# US 12,765,302 B2 · Substrate cleaning apparatus and substrate cleaning method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,765,302 B2 - Document ID: US12765302B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/014,595 - Filed: 2025-01-09 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-15 - Assignees: Ebara Corporation - Applicants: Ebara Corporation - Inventors: Chikako Takatoh; Akira Fukunaga; Masamitsu Kurashita; Megumi Uno; Satomi Hamada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12765302B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0412: {using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes} - B08B 1/14: Wipes; Absorbent members, e.g. swabs or sponges (with integrated means for dispensing fluids B08B1/40) - B08B 1/34: rotating about an axis parallel to the surface - B08B 1/36: rotating about an axis orthogonal to the surface - B08B 1/54: using mechanical tools - B08B 3/12: by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations - H10P 52/00: Grinding, lapping or polishing of wafers, substrates or parts of devices - H10P 70/00: Cleaning of wafers, substrates or parts of devices - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract There is provided a substrate cleaning apparatus capable of highly effective self-cleaning of a cleaning tool in a short time period. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning tool for cleaning a substrate while in contact with a surface of the substrate, a self-cleaning member for self-cleaning the cleaning tool while in contact with the cleaning tool, a rotation mechanism for rotating the cleaning tool, and a holding mechanism for holding the cleaning tool, the holding mechanism being capable of pressing the cleaning tool against the substrate and pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member. The substrate cleaning apparatus also includes a controller which controls pressing force for the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member such that self-cleaning torque, with which the rotation mechanism rotates the cleaning tool at the time of self-cleaning of the cleaning tool, is prescribed torque equal to or more than substrate cleaning torque, with which the rotation mechanism rotates the cleaning tool when the cleaning tool cleans the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning tool for cleaning a rotating substrate while in contact with a surface of the rotating substrate; a self-cleaning member for self-cleaning the cleaning tool while while the cleaning tool is in contact with the self-cleaning member and in contact with a liquid; a rotation mechanism for rotating the cleaning tool; a holding mechanism which holds the cleaning tool, the holding mechanism being capable of pressing the cleaning tool against the substrate and pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member, wherein the holding mechanism is configured to hold the cleaning tool while the cleaning tool is moved from the substrate and into contact with the self-cleaning member; and a controller configured to control pressing of the cleaning tool first against the rotating substrate and subsequently against the self-cleaning member, wherein the controller is configured to receive a sensed temperature of the liquid, and wherein the controller is configured to control the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with a first pressing force in response to the sensed temperature being a first temperature and to control the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with a second pressing force in response to the sensed temperature being a second temperature, wherein the second pressing force is larger than the first pressing force, and wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller, when the cleaning tool is in contact with the self-cleaning member, reads a rotational speed of the cleaning tool and controls the holding mechanism such that a force with which the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member is selected in response to said rotational speed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the self-cleaning of the cleaning tool comprises short-time self-cleaning of first duration and long-time self-cleaning of second duration, wherein the second duration is longer than the first duration, and ultrapure water is used in the short-time self-cleaning, and an ultrapure water rinse is used after chemical solution processing in the long-time self-cleaning or only ultrapure water processing is performed in the long-time self-cleaning. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a bath in which liquid is stored and which houses the self-cleaning member; and a vibration module which gives ultrasound vibration to the liquid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a jetting module which jets gas or liquid toward the cleaning tool during the self-cleaning of the cleaning tool. ### Claim 6 A substrate cleaning method comprising: a cleaning step of cleaning a rotating substrate by rotating a cleaning tool and brining the cleaning tool into contact with a surface of the rotating substrate, wherein a holding mechanism holds the cleaning tool during the cleaning step; a moving step of moving the cleaning tool away from the substrate and into contact with a self-cleaning tool, wherein the holding mechanism holds the cleaning tool during the moving step; a self-cleaning step of self-cleaning the cleaning tool by rotating the cleaning tool and contacting the cleaning tool with the self-cleaning member while the cleaning tool is in contact with a liquid; and a sensing step of sensing a temperature of the liquid during the self-cleaning step, wherein a controller controls pressing of the cleaning tool first against the rotating substrate and subsequently against the self-cleaning member, wherein the controller is configured to receive the sensed temperature of the liquid, and wherein the controller is configured to control the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with a first pressing force in response to the sensed temperature being a first temperature and to control the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with a second pressing force in response to the sensed temperature being a second temperature, wherein the second pressing force is larger than the first pressing force, and wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A substrate cleaning method according to claim 6, further comprising: a reading step of reading a rotational speed of the cleaning tool during the self-cleaning step, wherein the controller, during the self-cleaning step, controls the holding mechanism such that a force with which the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member is selected in response to said rotational speed.