Substrate Cleaning Nozzle Reducing Surface Tension

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current substrate cleaning technologies face challenges in achieving high cleaning performance while minimizing damage to substrates and energy consumption, particularly due to high collision speeds and surface tension-related splashes, which can lead to back contamination and inefficient energy use.

Innovation Solution

A substrate cleaning device with a nozzle configuration that mixes ultrapure water and nitrogen gas first, followed by the addition of IPA gas, to create a fluid with reduced surface tension, which is then used to generate jets for cleaning, effectively reducing splashes and enhancing radial flow along the substrate surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the collision speed of droplets with the substrate is increased to enhance particle removal, then cleaning performance is improved, but the substrate may be damaged and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidsubstrate damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the cleaning fluid by adding IPA to reduce surface tension. This parameter change allows the fluid to break up into smaller droplets with lower individual collision speeds while maintaining effective cleaning through increased droplet quantity and reduced back contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transition by introducing gas-phase IPA that mixes with liquid cleaning fluid. The IPA vapor reduces surface tension of the liquid droplets, fundamentally changing their behavior and reducing harmful collision effects while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Productivity

If the collision speed of droplets with the substrate is increased to enhance particle removal, then cleaning performance is improved, but energy consumption increases due to higher supply source pressure and flow rate requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By changing the surface tension parameter through IPA addition, the patent enables effective cleaning at lower supply pressures and flow rates. The reduced surface tension allows droplets to break up more easily and spread better, achieving cleaning performance without the energy-intensive high-speed collision approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If conventional two-fluid jet cleaning is used with ultrapure water and nitrogen gas, then cleaning is performed, but splashes not traveling along the substrate surface are generated due to surface tension, causing back contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidback contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent directly addresses the surface tension parameter by adding IPA to the cleaning fluid. This parameter change reduces surface tension, preventing the formation of splashes that cause back contamination while maintaining the radial flow that contributes to effective cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

IPA acts as an intermediary substance that modifies the properties of ultrapure water. By introducing this intermediate agent, the patent reduces surface tension effects that cause harmful splashes while preserving the beneficial cleaning mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 improves cleaning performance by reducing back contamination and energy consumption, as the IPA gas effectively dissolves in the atomized ultrapure water, enhancing the removal of fine particles and reducing surface tension, thereby increasing the cleaning efficiency and minimizing substrate damage.

Implementation Method 1

a surface tension reducing gas supplier configured to supply a surface tension reducing gas for reducing surface tension of the treatment liquid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Implementation Method 2

the IPA gas effectively dissolves in the atomized ultrapure water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas dissolution in liquid: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 3

a first discharge port configured to discharge the treatment liquid; a second discharge port configured to discharge the gas, so as to mix the gas and the treatment liquid discharged from the first discharge port

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas-liquid mixing: Turbulence

Implementation Method 4

When a two-fluid jet cleaning device supplies two-fluid jets onto a substrate, a radial flow along the substrate surface and splashes not along the substrate surface are generated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadial flow: Fluid Spray

Data Source

PatentUS20220016651A1Substrate cleaning devices, substrate processing apparatus, substrate cleaning method, and nozzle

Publication Date: 2022.01.20 EBARA CORP

AI summary

According to one embodiment, provided is a substrate cleaning device including a nozzle that includes: a first supply port; a second supply port; a third supply port; a first discharge port; and a third discharge port, wherein the substrate cleaning device is configured to clean a substrate with jets of the second mixed fluid of the gas, the treatment liquid and the surface tension reducing gas.