Substrate treatment apparatus and substrate treatment method

• US 7,913,346 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nadahara, Soichi, Iwami, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US11/396,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20060219260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 15/77, 15/882, 15/884, 151/02
• US Class Current: 15/77
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67046 using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes

Abstract

A substrate treatment apparatus includes a substrate holding mechanism which holds a substrate, a scrub brush for scrubbing a surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism to remove foreign matter from the substrate surface, a treatment liquid supplying mechanism which supplies an alkaline treatment liquid to the substrate surface when the substrate is scrubbed with the scrub brush, and an alkaline fluid supplying mechanism which supplies an alkaline fluid to a surface of the scrub brush in a standby period during which no substrate is scrubbed with the scrub brush.

Claims

1. A substrate treatment apparatus comprising:

a substrate holding mechanism which holds a substrate;

a scrub brush for scrubbing a surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism to remove foreign matter from the substrate surface;

an alkaline gas supplying mechanism which supplies an alkaline gas to a surface of the scrub brush in a standby period during which no substrate is scrubbed with the scrub brush;

a brush moving mechanism which moves the scrub brush between a treatment position in which the substrate surface is scrubbed and a standby position to which the scrub brush is retracted from the treatment position; and

a standby pot arranged to receive the scrub brush at the standby position, the standby pot including a pot body in a form of a bottomed tubular container having a side wall, wherein

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism supplies the alkaline gas to the scrub brush when the scrub brush is located in the standby position,

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism includes an alkaline liquid retaining portion provided below the standby position for retaining a volatile alkaline liquid from which the alkaline gas is liberated,

the alkaline liquid retaining portion includes a plate member projecting inwardly from an interior surface of the side wall and having an opening penetrating therethrough, and

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism further includes an alkaline liquid supplying nozzle for supplying an alkaline liquid to the alkaline liquid retaining portion, the alkaline liquid supplying nozzle arranged on the side wall of the pot body above the plate member such that the alkaline liquid supplied by the alkaline liquid supply nozzle flows down along the interior surface of the side wall of the pot body.

2. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a treatment liquid supplying mechanism which supplies a treatment liquid to the substrate surface when the substrate is scrubbed with the scrub brush.

3. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a cleaning liquid supplying mechanism which supplies a cleaning liquid to the scrub brush located in the standby position.

4. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the cleaning liquid is deionized water.

5. A substrate treatment apparatus, comprising:

a substrate holding mechanism which holds a substrate;

a scrub brush for scrubbing a surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism to remove foreign matter from the substrate surface;

an alkaline gas supplying mechanism which supplies an alkaline gas to a surface of the scrub brush in a standby period during which no substrate is scrubbed with the scrub brush;

a brush moving mechanism which moves the scrub brush between a treatment position in which the substrate surface is scrubbed and a standby position to which the scrub brush is retracted from the treatment position; and

a standby pot having a pot body in a form of a bottomed tubular container arranged to receive the scrub brush at the standby position, the pot body having a side wall, wherein

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism supplies the alkaline gas to the scrub brush when the scrub brush is located in the standby position,

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism includes an alkaline liquid retaining portion provided below the standby position for retaining a volatile alkaline liquid from which the alkaline gas is liberated,

the substrate treatment apparatus further comprises a liquid receiving member provided above the alkaline liquid retaining portion for suppressing or preventing intrusion of any other liquid into the alkaline liquid retaining portion, and

the liquid receiving member includes a plate member projecting inwardly from an interior surface of the side wall and having an opening penetrating therethrough.

6. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a standby pot arranged to receive the scrub brush at the standby position, wherein

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism further includes an alkaline liquid supplying nozzle for supplying an alkaline liquid into the alkaline liquid retaining portion, and

the alkaline liquid retaining portion is arranged within the standby pot and away from the alkaline liquid supplying nozzle.

7. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a cleaning liquid supply nozzle, arranged above the liquid receiving member, for supplying a cleaning liquid to the scrub brush located in the standby position, wherein

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism further includes an alkaline liquid supplying nozzle, arranged below the liquid receiving member, for supplying an alkaline liquid to the alkaline liquid retaining portion.

8. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the pot body further has a bottom portion, and a liquid drain port provided in the bottom portion, and

the alkaline liquid retaining portion includes a weir member provided around the drain port as projecting from the bottom portion and arranged to define the alkaline liquid retaining portion between an outer surface of the weir member and interior surface of the side wall.

9. A substrate treatment apparatus, comprising:

a substrate holding mechanism which holds a substrate;

a scrub brush for scrubbing a surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism to remove foreign matter from the substrate surface;

a brush moving mechanism which moves the scrub brush between a treatment position in which the substrate surface is scrubbed and a standby position to which the scrub brush is retracted from the treatment position;

a standby pot arranged to receive the scrub brush at the standby position;

an alkaline gas supplying mechanism which supplies an alkaline gas to a surface of the scrub brush in a standby period during which no substrate is scrubbed with the scrub brush;

wherein

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism supplies the alkaline gas to the scrub brush when the scrub brush is located in the standby position; and

the alkaline gas supplying mechanism includes an alkaline liquid retaining portion provided in the standby pot below the standby position for retaining a volatile alkaline liquid from which the alkaline gas is liberated and thereby supplied to the surface of the scrub brush; and

further comprising

a liquid receiving member comprising a barrier provided in the standby pot above the alkaline liquid retaining portion for suppressing or preventing intrusion of any other liquid into the alkaline liquid retaining portion.