Electrostatic Wafer Cleaning With Disposable Electrode Ribbon
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning silicon wafers, such as chemical solvents and vibration techniques, are hazardous, costly, and result in low throughput, necessitating a more efficient and safer cleaning solution.
Innovation Solution
A substrate cleaning system utilizing a disposable electrode ribbon with a positive and negative electrode, integrated into a roller assembly, which electrostatically removes particles from the wafer through dielectrophoresis, allowing for efficient particle detachment and collection within a vacuum chamber, with a robot-assisted handling system for automated substrate transfer and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical solvents are used for cleaning silicon wafers, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but safety hazards and damage risk to wafers increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical cleaning methods with an electrostatic cleaning system that uses electric fields to remove particles from silicon wafers. The cleaning head generates electrostatic forces that attract and remove particles without requiring chemical solvents, thereby maintaining cleaning effectiveness while eliminating safety hazards and chemical damage risks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electrostatic field as an intermediary between the cleaning head and the wafer surface. This electric field acts as a mediator to transfer momentum and force to particles, enabling their removal without direct mechanical contact or chemical interaction, thus solving both cleaning effectiveness and safety concerns
2Reliability
If vibration techniques (ultra-sonic or mega-sonic cleaning) are used, then particle removal capability is improved, but equipment cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical vibration systems with a simpler electrostatic field-based cleaning mechanism. Instead of using ultra-sonic or mega-sonic vibrators that require large motors and complex mechanical structures, the system uses electrostatic forces generated by the cleaning head to achieve particle removal, significantly reducing equipment complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential cleaning function from complex mechanical vibration systems and implements it through a simplified electrostatic field approach. By taking out only the necessary particle removal capability and implementing it through electrostatic forces, the system achieves the same effect with much simpler equipment
3Reliability
If traditional cleaning methods are used, then cleaning process is established, but throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous cleaning operation by maintaining a steady electrostatic field in the cleaning head that continuously acts on particles as the wafer passes through. This continuous action eliminates the need for intermittent cleaning cycles, thereby increasing throughput while maintaining stable cleaning performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies electrostatic forces to particles before they can adhere strongly to the wafer surface or before the wafer completes its transport. This preliminary action removes particles during the transport phase itself, allowing continuous processing without interrupting the workflow, thus improving throughput
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
The system effectively removes particles from silicon wafers using electrostatic forces, reducing the risks associated with chemical solvents and increasing throughput by enabling efficient and automated cleaning processes.
Implementation Method 1
The disposable electrode is configured to electrostatically clean the substrate by electrostatically removing particles from the substrate
Implementation Method 2
electrostatically removing particles from the substrate through dielectrophoresis
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate cleaning system include a chamber and a substrate stage positioned within the chamber. The substrate stage is configured to secure a substrate for cleaning with a cleaning head. The substrate cleaning system includes a robot configured to transfer the substrate between a storage receptable and the substrate stage. The cleaning head includes a disposable electrode ribbon loaded on a roller assembly. The disposable electrode ribbon includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode and is configured to electrostatically clean the substrate by electrostatically removing particles from the substrate. The roller assembly is configured to advance the disposable electrode ribbon following cleaning of the substrate.