US 12,494,360 B2
Apparatus and method for cleaning semiconductor wafers
Hui Wang, Shanghai (CN); Zhiyou Fang, Shanghai (CN); Jun Wu, Shanghai (CN); Guanzhong Lu, Shanghai (CN); Fuping Chen, Shanghai (CN); Jian Wang, Shanghai (CN); Jun Wang, Shanghai (CN); and Deyun Wang, Shanghai (CN)
Assigned to ACM Research (Shanghai) Inc., Shanghai (CN)
Filed by ACM RESEARCH (SHANGHAI), INC., Shanghai (CN)
Filed on Jul. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/762,434.
Application 18/762,434 is a continuation of application No. 16/972,936, granted, now 12,068,149, previously published as PCT/CN2018/090227, filed on Jun. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0355614 A1, Oct. 24, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/02052 (2013.01) [H01L 21/6715 (2013.01); H01L 21/67253 (2013.01); H01L 21/67742 (2013.01); H01L 21/67781 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for cleaning semiconductor wafers, comprising:
a plurality of load ports;
at least one first tank, containing cleaning chemical, configured to implement batch cleaning process;
one or more second tanks, containing cleaning liquid, configured to implement batch cleaning process;
one or more single wafer cleaning modules, configured to implement single wafer cleaning and drying processes;
wherein the plurality of load ports are transversely arranged in an arrangement of load ports, the at least one first tank and the one or more second tanks are lengthways arranged at a first side of the arrangement of load ports, and the one or more single wafer cleaning modules are lengthways arranged at a second side of the arrangement of load ports and opposing the at least one first tank and the one or more second tanks;
the apparatus further comprising:
a first turnover device, configured to rotate one or more wafers from horizontal plane to vertical plane so that the one or more wafers can be vertically transferred to the at least one first tank; and
a second turnover device, configured to rotate the one or more wafers from vertical plane to horizontal plane so that the one or more wafers can be horizontally transferred to the one or more single wafer cleaning modules;
wherein the second turnover device comprises:
a receiving chamber,
a wafer holder, being set in the receiving chamber,
a first driving mechanism, driving the wafer holder to rotate in the receiving chamber,
a support bar, an end of the support bar extending to the receiving chamber,
a support seat, fixed at the end of the support bar,
a second driving mechanism, driving the support seat to ascend and descend via the support bar,
a window, defined on the receiving chamber,
a door, being set in the receiving chamber, and
a third driving mechanism, driving the door to move up to close the window or move down to open the window.