Wafer cleaning apparatus and method of cleaning wafer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11037805-B2
Application number	US-201916268832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2019
Priority date	Nov 23, 2018
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a wafer cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method. The wafer cleaning apparatus includes a tank and a wafer holder. The tank includes a bottom wall, a lateral wall, and a partition wall. The lateral wall is connected to the bottom wall. The partition wall is movably mounted on the lateral wall and divides a cleaning space defined by the bottom wall and the lateral wall into a first compartment and a second compartment. A passage communicating with the first compartment and the second compartment is formed when the partition wall is moved away from the bottom wall and immersed in a cleaning fluid received in the cleaning space. The wafer holder is adapted to be immersed in the cleaning fluid and to move between the first compartment and the second compartment. The present disclosure further provides a method of cleaning the wafer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wafer cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a tank comprising a bottom wall, a lateral wall connected to the bottom wall, and a partition wall movably mounted on the lateral wall and dividing a cleaning space defined by the bottom wall and the lateral wall into a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein a passage communicating with the first compartment and the second compartment is formed when the partition wall is at a first position that the partition wall is moved away from the bottom wall, and the passage is immersed in a cleaning fluid received in the cleaning space during a wafer cleaning process, wherein the passage is closed to prevent the cleaning fluid from communicating between the first compartment and the second compartment when the partition wall is at a second position that the partition wall is slid downward and in contact with the bottom wall;
a wafer holder adapted to be immersed in the cleaning fluid and to move between the first compartment and the second compartment;
at least one controller electrically coupled to the partition wall, wherein the partition wall is movable with respect to the bottom wall in response to a control of the at least one controller;
at least one sensor disposed on the tank and electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a reflector coated on the partition wall.

2. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment is adjacent to the first compartment.

3. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is electrically coupled to the wafer holder, wherein the wafer holder is vertically and horizontally movable in response to a control of the at least one controller.

4. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:
a fluid supply unit disposed on the tank and electrically coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the fluid supply unit is configured to provide the cleaning fluid to the tank; and
a fluid return unit disposed on the tank and electrically coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the fluid return unit is configured to drain the cleaning fluid from the tank.

5. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a contamination level and a liquid level of the cleaning fluid.

6. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an agitation generator located outside the tank and attached to the bottom wall, wherein the agitation generator is configured to agitate the cleaning fluid.

7. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a gas provider placed in the cleaning space and configured to provide air bubbles into the cleaning fluid.

8. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall, the lateral wall, and the partition wall are made of a corrosion-resistant material.

9. The wafer cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment and the second compartment have substantially the same volume.

Assignees

• Nanya Technology Corp

Inventors

• Doong Shyue-Ru
• Tsai Feng-Ju

Classifications

• H10P70/20

  Cleaning during device manufacture · CPC title

• H10P72/0416 Primary

  with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels · CPC title

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0426 Primary

  with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels · CPC title

• B08B3/102

  with means for agitating the liquid (by agitating the container B08B3/042, B08B3/044, B08B3/045, B08B3/06) · CPC title