Apparatus for rinsing wafers in the context of a combined cleaning rinsing and drying system

• US 5,899,216 A
• Filed: 05/13/1997
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SpeedFam-Ipec Corporation (Lam Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Speedfam Corporation (Lam Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Olsen, Greg, Natalicio, John, Shurtliff, Eric, Goudie, Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/855,208
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 134/61, 134/79, 134/80, 134/82, 134/133, 134/134, 134/151, 134/153, 134/199, 134/902
• US Class Current: 134/61
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wafer cleaning machine having an input station, a water track, a cleaning station, a rinsing station, a spin-dry station, and a load station. The input station includes two or more wafer supply areas for a continuous supply of wafers to the water track. After the wafers enter the water track from the input station, the wafers are transported down the track into the wafer cleaning station. The wafer cleaning station comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers which pull the wafers through the cleaning station and thereby clean the top and bottom flat surfaces of the wafers. A one-piece cleaning fluid manifold formed within the upper panel of the cleaning station facilitates effective distribution of the cleaning fluid to the rollers. From the cleaning station, the wafers are transported to a rinse station. From the rinsing station, the workpieces are transferred to a dual spin-dry station. A manipulator assembly is configured to cooperate with the rinse station to lift and transport the rinsed wafers from the rinse station to the two spin-dry assemblies. At the spin-dry station, the workpieces are spun at a high speed to remove any residual water droplets or the like. The spin-dry assemblies include a water/debris shield that rises during the spin-dry process. From the dual spin-dry station, a robotic transfer arm removes the work pieces from the spin-dry station and places them in one of a pair of unload cassettes. After the cassettes are filled with wafers, they are removed and transferred for subsequent processing.

Claims

1. A rinse station for use with a system for cleaning, rinsing, and drying semiconductor wafer workpieces, said rinse station comprising:

a lower portion and an upper portion positioned above said lower portion, said upper and lower portions defining a rinse area therebetween;

an entry passage configured to receive a workpiece, said entry passage being located between said upper and lower portions and proximate an edge of at least one of said upper and lower portions;

a first plurality of fluid jets formed within said upper portion and configured to discharge fluid proximate said rinse area;

a second plurality of fluid jets formed within said lower portion and configured to discharge fluid proximate said rinse area; and

a support stand assembly coupled to said lower portion, said support stand assembly having an actuator mechanism configured to tilt said upper and lower portions during rinsing to facilitate drainage of fluid from said rinse area.

2. A rinse station according to claim 1, wherein said first plurality of fluid jets include a number of initial rinsing jets located proximate said entry passage, said initial rinsing jets being configured to dispense fluid to said workpiece before said workpiece is received into said rinse area.

3. A rinse station according to claim 1, wherein said second plurality of fluid jets are configured such that fluid ejected therefrom supports said workpiece above an upper surface of said lower portion.

4. An apparatus for use with a system for cleaning, rinsing, and drying semiconductor wafer workpieces, said apparatus comprising:

a rinse station configured to rinse a workpiece during a rinsing process, said rinse station having;

a lower portion and an upper portion positioned above said lower portion, said upper and lower portions defining a rinse area therebetween; and

a plurality of fluid jets formed within said upper and lower portions and configured to discharge fluid proximate said rinse area during said rinsing process; and

a manipulator configured to remove a rinsed workpiece from said rinse station, said manipulator having;

a base,

a swing arm having a free end and an axis end coupled to said base such that said swing arm is capable of rotation about a substantially vertical axis of rotation; and

a transport section located proximate said free end;

wherein said lower portion of said rinse station includes means for receiving a portion of said transport section, and said transport section is configured to engage said means for receiving during removal of said workpiece from said rinse station.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for receiving comprises a recess formed within said lower portion, said recess being located within said rinse area.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said portion of said transport section is configured to fit within said recess and beneath said workpiece when said workpiece is positioned within said rinse area.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said manipulator causes said swing arm to lift when said transport section is beneath said workpiece to facilitate removal of said workpiece from said rinse station.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said recess and said transport section are arcuate-shaped.

9. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for securing a workpiece onto said transport section, said means for securing being active when said transport section removes said workpiece from said rinse station.

10. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said rinse station is configured to tilt during rinsing to facilitate drainage of rinse fluid from said rinse area and to return said workpiece to a substantially horizontal position to facilitate removal of said workpiece from said rinse station by said manipulator.

11. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said swing arm is configured to pass between said upper and lower portions of said rinse station during removal of said workpiece.

12. A rinse station for use with a system for cleaning, rinsing, and drying semiconductor wafer workpieces, said rinse station comprising:

a lower portion and an upper portion positioned above said lower portion, said upper and lower portions defining a rinse area therebetween;

an entry passage configured to receive a workpiece, said entry passage being located between said upper and lower portions and proximate an edge of at least one of said upper and lower portions;

a first plurality of fluid jets formed within said upper portion and configured to discharge fluid proximate said rinse area, said first plurality of fluid jets being configured such that fluid ejected therefrom urges said workpiece from said entry passage to said rinse area; and

a second plurality of fluid jets formed within said lower portion and configured to discharge fluid proximate said rinse area.

13. A rinse station according to claim 12, wherein said first plurality of fluid jets include a number of initial rinsing jets located proximate said entry passage, said initial rinsing jets being configured to dispense fluid to said workpiece before said workpiece is received into said rinse area.

14. A rinse station according to claim 12, wherein said second plurality of fluid jets are configured such that fluid ejected therefrom supports said workpiece above an upper surface of said lower portion.

15. A rinse station according to claim 12, wherein said first plurality of fluid jets are inclined at an angle in the range of 20 to 70 degrees relative to a plane substantially defined by an upper surface of said lower portion.

16. A rinse station for use with a system for cleaning, rinsing, and drying semiconductor wafer workpieces, said rinse station comprising:

a lower portion and an upper portion positioned above said lower portion, said upper and lower portions defining a rinse area therebetween;

an entry passage configured to receive a workpiece, said entry passage being located between said upper and lower portions and proximate an edge of at least one of said upper and lower portions;

a first plurality of fluid jets formed within said upper portion and configured to discharge fluid proximate said rinse area;

a second plurality of fluid jets formed within said lower portion and configured to discharge fluid proximate said rinse area; and

a recess formed within said lower portion, said recess being located beneath said workpiece when said workpiece is in a rinsing position within said rinse area, wherein said recess is configured to receive a workpiece transport arm for removing said workpiece from said rinse station.

17. A rinse station according to claim 16, wherein said recess is arcuate-shaped to facilitate cooperation with an arcuate-shaped workpiece transport arm.

18. A rinse station according to claim 16, wherein said first plurality of fluid jets include a number of initial rinsing jets located proximate said entry passage, said initial rinsing jets being configured to dispense fluid to said workpiece before said workpiece is received into said rinse area.

19. A rinse station according to claim 16, wherein said second plurality of fluid jets are configured such that fluid ejected therefrom supports said workpiece above an upper surface of said lower portion.