KR100189778B1 - A cleaning apparatus of a wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wafer cleaning apparatus for cleaning a wafer with a chemical solution in a semiconductor device manufacturing process and then removing the chemical solution and particles with ultrapure water, and overflowing the ultrapure water discharged from the bottom of the process tank 10. And spraying ultrapure water toward the wafer from the upper part of the process tank 10, and cleaning the wafer in the cleaning process, functioning as a cover of the process tank 10 in the ultrapure water spraying step, and the process bath 10 Ultrapure water injection means for injecting ultrapure water vertically from the top toward the wafer. The ultrapure water spraying means includes a plurality of injection nozzles installed in a plurality of rows perpendicular to the process tank 10. According to such a wafer cleaning apparatus, the ultrapure water can be injected vertically from the top toward the wafer, so that there is no region where the ultrapure water does not reach, so that a sufficient wafer cleaning effect can be obtained.

Description

Wafer cleaning device

1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a conventional wafer cleaning apparatus;

2A and 2B show an ultrapure water injection shape injected from the injection nozzle of the wafer cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1;

3 is a view showing the structure of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a view showing a modification of the spray nozzle applied to the spray member of the wafer cleaning apparatus of FIG. 3;

5 is a view showing the structure of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

6 shows the structure of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: process tank 12: wafer carrier

14 wafer 18 overflow line

20: valve 22: ultrapure water supply line

24: valve 40a, 40b, 42a, 42b, 44: injection member

50a, 50b: injection nozzle

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a wafer cleaning apparatus for cleaning a wafer with a chemical solution and then removing the chemical solution and particles with deionized water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the semiconductor manufacturing process, the importance of the wafer cleaning process is further increased due to the high integration of semiconductor devices. Particularly, the cleaning management standards for particles are becoming more stringent, and there is an urgent demand for optimization of the cleaning process for micro-contamination caused by organic materials, inorganic materials, and metals.

Various types of chemical solutions used in the current cleaning process are being developed, and efficient and optimized cleaning processes are being developed. In addition, it is a cleaning method that maximizes the cleaning effect by mixing various chemical solutions, and the ultra-pure water is first washed by overflowing the process bath, followed by spraying the ultra-pure water with a shower nozzle. The way of doing this has been widely used.

However, this cleaning method causes a problem that static electricity is generated between the wafer surface due to the shower nozzle and blind spots are generated during the shower spray spray, and the particles are not cleaned. As a result, the particles which are not cleaned in the wafer cleaning process adversely affect the characteristics of the device in subsequent processes.

The structure of a conventional wafer cleaning apparatus using the cleaning method described above is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional wafer cleaning apparatus includes a process tank 10 for receiving a wafer carrier 12 in which the wafer 14 is housed. An overflow line 18 is connected to the bottom of the process tank 10, and ultrapure water is in the direction of the arrow 16, that is, from the bottom of the process bath 10 to the top according to the operation of the valve 20. The wafer 14 is cleaned while being sprayed toward it to flow over the process tank 10. Subsequently, an ultrapure water supply line 22 is connected to the shower nozzles 30a and 30b which are spray nozzles provided on both sides of the process tank 10, and the ultrapure water is operated by the valve 24. 30b) is sprayed toward the wafer 14. The shower nozzle is divided into a fan-shaped shower nozzle and a cocked shower nozzle according to the spraying shape of ultrapure water. According to the fan-shaped shower nozzle, ultrapure water is injected into the fan shape 52a as shown in FIG. 2a, and the ultra-pure water is sprayed into the screw-like 52b as shown in FIG. Injection nozzle.

In the wafer cleaning apparatus, since shower nozzles 30a and 30b are installed side by side only on both sides of the process tank 10 to inject ultrapure water inclined toward the wafer 14, there is a rectangular area where the injected ultrapure water does not touch. In addition, this rectangular area has a problem that the chemical solution and the particles as the cleaning solution are not sufficiently removed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer cleaning apparatus capable of sufficiently cleaning a wafer by preventing blind spots on the surface of the wafer when the wafer is cleaned using various chemical solutions.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the wafer cleaning apparatus cleans the wafer using a chemical solution as a cleaning liquid, and then overflows the ultrapure water discharged from the bottom of the process bath and the wafer at the top of the process bath. A cover configured to clean the wafer by dividing the ultrapure water toward the cover, and covering the upper portion of the process tank in the ultrapure water spraying step; Ultrapure water injection means for vertically injecting ultrapure water supplied from the outside from the top of the process tank toward the wafer, wherein the ultrapure water injection means is installed on the cover, a plurality of injection nozzles installed in a plurality of rows perpendicular to the process tank Include them.

In this apparatus, the plurality of injection nozzles are alternately formed with a row of a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of fog nozzles.

In this apparatus, the cover includes first and second covers which cover the top of the process bath by rotation on a rotational shaft located at both middle portions of the process bath.

In this apparatus, each of the first and second lids is alternately formed with a row of a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of mist-jet nozzles.

In this apparatus, the cover includes first and second covers which cover the top of the process bath by rotation on a rotation axis located on both sides of the top of the process bath.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

(Example 1)

3 shows the structure of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals are given together about the components which have the same function as the components of the conventional wafer cleaning apparatus shown in FIG.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the wafer cleaning apparatus of the present invention includes a process tank 10 for receiving a wafer carrier 12 in which a wafer 14 is housed. An overflow line 18 is connected to the bottom of the process tank 10, and ultrapure water is in the direction of the arrow 16, that is, from the bottom of the process bath 10 to the top according to the operation of the valve 20. The wafer 14 is cleaned while being sprayed toward it to flow over the process tank 10. In addition, the first cover 40a, in which the plurality of injection nozzles 50a, 50b are alternately installed, and the second cover 40b, in which the plurality of injection nozzles 50a, 50b are alternately installed, is provided in the process tank ( It is provided so that the upper part of the process tank 10 may be covered by rotation from both sides of 10). The lids 40a and 40b are angled a-shapes so as to be rotated in the middle portion of the process tub 10 with the rotating shaft of each lid to cover the process tub 10. The arrangement of the plurality of injection nozzles 50a, 50b for each cover is sprayed in the shape of a row with a plurality of injection nozzles 50a spraying in a mist, as shown substantially in FIG. The rows of the plurality of injection nozzles 50b are alternately arranged.

Subsequently, an ultrapure water supply line 22 is connected to the injection nozzles 50a and 50b, which are injection nozzles installed on both sides of the process tank 10, and the ultrapure water is supplied to the injection nozzle 50a according to the operation of the valve 24. 50b is vertically ejected toward the wafer 14.

Therefore, when cleaning the wafer in the step of spraying the ultrapure water toward the wafer from the top of the process tank 10, the ultrapure water sprayed from the plurality of injection nozzles (50a, 50b) is the wafer 14 in the process tank 10 Since it faces vertically toward), there is no area where ultrapure water does not reach. As a result, the entire part of the wafer can be sufficiently cleaned.

(Example 2)

5 shows the structure of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the wafer cleaning apparatus of the second embodiment, the wafer of the first embodiment is covered except that the cover for spraying ultrapure water while covering the process tank 10 has a straight line, and the rotating shaft is on both sides of the upper part of the process tank 10. It has the same structure as the washing apparatus (structure of FIG. 3). In FIG. 4, components having the same functions as those shown in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

According to FIG. 5, the 2nd cover 42b in which the some injection nozzles 50a and 50b are alternately provided similarly to the 1st cover 42a in which the some injection nozzles 50a and 50b are alternately provided. It is provided so that the upper part of the process tank 10 may be covered by rotation from the upper both sides of the process tank 10. Each of the lids 42a and 42b is formed in a straight shape, and is rotated at both ends of the upper portion of the process tank 10 having the rotating shaft of each of the lids to cover the process tank 10. The arrangement of the plurality of injection nozzles 50a, 50b for each cover is sprayed in the shape of a row with a plurality of injection nozzles 50a spraying in a mist, as shown substantially in FIG. The rows of the plurality of injection nozzles 50b are alternately arranged.

(Example 3)

6 shows the structure of a wafer cleaning apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The wafer cleaning apparatus of the third embodiment is the wafer cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment except that the injection means for injecting ultrapure water while covering the process tank 10 is a straight line and has a single cover (the structure of FIG. 3). Have the same structure as In FIG. 6, components having the same functions as those shown in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

According to FIG. 6, the cover 44 in which the plurality of injection nozzles 50a and 50b are alternately installed is installed so as to cover the upper part of the process tank 10 by rotation from one side of the process tank 10. It is. The cover 44 is formed in a straight shape, and is rotated at one end of the upper portion of the process tank 10 with the rotating shaft of the cover to cover the process tank 10. The arrangement of the plurality of injection nozzles 50a, 50b with respect to the lid is shown in FIG. 4 substantially as in other embodiments, and has an arrangement structure. That is, a row of a plurality of injection nozzles 50a for spraying mist and a row of injection nozzles 50b for spraying a corkscrew are alternately arranged.

The effects of this embodiment have the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments. For example, since the ultrapure water can be injected vertically from the top toward the wafer, since there is no area where the ultrapure water does not reach, sufficient cleaning effect of the wafer can be obtained.

Claims (5)

(Correction) A wafer for cleaning the wafer by dividing the wafer with the chemical solution as a cleaning liquid and then overflowing the ultrapure water discharged from the bottom of the process tank and spraying the ultrapure water toward the wafer from the top of the process bath. A washing apparatus comprising: a cover for covering an upper portion of the process tank in the ultrapure water spraying step; Ultrapure water injection means for vertically injecting ultrapure water supplied from the outside from the top of the process tank toward the wafer, wherein the ultrapure water injection means is installed on the cover, a plurality of injection nozzles installed in a plurality of rows perpendicular to the process tank Wafer cleaning apparatus comprising a. The wafer cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of injection nozzles are alternately formed of rows of a plurality of nozzles and nozzles of a plurality of mist jet nozzles. The wafer cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises first and second covers covering the upper part of the process bath by rotation on a rotation axis located at both middle portions of the process bath. 4. The wafer cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second lids is formed by alternately forming rows of a plurality of nozzles and nozzles of a plurality of mist jet nozzles. The wafer cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes first and second covers covering the upper part of the process bath by rotation on a rotation shaft located at both sides of the upper part of the process bath.