Apparatus for use in cleaning wafers

Claim 2

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said first wafer transport means (64) and said second wafer transfer means (114, 116) are constructed for holding said one wafer (S) solely along a lower edge margin of said one wafer (S); said first wafer transfer means (64) comprises a wafer picker (66) including an arm (72) and finger means (74) on an end of the arm (72), the wafer picker (66) being movable generally vertically downwardly to position said finger means (74) at a level below the wafers (S) in the wafer entry station (58), movable generally horizontally to position said finger means (74) under said lower edge margin of said one wafer (S) and movable vertically upwardly to lift said one wafer (S) out of the wafer entry station (58); and said first wafer transfer means (64) further comprises a first wafer transport (68) and a second wafer transport (70) for receiving said one wafer (S) from the wafer picker (66) and transporting the wafer (S) to the spin dryer (104), the first wafer transport (68) comprising an arm (80) and finger means (82) on the arm (80), the first wafer transport (68) and wafer picker (66) being relatively movable to position said finger means (82) of the first wafer transport (68) under said finger means (74) of the wafer picker (66), said finger means (82) of the first wafer transport (68) being offset from said finger means (74) of the wafer picker (66) whereby upon relative vertical movement between the wafer picker (66) and first wafer transport (68) said one wafer (S) is transferred to said finger means (82) of the wafer transport (68), said second wafer transport (70) comprising an arm (98) and finger means (100) on the arm (98), the first wafer transport (68) and the second wafer transport (70) being relatively movable to position said finger means (100) of the second wafer transport (70) under said finger means (82) of the first wafer transport (68) whereupon relative vertical movement between the first wafer transport (68) and the second wafer transport (70) said one wafer (S) is transferred to said finger means (100) of the second wafer transport (70).

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the spin dryer (104) comprises a first and second jaws (106, 108) and a plurality of pegs (110) connected to the first and second jaws (106, 108), the jaws (106, 108) being pivotable between an open position and a closed position in which the pegs (110) are adapted to grip said one wafer (S) and hold said one wafer (S) for spinning, the second wafer transport (70) being movable to bring said one wafer (S) into the jaws (106, 108) in their open position, said finger means (100) of the second wafer transport (70) being offset from the pegs (110) to permit the pegs (110) to move past said finger means (100) to the closed position for gripping said one wafer (S); said second wafer transfer means (114, 116) comprises a wafer take-off transport (114) for taking said one wafer (S) out of the spin dryer (104), the wafer take-off transport (114) comprising an arm (120) and finger means (118) on the arm (120), the wafer take-off transport (114) and spin dryer (104) being relatively movable to position said finger means (118) of the wafer take-off transport (114) under the pegs (110) of the spin dryer (104) in the closed position, said finger means (118) of the wafer take-off transport (114) being offset from the pegs (110) of the spin dryer (104) whereby upon movement of the jaws (106, 108) to the open position said one wafer (S) is transferred to said finger means (118) of the wafer take-off transport (114); said second wafer transfer means (114) further comprises a wafer placer (116) including an arm (124) and finger means (126) on an end of the arm (124), the wafer take-off transport (114) and wafer placer (116) being relatively movable to position said finger means (118) of the wafer take-off transport (114) under said finger means (126) of the wafer placer (116), said finger means (118) of the wafer take-off transport (114) being offset from said finger means (126) of the wafer placer (116) whereby upon relative vertical movement between the wafer placer (116) and wafer take-off transport (114) said one wafer (S) is transferred to said finger means (126) of the wafer placer (116), the wafer placer (116) being movable generally vertically downwardly to deposit said one wafer (S) in the wafer exit station (112).

Claim 4

Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the spin dryer (104) is located above the wafer entry station (58), and wherein the apparatus further comprises opposing wafer scrubber rollers (88) located between the wafer entry station (58) and the spin dryer (104) for scrubbing said one wafer (S), the wafer scrubber rollers (88) being located above the wafer entry station (58) and the spin dryer (104) being located above the wafer scrubber rollers (88), and wafer spin pins (96) disposed generally below the scrubbing rollers (88) for holding said one wafer (S) and rotating the wafer (S) as it is engaged by the scrubbing rollers (88), the wafer spin pins (96) being constructed for holding said one wafer (S) in a vertically upright position by engagement only along its peripheral edge margin.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a wafer rinsing device (224) for rinsing the wafer (S), the rinsing device (224) comprising a spray nozzle adapted to continuously deliver a stream of rinsing liquid in a direction to engage a face of the wafer (S), and a deflector for deflecting the stream of water away from the wafer (S); the deflector comprising a splash box (226) having first and second compartments separated by a wall (230), a plurality of substantially aligned openings (238, 240), the spray nozzle being constructed for delivering said stream of rinsing liquid through the aligned openings (238, 240), and deflector shields (246A, 246B) mounted for being selectively interposed in the stream of rinsing liquid to deflect the liquid from the wafer (S).

Claim 6

Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the spin dryer (104) comprises: first and second jaws (106, 108) and a plurality of pegs (110) connected to the first and second jaws (106, 108), the jaws (106, 108) being pivotable between an open position and a closed position in which the pegs (110) are adapted to grip said one wafer (S) and hold said one wafer (S) for spinning, the jaws (106, 108) being constructed to surround the wafer (S) in the closed position of the jaws (106, 108), each jaw (106, 108) having an arcuate channel which is curved in cross section and includes a radially inwardly extending portion to capture liquid thrown off the wafer (S) and prevent liquid from dripping back onto the wafer (S); an annular outer splash shield (252) surrounding the jaws (106, 108), the splash shield (252) having an annular channel (256) which is curved in cross section and includes a radially inwardly extending portion to capture liquid and prevent liquid from dripping back onto the wafer (S).

Claim 7

Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a compartment substantially enclosing a volume to be isolated; wherein said first wafer transfer means (64) comprises means (66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 84, 98, 100) for holding wafers (S) and means (138, 154, 186, 188) for actuating movement of said holding means (66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 84, 98, 100), said holding means (66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 84, 98, 100) being disposed within the compartment and said means (138, 154, 186, 188) for actuating movement of said holding means (66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 84, 98, 100) being disposed outside the housing, said holding means (66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 84, 98, 100) extending through the compartment to connect to said actuating means (138, 154, 186, 188) outside the compartment (20); wherein said second wafer transfer means (114, 116) comprises means (114, 116, 118, 120, 124, 126) for holding wafers (S) and means (282, 288, 296) for actuating movement of said holding means (114, 116, 118, 120, 124, 126), said holding means (114, 116, 118, 120, 124, 126) being disposed within the compartment and said means (282, 288, 296) for actuating movement of said holding means (114, 116, 118, 120, 124, 126) being disposed outside the compartment, said holding means (114, 116, 118, 120, 124, 126) extending through the compartment to connect to said actuating means (282, 288, 296) outside the compartment; wherein the dryer (104) comprises a wafer holding mechanism (106, 108) located inside the compartment and means (200, 202) for actuating rotation of said wafer holding mechanism (104, 106) located outside of the compartment.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the compartment comprises at least one double wall including an inner panel (32A) and an outer panel (32B), the inner and outer panels (32A, 32B) of the double wall being spaced apart, and a drain (43) disposed for draining liquid trapped between the inner and outer panels (32A, 32B), said holding means (66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 84, 98, 100, 114, 116, 118, 120, 124, 126) of said first and second wafer transfer means (64, 114, 116) extending through the double wall to connect to said actuating means (138, 154, 186, 188, 282, 288, 296) of said first and second wafer transfer means (64, 114, 116), said holding means (66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 80, 82, 84, 98, 100, 114, 116, 118, 120, 124, 126) of said first and second wafer transfer means (64, 114, 116) being made of a fluorinated plastic.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of scrubbing each of said plurality of wafers (S) in a vertically upright orientation, said step of scrubbing including the step of rotating each of said plurality of wafers (S) about a generally horizontal axis passing through the center of the wafer (S) as it is being scrubbed.