Method for scrubbing and cleaning substrate

• US 5,518,552 A
• Filed: 06/29/1994
• Issued: 05/21/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Kyushu Limited (Tokyo Electron Limited), Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Kitamura, Shinzi, Tanoue, Kouichi, Iwasaki, Tatsuya, Satoh, Takami, Anai, Noriyuki, Mizosaki, Kengo, Tomoeda, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): El-Arini, Zeinab
• Application Number:
  US08/267,542
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 134/7, 134/6, 134/32, 134/33, 134/1, 134/26
• US Class Current: 134/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1333 Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methodsG02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67046 using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles

Abstract

A substrate scrubbing and cleaning method in which a substrate is carried to a rotatable scrubbing arrangement, and both surfaces of the substrate are scrubbed by the rotatable scrubbing arrangement while the substrate is maintained substantially horizontal. In addition, a cleaning solution is applied to both surfaces of the substrate while the substrate is substantially horizontal and is linearly reciprocated.

Claims

1. A method for scrubbing and cleaning a substrate comprising the steps of:

carrying a substrate to rotatable scrubbing means;

scrubbing both surfaces of the substrate by the rotatable scrubbing means with said substrate substantially horizontal while applying a cleaning solution onto said both surfaces when the substrate is being carried substantially in a horizontal direction and wherein the substrate is linearly reciprocated during scrubbing both surfaces to have both surfaces of the substrate scrubbed by said rotatable scrubbing means;

rinsing the substrate by applying a rinsing solution or rinsing water to the substrate; and

rotating the substrate to remove solution adhered from the substrate by centrifugal force so as to make the substrate dry.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein rinsing the substrate includes pressurizing the rinsing solution or rinsing water to 10-20 Kg/cm² and spraying the rinsing solution or rinsing water.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein rinsing the substrate includes jetting pressurized water to the substrate after scrubbing both surfaces of the substrate.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein rinsing the substrate includes spraying water, to which ultrasonic waves have been applied, to the substrate after scrubbing both surfaces of the substrate.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein rinsing the substrate includes jetting pressurized water to the substrate while also spraying water, to which ultrasonic waves have been applied, to the substrate after scrubbing both surfaces of the substrate.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution is sprayed to the substrate through the rotatable scrubbing means to clean the substrate when the scrubbing means is left inoperative.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a rotatable brush having an axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate is used as said rotatable scrubbing means in scrubbing both surfaces of the substrate, said brush revolving on its own axis and not being moved in a horizontal direction.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is rectangular having two short sides and is carried such that said two short sides of the substrate are substantially parallel with a carrying direction.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein both of said short sides of the substrate are held by arm means when the substrate is carried.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein both surfaces of the substrate are held by rotatable roller means when the substrate is carried.