Apparatus and method for cleaning pot-shaped hollow bodies, in particular transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for lithography masks

A device for drying and/or cleaning pot-shaped transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, comprising:

• a support wall on which a pot-shaped transport container can be placed, wherein each pot-shaped transport container comprises a base wall, one or more side walls that form an inner hollow body surface, an opening that is opposite the base wall and surrounded by the side wall, and a cover support surface adjacent the opening and on which a cover can be placed to close off the hollow body;
• at least one passage opening formed through the support wall;
• and
• a cleaning device configured to dispense a cleaning fluid at the cover support surface for cleaning the cover support surface when the transport container is placed on the support wall, wherein the cleaning device has at least one cleaning head that projects over the passage opening and/or can be introduced into the hollow body of the transport container when placed on the support wall, and wherein the cleaning device has a plurality of cleaning nozzles through which the cleaning fluid can be applied to the cover support surface.

A method for drying and/or cleaning pot-shaped transport containers for semiconductor wafers or for EUV lithography masks, comprising:

• providing a device that comprises a support wall, at least one passage opening formed through the support wall;
• a cleaning device configured to dispense a cleaning fluid, the cleaning device comprising a plurality of cleaning nozzles arranged about a cleaning head, and a drainage channel;
• locating a pot-shaped transport container onto the support wall, wherein the pot-shaped transport container comprises a base wall, one or more side walls that form an inner hollow body surface, an opening that is opposite the base wall and surrounded by the side wall, and a cover support surface adjacent the opening and on which a cover can be placed to close off the hollow body;
• dispensing the cleaning fluid through the cleaning device onto the cover support surface to clean the cover support surface;
• and
• draining the cleaning fluid through the drainage channel.