IP Library Granted Patent US 12686037
Granted Patent B2
US 12686037 · App. 18/895,864 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Substrate treatment apparatus and processing method of substrate

Inventors: Satoshi Nakamura (Kanagawa, JP); Kensuke Demura (Kanagawa, JP); Masaya Kamiya (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
B08B3/12B08B7/0092
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12686037
App. No.
18/895,864
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment a substrate treatment apparatus removes foreign matter from a surface of a substrate by forming a frozen film at the surface of the substrate, incorporating, into the frozen film, the foreign matter adhered to the surface of the substrate, and thawing the frozen film including the foreign matter. A liquid supply part that supplies a liquid to the frozen film including the foreign matter, a vibrating part that faces the frozen film, and a controller that controls the vibrating part are included. The controller controls the vibrating part to transmit a vibration to a liquid film, which includes the liquid supplied to the frozen film and a liquid generated by the thawing of the frozen film, and to reduce an energy of the vibration transmitted to the liquid film or stop the vibration according to a position of an upper surface of the frozen film under the liquid film.

Claims (57)

1 . A substrate treatment apparatus removing foreign matter from a surface of a substrate by forming a frozen film at the surface of the substrate, incorporating, into the frozen film, the foreign matter adhered to the surface of the substrate, and thawing the frozen film including the foreign matter, the substrate treatment apparatus comprising:

a liquid supply part supplying a liquid to the frozen film including the foreign matter;

a vibrating part facing the frozen film; and

a controller controlling the liquid supply part and the vibrating part,

the controller controlling the vibrating part to

transmit a vibration to a liquid film, the liquid film including

the liquid supplied to the frozen film, and

a liquid generated by the thawing of the frozen film, and

according to a position of an upper surface of the frozen film under the liquid film, reduce an energy of the vibration transmitted to the liquid film or stop the vibration.

2 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a detecting part directly or indirectly detecting the position of the upper surface of the frozen film.

3 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the detecting part is an optical sensor detecting the position of the upper surface of the frozen film.

4 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the optical sensor irradiates light on the liquid film, and

the optical sensor receives light reflected by an interface between the liquid film and the frozen film.

5 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the detecting part is a displacement meter detecting a position of an upper surface of the liquid film.

6 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the controller calculates the position of the upper surface of the frozen film based on a relationship and the position of the upper surface of the liquid film detected by the detecting part, the relationship being predetermined, the relationship being between the position of the upper surface of the liquid film and the position of the upper surface of the frozen film under the liquid film.

7 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the detecting part is a thermometer detecting a temperature of the liquid film.

8 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the controller calculates the position of the upper surface of the frozen film based on a relationship and a temperature of an upper surface of the liquid film detected by the detecting part, the relationship being predetermined, the relationship being between the temperature of the upper surface of the liquid film and the position of the upper surface of the frozen film under the liquid film.

9 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the position of the upper surface of the frozen film is detected based on a time from starting the supply of the liquid by the liquid supply part.

10 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the controller calculates the position of the upper surface of the frozen film based on a relationship and the time from starting the supply of the liquid, the relationship being predetermined, the relationship being between the time from starting the supply of the liquid and the position of the upper surface of the frozen film under the liquid film.

11 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller controls the vibrating part to gradually reduce the energy of the vibration or to reduce the energy of the vibration in stages.

12 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a pattern is provided in the surface of the substrate, and

when the position of the upper surface of the frozen film is at a vicinity of a position of a tip of the pattern, the controller controls the vibrating part to reduce the energy of the vibration transmitted to the liquid film or stop the vibration.

13 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the vibrating part transmits the vibration to the liquid film from a direction crossing the surface of the substrate.

14 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the vibrating part includes:

a vibrating body; and

a transducer applying the vibration to the vibrating body.

15 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein

the vibrating body includes quartz, and

the transducer is a piezoelectric element.

16 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein

at least one groove is provided in an end portion of the vibrating body at the substrate side, and

the at least one groove is open at the end portion.

17 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

a side surface of the groove is inclined with respect to the end portion.

18 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller controls the liquid supply part and the vibrating part to transmit the vibration to the liquid film simultaneously with starting the supply of the liquid to the frozen film or after starting the supply of the liquid.

19 . The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller controls the liquid supply part and the vibrating part to stop transmitting the vibration to the liquid film simultaneously with stopping the supply of the liquid or before stopping the supply of the liquid.

20 . A processing method of a substrate, the method including removing foreign matter from a surface of a substrate by forming a frozen film at the surface of the substrate, incorporating, into the frozen film, the foreign matter adhered to the surface of the substrate, and thawing the frozen film including the foreign matter, the method comprising:

supplying a liquid to the frozen film including the foreign matter; and

transmitting a vibration from a vibrating part facing the frozen film to a liquid film, the liquid film including

the liquid supplied to the frozen film, and

a liquid generated by the thawing of the frozen film,

the transmitting of the vibration to the liquid film including reducing an energy of the vibration transmitted to the liquid film or stopping the vibration according to a position of an upper surface of the frozen film under the liquid film.