Substrate Rear-Surface Cleaning Without a Reversing Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate cleaning devices require space for reversing mechanisms, leading to increased costs, maintenance, and difficulty in achieving compactness, while also facing challenges in efficiently cleaning the rear surface of substrates due to vortex formation and re-dispersion of fine droplets.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a first bowl with a rotating support for the substrate, a second bowl that moves in a direction surrounding the first support, and a cleaning unit with nozzles positioned to clean the substrate's rear surface without the need for a reversing mechanism. The design minimizes the distance between the substrate and the second bowl, reducing gas flow and preventing vortex formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a reversing device is installed to clean the rear surface of the substrate, then the cleaning capability is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reversing the substrate to access the rear surface, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the substrate in its original orientation and positioning the cleaning unit below the substrate to clean the rear surface directly. This eliminates the need for complex reversing mechanisms while maintaining cleaning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a horizontal cleaning approach (requiring substrate reversal) to a vertical cleaning approach by positioning the cleaning unit below the substrate. This dimensional change allows rear surface cleaning without altering substrate orientation, simplifying the overall device structure.
2Productivity
If the second bowl is positioned closer to the substrate, then the cleaning efficiency is improved, but vortex formation and droplet re-dispersion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different spatial configurations to different regions: the second bowl is positioned close to the substrate for effective cleaning, while the first bowl maintains a larger distance to minimize vortex formation. This localized optimization balances cleaning efficiency with harmful effect reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The first bowl acts as an intermediary structure between the gas flow source and the second bowl, helping to control and direct gas flow in a way that prevents excessive vortex formation while still enabling effective cleaning in the second bowl region.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for processing a substrate includes a first bowl and a processing space therein; a first support portion disposed in the processing space and configured to support the substrate in a first support position; a second bowl disposed to move in a first direction in the processing space; a second support portion configured to move upwardly and downwardly with respect to the first support portion to support the substrate between the second support position disposed above the first support position and the third support position, and to move in the first direction; and a cleaning unit including a first cleaning portion disposed below the substrate toward a rear surface of the substrate in the first support position and a second cleaning portion disposed below the substrate and opposing a rear surface of the substrate between the second support position and the third support position.