Substrate Cleaning Brush with Central Opening and Spray Nozzle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing methods leave contamination marks on semiconductor wafers and liquid crystal display substrates due to brush contact and separation, leading to inefficient cleaning and potential contamination transfer.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method using a brush with a central opening and a spray nozzle that generates droplets to collide with the substrate, effectively removing contamination by scrubbing and rinsing both during and after brush contact, reducing contamination transfer and enhancing cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the brush is pressed against the substrate to perform scrub cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but contamination is transferred from the brush to the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The spray nozzle performs preliminary rinsing of the substrate before the brush makes contact. This pre-cleaning removes loose contamination that would otherwise be transferred from the brush to the substrate during scrubbing, thereby reducing contamination transfer while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
A liquid medium (water or cleaning solution) is introduced as an intermediary between the brush and substrate. The liquid flows through the brush structure and onto the substrate, serving as a mediator that reduces direct contact contamination while enhancing the cleaning action through fluid dynamics
2Productivity
If the brush is separated upward from the substrate after cleaning, then the cleaning process is completed, but contamination collected on the brush lower surface is left on the substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid medium serves as an intermediary that captures contamination on the brush lower surface and transports it away from the substrate. The liquid flow pattern ensures that contaminated liquid is directed toward the substrate edge or collection area rather than being deposited on the cleaned surface
Solution Approach 2:
The spray nozzle system extracts contamination from the brush-substrate interface by introducing liquid that picks up particles and deposits them in a controlled location (substrate edge or collection reservoir), separating the contamination from the cleaned substrate surface
3Strength
If the brush structure is solid without central opening, then structural strength is maintained, but contamination removal efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The brush structure is segmented into multiple functional zones: an upper solid portion for structural strength, a central opening for liquid flow and particle ejection, and a lower portion with spray nozzle integration. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally
Solution Approach 2:
The brush incorporates a porous or open-structure design in the lower portion, allowing liquid to pass through and carry contaminants away. The porous structure maintains adequate mechanical strength while enabling efficient contamination removal through fluid-permeable pathways
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 method significantly reduces contamination on the substrate by scrubbing and rinsing during brush movement, improving cleanliness and preventing contamination transfer to subsequent substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a spray nozzle that generates a plurality of droplets to be scattered toward the upper surface of the substrate through the central opening
Implementation Method 2
a brush which includes a lower surface that is pressed against an upper surface of a substrate held horizontally
Data Source
AI summary
While a substrate is being rotated, the lower surface of a brush is moved along the upper surface of the substrate. The brush and a spray nozzle are moved upward from a takeoff position to a lower non-contact position so as to separate the lower surface of the brush from the upper surface of the substrate. The spray nozzle generates the droplets in a state where the brush and the spray nozzle are located in the lower non-contact position so as to make the droplets collide with the upper surface of the substrate, and then the droplets colliding with the upper surface of the substrate are discharged from a gap between the lower surface of the brush and the upper surface of the substrate while the droplets are being supplied to the lower surface of the brush.