Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto 
  • B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
  • B08B9/20—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans are brought
  • B08B9/40—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans are brought the apparatus cleaning by burning out
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B7/00—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
  • B08B7/0035—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B7/00—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
  • B08B7/0035—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like
  • B08B7/005—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like by infrared radiation
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto 
  • B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
  • B08B9/0861—Cleaning crates, boxes or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto 
  • B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
  • B08B9/20—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans are brought
  • B08B9/205—Conveying containers to or from the cleaning machines
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
  • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
  • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
  • H01J37/32431—Constructional details of the reactor
  • H01J37/32733—Means for moving the material to be treated
  • H01J37/32752—Means for moving the material to be treated for moving the material across the discharge

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method of treating a plastic transport box for conveying and atmospheric storage of substrates, such as semiconductor wafers or photomasks, transport boxes that may have undergone beforehand cleaning with a liquid, such as washing with pure water.
• the transport and storage boxes determine a confined space under atmospheric pressure, separate from the environment of use and transport of the substrate, for transporting and storing one or more substrates.
• these boxes make it possible to transport the substrates, such as semiconductor wafers (or "wafer” in English) or photomasks, from one equipment to another or to store the substrates between two manufacturing steps.
• substrates such as semiconductor wafers (or "wafer” in English) or photomasks
• These boxes of plastic material can be polluted by gases of manufacturing processes, such as HF, HCl, NH 3 , PGMEA gases, these gases being released in particular by the semiconductor wafers. conductors having undergone preliminary manufacturing operations.
• gases of manufacturing processes such as HF, HCl, NH 3 , PGMEA gases
• the released gases can adsorb to the surface of the dishes, then diffuse into the polymer, leading to the accumulation of polluting molecules in the polymer. These polluting molecules can subsequently desorb, adsorb to the substrates stored in these dishes, and possibly react chemically with the surface, which can create defects on the surfaces of the substrates.
• this washing step is followed by a drying step that can be very long, for example comprising a phase in which the transport boxes are heated by convection of hot air heated by infrared, and centrifuged, followed by a phase in which the transport boxes are put in waiting in the open air.
• a drying step that can be very long, for example comprising a phase in which the transport boxes are heated by convection of hot air heated by infrared, and centrifuged, followed by a phase in which the transport boxes are put in waiting in the open air.
• Document WO2009021941A1 discloses a drying after washing treatment, which notably provides for improving the volume decontamination of the boxes. This treatment involves subjecting the transport box to the combined action of subatmospheric gas pressure and infrared radiation. Heating by infrared radiation effectively desorbs contaminants that have diffused into the thickness of the polymer and thus accelerate their elimination.
• the subject of the invention is a method for treating a plastics material transport box for the conveying and the atmospheric storage of substrates having walls confining a volume intended for the storage of substrates, characterized in that comprises at least one plasma treatment step in which at least one inner wall of said transport box is subjected to a plasma of a process gas at a gas pressure of less than 10,000 Pascal.
• the plasma treatment step makes it possible to treat the inner wall of the surface transport box, either by chemical action or by mechanical action, to eliminate the contaminating molecules.
• the plasma provides an energy promoting the stall by mechanical action of molecules attached to the surface of plastic transport boxes.
• Plasma can also have a chemical action because the ionized species generated can react with contaminants, which promotes their elimination. The generation of a plasma on the transport box thus makes it possible to accelerate the surface decontamination compared with simple heating under vacuum. According to one or more characteristics of the treatment process taken alone or in combination,
• At least the inner wall of the transport box is subjected to heating greater than 50 ° C., such as at 70 ° C .; at the same time, the decontamination of the inner wall of the surface and volume transport box is improved,
• the gas pressure is between 1000 and 0.1 Pascal
• the treatment gas is chosen from a noble gas, such as argon, or from a reactive gas, such as oxygen, nitrogen or steam; 'water,
• the plasma is alternately turned on and extinguished several times for a predetermined duration; the intermittent plasma makes it possible to avoid the degradation of the plastic of the transport boxes that may result from the bombardment of the material by the ionized species of the plasma or the aging of the plastic that may result from the chemical attack by the ionized species and the UV generation by the plasma,
• the treatment method comprises a plasma-free processing step during which at least the inner wall of the transport box is subjected to the combined action of a gas pressure of less than 10,000 Pascal and a heating greater than 50 ° C,
• the gas pressure is lower than the gaseous pressure of the plasma treatment step; during the plasma-free treatment step, the gaseous pressure is less than 100 Pa; ,
• the treatment method comprises a plasma-free treatment step preceded by a plasma treatment step
• the treatment method comprises a plasma-free treatment step followed by a plasma treatment step; the subsequent stage of plasma treatment can make it possible to condition the surfaces of the transport box by modifying the contact angle of the surfaces, for example so that the transport boxes desorb less before treatment or so that the inner wall of the transport box adsorbs better than before treatment,
• the treatment method comprises a plasma-free treatment step preceded by a prior plasma treatment step and followed by a subsequent plasma-treatment step, and the plasmas of the pre-and-prior plasma-treatment steps are distinct.
• the invention also relates to a transport box processing station for conveying and atmospheric storage of substrates, comprising:
• a sealed chamber designed to receive at least one inner wall of a plastic transport box for conveying and atmospheric storage of substrates
• FIG. 1 represents a schematic view of a treatment station
• FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the various steps of a method of treating a transport box made of plastic material
• FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an intermittent plasma with phases of ignition and extinction of the plasma in a treatment process
• FIG. 4a represents an exemplary embodiment of the treatment method
• FIG. 4b represents another exemplary embodiment of the treatment method
• FIG. 4c represents another exemplary embodiment of the treatment method
• FIG. 5a represents another exemplary embodiment of the treatment method
• FIG. 5b represents another exemplary embodiment of the treatment method
• FIG. 5c represents another exemplary embodiment of the treatment method
• FIG. 1 represents an example of a treatment station 1 of transport boxes for the conveying and the atmospheric storage of substrates.
• the treatment station 1 comprises a sealed chamber 2 shaped to receive at least one wall of at least one plastic carrying case 3, pumping means 4 connected to the sealed chamber 2, at least one source of infrared radiation 5 , a plasma source 6, and a processing unit 7.
• the plastic carrying case has walls enclosing an interior volume for storing substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, photomasks or thin films for the solar industry. It is a means of conveying and atmospheric storage of substrates.
• a wall of the transport box 3 is, for example, a hollow peripheral envelope (FIG. 1) or a door (not shown) mating with the hollow peripheral envelope 3 to form a box, the inner walls being those defining the interior volume. for storing substrates.
• the transport box may in particular be a standardized transport enclosure type FOUP, FOSB, SMIF Pod, RSP or "Open Cassette", or a substrate transport enclosure for solar collectors.
• the plastic transport box is for example polymer, such as polycarbonate material.
• the treatment station 1 can be connected to a transport box liquid cleaning equipment, comprising means for conveying the transport box, cleaning equipment to said treatment station 1.
• the processing unit 7 is configured to control the pumping means 4, the infrared radiation source (s) 5 and the plasma source 6 for the implementation of a treatment method 100 of a plastic material transport box for the conveying and the atmospheric storage of substrates, as illustrated in FIG.
• the treatment method 100 comprises at least one plasma treatment step 103; 105 during which at least one wall of the transport box 3 is placed in the sealed chamber 2 in order to subject it to a plasma of a treatment gas under a gas pressure of less than 10,000 Pascal (or 100 mbar), the wall inside the transport box 3 may have undergone prior cleaning by a liquid, such as washing with deionized water according to step 101.
• At least the inner face of the wall of the transport box 3 is subjected to plasma.
• the gas pressure of the treatment gas is for example between 1000 Pa (or 10 mbar) and 0, 1 Pa (or 10 "3 mbar).
• 1000 Pa or 10 mbar
• 10 "3 mbar was placed a wall of the transport box or open transport box in the room 2, so as not to deform the wall of the transport box during its evacuation.
• the plasma treatment step 103; 105 makes it possible to treat the inner wall of the transport box 3 at the surface, either by chemical action or by mechanical action, to eliminate the contaminating molecules.
• the plasma provides an energy promoting the stall by mechanical action of molecules attached to the surface of plastic transport boxes.
• Plasma can also have a chemical action because the ionized species generated can react with contaminants, which promotes their elimination. The generation of a plasma on the transport box thus makes it possible to accelerate the surface decontamination compared with simple heating under vacuum.
• the plasma is generated by means of the plasma source 6, for example of the ICP, RF, microwave or capacitive type.
• the sealed chamber 2 comprises at least one treatment gas introduction device 8 for introducing at least one treatment gas during the plasma treatment step 103; 105.
• the process gas may be selected from a gas noble such as argon or from a reactive gas such as oxygen, nitrogen or water vapor.
• the ionized species may have an ionic sputtering action: the ions which bombard the surface of the inner wall of the plastic transporting box 3 will tear off molecules on the surface of the bombarded material.
• oxygen is used in particular to remove residues of resin and hydrogen to remove carbon contaminants and acids with greater efficiency than just vacuum heating the transport box.
• the treatment gas introduction device 8 may also be used to introduce a clean gas, such as dry nitrogen, to return the sealed chamber 2 to atmospheric pressure after treatment of the transport box.
• a clean gas such as dry nitrogen
• the plasma is alternately switched on and off several times for a predetermined period.
• the alternation may be periodic or partially periodic.
• the predetermined duration over which the plasma is intermittent may be the complete or partial duration of the plasma treatment step 103; 105.
• the plasma is turned on, switched off and on again once, during a plasma treatment step 103.
• Intermittent plasma avoids the degradation of the plastic transport boxes that may result from the bombardment of the material by the ionized species of the plasma or the aging of the plastic that may result from the chemical attack by the ionized species and the generation of UV by the plasma.
• the decontamination of the inner wall of the transport box 3 is improved both in surface and in volume.
• the risks of condensation or solidification of the gaseous species, such as water vapor are reduced, which can occur in particular when the treatment process starts with a step of plasma treatment 105 at very low pressure, such as at a pressure of the order of 0.1 Pa (10 -3 mbar), but the temperature is maintained below a limit of permissible temperature beyond which the transport box of plastics material can be degraded, for example above 100 ° C.
• the treatment method 100 comprises a plasma-free processing step 104 during which the inner wall of the plastic carrying case 3 is subjected to the combined action of a gas pressure of less than 10,000 Pascal. and a heating above 50 ° C, such as of the order of 70 ° C, without plasma.
• the plasma-free processing step 104 notably makes it possible to accentuate the degassing of the transport box by volume. Indeed, in the absence of plasma and the fact that the wall of the transport box 3 is heated, it is possible to accelerate the degassing, for example by further reducing the gaseous pressure at which the wall of the transport box 3 is subject only during the plasma treatment step 103; 105.
• the gas pressure is, for example, less than 100 Pa (or 1 mbar), such as between 100 Pa (or 1 mbar), and 10 -4 Pa (10 "). 6 mbar).
• Heating the plastic transport box during the plasma treatment steps 103; 105 or without plasma 104 can be achieved by subjecting the inner wall of the transport box 3 to infrared radiation.
• the infrared radiation preferably has an emission spectrum having maximum intensities in the vicinity of the absorption wavelength (s) of the contaminating molecule (s) to be removed.
• the infrared radiation can be amplitude modulated.
• the amplitude-modulated infrared radiation makes it possible to maintain the temperature of the material of the plastic transport box in the vicinity of a set temperature while separately controlling the infrared emission spectrum.
• the radiation may thus be chosen so as to act preferentially on the contaminating molecules to be eliminated based on water.
• the infrared radiation may also include a continuous initial step of appropriately warming the surface to be treated to accelerate proper temperature setting, thereby substantially reducing the treatment time.
• the treatment method comprises a plasma-free processing step 104, preceded by a plasma treatment step 103 without heating.
• the plasma-free processing step 104 is followed by a plasma treatment step 103 without heating.
• the subsequent stage of plasma treatment can make it possible to condition the surfaces of the transport box by modifying the contact angle of the surfaces, for example so that the transport boxes desorb less than before treatment or so that the wall Inside the transport box 3 adsorbs better than before treatment.
• the treatment method 100 comprises a preliminary plasma treatment step 103, followed by a plasma-free processing step 104, followed by a subsequent plasma treatment step 103 ', as illustrated in FIGS. and 4c.
• Plasmas of the prior and subsequent plasma treatment steps 103, 103 ' may be distinct: the treatment gas, the gas pressure and / or the plasma energy may be different in the prior and subsequent plasma processing steps 103, 103 '.
• the inner wall of the transport box 3 is subjected to heating.
• This heated plasma treatment step may be followed by a plasma-free processing step 104 (FIG. 5a) or preceded by a plasma-free processing step (FIG. 5b) or a heated plasma treatment step 105 may precede and follow a plasma-free processing step 104 ( Figures 4c).
• the method may comprise a first step of unheated plasma treatment 103 followed by a plasma-free processing step 104, followed by a heating plasma treatment step 105 ( Figure 6).
• the method may comprise a first step of plasma treatment with heating 105 followed by a plasma-free processing step 104, followed by a plasma treatment step without heating 103.
• the treatment method may be followed by a validation step 106 (FIG. 2), in which a parameter representing the elimination of the contaminating molecules is measured and the treatment is interrupted when the representative parameter reaches a reference value of one satisfactory level of desorption of the wall of the transport box 3.
• the representative parameter may be the gas pressure, total or partial, in the sealed chamber 2.
• the measurement of the total pressure under the limit vacuum regime of the pump is an indicator of the flow desorbed in the sealed chamber 2, mainly from the degassing of the transport box.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Cleaning In General (AREA)
• Treatments Of Macromolecular Shaped Articles (AREA)
• Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)
• Cleaning Or Drying Semiconductors (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=51726733

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 2014
  • 2014-07-24 FR FR1457174A patent/FR3024057B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2015
  • 2015-07-03 EP EP15742191.8A patent/EP3171992A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2015-07-03 JP JP2017503855A patent/JP6605578B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2015-07-03 US US15/325,337 patent/US10478872B2/en active Active
  • 2015-07-03 CN CN201580040238.XA patent/CN106573277B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2015-07-03 WO PCT/EP2015/065171 patent/WO2016012216A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2015-07-03 KR KR1020177003628A patent/KR20170037616A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2015-07-07 TW TW104122045A patent/TWI669771B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events