JP2988366B2 - Cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for scribing a flat surface of an object to be cleaned with a brush while flowing a cleaning liquid to remove particles such as dust particles and to wash off the particles with the cleaning liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various types of cleaning apparatuses for cleaning a semiconductor wafer as an object to be cleaned, and the apparatus for cleaning with a scribing brush adheres to a wafer without damaging elements and films formed on the surface of the wafer. Since particles such as dust particles are physically removed, they are widely used in semiconductor manufacturing.

However, in this cleaning apparatus, there remains a problem that impurities such as particles generated in the apparatus are mixed in the cleaning liquid and adhere to the wafer again. A cleaning device that solves such a problem is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-52230. In this cleaning apparatus, in order to avoid generation of impurities due to deterioration of the cleaning liquid, the scribing brush is retracted so that the cleaning liquid is flown in a less water-saving state than during the cleaning of the wafer even during non-cleaning so that the cleaning liquid in the supply pipe path of the apparatus does not stop. And always supplies a cleaning liquid without deterioration.

Another example of a cleaning apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-52229. This cleaning device
In order to prevent impurities from being mixed into the cleaning liquid at the time of brush replacement, a supply path of the cleaning liquid is provided on the brush mounting shaft, and impurities generated at the time of replacement are flushed with the cleaning liquid and discharged.

[0005]

In the above-described cleaning apparatus in which the cleaning liquid is prevented from deteriorating, the cleaning liquid is evacuated and the cleaning liquid is bathed on the outside of the brush, but particles generated from the wafer and adhering to the inside of the brush are removed. There is a concern that it will not be removed and will adhere to the wafer again. Further, even if the jetting pressure of the cleaning liquid is increased and the cleaning liquid is jetted to the outside of the brush, it is difficult for the particles to penetrate into the brush bristles or penetrate the brush bristles and enter the opposing brush bristles to be removed.

In the latter type of cleaning device in which the cleaning liquid is provided on the brush mounting portion, particles generated when the brush is replaced are washed away by the cleaning liquid, but particles adhering to the inside of the brush are removed in the same manner as the former cleaning device. It is difficult. A further disadvantage of this type of cleaning device is that the brush must be changed frequently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus in which particles adhering to a brush are more completely removed, the particles are not re-adhered to an object to be processed, and brush replacement is less frequent.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A feature of the present invention is that a brush head having a scribing cylindrical brush disposed at an end thereof for peeling off particles adhering while rotating the surface of an object to be cleaned, A first cleaning nozzle having a plurality of vertically extending ejection ports for injecting a cleaning liquid toward the inside of the brush while being inserted into the hollow of the brush of the brush head, and a cleaning pot into which the brush head is inserted;
The first cleaning device is attached to the cleaning pot and
The par being pushed out of the brush by a nozzle
And a second cleaning nozzle for cleaning off the tickle with another cleaning liquid .

[0009]

[0010]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning device includes a cylindrical brush head 3 having scribing cylindrical brassier 3a disposed at an end thereof for peeling particles rubbing while rotating the surface of the wafer 12.
The cleaning nozzle 1 has a plurality of vertically extending ejection nozzles 1a which are inserted into the inner holes of the brushes 3a of the brush head 3 and eject cleaning liquid toward the inside of the brushes 3a, and are inserted into the retreating cleaning pot 4. A cleaning nozzle 2 disposed outside the brush head 4 and capable of bathing a cleaning liquid on the outside of the brush 3a.

Here, the brush head 3 is attached to the tip of a brush fixing arm 5 attached to the turning shaft 9, and the washing pot 4 retreats from the cleaning stage 10 by the turning shaft 9.
You can move between. Cleaning stage 1
0 is provided with a spin chuck 8 that holds and rotates the wafer 12 by suction. Although not shown in the drawings, a cleaning cup is provided so that the cleaning liquid does not splash outside. The cleaning liquid used in the cleaning apparatus is, for example, pure water.

Next, the operation of the cleaning apparatus will be described. First, the wafer 12 is cleaned by flowing a cleaning liquid while rotating the wafer 12 with the brush 3a. Next, the rotating shaft 9 is rotated, the brush head 3 is retracted from the cleaning stage 10, the brush head 3 is put into the cleaning pot 4, and the cleaning nozzle 1 is inserted into the middle hole of the brush 3a. Next, the brush head 3 is moved up and down while rotating, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the ejection port 1a of the cleaning nozzle 1 to the inside of the brush 3a to wash off particles adhering to the inside of the brush 3a. At the same time, the cleaning liquid is sprayed to the outside of the brush 3a by the cleaning nozzle 2 to wash off particles adhering to the outside of the brush 3a.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a modification of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device includes a pressure regulator 6a that changes the supply pressure of the cleaning liquid to the cleaning nozzles 1 and 2.
6b and pressure gauges 7a and 7b for monitoring pressure. Otherwise, it is the same as FIG.

It has been difficult to remove particles that have entered the brush bristles of the brush 3a. Therefore, in the cleaning device of the present invention, the pressure of the cleaning liquid jetted from the jet port 1a of the cleaning nozzle 1 is increased, and the particles that have entered the bristle are pushed out of the brush 3a.
An operation of washing off with a cleaning liquid having a small pressure ejected from the cleaning nozzle 2 is adopted.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the number of wafers subjected to the cleaning process and the number of particles reattached to the wafer. Here, as a trial, the wafer was cleaned by using the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1 in comparison with the case where the cleaning nozzle 1 for cleaning the inside of the brush was removed and the case where the cleaning nozzle 1 was not removed. As shown in FIG. When the cleaning nozzle 1 was removed, the number of particles increased with an increase in the number of processes. On the other hand, when the cleaning nozzle 1 was used, there was almost no change even when the number of wafer cleaning processes increased. This has the advantage of requiring less brush replacement.

FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing a cleaning apparatus according to the related art of the present invention. In this cleaning device, as shown in FIG. 4, a cleaning nozzle 1b for cleaning the inside of the brush 3a is provided in the brush 3a. Also, the cleaning nozzle 1b
The rinsing nozzle 2a that pushes particles washed off on the wafer 12 out of the wafer 12
Is placed on top.

The operation of the cleaning apparatus is as follows.
The cleaning liquid is sprayed from the outlet 1a of the cleaning nozzle 1b to the inside of the rotating brush 3a while rubbing the surface of the brush 3a, and the particles adhering to the brush 3a are separated. The particles washed off the wafer 12 are flushed out of the wafer 12 with the cleaning liquid of the rinsing nozzle 2a.

This cleaning device does not require the brush head to be retracted as compared with the above-described cleaning device, and can supply the cleaning water continuously. Therefore, the supply of the cleaning liquid is temporarily stopped by the retreat which promotes the adhesion strength of the particles. Therefore, there is an advantage that the brush is not dried and particles are easily peeled off.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the first cleaning nozzle in which a plurality of jets for jetting the cleaning liquid are arranged vertically above and below the cylindrical brush, and the cleaning liquid is directly jetted to the outside of the brush. Or by providing a second cleaning nozzle for indirectly supplying the particles through the object to be cleaned, the particles adhering to the brush are more completely peeled and removed, and the cleanliness can be maintained without the particles re-adhering to the object to be cleaned. There is an effect that can be increased. In addition, since the number of particles attached to the brush can always be kept small, there is also an effect that replacement of the brush can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a modified example of the cleaning device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a relationship between the number of wafers subjected to cleaning processing and the number of particles reattached to the wafer.

FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing a cleaning apparatus according to the related art of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1b, 2 Cleaning nozzle 1a Spout 2a Rinse nozzle 3 Brush head 3a Brush 4 Cleaning pot 5 Brush fixing arm 6a, 6b Pressure regulator 7a, 7b Pressure gauge 8 Spin chuck 9 Rotating shaft 10 Cleaning stage 11 Cleaning cup 12 Wafer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI B08B 3/02 B08B 3/02 B

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A brush head provided at an end thereof with a scribing cylindrical brush for peeling off particles adhering to the object while rotating the surface of the object to be cleaned; and a brush inserted into the hollow of the brush of the brush head. a first cleaning nozzle spout for jetting the cleaning liquid towards the inside of Rutotomoni the brush has a plurality in the vertical direction, the brush head is inserted
Cleaning pot and when attached to this cleaning pot
Both on the outside of the brush by the first cleaning nozzle
A second cleaning nozzle for washing the extruded particles with another cleaning liquid .