Cleaning device for cleaning electroplating substrate holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12226807-B2
Application number	US-202217885360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2022
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

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 comprising:
performing an electroplating process using a substrate holder to support a substrate on which the electroplating process is performed; and
after the electroplating process, removing contamination on the substrate holder, wherein removing the contamination comprises:
positioning a receiver of a cleaning device such that a first sidewall of the receiver is adjacent a lip seal of the substrate holder, wherein the first sidewall extends from a bottommost surface of the lip seal to a topmost surface of the lip seal; and
spraying a cleaning agent onto a portion of the lip seal through a nozzle disposed on the receiver,

wherein positioning the receiver comprises:
positioning the receiver such that a first portion of a ceiling of the receiver extending from the first sidewall overlies the portion of the lip seal and a bottom of the receiver underlies the portion of the lip seal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the receiver comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the portion of the lip seal is disposed between the first sidewall and a second sidewall of the receiver.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the receiver comprises:
positioning the receiver such that the portion of the lip seal is disposed between the first sidewall and a second sidewall of the receiver and such that a second portion of the ceiling of the receiver extending from the second sidewall overlies the portion of the lip seal.

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

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent comprises:
spraying an acid onto the portion of the lip seal during a first time interval, and
spraying a dry solvent onto the portion of the lip seal during a second time interval different than the first time interval.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent comprises:
spraying an inert gas onto the portion of the lip seal during a third time interval different than the first time interval and the second time interval.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the second time interval is after the first time interval, and
the third time interval is after the second time interval.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent comprises:
spraying an acid onto the portion of the lip seal during a first time interval, and
spraying an inert gas onto the portion of the lip seal during a second time interval different than the first time interval.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
sucking up the cleaning agent through a vent disposed in the receiver after spraying the cleaning agent onto the portion of the lip seal.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vent is disposed on a portion of the receiver underlying the portion of the lip seal.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent comprises spraying the cleaning agent through the nozzle configured to emit the cleaning agent in a first direction and through a second nozzle configured to emit the cleaning agent in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

12. A method of removing contamination on a substrate holder in an electroplating cell, the method comprising:
positioning a receiver of a cleaning device relative to the substrate holder such that a portion of the substrate holder to be cleaned is disposed between a first sidewall of the receiver and a second sidewall of the receiver while concurrently being spaced apart from the first sidewall and the second sidewall; and
spraying a cleaning agent onto the portion of the substrate holder to be cleaned through a nozzle disposed on the receiver to remove the contamination.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein positioning the receiver of the cleaning device relative to the substrate holder comprises:
driving the substrate holder toward the receiver.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein positioning the receiver comprises:
positioning the receiver such that a first portion of a ceiling of the receiver extending from the first sidewall overlies the portion of the substrate holder to be cleaned and a bottom of the receiver underlies the portion of the substrate holder to be cleaned.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein positioning the receiver comprises:
positioning the receiver such that a second portion of the ceiling of the receiver extending from the second sidewall overlies the portion of the substrate holder to be cleaned.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent comprises:
spraying a first solution onto the portion of the substrate holder to be cleaned during a first time interval, and
spraying a second solution onto the portion of the substrate holder to be cleaned during a second time interval after than the first time interval.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein spraying the cleaning agent comprises:
spraying the cleaning agent in a first direction and a second direction different than the first direction.

18. A method comprising:
performing an electroplating process using a substrate holder to support a substrate on which the electroplating process is performed; and
after the electroplating process, removing contamination on the substrate holder, wherein removing the contamination comprises:
positioning a receiver comprising a nozzle from which a cleaning agent is sprayed such that a first portion of a ceiling of the receiver extending from a first sidewall of the receiver overlies a portion of the substrate holder being cleaned and a bottom of the receiver underlies the portion of the substrate holder being cleaned; and
rotating the substrate holder while spraying the cleaning agent onto the substrate holder in a first direction perpendicular to a bottom surface of the substrate holder and a second direction at least one of perpendicular to or diametrically opposite to the first direction.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second direction is diametrically opposite to the first direction.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising:
sucking up the cleaning agent through a vent disposed in the receiver after spraying the cleaning agent onto the substrate holder.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• C25D21/00

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

• B08B2203/0229

  Suction chambers for aspirating the sprayed liquid · CPC title

• C25D21/08

  Rinsing · CPC title

• C25D17/06

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

• B08B3/02 Primary

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title