JPS60154519A - Washing device of mask housing cassette for exposure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent damage of cassettes, to remove the adhesion of dust and to prevent contamination of masks by a method wherein the box containing the mask-housed cassette is automatically carried to an immersion washing vessel, a showering vessel and a drying vessel. CONSTITUTION:The box 4 containing the cassette 9 wherein a mask will be housed is carried to an immersion washing vessel 6, supersonic waves are generated 11, and the cassette containing a mask is washed by performing a swinging movement. A cleaning fluid is supplied from a unit 2. Then, after the mask has been conveyed to a shower vessel 7 and cleaned, it is carried to a vessel 8, and the cassette 9 is dried up by jetting (13) dry air. Then, the cassette is picked out, returned to its former position, and the cleaning process is completed. The above-mentioned procedures are controlled by the control board 1 of the main body 5. According to this constitution, the dust and foreign substance remaining on the cassette are remarkabley reduced, the possibility of the dust and foreign substance falling on and adhering to the mask housed in the cassette during storage and conveyance is reduced, and the yield of production of the semiconductor device which is produced using the mask can be improved remarkably.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically cleaning a cassette containing a mask used in an exposure apparatus in a semiconductor device manufacturing process.

Conventionally, the most common method for cleaning mask storage cassettes has been the manual wet friction cleaning method. There were problems with dust and stains remaining due to damaged cassettes and incomplete cleaning.

In addition, when transporting and storing masks, there is a high possibility that dust and the like adhering to the cassette will adhere to the masks stored inside, and contamination of the masks has a large impact on the production of semiconductor devices.

However, as the types and quantities of electronic devices in the production of semiconductor devices increase, the number of masks has increased dramatically, and the amount of i-sufficient storage cassettes has also increased, and therefore the amount of effort put into cleaning the cassettes has also inevitably increased. Due to this increase, there was an urgent need to take measures to improve the efficiency of cleaning cassettes. Conventional methods for dealing with these problems have been to ensure that workers are thoroughly trained in working methods and to be more careful in their work, but these measures are incomplete, and therefore, we will not discuss them further. Because it is difficult to keep the mask free of bits, it has been impossible to completely protect the mask from dust.

As mentioned above, the present invention is based on '? - By transporting the cassettes that have been automatically inserted into the cassettes to the immersion bath cleaning tank, shower cleaning tank, and drying tank using a transport device inside the device that is equipped with dust countermeasures, no manual labor is required. By cleaning and drying the cassette without intervention, there is no damage to the υ cassette.
To provide a device capable of removing dust attached to a cassette and preventing a mask from being contaminated by dust.

% copper of the present invention includes: an immersion cleaning tank for an exposure mask storage cassette; a shower cleaning tank for the cassette; a drying tank for the cassette; a transport device for moving the transport path between each of the ridges; A masterpiece? 1. This is a cleaning device for an exposure mask storage cassette that has separate functions for supplying liquid and cleaning liquid.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the entire cleaning apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the cleaning section inside the main body which includes the conveyance system.

This cassette washing device transports exposure masks in the following order. First, a mask storage cassette to be cleaned is attached to the storage box 4 shown in FIG.

Next, as shown in the direction of travel (■) in Figure 2, the cassette storage box 4 containing a plurality of mask storage cassettes 9 is placed
It is transported to the immersion liquid cleaning tank 6 by the transport device 3 shown in the figure. In the immersion method gate structure 6, cleaning is performed by swinging the storage box in the cleaning liquid that is ultrasonically vibrated by the ultrasonic generator #11. This cypress communicates with the storage liquid unit 2 shown in FIG. Next, proceed with immersion cleaning as shown in ■! PJ6, carry it to the shower cleaning tank 7. In this shower cleaning tank 7, cleaning is performed with a cleaning liquid blown out from a shower nozzle.

Next, as shown in the proceeding method (2), it is transported from the shower cleaning tank 7 to the drying tank 8. In this drying tank 8, the cleaned mask storage cassette is exposed to dry air blown from a drying air nozzle 13 to dry the mask storage cassette. After cleaning, the drying tank 8 is taken out and returned to its original position as shown in the direction of travel (3) to complete the cleaning process in this apparatus. Each of these steps is controlled by a control panel 1 provided in the main body 1.

As mentioned above, stains caused by residue, accumulated dust, and residual foreign matter on mask storage cassettes cleaned using this device are extremely reduced, so that the sales dust, etc. that adheres to the cassettes and cassettes are preserved. 'It is effective in removing dust from the mask, as it reduces the possibility that dust will land on the mask stored in the middle during transportation, and semiconductors produced using this mask. It becomes possible to dramatically improve the rate of non-defective devices. Therefore, it can be said that the actual lifting effect of the present invention is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention, a glue plate, a toppling plate,
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of an automatic mask storage cassette cleaning device, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a transport system and various explanations. In the figure, 1... control panel, 2... liquid storage and introduction unit, 3... transport device, 4... cassette storage box, 5... ...Main body, 6...
・Immersion method 19) Tank, 7...Shower cleaning tank, 8
...Drying tank, 9...Mask storage cassette, 11...Ultrasonic generation equipment, 12...
・Shower pipe and nozzle, 13... Indicates a dry air pipe and nozzle, respectively.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An immersion cleaning tank for the exposure mask storage cassette, a shower cleaning tank for the cassette, a drying tank for the cassette, a transport device for moving the transport path between the various parts, and a transport device for supplying and supplying the various cleaning solutions. A cleaning device for a T-splash storage cassette for exposure, characterized by having a function of storing liquid.