JP2549535Y2 - Cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a semiconductor wafer in order to remove dust and the like adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cleaning device has been used to remove dust and the like adhering to a semiconductor wafer and components of a device that does not like dust generation. This type of cleaning equipment continuously supplies a new cleaning liquid from outside the cleaning equipment tank in order to maintain the cleaning power and prevent the reattachment of dust, and removes the removed dust floating on the surface of the cleaning liquid. In order to remove the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid overflows from the upper opening of the tank and is discharged.

FIG. 2 shows a conventional cleaning apparatus 1 in which a cleaning liquid supplied from an inlet 2 to a cleaning tank 3 is a semiconductor wafer 4.
After removing and dissolving the dust 5 adhering to the cleaning tank 3, the dust 5 rises to near the liquid surface of the cleaning tank 3 together with the dirt. The rising cleaning liquid (including dirt such as dust 5) is attracted by a horizontal overflow flow formed on a very thin surface layer of the liquid, and is discharged from the upper opening 6 of the cleaning tank 3 to the drain tank 7. The cleaning liquid discharged into the drain tank 7 is sucked by the circulation pump 8 and passes through the filter 9 to remove dust 5 and the like in the cleaning liquid, and is circulated and supplied from the inflow port 2 to the cleaning tank 3. You.

[0004]

However, in the conventional cleaning apparatus, since the overflow flow from the cleaning tank 3 is formed with an extremely thin surface layer, a large amount of dust 5 does not get on the overflow flow and the tank 5 in the cleaning tank 3 does not. A phenomenon occurs in which the vehicle descends along the tank wall surface while riding on the inner swirling flow. The descending cleaning liquid has a drawback in that it moves in the cleaning tank 3 on the upward flow formed by the new cleaning liquid supplied from the inflow port 2, and adheres again when the semiconductor wafer 4 is pulled up.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus capable of preventing dirt from re-adhering to an object to be cleaned.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an upper surface is opened and an object to be cleaned is put in the upper surface, and a cleaning liquid inlet is provided at a bottom and a liquid inlet is provided at a lower side. And a first tank provided outside of the first tank and communicated with the first tank at the liquid passage, and an upper surface opening thereof is lower than an upper surface opening of the first tank. A second tank formed at the position, and a drain port provided outside the second tank and configured to discharge the overflowing cleaning liquid from the top opening of the first tank and the top opening of the second tank are formed. And a third tank.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a liquid passage is formed in the lower side surface of the first tank, and the cleaning liquid that is not discharged to the third tank due to overflow from the upper opening of the first tank is removed. The liquid is discharged to the second tank through the liquid passage through the downward flow formed along the wall surface of the tank. The cleaning liquid containing dirt discharged to the second tank is discharged to the third tank by an overflow from the upper opening of the second tank. As described above, since the dirt such as dust peeled and removed from the object to be cleaned is reliably removed from the first tank so as not to circulate in the first tank, the dirt such as dust is reapplied to the object to be cleaned. Adhesion can be prevented.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a cleaning apparatus 10 according to the present invention. The cleaning apparatus 10 includes a cleaning tank 12, an intermediate tank 14, and an outer tank 16. The upper surface of the cleaning tank 12 is opened, and a flange 17 is fixed to a peripheral edge thereof. The flange 17 is attached so as to be inclined so that the cleaning liquid overflowed from the upper surface opening 12 a of the cleaning tank 12 flows into the outer tank 16. Cleaning tank 1
2, a semiconductor wafer 18 to be cleaned has a holder 20.
Fixed by In addition, an inlet 24 for supplying a cleaning liquid 22 toward the semiconductor wafer 18 is formed on a bottom surface of the cleaning tank 12 located below the semiconductor wafer 18. Further, a plurality of liquid passages 2 are provided on the lower side surface of the cleaning tank 12.
6, 26... Are formed.

The intermediate tank 14 is provided outside the washing tank 12 and communicates with the washing tank 12 through the liquid ports 26, 26. Also, the upper surface opening 14a of the intermediate tank 14
Is formed at a position lower than the position of the upper surface opening 12a of the cleaning tank 12. The outer tank 16 is the intermediate tank 1
4 outside. Also, the bottom opening 2 of the outer tank 16
A circulation pump 32 is connected to 8 via a water pipe 30.
A filter 38 for removing dirt such as dust 36 in the cleaning liquid is connected to the circulation pump 32 via a water pipe 34.
The filter 38 is connected to the above-mentioned inlet 24 via a circulation pipe 40.

Next, the cleaning apparatus 10 constructed as described above is used.
The operation of will be described. First, the circulating pump 32 is operated to supply the cleaning liquid 22 from the inlet 24 into the cleaning tank 12. The cleaning liquid 22 is supplied into the cleaning tank 12 and forms an upward flow at the center of the cleaning tank 12 at the same time.
Contact Then, while the cleaning liquid 22 is in contact with the semiconductor wafer 18, the dust 3 adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 18 is removed.
6 and the like are separated and removed, and the dust 36 and the like reach the upper surface opening 12a of the cleaning tank 12 with the dust 36 and the like, and a part of the upper surface is opened by the horizontal flow formed on the surface layer of the cleaning liquid 22. It overflows from 12 a and flows out from the collar 17 to the outer layer 16.

On the other hand, the remainder of the cleaning liquid 22, which has not overflowed, descends along the inner wall of the cleaning tank 12, and rides on the downward flow to pass through the intermediate ports 1 through the liquid passage ports 26, 26.
Flow out to 4. Thus, the cleaning liquid 2 containing the dust 36 and the like
2 is discharged into the outer tub 16 and the intermediate tub 14 without getting on the swirling flow which is formed in the cleaning tub 12,
It is possible to prevent dust 36 and the like from re-adhering to the semiconductor wafer 18 when the semiconductor wafer 18 is taken out.

The cleaning liquid 22 flowing into the intermediate tank 14
Overflows from the upper surface opening 14 a of the intermediate tank 14 and flows into the outer tank 16. And the cleaning liquid 2 in the outer tank 16
2 is sucked by the circulation pump 32 and passes through the filter 38 to remove dirt such as dust 36, and then is circulated and supplied from the inlet 24 into the cleaning tank 12.

[0013]

As described above, according to the cleaning device of the present invention, a liquid passage is formed on the lower side surface of the first tank.
The remaining cleaning liquid that is not discharged to the third tank by an overflow flow from the upper opening of the first tank is placed on the downward flow formed along the tank wall surface of the first tank, and the second cleaning liquid is passed through the second through the liquid passage. Since the dust is discharged into the tank and the dirt such as dust is not circulated in the first tank, it is possible to prevent the dirt such as dust from re-adhering to the object to be cleaned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a cleaning apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a conventional cleaning apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Cleaning apparatus 12 ... Cleaning tank 14 ... Intermediate tank 16 ... Outer tank 18 ... Semiconductor wafer 24 ... Inflow port 26 ... Liquid passage port 32 ... Circulation pump 36 ... Dust 38 ... Filter

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A first tank having an opening at an upper surface, into which an object to be washed is placed, an inlet for a washing liquid at a bottom portion, and a liquid passage opening at a lower side surface; A second tank, which is provided on the outside and communicates with the first tank through the liquid passage port, and whose upper surface opening is formed at a position lower than the upper surface opening of the first tank; A third tank provided on the outside and having a drain port for discharging a cleaning liquid overflowing from an upper surface opening of the first tank and an upper surface opening of the second tank. .