Robot end-effector cleaner and dryer

• US 6,213,136 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Oliver David
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/384,853
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 134/199, 134/122.R, 134/64.R, 134/198, 134/902, 134/102.3, 239/592, 239/596, 239/549
• US Class Current: 134/198
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67034 for drying
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

In a spin dryer for semiconductor wafers, the wafer is held beneath a platen with its active side (i.e., the side containing the components or circuitry) facing upward. One or more nozzles spray rinse water on the top surface of the wafer and the wafer is rotated to remove the excess rinse water, thereby drying the wafer. A splash guard adjacent the edge of the wafer insures that the excess rinse water thrown off by the spinning wafer is deflected downward where it cannot again come into contact with the active side of the wafer. The platen is rotated dry at the same time, with no rinse water being splashed back onto the active side of the wafer. The spin dryer also includes a separate section which cleans and dries the end-effector of the robot which inserts the wafer into the spin dryer while the wafer is being dried.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning a robot end-effector, said apparatus comprising:

first plate which defines a cavity shaped so as to receive said robot end-effector, said first plate comprising at least one liquid nozzle for directing a first flow of liquid against said end-effector;

a second plate which further defines said cavity said second plate comprising at least one liquid nozzle for directing a second flow of liquid against said end-effector; and

a spacer mounted between said first plate and said second plate, said spacer being further configured to define the shape of the cavity so as to receive said robot end-effector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first plate further comprises at least one gas nozzle for directing a flow of gas against said end-effector, and said at least one gas nozzle is positioned nearer to an entrance to said cavity than said at least one liquid nozzle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said at least one liquid nozzle and said at least one gas nozzle comprise holes formed in said first plate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said holes are formed at an angle to direct said flow of liquid and said flow of gas away from an entrance to said cavity.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said angle is about 45°

.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said holes comprises a first hole set for directing said flow of liquid and a second hole set for directing said flow of gas, said apparatus further comprising a first manifold for providing said flow of liquid to said first hole set and for providing said flow of gas to said second hole set.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first manifold comprises a first cavity registered with said first hole set and a second cavity registered with said second hole set.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one gas nozzle in said second plate is configured to direct a flow of gas against said end-effector.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said at least one gas nozzle in said second plate is positioned nearer to an entrance to said cavity than said at least one liquid nozzle in said second plate.

10. An apparatus for cleaning a robot end-effector, said apparatus comprising:

a first plate which defines a cavity shaped so as to receive said robot end-effector, said first plate comprising at least one liquid nozzle for directing a first flow of liquid against said end-effector;

a second plate which further defines said cavity, said second plate comprising at least one liquid nozzle for directing a second flow of liquid against said end-effector;

a spacer mounted between said first plate and said second plate, said spacer being further configured to define the shape of the cavity so as to receive said robot end-effector;

at least one gas nozzle in the first plate for directing a flow of gas against said end-effector, and said at least one gas nozzle is positioned nearer to an entrance to said cavity than said at least one liquid nozzle of the first plate; and

at least one gas nozzle in the second plate for directing a flow of gas against said end-effector, and said at least one gas nozzle is positioned nearer to said entrance to said cavity than said at least one liquid nozzle of the second plate.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said gas nozzles and said liquid nozzles in said first plate and said second plate are formed at an angle to direct said flow of liquid and said flow of gas away from the entrance to said cavity.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said angle is about 45°

.

13. An end-effector cleaner, said cleaner comprising:

a first plate which defines a cavity having a U shape so as to receive said robot end-effector having the U shape, said first plate comprising at least one liquid nozzle for directing a first flow of liquid against said end-effector;

a second plate which further defines said cavity, said second plate comprising at least one liquid nozzle for directing a second flow of liquid against said end-effector;

a spacer mounted between said first plate and said second plate, said spacer being further configured to define the U shape of the cavity so as to receive said U shape of the robot end-effector;

at least one gas nozzle in the first plate for directing a flow of gas against said end-effector, and said at least one gas nozzle is positioned nearer to an entrance to said cavity than said at least one liquid nozzle of the first plate; and

at least one gas nozzle in the second plate for directing a flow of gas against said end-effector, and said at least one gas nozzle is positioned nearer to said entrance to said cavity than said at least one liquid nozzle of the second plate.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said gas nozzles and said liquid nozzles in said first plate and said second plate are formed at an angle to direct said flow of liquid and said flow of gas away from the entrance to said cavity.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said angle is about 45°

.