System and method for cleaning a wafer surface
A substrate cleaning system is provided. The substrate cleaning system includes: a substrate chuck configured to hold a substrate during substrate cleaning operations; a substrate cleaning tool; and an end chuck including: a cover section; an open state wherein the cover section is separated into a plurality of non-contiguous sections; and a closed state wherein the cover section forms a substantially contiguous shape above the substrate while the substrate is held by the substrate chuck; wherein in the closed state, the cover section covers end regions near a periphery of the substrate.
1 . A chucking apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of substrate chuck sections configured to hold a substrate during substrate cleaning operations; and
a plurality of end chuck sections that are;
moveable to contact each other to form a contiguous cover over the substrate around a periphery of the substrate; in a closed state of the chucking apparatus,
configured to cover a top surface of end regions of the substrate around the periphery,
configured for use with a wafer cleaning brush during wafer cleaning operations to block the wafer cleaning brush from contact with the end regions; and
separated from each other when in an open state of the chucking apparatus.
2 . The chucking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of end chuck sections comprise a top piece configured for positioning over the substrate and a bottom piece configured for positioning under the substrate and wherein a top surface of the top piece is substantially parallel to a top surface of the bottom piece.
3 . The chucking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of end chuck sections comprise a top piece configured for positioning over the substrate and a bottom piece configured for positioning under the substrate and wherein a top surface of the top piece is in a first plane, a top surface of the bottom piece is in a second plane, and the first plane and the second plane have an angular difference of between 1 to 45 degrees.
4 . The chucking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of end chuck sections from a cross-sectional view has an inner height measured from a top piece configured for positioning over the substrate to a bottom piece configured for positioning under the substrate of between 0.5 mm to approximately 2 mm.
5 . The chucking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a top piece configured for positioning over the substrate has a thickness measured from one end of the top piece to a second end of the top piece from a cross-sectional view of between 1 mm to approximately 30 mm.
6 . The chucking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of end chuck sections comprise a top piece configured for positioning over the substrate and the top piece has an inner diameter from a top view of between 200 mm to approximately 450 mm.
7 . The chucking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of end chuck sections comprise a top piece configured for positioning over the substrate and the top piece has an outer diameter from a top view of between 201 mm to approximately 480 mm.
8 . A substrate cleaning system, comprising:
a substrate chuck configured to hold a substrate during substrate cleaning operations;
a substrate brush; and
an end chuck comprising:
a cover section comprising a top piece positioned over a periphery of a substrate and a bottom piece positioned under the periphery of the substrate;
wherein in a closed state the top piece is configured to: form a contiguous cover positioned over and around a periphery of the substrate, cover end regions of the substrate, and block the substrate brush from contact with the end regions; and
wherein the bottom piece is configured for positioning under the substrate;
wherein the cover section forms a contiguous shape from a top view in a closed state and separates into a plurality of non-contacting parts in an open state.
9 . The substrate cleaning system of claim 8 , wherein a top surface of the cover section is substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate.
10 . The substrate cleaning system of claim 8 , wherein a top surface of the cover section is in a first plane and a top surface of the substrate is in a second plane, and the first plane and the second plane have an angular difference of between 1 to 45 degrees.
11 . The substrate cleaning system of claim 8 , wherein the end chuck comprises hydrophobic material.
12 . The substrate cleaning system of claim 11 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises one or more of acrylic resin, epoxy resin, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polydimethylsiloxane, polyester, or polyurethane.
13 . The substrate cleaning system of claim 8 , wherein the end chuck comprises hydrophilic material.
14 . The substrate cleaning system of claim 13 , wherein the hydrophilic material comprises a photocatalyst.
15 . A chucking apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of end chuck sections each comprising:
a top piece positioned over a section of a periphery of a substrate and configured to cover end regions of the substrate around the periphery,
a bottom piece positioned under the section of the periphery of the substrate, and
a middle piece positioned outside the section of the periphery of the substrate, and
wherein the top piece connects at an end surface to a first end surface of the middle piece, and the middle piece connects at a second end surface to an end surface of the bottom piece,
wherein the plurality of end chuck sections are moveable to cause each end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections to contact another end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections to form a substantially contiguous shape from a top view in a closed state and to separate each end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections from contacting another end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections in an open state.
16 . The chucking apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
in the closed state, the top piece in a top view has an annular shape with an inner diameter and an outer diameter;
the inner diameter is shorter than a length across the substrate; and
the outer diameter is longer than the length across the substrate.
17 . The chucking apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the middle piece in a cross-sectional view along a plane that is perpendicular to a plane encompassing a top surface of the substrate has a linear shape.
18 . The chucking apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the middle piece in a cross-sectional view along a plane that is perpendicular to a plane encompassing a top surface of the substrate has a curved shape.
19 . The chucking apparatus of claim 15 , wherein in a cross-sectional view along a plane that is perpendicular to a plane encompassing a top surface of the substrate, the middle piece comprises a plurality of linear segments that meet at an angle of less than 180 degrees.
20 . The chucking apparatus of claim 15 , wherein in the closed state around the substrate, a top surface of the top piece is in a first plane, a top surface of the substrate is in a second plane, and the first plane and the second plane have an angular difference between about 1 degree to about 45 degrees.