In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a cleaning treatment is conducted on a semiconductor wafer as a substrate. The wafer is cleaned by use of cleaning liquid such as a predetermined chemical liquid and pure water to remove contaminations such as particles, organic pollutants, and metallic impurities, organic substances, and oxidized films.
One example of a cleaning system is shown in FIGS. 22 and 23.
A cleaning system 1100 shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 includes an IN/OUT port 1101 for carrying in and out a wafer 1121; a stage 1102 for carrying the wafer 1121; a cleaning unit 1103 for cleaning the wafer 1121; a carrier cleaning unit 1104 for cleaning a carrier or carriers 1120; a carrier stock unit 1105 for storing the carrier(s) 1120; a power source unit 1106 for supplying electric power to each unit; and a chemical liquid storage unit 1107 for storing chemical liquid and others to be used for cleaning the wafer 1121.
These units 1101 to 1107 are covered by first to seventh casings 1111 to 1117 respectively in order to protect the wafer(s) 1121 and the carrier(s) 1120 from dust and dirt and to prevent the volatilized chemical liquid from leaking outside. A space between a second casing 1112 and a third casing 1113 is partitioned by a partition wall 1108, but an opening 1108a is provided in the partition wall 1108 to be opened and closed by use of a shutter 1109.
In the cleaning system 1100, the carrier(s) 1120 carrying the wafer(s) 1121 is conveyed from the IN/OUT port 1101 into the stage 1102 by a carrying mechanism 1110. Then, in the cleaning system 1100, the shutter 1109 is opened and the carrier(s) 1120 is transferred into the cleaning unit 1103 through the opening 1108a. Subsequently, the shutter 1109 is closed.
In the cleaning unit 1103, a chemical liquid is discharged onto the wafer(s) 1121 to conduct resist stripping, and pure water is then given to the wafer(s) 1121 for rinsing. Subsequently, a volatile chemical liquid (for example, isopropyl alcohol) is applied onto the whole wafer(s) 1121 for drying and then the wafer(s) 1121 is dried by blow drying or spin drying.
The cleaning system 1100 opens the shutter 1109 and conveys the carrier(s) 1120 loaded with the wafer(s) 1121 from the cleaning unit 1103 to the stage 1102. The carrier(s) 1120 is further conveyed to the IN/OUT port 1101 by the carrying mechanism 1110. The wafer(s) 1121 discharged to the IN/OUT port 1101 is finally taken out of the carrier(s) 1120 by an operator or an automated carrying apparatus. Thus, a series of wafer cleaning process is completed (see Patent Document 1).
As mentioned above, in the cleaning unit 1103, different kinds of fluids such as a chemical liquid, pure water, and a volatile liquid are supplied in turns. Further, concentration and flow rate of each of the fluids have large influence on the cleaning quality of the wafer(s) 1121. Therefore, the cleaning unit 1103 uses the following fluid devices: valves such as a flow rate control valve and an opening/closing valve; filters; sensors such as a pressure sensor and a flow rate sensor; and piping blocks such as a joint block and a passage block.
FIG. 21 shows one example of a connecting configuration of fluid devices of a fluid device unit. Specifically, a first connection part 203 of a first fluid device 201 and a second connection part 204 of a second fluid device 202 are connected via a seal member 205. A coupling member 206 is fitted in a first groove 203a and a second groove 204a formed on outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second connection parts 203 and 204 respectively. In this manner, the first and second fluid devices 201 and 202 are maintained in a connected relationship. In such the fluid device unit, the fluid devices are directly connected to each other, resulting in a reduced piping space and a reduced foot space (see Patent Document 2).
On the other hand, the fluid device unit has less rigidity in a connecting portion when it is only retained by the coupling member 206. Therefore, for example, when an operator lifts up the first fluid device 201 by hand for assembling the fluid device unit to the cleaning unit 1103, the connecting portions of the first and second connection parts 203 and 204 is bent and the second fluid device 202 is inclined with respect to the first fluid device 201 due to its own weight, causing deterioration of the sealing property of the connecting portions. Generally, a fluid device unit used for the cleaning unit 1103 includes numerous fluid devices for controlling several kinds of chemical liquids. Therefore, the connecting portions could be easily bent if the fluid devices are connected only by the coupling member 206, leading to laborious work.
In response to the above problem, heretofore, the fluid device unit is handled after the fluid devices 201 and 202 are assembled onto a bracket 211 and then on the cleaning unit 1103. In such the fluid device mounting structure, the bracket 211 prevents the fluid device unit from bending, so that the sealing property is not deteriorated due to the bending on the fluid device connecting portions.
Citation List
Patent Literature
Patent Document 1 JP2008-34872A
Patent Document 2 JP2007-2902A
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds