JPS6352415A - Processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent water marks from being generated, by forming a steam atmosphere in a carriage path through which a material to be processed is carried between a washing processor and a drying processor. CONSTITUTION:A steam supplying tube 9 connected with a steam generator is linked with a carrying chamber 7 following a washing chamber 4 so that an atmosphere of saturated steam 10 is always formed inside this carrying chamber 7. The inner bottom part of the carrying chamber 7 is equipped with a drain port 11 through which liquefied steam 10a can be drained. A passage 15 for clean air 14 is installed on the outside of a carrying window 12a of the carrying chamber 7 and the clean air 14 is made to pass in a streamline flow through this passage 15 so that the atmospheres inside/outside the carrying chamber 7 are interrupted to each other. Hence, an outside polluted atmosphere can be prevented from invading into the inside of the carrying chamber 7 through the carrying window 12 so that water marks can be prevented from being generated on the surface of the matter to be processed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a technique that is effective for use in surface treatment of objects to be treated, particularly in removing moisture and foreign matter during cleaning and drying treatment of semiconductor wafers.

[Conventional technology]

Regarding the brown drying technology of wafers, for example,
It is described in the publication No.-168072.

The general idea is that after cleaning the wafer, the wafer is placed in steam generated by heating a solvent, and the cleaning water adhering to the wafer surface is removed by the condensed solvent.

The present inventor studied a drying technique after wafer cleaning. The following are the techniques studied by the present inventor, and the outline thereof is as follows.

Typically, the wafer chemical treatment process, cleaning process, and drying process are performed using separate apparatuses.

For this reason, the wafers that have been cleaned are dry! ;It must be transported a predetermined distance to the location where it is placed. Possible means of transferring this wafer include an automatic transfer mechanism or manual transfer in units of cartridges, but regardless of which method is used, even if the devices are placed close together, However, the time required for transporting the wafer is on the order of several seconds to several minutes.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, the natural drying of the wafer is promoted during the above-mentioned transfer, and as a result, dry marks of water droplets, or water marks, are formed on the wafer surface, which often causes product defects. The inventor has discovered that if the cleanliness of the transfer path is not maintained at a high level, foreign matter may adhere during the transfer and cause water marks.

The present invention has been made focusing on the above problems,
The purpose is to prevent watermark orders and realize highly reliable processing.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Means for solving problems]

A brief overview of typical inventions disclosed in this application is as follows.

That is, the transfer path for transferring the processed material between cleaning and drying is filled with water and cool air.

[Effect]

According to the above-mentioned means, since the transfer route through which the workpiece is transferred is filled with a water vapor atmosphere, natural drying of the workpiece during transfer is suppressed, thereby eliminating watermarks on the surface of the workpiece. It is possible to prevent the occurrence.

[Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a transfer chamber.

The processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment includes a cleaning chamber 4 in which a chemical solution tank 2 and a cleaning tank 3 are cleaned, a drying chamber 6 including a storage tank 5 which is a drying mechanism, and a drying chamber 6 and the cleaning chamber 4. and a transfer chamber 7, which is a transfer path connecting the two.

The chemical solution tank 2 and the cleaning tank 3 of the cleaning chamber 4 are filled with predetermined chemical solutions 2a and cleaning a3a, respectively, so that chemical solution processing and cleaning processing of the wafer 8, which is an object to be processed, is performed.

The transfer chamber 7 following the washing chamber 4 is, as shown in FIG.
Water plate air supply pipe 9 connected to a steam generator (not shown)
are connected to each other, and the interior of the transfer chamber 7 is always kept in an atmosphere of saturated steam 10. A drainage port 11 is provided at the bottom of the transfer chamber 7, and the structure is such that the liquefied water vapor 10a can be drained away. Further, a transfer window 1 is provided on one side wall of the transfer chamber 7 along the transfer direction of the wafer 8.
2 have been established. In this embodiment 1, this transfer window 1
A transfer jig (not shown) such as a handler is inserted from the outside through 2, and the wafer 8 housed in the cartridge 13 is transferred inside the transfer chamber 7. The transfer chamber 7
A flow path 15 for the clean air 14 is provided outside the transfer window 12a side, and the clean air 14 flows in a laminar flow through the flow path 15, thereby communicating with the outside of the transfer chamber 7. The atmosphere is cut off from the inside. Therefore, external contaminated atmosphere is prevented from entering the transfer chamber 7 through the transfer window 12. Furthermore, among the both side walls of the flow path 15 that constitute the transfer window 12,
By making the opening area of the opening 12a on the transfer chamber 7 side smaller than that of the opening 12b on the outside side, intrusion of external atmosphere into the transfer chamber 7 can be more effectively prevented.

A clean air chamber 16 is provided in a portion of the transfer chamber 7 near the drying chamber 6. The clean air chamber 16 has a structure in which clean air flows in a downward flow pattern over the entire surface of the chamber, thereby preventing steam in the transfer chamber from flowing into the drying chamber.

A cooling pipe 17 through which cooling water is passed is spirally arranged around the upper inner periphery of the storage tank 5 inside the drying chamber 6 along the inner wall surface of the tank. A processing liquid 18 made of, for example, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is stored at the bottom of the storage tank 5, and the processing! 1B is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater 19 disposed below the storage tank 5.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

In the cleaning chamber 4, the chemical solution tank 2 is installed in units of cartridges 13.
A wafer 8 that has been immersed in the chemical solution 2a and subjected to chemical solution treatment.
is immersed in a cleaning tank 3 in which pure water 3a is stored, and is subjected to a cleaning process either manually by an operator or by an automatic conveyance mechanism (not shown).

Next, the wafer 8 that has undergone the cleaning process is transferred within the transfer chamber 7 toward the drying chamber 6 by means such as an automatic handler. At this time, in this embodiment 1, the transfer chamber 7 is filled with saturated water.
Since the wafer 8 is filled with an atmosphere of 0, air drying of the wafer 8 during transfer is suppressed. therefore,
The formation of water marks on the surface of the wafer 8 due to natural drying is prevented, and even when the transfer route is a long distance,
It is possible to proceed to the drying process with the surface state similar to that immediately after cleaning.

The wafer 8 passed through the clean air chamber 16 and sent to the drying chamber 6 is first positioned above the storage tank 5 in the drying chamber 6, and then lowered by a handler jig or the like to a predetermined position in the storage tank 5. located in Here, the processing liquid 18 stored in the storage tank 5 is heated by a heater 19 to generate processing steam 18a. This heated processing steam 18a rises in the storage tank 5, but is cold-wrapped by the cooling pipe 17 at the upper part of the storage tank 5, liquefied, and dripped into the lower part of the storage tank 5 again. In this manner, the atmosphere of the processing steam 18a inside the storage tank 5 is formed with extremely high purity, so that the wafers 8 carried into the storage tank 5 are exposed to the processing steam 18a. Here, when the isopropyl alcohol in the processing vapor 18a comes into contact with the wafer 8, it is cooled, condensed, and liquefied.

This liquefied isopropyl alcohol is removed by displacing adhering water and the like on the surface of the wafer 8, thereby scattering the water and the like.

At this time, foreign matter adhering to the surface of the wafer 8 is also scattered at the same time, and the surface of the wafer 8 is cleaned. At this time, since the wafer 8 has passed through the saturated steam IO in the transfer chamber 7, the wafer 8 does not dry naturally, and the prevention of water marks is suppressed, making it possible to effectively clean the surface.

The wafer 8 that has been forcedly dried in this way is again carried out of the processing apparatus 1 by means such as a handler.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) By filling the transfer chamber (transfer route) 7 for transferring the wafers 8 between the cleaning chamber 4 and the drying chamber 6 with an atmosphere of aquatic plants 10, natural drying of the wafers 8 during transfer can be suppressed;
It is possible to prevent water marks from forming on the surface of the wafer 8 due to natural drying.

(2) By providing the flow path 15 for the clean air 14 on one side of the transfer chamber 7, the atmosphere between the outside and the inside of the transfer chamber 7 can be shut off by the laminar flow distribution effect, so the transfer chamber 7 12, the external contaminated atmosphere enters the transfer chamber 7.
can be prevented from entering the inside of the device.

(3) According to (2) above, the cleanliness inside the transfer chamber 7 can be maintained at a high level, so that it is possible to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the surface of the wafer 8 during transfer.

(4), (1+, +21, and (3) above) make it possible to realize highly reliable wafer processing.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing process 'J'11, which is another embodiment of the present invention.

The processing apparatus 31 of the second embodiment includes a cleaning chamber 32 and a drying chamber 33.
and an auxiliary drying chamber 34, and the cleaning chamber 32 has a cleaning tank 3.
The space above the cleaning tank 3 is substantially occupied by the wafer 8.
The space is formed as a transfer path for saturated water vapor 1
It is in a state filled with an atmosphere of 0.

Further, a drying chamber 33 adjacent to the cleaning chamber 32 has a storage tank 5 similar to that described in the first embodiment, and is used to perform a steam drying process on the wafer 8.

The auxiliary drying chamber 34 has a structure in which clean air 35 flows in a downflow laminar flow from above to below.
In this auxiliary drying chamber 34, the wafer 8 is more completely dried.

Shutter mechanisms 36a and 36b are provided on the side walls that separate the chambers 32, 33 and 34, respectively.
2. The structure is such that the atmospheres of 33 and 34 are each blocked.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be explained.

The wafer 8 immersed in the cleaning liquid 3 a of the cleaning tank 3 and subjected to cleaning processing is pulled upward by a handler (not shown) and immersed in an atmosphere of water vapor 10 . In this way, since the transfer path of the wafer 8 is filled with an atmosphere of water, air, and air, the natural drying of the wafer 8 during transfer is suppressed, as in Example 1, and as a result, the water caused by natural drying is suppressed. Marks are prevented from occurring.

Next, when the shutter mechanism 36a is opened and the wafer 8 is transferred to the upper part of the drying chamber 33 and then positioned at a predetermined position in the storage tank 5, the isopropyl Moisture and foreign matter on the surface of the wafer 8 are scattered by the action of the alcohol treatment vapor 18a.

Next, the shutter mechanism 36b is opened, and the wafer 8 is transferred to the auxiliary drying chamber 34, where it is exposed to the N flow of clean air 35 and becomes dry.

As described above, in the second embodiment, since the transfer path of the wafer 8 is filled with water vapor 10, it is possible to suppress natural drying during transfer, as in the first embodiment, and the generation of water marks is prevented. Prevented.

[Embodiment 3] FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a processing apparatus which is still another embodiment of the present invention.

The processing apparatus 41 of the third embodiment has a cleaning chamber 4 and a drying chamber 6, and a transfer path (transfer chamber) 7 is installed in the chambers, and performs single-wafer processing of wafers as objects to be processed. This is what we do.

In the figure, 37 is a loader, 38 is an unloader, and 39 is a spin dryer, which is rotated by a motor 40.

The transfer path (transfer chamber) 7 is filled with water and air 10 to suppress natural drying of the wafer during transfer.
The structure prevents water marks from forming on the wafer surface due to natural drying.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically explained above based on Examples, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the Examples and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. For example, in the example, only the case where IPA was used as the processing liquid in the steam drying mechanism was explained, but any liquid such as ethanol or Freon may be used as long as it has the same effect as IPA. .

In the above explanation, the invention made by the present inventor was mainly applied to the field of application, which is a processing apparatus for cleaning and drying wafers.
It is not limited to this.

〔Effect of the invention〕

A brief explanation of the effects obtained by typical inventions disclosed in this application is as follows.

In other words, by adopting a processing equipment structure in which the transfer chamber for transferring the processed material between the cleaning chamber and the drying chamber is filled with a steam atmosphere, drying of the processed material during transfer can be suppressed and the It is possible to prevent the occurrence of water marks on the surface of the processed object, and it is possible to realize highly reliable processing.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of the transfer chamber of Embodiment 1, and FIG. 3 is another Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a processing apparatus according to still another embodiment 3 of the present invention. 1... Processing device, 2... Chemical liquid tank, 2a... Chemical liquid,
3...Cleaning tank, 3a...Cleaning liquid, 4...Cleaning chamber,
5...Storage tank, 6.../12 smoke chamber, 7...transfer chamber, 8...wafer, 9...water supply pipe, 10...
Water vapor, 11... Drain port, 12... Transfer window, 12
a, 12b...opening, 13...cartridge, 1
4... Clean air, 15... Distribution path, 16...
Clean air chamber, 17... Cooling pipe, 18... Processing liquid, 18a... Processing steam, 19... Heater, 31...
・Processing equipment, 32...Cleaning room, 33...Drying room, 3
4... Auxiliary drying room, 35... Clean air, 36a
, 36b...shutter mechanism, 37...loader, 3
8... Unloader, 39... Spin dryer. Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 7 - Giku management

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A processing apparatus characterized in that a transfer path for transferring a processed material between a cleaning process and a drying process is filled with a water vapor atmosphere. 2. Claim 1, wherein the object to be processed is a semiconductor wafer, and the drying process includes a steam drying mechanism.
Processing equipment described in Section 1. 3. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object to be processed is a semiconductor wafer, and the drying process includes a spin drying mechanism.