SUBSTRATE CLEANING METHOD AND SUBSTRATE CLEANING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A substrate cleaning method for cleaning a substrate by discharging droplets of a cleaning liquid toward the substrate, wherein droplets of a cleaning liquid having an average droplet diameter in the range from 15 to 200 μ
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
(where σ
is a standard deviation) does not exceed 10% of said average droplet diameter are produced and discharged toward a substrate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A valve is closed while a cleaning liquid is fed into a tubular body of a cleaning nozzle, and a piezoelectric element applies vibrations to the cleaning liquid. This causes droplets of the cleaning liquid to be produced and discharged from a plurality of discharge holes. The droplet diameter of the discharged droplets is in the range from 15 to 200 μm, and the distribution of the droplet diameter is such that the value of where a value of 3σ does not exceed 10% of the average droplet diameter. The droplet speed is in the range from 20 to 100 meters per second, and the distribution of the droplet speed is such that the value of where a value of 3σ does not exceed 10% of the average droplet speed. The droplet flow rate is not less than 10 milliliters per minute. Discharging the droplets of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning nozzle toward a substrate while satisfying these discharge conditions improves cleaning efficiency without damages to the substrate.
22 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A substrate cleaning method for cleaning a substrate by discharging droplets of a cleaning liquid toward the substrate, wherein droplets of a cleaning liquid having an average droplet diameter in the range from 15 to 200 μ
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
(where σ
is a standard deviation) does not exceed 10% of said average droplet diameter are produced and discharged toward a substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
-
4. A substrate cleaning method for cleaning a semiconductor substrate by discharging droplets of a cleaning liquid toward the semiconductor substrate, wherein
droplets of a cleaning liquid having an average droplet diameter in the range from 15 to 30 μ - m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
(where σ
is a standard deviation) does not exceed 2 μ
m are produced and discharged toward a semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
-
7. A substrate cleaning method for cleaning a substrate by discharging droplets of a cleaning liquid toward the substrate, wherein
a cleaning liquid is fed to a tubular body including a plurality of discharge holes formed in a wall surface thereof, and vibrations are applied to the cleaning liquid, whereby droplets of the cleaning liquid having an average droplet diameter in the range from 15 to 200 μ - m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
(where σ
is a standard deviation) does not exceed 10% of said average droplet diameter are discharged from said plurality of discharge holes toward a substrate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
-
10. A substrate cleaning method for cleaning a semiconductor substrate by discharging droplets of a cleaning liquid toward the semiconductor substrate, wherein
a cleaning liquid is fed to a tubular body including a plurality of discharge holes formed in a wall surface thereof, and vibrations are applied to the cleaning liquid, whereby droplets of the cleaning liquid having an average droplet diameter in the range from 15 to 30 μ - m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
(where σ
is a standard deviation) does not exceed 2 μ
m are discharged from said plurality of discharge holes toward a semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
-
13. A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate by discharging droplets of a cleaning liquid toward the substrate, comprising
a cleaning nozzle having a tubular body including a plurality of discharge holes formed in a wall surface thereof, and a piezoelectric element affixed to said wall surface, said cleaning nozzle being configured to apply vibrations to a cleaning liquid fed to said tubular body from said piezoelectric element, thereby discharging droplets of the cleaning liquid having an average droplet diameter in the range from 15 to 200 μ - m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
(where σ
is a standard deviation) does not exceed 10% of said average droplet diameter from said plurality of discharge holes toward a substrate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 19, 20)
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
-
16. A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a semiconductor substrate by discharging droplets of a cleaning liquid toward the semiconductor substrate, wherein
a cleaning nozzle having a tubular body including a plurality of discharge holes formed in a wall surface thereof, and a piezoelectric element affixed to said wall surface, said cleaning nozzle being configured to apply vibrations to a cleaning liquid fed to said tubular body from said piezoelectric element, thereby discharging droplets of the cleaning liquid having an average droplet diameter in the range from 15 to 30 μ - m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
(where σ
is a standard deviation) does not exceed 2 μ
m from said plurality of discharge holes toward a semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- m and a droplet diameter distribution where a value of 3σ
Specification