# US 2023/0054051 A1 · Cleaning machine 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 2023/0054051 A1
- Document ID: US20230054051A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/441,660
- Filed: 2021-06-21
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-17
- Assignees: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Ning XI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054051A1

## CPC

- H10P 70/27: {during, before or after processing of conductive materials, e.g. polysilicon or amorphous silicon layers}
- H10P 72/0452: {characterised by the layout of the process chambers}
- H10P 72/0406: {for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like}
- H10P 72/0408: {for drying}
- H10P 72/0411: {for wet cleaning or washing}
- H10P 72/0454: {surrounding a central transfer chamber}
- H10P 72/0458: {vertical arrangement}
- H10P 72/3314: {Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Disclosed in the present disclosure are a cleaning machine and a cleaning method. The cleaning machine includes: a wet cleaning module, configured to execute a wet cleaning process on a wafer; a dry cleaning module, configured to execute a dry cleaning process on the wafer; a conveying module, configured to input the wafer into the wet cleaning module or the dry cleaning module, or output the wafer from the wet cleaning module or the dry cleaning module; a transferring module, configured to transfer the wafer from the wet cleaning module to the dry cleaning module or transfer the wafer from the dry cleaning module to the wet cleaning module; and a processing module, configured to extract gas from the transferring module.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cleaning machine, comprising:
a wet cleaning module, configured to execute a wet cleaning process on a wafer;
a dry cleaning module, configured to execute a dry cleaning process on the wafer;
a conveying module, configured to input the wafer into the wet cleaning module or the dry cleaning module, or output the wafer from the wet cleaning module or the dry cleaning module;
a transferring module, configured to transfer the wafer from the wet cleaning module to the dry cleaning module, or transfer the wafer from the dry cleaning module to the wet cleaning module; and
a processing module, configured to extracting gas from the transferring module.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cleaning machine according to claim 1, further comprising:
a first channel by means of which the transferring module is connected to the dry cleaning module, and a second channel by means of which the transferring module is connected to the wet cleaning module;
the transferring module comprises: a bearing unit, configured to bear the wafer conveyed from the wet cleaning module to the dry cleaning module or configured to bear the wafer conveyed from the dry cleaning module to the wet cleaning module;
a first blocking unit, configured to open or close the first channel, and open the first channel when the wafer needs to be transferred between the bearing unit and the dry cleaning module;
a second blocking unit, configured to open or close the second channel, and open the second channel when the wafer needs to be transferred between the bearing unit and the wet cleaning module; and
a control unit, configured to open or close the first blocking unit and the second blocking unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cleaning machine according to claim 2, wherein the transferring module comprises a container having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being used for transferring of the wafer between the bearing unit and the dry cleaning module, and the second opening being used for transferring of the wafer between the bearing unit and the wet cleaning module;
the first blocking unit comprises a first baffle plate arranged at the first opening;
the second blocking unit comprises a second baffle plate arranged at the second opening; and
the control unit is connected to the first baffle plate and the second baffle plate and is configured to control the first baffle plate or the second baffle plate, so as to open the first opening or the second opening.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The cleaning machine according to claim 2, wherein the transferring module comprises a container having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being used for transferring of the wafer between the bearing unit and the dry cleaning module, and the second opening being used for transferring of the wafer between the bearing unit and the wet cleaning module;
the first blocking unit comprises a first baffle plate elastically connected to one side of the first opening by means of a hinge;
the second blocking unit comprises a second baffle plate elastically connected to one side of the second opening by means of a hinge; and
the control unit is connected to the bearing unit, the bearing unit moves towards the first opening, so as to drive the first baffle plate to be opened when the wafer is transferred between the bearing unit and the dry cleaning module, and the bearing unit moves towards the second opening, so as to drive the second baffle plate to be opened when the wafer is transferred between the bearing unit and the wet cleaning module.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the conveying module comprises:
a first conveying unit that is connected to one of the wet cleaning module and the dry cleaning module and is configured to input the wafer into the wet cleaning module connected to the first conveying unit or the dry cleaning module connected to the first conveying unit; and
a second conveying unit that is connected to the other one of the wet cleaning module and the dry cleaning module, and is configured to output the wafer from the wet cleaning module connected to the second conveying unit or the dry cleaning module connected to the second conveying unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the transferring module comprises:
a first transferring unit, configured to transfer the wafer from the wet cleaning module to the dry cleaning module; and
a second transferring unit, configured to transfer the wafer from the dry cleaning module to the wet cleaning module.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The cleaning machine according to claim 6, wherein the transferring module further comprises a third transferring unit that is connected to the conveying module and one of the wet cleaning module and the dry cleaning module, and is configured to transfer the wafer in the wet cleaning module or the dry cleaning module connected to the third transferring unit to the conveying module, so as to allow the conveying module to output the wafer from the wet cleaning module or the dry cleaning module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the wet cleaning module comprises:
a buffer chamber, configured to accommodate the wafer to be cleaned; and
a plurality of cleaning chambers that are connected to the buffer chamber and are configured to perform the wet cleaning process on the wafer accommodated in the cleaning chambers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the dry cleaning module comprises:
a waiting chamber, configured to accommodate the wafer to be cleaned; and
a plurality of reaction chambers that are connected to the waiting chamber and are configured to perform the dry cleaning process on the wafer accommodated in the reaction chambers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cleaning machine according to claim 9, wherein:
the dry cleaning module further comprises: a processing chamber, configured to anneal the wafer accommodated in the processing chamber; and
the conveying module further comprises a cooling device, the cooling device being configured to cool the wafer before the conveying module outputs the wafer from the cleaning machine.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A cleaning method applied to a cleaning machine of claim 1, comprising:
acquiring a wafer to be cleaned and a cleaning process of the wafer;
determining, on the basis of the cleaning process of the wafer, whether the wafer to be cleaned needs to be subjected to a dry cleaning process and a wet cleaning process and a cleaning sequence of the dry cleaning process and the wet cleaning process; and
controlling, on the basis of the cleaning sequence, a position of the wafer on the cleaning machine, so as to complete cleaning of the wafer,
wherein the wafer is moved into a dry cleaning module of the cleaning machine under a condition that the wafer to be cleaned needs to be subjected to the dry cleaning process, so as to complete the dry cleaning process of the wafer; and the wafer is moved into a wet cleaning module of the cleaning machine under a condition that the wafer to be cleaned needs to be subjected to the wet cleaning process, so as to complete the wet cleaning process of the wafer.