Method and Apparatus for Enhanced Cleaning and Inspection

• US 20140007371A1
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Lu, Chi-Lun, Chin, Sheng-Chi
• Granted Patent: US 9,138,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/40 Cleaning implements actuated by electrostatic attraction; Devices for cleaning same; Magnetic cleaning implements
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/02 Apparatus for spreading or distributing liquids or other fluent materials already applied to a surface ; Controlling means thereforB05C7/00 takes precedence; Hand tools for such purposes B05C17/10; Control of the thickness of a coating by spreading or distributing liquids or other fluent materials already applied to the coated surfacecontrolling supply of liquid or other fluent material B05C11/10
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 13/02 for particular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of air flow or gas flow B08B6/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/02 Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 6/00 Cleaning by electrostatic means domestic cleaning implements functioning electrostatically A47L13/40; cleaning of grooved record carriers G11B3/58
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0057 by ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/02 by distortion, beating, or vibration of the surface to be cleaned B08B7/0007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/028 Using ultrasounds
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/82 Auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0206 during, before or after processing of insulating layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67359 specially adapted for containing masks, reticles or pellicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14

Abstract

A cleaning and inspection system includes a cleaning chamber and retaining structure disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to secure an article to be cleaned within the cleaning chamber. The cleaning and inspection system also includes a gas distributor disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to distribute a turbulent flow of gas into the cleaning chamber that facilitates removal of foreign particles from a surface of the article. Further, the system includes a particle collection surface positioned to collect foreign particles removed from the surface of the article.

Claims

1. A cleaning and inspection system, comprising:

a cleaning chamber;

retaining structure disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to secure an article to be cleaned within the cleaning chamber;

a gas distributor disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to distribute a turbulent flow of gas into the cleaning chamber that facilitates removal of foreign particles from a surface of the article; and

a particle collection surface positioned to collect foreign particles removed from the surface of the article.

2. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1, wherein the gas distributor includes a plurality of distribution apertures sized to create the turbulent flow of gas.

3. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 2, wherein distribution apertures in the plurality of distribution apertures are larger in a center portion of the gas distributor than in opposing edge portions of the gas distributor.

4. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 2, wherein distribution apertures in the plurality of distribution apertures decrease in size from one edge portion of the gas distributor to an opposing edge portion of the gas distributor.

5. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1, wherein the gas distributor is operable to electrically charge gas molecules within the turbulent flow of gas, the electrically charged gas molecules neutralizing electrically charged foreign particles attached to the surface of the article.

6. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1, further including a vibration generator disposed in the cleaning chamber and configured to impart movement in the article to facilitate the removal of the foreign particles from the surface of the article.

7. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 6, wherein the vibration generator is configured to direct ultrasonic waves at the article to impart vibrations in the article.

8. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 6, wherein the vibration generator is configured to direct pulsed laser energy at the article to impart shock waves in the article.

9. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1, wherein the gas distributor is one of a plurality of gas distributors disposed in the cleaning chamber and wherein each is configured to distribute a turbulent flow of gas into the cleaning chamber.

10. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1, wherein the particle collection surface is a silicon wafer.

11. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 1, further including an ultraviolet light source disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to convert oxygen in the cleaning chamber into ozone gas to facilitate decomposition of organic particles attached to the surface of the article.

12. A method of cleaning and inspecting an article, comprising:

securing the article within a cleaning chamber using retaining structure;

distributing a turbulent flow of gas into the cleaning chamber to facilitate removal of any foreign particles attached to a surface of the article;

collecting any foreign particles removed from the surface of the article on a particle collection surface; and

inspecting the particle collection surface to determine a presence of any foreign particles removed from the surface of the article.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the collecting includes directing any foreign particles removed from the surface of the article toward the particle collection surface.

14. The method of claim 12, further including inspecting, prior to the collecting, the particle collection surface to determine a presence of any pre-existing particles.

15. The method of claim 12,

wherein the particle collection surface is a silicon wafer;

and

wherein the inspecting includes inspecting the wafer with a semiconductor wafer inspection tool.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein distributing includes distributing the gas into the cleaning chamber through a plurality of differently-sized distribution apertures, the plurality of differently-sized distribution apertures creating the turbulent flow of gas.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein distributing includes distributing charged gas molecules into the cleaning chamber to electrically neutralize any charged foreign particles attached to the surface of the article.

18. The method of claim 12, further including imparting physical movement in the article with a vibration generator disposed in the cleaning chamber to facilitate the removal of any foreign particles attached to the surface of the article.

19. A cleaning and inspection system, comprising:

a cleaning chamber;

a pass-through chamber coupled to the cleaning chamber;

a particle collection chamber coupled to the pass-through chamber and in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber via the pass-through chamber;

retaining structure disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to secure an article to be cleaned within the cleaning chamber;

a gas distributor disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to distribute a turbulent flow of electrically charged gas into the cleaning chamber that neutralizes any electrically charged foreign particles attached to a surface of the article;

a vibration generator disposed within the cleaning chamber and configured to impart movement to the article such that any foreign particles neutralized by the electrically charged gas are detached from the surface of the article; and

a particle collection surface disposed within the particle collection chamber and positioned with respect to the pass-through chamber so as to collect foreign particles removed from the surface of the article.

20. The cleaning and inspection system of claim 19, wherein the gas distributor includes a plurality of distribution apertures sized to create the turbulent flow of gas.