Vertical Wafer Cleaning Layout for Shorter Plasma Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing bonding system for semiconductor manufacturing, which integrates a cleaning apparatus and a surface modification apparatus, faces challenges due to the large installation area and long wafer transport distances, resulting in reduced processing speed.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a wafer cleaning apparatus with a wet cleaning unit and a dry cleaning unit, where the dry cleaning unit is disposed above the wet cleaning unit to overlap at least a part of it, reducing the overall size and installation area, and shortening the wafer transport distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning apparatus and surface modification apparatus are disposed side by side in the horizontal direction, then the system can perform both cleaning and plasma treatment, but the installation area becomes large and the wafer transport distance becomes long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal arrangement to vertical stacking, placing the dry cleaning unit (plasma treatment apparatus) above the wet cleaning unit. This dimensional change allows both cleaning and plasma treatment functions to coexist in a compact vertical space, reducing the horizontal installation area while maintaining system versatility
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning apparatus and surface modification apparatus are disposed side by side in the horizontal direction, then the system can perform both cleaning and plasma treatment, but the wafer transport distance becomes long reducing processing speed
Solution Approach 1:
By stacking the dry cleaning unit vertically above the wet cleaning unit, the patent dramatically reduces the wafer transport path length. The wafer moves vertically between units rather than horizontally across a large distance, thereby increasing processing speed while maintaining both cleaning and plasma treatment capabilities
3Area of stationary object
If the dry cleaning unit is disposed above the wet cleaning unit, then the installation area is reduced, but the atmospheric pressure plasma may hit the surface of equipment in the wet cleaning unit and cause roughening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful plasma effect from the wet cleaning unit by introducing a shutter that separates the two units. The shutter can be opened to allow wafer transport and closed to contain the plasma within the dry cleaning unit, preventing plasma-induced surface roughening of equipment in the wet cleaning unit while maintaining the compact vertical configuration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the size and installation area of the wafer cleaning apparatus, shortens the wafer transport distance, and improves the processing speed of the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
a water nozzle for spraying hydrogen water, ozone water, or pure water onto the surface of the wafer
Implementation Method 2
a water nozzle for spraying hydrogen water, ozone water, or pure water onto the surface of the wafer
Implementation Method 3
a dry cleaning unit that cleans the surface of the wafer with atmospheric pressure plasma
Implementation Method 4
by generating a discharge in the ceramic tube by applying a high voltage between a negative electrode disposed outside the ceramic tube through which plasma gas flows and a ground electrode disposed inside the ceramic tube
Implementation Method 5
The processing stage may move the wafer in the up-down direction between the wet cleaning chamber and the dry cleaning chamber
Implementation Method 6
it is possible to suppress the atmospheric pressure plasma in the dry cleaning unit disposed above the wet cleaning unit from hitting the surface of each equipment disposed in the wet cleaning unit and roughening of the surface of each equipment
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a wafer includes: a wet cleaning unit that cleans the surface of the wafer with liquid; and a dry cleaning unit that cleans the surface of the wafer with atmospheric pressure plasma, and the dry cleaning unit is disposed above the wet cleaning unit to overlap the wet cleaning unit.