IP Library Granted Patent US 8,037,890
Granted Patent B2
US 8,037,890 · App. 11/509,737 · Granted Oct 18, 2011

Substrate cleaning device and substrate cleaning method

Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,037,890
App. No.
11/509,737
Granted
Oct 18, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate cleaning device and a substrate cleaning method reduces liquid drops remaining on a substrate to prevent the irregular heating of the substrate by a heating process due to liquid drops or water marks remaining on the substrate. A cleaning liquid is poured through a cleaning liquid pouring nozzle onto the surface of a substrate such that a region onto which the cleaning liquid is poured moves from a central part toward the circumference of the substrate. A gas is jetted radially outward at a region on the surface of the substrate behind a region onto which the cleaning liquid is poured with respect to the rotating direction of the substrate. The gas forces a liquid film of the cleaning liquid flowing on the surface of the substrate to flow in a circumferential direction and a radially outward direction.

Claims (16)

1. A substrate cleaning device comprising:

a rotary substrate holding device that horizontally holds a substrate;

a cleaning liquid pouring nozzle that pours a cleaning liquid onto a surface of a substrate held by the rotary substrate holding device; and

a driving device that moves the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle while the substrate is being rotated so that a region on the surface of the substrate onto which the cleaning liquid poured through the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle moves from a central part toward a circumference of the substrate,

wherein the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle has a portion which faces the surface of the substrate, the portion of the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle comprises

a recess having an opening open toward the circumference of the substrate and a V-shape in a plane view having a broader width toward the circumference of the substrate, the recess being formed of a top wall and a side wall standing from an edge of the top wall and surrounding the top wall so as to form the opening,

a nozzle opening for pouring the cleaning liquid onto the substrate, formed on the top wall of the recess, and

a liquid damming member, for damming the cleaning liquid poured out through the nozzle opening onto the substrate,

the liquid damming member being composed of

a first portion surrounding the recess, including the top wall and the side wall, and

a second portion extending from an edge of the side wall at a height lower than that of the nozzle opening.

2. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the liquid damming member decreases gradually in the rotating direction of the substrate.

3. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is at a stage after being processed by an immersion exposure process that coats the surface of the substrate with a liquid for exposure and before being subject to a heating process.

4. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is rotated at a rotating speed of 500 rpm or below.

5. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is substantially V-shaped in a direction in which the cleaning liquid pouring nozzle is moved.

6. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the top wall is at about 2 mm from the surface of the substrate, and the second portion is at about 1 mm from the surface of the substrate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2006
From: YAMAMOTO, TARO; KYOUDA, HIDEHARU; KAWASAKI, TETSU; SHIMURA, SATORU
To: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Reel/Frame 018438/0985 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2005-249613 · Aug 30, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070044823A1 · Mar 1, 2007