Method of and apparatus for removing contaminants from surface of a substrate

A cleaning apparatus comprising:

• a transfer chamber into which a substrates to be cleaned is loaded;
• a cleaning chamber connected to said transfer chamber so that a substrate can be transferred between said transfer chamber and said first cleaning chamber;
• an aerosol supplier that supplies an aerosol into said cleaning chamber, said aerosol supplier comprising an aerosol-generating nozzle oriented to direct the aerosol onto the surface of a substrate transferred into the cleaning chamber, and a heat exchanger that freezes gas particles of the aerosol upstream of the aerosol-generating nozzle, whereby frozen particles are jetted into said cleaning chamber through said aerosol-generating nozzle to physically remove contaminants from the surface of the substrate transferred into the cleaning chamber;
• a reactant supplier that supplies a fluid comprising a reactant, capable of chemically removing contaminants from the surface of the substrate, into said cleaning chamber, said reactant supplier being oriented to direct the fluid onto the surface of a substrate transferred into the first cleaning chamber;
• and
• a laser beam generator, comprising a laser, that directs a laser beam onto the surface of a substrate transferred into the cleaning chamber to supply activation energy required to cause a chemical reaction of the reactant with contaminants on the surface of the substrate.

A method of removing contaminants from the surface of a substrate, said method comprising:

• directing a fluid comprising a reactant, capable of chemically removing contaminants from the surface of the substrate, onto the surface of the substrate, and irradiating the surface of the substrate with light to supply activation energy that causes a chemical reaction of the reactant with contaminants on the surface of the substrate, thereby chemically cleaning the substrate;
• and
• jetting an aerosol comprising frozen gas particles onto the surface of the substrate to dislodge contaminants from the surface of the substrate, thereby physically cleaning the substrate,
• wherein over the entire course of said irradiating the surface of the substrate and said jetting of the aerosol onto the surface of the substrate, said irradiating and said jetting are carried out in a separate manner that prevents the frozen particles of the aerosol from being evaporated by said light.