Apparatus for and method of cleaning object to be processed

• US 6,131,588 A
• Filed: 01/22/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Nakashima, Satoshi, Kamikawa, Yuji, Ueno, Kinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/010,851
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 134/200, 134/201, 134/102.3, 134/105, 134/108, 134/113, 68/18 R, 34/78, 34/248
• US Class Current: 134/102.3
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method which can prevent the object to be processed being subjected to a bad influence caused by a chemical treatment, have a high degree of freedom in designing the apparatus, make the cleaning process rapid and be designed in smaller size. In this cleaning apparatus, a drying chamber 42 and a cleaning bath 41 are separated from each other up and down, respectively. Thus, a space in the drying chamber 42 can be insulated from a space of the cleaning bath 41 by a nitrogen-gas curtain 59c and a slide door 72. In the cleaning method, a cleaning process in the cleaning bath 41 is carried out while screening it by the nitrogen-gas curtain 59c. On the other hand, a drying process in the drying chamber 42 is accomplished while sealing and closing it by the slide door 72.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed;

a drying chamber arranged above said processing bath and provided with an opening which is disposed between a body of said drying chamber and said processing bath and through which said object is transported;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said opening;

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent; and

screening means for screening said opening;

wherein said screening means includes a pair of first and second doors arranged so as to open and close said opening, said first door having a leading end formed to oppose said second door and provided with a spout port for discharging inert gas, said second door having a leading end formed to oppose said first door and provided with an intake port for the inert gas, whereby a current of the inert gas is formed between the leading end of said first door and the leading end of said second door, for screening said opening since the inert gas discharged from said spout port of said first door is sucked through said intake port of said second door, in a closing state of said first and second doors.

2. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising open and shut means for opening and shutting said opening, alternatively.

3. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising open and shut means for opening and shutting said opening, said open and shut means in a shutting state thereof also sealing said drying chamber.

4. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a nozzle for ejecting gas into said drying chamber, said nozzle having at least two inside and outside pipes of different diameter, which engage with each other so that respective circumferential faces thereof are apart from each other, and wherein said inside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a predetermined distance, while said outside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a length shorter than said predetermined distance of said inside pipe.

5. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper opening in an upper portion thereof;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower opening in a lower portion thereof, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath, through said lower opening and said upper opening said object is transported;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper and lower opening for immersion in the processing liquid in the processing bath;

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent; and

screening means, for screening said lower opening of said case, having a spout port located on one side of said lower opening for discharging inert gas and an intake port located on the other side thereof for absorbing the inert gas discharged from said spout port in order to form flow of gas from said spout port to said intake port so as to cover said lower opening.

6. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising open and shut means, for opening and shutting said lower opening alternatively, located under said lower opening of said case of said drying chamber and above said upper opening of said processing bath.

7. A cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said processing bath includes a flanged section that defines the upper opening and which extends horizontally inward to provide a support surface for said open and shut means.

8. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein;

said open and shut means seals said lower opening of said drying chamber in order to separate a dry zone in said drying chamber from a wet zone in said processing bath.

9. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a nozzle for ejecting gas into said drying chamber, said nozzle having at least two inside and outside pipes of different diameter, which engage with each other so that respective circumferential faces thereof are apart from each other;

and wherein said inside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a predetermined distance, while said outside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a length shorter than said predetermined distance of said inside pipe.

10. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and lower opening;

introducing means for introducing inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving to said drying chamber, said introducing means including controlling means for controlling flow rate of said inert gas provided into said drying chamber in such a way that the flow rate of the inert gas when said object is received in said drying chamber is bigger than that before said object is received in said drying chamber; and

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent.

11. A cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the controlling means for controlling flow rate increases the flow rate in a stepped manner.

12. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and lower opening;

introducing means for introducing inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving to said drying chamber, said introducing means includes controlling means for controlling flow rate of said inert gas provided into said drying chamber; and

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent.

13. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising open and shut means for opening and shutting said lower opening alternatively, and wherein said upper opening is positioned above and separated from said lower opening, and said open and shut means is located under said lower opening of said case of said drying chamber and above said upper opening of said processing bath.

14. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a nozzle, for ejecting gas into said drying chamber, arranged at an upper position of said drying chamber; and

a discharging port, for discharging gas from said drying chamber, arranged at a lower position of said drying chamber,

whereby the gas ejected from said nozzle and discharged from said discharging port flows along a surface of said object in said drying chamber from an upper side of said object to a lower side of said object.

15. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein;

said case includes a case body, an aperture formed at a top portion of said case body and a cover arranged on said aperture in order to open or close said aperture, said cover being movable between a closing position where said cover closes said aperture and an upper position located above and apart from said aperture, and being movable between said upper position and a shifted position located horizontally away from a vertical zone extending from said aperture upwardly.

16. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said case further includes a fixing means for fixing said cover on said case body.

17. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said fixing means has:

a fixing plate pushing a peripheral portion of said cover on said case;

a rod provided with said fixing plate, said rod rotating said fixing plate toward said peripheral portion of said cover; and

a driver provided with said rod, said driver rotating said rod.

18. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising;

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and lower opening;

introducing means for introducing inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving to said drying chamber;

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent; and

open and shut means for opening and shutting said lower opening alternatively, said upper opening being positioned under and separated from said lower opening, said open and shut means being located under said lower opening of said case of said drying chamber and above said upper opening of said processing bath, said open and shut means being provided with a circular groove in the peripheral portion of the upper side thereof and a gasket received in said groove, wherein said gasket comes into contact with said lower portion of said case defining said lower opening and seals said lower opening of said drying chamber in order to separate a dry zone in said drying chamber from a wet zone in said processing bath.

19. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and lower opening;

introducing means for introducing inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving to said drying chamber;

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent; and

a nozzle for ejecting gas into said drying chamber, said nozzle having at least two inside and outside pipes of different diameter, which engage with each other so that respective circumferential faces thereof are apart from each other; and

wherein said inside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a predetermined distance, while said outside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a length shorter than said predetermined distance of said inside pipe.

20. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and lower opening;

introducing means for introducing inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving to said drying chamber; and

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent;

wherein said case includes, a case body, an aperture formed at a top portion of said case body, and a cover arranged on said aperture in order to open or close said aperture, said cover being formed in a semicylindrical shape whose axis is horizontal.

21. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said cover is made from polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene.

22. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising;

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and lower opening;

introducing means for introducing inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving to said drying chamber; and

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent;

wherein said case includes a case body, an aperture formed at a top portion of said case body and a cover arranged on said aperture in order to open or close said aperture, said cover being movable between a closing position where said cover closes said aperture and an upper position located vertically above and apart form said aperture, and being movable between said upper position and a shifted position located horizontally away from a vertical zone extending from said aperture upwardly.

23. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid for use in processing said object;

a drying chamber arranged above said processing bath and provided with an opening which is disposed between a body of said drying chamber and said processing bath and through which said object is transported;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said opening;

open and shut means for opening and shutting said opening, said open and shut means in a shutting state thereof also sealing said drying chamber;

screening means for screening said opening by a current of inert gas; and

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent;

wherein said filling means includes an input nozzle in an upper region of said drying means and an exhaust port positioned below said input nozzle and above said screening means; and

wherein said input nozzle is for ejecting gas into said drying chamber and has at least two inside and outside pipes of different diameter, which engage with each other so that respective circumferential faces thereof are apart from each other; and

wherein said inside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a predetermined distance, while said outside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of length shorter than said predetermined distance of said inside pipe.

24. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid for use in processing said object;

a drying chamber arranged above said processing bath and provided with an opening which is disposed between a body of said drying chamber and said processing bath and through which said object is transported;

transporting means for transporting said object between said processing bath aid said drying chamber through said opening;

open and shut means for opening and shutting said opening, said open and shut means in a shutting state thereof also sealing said drying chamber;

screening means, for screening said opening by a current of inert gas flowing from one end of the opening to the other end in parallel with a plane extending through the ends of said opening, and said screening means being located above said open and shut means; and

filling means for filling said drying chamber with an atmosphere of organic solvent.

25. A cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said filling means includes an input nozzle in an upper region of said drying means and an exhaust port positioned below said input nozzle and above said screening means.

26. A cleaning apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said open and shut means includes an adjustable door and said screening means includes ports formed in said adjustable door.

27. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extending rod provided with said holder, and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent;

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber; and

a screening arrangement for screening said opening, including a pair of first and second doors arranged so as to open and close said opening, said first door having a leading end formed to oppose said second door and provided with a spout port for discharging iner gas, said second door having a leading end formed to oppose said first door and provided with an intake port for the inert gas, whereby a current of the inert gas is formed between the leading end of said first door and the leading end of said second door, for screening said opening since the inert gas discharged from said spout port of said first door is sucked through said intake port of said second door, in a closing state of said first and second doors.

28. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper opening in an upper portion thereof;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower opening in a lower portion thereof, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath, through said lower opening and said upper opening said object is transported;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extending rod provided with said holder, and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent;

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent provided from said organic solvent containter and being provided into said drying chamber; and

a screening arrangement having a spout port located on one side of said lower opening for discharging inert gas and an intake port located on the other side thereof for absorbing the inert gas discharged from said spout port in order to form a flow of gas from said spout port to said intake port so as to cover and screen said lower opening.

29. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a precessing bath for storing precessing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extending rod provided with said holder, and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an inert gas line connected with said drying chamber for transporting inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving inot said drying chamber;

a control valve provided on the way of said inert gas line to said drying chamber, said control valve controlling flow rate of said inert gas transported through said inert gas line in such a way that the flow rate of the inert gas when said object is received in said drying chamber is bigger than that before said object is received in said drying chamber;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent; and

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber.

30. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated, an exteding rod provided with said holder; and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an inert gas line connected with said drying chamber for transporting inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving into said drying chamber;

a control valve provided on the way of said inert gas line to said drying chamber, said control valve controlling flow rate inert gas transported through said inert gas line in such a way that the flow rate of the inert gas when said object is received in said drying chamber is bigger than that before said object is received in said drying chamber;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent; and

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber.

31. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 30, further comprising a slide door located under said lower opening of said drying chamber and above said upper opening of said processing bath, said upper opening being located under said lower opening and vertically apart from said lower opening, said slide door being mounted slidably between an open position and a closed position in order to open and shut said lower opening alternatively.

32. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 30, further comprising:

a nozzle, for ejecting gas inot said drying chamber, arranged at an upper position of said drying chamber and

a discharging port, for discharging gas from said drying chamber, arranged at a lower position of said drying chamber;

whereby the gas ejected from said nozzle and discharged from said discharging port flows along surface of said object in said drying chamber from an upper side of said object to a lower side of said object.

33. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein said case includes a case body, an aperture formed at a top portion of said case body and a cover arranged on said aperture in order to open or close said aperture, said cover being movable between a closing position where said cover closes said aperture and an upper position located above and apart from said aperture, and being movable between said upper position and a shifted position located horizontally away from a vertical zone extending froms aid aperture upwardly.

34. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said cased having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and processing bath;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated;

an extending rod provided with said holder; and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an inert gas line connected with said drying chamber for transporting inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving into said drying chamber;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent;

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber; and

a slide door located under said lower opening of said drying chamber and above said upper opening of said processing bath, said upper opening being located under said lower opening and vertically apart from said lower opening, said slide door being mounted slidably between an open position and a closed position in order to open and shut said lower opening alternatively, said slide door being provided with a circular groove in a peripheral portion of an upper side thereof and a gasket received in said groove, wherein said gasket comes into contact with said lower portion of said case defining said lower opening and seals said lower opening of said drying chamber in order to separate a dry zone in said drying chamber from a wet zone in said processing bath.

35. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said processing bath, said case having a lower portion definng a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extending rod providd with said holder, and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an inert gas line connected with said drying chamber for transporting inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving into

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent;

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber; and

a nozzle for ejecting gas into said drying chamber, said nozzle having at least two inside and outside pipes of different diameter, which engage with each other so that respective circumferential faces thereof are apart from each other, and wherein said inside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a predetermined distance, while said outside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets at intervals of a length shorter than said predetermined distance of said inside pipe.

36. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in whcih said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above and said processing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extending rod provided with said holder, and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an inert gas line connected with said drying chamber for transporting inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving into said drying chamber;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent, and

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber;

wherein said case includes, a case body, an aperture formed at a top portion of said case body, and a cover arranged on said aperture in order to open or close said aperature, said cover being formed in a semicylindrical shape whose axis is horizontal.

37. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid in which said object is immersed, said processing bath having an upper portion defining an upper opening;

a drying chamber enclosed with a case arranged above said precessing bath, said case having a lower portion defining a lower opening, said lower opening being connected with said upper opening between said case of said drying chamber and said processing bath;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extending rod provided with said holder, and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

an inert gas line connected with said drying chamber for transporting inert gas into said drying chamber in order to prevent an atmosphere in said processing bath from moving into said drying chamber;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent; and

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber;

wherein said case includes a case body, an aperture formed at a top portion of said case body and a cover arranged on said aperture in order to open or close said aperture, said cover being movable between a closing position where said cover closes said aperture and an upper position located vertically above and apart from said aperture, and being movable between said upper position and a shifted position located horizontally away from a vertical zone extending from said aperture upwardly.

38. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liqid for use in processing said object;

a drying chamber arranged above said processing bath and provided with an opening which is disposed between a body of siad drying chamber and said processing bath and through which said object is transported;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extending rod provided with said holder, and

a drver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said precessing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

a slide door being mounted slidably between an open position and a closed position in order to open and shut said lower opening alternatively, said slide door in a shutting state thereof also seating said drying chamber;

a screening arrangement for screening said opening by a current of inert gas; and

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent;

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber;

an input nozzle in an upper region of said drying chamber; and

an exhaust port positioned below said input nozzle and above said screening arrangement;

wherein said input nozzle is for ejecting gas into said drying chamber and has at least two inside and ouside pipes of different diameter, which engage with each other so that respective circumferential faces thereof are apart from each other; and

wherein said inside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, witha plurality of gas oulets at intervals of a predetermined distance, while said ouside pipe is provided, in an axial direction thereof, with a plurality of gas outlets are intervals of length shorter than said predetermined distance of said inside pipe.

39. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object to be processed, said apparatus comprising:

a processing bath for storing processing liquid for use in processing said object;

a drying chamber arranged above said processing bath and provided with an opening which disposed between a body of said drying chamber and said processing bath and through which said object is transported;

a transporting mechanism having;

a holder holding said object to be treated,

an extendind rod provided with said holder, and

a driver provided with said extending rod and moving said object held by said holder between said processing bath and said drying chamber through said upper opening and said lower opening;

a slide door being mounted slidably between an open position and a closed position in order to open and shut said lower opening alternatively, said slide door in a shutting sate thereof also sealing said drying chamber;

a screening arrangement locatted above said slide door for screening said opening by a current of inert gas flowing from one end of the opening to the other end in parallel with a plane extending through the ends of said opening;

an organic solvent container containing organic solvent; and

an evaporator connected with said organic solvent container and said drying chamber, said evaporator evaporating organic solvent provided from said organic solvent container and being provided into said drying chamber.