Method of cleaning objects to be processed

• US 6,342,104 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Nakashima, Satoshi, Kamikawa, Yuji, Ueno, Kinya
• Primary Examiner(s): CARRILLO, BIBI SHARIDAN
• Application Number:
  US09/521,427
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 134/2, 134/3, 134/15, 134/21, 134/25.1, 134/25.4, 134/25.5, 134/26, 134/28, 134/30, 134/32, 134/34, 134/36, 134/37, 134/40, 134/41, 134/105, 134/107, 134/102.3, 134/200, 134/902, 134/61, 134/66, 134/95.2
• US Class Current: 134/26
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67057 with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method for cleaning an object are provided. In the cleaning apparatus, a drying chamber 42 and a cleaning bath 41 are separated from each other up and down, respectively. Thus, a space in the drying chamber 42 can be insulated from a space of the cleaning bath 41 through rotary doors 59a and a slide door 72. In the cleaning method, a cleaning process in the cleaning bath 41 is carried out while sealing it by the rotary doors 59a. On the other hand, a drying process in the drying chamber 42 is accomplished while sealing and closing it by the slide door 72. Consequently, there is no possibility that, during the drying process, the object is subjected to a bad influence from a chemical treatment.

Claims

1. A cleaning method of cleaning an object to be processed, using a cleaning apparatus including a cleaning bath for storing cleaning liquid in which said object is immersed, said cleaning bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber for drying the object, said drying chamber being enclosed by a case arranged above said cleaning bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being in position to and being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said cleaning bath; and

a transporter extendable from the outside of the cleaning apparatus through said lower opening and said upper opening for transporting said object, said cleaning method comprising the steps of;

(a) transporting said object from said drying chamber into said cleaning bath through said lower opening by retaining said object by said transporter;

(b) closing said lower opening;

(c) storing cleaning liquid in said cleaning bath before or after transporting said object front said drying chamber into said cleaning bath and subsequently cleaning said object by immersing said object in said cleaning liquid stored in said cleaning bath;

(d) opening said lower opening to transport said object from said cleaning bath into said drying chamber and subsequently transporting said object from the cleaning bath into said drying chamber;

(e) closing said lower opening; and

(f) drying said object by an atmosphere of organic solvent blown into said drying chamber through an upper nozzle in said chamber and discharged from said drying chamber through a lower nozzle in said chamber positioned under said upper nozzle in said drying chamber.

2. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of filling up said drying chamber with inert gas after said object has been transported from an outside of said cleaning apparatus into said drying chamber, said step preceding the step (b).

3. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein inert gas is supplied into said cleaning bath in any one of the steps (a) to (f).

4. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein gas containing organic solvent is supplied into said cleaning bath before the step (d).

5. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein gas containing organic solvent is supplied into said cleaning bath before and during the step (d).

6. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the step (b), said lower opening is closed while leaving a clearance through which said transporter carrying said object is allowed to extend from a side of said drying chamber.

7. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the step (e), said lower opening is closed to seal up the drying chamber.

8. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of directly blowing inert gas against said object on transportation from said cleaning bath into said drying chamber.

9. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1 or 8, after executing the step (f), further comprising a step of blowing inert gas against said object in said drying chamber while decompressing said drying chamber.

10. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1 or 8, between the steps (b) and (d), further comprising a step of filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent.

11. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1 or 8, wherein, said cleaning liquid stored in said cleaning bath is a cooled rinse.

12. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, after step (e), further comprising the step of blowing drying gas containing organic solvent.

13. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step (c), and said object comprises an arrangement of adjoining wafers, said cleaning bath has nozzles each of which includes a pipe having injection orifices formed at each interval equal to a distance between the adjoining wafers along the direction of the arrangement of the wafers.