# US 2013/0152964 A1 · Substrate cleaning method, substrate cleaning system and program storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152964 A1 - Document ID: US20130152964A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/709,331 - Filed: 2012-12-10 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-15 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Tsukasa WATANABE; Naoki SHINDO; Takahiro FURUKAWA; Yuji KAMIKAWA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152964A1 ## CPC - B08B 3/12: by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations - B01F 35/213: of the properties of the mixtures, e.g. temperature, density or colour - B01F 35/2132: {Concentration, pH, pOH, p(ION) or oxygen-demand (B01F35/2133 takes precedence)} - B01F 35/833: {Flow control by valves, e.g. opening intermittently} - B08B 3/00: Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam (B08B9/00 takes precedence) - H10P 72/0416: {with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels} - C11D 2111/22: Electronic devices, e.g. PCBs or semiconductors - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL ## Abstract The present invention provides a substrate cleaning method capable of removing particles from the entire surface of a substrate to be processed at a high removing efficiency. In the substrate cleaning method according to the present invention, a substrate to be processed W is immersed in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank 12. Then, ultrasonic waves are generated in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank 12, so that the substrate to be processed W is subjected to an ultrasonic cleaning process. While the substrate to be processed is being cleaned, a dissolved gas concentration of a gas dissolved in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank is changed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate cleaning method comprising the step of: immersing a substrate in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank; and cleaning the substrate by generating ultrasonic waves in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank; wherein, in the step of cleaning the substrate, a dissolved gas concentration of a gas dissolved in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank is changed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein, in the step of cleaning the substrate, the generation of ultrasonic waves are stopped for a while, and the dissolved gas concentration is changed during this intermission. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 2, wherein, when the dissolved gas concentration is changed, the dissolved gas concentration of the cleaning liquid is lowered. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein, in the step of cleaning the substrate, the dissolved gas concentration is changed while ultrasonic waves are being generated in the cleaning liquid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein the dissolved gas concentration of the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank is changed by supplying at least one of a first cleaning liquid and a second cleaning liquid, a dissolved gas concentration of the first cleaning liquid is different from a dissolved gas concentration of the second cleaning liquid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the first cleaning liquid and the second cleaning liquid are supplied into the cleaning tank through separate supply pipes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the first cleaning liquid and the second cleaning liquid are supplied into the cleaning tank through a single supply pipe, after the first cleaning liquid and the second cleaning liquid are mixed with each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the second cleaning liquid is generated by deaerating a part of the first cleaning liquid separated from the first cleaning liquid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the first cleaning liquid is generated by dissolving the gas in a part of the second cleaning liquid separated from the second cleaning liquid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the second cleaning liquid is generated, by means of a deaerator placed in a supply pipe capable of supplying the first cleaning liquid into the cleaning tank, by deaerating the first cleaning liquid passing through the supply pipe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the first cleaning liquid is generated, by means of a dissolving device placed in a supply pipe capable of supplying the second cleaning liquid into the cleaning tank, by dissolving the gas in the second cleaning liquid passing through the supply pipe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The substrate cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the dissolved gas concentration of the first cleaning liquid is the saturated concentration, and the dissolved gas concentration of the second cleaning liquid is 0 ppm. ### Claim at position 13 13-22. (canceled) ### Claim 23 A storage medium storing a program executed by a control device for controlling a substrate processing system so as to accomplish a substrate processing method comprising the steps of: immersing a substrate in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank; and cleaning the substrate by generating ultrasonic waves in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank; wherein, in the step of cleaning the substrate, a dissolved gas concentration of a gas dissolved in the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning tank is changed.