US 11,786,947 B2 · Semiconductor arrangement and method for making

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus, method, and dry chamber are provided for cleaning a wafer carrier that holds wafers as part of a semiconductor fabrication process. The cleaning apparatus includes a wet chamber that receives the wafer carrier to be washed and a reservoir in fluid communication with the wet chamber. The reservoir stores a cleaning liquid that is introduced to the wafer carrier within the wet chamber during a washing operation, and a dry chamber is spaced apart from the wet chamber. The dry chamber receives the wafer carrier after the wafer carrier is washed in the wet chamber and holds the wafer carrier during a drying operation. A transport system transports the wafer carrier between the wet chamber and the dry chamber during a cleaning process.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of cleaning a wafer carrier that is used for semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:

controlling a transport system to retrieve the wafer carrier from a load port;
autonomously transporting the wafer carrier between the load port and a wet chamber where the wafer carrier is to be washed;
controlling introduction of a cleaning liquid to the wafer carrier within the wet chamber as part of a washing operation;
after the washing operation, autonomously transporting the wafer carrier between the wet chamber and a dry chamber where the wafer carrier is to be dried;
suspending the wafer carrier from a top surface of the dry chamber;
lowering the top surface of the dry chamber to place the wafer carrier over a first gas nozzle within the dry chamber;
and
controlling operation of a drying system to remove at least a portion of the cleaning liquid from the wafer carrier within the dry chamber.

5 more elements

A method of cleaning a wafer carrier that is used for semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:

receiving the wafer carrier within a cleaning apparatus, wherein the wafer carrier comprises a cassette for receiving a plurality of wafers and a pod into which the cassette is received;
autonomously transporting the wafer carrier to a wet chamber within the cleaning apparatus;
performing a washing operation on the wafer carrier while the wafer carrier is within the wet chamber, wherein performing the washing operation comprises:
removing the cassette from the pod;
clamping the pod to a spin chuck disposed within the wet chamber using a first clamp;
and
clamping the cassette to the spin chuck using a second clamp different than the first clamp;
autonomously transporting the wafer carrier to a dry chamber within the cleaning apparatus after the washing operation is complete;
performing a drying operation on the wafer carrier while the wafer carrier is within the dry chamber;
and
outputting the wafer carrier from the cleaning apparatus after the drying operation is complete.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Semiconductor arrangement and method for making

Life of this patent

Semiconductor arrangement and method for making

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20