JPH0513399A - Centrifugal drying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To dispense with an exchange of a rotor that is required for cleaning in the case wafers, which are different from one another in dimension, are dried using one centrifugal drying device. CONSTITUTION:The space between a wafer carrier 2 for small-diameter wafers 1 and a rotor 3, which is used for drying large-diameter wafers, is filled using an adapter 5 detachable in one touch, whereby if the adapter 5 only is prepared, the wafers 1, which are different from one another in dimension, can be dried using the same rotor 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a centrifuge drying apparatus which mainly uses a centrifugal force generated by high speed rotation to cut off liquid on the surface of a semiconductor wafer to quickly dry it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a semiconductor wafer processing step, cleaning is often performed using a liquid such as an aqueous chemical solution, an organic solvent or water in order to clean the wafer surface. It is important to dry the wafer in a short time after performing such wet cleaning in order to shorten the time of the semiconductor manufacturing process, and it is well known to use a drying device using centrifugal force for that purpose. There is. The centrifugal drying device is a device in which a carrier supporting a wafer is housed in a rotor and the rotor is rotated by using a motor.

FIG. 2 shows such a centrifugal drying apparatus, in which a wafer 1 is put in a carrier 2 and the carrier is set on a cylindrical rotor 3. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the carrier 2 is set on the rotor 3. The carrier 2 is fitted into the internal space of the rotor 3, and the top portion 21 of the carrier 2 engages with the groove 31 on the inner wall of the rotor 3. The carrier 2 is formed by casting of fluororesin, and a plurality of partition-like portions capable of sandwiching the wafer 1 are vertically connected between them, and the legs of the carrier 2 are inserted into the recesses of the inner wall of the rotor 1. Get caught. The wafer 1 inserted in the carrier 2 has an inner surface protruding portion 32 of the rotor 3.
Can be suppressed to. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotor 3 is put into the main body 4 of the drying device, the lid 41 is closed, and the operation panel 42 is operated.
When it is rotated at 1000 to 3000 rpm, the carrier 2 is also rotated at the same time, and the liquid on the surface of the wafer 1 is wiped off by the centrifugal force, so that the liquid can be dried in a short time.

[0004]

In the case of drying a plurality of types of wafers having different diameters, conventionally, a centrifugal dryer having a dedicated rotor is prepared for each size wafer, or one centrifugal dryer is used. The rotor was exchanged according to the size of the wafer using the apparatus. However, the former method has a drawback that the installation place is wide because a plurality of drying devices are provided. In the latter case, the installation location is sufficient for one unit, but there is a loss of time such as the time for replacing the rotor and the cleaning time required each time because dust is scattered when the rotor and the drive unit are cut off. There were many drawbacks.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate such drawbacks and to provide a centrifugal drying apparatus capable of drying a plurality of wafers having a plurality of sizes with a small time loss.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, a carrier supporting a wafer is housed in a rotor, and the rotor and the wafer carrier therein are rotated and attached to the surface of the wafer. In a centrifugal dryer that removes liquid, a jig that has an internal space that is inserted into the internal space of the rotor and that engages with the inner wall of the rotor and that has a wafer carrier that is inserted and that engages with the inner wall of the rotor can be used. To do. It is effective that the jig has grooves on the outer surface and the inner surface into which the protruding portions of the rotor and the wafer carrier can be fitted. It is also effective that the jig is made of metal.

[0007]

By using an adapter jig that engages with the rotor and the wafer carrier, it becomes possible to store wafers of a plurality of sizes in one rotor by using the conventional wafer carrier if the adapter jig is prepared. For,
There is no need to use multiple centrifugal dryers. Further, since the rotor is not replaced, dust does not scatter, cleaning is not required when accommodating wafers of different sizes, and since the adapter does not contact the wafer, it can be machined using metal as a material.

[0008]

1 shows a state in which a 4-inch wafer is housed in a rotor of a centrifugal drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the same parts as those in FIGS. 2 and 3 are designated by the same reference numerals. .
In this case, the 4-inch wafer adapter 5 is inserted into the 5-inch wafer rotor 3. The adapter 5 is in the shape of a rectangular tube as shown in FIG.
Are formed. The protrusions 32, 33 on the inner surface of the rotor 3 are fitted into the grooves 51, 52. As a result, when the rotor 3 rotates, the adapter 5 also rotates. A groove 53 and a band-shaped through hole 54 are formed on the inner surface of the adapter 5, and the projection 21 of the 4-inch wafer carrier 2 enters the groove 53 and the leg portion 22.
Enters hole 54. As a result, the carrier 2 and the wafer 1 having a diameter of 4 inches, which is inserted into the carrier 2 and held by the protrusion 55 on the inner surface of the adapter 5, rotates together with the adapter 5 and the rotor 3. The conventionally used 4-inch wafer carrier 2 is used as it is. In this case, the weight distribution of the wafer 1, the wafer carrier 2, and the adapter 5 is equalized in each direction with respect to the center of the rotor 3.
Prevent eccentricity when the rotor rotates.

When drying a 5-inch wafer using this centrifugal dryer, the 4-inch adapter 5 is removed, and the 5-inch wafer carrier with the 5-inch wafer is inserted into the rotor 3. When drying a 4-inch wafer, first, the 4-inch adapter 5 is inserted into the rotor 3, and then the 4-inch wafer carrier 2 having the 4-inch wafer 1 mounted therein is inserted. Engagement of the rotor and the adapter and engagement of the adapter and the carrier are performed by the groove and the protrusion, so that the insertion and removal of the adapter, the insertion and removal of the carrier into and from the adapter can all be easily done with one touch. Since the adapter does not come into contact with the wafer as described above, it can be manufactured by machining using a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, and requires a resin casting mold like a wafer carrier. Since it does not, it is easy to manufacture an adapter for wafers having different sizes.

[0010]

According to the present invention, it is possible to set a plurality of types of carriers for wafers having different sizes in the same rotor by using an adapter that fills the space between the rotor and the wafer carrier. A single centrifugal dryer can dry wafers of different sizes, and does not require a large area for installing the dryer. In addition, since it is not necessary to replace the rotor when changing the wafer size, the number of cleaning steps in the apparatus can be omitted, and the adapter can be manufactured at a low cost because metal can be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a rotor of a centrifugal dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional centrifugal dryer.

3 is an enlarged perspective view of the rotor of the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an adapter according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 wafer 2 Wafer carrier 21 Carrier protrusion 22 Carrier legs 3 rotor 32 rotor protrusion 33 Rotor protrusion 5 adapter 51 Adapter groove 52 Adapter groove 53 Adapter groove 54 Adapter through hole 55 Adapter protrusion

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A carrier for supporting a wafer is housed in a rotor, and the rotor and the wafer carrier therein are rotated to remove liquid adhering to the wafer surface. The inner wall of the rotor is inserted into the inner space of the rotor. A centrifugal drying apparatus, wherein a jig having an internal space that engages with a wafer carrier and is engaged with an inner wall of a wafer carrier can be used. 2. The jig has grooves on the outer surface and the inner surface into which the protrusions of the rotor and the wafer carrier can be fitted.
Centrifugal drying device described. 3. The centrifugal drying device according to claim 1, wherein the jig is made of metal.