Method for cleaning substrates
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsAkira Yonemizu, Masami Akimoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A substrate cleaning method in which the substrate is rotated and cleaned utilizing a brush which is brought into contact with the substrate. In accordance with one presently preferred aspect, the substrate is held between a stepped portion and a stopper portion at the fringe of the substrate, thereby preventing movement of the substrate as it is rotated and the brush is brought into contact with the substrate. In accordance with another aspect, a freely rotatable brush is brought into contact with the substrate so that the brush can rotate with the rotating substrate, and damage to the substrate can be minimized.
Claims17
A cleaning method for scrubbing a surface of a substrate with a brush which rotates about an axis perpendicular to the substrate, while holding the substrate with a plurality of holding portions and rotating the substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of contact members each having a projecting stopper portion and a stepped portion for holding the substrate in such a way that a fringe of the substrate is held between the projecting stopper portion and the stepped portion of said plurality of contact members, wherein said contact members are disposed around the substrate and are movable in a radial direction with respect to the substrate, such that said contact members are urged against the fringe of the substrate to hold the substrate;
- (b) holding the fringe of the substrate between the projecting stopper portions and stepped portions, such that a surface of the substrate to be scrubbed is disposed horizontally, and such that movement of the substrate from the contact members is prevented when a brush is brought into contact with the substrate while the substrate is rotating;
- (c) placing at least one brush to face the substrate while said substrate is constrained by the contact members;
- (d) spinning the contact members and the substrate;
- and
- (e) applying a cleaning solution to at least one side of the substrate and bringing a brush into contact with the at least one side to clean the at least one side.
A cleaning method for scrubbing a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- (a) holding the substrate by holding only a fringe of the substrate;
- (b) rotating the substrate;
- and
- (c) applying a cleaning solution to at least one side of the substrate, and bringing a brush which can freely rotate about a vertical axis into contact with the at least one side such that the brush rotates as a result of the rotation of the substrate, such that damage caused by bringing the brush into contact with the substrate is suppressed.
A cleaning method for scrubbing a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- (a) holding the substrate by holding only a fringe of the substrate;
- (b) rotating the substrate;
- (c) applying a cleaning solution to at least one side of the substrate, and bringing a brush which can freely rotate about a vertical axis into contact with the at least one side such that the brush rotates as a result of the rotation of the substrate, such that damage caused by bringing the brush into contact with the substrate is suppressed;
- and
- (d) supplying a drying gas to the at least one side of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.