Back to results
US 6,616,512 B2Granted
Substrate cleaning apparatus and substrate polishing apparatus with substrate cleaning apparatus
AssigneeEbara Corporation
InventorHiroshi Sotozaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A substrate cleaning apparatus is provided which comprises a box in which a substrate is cleaned with a cleaning liquid, and an exhaust system for exhausting the box, wherein the box is provided in its upper wall with an air intake opening and the exhaust system is fluidly connected to the box at a lower wall of the box so that air is introduced into the box through the air intake opening, flows down in the box passing around the substrate and finally exits the box through the exhaust system. A door is provided to close the air intake opening when an inside air pressure in the box becomes greater than an outside air pressure outside the box.
Claims17
A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a box in which a substrate is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid;
- an exhaust system for exhausting said box, said box having an air intake opening for introducing air into said box to create an air flow passing around the substrate in said box and thereafter entering said exhaust system;
- a pressure sensor in said box for sensing inside air pressure in said box;
- and
- a door operable to close said air intake opening when the inside air pressure in said box becomes greater than an outside air pressure outside said box.
2 more elements
A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a box in which a substrate is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid;
- an exhaust system for exhausting said box, said box having an air intake opening for introducing air into said box to create an air flow passing around the substrate in said box and thereafter entering said exhaust system and
- a door operable to close said air intake opening when an inside air pressure in said box becomes greater than an outside air pressure outside said box,
- wherein said box includes an upper part and a lower part, said air intake opening is provided at said upper part of said box, and said exhaust system is fluidly connected to said box at said lower part of said box to create an air flow flowing down in said box.
1 more element
A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a box in which a substrate is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid;
- an exhaust system for exhausting said box,
- wherein said box is provided with an air intake opening for introducing air into said box to create an air flow passing around the substrate in said box and thereafter entering said exhaust system, and is provided thereinside with at least one water nozzle for discharging water to form a water barrier across said air intake opening for preventing the cleaning liquid in mist or gas form from dispersing outside said box through said air intake opening;
- and
- a pressure sensor in said box for sensing air pressure in said box and controlling discharge of water from said at least one water nozzle.
2 more elements
A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a box in which a substrate is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid;
- and
- an exhaust system for exhausting said box,
- wherein said box is provided with an air intake opening for introducing air into said box to create an air flow passing around the substrate in said box and thereafter entering said exhaust system, and is provided thereinside with at least one water nozzle for discharging water to form a water barrier across said air intake opening for preventing the cleaning liquid in mist or gas form from dispersing outside said box through said air intake opening,
- wherein said air intake opening has opposite side edges, and
- wherein said at least one water nozzle comprises two water nozzles extending along said opposite side edges, respectively, with said two water nozzles being constructed and arranged to discharge water in the form of sheets in such a manner that the water discharged from said two water nozzles cross each other to form the barrier.
3 more elements
A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a box in which a substrate is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid;
- an exhaust system for exhausting said box,
- wherein said box is provided with an air intake opening for introducing air into said box to create an air flow passing around the substrate in said box and thereafter entering said exhaust system, and is provided thereinside with at least one water nozzle for discharging water to form a water barrier across said air intake opening for preventing the cleaning liquid in mist or gas form from dispersing outside said box through said air intake opening;
- and
- a plurality of baffle plates over said air intake opening to form a plurality of air passages which allow air to freely pass therethrough, and which also prevent the water discharged from said at least one water nozzle from scattering outside said box through said air intake opening.
2 more elements
A substrate polishing apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a polishing chamber and cleaning chamber,
- said polishing chamber being provided thereinside with a turntable having a polishing surface, and a substrate carrier for carrying a substrate to bring the substrate into contact with said polishing surface for polishing the substrate, and
- said cleaning chamber being provided with at least one cleaning apparatus including
- (i) a box in which the substrate is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid, and
- (ii) an exhaust system for exhausting said box, said box being provided with an air intake opening for introducing air into said box to create an air flow passing around the substrate in said bow and thereafter entering said exhaust system;
- a pressure sensor in said box for sensing inside air pressure in said box;
- and
- a door operable to close said air intake opening when the inside air pressure in said box becomes greater than an outside air pressure outside said box.
5 more elements
A substrate polishing apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a polishing chamber and cleaning chamber,
- said polishing chamber being provided thereinside with a turntable having a polishing surface, and a substrate carrier for carrying a substrate to bring the substrate into contact with said polishing surface for polishing the substrate, and
- said cleaning chamber being provided with at least one cleaning apparatus including
- (i) a box in which the substrate is to be cleaned with a cleaning liquid, and
- (ii) an exhaust system for exhausting said box,
- said box being provided with an air intake opening for introducing air into said box to create an air flow passing around the substrate in the box and thereafter entering said exhaust system, and also being provided thereinside with a water nozzle for discharging water to form a water barrier across said air intake opening for preventing the cleaning liquid in mist or gas form from dispersing outside said box through said air intake opening;
- and
- a pressure sensor in said box for sensing air pressure in said box and controlling discharge of water from said water nozzle.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.