JPH0368138A - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lessen extremely the residue of dirt on matters to be cleaned and to enhance the yield and quality of an IC and the like by a method wherein small dusts, which are slightly adhered on stagnant components at the upper end edge or the corners of a cleaning tank or stagnate and do not run down well, and cleaned off by flowing a gas laminar flow along the surface of an overflowing cleaning fluid in a necessary strength. CONSTITUTION:Matters to be cleaned, such as reticles 200 which are respectively 2.3mm in thickness, 150X150mm in size and are made of a quarts, are placed on a cleaning jig 100 and the jig 100 is quietly put in a cleaning tank 1 using hand grips 101. Then, a cleaning fluid 4, such as pure water, is made to flow in the tank 1 through a cleaning fluid feed opening 11, the tank 1 is filled with the pure water, the pure water is soon made to overflow the upper end edge of the tank 1, while fresh pure water is ceaselessly fed through the feed opening 11 provided in the bottom of the tank 1 and the reticles 200 are cleaned. At this time, clean nitrogen gas is simultaneously made to flow in the tank 1 through a gas feed opening 12 for bubbling use, the fluid 4 is made to bubble and moreover, clean air from a fan, which is not shown in the diagram is made to blow off through diffuser 21, this air is sucked by a vacuum pump, which is not shown in the diagram, through suction ports 31 of a vacuum suction unit 3 and uniform laminar flows 5 of the clean air are generated along the surface of the cleaning fluid 4.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a cleaning device, especially a cleaning device used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, dust floating on the surface of a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank is constantly drained and removed, thereby preventing the dust from falling onto the object to be cleaned. A cleaning tank having at least a cleaning liquid supply port and a bubbling gas supply port for the purpose of eliminating adhesion, and a gas laminar flow outlet arranged in parallel along one upper edge of the cleaning tank. a vacuum suction unit having a gas blowing unit and a suction port for the gas laminar flow disposed along the other top edge opposite to one top edge of the cleaning tank, facing the gas laminar flow blowout port; and a cleaning device is intercepted so that dust floating on the surface of the cleaning liquid overflowing the upper end edge of the cleaning tank is removed by flowing out by the gas laminar flow.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to improvements in cleaning equipment used in manufacturing processes for semiconductor devices and the like.

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

Many devices are used in the IC manufacturing process, and cleaning devices for cleaning not only substrate wafers but also exposure masks are used in various manufacturing processes.

In manufacturing ICs, prevention of dust contamination is the most important issue, and there is an increasing need to improve the cleanliness of cleaning equipment.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conventional cleaning device, in which FIG. 2A is a top view and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A'.

In the figure, 1 is a cleaning tank, and 11 is 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 plate, which is fixed horizontally from the bottom of the cleaning tank 1, and has a large number of through holes 61 several mm in diameter in its surface.
is perforated. 4 is a cleaning liquid.

A cleaning jig 100 is a holder that accommodates an object to be cleaned, for example, an enlarged mask for exposure (hereinafter referred to as a reticle).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the state in which the cleaning jig and reticle are placed, and shows the state in which they are taken out from the cleaning tank 1 described above. In the figure, 100 is a cleaning jig, 101 is a handle for taking it in and out of the cleaning tank l, and 200 is a reticle placed on the cleaning jig 100.

Now, using the handle 101, gently place the cleaning jig 100 with the reticle 200 placed in the cleaning tank l as shown in FIG. The pure water fills the cleaning tank 1 and eventually overflows from the upper edge and flows down, while fresh pure water is constantly supplied from the cleaning liquid supply port 11 at the bottom to clean the reticle. At the same time, a bubbling gas, for example, clean nitrogen gas, is flowed from the bubbling gas supply port 12 and bubbled into the cleaning: tL4, thereby enhancing the -m cleaning effect.

In addition, the perforated septum plate 6 is provided at an appropriate height,
Since a large number of penetrating holes 61 are randomly formed therein, the pure water and nitrogen gas are evenly distributed in the cleaning tank l.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned conventional cleaning device, even if pure water is overflowing, a small amount of dust may adhere to the stagnation part of the upper edge or corner of the cleaning tank 1. It may become stagnant and may not flow down properly.

Figure 2 (a) shows an example of such a situation with 0 points of garbage 300
It was shown as

If such dirt 300 exists, after the cleaning jig 100 is lifted from the cleaning tank l, it remains as dirt on the cleaned reticle 200, like the zero-point dirt 300 shown on the reticle surface in FIG. There was a serious problem that led to a decline in the yield, quality, and reliability of the final product, and it was necessary to resolve it.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above problem is solved by the cleaning tank 1 provided with at least the cleaning liquid supply port 11 and the bubbling gas supply port 12, and the cleaning tank 1.
A gas blowing unit 2 having a blowing port 21 for a laminar gas flow 5 arranged in parallel along one upper edge 13a of the gas blowing unit 2.
and an outlet 2 for the gas laminar flow 5 along the other upper edge 13b opposite to one upper edge 13a of the cleaning tank l.
a vacuum suction unit 3 having a suction port 31 for the gas laminar flow 5 disposed facing the cleaning tank l, the vacuum suction unit 3 has a suction port 31 for the gas laminar flow 5, and removes dust floating on the surface of the cleaning liquid 4 overflowing the upper edge 13 of the cleaning tank l This can be solved by configuring the cleaning device in such a way that the laminar gas flow 5 causes the outflow removal.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, small dust particles that are slightly attached to the stagnation parts of the upper edge and corners of the cleaning tank 1, or are stagnant and cannot be washed off properly, are removed by gas laminar flow along the surface of the overflowing cleaning liquid. 5 with the necessary strength,
The dust that stagnates or adheres to the edges can be removed by forcefully blowing it away from the entire surface of the cleaning liquid.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a top view and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along line AA'.

In the figure, 1 is a cleaning tank, for example, the size is 300 x 300.
x300 mm glass or Teflon container, 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a cleaning liquid supply port, which is connected to a cleaning liquid supply device (not shown) via a Teflon pipe having an inner diameter of IQ mmφ, for example. Reference numeral 12 denotes a bubbling gas supply port, which is connected to a bubbling gas supply device (not shown) via a Teflon pipe having an inner diameter of IQ mmφ, for example. Reference numeral 6 indicates a perforated septum plate located at a distance from the bottom of the cleaning tank 1 or above, for example, 50 mm.
It was fixed at the position X' horizontally. For example, thickness 10
mm Teflon plate with many 9mmφ
A hole 61 is drilled therethrough. 4 is cleaning liquid.

For example, pure water.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a gas blow-off unit, which is made of Teflon or hard PVC, for example, and has blow-off ports 2 of the gas layer-fL5 arranged in parallel along one upper edge 13a of the cleaning tank 1.
1, and the opposite side of the gas outlet 21 is connected to a blower (not shown) for feeding clean gas, for example clean air.

3 is a vacuum suction unit made of, for example, Teflon or hard PVC, which faces the outlet 21 of the gas laminar flow 5 along the other upper edge 13b opposite to one upper edge 13a of the cleaning tank l. A suction port 31 for the laminar gas flow 5 is arranged, and the opposite side of the gas suction port 31 is for the laminar gas flow 5.
i.e. suction of clean air, not shown in the figure.
For example, it is connected to a vacuum pump.

Although the gas outlet 21 in the embodiment diagram has holes arranged in a row, the holes are not limited to holes, and may be slits of various widths.

In addition, the dimensions and arrangement of the blowout port 21 and the suction port 31 are such that a flow of clean air is created as parallel to the surface of the cleaning liquid 4 as possible, thereby forcing liquid onto the surface of the cleaning liquid 4. The spacing and height of anything that allows flow to occur.

Of course, the width, flow rate and velocity of clean air may be optimally set as appropriate.

Now, the object to be cleaned, for example, has a thickness of 2.3 mm and a size of 1.
50 x 150 mm quartz glass reticle 200
3, place it on the cleaning jig 100 and use the handle 101 to clean it in the same way as shown in FIG.
! ■ Gently pour the cleaning liquid into the cleaning liquid supply port 11.
For example, when pure water is run, the pure water fills the cleaning tank 1 and eventually overflows from the upper edge and flows down, while fresh pure water is constantly supplied from the cleaning liquid supply port 11 at the bottom to clean the reticle. .

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

Furthermore, a gas blowing unit 2 is connected. A blower (not shown) is operated, for example, to blow out clean air from the blowout port 21, and on the other hand, the clean air is drawn from the suction port 31 of the vacuum suction unit 3 placed facing it. A vacuum pump (not shown) is used to create a laminar flow 5 of clean air along the surface of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 1 as closely as possible.

The apparatus of this example was used in a clean booth as is normally done.

By operating the cleaning device of this embodiment as described above, the dust that stagnates on a part of the liquid surface or adheres to the upper edge of the cleaning tank is forcibly blown away from the entire surface of the cleaning liquid. Therefore, reticle 200
After the reticle 200 is removed from the cleaning tank 1, there is no dust on the reticle 200.

For example, as a result of microscopic examination, when evaluated by detecting the amount of attached dust with a size of 0.5 to 2 μm, it was 175 or less compared to when using a conventional cleaning device, which was a significant improvement.

In addition, in the above embodiment apparatus, one dimension of the material.

The shapes and the like are merely examples, and it goes without saying that other shapes or combinations thereof may be used as appropriate.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the surface of the overflowing cleaning liquid removes small dust that slightly adheres to the stagnation part of the upper edge or corner of the cleaning tank 1 or stagnates and does not flow off properly. Since the gas laminar flow 5 is caused to flow with the necessary strength along the cleaning liquid, the dust that stagnates or adheres to the edges can be forcibly blown away from the entire surface of the cleaning liquid. Therefore, the risk of stains remaining on the object to be cleaned is extremely reduced, which greatly contributes to improving the yield, quality, and reliability of high-performance products such as ICs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conventional cleaning device, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cleaning jig and a reticle placed thereon. 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 plate, 11 is a cleaning liquid supply port, 12 is a bubbling gas supply 13 (13a, 13b) is an upper edge, 2I is an air outlet, 31 is a suction port, and 61 is a hole. (A) Upper 5th month] (Ron 4-A'ff from the original date and time of the month of April 11th, 1st 1st year, 1st year, 1st year) Expense 1
! j3EJ

Claims (1)

[Claims] Cleaning liquid supply port (11) and bubbling gas supply port (12)
a cleaning tank (1) provided with at least the following: a gas blowing unit having a gas laminar flow (5) blowout port (21) arranged in parallel along one upper edge (13a) of the cleaning tank (1); (2), and along the other upper edge (13b) opposite to one upper edge (13a) of the cleaning tank (1), facing the outlet (21) of the gas laminar flow (5). a vacuum suction unit (3) having a suction port (31) for said gas laminar flow (5) arranged;
), wherein dust floating on the surface of the cleaning liquid (4) overflowing the upper edge (13) of the cleaning tank (1) is removed by flowing out by the gas laminar flow (5). Device.