KR20050049221A - Wafer cleanning system and method for cintrolling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning apparatus and a control method thereof in a semiconductor manufacturing process. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a control unit for controlling all operations, a shower and pipes and valves connected thereto at an upper portion of the treatment tank. If the wafer substrate in the processing tank is damaged or a bad state of the hardware of the processing tank occurs, the controller performs drainage and showering to prevent damage to the wafer substrate in the processing tank. Therefore, according to the present invention, by preventing damage to the wafer substrate generated due to abnormal occurrence, it is possible to minimize the defective rate of the semiconductor device to improve productivity.

Description

Substrate cleaning apparatus in semiconductor manufacturing process and its control method {WAFER CLEANNING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CINTROLLING THEREOF}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and more particularly, to a substrate cleaning apparatus for emergency measures and a control method thereof when an abnormality occurs in a pretreatment substrate in a semiconductor cleaning process.

As semiconductor manufacturing technology advances, the diameter of the wafer substrate is increased to 300 mm, for example, and as the device becomes more integrated, the level of contaminants to be removed from the surface of the wafer substrate is more stringent. In addition, in the wet cleaning process, economic and environmental problems are caused by the increase in the size of the equipment, the increase of the traces of cleaning, and the increase in the amount of chemical and DI water used. Accordingly, many semiconductor device manufacturing companies are working to develop a cleaning process that can reduce the process step of the cleaning process and significantly reduce the amount of chemical liquid and pure water, and to develop a new concept of cleaning equipment. However, in spite of such development, if an abnormality occurs in the treatment tank, the cleaning process and the cleaning apparatus for the subsequent action are not provided, and the damage and productivity of the wafer substrate are often lowered.

Referring to FIG. 1, a general substrate cleaning apparatus 10 includes a robot 12 and a plurality of processing tanks 14 for transferring a wafer substrate 2, and the wafer substrate 2 is provided using the robot 12. ) Are sequentially loaded and unloaded into each treatment tank 14 to process the cleaning and drying processes. For example, the processing tank 14 includes a loading processing tank (LD) for loading a wafer, a LAL processing tank (LAL) for cleaning with a LAL solution (or HF solution), and a quick dump rinse processing tank (QDR) for rapid cleaning. , SC-1 treatment tank (SC-1) to clean with SC-1 solution, high temperature quick dump rinse treatment tank (HQDR) for high temperature rapid cleaning, final rinse / dry treatment tank (FRD) and wafer substrate with cleaning process And an unloading processing tank (U / LD) for unloading.

At this time, if a fatal abnormality such as wafer substrate damage, robot abnormality, sensor abnormality or processing timeout occurs in the pretreatment tank (for example, LAL treatment tank or SC-1 treatment tank) during the cleaning process, the wafer being processed The board must be evacuated urgently.

There are various types of abnormalities and hardware problems in the pretreatment tank. For example, what can be done by a robot can move a wafer substrate to another processing tank (for example, a QDR processing tank or an HQDR processing tank) according to a situation. However, in the event of an abnormality of the robot, the wafer cannot be moved to another processing tank, and when the cleaning process of the other wafer substrate is in progress in another processing tank, a quick response for moving the wafer substrate is not possible, thereby providing a wafer substrate. A fatal accident that is damaged by chemicals or the like occurs.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, to provide a substrate cleaning apparatus for emergency measures in the event of abnormality in the pre-processed wafer substrate or the pre-treatment tank.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, to provide a control method of the substrate cleaning apparatus for emergency measures in the event of an abnormality in the pre-processed wafer substrate or the pre-treatment tank.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a substrate cleaning apparatus and a control method thereof for preventing damage to the wafer substrate and improving productivity by urgent action when an abnormality occurs in the pretreatment wafer substrate or the pretreatment tank. To implement.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, a substrate cleaning apparatus includes a processing tank for cleaning a wafer substrate; A circulation section for supplying the chemical liquid and / or pure water to the treatment tank and discharging the chemical liquid and / or pure water after cleaning the wafer substrate;

A shower for spouting said pure water into said treatment tank; And a controller configured to control the circulation unit and the shower to discharge the chemical liquid and eject the pure water when an abnormality occurs when the wafer substrate is loaded in the processing tank.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the control unit controls to shower with the pure water immediately before the wafer substrate is exposed from the chemical liquid while discharging the chemical liquid from the processing tank. In addition, the control unit may control to simultaneously shower the drainage of the chemical and the pure water, the control unit is provided with a computer system or a programmable logic controller.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the circulation portion has a drain flow rate of the chemical liquid more than the supply flow rate of the shower.

In a preferred embodiment of this feature, the treatment tank includes a chemical treatment tank receiving the chemical liquid to process the cleaning process, and a rinse treatment tank receiving the pure water to treat the rinse process, wherein the shower is the chemical liquid treatment tank. It is provided at the top.

The control method of the substrate cleaning apparatus includes the steps of: stopping an operation of the processing tank and generating an alarm when an abnormality occurs in the line processing tank containing the wafer substrate; Discharging the chemical liquid of the treatment tank; Showering with pure water to protect the wafer substrate contained in the treatment bath.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, when the alarm is generated, the chemical liquid is discharged after waiting for the processing time of the treatment tank. The method may further include determining whether the wafer substrate is exposed when the chemical liquid is discharged, and when the wafer substrate is exposed, the shower may be performed. The showering may be performed simultaneously with the discharging of the chemical liquid.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in the pretreatment tank of the substrate cleaning apparatus, the chemical liquid is discharged to protect the wafer substrate, and the wafer substrate is showered with pure water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to the present invention. In the substrate cleaning apparatus 100 of the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in a pretreatment substrate or a hardware trouble occurs in a general substrate cleaning apparatus, a problem that causes a fatal accident due to emergency evacuation of a run being processed is not performed. In order to solve the problem, a method for emergency measures in the event of an abnormality in a pretreatment substrate and an abnormality in a pretreatment tank for an etchant without a strip, for example, HF-based, SC-1-based chemicals, etc. It is provided.

Referring to the drawings, the substrate cleaning apparatus 100 is, for example, a batch type system for collectively performing a cleaning, rinsing, and drying process of a wafer substrate. The substrate cleaning apparatus 100 includes a novel control unit 102 and a cleaning processing unit 110, 120, or the like. 110 'and 120' and an alarm 108.

The control unit 102 includes, for example, a computer (PC), a programmable logic controller (PLC), and the like, and includes typical components thereof, that is, a central processing unit (CPU) 104 and a memory unit 106. do. The controller 102 monitors and controls all operations of the cleaning processor 110, 120, or 110 ′, 120 ′. And the control unit 102 detects the discharge of the chemical liquid and the exposure of the wafer substrate from one side of the processing tank having the inner tank and the outer tank, that is, the level sensor (not shown) provided in the inner tank, when an abnormality occurs in the line treatment tank, Control is to shower pure water from the chemical liquid onto the wafer substrate immediately before wafer exposure. The level sensor is, for example, a level sensor using nitrogen gas, and detects an empty state of a processing tank, a wafer protection level (about 0 to 20 mm on the upper surface of a wafer substrate), and the like. Accordingly, the controller 102 checks the processing time using a processing time counter (not shown), and when an abnormality occurs in the processing tank, the controller 102 receives a corresponding signal to stop the operation of the processing tank and an alarm signal to the alarm unit. Output (Alarm). Subsequently, it is controlled to wait in the processing liquid phase for the remaining time of the processing time of the processing tank, to start drainage, and to shower with pure water at the top of the processing tank when the wafer protection level is detected.

The memory unit 106 may include, for example, a RAM, a ROM, and / or an auxiliary storage device, and stores a control program processed by the controller 102. The control program will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

When an abnormality occurs in the substrate cleaning apparatus 100, the alarm unit 108 notifies the occurrence of the abnormality under the control of the controller 102.

The cleaning treatment unit 110, 120 or 110 ′, 120 ′ may be configured to supply and discharge typical chemical liquids and pure water as shown in FIG. 3 or 4, for example, pipes, valves, filters, and temperatures. It has sensors, heater tanks, etc., and uses these components to control temperature, filter, and mix chemicals and pure water. The cleaning processing unit 110, 120 or 110 ′, 120 ′ is largely divided into a bath unit 110 or 110 ′ and a circulation unit 120 or 120 ′.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 3, the cleaning treatment unit 110 or 120 is an embodiment using the SC-1 chemical liquid, and the bath unit 110 and the treatment including a plurality of treatment tanks 114 including an inner tank and an outer tank. And a circulation unit 120 for supplying or draining the chemical liquid and the pure water to the tank 114. The cleaning treatment unit 110 or 120 includes a shower 112 provided on the treatment tank 114, a pipe 116 connected thereto, and a plurality of valves 118. And a plurality of pipes, a plurality of valves and pumps for supplying or draining the chemical liquid and the pure water.

Under the control of the control unit 102, the bath unit 110 ejects pure water to the wafer substrate in the processing tank and showers when an abnormality occurs in the processing tank provided with the wafer substrate.

The circulation unit 120 manages temperature, filtering, and mixing while the chemical liquid and pure water overflow from the outer tank to the inner tank to supply or drain the chemical liquid and pure water.

4, the cleaning treatment unit 110 ′ or 120 ′ is an embodiment using HF reagent, and further includes a pipe 116 and valves 118 ′ connected to the shower 112. . These valves 118 'are for discharging the chemical liquid to be circulated through the treatment tank in order to reduce the effects of bacteria, etc. generated in the deceased state.

Therefore, when the wafer substrate of the pretreatment vessel is damaged or a bad state of the hardware of the pretreatment vessel occurs, the control unit 102 detects this and controls the drainage and shower operation to prevent damage to the wafer substrate in the treatment vessel.

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram of the substrate cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, when an abnormality occurs in the pretreatment tank, the substrate cleaning apparatus 100 activates and outputs an alarm signal to the alarm unit 108 to notify that the abnormality has occurred, and the processing operation of the pretreatment tank. To stop the pump operation (Pump ON), ie stop the pump. And drain the chemical liquid overflowed from the outer tank of the treatment tank to the inner tank. Subsequently, when the time t (t ≧ 0) has elapsed, the wafer substrate is showered in the processing tank. At this time, time t is the time from the start of drainage to just before the wafer substrate is exposed, and it is effective that the wafer substrate is showered just before the exposure. Of course, the time t may be a waiting time until the processing time of the treatment tank after the chemical liquid is discharged, and then may be controlled to shower at the wafer protection level for protecting the wafer substrate. Or it may be obvious that the shower at the same time as the drainage.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a control operation for resolving an abnormality in a line treatment substrate or a line treatment tank of the substrate cleaning apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, when the substrate cleaning apparatus 100 has an abnormality occurring in the line treatment tank 114 containing the wafer substrate 2, for example, the LAL treatment tank, the chemical liquid is processed by the timing procedure shown in FIG. Shower from the wafer to prevent damage to the wafer. If an abnormality occurs in the SC-1 treatment tank, the shower is also taken.

7 and 8 are flowcharts showing the control procedure of the substrate cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. These procedures are programs processed by the central processing unit 104 in the control unit 102, and the programs are stored in the memory unit 106. Here, FIG. 7 is a procedure for simultaneously treating drainage and a shower, and FIG. 8 shows a procedure for showering after drainage and after a treatment time has elapsed. In addition, in order to protect a wafer substrate, these procedures are described as taking a shower before and after the drainage and exposing the wafer substrate, that is, at the wafer protection level.

Referring to FIG. 7, in step S150, the controller 102 determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the line treatment tank. The occurrence of anomaly is variously defined for each manufacturer of the substrate cleaning apparatus, and is managed at various levels such as emergency stop, conveyance stop, step stop, and cycle stop. For example, when the wafer substrate in the processing tank is broken, the wafer cannot be moved while the wafer substrate is put in the chemical processing tank, and abnormality of the pump of the processing tank occurs. Hardware troubles, such as when the chuck overtime occurs.

As a result of the determination, if an abnormality occurs, the control unit 102 proceeds to step S152 to stop the processing operation of the line processing tank of the abnormal occurrence, and notifies the external occurrence of the abnormality through the alarm unit 108 in step S154. Subsequently, the chemical liquid is discharged in step S156. In step S158, it is determined whether the wafer substrate is exposed, that is, the wafer protection level. If the determination result is the wafer protection level, the procedure goes to step S160 to perform drainage and showering.

If no abnormality occurs in step S152, the process proceeds to step S162 where a general cleaning process is performed.

8, the controller 102 determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the line treatment tank in step S180. For example, when an abnormal signal is generated from breakage of a wafer substrate, pump abnormality, transfer robot abnormality, sensor abnormality, or the like, the controller 102 receives the abnormality signal and detects an abnormality occurrence. As a result of the determination, if an abnormality occurs, the control unit 102 proceeds to step S182 to stop the processing operation of the line processing tank of the abnormal occurrence, and notifies the external occurrence of the abnormality through the alarm unit 108 in step S184. If no abnormality occurs as a result of the determination, the flow advances to step S196 to process a general cleaning process.

In step S186, it is determined whether the processing time of the line treatment tank has elapsed. This is to adjust the treatment time with another treatment tank. If the processing time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S190 to discharge the chemical liquid, and if the processing time has not elapsed, the procedure proceeds to step S188 and waits for the processing time to elapse in the pretreatment tank.

In step S192, drainage is performed to determine whether the wafer substrate is exposed, that is, the wafer protection level. If the determination result is the wafer protection level, this procedure proceeds to step S194 to perform drainage and showering to protect the wafer substrate.

As described above, when the substrate cleaning apparatus 100 of the present invention is abnormal in the pretreatment tank, for example, when the wafer substrate is not moved while the wafer substrate is put in the chemical processing tank, or in the processing tank, If an abnormality occurs in the pump, the operation of the pump is stopped, and after waiting in the processing tank for the remaining processing time, the chemical liquid is discharged and showered with pure water to prevent damage to the wafer substrate. In addition, it is possible to protect the wafer substrate by showering with pure water even when leakage occurs or overtime of the wafer chuck of the robot occurs.

As described above, when an abnormality occurs in the wafer substrate in the pretreatment tank or the pretreatment tank, damage to the wafer can be prevented by showering the wafer substrate in the processing tank while discharging the chemical liquid. Therefore, not only productivity improvement but also the defect rate of a semiconductor device can be minimized.

1 is a view showing some components of a general substrate cleaning apparatus;

2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to the present invention;

3 is a view illustrating a configuration according to an embodiment of the cleaning processing unit shown in FIG. 2;

4 is a view illustrating a configuration according to another embodiment of the cleaning processing unit shown in FIG. 2;

5 is a timing diagram of the substrate cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a processing operation when an abnormality occurs in the line processing substrate of the substrate cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 2; FIG.

7 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the substrate cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention; And

8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100, 100 ': substrate cleaning device 102: control unit

104: central processing unit 106: memory unit

108: alarm unit 110, 110 ': bath unit

112: shower 114, 122: valve

116: pipe 120, 120 ': circulation unit

124: heater 124 ': temperature sensor

126: buffer tank 126 ': drain tank

130: robot

Claims (10)

In the substrate cleaning apparatus: A processing tank for cleaning the wafer substrate; A circulation section for supplying the chemical liquid and / or pure water to the treatment tank and discharging the chemical liquid and / or pure water after cleaning the wafer substrate; A shower for spouting said pure water into said treatment tank; And a controller configured to control the circulation unit and the shower to discharge the chemical liquid and eject the pure water when an abnormality occurs when the wafer substrate is loaded in the processing tank. The method of claim 1, And the control unit controls to shower with the pure water immediately before the wafer substrate is exposed from the chemical liquid while discharging the chemical liquid from the processing tank. The method of claim 1, And the control unit controls to simultaneously shower with the drainage of the chemical liquid and the pure water. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The control unit is a substrate cleaning apparatus, characterized in that provided as a computer system or a programmable logic controller. The method of claim 1, The circulation unit is a substrate cleaning device, characterized in that the drain flow rate of the chemical liquid is larger than the supply flow rate of the shower. The method of claim 1, The treatment tank includes a chemical liquid treatment tank receiving the chemical liquid and treating the cleaning process, and a rinse treatment tank receiving the pure water and treating the rinsing process, And the shower is provided above the chemical processing tank. In the control method of the substrate cleaning apparatus: If an abnormality occurs in the line treatment tank containing the wafer substrate, stopping the operation of the treatment tank and generating an alarm; Discharging the chemical liquid of the treatment tank; And showering with pure water to protect the wafer substrate contained in the treatment tank. The method of claim 7, wherein And when the alarm is generated, after the processing time of the processing tank is waited, the chemical liquid is discharged. The method according to claim 7 or 8, And determining whether the wafer substrate is exposed when the chemical liquid is discharged, and showering the wafer substrate when the wafer substrate is exposed. The method of claim 7, wherein The showering method is a control method of the substrate cleaning apparatus, characterized in that at the same time as the step of discharging the chemical liquid.