Cleaning components and methods in a plating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241718-B2
Application number	US-201916386646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2019
Priority date	Apr 20, 2018
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include a seal cleaning assembly incorporated with an electroplating system. The seal cleaning assembly may include an arm pivotable between a first position and a second position. The arm may be rotatable about a central axis of the arm. The seal cleaning assembly may include a cleaning head coupled with a distal portion of the arm. The cleaning head may include a bracket having a faceplate coupled with the arm, and a housing extending from the faceplate. The housing may define one or more arcuate channels extending through the housing to a front surface of the bracket. The cleaning head may also include a rotatable cartridge extending from the housing of the bracket. The cartridge may include a mount cylinder defining one or more apertures configured to deliver a cleaning solution to a pad coupled about the mount cylinder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly comprising:
an arm pivotable between a first position and a second position, wherein the arm is rotatable about a central axis of the arm; and
a cleaning head coupled with a distal portion of the arm, the cleaning head comprising:
a bracket comprising:
a faceplate coupled with the arm, and
a housing extending from the faceplate, the housing defining a one or more arcuate channels extending through the housing to a front surface of the bracket, and

a rotatable cartridge extending from the housing of the bracket, the cartridge including a mount cylinder defining one or more apertures configured to deliver a cleaning solution to a pad coupled about the mount cylinder.

2. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge defines a first inlet port accessing a first internal annular channel, wherein the cartridge defines a first access channel extending from the first internal annular channel to a distal portion of the cartridge proximate the mount cylinder.

3. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first access channel extends to a second internal annular channel defined within the cartridge proximate the mount cylinder.

4. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 2 , wherein the cartridge defines one or more first access channels radially distributed about a central axis of the cartridge.

5. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge defines a second inlet port accessing a central channel defined within the cartridge along a central axis of the cartridge.

6. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cartridge defines a second access channel extending from a distal end of the central channel to a receiving port defined proximate a distal end of the cartridge.

7. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 6 , wherein the cartridge defines one or more second access channels radially distributed about the central axis of the cartridge, and extending at an angle from the central axis towards a position adjacent an end of the mount cylinder.

8. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge extends from the bracket at an angle between about −10° and about 40°.

9. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bracket clamp coupled with the housing normal to the front surface of the bracket and configured to secure fluid lines disposed within the one or more arcuate channels.

10. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mount cylinder extends about and is concentrically aligned with one or more components of the cartridge, wherein the cartridge further comprises the pad positioned about the mount cylinder, the pad extending over a first end of the mount cylinder and a second end of the mount cylinder opposite the first end, and wherein the pad is secured between the mount cylinder and the one or more components of the cartridge.

11. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pad comprises a multi-layer fabric including an interior fabric and an exterior fabric.

12. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 11 , wherein the interior fabric comprises a knitted polyester material.

13. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 11 , wherein the exterior fabric comprises an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene material.

14. The electroplating apparatus seal cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge defines a third inlet port configured to receive a retaining member, and wherein, when the retaining member is disengaged, the cartridge is configured to rotate about a central axis and adjust an exposed region of the pad.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Jonathan Joseph Antony
• Hanson Kyle M
• Rye Jason A
• Brown James E
• Wilson Gregory J
• Bergman Eric J
• Youngbull Tricia A
• Stolt Timothy G

Classifications

• B08B1/14

  Wipes; Absorbent members, e.g. swabs or sponges (with integrated means for dispensing fluids B08B1/40) · CPC title

• B08B1/145

  Swabs · CPC title

• C25D17/001 Primary

  Apparatus specially adapted for electrolytic coating of wafers, e.g. semiconductors or solar cells · CPC title

• C25D21/08

  Rinsing · CPC title

• C25D17/004

  Sealing devices · CPC title