JPH0537470Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to a developing/cleaning device for wafers, etc., which is used in developing and cleaning steps in the processing of wafers, which are raw materials for semiconductors.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in the processing process for printing semiconductor patterns on wafers, a processing liquid is applied to the surface of the wafer, such as cleaning the surface, applying developer, and rinsing the developer. After that, it includes many steps of drying it and washing away unnecessary portions of the processing solution. As an apparatus for performing these steps, an apparatus whose cross section is shown in FIG. 2 is known.

In FIG. 2, the processing chamber 21 is formed by an upper lid 22 and a lower lid 23. As shown in FIG. A rotary mounting table 25 is provided in the processing chamber 21 for mounting and holding a wafer 24 as an object to be processed.
5 is rotatable around an axis 25a. Further, a liquid supply pipe 26 for supplying a processing liquid for dropping, for example, a developer onto the wafer 24 placed on the rotary mounting table 25 is provided at the upper part of the upper lid 22 .

Normally, the lower lid 23 is movable in the vertical direction (direction of arrow U or D) by a vertical drive mechanism (not shown), and the lower lid 23 is at a position where its upper edge touches the lower edge of the upper lid 22, as shown by the broken line. When the processing chamber 21 is in the closed state, processing steps such as cleaning and development can be performed inside this chamber. Further, when the position is shown by the solid line, the processing chamber 21 is opened and the wafer 24 is transferred to the processing chamber 21 by a transport mechanism (not shown).
1 (in the direction of arrow R), or the wafer 24 on the rotary mounting table 25 that has been processed can be carried out (in the direction of arrow L).

When the wafer 24 is transported to the processing chamber 21 and held on the rotary mounting table 25 and the processing chamber 21 is closed, a processing liquid such as a developer is dripped onto the wafer 24 from the liquid supply pipe 26. At the same time, the rotary mounting table 25 starts rotating, and this rotation acts to uniformly apply the dropped processing liquid to the surface of the wafer 24. Thereafter, the dropping of the processing liquid is stopped and the coating process is completed, but the rotation of the rotary mounting table 25 is continued to spin dry the processing liquid and dry the wafer 24.

After this drying step, the processing chamber 21 is opened and the wafer 24 is taken out and sent to the next processing step.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] In the conventional apparatus as described above, during the coating process, excess processing liquid scatters from above to the surroundings of the wafer 24, and some of it spills onto the upper lid 22 and lower lid 23. Adheres to the inner peripheral wall. The matter adhering to the upper lid 22 travels along the wall of the lid 22 and accumulates on the eaves 22a, but after the drying process, the processing chamber 21 is opened and the wafers 2 are removed.
When the wafer 4 is being carried out, the processing liquid that has accumulated on the eaves 22a may fall onto the wafer 24 that is being carried out, resulting in a waste of this processing step or a poor product yield. In order to avoid this, methods have been taken, such as increasing the upper and lower lids 22, 23, and their vertical movement dimensions. However, increasing these dimensions makes it difficult to downsize the device.

This invention was made to solve this problem, and it prevents the processing liquid from dripping when carrying out processing objects such as wafers from the processing chamber, and enables efficient development of wafers, etc.・The purpose is to provide cleaning equipment.

[Means for Solving the Problems] This invention consists of a processing chamber formed by an upper lid and a lower lid, a vertical means for opening or sealing the processing chamber by raising and lowering at least one of the upper lid and the lower lid, and a a rotary mounting table provided for mounting and holding a wafer, etc.; a rotating means for rotating the rotary mounting table;
In a developing/cleaning apparatus for wafers, etc., which is equipped with a processing liquid supply means for dropping a required processing liquid onto a wafer, etc. placed on a rotating mounting table, and a transport means for transferring the wafer, etc. when a processing chamber is opened. , the upper lid has a passage space provided in the lower wall thereof surrounding the periphery, a slit provided along the passage space and communicating from the passage space to the processing chamber, and at least one outlet communicating with the passage space. The apparatus is characterized in that it has a vacuum means connected to the discharge port and sucks the inside of the processing chamber.

[Function] With this configuration, the processing liquid that is scattered from the wafer etc. held on the rotary mounting table and adheres to the upper lid is sucked by the lower edge of the upper lid by the vacuum means.
Since the processing liquid can be discharged to the outside, it is possible to prevent the processing liquid from dripping onto the processing object such as a wafer when the processing object is being carried out.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1a and 1b are sectional views of this embodiment; Figure 1a is a sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 1b;
1 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG.

In figures a and b, a processing chamber 1 is formed of an upper lid 2 and a lower lid 3. A rotary mounting table 5 is provided in the processing chamber 1 for mounting and holding an object to be processed, such as a wafer 4. Rotation is now possible. Further, a liquid supply pipe 6 is provided at the upper part of the upper lid 2 for dripping a processing liquid, such as a developer, sent from a processing liquid supply device (not shown) onto the wafer 4 placed on the rotary mounting table 5. .

In addition, a passage space 2b is provided in the wall that is in contact with the eaves 2a at the lowermost edge of the upper lid 2, surrounding the periphery thereof, and a slit 2c leading from the passage space 2b to the processing chamber 1 is provided above the eaves 2a. It is provided. The passage space 2b is also connected to a discharge port 2d provided on the outside of the upper lid 2 via a side passage 2e.

In this embodiment, three discharge ports 2d are provided on the outside of the upper lid 2, and these discharge ports 2d are connected to a vacuum device (not shown) via a pipe or the like.

The lower lid 3 is movable in the vertical direction (direction of arrow U or D) by a vertical drive mechanism (not shown),
When the lower lid 3 is in a position where its upper edge, indicated by the broken line, is in contact with the lower edge of the upper lid 2, the processing chamber 1 is closed, allowing processing steps such as cleaning and development to be carried out within this chamber. When the wafer 4 is in the position indicated by the solid line, the processing chamber 1 is opened and the wafer 4 is carried into the processing chamber 1 (in the direction of arrow R) by a transport mechanism (not shown).
Alternatively, the wafer 4 on the rotary mounting table 5 that has been processed can be carried out (in the direction of arrow L).

In the apparatus of the embodiment configured in this way, when the wafer 4 is carried into the processing chamber 1 and held on the rotary mounting table 5, and the processing chamber 1 is closed, a processing liquid such as a developing liquid is supplied from the liquid supply pipe 6. A liquid is dropped onto the wafer 4. At the same time, the rotating mounting table 5 starts rotating,
This rotation acts to uniformly apply the dropped processing liquid to the surface of the wafer 4.

At this time, due to the rotation of the rotary mounting table 5, the excess processing liquid is scattered from above the wafer 4 to the surrounding area, and some of it adheres to the inner circumferential walls of the upper lid 2 and lower lid 3, and the excess processing liquid that adheres to the upper lid 2 is scattered around the wafer 4. The suction force of the vacuum device acts on the accumulated processing liquid through the outlet 2d, the passage space 2b, and the slit 2c, and the processing liquid is sucked from the slit 2c toward the vacuum device side. be done. In other words, the processing liquid is
It is discharged without actually accumulating on the eaves 2a, and the area around the eaves 2a is always in a nearly dry state.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the processing liquid from falling onto the wafer 4 when the wafer 4 passes under the wall of the upper lid 2 when being carried out.

Note that this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be modified and implemented without changing the gist.

For example, in the above embodiment, the processing chamber 1 is closed or opened even if the lower lid 3 is moved up or down, but the upper lid 2 may also be moved up or down, and in the embodiment, three discharge ports are provided. Although described, one or more may be implemented as required.

Furthermore, the apparatus of this invention can be applied not only to the application of developer, but also to cleaning of wafers, etc., which is a pre-process, and to development processing after pattern baking, and other uses within the scope of the gist of this invention.

[Effects of the invention] According to this invention, since dripping of the treatment liquid can be prevented, the treatment process does not become a wasted process, and a decrease in product yield due to dripping can also be prevented.

Furthermore, since the device according to this invention has a complete liquid drip prevention function, it can cope with a large amount of processing liquid splashing onto the top lid, and the rotary mounting table can be rotated at high speed, thereby speeding up the processing process.

Furthermore, for the same reason, the dimensions of the upper and lower lids and the dimensions of their vertical movement can be set small, so it is expected that the device will be more compact.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1A and 1B are a longitudinal sectional view and a transverse sectional view, respectively, of an embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional device. 1...Processing chamber, 2...Top lid, 2a...Eaves,
2b... passage space, 2c... slit, 2d...
Discharge port, 2e... side channel, 3... lower lid, 4... wafer, 5... rotary mounting table, 6... liquid supply pipe.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A processing chamber formed by an upper lid and a lower lid, a vertical means for opening or sealing the processing chamber by raising and lowering at least one of the upper lid and the lower lid, and a device provided in the processing chamber. a rotating mounting table for mounting and holding a wafer, etc., a rotating means for rotating the rotating mounting table, and a processing liquid supply means for dropping a desired processing liquid onto the wafer, etc. placed on the rotating mounting table; In a developing/cleaning apparatus for wafers, etc., which is equipped with a transport means for transferring the wafers, etc. when the processing chamber is opened, the upper lid has a passage space surrounding the periphery in the lower wall thereof, and a passage space along the passage space. a slit that is provided along the line and communicates from the passage space to the processing chamber;
A developing/cleaning apparatus for wafers, etc., comprising at least one outlet communicating with the passage space on the outside, and vacuum means connected to the outlet for sucking the inside of the processing chamber.