Contaminant removal device and contaminant removal method
In order to obtain a contaminant removal device capable of improving contaminant removal performance regardless of a structure formed on a surface of an object, in the contaminant removal device, contaminant attached to the object is removed by a gas sprayed out of a nozzle having a gas outlet, and an aperture ratio of opposing end portions of the gas outlet is set smaller than an aperture ratio of a central portion of the gas outlet.
1 . A contaminant removal device for removing a contaminant attached to an object, comprising:
a nozzle provided with a gas outlet that sprays gas to remove the contaminant,
wherein the gas outlet is formed by a plurality of aperture elements,
wherein first aperture elements, from among the plurality of aperture elements, provided in opposing end portions of the gas outlet have smaller aperture areas than second aperture elements, from among the plurality of aperture elements, provided in a central portion of the gas outlet, and
wherein the opposing end portions of the gas outlet have a smaller aperture ratio than that in the central portion of the gas outlet.
2 . The contaminant removal device according to claim 1 , wherein the aperture ratio becomes smaller continuously or incrementally from the central portion toward opposing ends of the gas outlet.
3 . The contaminant removal device according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes a nozzle body provided with a channel through which the gas flows, and a mask that partially closes a leading end of the channel and that delineates the gas outlet.
4 . The contaminant removal device according to claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of aperture elements is separated by a closure plate.
5 . The contaminant removal device according to claim 4 , wherein
the mask includes a plurality of first closure plates that extend in a direction orthogonal to an opposing-end direction of the gas outlet, and that are installed in the opposing-end direction at equal intervals; and a plurality of second closure plates that extend in the opposing-end direction and that are installed between adjacent closure plates of the plurality of first closure plates, and
a number of second closure plates installed between the adjacent plurality of first closure plates is greater on sides nearer to the opposing ends of the gas outlet.
6 . The contaminant removal device according to claim 1 , wherein
the object is a semiconductor wafer on which a plurality of structures are arranged in a length direction and a width direction,
each structure of the plurality of structures has a lower strength against a force applied from a predetermined direction than against a force applied from a direction other than the predetermined direction, and
the nozzle is disposed in an orientation in which a direction orthogonal to an opposing-end direction of the gas outlet is not matched with the predetermined direction.
7 . The contaminant removal device according to claim 6 , wherein
the predetermined direction is a diagonal direction with respect to a direction in which the plurality of structures are arranged.
8 . The contaminant removal device according to claim 1 , further comprising a moving stage that moves the object and the nozzle relatively to each other.
9 . A contaminant removal method for removing a contaminant attached to a surface of an object, the method comprising:
providing a contaminant removal device including:
a plurality of structures arranged in a length direction and a width direction, wherein the plurality of structures have a lower strength against a force applied from a predetermined direction, than against a force applied from a direction other than the predetermined direction
a nozzle having a gas outlet formed by a plurality of aperture elements, wherein
first aperture elements, from among the plurality of aperture elements, provided in opposing end portions of the gas outlet have smaller aperture areas than second aperture elements, from among the plurality of aperture elements, provided in a central portion of the gas outlet,
an aperture ratio of each of the opposing end portions of the gas outlet is smaller than an aperture ratio of the central portion of the gas outlet, and
the nozzle is disposed in an orientation in which a direction orthogonal to an opposing-end direction of the gas outlet is not matched with the predetermined direction; and
spraying gas from the nozzle to remove the contaminant.
10 . A contaminant removal device for removing a contaminant attached to an object, comprising:
a nozzle provided with a gas outlet that sprays gas to remove the contaminant,
wherein opposing end portions of the gas outlet have a smaller aperture ratio than that in a central portion of the gas outlet,
wherein the mask includes a plurality of first closure plates that extend in a direction orthogonal to an opposing-end direction of the gas outlet, and that are installed in the opposing-end direction at equal intervals; and a plurality of second closure plates that extend in the opposing-end direction and that are installed between adjacent closure plates of the plurality of first closure plates, and
a number of second closure plates installed between the adjacent plurality of first closure plates is greater on sides nearer to the opposing ends of the gas outlet.