JP2827305B2 - Cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] A cleaning device, particularly a cleaning device used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, constantly removes dust floating on the surface of a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank and removes the dust to an object to be cleaned. A cleaning tank having an opening at an upper surface and having at least a cleaning liquid supply port and a bubbling gas supply port therein for the purpose of eliminating adhesion, and a blowout arranged in parallel along one upper end edge of the cleaning tank. A gas blowing unit having a port, and at least a vacuum suction unit having a suction port arranged to face the blowing port along another upper edge facing one upper edge of the cleaning tank, The cleaning device is configured such that the gas blown out from the blowout port flows on the surface of the cleaning liquid filled in the cleaning tank and is sucked from the suction port.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to an improvement of a cleaning apparatus used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device or the like.

In recent years, semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) have become larger and larger,
The degree of integration is also increasing. Therefore, its manufacturing process is also becoming increasingly delicate and difficult.

Many devices are used in an IC manufacturing process, and a cleaning device is used in various manufacturing processes to clean a mask for exposure as well as a substrate wafer.

In the manufacture of ICs, the prevention of dust is the most important issue, and there is an increasing demand for improved cleanliness of cleaning equipment.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a conventional cleaning apparatus.
1 is a top view, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view along AA '.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a cleaning tank, and 11 denotes a cleaning liquid supply port, which is connected to a cleaning liquid supply device (not shown).

A bubbling gas supply port 12 is connected to a bubbling gas supply device (not shown). Reference numeral 6 denotes a perforated septum, which is fixed substantially horizontally above the bottom of the washing tank 1 and has a large number of through-holes 61 having a diameter of several mm in the plane. Reference numeral 4 denotes a cleaning solution.

Reference numeral 100 denotes a cleaning jig, which is a holder for accommodating an object to be cleaned, for example, an enlarged mask for exposure (hereinafter referred to as a reticle).

FIG. 3 is a view showing a mounting state of a cleaning jig and a reticle.
It shows a state taken out of the cleaning tank 1 described above. In the figure, 100 is a cleaning jig, 101 is a handle for taking in and out of the cleaning tank 1, and 200 is a reticle mounted on the cleaning jig 100.

Now, the cleaning jig 100 on which the reticle 200 has been placed is
As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning liquid is gently put into the cleaning tank 1 as shown in FIG. 2, and the cleaning liquid 4, for example, pure water is supplied from the cleaning liquid supply port 11, and the pure water fills the cleaning tank 1 and then flows from the upper edge. On the other hand, the pure water is continuously supplied from the cleaning liquid supply port 11 on the bottom surface to wash the reticle. At the same time, a bubbling gas, for example, a clean nitrogen gas is allowed to flow from the bubbling gas supply port 12 to bubble into the cleaning liquid 4 to further enhance the cleaning effect.

A perforated septum plate 6 is provided at an appropriate height, and a number of holes 61 penetrating therethrough are formed at random. It has become evenly distributed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-described conventional cleaning apparatus, for example, even when pure water overflows, small dust may adhere slightly to the edge of the upper end of the cleaning tank 1 or the stagnation portion of the corner, or the stagnation does not flow down well. is there.

FIG. 2 (a) shows an example of such a state in a garbage 300 with a dot.
As shown.

If there is such dust 300, the cleaning jig 100 is moved to the cleaning tank 1
After being lifted from the reticle, it remains as dirt on the reticle 200 after cleaning, as shown by the x-point dust 300 shown on the reticle surface in FIG. 3, which seriously reduces the yield and quality / reliability of the final product. There was a problem that needed to be resolved.

[Means for solving the problem]

The above problem is to provide a cleaning tank provided with at least a cleaning liquid supply port and a gas supply port for bubbling inside the upper surface is opened,
A gas blowing unit having a blowing port arranged in parallel along one upper edge of the cleaning tank, and facing the blowing port along another upper edge facing one upper edge of the cleaning tank. A vacuum suction unit having a suction port disposed therein, wherein the gas blown from the blowout port flows on the surface of the cleaning liquid filled in the cleaning tank and is sucked from the suction port. The problem can be solved by using a cleaning device.

[Action]

According to the present invention, a small dust that adheres slightly or stagnates and does not flow down well to the stagnation portion of the upper end edge or corner of the cleaning tank 1 is subjected to gas laminar flow along the surface of the overflowing cleaning liquid. Since the liquid 5 flows at a required strength, the dust that has stagnated or adhered to the edge can be forcibly blown off from the entire surface of the cleaning liquid to be removed.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a top view, and FIG. 1 (b) is a sectional view taken along the line AA '.

In the figure, 1 is a washing tank, for example, 300 × 300 × 30
A 0 mm glass or Teflon container 11, which is a cleaning liquid supply port, is connected to a cleaning liquid supply device (not shown) through, for example, a Teflon pipe having an inner diameter of 10 mmφ. Reference numeral 12 denotes a bubbling gas supply port, which is connected to a bubbling gas supply device (not shown) through, for example, a Teflon pipe also having an inner diameter of 10 mmφ. Reference numeral 6 denotes a perforated septum plate, for example, a 10 mm-thick Teflon plate fixed approximately horizontally above the bottom surface of the washing tank 1, for example, at a position of 50 mm, for example, with a thickness of 10 mm. 9 mmφ penetrated hole 61 is drilled.
Reference numeral 4 denotes a cleaning liquid, for example, pure water.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a gas blowing unit, which is made of, for example, Teflon or rigid PVC, and has a gas laminar flow 5 outlet 21 arranged in parallel along one upper edge 13a of the cleaning tank 1, and a gas outlet 21. On the other side is a clean gas, for example
It is connected to a blower (not shown) for feeding clean air.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a vacuum suction unit, which is made of, for example, Teflon or hard PVC, and faces the outlet 21 of the gas laminar flow 5 along another upper edge 13b opposite to one upper edge 13a of the cleaning tank 1. Suction port 31 of the gas laminar flow 5 arranged
And the other side of the gas suction port 31 is a gas laminar flow 5, that is,
It is connected to a vacuum pump, not shown, for sucking clean air.

In addition, although the gas blowing port 21 in the embodiment diagram has holes formed in a line, the holes are not limited to holes and may be slits having a uniform width.

Regarding the dimensions and arrangement of the blow-out port 21 and the suction port 31, a uniform flow of clean air can be generated as parallel as possible along the surface of the cleaning liquid 4, thereby forcing the liquid on the surface of the cleaning liquid 4. If the flow is going to happen,
Needless to say, the interval, height, width, flow rate and flow rate of the clean air may be appropriately set as appropriate.

Now, the object to be cleaned, for example, having a thickness of 2.3 mm and a size of 150 ×
A reticle 200 made of quartz glass of 150 mm is placed on a cleaning jig 100 in the same manner as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the cleaning liquid is gently introduced into the cleaning tank 1, and the cleaning liquid 4, for example, pure water is supplied from the cleaning liquid supply port 11. The pure water fills the cleaning tank 1 and eventually overflows from the upper edge to flow down. On the other hand, fresh pure water is constantly supplied from the cleaning liquid supply port 11 on the bottom surface, and the reticle is cleaned.

At the same time, a bubbling gas, for example, a clean nitrogen gas is allowed to flow from the bubbling gas supply port 12 to bubble into the cleaning liquid 4.

Further, a gas blowing unit 2 is connected,
In this case, a blower (not shown) is operated, and for example, the clean air is blown out from a blowout port 21, while the clean air is blown out from a suction port 31 of a vacuum suction unit 31 arranged facing the blower. Is sucked by a vacuum pump (not shown) to form a laminar flow 5 of clean air as uniform as possible along the surface of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 1.

The apparatus of this embodiment was used in a clean booth as usual.

As described above, by operating the cleaning apparatus of the present embodiment, dust that is stuck on a part of the liquid surface or adheres to the upper edge of the cleaning tank is forcibly blown off from the entire surface of the cleaning liquid to be removed. Can, therefore, reticle 200
After being lifted out of the cleaning tank 1, dirt on the reticle 200 may be, for example, 0.5 to 2 μm as a result of a microscopic inspection.
When the evaluation was performed by detecting the amount of attached dust having a size of m, it was 1/5 or less of the case where the conventional cleaning device was used, and a large improvement was observed.

In the above-described embodiment, the materials, dimensions, shapes, and the like are merely examples, and other materials or combinations thereof may be used as appropriate.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, small dust that is slightly adhered or stagnates and does not flow down well on the edge of the upper end or the stagnation of the corner of the cleaning tank 1 is removed from the surface of the overflowing cleaning liquid. The gas laminar flow 5 is flowed along with the required strength, so that the dust that is stagnant or adheres to the edge can be forcibly blown off from the entire surface of the cleaning liquid to be removed. Therefore, the possibility that stains remain on the object to be cleaned is extremely reduced, and this greatly contributes to improving the yield, quality, and reliability of high-performance products such as ICs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a conventional cleaning apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a view showing a mounted state of a cleaning jig and a reticle. In the figure, 1 is a cleaning tank, 2 is a gas blowing unit, 3 is a vacuum suction unit, 4 is a cleaning liquid, 5 is a gas laminar flow, 6 is a perforated septum, 11 is a cleaning liquid supply port, and 12 is a bubbling gas supply. The mouth 13 (13a, 13b) is the upper edge, 21 is the outlet, 31 is the suction port, and 61 is the hole.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A gas having a cleaning tank provided with at least an cleaning liquid supply port and a bubbling gas supply port therein, and a blow-out port arranged in parallel along one upper edge of the cleaning tank. A blow-off unit, and at least a vacuum suction unit having a suction port arranged to face the blow-out port along another upper end edge opposite to one upper-end edge of the cleaning tank, and blows out from the blow-out port. The cleaning apparatus is characterized in that the discharged gas flows on the surface of the cleaning liquid filled in the cleaning tank and is sucked from the suction port.