore, when discharging the cleaning solution, there is no need to spend additional time extracting gas to create a negative pressure environment, effectively saving the pre-drying waiting time. Step 7: Keep the vent pipe 103 connected, and as shown in Figures 4 and 5, after the cleaning solution is discharged, disconnect the first fluid pipe 310 and the fourth fluid pipe 340, and connect at least one of the third fluid pipe 330 and the fifth fluid pipe 350, so that the recovery container 300 is isolated from the cleaning chamber 10 and the negative pressure device 301, and the cleaning chamber 10 and the negative pressure device 301 are directly connected. Since the negative pressure device 301 does not need to extract gas from the recovery container 300 but directly extracts gas from the cleaning chamber 10, the total volume required to form a negative pressure environment is reduced, thereby further reducing the pressure in the cleaning chamber 10, allowing the displacement medium on the surface of the wafer W to evaporate quickly. At this time, connect the vent pipe 360 ​​and the liquid drain pipe 370 of the recovery container 300 so that the gas and liquid in the recovery container 300 can be discharged naturally and separately, for example, to a fluid processing device. Step 8: Keep the exhaust pipe 103 connected, and after the drying process is completed, disconnect at least one of the previously connected third fluid pipe 330 and fifth fluid pipe 350, connect the inert gas supply pipe 21 to restore the cleaning chamber 10 to normal pressure, and disconnect the inert gas supply pipe 21 and the exhaust pipe 103. As shown in Figure 9, open the sealing cover 101 and unload the cleaned wafer W. At the same time, after the recovery container 300 returns to normal pressure, disconnect the exhaust pipe 360 ​​and the drain pipe 370.

[0057] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] 1: Wafer Cleaning Equipment 10: Cleaning the chamber 11: Cleaning tank 12: Supporting device 13: Masking components 20: Fluid supply device 21: Inert gas supply pipeline 22: Inert gas inlet 23: Replacement medium supply pipeline 24: Replacement medium inlet 25: Cleaning the drug supply pipeline 30: Drainage device 100: Main body of the chamber 101: Sealing Cap 102: Drain outlet 103: Exhaust pipe 104: Circumferential inner wall 105: Inlet 110: Drain valve for cleaning tank 111: Inlet pipe section of the cleaning tank 112: Circumferential outer wall 130: Fluid Channel 131: First shielding component 132: Second shielding component 300: Recycling Container 301: Negative pressure device 302: Inlet 303: Air vent 310: First fluid pipeline 311: First on / off valve 320: Second fluid line 321: Second on / off valve 330: Third fluid line 331: Third on / off valve 340: Fourth fluid line 341: Fourth on / off valve 350: Fifth fluid line 351: Fifth on / off valve 360: Exhaust Pipeline 370: Drainage line 1310: Outer edge 1320: Inner Edge L1: First pipe section S1: First node S2: Second node S3: Third Node W: Wafer a: Channel length b: Channel height

Claims

1. A drainage device, applied to wafer cleaning equipment, comprising: Recycling containers; A first fluid line, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber of the wafer cleaning equipment, and the other end of which is connected to the inlet of the recovery container; a second fluid line, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber, and the other end of which is connected to a fluid processing device; a switching assembly for selectively controlling the on / off state of the first fluid line and the second fluid line; and a negative pressure device, connected to the outlet of the recovery container, for responding to the switching assembly controlling the disconnection of the first fluid line to extract gas from the recovery container.

2. The drainage device as described in claim 1, wherein, The drainage device also includes a controller, and the switching component is used to selectively control the on / off state of the first fluid line and the second fluid line under the control of the controller.

3. The drainage device as described in claim 2, wherein, It also includes: a third fluid pipeline, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber and the other end of which is connected to the negative pressure device; wherein, the switching component is also used to selectively control the on / off state of the third fluid pipeline under the control of the controller.

4. The drainage device as described in claim 2, wherein, It also includes: a fourth fluid line, one end of which is connected to the air outlet of the recovery container and the other end of which is connected to the negative pressure device; wherein, the switching component is also used to selectively control the on / off state of the fourth fluid line under the control of the controller.

5. The drainage device as described in claim 2, wherein, It also includes: a fifth fluid line, one end of which is connected to the inlet of the cleaning chamber and the other end of which is connected to the negative pressure device; wherein, the switching component is also used to selectively control the on / off state of the fifth fluid line under the control of the controller.

6. The drainage device as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The switching component includes a first on / off valve and a second on / off valve, wherein the first on / off valve is located in the first fluid pipeline; the second on / off valve is located in the second fluid pipeline; the controller is used to open the second on / off valve and close the first on / off valve in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank in the cleaning chamber.

7. The drainage device as described in claim 3, wherein, The switching assembly also includes a third on / off valve, wherein the third on / off valve is located in the third fluid line; the controller is configured to open the third on / off valve in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber, and to close the third on / off valve in response to completion of drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber.

8. The drainage device as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The switching assembly also includes a fourth on / off valve, wherein the fourth on / off valve is located in the fourth fluid line; the controller is configured to open the fourth on / off valve in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank in the cleaning chamber, and / or to close the fourth on / off valve in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber.

9. The drainage device as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The switching assembly also includes a fifth on / off valve, wherein the fifth on / off valve is located in the fifth fluid line; the controller is configured to close the fifth on / off valve in response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank in the cleaning chamber, and / or to open the fifth on / off valve in response to the drying of the wafer in the cleaning chamber; and the controller is also configured to close the fifth on / off valve in response to the completion of the drying of the wafer in the cleaning chamber.

10. A wafer cleaning apparatus comprising a cleaning chamber, a cleaning tank, a support device, and a drain device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cleaning tank is disposed in the cleaning chamber and the support device is used to support a wafer.

11. The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein, It also includes: a shielding assembly disposed between the circumferential inner wall of the cleaning chamber and the circumferential outer wall of the cleaning tank, for preventing atomized or sputtered particles of the cleaning solution below the shielding assembly from reaching above the shielding assembly, the shielding assembly having a fluid channel for allowing gas above the shielding assembly to pass through.

12. The wafer cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The shielding assembly includes: a first shielding member disposed on the circumferential outer wall of the cleaning tank and extending circumferentially along the cleaning tank; and a second shielding member disposed on the circumferential inner wall of the cleaning chamber and extending circumferentially along the cleaning chamber; wherein the orthographic projection of the first shielding member on the radial section of the cleaning chamber and the orthographic projection of the second shielding member on the radial section of the cleaning chamber at least partially overlap, and the first shielding member and the second shielding member are spaced apart in the vertical direction to form the fluid channel.

13. The wafer cleaning apparatus as described in claim 12, wherein, In the vertical direction, the first shielding member is located above the second shielding member and close to the opening of the cleaning tank, and the upper surface of the first shielding member is inclined downward along the circumferential outer wall away from the cleaning tank.

14. A method for controlling a drainage device, applied to the drainage device described in any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprising: Cleaning solution is introduced into the cleaning tank within the cleaning chamber; In response to the introduction of cleaning solution into the cleaning tank within the cleaning chamber, the switching component controls the connection of the second fluid line and the disconnection of the first fluid line to discharge the cleaning solution overflowing into the cleaning chamber into the fluid processing device, and the negative pressure device extracts the gas from the recovery container to create a negative pressure environment inside the recovery container.

15. The control method as described in claim 14, wherein, It also includes: responding to the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank by discharging it into the cleaning chamber, controlling the first fluid line to be connected and the second fluid line to be disconnected through the switching component, so as to discharge the cleaning solution in the cleaning chamber into the recovery container under negative pressure.

16. The control method as described in claim 14, wherein, The drainage device also includes a third fluid line, one end of which is connected to the drain port of the cleaning chamber and the other end is connected to the negative pressure device; the control method further includes: in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber, controlling the third fluid line to be connected by the switching component and extracting the gas in the cleaning chamber by the negative pressure device.

17. The control method as described in claim 16, wherein, The drainage device further includes a fourth fluid line and a fifth fluid line; one end of the fourth fluid line is connected to the air outlet of the recovery container, and the other end is connected to the negative pressure device; one end of the fifth fluid line is connected to the inlet of the cleaning chamber, and the other end is connected to the negative pressure device; the control method further includes: in response to drying the wafer in the cleaning chamber, controlling the connection of the fourth fluid line and the fifth fluid line through the switching component.

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