Substrate Brush Cleaning Sequence for Dust-Free Wafer Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate treating apparatuses face contamination issues due to brush deformation and dust retention, where dust adheres to the brush and is difficult to discharge during cleaning, leading to incomplete cleaning and potential substrate contamination.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating method and apparatus that rotates the substrate and positions the brush to contact at the outer periphery edge, where the higher peripheral velocity aids in dust discharge, followed by controlled movements to ensure the brush remains clean and effective throughout the cleaning process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the brush contacts the substrate at the rotational center, then the cleaning coverage is maximized, but the brush deformation releases dust that contaminates the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of contacting the brush at the rotational center (low peripheral velocity), the invention contacts the brush at the outer periphery edge (high peripheral velocity). This inversion of the contact position utilizes the higher centrifugal force and peripheral velocity at the outer edge to discharge dust away from the substrate, preventing contamination while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The brush is contacted at the outer periphery edge before the actual cleaning process begins. This preliminary action deforms the brush and discharges any retained dust at a position where the high peripheral velocity can effectively remove the dust from the substrate area, preparing the brush for clean operation.
2Ease of operation
If the brush is cleaned in a standby pot, then some dust is removed, but dust cannot be completely removed and may contaminate subsequent substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the dust removal function from the standby pot cleaning process and relocates it to the outer periphery edge contact position. By contacting the brush at the outer edge where high peripheral velocity exists, the system actively discharges dust that the standby pot cannot remove, ensuring the brush is truly clean before substrate processing.
3Stress or pressure
If the peripheral velocity is slow at the rotational center, then the brush contacts the substrate gently, but dust released from brush deformation is hard to discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the contact position from the rotational center (low velocity) to the outer periphery edge (high velocity). This inversion ensures that when the brush deforms and releases dust, the high peripheral velocity actively discharges the dust away from the substrate, converting the potential harm of dust release into a beneficial dust discharge mechanism.
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 prevents substrate contamination by efficiently discharging dust and maintaining a clean brush, achieving a high degree of cleanness through repeated cleaning cycles, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the cleaning treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a peripheral velocity is extremely slower at the rotational center than at the outer periphery of the substrate. Accordingly, the dust released from the brush is hard to be discharged together with a treatment liquid from the outer periphery edge of the substrate
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a substrate treating method for performing cleaning treatment to a substrate by contacting a brush against the substrate. The method includes a rotating step of rotating a spin holder, holding the substrate, around a vertical shaft axis, an outer periphery edge contacting step of contacting the brush against the substrate at an outer periphery edge contacting position closer to an outer periphery edge of the substrate than to the shaft axis while the substrate is rotated in a horizontal plane, a first moving step of moving the brush from the outer periphery edge contacting position to a side adjacent to the shaft axis while the brush is brought into contact against the substrate, and a second moving step of moving the brush from the side adjacent to the shaft axis toward the outer periphery edge after the first moving step.