JPS63302521A - Drier for semiconductor substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve cleanliness in a drying chamber, and to clean and dry a semiconductor substrate by connecting a vacuum pump decompressing the inside of the drying chamber and evaporating and sucking moisture adhering on the semiconductor substrate to the drying chamber. CONSTITUTION:A vacuum pump 8 decompressing the inside of a chamber 1 and evaporating and sucking moisture adhering on a semiconductor substrate 6 is connected to the sealable semiconductor-substrate drying chamber 1. When wafers 6 after washing are dried, the wafers 6 after washing are set to a cassette housing 7 in the chamber at every cassette 5 under the state in which a door 2 for the drying chamber 1 is opened, and the door 2 is closed. Valves 9 and 12 are closed at that time. When the vacuum pump 8 is started under such a state and the valve 9 is opened, the internal pressure of the drying chamber 1 is decompressed to pressure lower than normal pressure from normal pressure while moisture adhering on the wafers 6 and the cassettes 5 is evaporated by decompression because the inside of the drying chamber 1 is evacuated, and the evaporating moisture is sucked by the vacuum pump 8 and discharged to atmospheric air.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a drying apparatus for semiconductor substrates.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional semiconductor substrate drying apparatus will be explained with reference to FIG. In the figure, 1 is a drying chamber, 2 is an opening/closing door thereof, 3 is a motor installed in the drying chamber 1, 4 is a cassette support frame attached to the rotating shaft 3a of the motor 3, and 5 is a cassette set in the support frame 4. A cassette for storage in semiconductor sea urchins.
A large number of wafers 6 are stored in this. Further, the drying chamber 1 is formed with an air outlet 1a and an exhaust port 1b which are connected to an air blower (not shown).

In the conventional semiconductor substrate drying apparatus configured as described above, when drying the semiconductor wafer 6, the cassette l-5
In the cleaning process, the wafers 6 stored in the drying chamber 5 are cleaned with a cleaning liquid in the cleaning process, and the wafers 6 are set in the cassette support frame 4 in the drying chamber 1 by opening the door 2.
close. Thereafter, the motor 3 is started and a blower (not shown) is started to blow clean drying air into the drying chamber 1. Therefore, as the motor 3 rotates, the integrated cassette support frame 4 and the cassette 56 set therein are rotated, so that the moisture adhering to the wafer 6 is shaken off by centrifugal force, and at the same time, the blown air The wafer 6 is then dried. Further, the air used for drying the wafer 6 is discharged to the outside of the chamber 1 from the exhaust port 1b.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional semiconductor substrate drying apparatus as described above, since the motor 3 is installed in the drying chamber 1, abrasion particles and other dust generated from rotating parts etc. as the motor 3 is driven adhere to the cleaned wafer 6. In addition to reducing the degree of cleaning of the wafer 6, there is a problem in that the dust adhering to the wafer 6 has a serious adverse effect on the elements formed on the wafer.

This invention was made to solve the above problems, and improves the cleanliness inside the drying chamber.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor substrate drying device that enables clean drying of semiconductor substrates.

[Means for solving problems]

In the semiconductor substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, a drying chamber is provided with a vacuum pump that reduces the pressure inside the drying chamber and evaporates and suctions moisture adhering to the semiconductor substrate.

[Effect]

In this invention, when the vacuum pump is driven, the pressure inside the sealed drying chamber is reduced, and as a result, moisture adhering to semiconductor substrates, etc. is evaporated and discharged outside the chamber by the suction action of the pump. Ru. Therefore, according to this invention, there is no need to supply air from the outside or a dust source such as a motor in the chamber as in the past, so the inside of the chamber can always be kept clean, making it possible to clean and dry semiconductor substrates. Become.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a drying chamber, 2 is its opening/closing door, and 7 is a cassette support frame installed in the drying chamber 1. In the cassette support frame 7, a cassette 1-5 containing semiconductor wafers 6 in multiple stages is set.

A vacuum pump 8 is connected to the drying chamber 1 through a valve 9, and its exhaust side is open to the atmosphere through an exhaust pipe 10. 11 is clean air or nitrogen gas (
In order to introduce N2), etc. into the chamber 1, a gas introduction pipe is connected to the chamber 1, and a valve 12 is provided in the middle of this introduction pipe 11.

Next, the operation of the drying apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained.

When drying the cleaned wafer 6, the cleaned wafer 6 is placed in the cassette 5 with the door 2 of the drying chamber 1 open.
Place the entire cassette on the cassette support frame 7 in the chamber, and close the door 2.
Close. At this time, valves 9 and 12 are closed.

In this state, when the vacuum pump 8 is started and the valve 9 is opened, the inside of the drying chamber 1 is evacuated, so that the internal pressure is reduced from normal pressure (780 torr) to below, and the wafers 6 and cassettes are The water adhering to 5 evaporates, and this evaporated water is sucked by vacuum pump 8 and discharged to the atmosphere. As a result, the wafer 6 is dried in a clean atmosphere.

In addition, when taking out the wafer 6 from the chamber 1 after drying, close the valve 9 and open the valve 12 to introduce nitrogen gas or clean air into the chamber 1 from the introduction pipe 11 to maintain the inside of the chamber 1 at normal pressure. Make it. In this state, open the door 2 and take out the cassette 1-5.

Note that the means for returning the inside of the chamber 1 to normal pressure after drying under reduced pressure is not limited to the method shown in the above embodiment.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a vacuum pump is connected to a sealable semiconductor substrate drying chamber, and the vacuum pump is started to reduce the pressure inside the chamber, thereby drying the semiconductor substrate inside the chamber after cleaning. Since it is designed to dry, it can improve the cleanliness inside the chamber and keep the semiconductor substrate clean. It has a drying effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a semiconductor substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional semiconductor substrate drying apparatus. 1.Drying chamber, 2.Door, 5-.Cassette, 6
Semiconductor wafer, 7. Cassette support frame, 8. Vacuum pump, 9.12-.Valve. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that a vacuum pump is connected to a sealable semiconductor substrate drying chamber to reduce the pressure inside the chamber and evaporate and suction moisture adhering to the semiconductor substrate.