UV Ozonated Water Cleaning with Substrate UV Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultraviolet ozonated water cleaning devices inadvertently remove or alter additional materials on semiconductor substrates during processing, leading to defects due to direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning apparatus and method that includes a UV lamp, a housing with a cooling chamber, a water deflector, and reflectors to direct UV radiation towards a water flow path while shielding the substrate from direct UV exposure, using ozonated water to clean substrates effectively without altering additional materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ultraviolet radiation is used to irradiate ozonated water for cleaning substrates, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but substrate materials are undesirably removed or altered causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the UV irradiation function from the substrate processing region by dividing the cleaning system into distinct zones: an irradiation region where UV-ozonated water is generated, and a substrate processing region where only the cleaned substrate exists. This spatial segmentation prevents direct UV exposure to the substrate while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (ozonated water) that carries the cleaning function from the UV irradiation region to the substrate processing region. The UV-irradiated ozonated water acts as a mediator that transfers the cleaning effect without requiring direct UV contact with the substrate, thus preventing material alteration.
2Productivity
If direct ultraviolet radiation exposure is applied to substrates during cleaning, then contaminant removal is enhanced, but additional material removal occurs causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary UV irradiation of the ozonated water before the water contacts the substrate. By pre-irradiating the water in the irradiation region to generate reactive ozone species, the cleaning action occurs through chemical oxidation rather than direct UV exposure, preserving substrate integrity while maintaining contaminant removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful direct UV exposure into a beneficial indirect cleaning mechanism. Instead of allowing UV to directly contact the substrate (which causes damage), the system uses UV to activate ozone in water, creating a chemical cleaning agent that removes contaminants without the harmful side effects of direct UV exposure.
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 solution effectively cleans substrates by shielding them from UV radiation, preventing material alteration and defects, while ensuring efficient removal of contaminants with ultraviolet-irradiated ozonated water.
Implementation Method 1
a lamp configured to emit ultraviolet radiation in an irradiation region
Implementation Method 2
the upper reflector and the lower reflector are configured to at least partially define the irradiation region and to reflect ultraviolet radiation emitted by the lamp toward the water flow path
Implementation Method 3
the lower reflector is configured to shield the substrate from ultraviolet radiation emitted by the lamp
Implementation Method 4
washing the substrate with ultraviolet-irradiated ozonated water
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes a lamp for emitting ultraviolet radiation in an irradiation region; a housing that houses the lamp; a water deflector spaced below the housing, the water deflector having a water inlet for receiving a supply of ozonated water and a water outlet for discharging ozonated water irradiated by the lamp into a substrate processing region beneath the water deflector, and defining a water flow path between the water inlet and the water outlet, the water flow path extending in the irradiation region; an upper reflector extending along and above the lamp; and a lower reflector extending along and below the water deflector, wherein the upper reflector and the lower reflector at least partially define the irradiation region and reflect ultraviolet radiation toward the water flow path, and wherein the lower reflector shields the substrate from ultraviolet radiation emitted by the lamp.