Cleaning device for cleaning electroplating substrate holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433440-B2
Application number	US-201916429470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A cleaning device for removing contamination on a substrate holder used with an electroplating cell includes an arm, a cleaning agent supplier, a nozzle and a receiver. The cleaning agent supplier is coupled to the arm and configured to supply a cleaning agent. The nozzle is coupled to the cleaning agent supplier and configured to spray the cleaning agent onto the substrate holder to remove the contamination. The receiver is coupled to the arm and configured to receive the cleaning agent after the cleaning agent is sprayed onto the substrate holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of removing contamination on a substrate holder in an electroplating cell, the method comprising:
moving an arm of a cleaning device to align a first nozzle of the cleaning device with a portion of the substrate holder, wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning a receiver, coupled to the arm, such that the portion of the substrate holder is disposed adjacent a first sidewall of the receiver and underlies a ceiling of the receiver that extends from the first sidewall;

spraying a cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder through the first nozzle to remove the contamination; and
receiving the cleaning agent through the receiver of the cleaning device after spraying the cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
rotating the substrate holder while spraying the cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the cleaning agent through the receiver comprises:
sucking up the cleaning agent through a vent on the receiver.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder comprises:
spraying an acid onto the portion of the substrate holder;
spraying a dry solvent onto the portion of the substrate holder after spraying the acid onto the portion of the substrate holder; and
spraying inert gas onto the portion of the substrate holder after spraying the dry solvent onto the portion of the substrate holder.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver, coupled to the arm, such that the portion of the substrate holder is disposed between the first sidewall of the receiver and a second sidewall of the receiver.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the first nozzle, disposed on the first sidewall, is at least partially above the portion of the substrate holder.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
a first portion of the ceiling extends from the first sidewall, and
moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the first nozzle, disposed on the first portion of the ceiling, overlies the portion of the substrate holder.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the portion of the substrate holder underlies a second portion of the ceiling of the receiver that extends from the second sidewall and such that a second nozzle of the cleaning device, disposed on the second portion of the ceiling, overlies the portion of the substrate holder.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate holder comprises a lip seal for engaging a substrate held by the substrate holder, and
moving the arm comprises:
moving the arm to align the first nozzle with the lip seal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the first nozzle, disposed on the first sidewall, is at least partially above the portion of the substrate holder.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that a second nozzle of the cleaning device, disposed on the ceiling, overlies the portion of the substrate holder.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the first nozzle of the cleaning device, disposed on the ceiling, overlies the portion of the substrate holder.

13. A method of removing contamination on a substrate holder in an electroplating cell, the method comprising:
moving an arm of a cleaning device to align a first nozzle of the cleaning device with a portion of the substrate holder, wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning a receiver, coupled to the arm, such that the portion of the substrate holder is disposed between a first sidewall of the receiver and a second sidewall of the receiver and underlies a first portion of a ceiling of the receiver that extends from the first sidewall and such that the first nozzle, disposed on the first portion of the ceiling, overlies the portion of the substrate holder;

spraying a cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder through the first nozzle to remove the contamination; and
receiving the cleaning agent through the receiver of the cleaning device after spraying the cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the portion of the substrate holder underlies a second portion of the ceiling of the receiver that extends from the second sidewall and such that a second nozzle of the cleaning device, disposed on the second portion of the ceiling, overlies the portion of the substrate holder.

15. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
rotating the substrate holder while spraying the cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein receiving the cleaning agent through the receiver comprises:
sucking up the cleaning agent through a vent on the receiver.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder comprises:
spraying an acid onto the portion of the substrate holder;
spraying a dry solvent onto the portion of the substrate holder after spraying the acid onto the portion of the substrate holder; and
spraying inert gas onto the portion of the substrate holder after spraying the dry solvent onto the portion of the substrate holder.

18. A method of cleaning a substrate holder in an electroplating cell, the method comprising:
moving an arm of a cleaning device to align a first nozzle of the cleaning device with a portion of the substrate holder, wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning a receiver, coupled to the arm, such that the portion of the substrate holder is disposed adjacent a first sidewall of the receiver and underlies a ceiling of the receiver that extends from the first sidewall; and

receiving a cleaning agent, dispensed through the first nozzle, through the receiver of the cleaning device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the first nozzle, disposed on the first sidewall, is at least partially above the portion of the substrate holder.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein moving the arm comprises:
positioning the receiver such that a second nozzle of the cleaning device, disposed on the ceiling, overlies the portion of the substrate holder.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Yu-Young
• Kao Chung-En
• Lu Victor Y

Classifications

• B08B17/025 Primary

  Prevention of fouling with liquids by means of devices for containing or collecting said liquids · CPC title

• B08B3/02 Primary

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title

• C25D17/06

  Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated · CPC title

• B08B2203/0229

  Suction chambers for aspirating the sprayed liquid · CPC title

• C25D21/00

  Processes for servicing or operating cells for electrolytic coating · CPC title