Apparatus for cleaning both sides of substrate

• US 6,276,378 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2000
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Arihisa, Toshikazu, Taniyama, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US09/638,511
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 134/902, 134/144, 134/153, 15/77, 15/881, 15/882
• US Class Current: 134/153
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning both sides of a substrate, incorporating a spin chuck for holding a substrate such that contact with at least a central portion of the substrate is prevented, a motor having a hollow shaft connected to the spin chuck to transmit rotating force to the spin chuck, a front-side cleaning mechanism for cleaning a surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck, and a back-side cleaning mechanism for rinsing a back side of the substrate held by the spin chuck, wherein the back-side cleaning mechanism is disposed to face the back side of the substrate held by the spin chuck through hollow portions of the hollow shaft.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning both sides of a substrate, comprising:

a spin chuck for holding a substrate such that contact with at least a central portion of the substrate is prevented;

a servo motor having a hollow drive shaft connected to said spin chuck to transmit rotational force to said spin chuck;

front-side cleaning means for cleaning a front side of the substrate held by said spin chuck;

back-side cleaning means for cleaning a back side of the substrate held by said spin chuck, wherein said back side of the substrate held by said spin chuck through hollow portions of said hollow shaft; and

a cover for covering at least a portion of said hollow shaft and a first sealing portion for sealing a portion between said cover and said spin chuck.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second sealing portion for sealing a portion between said spin chuck and said back-side cleaning means.

3. An apparatus for cleaning both sides of a substrate, comprising:

a rotational table having a holding portion for holding a substrate such that contact with at least a central portion of the substrate is prevented;

a hollow rotating shaft connected to a lower portion of said rotational table and rotatively supporting said rotational table;

front-side cleaning means for cleaning a front side of the substrate held by said rotational table;

back-side cleaning means for cleaning the back side of the substrate held by said rotational table, said back-side cleaning means having a nozzle disposed to face the back side of the substrate held by said rotational table through a hollow portion of said rotting shaft;

a process liquid supply unit for supplying process liquid to said nozzle;

a cover for covering said hollow rotating shaft;

a pair of upward labyrinth members joined to said cover such as to extend upward from said cover; and

a downward labyrinth member joined to said rotational table such as to extend downward from said rotational table and inserted between said pair of upward labyrinth members situated such as to create a gap between each of the upward labyrinth members and downward labyrinth member.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

fluid supply means for supplying fluid to said gap formed between said pair of upward labyrinth members and said downward labyrinth member.

5. An apparatus for cleaning both sides of a substrate, comprising:

a rotational table having a holding portion for holding a substrate such that contact with at least a central portion of the substrate is prevented;

a hollow rotating shaft connected to a lower portion of said rotational table and rotatively supporting said rotational table;

front-side cleaning means for cleaning a front side of the substrate held by said rotational table;

back-side cleaning means for cleaning the back side of the substrate held by said rotational table, said back-side cleaning means having a nozzle disposed to face the back side of the substrate held by said rotational table through a hollow portion of said rotating shaft;

a process liquid supply unit for supplying process liquid to said nozzle;

a cover for covering said hollow rotating shaft;

an upward labyrinth member joined to said rotational member such as to extend upward from said rotational member; and

a downward labyrinth member joined to said nozzle such as to extend downward from said nozzle and situated such as to create a gap between the upward labyrinth member and the downward labyrinth member.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

fluid supply means for supplying fluid to said gap formed between said upward labyrinth member and said downward labyrinth member.