Dual Brush Substrate Cleaning Head Alternation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In single-wafer substrate processing, maintaining high cleanliness is challenging due to the accumulation of impurities on brushes used for scrub cleaning, which can degrade substrate quality, especially with increasing quality requirements for miniaturized semiconductor devices.

Innovation Solution

A substrate processing apparatus with a self-cleaning mechanism that includes two cleaning heads and self-cleaning stages for the brushes, allowing for continuous rotation and cleaning of substrates while simultaneously cleaning the brushes in a non-contact manner using cleaning liquids like ozone water or SC-1, maintaining the brushes in a wet state to prevent particle adhesion and contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If scrub cleaning by a brush is used to clean substrates, then substrate cleaning effectiveness is improved, but brush contamination with impurities increases, degrading substrate quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate cleanlinessVSAvoidbrush contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning system is divided into multiple independent cleaning heads (first cleaning head and second cleaning head), each with its own brush. This segmentation allows one brush to be cleaned while the other continues substrate cleaning, preventing continuous contamination and extending brush service life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The brushes perform self-cleaning by contacting the substrate surface during substrate cleaning operations. The substrate itself serves as the cleaning medium for the brush, removing accumulated impurities from the brush bristles without requiring external intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If brushes are used continuously for substrate cleaning, then productivity is maintained, but brush replacement frequency increases due to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate processing continuityVSAvoidbrush replacement time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary cleaning of the brush during the substrate cleaning process itself. By continuously removing impurities from the brush bristles as it contacts the substrate, the system extends the operational life of the brush before replacement is required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The brush maintains continuous contact with the substrate surface throughout the cleaning operation, simultaneously performing substrate cleaning and self-cleaning functions. This continuous dual-function operation eliminates idle replacement time and maintains productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Device complexity

If a single brush is used for substrate cleaning, then device complexity is reduced, but cleaning consistency and reliability deteriorate due to brush contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning head configurationVSAvoidcleaning performance consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning system uses multiple cleaning heads with separate brushes, allowing parallel operation. While this increases device complexity, the system manages reliability through coordinated operation where one brush cleans substrates while the other performs self-cleaning, ensuring consistent cleaning performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously recovers brush cleanliness by performing self-cleaning operations during substrate processing. Instead of replacing contaminated brushes, the system restores brush cleanliness in-situ, maintaining reliable cleaning performance throughout operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach extends the time before brush replacement, improves substrate quality by reducing contaminant adhesion and accumulation, and ensures consistent cleaning performance by alternating brushes during substrate processing.

Implementation Method 1

cleaning liquid supply units (nozzles) 25 and 35 supply a cleaning liquid to both surfaces of the substrate W rotated by the rotation mechanism 10

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical cleaning:

Implementation Method 2

maintaining the brushes in a wet state to prevent particle adhesion and contamination

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface wetting: Wetting

Data Source

PatentUS20250091095A1Substrate cleaning apparatus and substrate cleaning method

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORP

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a cleaning liquid supply unit for supplying a cleaning liquid to a rotating substrate, a first cleaning head for cleaning at least one surface of the rotating substrate by bringing a brush into contact with the one surface of the substrate, a second cleaning head for cleaning the one surface of the substrate by bringing a brush into contact with the one surface of the substrate, a turning arm for turning the first cleaning head and the second cleaning head, and a controller. The controller controls the turning arm such that, during cleaning in which a brush of one of the first cleaning head and the second cleaning head is brought into contact with a surface of the substrate to perform cleaning, the brush of the other is positioned at a position outside the substrate.