초록 ▼

A method and system for cleaning opposed surfaces of a semiconductor wafer having particulate matter thereon. The method includes generating relative movement between a fluid and the substrate. The relative movement is in a direction that is transverse to a normal to one of the opposed surfaces and

A method and system for cleaning opposed surfaces of a semiconductor wafer having particulate matter thereon. The method includes generating relative movement between a fluid and the substrate. The relative movement is in a direction that is transverse to a normal to one of the opposed surfaces and creates two spaced-apart flows. Each of the flows is adjacent to one of the opposed surfaces that is different from the opposed surface that is adjacent to the remaining flow of the plurality of flows. The fluid has coupling elements entrained therein, and the relative movement is established to impart sufficient drag upon a subset of the coupling elements to create movement of the coupling elements of the subset within the fluid. In this manner, a quantity of the drag is imparted upon the particulate matter to cause the particulate matter to move with respect to the substrate.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for cleaning a substrate having opposed surfaces, one of which includes contaminants thereon, said method comprising: placing the substrate in an immersion tank filled with a solution;generating relative movement between the solution and said substrate in a direction transverse to a norm

1. A method for cleaning a substrate having opposed surfaces, one of which includes contaminants thereon, said method comprising: placing the substrate in an immersion tank filled with a solution;generating relative movement between the solution and said substrate in a direction transverse to a normal to one of said opposed surfaces to create two spaced-apart flows while introducing and removing the substrate from said immersion tank, and activating one or more first valves that generate a first flow each of said spaced-apart flows moving in a common direction, said solution having coupling elements entrained therein and said relative movement imparting sufficient drag upon a subset of said coupling elements to create movement of the coupling elements of said subset within said solution and impart a quantity of said drag upon said contaminant to cause said contaminant to move with respect to said substrate, said coupling elements having a hardness that is less than a hardness on a surface of said substrate; andreversing a direction of said spaced-apart flows, while deactivating the one or more first valves and activating one or more second valves that generate a second flow which is reversed from the first flow wherein a processor is in data communication with a solution delivery sub-system, a carrier sub-system, and a housing assembly to control the placing of the substrate, wherein a memory is in data communication with said processor, wherein said memory stores computer-readable instructions to be operated on by said processor, said computer-readable instructions including a first set of code to control said carrier sub-system and place said substrate in said tank and a second set of code to control said solution delivery sub-system. 2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said two spaced-apart flows move concurrently about said substrate. 3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating further includes imparting upon the coupling elements of said subset with sufficient momentum so that the coupling elements of said subset contact said contaminant and cause said contaminant to move with respect to said substrate. 4. The method for cleaning a substrate as recited in claim 1, further comprising: exposing said substrate to a flow of deionized water (DIW) followed by isopropyl alcohol (IPA) during the removing of the substrate from the immersion tank, such that the solution is removed from the surface of the substrate. 5. A method for cleaning a plurality of substrates having opposed surfaces, at least one of which includes contaminants thereon, said method comprising: concurrently generating relative movement between a plurality of substrates and a solution by exposing a cassette having said plurality of substrates contained therein to said solution, with said solution having coupling elements entrained therein and said relative movement imparting sufficient drag upon a subset of said coupling elements to create movement of the coupling elements of said subset within said solution and impart a quantity of said drag upon said contaminants to cause said contaminants to move with respect to said substrate, said coupling elements having a hardness that is less than a hardness on a surface of the plurality of substrates, wherein concurrently generating includes, placing said cassette into a tank in an absence of solution in the tank;introducing said solution into said tank to generate the relative movement between said solution and surfaces of said plurality of substrates along a first direction with a sufficient quantity of said solution being introduced to produce a volume of said solution in said tank sufficient to submerge each of said plurality of substrates in said volume, wherein introducing said solution further includes, activating one or more first valves to generate a first flow of solution into the tank;deactivating the one or more first valves; andactivating one or more second valves to generate a second flow of solution into the tank, wherein the second flow is reversed from the first flow; andremoving said cassette from said volume to generate relative movement between said surfaces in a second direction opposite to said first direction. 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate is in a cassette having a plurality of substrates when the substrate is placed in the immersion tank. 7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said computer-readable instructions further includes a first sub-routine to control said solution handling system to terminate said spaced-apart flows and fill said tank with said solution and a second sub-routine to control said carrier sub-system to remove said substrate from said tank. 8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said computer-readable instructions further includes a first sub-routine to control said solution handling system to fill said tank with said solution. 9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said computer-readable instructions further includes a sub-routine to fill said tank with a quantity of said solution and terminate said spaced-apart flows. 10. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein placing said cassette and introducing said solution are performed by a computer program when executed by one or more processors, the computer program being embedded in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. 11. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the first flow and the second flow move in a direction substantially parallel to a direction of gravity. 12. The method as recited in claim 5, further including producing, from said solution, foam, with the first flow and the second flow consisting of said foam. 13. The method as recited in claim 12, further including: terminating the first flow and the second flow; exposing said substrate to a solution to remove said foam; andexposing said substrate to a vacuum to remove said solution. 14. A method for cleaning a plurality of substrates having opposed surfaces, at least one of which includes contaminants thereon, said method comprising: concurrently generating relative movement between a plurality of substrates and a solution by exposing a cassette having said plurality of substrates contained therein to said solution, with said solution having coupling elements entrained therein and said relative movement imparting sufficient drag upon a subset of said coupling elements to create movement of the coupling elements of said subset within said solution and impart a quantity of said drag upon said contaminants to cause said contaminants to move with respect to said substrate, and said coupling elements having a hardness that is less than a hardness on a surface of the plurality of substrates, wherein concurrently generating includes, activating one or more first valves to generate a first flow to fill a tank with said solution;inserting said cassette into said tank to generate the relative movement between surfaces of said plurality of substrates and said solution along a first direction;alternatively moving a shelf holding said cassette along the first direction and along a second direction opposite to said first direction;activating one or more second valves to generate a second flow of solution into the tank, wherein the second flow is reversed from the first flow; andremoving said cassette from said tank to generate relative movement between said surfaces. 15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein placing said cassette and introducing said solution are performed by a computer program when executed by one or more processors, the computer program being embedded in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. 16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the first flow and the second flow move in a direction substantially parallel to a direction of gravity. 17. The method as recited in claim 14, further including producing, from said solution, foam, with the first flow and the second flow consisting of said foam. 18. The method as recited in claim 17, further including: terminating the first flow and the second flow; exposing said substrate to a solution to remove said foam; andexposing said substrate to a vacuum to remove said solution.