Apparatus for cleaning semiconductor equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11318506-B2
Application number	US-201916442393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2019
Priority date	Aug 16, 2018
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first support member coupled to a casing and constructed to move along a first axis through the casing and rotate around the first axis, a second support member coupled to the first support member and constructed to move along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and an arm pivotally coupled to the second support member and constructed to rotate around a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The apparatus also includes a cleaning head attached to the arm and constructed to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a casing configured to be detachably mounted on a workpiece, wherein the casing is configured to cover an entirety of a first opening of the workpiece, and wherein the casing comprises a second opening configured to expose a portion of the workpiece during a cleaning operation;
a first support member coupled to the casing and constructed to move along a first axis through the casing and rotate around the first axis;
a second support member coupled to the first support member and constructed to move along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
an arm pivotally coupled to the second support member and constructed to rotate around a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis; and
a cleaning head attached to the arm and constructed to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the arm,
wherein the casing comprises a first plate and a second plate opposite to the first plate, the second opening is defined by the second plate, wherein the cleaning head is coupled to the first plate through the first support member, the second support member and the arm and extends outside the casing through the second opening.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second opening is further arranged to allow the first support member and the second support member to traverse therethrough.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the casing further comprises a side plate connecting the first plate to the second plate and constructed to form a sealed space, including the second opening, in conjunction with the first plate, the second plate and the workpiece.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the casing further comprises vias on a surface of the second plate facing the workpiece and constructed to supply a liquid.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second plate comprises a channel coupled to the vias and constructed to transport the liquid.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a tube coupling to the second plate and constructed to dispense the liquid to the workpiece through the vias.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first support member comprises a cylinder mounted on the casing and comprising a shaft constructed to move in the cylinder along the first axis and rotate around the first axis.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the first support member further comprises a driving member constructed to drive the shaft.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second support member comprises a rail and a connector pivotally coupled to the arm and constructed to move on the rail.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is further constructed to move along the longitudinal axis of the arm.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a casing configured to be detachably mounted on a processing chamber, wherein the casing covers an entirety of a first opening of the processing chamber;
a first shaft extending though the casing and constructed to move along a first axis and rotate around the first axis;
a rail coupled to the first shaft and constructed to move along a second axis;
an arm pivotally coupled to the rail and constructed to rotate around a third axis; and
a cleaning head attached to the arm and constructed to move along a longitudinal axis of the arm,
wherein the apparatus is configured to form a sealed space with a chamber wall of the processing chamber and clean the chamber wall during a cleaning operation,
wherein the casing comprises a first plate and a second plate opposite to the first plate, the second plate defining a second opening in communication with the first opening, wherein the cleaning head is coupled to the first plate through the first shaft, the rail and the arm and extends outside the casing through the second opening.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the arm comprises a driving member and a first sleeve fastened to the driving member, the driving member being constructed to rotate the first sleeve around the longitudinal axis of the arm.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first sleeve comprises a hole formed on a surface facing the cleaning head, the hole comprising a polygonal shape when seen from a cross-sectional view.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the cleaning head comprises a second sleeve and a second shaft extending through the second sleeve, the second shaft comprising the polygonal shape when viewed from a cross-sectional view and constructed to move in the hole of the first sleeve of the arm.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the cleaning head further comprises a spring wrapping around the second shaft.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the cleaning head further comprises a holding member constructed to allow the second shaft to movably couple to the second sleeve.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a baffle disposed on a side of the processing chamber constructed to seal a second opening of the processing chamber.

18. An apparatus, comprising:
a casing configured to be detachably mounted on a processing chamber and comprising:
a first plate; and
a second plate opposite to the first plate and constructed to supply a liquid, the second plate defining a first opening configured to face a second opening of the processing chamber;

a shaft constructed to move along a first axis though the first plate and to rotate around the first axis;
a rail coupled to the shaft and constructed to move along a second axis parallel to a surface of the first plate;
an arm pivotally coupled to the rail; and
a cleaning head attached to the arm and constructed to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the arm, wherein, during a cleaning operation, the cleaning head extends freely through the first opening and the second opening and reaches a chamber wall of the processing chamber,
wherein the cleaning head is coupled to the first plate through the shaft, the rail and the arm and extends outside the casing through the first opening.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the casing further comprises a channel constructed to remove exhaust gas or water.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the casing further comprises a side plate coupled to the first plate and the second plate and substantially aligned with an outer sidewall of a workpiece.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liu Shih-Kuo
• Chang Chia-Hsun
• Koai Keith Kuang-Kuo
• Cheah Wai Hong
• Hung Ming-Chuan

Classifications

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/0412

  using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes · CPC title

• B08B1/32

  using rotary cleaning members · CPC title

• B08B9/087

  by methods involving the use of tools, e.g. brushes, scrapers ({B08B9/0808} , B08B9/20 take precedence) · CPC title