The present application is a national stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2021/103379, filed on Jun. 30, 2021, which claims the priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202011203503.0, titled “MACHINE CLEANING DEVICE”, filed to China National Intellectual Property Administration on Nov. 2, 2020. The entire contents of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2021/103379 and Chinese Patent Application No. 202011203503.0 are incorporated herein by reference.
The present application relates to the field of semiconductor devices, and in particular to a machine cleaning device.
In the semiconductor manufacturing process, various manufacturing processes are usually required. Different semiconductor manufacturing processes may be performed on different devices. For example, a deposition device is used for film formation; a polishing device is used for planarization; a photolithography device is used for patterning; and an implantation device is used for ion implantation.
To ensure the quality of semiconductor products, various devices may be placed in a clean room. A certain pressure is usually maintained in the clean room, and the air is allowed to flow from top to bottom of the clean room so as to avoid dust flying in the clean room and reduce the adverse effects of dust or other unexpected particles on semiconductor products. However, when the carrying platform, on which the parts to be processed are placed, is exposed to the machine main body, under the disturbance of the airflow, dust or unexpected particles accumulated on the top surface of the machine main body may fall onto the carrying platform and contaminate the carrying platform. As a result, the quality of the parts to be processed is affected, leading to low yield of the parts to be processed.
The present application provides a machine cleaning device for cleaning the top surface of a machine main body; wherein the machine cleaning device comprises: a guide rail arranged next to a carrying platform of the machine main body, a support slidably mounted on the guide rail, a cleaning component mounted on the support, a driving device connected to the support in a transmission way, and a controller connected to the driving device; and when the cleaning component cleans the top surface of the machine main body, the controller controls the driving device to drive the support to move along the guide rail so as to drive the cleaning component to clean the top surface of the machine main body in a direction away from the carrying platform.
The machine cleaning device in some embodiments of the present application cleans the top surface of the machine main body with a carrying platform. The machine cleaning device includes a guide rail, a support, a driving device, a cleaning component, and a controller. The guide rail is arranged next to the carrying platform. The support is slidably mounted on the guide rail. The support is connected to the driving device in a transmission way. The driving device is controlled by the controller. The support is also provided with a cleaning component. When the cleaning component cleans the top surface of the machine main body, the controller controls the driving device to drive the support to move along the guide rail so as to drive the cleaning component to clean the top surface of the machine main body in a direction away from the carrying platform, thereby reducing the possibility of unexpected particles falling during the cleaning process. By cleaning the unexpected particles on the top surface of the machine main body close to the carrying platform, it is possible to reduce or prevent the unexpected particles from falling onto the carrying platform and contaminating the carrying platform, thereby improving the yield of the parts to be processed.
In order to make the objectives, features, and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more obvious and understandable, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Apparently, the embodiments to be described are merely some embodiments of the present application, rather than all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without paying any creative effort are included in the protection scope of the present application.
Referring to
It should be noted that a vertical cabinet may be arranged on each of two sides of the carrying platform 12, and the top surface of the vertical cabinet is flush with the top surface 13 of the machine main body. Taking the orientation shown in
In some embodiments of the present application, the top surface 13 of the machine main body is cleaned by the machine cleaning device. Referring to
The guide rail 20 is arranged next to the carrying platform 12 of the machine main body 11 to provide a track for the machine cleaning device to move. The guide rail 20 may be arranged on the side surface of the machine main body 11 or on the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The arrangement position of the guide rail 20 is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.
In some embodiments of the present application, the guide rail 20 is fixedly connected to the top surface 13 of the machine main body, and the guide rail 20 extends from the front side of the machine main body 11 to the rear side of the machine main body 11. As shown in
There may be two guide rails 20 to improve the stability of the movement of the support 30. The two guide rails 20 are respectively arranged on both sides of the carrying platform 12, that is, the carrying platform 12 is located between the two guide rails 20. The two guide rails 20 may be arranged in parallel and opposite to each other, so that the support 30 can move on the two guide rails 20.
A support 30 is usually slidably mounted on the guide rail 20. In some possible examples, there are two guide rails 20. Wheels are respectively provided on both sides of the support 30. Guide grooves are formed on the surface of the wheels in the circumferential direction. The guide grooves are engaged with the guide rails 20 so that the support 30 can travel on the guide rails 20.
In other possible examples, there are two guide rails 20. Referring to
Exemplarily, referring to
Along the extension direction of the guide rail 20, two rollers 31 are arranged in parallel in one track groove 21. The two rollers 31 form a set of rollers, and multiple sets of rollers form a roller module. For example, three sets of rollers form one roller module. That is, one roller module includes six rollers 31, and the six rollers 31 are arranged in three rows along the extension direction of the guide rail 20.
In order to improve the stability of the movement of the support 30, a plurality of such roller modules may be arranged on each side of the support 30. Exemplarily, two such roller modules are arranged on each side of the support 30. That is, there are twelve rollers 31 on each side of the support 30. The two roller modules on the same side of the support 30 are mounted in the same track groove 21.
Still referring to
There may be a space between the support 30 and the top surface 13 of the machine main body, so that the cleaning component can move relative to the top surface 13 of the machine main body. When the cleaning component approaches the machine main body 11, the cleaning component is against the top surface 13 of the machine main body. Exemplarily, the cleaning component is in contact with or has a first preset distance from the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The state in which the cleaning component is in contact with or has a first preset distance from the top surface 13 of the machine main body is held. The cleaning component is driven to clean the top surface 13 of the machine main body in a direction away from the carrying platform 12.
Still referring to
Exemplarily, the driving device 40 is an air cylinder. Referring to
When the rod cavity 43 of the air cylinder is in air intake and the rodless cavity 44 is in air exhaust, referring to
The driving device 40 may be in signal connection to the controller by a solenoid valve, and the controller controls the movement of the driving device 40 by controlling the solenoid valve. The controller is electrically connected to the coil of the solenoid valve to control the on and off of the coil, thereby controlling the spool position of the solenoid valve. When the driving device 40 is an air cylinder, when the spool is in the initial position, the passage between the solenoid valve and the air cylinder is disconnected, and the air cylinder does not work; when the spool is in the first position, the pushrod 42 of the air cylinder extends; when the spool is in the second position, the pushrod 42 of the air cylinder retracts.
Exemplarily, the solenoid valve is a two-position five-way valve, and the two-position five-way valve includes an air inlet, air vents, and an air outlet. Air, for example compressed air (CDA for short), is introduced from the air inlet. There are two air vents, and the two air vents are respectively connected with the rod cavity 43 and the rodless cavity 44 of the air cylinder. Air is exhausted from the air outlet.
The solenoid valve may adopt a single electric control method with a single coil and spring return, or a double electric control method with double coils. Taking, as an example, the solenoid valve being a two-position five-way valve with single electronic control, with referring to
When there is first current in the coil, the spool is in the first position. Referring to
When the coil is de-energized, the spring pushes the spool to return to the original position, and the spool is in the second position. Referring to
When there is second current in the coil, the spool is in the initial position. Referring to
still referring to
In some possible examples, the lifting device includes an electromagnet and connecting plates. Both the electromagnet and the connecting plates are fixedly connected to the support 30, and the electromagnet is in signal connection to the controller. There are two connecting plates which are respectively mounted on both sides of the electromagnet. A cleaner 50 is mounted between the connecting plates, and the cleaner 50 can slide relative to the connecting plates.
When the electromagnet is energized, the electromagnet attracts the cleaner 50, and the cleaner 50 is lifted up; and when the electromagnet is de-energized, the electromagnet does not attract the cleaner 50, and the cleaner 50 is put down. The cleaner 50 approaches the top surface 13 of the machine main body by its gravity, to come into contact with or have a first preset distance from the top surface 13 of the machine main body.
When the cleaning component cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the cleaner 50 is put down, the controller controls the electromagnet to be de-energized, the cleaner 50 slides down the connecting plates relative to the support 30 by its gravity, and the cleaner 50 slides down to approach the top surface 13 of the machine main body.
In other possible examples, referring to
Referring to
When the cleaning component cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the controller controls the electromagnet 92 to be de-energized, the cleaner 50 drives the connecting rod 91 to rotate around the support 30 by its gravity, and the cleaner 50 rotates and approaches the top surface 13 of the machine main body.
It should be noted that the cleaner 50 may descend directly below the electromagnet 92, that is, the cleaner 50 is not located directly below the support 30. As shown in
It should be noted that, when the cleaner 50 moves in a direction close to the carrying platform 12, in order to prevent the cleaner 50 from bringing unexpected particles to the vicinity of the carrying platform 12, the controller controls the electromagnet 92 to be energized so that the cleaner 50 is lifted up and the cleaner 50 has a second preset distance from the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The state, in which the cleaner 50 has a second preset distance from the top surface 13 of the machine main body, is maintained. The cleaner 50 moves toward the carrying platform 12.
As shown in
The electromagnet 92 and the controller may be connected by a relay signal. The controller is electrically connected to the winding of the relay. The contacts of the relay are electrically connected to the electromagnet 92. When the contacts of the relay are closed, the electromagnet 92 is energized to attract the suction plate 51; and when the contacts of the relay are opened, the electromagnet 92 is de-energized.
Exemplarily, the contacts of the relay are normally open contacts. When the controller controls the winding of the relay to be powered on, the contacts of the relay are closed and the electromagnet 92 is energized; and when the controller controls the winding of the relay to be powered off, the contacts of the relay are opened and the electromagnet 92 is de-energized. The contacts of the relay may be normally closed contacts. When the controller controls the winding of the relay to be powered off, the contacts of the relay are closed and the electromagnet 92 is energized; and when the controller controls the winding of the relay to be powered on, the contacts of the relay are opened and the electromagnet 92 is de-energized.
In order to buffer the descending speed of the cleaner 50, referring to
The cleaner 50 may have a concave structure, and the direction of an opening of the concave structure is opposite to the movement direction of the cleaning component when the cleaning component cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body. As shown in
The opening of the concave structure penetrates through two opposite sides of the cleaner 50. As shown in
Exemplarily, the carrying platform 12 is completely exposed in the opening of the concave structure, and coincides with the orthographic projection of the carrying platform 12 and the opening of the concave structure to the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The top surfaces of the two vertical cabinets are completely covered by the concave structure. This arrangement prevents the cleaner 50 from being located directly above the carrying platform 12 while cleaning the top surface of the vertical cabinet, thereby preventing unexpected particles on the cleaner 50 from falling onto the carrying platform 12 and reducing the possibility of contaminating the carrying platform 12.
The concave structure may include two L-shaped cleaning blocks 52. Referring to
The cleaner 50 is used for cleaning the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The cleaner 50 may or may not be in contact with the top surface 13 of the machine main body.
When the cleaner 50 comprises a cleaning brush or a cleaning cloth to clean the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the cleaner 50 approaches the top surface 13 of the machine main body and is in contact with the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The cleaner 50 maintains this state and moves in a direction away from the carrying platform 12 under the drive of the support 30. That is, the cleaner 50 moves from the front side of the machine main body 11 to the rear side of the machine main body 11 for cleaning unexpected particles to the side away from the carrying platform 12. In this way, the top surface 13 of the machine main body close to the carrying platform 12 is cleaned.
When the cleaner 50 is a dust-removal sucker to clean the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the cleaner 50 approaches the top surface 13 of the machine main body and has a first preset distance from the top surface 13 of the machine main body. That is, the cleaner 50 is not in contact with the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The cleaner 50 maintains a first preset distance and moves in a direction away from the carrying platform 12 under the drive of the support 30, so that unexpected particles can be sucked from the top surface 13 of the machine main body. In this way, the top surface 13 of the machine main body close to the carrying platform 12 is cleaned. The dust-removal sucker may be a vacuum sucker.
Still referring to
The limiting device 60 includes two limiting blocks 61. Referring to
Still referring to
The positioning device 70 may be a grating scale, including a scale grating 71 and a grating reader. The scale grating 71 is parallel to the guide rail 20. The scale grating 71 may be arranged on the top surface 13 of the machine main body, and the grating reader is arranged on the support 30. There is no direct contact between the scale grating 71 and the grating reader during operation.
The grating reader includes a light source 72, a lens 73, an indicating grating 74, and a photoelectric element 75. Referring to
When the indicating grating 74 moves relative to the scale grating 71, light converged by the lens 73 passes through the slits of the scale grating 71 and the indicating grating 74 to form bright and dark moire fringes. The photoelectric element 75 converts the light intensity change signals of the moire fringes into electrical signals which are then filtered by the signal processing circuit. The output signals are close to sine waves. The controller subdivides and counts the sine waves to obtain the displacement of the indicating grating 74.
Exemplarily, the displacement detected by the grating scale is 190 cm. The closer to the carrying platform 12, the less the displacement detected by the grating scale. When the displacement is 0 cm, the cleaner 50 is in contact with or has a first preset distance from the top surface 13 of the machine main body, and moves in a direction away from the carrying platform 12; and when the displacement is 190 cm, the cleaner 50 stops moving, the limiting device 60 buffers and limits the support 30 to prevent the cleaning component from moving beyond the cleaning range.
In order to improve the cleaning effect, the machine cleaning device further includes an atomization device 80. The atomization device 80 sprays the atomized detergent in the to-be-cleaned areas on the top surface 13 of the machine main body, for example the dashed areas shown in
The detergent storage device 81 may be a storage tank for storing detergent. The detergent wets the top surface 13 of the machine main body. This can adsorb unexpected particles floating on the top surface 13 of the machine main body so that they fall onto the top surface 13 of the machine main body. After the volatilization of the detergent, the cleaning component cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body. When the cleaner is cleaning cloth, it may clean the top surface 13 of the machine main body when the top surface 13 of the machine main body is wetted, so that unexpected particles can be easily cleaned from the top surface 13 of the machine main body.
The detergent may be water or alcohol. In some embodiments of the present application, the detergent is alcohol. On one hand, alcohol has better effect in cleaning unexpected particles. On the other hand, alcohol is highly volatile and thus less likely to corrode the machine main body 11 and the carrying platform 12, with low residue. The detergent storage device 81 is an alcohol storage tank with a capacity of 2 L. The remaining amount of detergent in the detergent storage device 81 is checked regularly, for example, once every two months, and the detergent storage device is replaced in time when the detergent is insufficient.
The pumping device 82 is connected with the detergent storage device 81 and the pipe 83 for pumping the detergent in the detergent storage device 81 into the pipe 83. The pumping device 82 may be a flow pump. The pumping device 82 is in signal connection to the controller, and the controller controls the working state of the pumping device 82.
When the pumping device 82 receives the atomization signal from the controller, the pumping device 82 pumps the detergent in the detergent storage device 81 into the pipe 83. The sprayer 84 sprays the atomized detergent onto the to-be-cleaned areas on the machine main body 11. The working time of the pumping device 82 may be 10 seconds, and the spraying dose of the detergent is greater than or equal to 20 ml.
The sprayer 84 is arranged opposite to the top surface 13 of the machine main body, that is, the sprayer 84 faces the top surface 13 of the machine main body. A plurality of sprayers 84 may be provided, so that the part of the top surface 13 of the machine main body located in the to-be-cleaned areas can be completely wetted. Exemplarily, the sprayer 84 is an ultrasonic atomization sprayer.
The controller in some embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU). The controller is in signal connection to the driving device 40, the lifting device, the positioning device 70, and the pumping device 82 to control the cleaning process of the machine cleaning device.
When the machine cleaning device is not working, the cleaning component is in the initial state, and the cleaning component is located on the back side of the machine main body 11. As shown in
The cleaning process of the machine cleaning device specifically includes: the atomization device 80 wets the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the cleaning component moves from the initial position to the cleaning-begin position, and the cleaning component cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body.
Specifically, the top surface 13 of the machine main body is first wetted by the atomization device 80, and the controller controls the operation of the atomization device 80 to wet the to-be-cleaned areas on the top surface 13 of the machine main body, for example, the atomization device 80 works for 10 s.
After wetting, the cleaning component moves from the initial position to the cleaning-begin position. The controller controls the lifting device to lift the cleaner 50 up. The cleaner 50 has a second preset distance from and holds at the top surface 13 of the machine main body. The controller controls the driving device 40 to drive the support 30 to move toward the carrying platform 12. It may be understood that, when the displacement measured by the grating scale is the maximum displacement, the cleaning component is in the initial position; and when the displacement measured by the grating scale is zero, the cleaning component is in the cleaning-begin position.
The cleaning process of the top surface 13 of the machine main body by the cleaning component includes: the cleaner 50 approaches and holds at the top surface 13 of the machine main body, and the cleaner 50 moves along the guide rail 20 to the initial position.
When the cleaning component is in the cleaning-begin position, the controller controls the lifting device to drive the cleaner 50 to descend toward the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the cleaner 50 approaches the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the cleaner 50 is in contact with or has a first preset distance from the top surface of the machine main body 13, and the height of the cleaner 50 is maintained.
The height of the cleaner 50 is maintained. The controller controls the driving device 40. The driving device 40 drives the support 30 to move along the guide rail 20 to drive the cleaner 50 to move in a direction away from the carrying platform 12 and stop until the support 30 returns to the initial position. The cleaner 50 moves from the cleaning-begin position to the initial position along the guide rail 20. The cleaning component moves back and forth from the initial position to the cleaning-begin position once to complete one cleaning process of the top surface 13 of the machine main body.
In some embodiments of the present application, the cleaning of the top surface 13 of the machine main body by the machine cleaning device can be completed in a variety of ways.
In some possible examples, the controller of the machine cleaning device is provided with a timing device, for example a timer. When the predetermined time is reached, the machine cleaning device cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body. For example, the machine cleaning device completes one cleaning process once a day. By the timing device, the top surface 13 of the machine main body may be cleaned regularly and automatically. On one hand, this can reduce the number of manual cleaning processes and ensure the operation safety of personnel. On the other hand, this can reduce the accumulation of unexpected particles and reduce the possibility of falling of unexpected particles due to disturbance generated when the cleaning component moves.
In other possible examples, the controller of the machine cleaning device is connected to an automation system. The top surface 13 of the machine main body is cleaned according to the quality of the parts to be processed. For example, when the automation system has a reticle reject, the automation system issues a cleaning instruction to the machine cleaning device, and the machine cleaning device cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body. For example, the machine cleaning device completes two cleaning processes.
In still other possible examples, the controller of the machine cleaning device is connected to a keyboard circuit. As shown in
When a key is disconnected, the voltage at the pin of the controller corresponding to the key is 5V. When a key is pressed down, the voltage at the pin of the controller corresponding to the key is zero. The controller can determine whether a key is pressed down according to the change in voltage at the pin. When a key is pressed down, the machine cleaning device completes one cleaning process.
The machine cleaning device in some embodiments of the present application cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body with the carrying platform 12. The machine cleaning device includes a guide rail 20, a support 30, a driving device 40, a cleaning component and a controller. The guide rail 20 is arranged next to the carrying platform 12. A support 30 that can slide along the guide rail 20 is mounted on the guide rail 20. The support 30 is connected to the driving device 40 in a transmission way. The driving device 40 is in signal connection to the controller. The driving device 40 drives the support 30 to move along the guide rail 20. A cleaning component is mounted on the support 30. When the cleaning component cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body, the controller controls the driving device 40 to drive the cleaning component to clean the top surface 13 of the machine main body in a direction away from the carrying platform 12, thereby reducing the possibility of falling of unexpected particles when the cleaning component cleans the top surface 13 of the machine main body and preventing the carrying platform 12 from being contaminated during the cleaning process. In addition, by cleaning the unexpected particles from the top surface 13 of the machine main body close to the carrying platform 12, the unexpected particles accumulated on the top surface 13 of the machine main body are reduced or prevented from falling onto the carrying platform 12, thereby reducing the contamination of the carrying platform 12 by unexpected particles and improving the cleanliness of the carrying platform 12 and thus the yield of the parts to be processed.
The various embodiments or implementations in this specification have been described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments may be referred to each other.
It should be understood that, in the disclosure of the present invention, orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer” and the like are the orientations and the positional relationships illustrated on the basis of the accompanying drawings, merely used for ease of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the stated systems or elements must have a specific orientation or must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Thus, those terms shall not be interpreted as any limitation to the present application.
In the description of this specification, the description of terms such as “one implementation”, “some implementations”, “exemplary implementations”, “an example”, “a specific example”, or “some examples” are intended to indicate that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described with reference to the implementation or example are included in at least one implementation or example of the present application. In this specification, the exemplary descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily mean a same implementation or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics that have been described may be combined in a proper manner in any one or more implementations or examples.
Finally, it should be noted that the embodiments are only used to illustrate, rather than limiting, the technical solutions of the present application. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it should be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments can still be modified, or some or all of the technical features can be equivalently replaced; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202011203503.0 | Nov 2020 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2021/103379 | 6/30/2021 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2022/088730 | 5/5/2022 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20230056022 A1 | Feb 2023 | US |