Pressure monitoring apparatus, semiconductor cleaning device, and monitoring method therefor

Abstract

The present application provides a pressure monitoring apparatus, a semiconductor cleaning device, and a monitoring method therefor. The pressure monitoring apparatus comprises: a mounting frame, a swing rod, and a pressure sensor; the mounting frame is configured to fixedly connect the pressure monitoring apparatus to a device under test; the swing rod is rotatably connected to the mounting frame, a force receiving element is located on a first side of the swing rod, the pressure sensor is located on a second side of the swing rod, the first side and the second side are arranged opposite to each other, and when the swing rod is stressed, the swing rod swings between the force receiving element and the pressure sensor; a first pressure contact portion and a second pressure contact portion are arranged on the swing rod, the first pressure contact portion protrudes towards the first side, and the second pressure contact portion protrudes towards the second side and is in contact with the pressure sensor; and when the force receiving element is stressed, the pressure is transmitted to the first pressure contact portion and enables the swing rod to swing, so that the second pressure contact portion transmits the pressure to the pressure sensor.

Description

Pressure monitoring device, semiconductor cleaning equipment and monitoring method thereof Technical Field

[0001] The present application mainly relates to the semiconductor field, and in particular to a pressure monitoring device, semiconductor cleaning equipment and a monitoring method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor cleaning processes primarily rely on specialized cleaning brushes to remove residue, dust, and dirt from wafers. During the cleaning process, the brushes come into direct contact with the wafer, and the force exerted by the brushes on the wafer surface is crucial to the cleaning effect. Excessive force can easily crush the wafer; too little force can ineffectively clean the wafer. Current semiconductor cleaning equipment lacks an effective and accurate solution for monitoring the pressure between the brush head and the wafer.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this application is the inaccurate monitoring of the contact pressure between the brush head and the wafer during the wafer cleaning process.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a pressure monitoring device for monitoring the pressure borne by a force-bearing element of a device under test, including: a mounting bracket, a swing arm and a pressure sensor, wherein the mounting bracket is used to fixedly connect the pressure monitoring device to the device under test; the swing arm is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket, the force-bearing element is located on a first side of the swing arm, and the pressure sensor is located on a second side of the swing arm, the first side and the second side are arranged opposite to each other, and when the swing arm is subjected to force, the swing arm swings between the force-bearing element and the pressure sensor; a first pressure contact portion and a second pressure contact portion are provided on the swing arm, the first pressure contact portion is protruding toward the first side, and the second pressure contact portion is protruding toward the second side and contacts the pressure sensor; wherein, when the force-bearing element is subjected to pressure, the pressure is transmitted to the first pressure contact portion and causes the swing arm to swing, so that the second pressure contact portion transmits the pressure to the pressure sensor.

[0006] On the other hand, the present application also proposes a semiconductor cleaning equipment, comprising: a brush assembly and the pressure monitoring device as described above, wherein the brush assembly comprises a brush head, a brush head connector and a brush body frame, the brush head connector comprises a movable shaft, the movable shaft has a first end and a second end, the brush head is fixedly connected to the second end of the movable shaft, and the movable shaft is movably connected to the brush body frame so that the movable shaft can move along a third direction, and the third direction is the axial direction of the movable shaft; wherein the pressure monitoring device is arranged on one side of the first end of the movable shaft, the mounting bracket and the pressure sensor are both fixedly connected to the brush body frame, the first end of the movable shaft is in direct or indirect contact with the first pressure contact part, the brush head is the force-bearing element, and when the brush head is subjected to pressure, the movable shaft moves along the third direction and transmits the pressure to the first pressure contact part.

[0007] On the other hand, the present application also proposes a monitoring method, which is applied to the semiconductor cleaning equipment as described above, including: adjusting the contact between the second pressure contact part and the pressure sensor so that the measurement value of the pressure sensor is an initial pressure value; starting the semiconductor cleaning equipment to obtain the measurement value of the pressure sensor; and monitoring the working status of the semiconductor cleaning equipment based on the measurement value.

[0008] The pressure monitoring device of the present application receives pressure from the force-bearing element through the first pressure contact portion, and transmits the pressure to the pressure sensor through the second pressure contact portion, so as to accurately monitor the pressure of the force-bearing element. In addition, the pressure monitoring device can be flexibly installed on the device under test. When used in semiconductor cleaning equipment, it can accurately monitor the pressure on the brush head, including the contact pressure between the brush head and the wafer during the cleaning process, and can be used to monitor various working conditions of the semiconductor cleaning equipment.

[0009] Summary of the Figures

[0010] The features and performance of the present application are further described by the following examples and drawings.

[0011] FIG1 is a partial structural perspective diagram of a pressure monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0012] FIG2 is a side view of a pressure monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0013] FIG3 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG1 ;

[0014] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 3;

[0015] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG3;

[0016] FIG6 is a schematic perspective view of a partial structure of a semiconductor cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] FIG7 is a schematic perspective view of a partial structure of a semiconductor cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] FIG8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG6;

[0019] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer member in a semiconductor cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG10 is an exemplary flow chart of a monitoring method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of calculating the press-in amount in a monitoring method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the brush head swinging process in the monitoring method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Preferred embodiment of this application

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely examples or embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can apply this application to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without inventive effort. Unless otherwise apparent from the context or otherwise noted, the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same structure or operation.

[0025] As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the terms "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" are not intended to refer to the singular but may include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "include" and "comprise" only indicate the inclusion of the steps and elements specifically identified, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. A method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0026] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of the parts and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present application. At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn according to actual proportional relationships. The techniques, methods and equipment known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the techniques, methods and equipment should be considered as part of the authorization specification. In all examples shown and discussed here, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as being merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar numbers and letters represent similar items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0027] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by directional words such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" are usually based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise specified, these directional words do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of this application; the directional words "inside and outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0028] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "above", "above", "on the upper surface of", "above", etc. may be used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature to other devices or features as shown in the figures. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation described in the figures. For example, if the device in the drawings is inverted, the device described as "above other devices or structures" or "above other devices or structures" will be positioned as "below other devices or structures" or "below other devices or structures". Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below". The device can also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptions used here are interpreted accordingly.

[0029] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is solely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, while the terms used in this application are selected from commonly known and commonly used terms, some terms mentioned in this specification may have been selected by the applicant at his or her discretion, and their detailed meanings are explained in the relevant sections of this description. Furthermore, this application should be understood not only by the actual terms used, but also by the meaning implied by each term.

[0030] Flowcharts are used in this application to illustrate the operations performed by systems according to embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the preceding or following operations are not necessarily performed in exact order. Instead, the various steps may be processed in reverse order or simultaneously. Furthermore, other operations may be added to these processes, or one or more operations may be removed from these processes.

[0031] The pressure monitoring device of the present application can be used to monitor the pressure borne by the stress-bearing element of the device under test. The pressure monitoring device can be installed on any device under test and can directly or indirectly obtain the pressure transmitted from the stress-bearing element. Preferably, the pressure monitoring device is installed on the semiconductor cleaning equipment of the present application to monitor the pressure value exerted on the brush head of the semiconductor cleaning equipment during idling, swinging, and cleaning wafers. The monitoring results are accurate, which is conducive to monitoring the device under test based on the monitoring results and further adjusting the brush head and process.

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the structure of a pressure monitoring device according to one embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 is a side view of the pressure monitoring device according to one embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 is a top view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Figure 3.

[0033] 1 to 5 , the pressure monitoring device 100 of this embodiment includes a mounting bracket 110, a swing arm 130, and a pressure sensor 140. The mounting bracket 110 is used to fixedly connect the pressure monitoring device 100 to a device under test (not shown). The swing arm 130 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 110. A force-bearing element (not shown) is located on a first side 131 of the swing arm 130, and the pressure sensor 140 is located on a second side 132 of the swing arm 130. The first side 131 and the second side 132 are arranged opposite to each other. When the swing arm 130 is subjected to force, the swing arm 130 swings between the force-bearing element and the pressure sensor 140.

[0034] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 5 , the pressure monitoring device 100 is positioned in the orientation shown in the figure during actual use, with the first side 131 being the downward-facing side of the swinging rod 130, and the second side 132 being the upward-facing side of the swinging rod 130. In other embodiments, the actual application position of the pressure monitoring device 100 depends on the device being tested and can be in any orientation or position, without limiting the orientation of the first side 131 and the second side 132.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the mounting frame 110 is a concave-shaped frame structure that allows it to be fixedly mounted on the device under test. As shown in Figure 1, this embodiment also includes a rotating shaft 120, which is rotatably connected to the mounting frame 110 via a bearing. The rotating shaft 120 is cylindrical, and a swing arm 130 is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft 120. When a force is applied to the swing arm 130, the swing arm 130 drives the rotating shaft 120 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 110. In other embodiments, the rotating shaft 120 can be fixedly mounted between two side walls of the mounting frame 110. The swing arm 130 includes a connecting block 133 for rotationally connecting to the rotating shaft 120. The connecting block 133 has a through hole that allows it to be mounted on the rotating shaft 120. The connecting block 133 can rotate about the rotating shaft 120. The swing arm 130 also includes a rod body 300 that is connected to or integrally formed with the connecting block 133. The first pressure contact portion 210 and the second pressure contact portion 220 are both disposed on the rod body 300. Specifically, the rod body 300 is flat and has a certain thickness. As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the rod body 300 includes a first support rod 310 extending along a first direction D1 and a second support rod 320 extending along a second direction D2. The first pressure contact portion 210 is disposed on the first support rod 310, and the second pressure contact portion 220 is disposed on the second support rod 320. The first direction D1 is perpendicular to the second direction D2. Referring to Figure 3, if the connection between the connecting block 133 and the rotation axis 120 is used as the fulcrum, the moment arm from the first pressure contact portion 210 to the fulcrum is a first distance L1, and the moment arm from the second pressure contact portion 220 to the fulcrum is a second distance L2, with the first distance L1 being smaller than the second distance L2. Accordingly, when the swing arm 130 rotates about the rotation axis 120, due to torque balance, the pressure F1 exerted on the first pressure contact portion 210 should be greater than the pressure F2 transmitted to the pressure sensor 140 by the second pressure contact portion 220. Preferably, the first distance L1 is equal to the second distance L2, F1=F2, and the pressure F2 measured by the pressure sensor 140 is F1.

[0036] In other embodiments, the specific relationship between the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 and the first distance L1 and the second distance L2 is not limited. The shape, size, and position relationship of the mounting bracket 110 and the swing arm 130 can be adaptively set according to the shape and size of the installation space.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, the first pressure contact portion 210 is provided to protrude toward the first side 131, and the second pressure contact portion 220 is provided to protrude toward the second side 132. In Figure 2, there is a certain gap between the second pressure contact portion 220 and the pressure sensor 140, indicating that the distance between the two is adjustable. The pressure sensor 140 itself can be fixedly provided on the device under test, for example, by being fixedly connected to a certain part of the device under test through its top 141. In actual use, the protruding portion of the second pressure contact portion 220 is in direct contact with the pressure sensor 140, so that the pressure sensor 140 can sense the pressure exerted on the protruding portion of the second pressure contact portion 220.

[0038] In actual use, the protruding part of the first pressure contact part 210 is in direct or indirect contact with the force-bearing element. When the force-bearing element is subjected to pressure, the pressure is transmitted to the first pressure contact part 210 and causes the swing rod 130 to swing toward the pressure sensor 140, driving the second pressure contact part 220 to move, so that the second pressure contact part 220 transmits the pressure to the pressure sensor 140, so that the force applied to the force-bearing element can be monitored through the pressure sensor 140.

[0039] Referring to Figure 4 , in this embodiment, a first groove 410 is provided on the swing lever 130. The first pressure contact portion 210 includes a first contact ball 211, which is disposed within the first groove 410 and partially protrudes from the first groove 410. As shown in Figure 4 , the diameter of the first groove 410 is comparable to or slightly larger than the diameter of the first contact ball 211, allowing the first contact ball 211 to rotate freely within the groove. Furthermore, the opening of the first groove 410 is relatively small, smaller than the diameter of the first contact ball 211, preventing the first contact ball 211 from escaping from the first groove 410. In some embodiments, the first groove 410 is a countersunk hole formed in the swing lever 130 rather than extending through the swing lever 130. Therefore, the first contact ball 211 is confined within the first groove 410. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 , the first groove 410 is a through hole extending through the swing lever 130. A first stopper 420 is also provided at its bottom to limit the position of the first contact ball 211 within the first groove 410. The first groove 410 and the first baffle 420 together confine the first contact ball 211 to a certain space, within which the first contact ball 211 can freely rotate about its center without undergoing translational motion. As shown in FIG1 , a first opening 421 is provided in the portion of the first baffle 420 corresponding to the first contact ball 211. The diameter of the first opening 421 is smaller than the diameter of the first contact ball 211, allowing the first contact ball 211 to freely rotate while being confined within the interior space of the first groove 410. In some embodiments, the diameter of the first opening 421 gradually decreases from top to bottom, as shown in FIG1 .

[0040] Referring to Figure 5 , in this embodiment, a second groove 510 is provided on the swing lever 130. The second pressure contact portion 220 includes a second contact ball 221, which is disposed within the second groove 510 and partially protrudes beyond it. As shown in Figure 5 , the second groove 510 is formed by a through-hole extending through the swing lever 130 and a second baffle 520. The opening of the second groove 510 is smaller than the diameter of the second contact ball 221, thereby confining the second contact ball 221 within a certain space within the second groove 510. Within this space, the second contact ball 221 can freely rotate around its center without undergoing translational motion. In other embodiments, the second groove 510 can be a countersunk hole directly formed in the swing lever 130, eliminating the need for a separate second baffle 520.

[0041] Similar to the first baffle 420, in some embodiments, a second opening is also provided on the second baffle 520 at a location corresponding to the second contact ball 221. The diameter of the second opening is smaller than the diameter of the second contact ball 221, allowing the second contact ball 221 to rotate freely while being confined within the interior space of the second groove 510. In some embodiments, the diameter of the second opening gradually decreases from bottom to top.

[0042] In some embodiments, both the first contact ball 211 and the second contact ball 221 can be metal balls, such as steel balls. This application does not impose any restrictions on the size or number of the first contact balls 211 and the second contact balls 221. For example, the first pressure contact portion 210 can include multiple first contact balls 211, each corresponding to a first groove 410, with the multiple first grooves 410 positioned proximally on the first support rod 310. For another example, the swing arm 130 can include multiple parallel first support rods, each provided with a set of first grooves and first contact balls, or each first support rod can be provided with a first groove, with a first contact ball positioned in one of the first grooves. The installation position of the first contact balls can be determined based on the actual spatial location and the structure of the device under test. Similarly, the second pressure contact portion 220 can include multiple second contact balls 221, each corresponding to a second groove 510, with the multiple second grooves 510 positioned proximally on the second support rod 320, or a second contact ball can be positioned in only one of the second grooves. In actual applications, only one first contact ball 211 and one second contact ball 221 are provided in the pressure monitoring device 100 .

[0043] By providing freely rotatable first and second contact balls 211 and 221, the spherical properties of the balls allow for point contact with the force-bearing element or pressure sensor 140. These balls can receive forces in all directions exerted on the force-bearing element directly or indirectly connected to first contact ball 211, and transmit these forces vertically to the pressure-sensing surface of pressure sensor 140, thereby obtaining accurate pressure measurements. Furthermore, due to the connection between the device under test and the force-bearing element, forces generated by the device under test during operation, such as swinging and vibration, affect the force-bearing element and can be transmitted through the force-bearing element to first contact ball 211.

[0044] 4 , in some embodiments, a buffer pad 430 is provided at the bottom of the first groove 410 and is located between the first contact ball 211 and the first stopper 420. Similarly, although not shown, in some embodiments, a buffer pad is also provided at the bottom of the second groove 510.

[0045] The material of the buffer pad should have the function of buffering the stress, for example, it can be a flexible, elastic material such as plastic, rubber, felt pad, etc., which is used to increase the stability of the force without affecting the free rotation of the first contact ball 211 and the second contact ball 221, and can eliminate the high-frequency vibration generated by the device under test during operation to a certain extent, remove high-frequency noise, and reduce the impact of device vibration on pressure measurement.

[0046] In order to achieve a cushioning effect similar to that of a cushion pad, the following specific embodiments may be adopted: a cushioning layer formed of a cushioning material is provided on the surface of the first contact ball 211 and / or the surface of the second contact ball 221, and the cushioning layer may wrap the entire surface of the sphere or may be located only in a certain area of ​​the surface of the sphere; the first contact ball 211 and / or the second contact ball 221 are made of cushioning material; the force-bearing element contacts the first contact ball 211 with a first contact portion, and the first contact portion includes a cushioning material; the pressure sensor 140 includes a second contact portion in contact with the second contact ball 221, and the second contact portion includes a cushioning material.

[0047] Figure 6 is a partial structural stereoscopic diagram of a semiconductor cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 is a partial structural stereoscopic diagram of a semiconductor cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application, in which some components are omitted compared with Figure 6. Figure 8 is a sectional view along line AA in Figure 6. In combination with Figures 6 to 8, the semiconductor cleaning device 600 of this embodiment includes a brush assembly 610 and the pressure monitoring device 100 described above. Among them, the brush assembly 610 includes a brush head 6110, a brush head connector 6120 and a brush body frame 6130. As shown in Figure 8, the brush head connector 6120 includes a movable shaft 6121, and the movable shaft 6121 has a first end 6121a and a second end 6121b. The brush head 6110 is fixedly connected to the second end 6121b of the movable shaft 6121, and the movable shaft 6121 is movably connected to the brush body frame 6130 so that the movable shaft 6121 can move along a third direction D3, and the third direction D3 is movable The axial direction of the shaft 6121; the pressure monitoring device 100 is arranged on one side of the first end 6121a of the movable shaft 6121, the mounting bracket 110 and the pressure sensor 140 are fixedly connected to the brush body frame 6130, the first end 6121a of the movable shaft 6121 is in direct or indirect contact with the first pressure contact part 210, the brush head 6110 is a force-bearing element, when the brush head 6110 is subjected to pressure, the movable shaft 6121 moves along the third direction D3 and transmits the pressure to the first pressure contact part 210.

[0048] Specifically, in some embodiments, the brush assembly 610 further includes a first drive assembly 6140 and a fixed frame 6150. The first drive assembly 6140 is fixed to the fixed frame 6150 and is used to drive the brush body frame 6130 to move between a reference position and a processing position along the third direction D3. The reference position and the processing position will be described later. In conjunction with Figures 6 to 8, the fixed frame 6150 includes a first fixed plate 6151 and a second fixed plate 6152, and the first drive assembly 6140 is fixed below the first fixed plate 6151. As shown in Figure 8, the first drive assembly 6140 includes a guide rail 6141 and a telescopic member 6142. The guide rail 6141 extends along the third direction D3, and the telescopic member 6142 can be specifically a cylinder. The brush frame 6130 includes an upper end plate 6131, a vertical plate 6132, and a lower end plate 6133. The three plates are connected in sequence in a Z-shape. The vertical plate 6132 has a protrusion 6132a connected to the guide rail 6141, and the protrusion 6132a can slide along the guide rail 6141. The lower end of the telescopic member 6142 is fixedly connected to the lower end plate 6133. When the telescopic member 6142 is driven to extend downward, it pushes the lower end plate 6133 downward, thereby driving the entire brush frame 6130 downward. When the telescopic member 6142 is driven to retract upward, it drives the lower end plate 6133 upward, thereby driving the entire brush frame 6130 upward.

[0049] Furthermore, the brush assembly 610 also includes a second drive assembly 6160, which is disposed on the brush body frame 6130 and is used to drive the movable shaft 6121 to rotate, thereby driving the brush head 6110 to rotate. In some embodiments, the second drive assembly 6160 includes a motor 6161, a driving pulley 6162, a driven pulley 6163, and a transmission belt 6164. When the motor 6161 rotates, it drives the driving pulley 6162 to rotate, thereby further rotating the driven pulley 6163 via the transmission belt 6164. As shown in Figure 8, the driven pulley 6163 is disposed on the outer periphery of the movable shaft 6121 and is connected to the movable shaft 6121 via a spline sleeve 6165. It can drive the movable shaft 6121 to rotate, thereby driving the brush head 6110 to rotate. In Figure 8 , the motor 6161 is supported above the lower end plate 6133, and the driving pulley 6162 is disposed below the lower end plate 6133. The connecting bearing between the motor 6161 and the driving pulley 6162 may extend through the lower end plate 6133. The brush frame 6130 further includes a first side plate 6134. A splined sleeve 6165 is rotatably mounted on the first side plate 6134 of the brush frame 6130 via a bearing, thereby allowing the driven pulley 6163 to be mounted on the brush frame 6130 via the splined sleeve 6165. With this arrangement, when the first drive assembly 6140 drives the brush frame 6130 to move along the third direction D3, the second drive assembly 6160 is also simultaneously moved, allowing the brush head 6110 to be driven to rotate by the second drive assembly 6160 regardless of its position in the third direction D3.

[0050] In the embodiments shown in Figures 6 to 8 , the wafer is positioned below the brush head 6110 during the cleaning process. In other embodiments, the wafer may be positioned above the brush head 6110, and the semiconductor cleaning apparatus may be turned upside down based on the embodiment shown in Figure 6 . This specification uses the embodiment shown in Figure 6 as an example and is not intended to limit the orientation of the semiconductor cleaning apparatus.

[0051] 6 to 8 , the pressure monitoring device 100 is disposed on one side of the first end 6121a of the movable shaft 6121, that is, above the movable shaft 6121. The mounting bracket 110 and the pressure sensor 140 in the pressure monitoring device 100 are both fixedly connected to the upper end plate 6131. ​​The first end 6121a of the movable shaft 6121 is in direct or indirect contact with the first pressure contact portion 210. The brush head 6110 is a force-bearing element. When the brush head 6110 is subjected to pressure, the movable shaft 6121 moves upward and transmits the pressure to the first pressure contact portion 210, and then further to the second pressure contact portion 220, where it is sensed by the pressure sensor 140.

[0052] Referring to Figure 7, in some embodiments, the brush head connector 6120 also includes a first movable plate 6122, which is arranged at the first end 6121a of the movable shaft 6121 and directly contacts the first pressure contact portion 210, and the first end 6121a of the movable shaft 6121 is indirectly in contact with the first pressure contact portion 210 through the first movable plate 6122.

[0053] Referring to FIG8 , in some embodiments, the brush assembly 610 further includes an elastic connector 6170, and the brush head connector 6120 further includes a second movable plate 6123 disposed at the second end 6121b of the movable shaft 6121. The elastic connector 6170 is connected between the brush body frame 6130 and the second movable plate 6123 to movably connect the movable shaft 6121 to the brush body frame 6130. Specifically, the elastic connector 6170 can be implemented as a spring and include at least two springs, as shown in FIG8 . Furthermore, as shown in FIG6 and FIG8 , the first side plate 6134 and the upper end plate 6131 of the brush body frame 6130 include accessories 6135, such as hooks, for mounting the elastic connector 6170. Accordingly, as shown in FIG7 and FIG8 , the second movable plate 6123 can also be provided with accessories 6125 for mounting the elastic connector 6170. As shown in Figures 6 and 7 , the brush head connector 6120 further includes a second side plate 6124 connected between the first movable plate 6122 and the second movable plate 6123 to limit the rotation of the first movable plate 6122 and the second movable plate 6123. According to this arrangement, when the brush head 6110 is subjected to upward pressure, the elastic connector 6170 is compressed and rebounds. At the same time, the first movable plate 6122, the second movable plate 6123, and the movable shaft 6121 move upward as a whole, transmitting the pressure to the first pressure contact portion 210.

[0054] As previously described, based on the characteristics of the pressure monitoring device 100 of the present application, during the cleaning process performed using the semiconductor cleaning apparatus 600 of the present application, the pressure monitoring device 100 of the present application can be used to accurately monitor the pressure applied to the brush head 6110. It should be noted that the semiconductor cleaning apparatus 600 may also include other fixed structures, conventional structures, and the like, and is not limited to that shown in FIG. 6 .

[0055] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 of this embodiment also includes a buffer 630, which is installed on the fixed frame 6150. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the lower end of the buffer 630 is fixedly set on the second fixed plate 6152 in the fixed frame 6150. When the brush body frame 6130 moves downward along the guide rail 6141 to a certain position, the upper end of the buffer 630 contacts the lower end plate 6133. The buffer 630 is used to slow down the speed of the brush body frame 6130 moving downward. The certain position is specifically set by the process requirements to ensure that there is a certain safety distance between the wafer and the brush head 6110. When the distance between the brush head 6110 and the wafer reaches the safety distance, the descent speed should be reduced and the pressure should be accurately measured to avoid fragmentation. This application does not impose specific restrictions. In some embodiments, the certain position corresponds to the position of the brush body frame 6130 when the brush head 6110 extends downward and does not reach the processing position.

[0056] The present application does not limit the specific structure of the buffer 630, which can be any structure with a buffering function.

[0057] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a buffer member in a semiconductor cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application. Referring to FIG9 , the buffer member 630 of this embodiment includes a buffer bracket 910, a buffer pin 920, and an elastic member 930. One end of the buffer bracket 910 is mounted on the second fixed plate 6152 of the fixed frame 6150. The buffer bracket 910 has a hollow structure, and the elastic member 930 is disposed within the hollow structure. The buffer pin 920 includes a pin shaft 921 and a pin head 922 connected to each other. The pin shaft 921 is partially disposed within the hollow structure, and the pin head 922 is located at the other end of the buffer bracket 910, configured to contact the brush frame 6130 when the brush frame 6130 moves. Specifically, the elastic member 930 may be a spring. A spring cover 931 may also be disposed at the bottom of the elastic member 930. The spring cover 931 is disposed at the bottom of the buffer bracket 910 to seal the lower opening of the buffer bracket 910 and secure the elastic member 930. The size of the pin head 922 should be appropriate so as to have a certain area and thickness to contact the lower end plate 6133 in the brush body frame 6130 to withstand downward pressure.

[0058] Furthermore, a threaded mounting hole 940 is provided on the second fixing plate 6152, and the threaded mounting hole 940 has a certain height. The buffer bracket 910 is inserted into the threaded mounting hole 940, and the locking nut 941 is used to limit the height of the buffer bracket 910 entering the threaded mounting hole 940, thereby limiting the overall height of the buffer component 630.

[0059] During application, when the first driving component 6140 drives the brush head 6110 to rise and fall, it will cause fluctuations in the pressure on the brush head 6110. This problem can be improved by setting the buffer part 630, and the contact force between the brush head 6110 and the wafer can be made more stable, thereby avoiding wafer loss.

[0060] Referring to Figure 8, in some embodiments, the brush assembly 610 further includes a stopper 640, which can be mounted on the fixed frame 6150, for example, on the back of the guide rail 6141 below the first fixed plate 6151. When the brush frame 6130 moves downward, the stopper 640 can contact the upper end plate 6131 to prevent the brush frame 6130 from further downward movement. By restricting the position of the brush frame 6130, the stopper 640 limits the extension position of the brush head 6110. For example, this position can be the extreme downward extension position of the brush head 6110.

[0061] The semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 of the present application is provided with a pressure monitoring device 100 , which can accurately monitor the pressure borne by the brush head 6110 , so as to be used for monitoring and controlling the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 .

[0062] Applying the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 described above, the present application further proposes a monitoring method, as shown in FIG10 , which includes the following steps:

[0063] Step S10: Adjust the contact between the second pressure contact portion 220 and the pressure sensor 140 so that the measured value of the pressure sensor 140 is an initial pressure value. This initial pressure value is non-zero and not less than a set value. This stabilizes the contact point between the second contact ball and the pressure sensor 140 and prevents abnormal fluctuations that affect the accuracy of pressure monitoring. If the initial pressure value is less than the set value, the elastic connector 6170 needs to be replaced. In step S10, by selecting an appropriate model of elastic connector 6170, the deformation caused by the weight of the brush assembly 610 can be overcome, and the degree of compression between the second contact ball and the pressure sensor 140 can be changed.

[0064] Step S20 : ​​Start the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 and obtain the measurement value of the pressure sensor 140 .

[0065] Step S30: monitoring the working status of the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 according to the measured values.

[0066] According to the monitoring method of the present application, various working states of the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 can be monitored. Since the pressure sensor 140 can accurately measure the pressure exerted on the brush head 6110 in any working state, the working state of the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 can be effectively monitored.

[0067] In some embodiments, the monitored working state is the amount of pressure of the brush head. Referring to Figure 11, assuming that when the brush head 6110 is located at the reference position P1, there is a first distance H1 between the brush head 6110 and the wafer W. When performing the cleaning process, the brush head 6110 is located at the processing position P2, and there is a second distance H2 between the reference position P1 and the processing position P2. The pressure = H2-H1. It can be understood that the pressure between the brush head 6110 and the wafer W is different with different pressures. In order to monitor the pressure, step S20 in the monitoring method specifically includes the following steps:

[0068] Step S2010: obtaining a measurement value of the pressure sensor 140 during the cleaning process, and recording it as a process value.

[0069] 8 , the wafer cleaning apparatus 600 may further include a swing mechanism 650 for swinging the brush assembly 610. During the cleaning process, the brush assembly 610 is swung along a predetermined path, while the brush head 6110 is rotated by the second drive assembly 6160 and driven by the first drive assembly 6140 to a processing position, where the brush head 6110 contacts the wafer surface.

[0070] Step S2011: taking the average of multiple process values ​​obtained through multiple measurements as the monitoring pressure.

[0071] During the testing phase, the average of multiple process values ​​can be obtained by repeatedly executing step S2010.

[0072] Step S2012: Obtain the relationship between different pressing amounts and monitoring pressure.

[0073] The monitoring pressure under multiple injection amounts can be obtained through testing, thereby establishing a relationship between the injection amount and the monitoring pressure, for example, a relationship curve or a relationship table can be obtained. In some embodiments, a linear fitting method can be used to obtain the functional relationship between the two: y = k*x + b (1)

[0074] Wherein, y represents the monitored pressure, x represents the amount of pressure, k and b are linear fitting coefficients, k represents the pressure change rate, and b is a constant. In other embodiments, a quadratic function, a nonlinear function, etc. can also be used to obtain the fitted functional relationship.

[0075] Step S2013: During the cleaning process, the current monitoring pressure is obtained, and the current pressing amount corresponding to the current monitoring pressure is obtained according to the relationship obtained in step S2012.

[0076] According to steps S2010 to S2013 , the current pressing amount of the brush head 6110 during the cleaning process can be obtained in real time.

[0077] In other embodiments, to monitor the pressing amount, step S20 in the monitoring method includes:

[0078] Step S2020: Obtain the measurement value of the pressure sensor 140 when the brush head 6110 is idling, and record it as the start value. At this time, the brush head 6110 does not contact the wafer and does not swing.

[0079] Step S2021: During the cleaning process, obtain the measurement value of the pressure sensor 140 and record it as the process value;

[0080] Step S2022: The difference between the mean of the process values ​​and the start-up value is used as the monitoring pressure. When L1 = L2 in FIG3 , the difference between the mean of the process values ​​and the start-up value can directly represent the pressure borne by the brush head 6110 .

[0081] Step S2023: Obtaining the relationship between different pressing amounts and monitoring pressure;

[0082] Step S2024: During the cleaning process, the current monitoring pressure is obtained, and the current pressing amount corresponding to the current monitoring pressure is obtained based on the relationship.

[0083] Among them, step S2021, step S2023, and step S2024 are respectively the same as step S2010, step S2012, and step S2013, and will not be expanded.

[0084] In some embodiments, the target pressure required for the wafer cleaning process can be obtained, the target monitoring pressure can be calculated according to the above relationship (1), and the extension length of the brush head 6110 can be adjusted so that the current monitoring pressure is equal to the target monitoring pressure, forming a closed-loop control with a feedback mechanism.

[0085] In some embodiments, the working state of the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 includes the relative levelness between the brush head 6110 and the wafer W. To monitor the relative levelness, step S20 includes: obtaining multiple measurement values ​​when the brush head 6110 is located at different positions on the wafer W, and judging whether the relative levelness between the brush head 6110 and the wafer W is normal based on the difference between the multiple measurement values. Specifically, a normal range can be preset. If the difference is within the normal range, it indicates that the relative levelness is acceptable and no intervention is required; if the difference is outside the normal range, it indicates that the relative levelness is unacceptable, and the position of the brush head 6110 or the wafer W needs to be adjusted, and the adjusted relative levelness can be judged by further measurement values. Furthermore, the method of adjusting the brush head 6110 or the wafer W can be determined based on the size of the measurement value at a certain position. For example, when the brush head 6110 is located at position A on the wafer W, the corresponding pressure is relatively large, indicating that the distance between the brush head 6110 and the wafer W is close. When the brush head is located at position B on the wafer W, the corresponding pressure is relatively small, indicating that the distance between the brush head 6110 and the wafer W is far. When it is judged that the relative horizontality is unacceptable, adjust the horizontal position of the brush head 6110 or the wafer W, for example, tilt the wafer W so that position A of the wafer W is away from the brush head, or position B of the wafer W is close to the brush head 6110.

[0086] It should be noted that when monitoring the relative levelness, the brush head 6110 is respectively set at multiple different positions on the wafer W, and the brush head 6110 is controlled to extend and contact the wafer W. The brush head 6110 can rotate or not rotate.

[0087] In some embodiments, the working state of the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 includes whether the structure of the brush assembly is abnormal. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the structure of the brush assembly 610 is asymmetric. When the structure is normal, it is in a balanced state. However, if the structure is abnormal, it will cause imbalance, thereby affecting the performance of the equipment. To this end, step S20 includes: obtaining the measurement value of the pressure sensor 140 when the brush head 6110 is idling for a period of time, recorded as a dynamic start-up value, and judging whether the structure of the brush assembly 610 is abnormal based on the fluctuation range of the dynamic start-up value. At this time, the brush head 6110 does not contact the wafer and does not swing. A normal range can be preset. If the fluctuation range of the dynamic start-up value is within the normal range, it means that the structure of the brush assembly 610 is normal; otherwise, it means that the structure of the brush assembly 610 is abnormal.

[0088] In some embodiments, the working state of the semiconductor cleaning equipment 600 includes whether the swing of the brush assembly 610 is abnormal. Referring to Figure 12, when executing the process, the position of the wafer W is usually fixed, and the swing mechanism 650 shown in Figure 8 can be used to control the brush assembly 610 to swing between position P3 and position P4, with the wafer W located on the swing path. To detect whether the swing is abnormal, the brush head 6110 can be controlled not to rotate and not to contact the wafer W. The brush head 6110 is controlled to swing between position P3 and position P4 and the measurement value within this period is obtained. A normal range is preset. If the fluctuation range of the measured value is within the normal range, it indicates that the swing of the brush assembly 610 is normal; otherwise, it indicates that the swing of the brush assembly 610 is abnormal.

[0089] It should be noted that in the embodiment of monitoring the pressure amount of the brush head 6110, during the cleaning process, when the brush head 6110 swings from position P3 to contact with the wafer W, and when the brush head 6110 leaves the wafer W and is swung to position P4, the pressure measurement value fluctuates greatly. These two measurement values ​​do not participate in the judgment of the working status, and only the measurement value when the brush head 6110 is completely in contact with the wafer W is selected as the process value.

[0090] The basic concepts have been described above. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above disclosures are merely examples and do not limit the present application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and revisions to the present application. Such modifications, improvements, and revisions are suggested in the present application and remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0091] At the same time, this application uses specific terms to describe the embodiments of this application. For example, "one embodiment," "an embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a certain feature, structure, or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or multiple times in different locations in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this application may be appropriately combined.

[0092] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the presentation of this application and thus facilitate understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments of this application sometimes combine multiple features into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not mean that the subject matter of this application requires more features than those recited in the claims. In fact, an embodiment may have fewer features than all of the features of a single embodiment disclosed above.

[0093] In some embodiments, numbers are used to describe the quantity of components and attributes. It should be understood that such numbers used in the description of the embodiments are modified by the modifiers "about", "approximately" or "substantially" in some examples. Unless otherwise stated, "about", "approximately" or "substantially" indicate that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in this application are all approximate values, which may change according to the required characteristics of individual embodiments. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should take into account the specified significant digits and adopt the general method of retaining digits. Although the numerical domains and parameters used to confirm the breadth of their range in some embodiments of the present application are approximate values, in specific embodiments, the settings of such numerical values ​​are as accurate as possible within the feasible range.

Claims

1. A pressure monitoring device for monitoring the pressure borne by a stress-bearing element of a device under test, characterized in that: include: Mounting bracket, swing arm and pressure sensor, The mounting frame is used to fixedly connect the pressure monitoring device to the device under test; The swing arm is rotatably connected to the mounting frame, the force-bearing element is located on a first side of the swing arm, and the pressure sensor is located on a second side of the swing arm, the first side and the second side are arranged opposite to each other, and when the swing arm is subjected to force, the swing arm swings between the force-bearing element and the pressure sensor; The swing lever is provided with a first pressure contact portion and a second pressure contact portion, the first pressure contact portion is provided to protrude toward the first side, and the second pressure contact portion is provided to protrude toward the second side and contacts the pressure sensor; When the force-bearing element is subjected to pressure, the pressure is transmitted to the first pressure contact portion and causes the swing rod to swing, so that the second pressure contact portion transmits the pressure to the pressure sensor.

2. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The swing lever comprises a first groove, the first pressure contact portion comprises a first contact ball, the first contact ball is arranged in the first groove and partially protrudes from the first groove, and the first contact ball can rotate freely in the first groove.

3. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The swing lever comprises a second groove, and the second pressure contact portion comprises a second contact ball, which is arranged in the second groove and partially protrudes from the second groove, and the second contact ball can rotate freely in the second groove.

4. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A buffer pad is arranged at the bottom of the first groove and / or the bottom of the second groove.

5. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A buffer layer is provided on the surface of the first contact ball and / or the surface of the second contact ball, and the buffer layer includes a buffer material.

6. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first contact ball and / or the second contact ball is a metal ball.

7. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first contact ball and / or the second contact ball includes a cushioning material.

8. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The force receiving element includes a first contact portion in contact with the first contact ball, and the first contact portion includes a buffer material.

9. The pressure monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure sensor includes a second contact portion in contact with the second contact ball, the second contact portion including a buffer material.

10. A semiconductor cleaning device, characterized in that: include: A brush assembly and a pressure monitoring device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The brush assembly comprises a brush head, a brush head connector and a brush body frame, the brush head connector comprises a movable shaft, the movable shaft has a first end and a second end, the brush head is fixedly connected to the second end of the movable shaft, and the movable shaft is movably connected to the brush body frame so that the movable shaft can move along a third direction, and the third direction is the axis direction of the movable shaft; In which, the pressure monitoring device is arranged on one side of the first end of the movable shaft, the mounting frame and the pressure sensor are fixedly connected to the brush body frame, the first end of the movable shaft is in direct or indirect contact with the first pressure contact part, the brush head is the force-bearing element, and when the brush head is subjected to pressure, the movable shaft moves along the third direction and transmits the pressure to the first pressure contact part.

11. The semiconductor cleaning equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that: The brush head connector further includes a first movable plate, which is disposed at the first end of the movable shaft and directly contacts the first pressure contact portion, and the first end of the movable shaft indirectly contacts the first pressure contact portion through the first movable plate.

12. The semiconductor cleaning equipment according to claim 11, characterized in that: The brush assembly also includes an elastic connector, and the brush head connector also includes a second movable plate, which is arranged at the second end of the movable shaft. The elastic connector is connected between the brush body frame and the second movable plate so that the movable shaft and the brush body frame can be movably connected.

13. The semiconductor cleaning equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that: The brush assembly further includes a first driving assembly and a fixed frame. The first driving assembly is fixed to the fixed frame and is used to drive the brush body frame to move between a reference position and a processing position along the third direction.

14. The semiconductor cleaning equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that: The brush assembly further comprises a second driving assembly, which is disposed on the brush body frame and is used for driving the movable shaft to rotate.

15. The semiconductor cleaning equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that: It also includes a buffer component, which is installed on the fixed frame and is used to slow down the movement speed of the brush body frame.

16. The semiconductor cleaning equipment according to claim 15, characterized in that: The buffer member includes a buffer bracket, a buffer pin and an elastic member. One end of the buffer bracket is installed on the fixed frame. The buffer bracket has a hollow structure. The elastic member is arranged in the hollow structure. The buffer pin has a pin rod and a pin head connected to each other. The pin rod portion is arranged in the hollow structure. The pin head is located at the other end of the buffer bracket for contacting the brush body frame when the brush body frame moves.

17. A monitoring method, applied to the semiconductor cleaning equipment according to any one of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that: include: Adjusting the second pressure contact portion to contact the pressure sensor so that the measured value of the pressure sensor is an initial pressure value; Starting the semiconductor cleaning equipment and obtaining a measurement value of the pressure sensor; The operating status of the semiconductor cleaning equipment is monitored according to the measured values.

18. The monitoring method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The working state includes the amount of pressure of the brush head, wherein the brush head is in a retracted reference position when not cleaning the wafer, at which time there is a first distance between the brush head and the wafer, and the brush head is in an extended processing position when cleaning the wafer, and there is a second distance between the extended position and the reference position, and the pressure amount is the second distance minus the first distance. The step of starting the semiconductor cleaning equipment and obtaining the measurement value of the pressure sensor in the monitoring method includes: During the cleaning process, obtaining a measurement value of the pressure sensor and recording it as a process value; The average of multiple process values ​​obtained by multiple measurements is used as the monitoring pressure; Obtaining the relationship between different pressing amounts and the monitoring pressure; During the cleaning process, the current monitoring pressure is obtained, and the current pressure injection amount corresponding to the current monitoring pressure is obtained according to the relationship.

19. The monitoring method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The working state includes the amount of pressure of the brush head, wherein the brush head is in a retracted reference position when not cleaning the wafer, at which time there is a first distance between the brush head and the wafer, and the brush head is in an extended processing position when cleaning the wafer, and there is a second distance between the extended position and the reference position, and the pressure amount is the second distance minus the first distance. The step of starting the semiconductor cleaning equipment and obtaining the measurement value of the pressure sensor in the monitoring method also includes: Obtaining a measurement value of the pressure sensor when the brush head is idling, and recording it as a start value; During the cleaning process, obtaining a measurement value of the pressure sensor and recording it as a process value; Taking the difference between the mean of the process values ​​and the start value as the monitoring pressure; Obtaining the relationship between different pressing amounts and the monitoring pressure; During the cleaning process, the current monitoring pressure is obtained, and the current pressure injection amount corresponding to the current monitoring pressure is obtained according to the relationship.

20. The monitoring method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that: Also includes: Obtaining a target pressing amount required for a wafer cleaning process, and calculating a target monitoring pressure according to the relationship; The extended length of the brush head is adjusted so that the current monitoring pressure is equal to the target monitoring pressure.

21. The monitoring method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The working state includes the relative levelness between the brush head and the wafer. The step of starting the semiconductor cleaning equipment and obtaining the measurement value of the pressure sensor in the monitoring method includes: A plurality of measurement values ​​when the brush head is located at different positions on the wafer are obtained, and the relative levelness between the brush head and the wafer is determined according to the difference between the plurality of measurement values.

22. The monitoring method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The working state includes whether the structure of the brush assembly is abnormal. The step of starting the semiconductor cleaning equipment and obtaining the measurement value of the pressure sensor in the monitoring method includes: The measured value of the pressure sensor during a period of idling of the brush head is obtained and recorded as a dynamic start value. Whether the structure of the brush assembly is abnormal is determined based on the fluctuation range of the dynamic start value.

23. The monitoring method according to claim 17, characterized in that: The working state includes whether the swing of the brush assembly is abnormal. The step of starting the semiconductor cleaning equipment and obtaining the measurement value of the pressure sensor in the monitoring method includes: When the brush head does not rotate, the brush head is swung to obtain measurement values ​​during the swung process, and whether the swung of the brush assembly is abnormal is determined based on the fluctuation range of the measurement values.

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