JP3098242U - Cleaning equipment for silicon wafers - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a silicon wafer cleaning apparatus capable of efficiently immersing two silicon wafer cleaning baskets in each processing tank at the same time to efficiently clean them.
A plurality of processing tanks (2a to 2f) arranged in a row have a size that allows two baskets (B), (B) to be simultaneously immersed in a width direction orthogonal to the row direction, while the transfer means is a processing tank (2a to 2f). A traveling rail 31 disposed in the row direction above 2f, a traveling carriage 33 provided on the traveling rail 31 so as to be able to travel freely, and an elevating plate 36 provided on the carriage 33 so as to be able to ascend and descend via an elevating mechanism 34; A pair of clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 are provided below the plate 36 in the width direction and are configured to freely open and clamp two baskets B, B containing a large number of silicon wafers. Thus, the two baskets B, B are simultaneously clamped, and are immersed sequentially in the processing tanks 2a to 2f for cleaning.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a silicon wafer cleaning apparatus for automatically cleaning a silicon wafer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a silicon wafer cleaning apparatus for automatically cleaning silicon wafers, a plurality of processing tanks storing various processing solutions are provided in a row, and a basket containing a large number of silicon wafers to be cleaned is transferred by a transfer means. It is so arranged that it is sequentially immersed in these processing tanks and automatically cleaned. In this case, each processing tank has a size that allows one basket to be immersed, while the transfer means is provided with a traveling rail disposed in a row direction above each processing tank, and is provided on the traveling rail so as to be freely movable. A traveling trolley, a lifting plate provided on the trolley via a lifting mechanism so as to be able to move up and down, and a clamp portion provided below the plate and having a clamp opening / closing mechanism that clamps the basket freely. Has been done.
[0003]
However, in the above-described conventional cleaning apparatus, since one basket is immersed in each tank by the transfer means for cleaning, the cleaning capacity in one processing tank can be accommodated in one basket. Productivity was low, limited to the number of silicon wafers. In order to increase the productivity, it is sufficient to install another cleaning device, but in this case, the area of the site for the cleaning device and the cleaning equipment is required to be doubled. Not only is required twice, but also the yield of the cleaning liquid and the like is deteriorated.
[0004]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a silicon wafer cleaning apparatus capable of efficiently rinsing two silicon wafer cleaning baskets simultaneously in each processing tank by devising a transfer means.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a silicon wafer for automatically cleaning by sequentially immersing a basket containing a large number of silicon wafers to be cleaned in a plurality of processing tanks arranged in a row by a transfer means. In the cleaning apparatus for use, each of the processing tanks has a size that allows two baskets to be simultaneously immersed in the width direction orthogonal to the row direction, while the transfer means is disposed in the row direction above each of the processing tanks. A traveling rail, a traveling carriage provided on the traveling rail so as to be freely movable, an elevating plate provided on the carriage so as to be movable up and down via an elevating mechanism, and a plurality of silicon wafers arranged in parallel in a width direction below the plate. A pair of clamp opening / closing mechanisms for freely clamping two baskets containing two sheets, and clamping these two baskets simultaneously by these clamps. And, characterized in that so as to wash by sequentially immersed in each processing tank.
[0006]
[Embodiment of the invention]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The drawing shows a cleaning apparatus for silicon wafers according to the present invention, and this cleaning apparatus 1 is provided with a plurality of processing tanks 2a... 2f storing various processing liquids in a row as shown in FIG. The basket B accommodating a large number of silicon wafers (not shown) is sequentially immersed in the processing tanks 2a to 2f by the transfer means 3 and automatically washed.
[0007]
In this case, each of the processing tanks 2a to 2f has such a size that two baskets B can be simultaneously immersed in the width direction orthogonal to the row direction as shown in FIG. Each of the processing tanks 2a to 2f is provided with an appropriate circulation mechanism 4 having a function of collecting and purifying the respective cleaning liquids.
[0008]
The transfer means 3 is provided with a traveling rail 31 with a rack 31a disposed in a row direction above the circulation mechanism 4 in each of the processing tanks 2a. A traveling carriage 33 having a cantilevered support frame 32 extending in a vertical direction, an elevating plate 36 provided on the support frame 32 via a lifting cylinder 34 and a plurality of guide rods 35, 35 so as to be movable up and down. A pair of clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 are provided in the lower part in the width direction and clamp the two baskets B, B in a freely openable manner.
[0009]
The support frame 32 of the traveling carriage 33 is provided with a plurality of guide rollers 33a, 33a disposed at positions facing the upper surface of the traveling rail 31, and a drive motor 33b meshing with the rack 31a.
[0010]
The elevating cylinder 34 is fixed to the support frame 32, and the end of the piston that extends and contracts is fixed to the center of the elevating plate 36. And is slidably supported by the support frame 32.
[0011]
The clamp opening / closing mechanism 37 is provided so as to be able to swing open and close via front and rear walls 38, 39 provided between the front and rear walls 38, 39 and between the front and rear walls 38, 39 via clamp opening / closing shafts 40, 40. It comprises a pair of left and right L-shaped levers 41, 41 with clamp pieces, and a pair of right and left clamp opening and closing cylinders 42, 42 provided on the lower surface of the elevating plate 36 between the front and rear walls 38, 39. A connecting plate 43 having a connecting shaft 43a is provided at the distal end of the telescopic piston 42, and the free ends of the levers 41, 41 are connected to the connecting shaft of the connecting plate 43, so that the pistons of the cylinders 42, 42 expand and contract. Thus, the L-shaped levers 41, 41 are opened and closed through the connecting plates 43, 43.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 2, a carry-in conveyor 44 for carrying baskets B containing a large number of silicon wafers two rows at a time in the width direction is provided at the front carry-in portion of the first processing tank 2a. On the other hand, above the final processing tank 2f, there are provided drying transfer means 45 for simultaneously taking out the washed baskets B, B from the final processing tank 2f and moving to a drying position on the front side of the final processing tank 2f. An unloading conveyor 46 is provided at the front unloading section of the processing tank 2f to receive the baskets B, B, which have been dried by the drying transfer means 45, two rows at a time and to unload them to a storage section (not shown) as appropriate. Note that the transfer unit 45 for drying has the same structure as the transfer unit 3 described above, and a description of the structure will be omitted.
[0013]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 47 denotes a basket supporting frame provided with an appropriate vibration or swing mechanism (not shown), which vibrates or swings the immersed baskets B and B in each processing tank to improve the cleaning effect. It is to enhance. The control of the drive motor 33b in the traveling vehicle 33 and the control of the clamp opening / closing cylinders 42, 42 in the clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 are automatically performed by a controller (not shown).
[0014]
Next, the operation of the cleaning apparatus for a silicon wafer configured as described above will be described.
When cleaning the basket B containing a large number of silicon wafers, the carry-in conveyor 44 first supplies the baskets B, B in two rows to the carry-in section. The traveling carriage 33 is moved onto the baskets B supplied to the carry-in section, the elevating cylinder 34 is lowered, and the clamp pieces 41a, 41a are expanded by a pair of right and left clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 so that two baskets in the front row are opened. Clamp B and B together. Thereafter, the lifting cylinder 34 is raised to lift both the baskets B, B, and then the traveling carriage 33 is moved forward to be positioned immediately above the first processing tank 2a as shown in FIG. Then, the lifting cylinder 34 is lowered at that position, and the two buckets B are simultaneously immersed in the first processing tank 2a as shown in FIG. Thereafter, the clamps 41a, 41a are narrowed by a pair of left and right clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 to release the clamps of the two baskets B, B, and the clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 are raised by the elevating cylinder 34 to the standby position. Position. In this state, washing is performed while the baskets B, B are vibrated or rocked in the first processing tank 2a.
[0015]
After the cleaning in the first processing tank 2a, the clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 are lowered by the lifting / lowering cylinder 34, and the clamp pieces 41a, 41a are expanded by the clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37, 37 to clamp the baskets B, B. After raising the elevating cylinder 34 thereon, the traveling carriage 33 is sequentially moved immediately above the remaining processing tanks 2b... 2f, and in each of the processing tanks 2b. The two buckets B, B are simultaneously immersed for cleaning.
[0016]
In this case, for example, when the two buckets B, B cleaned in the second processing tank 2b are transferred to the third processing tank 2c and subjected to immersion cleaning, the traveling carriage 33 is retracted to the first processing tank 2a during the cleaning. The two baskets B, B, which have been moved and washed in the first processing tank 2a, are transferred to the emptied second processing tank 2b, and stand by the loading section in the emptied first processing tank 2a. The two baskets B, B on the carry-in conveyor 44 to be transported are immersed in order and washed.
[0017]
As described above, in the cleaning apparatus for silicon wafers of the present invention, two baskets B for cleaning silicon wafers can be immersed in each processing tank by the pair of left and right clamp opening / closing mechanisms 37 for cleaning. In addition, the productivity can be doubled, the site area for the cleaning device and the cleaning equipment can be reduced, the number of workers can be reduced, and the yield of the cleaning liquid and the circulation mechanism 4 can be reduced. Is obtained.
[0018]
[Effect of the invention]
As described above, according to the silicon wafer cleaning apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of processing tanks arranged in a row have a size capable of simultaneously immersing two baskets in a width direction orthogonal to the row direction, and a transfer unit. A traveling rail arranged in the row direction above each of the processing tanks, a traveling carriage provided on the traveling rail so as to be able to travel, and a lifting plate provided on the carriage so as to be movable up and down via a lifting mechanism, A pair of clamp opening / closing mechanisms that are arranged side by side in the width direction at the lower portion of the plate and openably clamp two baskets containing a large number of silicon wafers, and simultaneously clamp the two baskets with these clamps, Since the cleaning is performed by sequentially immersing the wafers in the respective processing tanks, two baskets for cleaning silicon wafers are provided by a pair of left and right clamp opening / closing mechanisms. It can be immersed in each treatment tank for cleaning, and as a result, the productivity can be doubled, and the site area for the cleaning device and the cleaning equipment is reduced. The yield can be reduced and the yield of the cleaning liquid and the circulation device can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a cleaning apparatus for a silicon wafer of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the cleaning device.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged explanatory view of the main part.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Silicon wafer washing machine 2a-2f Processing tank 3 Transfer means 31 Traveling rail 33 Traveling carriage 34 Elevating mechanism 36 Elevating plates 37, 37 Clamp opening / closing mechanism B Basket

Claims (1)

In a silicon wafer cleaning apparatus for automatically cleaning a basket containing a large number of silicon wafers to be cleaned by sequentially immersing the baskets in a plurality of processing tanks arranged in a row by a transfer means, the processing tanks are arranged in a row direction. While having a size that allows two baskets to be simultaneously immersed in the orthogonal width direction, the transfer means is provided on a traveling rail disposed in the row direction above each of the processing tanks, and is provided on the traveling rail so as to be freely movable. A traveling cart, an elevating plate provided on the cart so as to be able to move up and down via an elevating mechanism, and a pair of clamps which are arranged side by side in the width direction below the plate and openably clamp two baskets each containing a large number of silicon wafers. The two baskets are simultaneously clamped by these clamps and immersed in each of the above-mentioned processing tanks for cleaning. Silicon wafer is characterized in that the so that the cleaning device.

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