IP Library Granted Patent US 12,494,386
Granted Patent B2
US 12,494,386 · App. 18/020,261 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Electronic component cleaning apparatus

Inventors: Hiroshi Kikuchi (Tokyo, JP); Kinn Ri (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Yamaha Robotics Co., Ltd.
H01L21/67051B08B3/02B08B7/0035B23K20/24H01L21/02H01L21/304H01L21/52H01L21/67028H01L21/67034H01L21/67057H01L21/677H01L21/67751H01L21/68742H01L2221/68327
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,494,386
App. No.
18/020,261
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic component cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a wafer includes: a wet cleaning unit, a dry cleaning unit, a transport unit and a control unit. The control unit; performs the wet cleaning of the surface of the wafer by the wet cleaning unit; transports the wafer that has been cleaned to the dry cleaning unit; performs the dry cleaning of the surface of the wafer with atmospheric pressure plasma by the dry cleaning unit; transports the wafer that has been dry-cleaned to the wet cleaning unit; and performs a hydrogen water treatment to hydrophilize the surface of the wafer using hydrogen water in which hydrogen gas is dissolved in water.

Claims (21)

1 . An electronic component cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of an electronic component, comprising:

a wet cleaning unit that performs wet cleaning of the surface of the electronic component with liquid;

a dry cleaning unit that performs dry cleaning of the surface of the electronic component with atmospheric pressure plasma;

a transport unit that transports the electronic component between the wet cleaning unit and the dry cleaning unit; and

a control unit that adjusts operations of the wet cleaning unit, the dry cleaning unit, and the transport unit,

wherein the control unit:

performs the wet cleaning of the surface of the electronic component with liquid by the wet cleaning unit at a first position;

transports the electronic component that has been wet-cleaned by the transport unit to the dry cleaning unit;

performs the dry cleaning of the surface of the electronic component with atmospheric pressure plasma by the dry cleaning unit at a second position;

transports the electronic component that has been dry-cleaned by the transport unit to the wet cleaning unit; and

performs a hydrogen water treatment by the wet cleaning unit to hydrophilize the surface of the electronic component by supplying hydrogen water in which hydrogen gas is dissolved in water to the surface of the electronic component,

wherein the control unit controls the transport unit to transport the electronic component to the dry cleaning unit and performs the dry cleaning with the atmospheric pressure plasma at the second position, and then the control unit transports the electronic component to the wet cleaning unit and performs the wet cleaning with the hydrogen water at the first position after the dry cleaning with the atmospheric pressure plasma is performed at the second position.

2 . The electronic component cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit transports the electronic component that has been dry-cleaned from the dry cleaning unit to the wet cleaning unit by the transport unit to start the hydrogen water treatment immediately after the dry cleaning is completed.

3 . The electronic component cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit transports the electronic component that has been dry-cleaned from the dry cleaning unit to the wet cleaning unit by the transport unit to start the hydrogen water treatment within 30 seconds after the dry cleaning is completed.

4 . The electronic component cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit transports the electronic component that has been dry-cleaned from the dry cleaning unit to the wet cleaning unit by the transport unit to start the hydrogen water treatment within 10 seconds after the dry cleaning is completed.

5 . The electronic component cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dry cleaning unit is disposed above the wet cleaning unit to overlap at least a part of the wet cleaning unit, and

the transport unit is a stage that holds the electronic component on its upper surface and is driven in an up-down direction while holding the electronic component.

6 . The electronic component cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dry cleaning unit is disposed above the wet cleaning unit to overlap at least a part of the wet cleaning unit, and

the transport unit is disposed adjacent to the wet cleaning unit and the dry cleaning unit, extends in an up-down direction across the wet cleaning unit and the dry cleaning unit, and transports the electronic component between the wet cleaning unit and the dry cleaning unit.

7 . The electronic component cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is a wafer, a semiconductor chip, or a substrate for a semiconductor device.

8 . The electronic component cleaning apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the semiconductor chip is attached on a support material.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Sep 18, 2025
From: YAMAHA ROBOTICS HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
To: YAMAHA ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 072291/0546 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2023
From: KIKUCHI, HIROSHI; RI, KINN
To: YAMAHA ROBOTICS HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062647/0183 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240258125A1 · Aug 1, 2024
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