JPH0453952A - Reticle washing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence of a stain, etc., at the time of drying of a reticle by providing a chamber filled with a gaseous inactive atmosphere, a distilled water bath disposed in the chamber and a distilled water manufacturing system disposed outside the chamber in a drying section. CONSTITUTION:After washing, the reticle is conveyed to the drying section, where at the distilled water shower bath 2 in the chamber 1 filled with the inactive gas 3 without incorporating at all dust, the distilled water without incorporating any impurity, produced with a distilled water manufacturing system 5, is showered on the reticle through a nozzle 4. After a cleaning solution on the reticle surface is displaced with the distilled water, the reticle is dried naturally inside the chamber 1, then it is conveyed to a reticle storing place. Thus the occurrence of stain, etc., at the drying time of the reticle is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a reticle cleaning apparatus used in a photolithography process in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, and more particularly to the configuration of a drying section for drying a reticle after cleaning.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of reticle cleaning device uses a spin dryer to dry the reticle surface after cleaning with pure water using brushes, jets, ultrasonic waves, etc., as shown in the block diagrams of Figures 2 to 4. Centrifugal drying method (Figure 2), Freon vapor drying method using Freon vapor after replacing with IPA (isopropyl alcohol) (Figure 3), IP
The IPA steam drying method (Figure 4) using A steam was used.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional method described above, fine dust contained in the atmosphere around the reticle and fine dust contained in the cleaning solution, especially organic dust, condenses when the reticle dries (when water on the reticle surface evaporates), causing stains. The disadvantage is that it remains on the reticle surface.

In contrast to the conventional reticle cleaning apparatus described above, the present invention allows distilled water produced by a distilled water production system to flow over the reticle in a distilled water shower tank installed in an inert gas atmosphere, thereby cleaning the reticle surface with minute particles. The difference is that a drying section is provided in which the water is replaced with distilled water, which is completely free of dirt, and then air-dried.

[Means to solve the problem]

The reticle cleaning device of the present invention includes a chamber filled with an inert gas atmosphere in a drying section, a distilled water shower tank installed in the chamber, and a distilled water production system installed outside the chamber. There is.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

The reticle taken out from the reticle storage section is sent to the cleaning section, where it is cleaned with a cleaning solution using means such as brushes, jets, and ultrasonic waves. Organic and inorganic dust on the reticle is physically peeled off from the reticle and placed in the cleaning solution. Float to.

Since the reticle pulled up from the cleaning section is not dried,
The dust is suspended in the cleaning liquid remaining on the reticle.

The reticle is then conveyed to the drying section, where it is exposed to a distilled water shower cylinder 2 in a chamber 1 filled with an inert gas 3 containing no dirt and distilled water produced by a distilled water production system 5 containing no impurities. Water is showered from nozzle 4 onto the reticle. After replacing the cleaning liquid on the reticle surface with distilled water, the reticle is naturally dried in the chamber 1, and then sent to the reticle storage section.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention eliminates stains and the like when drying the reticle by replacing the reticle surface with distilled water that does not contain any impurities in an inert gas atmosphere that does not contain any dust, and then allowing it to air dry. effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional reticle cleaning device. 1...Chamber, 2...Distilled water shower tank, 3.
...Inert gas, 4...Distilled water shower nozzle, 5.
... Distilled water production system.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a reticle cleaning device having a drying section for drying a reticle after cleaning, the drying section includes a chamber filled with an inert gas atmosphere, a distilled water shower tank provided inside the chamber, and a distilled water shower tank provided outside the chamber. A reticle cleaning device comprising a distilled water production system.