Wafer Edge Brush Positioning Using Load Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate cleaning apparatuses fail to ensure consistent contact between the cleaning brush and the substrate periphery, leading to inadequate cleaning due to potential offset or detachment of the brush, which results in contamination of device formation regions during semiconductor wafer treatment.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treatment apparatus with a brush having a cleaning surface inclined relative to the substrate's axis, a load detecting unit to monitor contact with the substrate, and a judging unit to ensure the brush remains in contact, using a reference position set based on load changes detected by the load detecting unit, ensuring reliable cleaning by maintaining proper contact pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cylindrical brush is used to clean the substrate periphery, then the cleaning capability is improved, but the reliability of consistent brush-substrate contact deteriorates due to potential offset or detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a load detecting unit that continuously monitors the contact load between the brush and substrate. When the detected load falls outside the predetermined range, the control unit automatically adjusts the brush position to restore proper contact. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures reliable and consistent brush-substrate contact throughout the cleaning process, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining the cylindrical brush design.
2Device complexity
If manual positioning of the brush is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of brush positioning deteriorates due to operator experience dependency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual positioning with an automated feedback control system. The load detecting unit provides real-time information about brush-substrate contact, and the control unit automatically adjusts the brush position to maintain optimal contact load. This eliminates operator experience dependency and ensures consistent, precise positioning without requiring complex manual adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment of brush positioning based on load detection feedback. The control unit automatically corrects any positioning deviations by adjusting the brush position, enabling the system to maintain optimal cleaning conditions without external intervention or complex manual positioning mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the brush is moved to ensure contact with the substrate periphery, then the cleaning reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional moving mechanisms and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a feedback control system where the load detecting unit monitors brush-substrate contact and the control unit automatically adjusts brush position when needed. This feedback mechanism ensures cleaning reliability by maintaining proper contact without requiring continuous manual intervention or overly complex positioning mechanisms, achieving a balance between reliability and simplicity.
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 apparatus reliably cleans the substrate periphery by maintaining consistent brush contact, preventing contamination and ensuring effective cleaning of both front and back surfaces, independent of operator experience, through automatic detection and adjustment of the brush position.
Implementation Method 1
a load detecting unit which detects a load applied along the first axis to the brush
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a substrate treatment apparatus for performing a substrate periphery cleaning process. The substrate treatment apparatus includes substrate holding mechanism which holds a substrate, a brush having a cleaning surface inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis thereof extending perpendicularly to a front surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, brush moving mechanism which moves the brush along the longitudinal axis and along a lateral axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, load detecting unit which detects a load applied along the longitudinal axis to the brush, and first judging unit which judges, based on an output of the load detecting unit, whether or not the brush is located at a reference position serving as a reference for guiding the brush to a treatment position at which the brush is located in the cleaning process.