# US 2021/0242041 A1 · First cleaning apparatus, cleaning equipment including the same, and cleaning method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242041 A1 - Document ID: US20210242041A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/145,647 - Filed: 2021-01-11 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-31 - Assignees: SK Siltron Co., Ltd. - Applicants: SK Siltron Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ki Soo KWON; Joo Won CHOI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242041A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0414: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles} - H10P 70/15: {by wet cleaning only (H10P70/52 takes precedence)} - H10P 72/0416: {with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Disclosed is a first cleaning apparatus including a first cleaning bath, a cover provided at the upper part of the first cleaning bath, a drainage portion provided at the lower part of the first cleaning bath, a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit provided respectively at a first side surface and a second side surface in the first cleaning bath, and first and second moving units configured to move the first and second cleaning units, respectively, wherein each of the first and second cleaning units includes a plurality of cleaning solution supply pipes provided at different heights and a plurality of nozzles provided at each of the cleaning solution supply pipes, the nozzles provided at one cleaning solution supply pipe have identical cleaning solution spray angles, and the nozzles provided at the other cleaning solution supply pipes have different cleaning solution spray angles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A first cleaning apparatus comprising: a first cleaning bath; a cover provided at an upper part of the first cleaning bath; a drainage portion provided at a lower part of the first cleaning bath; a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit provided respectively at a first side surface and a second side surface in the first cleaning bath; and first and second moving units configured to move the first and second cleaning units, respectively, wherein each of the first and second cleaning units comprises: a plurality of cleaning solution supply pipes provided at different heights; and a plurality of nozzles provided at each of the plurality of cleaning solution supply pipes, the plurality of nozzles provided at one cleaning solution supply pipe has identical cleaning solution spray angles, and the pluralities of nozzles provided at the other cleaning solution supply pipes have different cleaning solution spray angles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The first cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit are disposed so as to be opposite each other in a state in which a central area of the first cleaning bath is located therebetween. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The first cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second moving units move the first and second cleaning units in a horizontal direction, respectively. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The first cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second cleaning units comprises first to n-th (n being an integer of 2 or more) cleaning solution supply pipes disposed in an upward-downward direction, and the spray angle of the nozzles provided at the first cleaning solution supply pipe is less than ±10° relative to a horizontal direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The first cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spray angle of the nozzles provided at an m-th (m being an integer less than n) cleaning solution supply pipe is greater than the spray angle of the nozzles provided at the n-th cleaning solution supply pipe (here, the spray angle is the spray angle of the nozzles relative to the horizontal direction). ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The first cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spray angle of the nozzles provided at the n-th cleaning solution supply pipe forms an angle of 30 to 50° downwards relative to the horizontal direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The first cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles supplies a cleaning solution comprising pure water (DIW) and a surfactant. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The first cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein opening time of a valve provided at the first cleaning solution supply pipe is longer than opening time of a valve provided at the n-th cleaning solution supply pipe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Cleaning equipment comprising: the first cleaning apparatus according to claim 1; a second cleaning apparatus disposed adjacent to the first cleaning apparatus, the second cleaning apparatus comprising a second cleaning bath, pure water stored in the second cleaning bath, an ultrasonic generation unit provided at a lower part of the second cleaning bath, and an agitation unit configured to vibrate the second cleaning bath in a vertical direction; a third cleaning apparatus disposed adjacent to the second cleaning apparatus, the third cleaning apparatus comprising a third cleaning bath and a separation solution stored in the third cleaning bath, the separation solution being configured to separate a plurality of ingots from a beam; and a transfer apparatus configured to transfer the plurality of wafers from the third cleaning apparatus to a storage apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cleaning equipment according to claim 9, wherein a cleaning solution supplied from the nozzles and the pure water in the second cleaning bath of the second cleaning apparatus have identical compositions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The cleaning equipment according to claim 9, wherein a size of first particles separated from the wafers in the first cleaning apparatus is greater than a size of second particles separated from the wafers in the second cleaning apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The cleaning equipment according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of wafers is fixed to a beam via a bonding layer, and the separation solution dissolves the bonding layer to individually separate the plurality of wafers from the beam in the third cleaning apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The cleaning equipment according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of wafers is fixed to a beam via a bonding layer, and the cleaning equipment further comprises a jig configured to hold a plate connected to the beam and to move the wafers from the first cleaning apparatus to the second cleaning apparatus or from the second cleaning apparatus to the third cleaning apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The cleaning equipment according to claim 9, wherein the transfer apparatus inserts the plurality of wafers into separate areas of a cassette one by one. ### Claim 15 A cleaning method comprising: (a) spraying a cleaning solution to a plurality of wafers fixed to a beam to separate large particles from surfaces of the wafers in a first cleaning apparatus; (b) separating small particles from the surfaces of the plurality of wafers fixed to the beam in a second cleaning apparatus; and (c) separating the plurality of wafers from the beam in a third cleaning apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The cleaning method according to claim 15, wherein the small particles are separated from the wafers using ultrasonic waves and through agitation of pure water in step (b). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The cleaning method according to claim 15, wherein a jig holds a plate connected to the beam to move the plurality of wafers between step (a) and step (b) or between step (b) and step (c). ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The cleaning method according to claim 15, further comprising (d) transferring the wafers separated in step (c) one by one and inserting each wafer into a cassette.