Wafer cleaning device
Technical Field
The present application relates to the field of semiconductor technologies, and in particular, to a wafer cleaning apparatus for a back-end wafer process.
Background
In the existing wafer etching process, the surface of the wafer needs to be treated with chemical liquid, and after the etching process is completed, the chemical liquid needs to be cleaned and then the subsequent processes can be continued. The cleaning method commonly used today is to stick the wafer on the adhesive film, which is tightly fixed on the outer frame, so that the wafer can be moved and cleaned by the robot. Generally, the wafer is fixed and disposed upward during cleaning, and a movable nozzle is disposed above the wafer to spray the cleaning solution downward onto the wafer.
In view of the above, the present inventors have made extensive studies and studies to solve the above problems in combination with the application of the above prior art, and as a result, the present inventors have improved the present invention.
Disclosure of Invention
The embodiment of the application provides a wafer cleaning device for a wafer back-end process.
The embodiment of the application provides a wafer cleaning device, which is used for cleaning a wafer on a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a ring frame and an adhesive film, the adhesive film is arranged on the ring frame in a tensioning mode, and the wafer is attached to the adhesive film; the wafer cleaning device comprises a water tank, a hanging bracket, a clamp, an opening and closing mechanism, a rotating mechanism, a lifting mechanism and at least one flushing nozzle; at least one part of the hanging bracket is suspended above the water tank; the clamp is arranged on the hanging bracket and is suspended above the water tank, the clamp comprises a shade for bearing the carrier and a gland for pressing the carrier on the shade, the shade is provided with a through hole for exposing the wafer, and the through hole is arranged downwards towards the water tank; the opening and closing mechanism is connected between the shield and the gland to relatively move the shield and the gland to open or close the clamp; the rotating mechanism is linked with the clamp to drive the clamp to rotate horizontally; the lifting mechanism is linked with the clamp and can drive the clamp to lift; the flushing nozzle is disposed in the water tank and is upwardly disposed toward the through opening.
In one embodiment, the gland has a pressing plane, and the pressing plane is disposed toward the mask.
In one embodiment, the shroud has a gap with the trough.
In one embodiment, the rim of the port is provided with a sealing ring.
In one embodiment, the seal ring is embedded in the cover.
In one embodiment, the opening is provided with a tapered surface on its periphery, and the tapered surface is disposed downwardly toward the water tank.
In one embodiment, an air nozzle is disposed within the flume.
In one embodiment, the water tank is provided with an air exhaust passage, and at least one part of the air exhaust passage forms a water retaining bend which is bent up and down.
In one embodiment, the air exhaust passage is communicated with the bottom of the inner side wall of the water tank.
In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the water tank is provided with a drain hole.
In one embodiment, the opening and closing mechanism comprises at least one pneumatic cylinder connected between the mask and the cover.
In one embodiment, the rotating mechanism is driven by the lifting mechanism to move with the fixture in a lifting manner.
In one embodiment, the rotating mechanism includes a rotating shaft and a motor, the rotating shaft is connected to the gland, and the motor is coupled to the rotating shaft.
In one embodiment, the rotating shaft and the motor are linked by a transmission belt.
In one embodiment, the lifting mechanism comprises a pneumatic cylinder which is linked with the clamp.
In one embodiment, the plurality of washing nozzles are used for spraying different washing liquids.
The wafer cleaning device of the embodiment of the application arranges the surface to be cleaned of the wafer downwards by the clamp and covers the carrier by the cover, and the flushing nozzle is fixedly provided with directional spraying. Therefore, the spraying range can be accurately controlled, the cleaning liquid only contacts with the wafer, and the cleaning liquid is drained downwards after washing the wafer without overflowing and contacting with the wafer carrier.
Drawings
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Fig. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a close-up of a cover and a gland in the wafer cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application.
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a mask closed water tank in the wafer cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application.
Fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the spraying and draining of the cleaning liquid in the wafer cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application.
Fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating air supply and moisture removal in the wafer cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application.
Description of reference numerals:
10-a carrier;
11-ring frame;
12-glue film;
20-a wafer;
100-a water tank;
101-a drain hole;
110-an exhaust passage;
111-water retaining bending;
200-a hanger;
210-a cantilever;
300-a clamp;
301-through port;
310-a mask;
311-sealing ring;
312-a cone;
320-a gland;
321-pressing a plane;
400-an opening and closing mechanism;
500-a rotation mechanism;
510-a rotating shaft;
520-a motor;
600-a lifting mechanism;
710-a flush nozzle;
720-air nozzle.
Detailed Description
Referring to fig. 1, a wafer cleaning apparatus for cleaning a wafer 20 is provided according to a preferred embodiment of the present application. The wafer 20 is carried on a carrier 10, and the carrier 10 may include a ring frame 11 and a film 12. The ring frame 11 is preferably a metal ring, and particularly, the ring frame 11 is made of stainless steel, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. The adhesive film 12 is disposed on the ring frame 11 in a tensioned manner, and the wafer 20 can be fixed on the adhesive film 12 in the area surrounded by the ring frame 11. Specifically, the ring frame 11 and the wafer 20 are attached to the same surface of the adhesive film 12, and the wafer 20 is disposed in the ring frame 11 and spaced from the ring frame 11. The wafer cleaning apparatus of the present application can be preferably used for a thinned wafer 20 of 4 inches, which has a thickness of about 100 μm, but the present application is not limited thereto.
In this embodiment, the wafer cleaning apparatus may comprise at least a water tank 100, a hanger 200, a clamp 300, an opening/closing mechanism 400, a rotation mechanism 500, a lifting mechanism 600, and at least one rinsing nozzle 710.
In the present embodiment, the hanger 200 is disposed at one side of the water tank 100 and the hanger 200 extends out of the cantilever 210, and the cantilever 210 is suspended above the water tank 100.
The clamp 300 is suspended below the suspension arm 210 and above the water tank 100, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the hanger 200 may be disposed across the water tank 100 such that at least a portion thereof is suspended above the water tank 100 for suspending the clamp 300. In the present embodiment, the fixture 300 includes a mask 310 and a gland 320. The cover 310 is used for carrying the carrier 10, and the gland 320 is disposed above the cover 310 for pressing the carrier 10 on the cover 310. The mask 310 has an opening 301 for exposing the wafer 20, and the opening 301 is disposed downward toward the water tank 100. The rim of the through opening 301 is provided with a sealing ring 311, and the sealing ring 311 is preferably embedded in the mask 310. The periphery of the port 301 is provided with a tapered surface 312, and the tapered surface 312 is disposed downward toward the water tank 100. The pressing cover 320 has a pressing plane 321, and the pressing plane 321 is disposed toward the mask 310.
The opening and closing mechanism 400 is connected between the shield 310 and the cover 320 to relatively move the shield 310 and the cover 320 to open or close the clamp 300. The opening/closing mechanism 400 includes at least one pneumatic cylinder (not shown) connected between the cover 310 and the pressing cover 320, in the embodiment, the pneumatic cylinder can drive the cover 310 to move up and close to the pressing cover 320 to clamp the carrier 10, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the lifting mechanism 600 may also include an electric cylinder (linear actuator) for driving the clamp 300 or other actuating mechanism with a specific stroke, so as to prevent the clamp 300 from pressing the wafer 20 too much and damaging the wafer 20. When the clamp 300 is open, the mask 310 is separated from the lid 320, and the carrier 10 and wafer 20 may be placed on the mask 310 with the wafer 20 aligned with the aperture 301 of the mask 310 and exposed downwardly within the aperture 301.
Referring to fig. 2, when the mask 310 and the cover 320 are closed, the carrier 10 is clamped between the mask 310 and the cover 320, and the pressing plane 321 is flat against the other surface of the adhesive film 12 to support the wafer 20, so as to ensure that the adhesive film 12 is flat, which causes the wafer 20 to slightly press the sealing ring 311 to seal the wafer 20 with the through hole 301 of the mask 310.
The rotation mechanism 500 can drive the jig 300 to rotate horizontally in conjunction with the jig 300. Specifically, the rotating mechanism 500 may include a rotating shaft 510 and a motor 520, wherein the rotating shaft 510 is connected to the gland 320, the rotating shaft 510 and the motor 520 are connected by a transmission belt, and the motor 520 drives the rotating shaft 510. In the present embodiment, the motor 520, the rotating shaft 510 and the transmission belt are all disposed in the hanger 200, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and for example, the motor 520 may not be disposed in the hanger 200, and may be linked by gears between the rotating shaft 510 and the motor 520.
Referring to fig. 3, the lifting mechanism 600 is coupled to the fixture 300 to drive the fixture 300 to lift, the lifting mechanism 600 is preferably connected to the hanging bracket 200, the lifting mechanism 600 can be connected between the movable hanging bracket 200 and a fixed object, and the lifting mechanism 200 drives the fixture 300 to lift; the lifting mechanism 600 may also be connected between the fixed hanger 200 and the clamp 300 to lift the clamp 300. Therefore, the rotating mechanism 500 may be fixed, or may be driven by the lifting mechanism 600 to move up and down with the jig 300. In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 600 may also include at least one pneumatic cylinder linking the fixture 300, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the lifting mechanism 600 may include an electric cylinder (linear actuator) that moves the clamp 300 or other actuating mechanism with a specific stroke.
When the lifting mechanism 600 drives the clamp 300 to descend, the shade 310 can close the water tank 100, and a small gap is formed between the shade 310 and the water tank 100, so that the shade 310 can rotate.
Referring to fig. 4, the rinse nozzle 710 is disposed in the water tank 100 and disposed upward toward the through opening 301, and the rinse nozzle 710 is used for spraying a cleaning solution, which may be water or other chemical solution. The number of the washing nozzles 710 is not limited in the embodiment of the application, one or more washing nozzles 710 may be provided, and each washing nozzle 710 sprays different washing liquids to perform multi-stage washing.
When the rotating mechanism 500 drives the clamp 300 to rotate horizontally, the rinsing nozzle 710 sprays a cleaning solution toward the through hole 301 onto the wafer 20 exposed from the through hole 301 to rinse the wafer 20, the cleaning solution flows down along the tapered surface 312 into the water tank 100 after rinsing the wafer 20 without overflowing the contact carrier 10, and the bottom surface of the water tank 100 is provided with a drain hole 101 for draining the used cleaning solution.
Referring to fig. 5, the water tank 100 may further include an air nozzle 720, and after the wafer 20 is rinsed, the air nozzle 720 may send air into the water tank 100 to dry the wafer 20. In the present embodiment, the gas nozzle 720 preferably feeds nitrogen gas into the water tank 100, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the gas may be air, for example. Correspondingly, the water tank 100 is provided with an exhaust passage 110 for exhausting the wet gas. The wet gases may be exhausted to the exhaust passage 110 by positive pressure from the gas nozzles 720 or by providing negative pressure to the exhaust passage 110. In the embodiment, the exhaust passage 110 is an annular pipe surrounding the inner space of the water tank 100, the exhaust passage 110 is communicated with at least one portion of the bottom of the inner sidewall of the water tank 100, and the exhaust passage 110 is further communicated to the outside of the water tank 100. At least a portion of the exhaust passage 110 forms a water stop bend 111 turning up and down, and the water stop bend 111 can block the used cleaning solution from being discharged out of the water tank 100 through the exhaust passage 110. Therefore, the used cleaning liquid and gas can be collected through the drain hole 101 and the exhaust passage 110 for subsequent disposal or recycling.
In the wafer cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application, the clamp 300 is used to dispose the surface of the wafer 20 to be cleaned downward and cover the carrier 10 with the mask 310, and the rinsing nozzle 710 is fixed to be directed to spray. The spray range can be precisely controlled so that the cleaning solution contacts only the wafer 20 and is drained downward after rinsing the wafer 20 without overflowing the contact carrier 10.
The above description is only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application, but other equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application.