U.S. patent application number 17/489277 was filed with the patent office on 2022-01-20 for substrate cleaning device and substrate cleaning method.
The applicant listed for this patent is EBARA CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Mitsuhiko Inaba, Haiyang Xu.
Application Number | 20220020610 17/489277 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220020610 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Xu; Haiyang ; et
al. |
January 20, 2022 |
SUBSTRATE CLEANING DEVICE AND SUBSTRATE CLEANING METHOD
Abstract
A substrate cleaning device includes: a pressing member that
cleans a substrate by contacting the substrate; a load measurement
unit that measures a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a
control unit that repeats an operation of comparing the measurement
value of the load measurement unit with the setting load, changing
the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a first movement
amount so that a difference value decreases, when the difference
value is larger than a first threshold value and equal to or
smaller than a second threshold value, and changing the pressing
amount of the cleaning member by a second movement amount larger
than the first movement amount so that the difference value
decreases, when the difference value is larger than the second
threshold value, until the difference value becomes equal to or
smaller than the first threshold value.
Inventors: |
Xu; Haiyang; (Tokyo, JP)
; Inaba; Mitsuhiko; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EBARA CORPORATION |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/489277 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16503868 |
Jul 5, 2019 |
11164757 |
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17489277 |
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International
Class: |
H01L 21/67 20060101
H01L021/67; B08B 1/04 20060101 B08B001/04; B08B 1/00 20060101
B08B001/00; B24B 37/04 20060101 B24B037/04; H01L 21/02 20060101
H01L021/02; B24B 37/34 20060101 B24B037/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 6, 2018 |
JP |
2018-129086 |
Claims
1. A substrate cleaning device comprising: a cleaning member
configured to clean a substrate by contacting the substrate; a
member rotation unit configured to rotate the cleaning member; a
member drive unit configured to press the cleaning member against
the substrate; a load measurement unit configured to measure a
pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit configured
to control a pressing amount of the cleaning member by the member
drive unit, on the basis of a measurement value of the load
measurement unit, so that the pressing load of the cleaning member
becomes a setting load, wherein the control unit repeats an
operation of comparing the measurement value of the load
measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing
amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a
difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger
than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second
threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning
member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement
amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference
value is larger than the second threshold value, until the
difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first
threshold value.
2. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the
cleaning member is any one member of the group consisting of a roll
cleaning member, a pencil cleaning member, and a buff
cleaning/polishing member.
3. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the
member drive unit is an electric actuator.
4. A substrate cleaning device comprising: a cleaning member
configured to clean a substrate by contacting the substrate; a
member rotation unit configured to rotate the cleaning member; a
member drive unit configured to press the cleaning member against
the substrate; a load measurement unit configured to measure a
measurement value of an applied pressing load of the cleaning
member; and a control unit configured to control an applied
pressing amount of the cleaning member by the member drive unit, on
the basis of the measurement value of the load measurement unit, so
that the applied pressing load of the cleaning member becomes a
setting load, wherein the control unit stores a correspondence
relation between pressing loads and pressing amounts of the
cleaning member for M different stored pressing loads as master
data, the control unit acquires the correspondence relation between
the pressing loads and the pressing amounts of the cleaning member
for N different pressing loads among the M different stored
pressing loads as measurement data, on the basis of the measurement
value of the load measurement unit, the control unit corrects each
of the pressing amounts corresponding to the M different stored
pressing loads in the master data, on the basis of the measurement
data, so that the correspondence relation between the pressing
loads and the pressing amounts for the N different pressing loads
in the master data approaches the correspondence relation between
the pressing loads and the pressing amounts for the N different
pressing loads in the measurement data, and generates data for a
movement amount calculation showing the correspondence relation
between the pressing loads and the pressing amounts for the M
different stored pressing loads, and the control unit calculates
the calculated pressing amount of the cleaning member corresponding
to the setting load, on the basis of the correspondence relation
between the pressing loads and the pressing amounts in the data for
movement amount calculation.
5. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein N is
smaller than M.
6. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the
cleaning member is any one member of the group consisting of a roll
cleaning member, a pencil cleaning member, and a buff
cleaning/polishing member.
7. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the
member drive unit is an electric actuator.
8. A substrate cleaning device comprising: a first cleaning member
configured to clean a first surface of a substrate by contacting
the first surface of the substrate; a first member rotation unit
configured to rotate the first cleaning member; a first member
drive unit configured to press the first cleaning member against
the first surface of the substrate; a first load measurement unit
configured to measure a pressing load of the first cleaning member;
a second cleaning member configured to clean a second surface of
the substrate by contacting the second surface of the substrate; a
second member rotation unit configured to rotate the second
cleaning member; a second member drive unit configured to press the
second cleaning member against the second surface of the substrate;
a second load measurement unit configured to measure a pressing
load of the second cleaning member; and a control unit configured
to control a pressing amount of the first cleaning member by the
first member drive unit and a pressing amount of the second
cleaning member by the second member drive unit, on the basis of a
measurement value of the first load measurement unit and a
measurement value of the second load measurement unit, so that the
pressing load of the first cleaning member becomes a first setting
load and the pressing load of the second cleaning member becomes a
second setting load, wherein the control unit is configured to
execute a first step of controlling the first member drive unit and
the second member drive unit so that the first cleaning member
moves at a first movement speed from a first initial position
separated from the first surface of the substrate by a first
distance to a first proximity position separated from the first
surface of the substrate by a third distance and the second
cleaning member moves at a second movement speed from a second
initial position separated from the second surface of the substrate
by a second distance shorter than the first distance to a second
proximity position separated from the second surface of the
substrate by the third distance and a second step of controlling
the first member drive unit and the second member drive unit so
that the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member
simultaneously start moving at a third movement speed lower than
the first movement speed and simultaneously contact the first
surface of the substrate and the second surface of the substrate,
respectively, and the control unit is configured to determine,
before the first step, the second movement speed of the second
cleaning member by the second member drive unit, on the basis of
the first movement speed of the first cleaning member by the first
member drive unit, so that the first cleaning member disposed at
the first initial position and the second cleaning member disposed
at the second initial position simultaneously start the moving and
the second cleaning member reaches the second proximity position at
timing identical to timing when the first cleaning member reaches
the first proximity position.
9. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein each
of the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member is a
roll cleaning member.
10. The substrate cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein
each of the first member drive unit and the second member drive
unit is an electric actuator.
11. A substrate processing apparatus comprising the substrate
cleaning device according to claim 1.
12. A substrate processing apparatus comprising the substrate
cleaning device according to claim 4.
13. A substrate processing apparatus comprising the substrate
cleaning device according to claim 5.
14. A substrate processing apparatus comprising the substrate
cleaning device according to claim 8.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/503,868, filed on Jul. 5, 2019 which claims
the benefit of Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2018-129086
filed on Jul. 6, 2018, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present technology relates to a substrate cleaning
device and a substrate cleaning method.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0003] At the present time, with the miniaturization of a
semiconductor device, processing of a substrate having a fine
structure (a substrate on which various material films having
different physical properties are formed) is performed. For
example, in a damascene wiring formation step of filling a wiring
groove formed in the substrate with a metal, the excess metal is
polished and removed by a substrate polishing device (CMP device)
after damascene wiring formation, and the various material films (a
metal film, a barrier film, an insulating film, and the like)
having the different physical properties are formed on a surface of
the substrate. On the surface of the substrate, there are slurry
residue and metal polishing waste (Cu polishing waste and the like)
used in CMP polishing. For this reason, when the surface of
substrate is not sufficiently cleaned, such as when the surface of
the substrate is complicated and cleaning is difficult, leaks and
adhesion defects occur due to an influence of the residue and the
like, which may result in a decrease in reliability. Therefore, in
the CMP device for polishing the semiconductor substrate, roll
member scrub cleaning and pen member scrub cleaning are performed
in a cleaning step after polishing.
[0004] For the roll member scrub cleaning, technology for
installing a load cell measuring a pressing load of a roll member
between a lift arm moving upward and downward according to driving
of an air cylinder and a roll member holder and performing feedback
control on the pressing load of the roll member via a control
device of the air cylinder on the basis of a measurement value of
the load cell is known (refer to JP 2014-38983 A).
[0005] Incidentally, in recent years, since a substrate thickness
decreases or a substrate material changes, further improvement in
the accuracy of the pressing load for the substrate is
required.
[0006] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a substrate cleaning
device and a substrate cleaning method capable of improving
accuracy of a pressing load.
[0007] A substrate cleaning device according to an embodiment
includes: a cleaning member that cleans a substrate by contacting
the substrate; a member rotation unit that rotates the cleaning
member; a member drive unit that presses the cleaning member
against the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures a
pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that
controls a pressing amount of the cleaning member by the member
drive unit, on the basis of a measurement value of the load
measurement unit, so that the pressing load of the cleaning member
becomes a setting load, wherein the control unit repeats an
operation of comparing the measurement value of the load
measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing
amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a
difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger
than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second
threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning
member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement
amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference
value is larger than the second threshold value, until the
difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first
threshold value.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of an entire
configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an
embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a substrate cleaning
device according to a first embodiment;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the
substrate cleaning device according to the first embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a substrate
cleaning method by the substrate cleaning device according to the
first embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a step of controlling a
pressing amount of a cleaning member on the basis of a measurement
value of a pressing load;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a step of calculating a
pressing amount of the cleaning member corresponding to a setting
load;
[0014] FIG. 7A is a diagram showing an example of master data;
[0015] FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an example of measurement
data;
[0016] FIG. 7C is a diagram showing an example of data for movement
amount calculation;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a substrate cleaning
device according to a second embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the
substrate cleaning device according to the second embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a
substrate cleaning method by the substrate cleaning device
according to the second embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a step of contacting a
first cleaning member and a second cleaning member with a
substrate;
[0021] FIGS. 12A to 12C are diagrams illustrating a step of
contacting the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member
with the substrate;
[0022] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a substrate cleaning
device according to a first modification of the first embodiment;
and
[0023] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a substrate cleaning
device according to a second modification of the first
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF NON-LIMITING EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] A substrate cleaning device according to a first aspect of
an embodiment includes: a cleaning member that cleans a substrate
by contacting the substrate; a member rotation unit that rotates
the cleaning member; a member drive unit that presses the cleaning
member against the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures
a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that
controls a pressing amount of the cleaning member by the member
drive unit, on the basis of a measurement value of the load
measurement unit, so that the pressing load of the cleaning member
becomes a setting load, wherein the control unit repeats an
operation of comparing the measurement value of the load
measurement unit with the setting load, changing the pressing
amount of the cleaning member by a first movement amount so that a
difference value decreases, when the difference value is larger
than a first threshold value and equal to or smaller than a second
threshold value, and changing the pressing amount of the cleaning
member by a second movement amount larger than the first movement
amount so that the difference value decreases, when the difference
value is larger than the second threshold value, until the
difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first
threshold value.
[0025] According to the first aspect, when the difference value
between the measurement value of the load measurement unit and the
setting load is larger than the first threshold value and equal to
or smaller than the second threshold value, the control unit
changes the pressing amount of the cleaning member by the first
movement amount. However, when the difference value is larger than
the second threshold value, the control unit changes the pressing
amount of the cleaning member by the second movement amount larger
than the first movement amount (that is, closed loop control of two
steps). As a result, as compared with a method (that is, closed
loop control of one step) of changing the pressing amount of the
cleaning member by the first movement amount even when the
difference value is larger than the second threshold value, it is
possible to shorten a time until the difference value converges to
the first threshold value or less, which can lead to an increase in
the number of substrates processed per unit time (wph; wafer per
hour). Further, as compared with a method (that is, closed loop
control of one step) of changing the pressing amount of the
cleaning member by the second movement amount even when the
difference value is equal to or smaller than the second threshold
value, the pressing amount can be controlled with high accuracy. As
a result, accuracy of the pressing load can be improved.
[0026] A substrate cleaning device according to a second aspect of
the embodiment includes: a cleaning member that cleans a substrate
by contacting the substrate; a member rotation unit that rotates
the cleaning member; a member drive unit that presses the cleaning
member against the substrate; a load measurement unit that measures
a pressing load of the cleaning member; and a control unit that
controls a pressing amount of the cleaning member by the member
drive unit, on the basis of a measurement value of the load
measurement unit, so that the pressing load of the cleaning member
becomes a setting load, wherein the control unit previously stores
a correspondence relation between the pressing load and the
pressing amount of the cleaning member for M (M is a natural number
of 2 or more) pressing loads as master data, the control unit
acquires the correspondence relation between the pressing load and
the pressing amount of the cleaning member for N (N is a natural
number smaller than M) pressing loads among the M pressing loads as
measurement data, on the basis of the measurement value of the load
measurement unit, the control unit corrects each of pressing
amounts corresponding to the M pressing loads in the master data,
on the basis of the measurement data, so that the correspondence
relation between the pressing load and the pressing amount for the
N pressing loads in the master data approaches the correspondence
relation between the pressing load and the pressing amount for the
N pressing loads in the measurement data, and generates data for
movement amount calculation showing the correspondence relation
between the pressing load and the pressing amount for the M
pressing loads, and the control unit calculates the pressing amount
of the cleaning member corresponding to the setting load, on the
basis of the correspondence relation between the pressing load and
the pressing amount in the data for movement amount
calculation.
[0027] According to the second aspect, the control unit corrects
the correspondence relation between the pressing load and the
pressing amount in the master data, on the basis of the measurement
data, and calculates the pressing amount of the cleaning member, on
the basis of the correspondence relation (=data for movement amount
calculation) after correction. Therefore, the control unit can
determine the pressing amount with high accuracy as compared with
the case where the pressing amount of the cleaning member is
calculated on the basis of the correspondence relation (=master
data) before correction. As a result, accuracy of the pressing load
can be improved.
[0028] According to a substrate cleaning device according to a
third aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning device
according to the first or second aspect, the cleaning member is any
one member of the group consisting of a roll cleaning member, a
pencil cleaning member, and a buff cleaning/polishing member.
[0029] According to a substrate cleaning device according to a
fourth aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning device
according to any one of the first to third aspects, the member
drive unit is an electric actuator.
[0030] According to the fourth aspect, the pressing amount of the
cleaning member can be controlled with high accuracy as compared
with the case where an air cylinder is adopted as the member drive
unit. As a result, accuracy of the pressing load can be further
improved.
[0031] A substrate cleaning device according to a fifth aspect of
the embodiment includes: a first cleaning member that cleans a
first surface of a substrate by contacting the first surface of the
substrate; a first member rotation unit that rotates the first
cleaning member; a first member drive unit that presses the first
cleaning member against the first surface of the substrate; a first
load measurement unit that measures a pressing load of the first
cleaning member; a second cleaning member that cleans a second
surface of the substrate by contacting the second surface of the
substrate; a second member rotation unit that rotates the second
cleaning member; a second member drive unit that presses the second
cleaning member against the second surface of the substrate; a
second load measurement unit that measures a pressing load of the
second cleaning member; and a control unit that controls a pressing
amount of the first cleaning member by the first member drive unit
and a pressing amount of the second cleaning member by the second
member drive unit, on the basis of a measurement value of the first
load measurement unit and a measurement value of the second load
measurement unit, so that the pressing load of the first cleaning
member becomes a first setting load and the pressing load of the
second cleaning member becomes a second setting load, wherein the
control unit is configured to execute a first step of controlling
the first member drive unit and the second member drive unit so
that the first cleaning member moves at a first movement speed from
a first initial position separated from the first surface of the
substrate by a first distance to a first proximity position
separated from the first surface by a third distance and the second
cleaning member moves at a second movement speed from a second
initial position separated from the second surface of the substrate
by a second distance shorter than the first distance to a second
proximity position separated from the second surface by the third
distance and a second step of controlling the first member drive
unit and the second member drive unit so that the first cleaning
member and the second cleaning member simultaneously start moving
at a third movement speed lower than the first movement speed and
simultaneously contact the first surface and the second surface of
the substrate, respectively, and the control unit is configured to
determine the second movement speed of the second cleaning member
by the second member drive unit, on the basis of the first movement
speed of the first cleaning member by the first member drive unit,
so that the first cleaning member disposed at the first initial
position and the second cleaning member disposed at the second
initial position simultaneously start the moving and the second
cleaning member reaches the second proximity position at timing
identical to timing when the first cleaning member reaches the
first proximity position, before the first step.
[0032] According to the fifth aspect, the second movement speed of
the second cleaning member disposed at the second initial position
relatively close to the substrate is determined on the basis of the
first movement speed of the first cleaning member disposed at the
first initial position relatively far from the substrate.
Therefore, it is possible to shorten a time required for causing
the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member to reach
the first proximity position and the second proximity position,
respectively. As a result, it is possible to increase the number of
substrates processed per unit time (wph; wafer per hour). Further,
the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member
respectively disposed at the first proximity position and the
second proximity position having the same distances from the
substrate are moved symmetrically with respect to the substrate and
the first cleaning member and the second cleaning member are
simultaneously contacted with the substrate. Therefore, it is
possible to simultaneously and accurately position the first
cleaning member and the second cleaning member on the surfaces of
the substrate. As a result, subsequent pressing amount control can
be performed with high accuracy, and accuracy of the pressing load
can be improved.
[0033] According to a substrate cleaning device according to a
sixth aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning device
according to the fifth aspect, each of the first cleaning member
and the second cleaning member is a roll cleaning member.
[0034] According to a substrate cleaning device according to a
seventh aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning device
according to the fifth or sixth aspect, each of the first member
drive unit and the second member drive unit is an electric
actuator.
[0035] According to the seventh aspect, the pressing amounts of the
first cleaning member and the second cleaning member can be
controlled with high accuracy, as compared with the case where air
cylinders are adopted as the first member drive unit and the second
member drive unit. As a result, accuracy of the pressing load can
be further improved.
[0036] A substrate processing apparatus according to an eighth
aspect of the embodiment includes the substrate cleaning device
according to any one of the first to seventh aspects.
[0037] A substrate cleaning method according to a ninth aspect of
the embodiment includes: a step of causing a member drive unit to
press a cleaning member against a substrate; a step of causing a
load measurement unit to measure a pressing load of the cleaning
member; and a step of causing a control unit to control a pressing
amount of the cleaning member by the member drive unit, on the
basis of a measurement value of the load measurement unit, so that
the pressing load of the cleaning member becomes a setting load,
wherein, in the step of controlling the pressing amount, the
control unit repeats an operation of comparing the measurement
value of the load measurement unit with the setting load, changing
the pressing amount of the cleaning member by a first movement
amount so that a difference value decreases, when the difference
value is larger than a first threshold value and equal to or
smaller than a second threshold value, and changing the pressing
amount of the cleaning member by a second movement amount larger
than the first movement amount so that the difference value
decreases, when the difference value is larger than the second
threshold value, until the difference value becomes equal to or
smaller than the first threshold value.
[0038] A substrate cleaning method according to a tenth aspect of
the embodiment includes: a step of causing a control unit to
calculate a pressing amount of a cleaning member corresponding to a
setting load; a step of causing a member drive unit to press the
cleaning member against a substrate by the calculated pressing
amount; a step of causing a load measurement unit to measure a
pressing load of the cleaning member; and a step of causing a
control unit to control the pressing amount of the cleaning member
by the member drive unit, on the basis of a measurement value of
the load measurement unit, so that the pressing load of the
cleaning member becomes the setting load, wherein the control unit
previously stores a correspondence relation between the pressing
load and the pressing amount of the cleaning member for M (M is a
natural number of 2 or more) pressing loads as master data, and in
the step of calculating the pressing amount, the control unit
acquires the correspondence relation between the pressing load and
the pressing amount of the cleaning member for N (N is a natural
number smaller than M) pressing loads among the M pressing loads as
measurement data, on the basis of the measurement value of the load
measurement unit, the control unit corrects each of pressing
amounts corresponding to the M pressing loads in the master data,
on the basis of the measurement data, so that the correspondence
relation between the pressing load and the pressing amount for the
N pressing loads in the master data approaches the correspondence
relation between the pressing load and the pressing amount for the
N pressing loads in the measurement data, and generates data for
movement amount calculation showing the correspondence relation
between the pressing load and the pressing amount for the M
pressing loads, and the control unit calculates the pressing amount
of the cleaning member corresponding to the setting load, on the
basis of the correspondence relation between the pressing load and
the pressing amount in the data for movement amount
calculation.
[0039] According to a substrate cleaning method according to an
eleventh aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning method
according to the ninth or tenth aspect, the cleaning member is any
one member of the group consisting of a roll cleaning member, a
pencil cleaning member, and a buff cleaning/polishing member.
[0040] According to a substrate cleaning method according to a
twelfth aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning method
according to any one of the ninth to eleventh aspects, the member
drive unit is an electric actuator.
[0041] A substrate cleaning method according to a thirteenth aspect
of the embodiment includes: a step of causing a first member drive
unit to contact a first cleaning member with a first surface of a
substrate and causing a second member drive unit to contact a
second cleaning member with a second surface of the substrate; a
step of causing the first member drive unit to press the first
cleaning member against the first surface of the substrate and
causing the second member drive unit to press the second cleaning
member against the second surface of the substrate; a step of
causing a first load measurement unit to measure a pressing load of
the first cleaning member and causing a second load measurement
unit to measure a pressing load of the second cleaning member; and
a step of causing a control unit to control each of a pressing
amount of the first cleaning member by the first member drive unit
and a pressing amount of the second cleaning member by the second
member drive unit, on the basis of a measurement value of the first
load measurement unit and a measurement value of the second load
measurement unit, so that the pressing load of the first cleaning
member becomes a first setting load and the pressing load of the
second cleaning member becomes a second setting load, wherein the
step of contacting the first cleaning member and the second
cleaning member with the substrate includes a first step of causing
the control unit to control the first member drive unit and the
second member drive unit so that the first cleaning member moves at
a first movement speed from a first initial position separated from
the first surface of the substrate by a first distance to a first
proximity position separated from the first surface by a third
distance and the second cleaning member moves at a second movement
speed from a second initial position separated from the second
surface of the substrate by a second distance shorter than the
first distance to a second proximity position separated from the
second surface by the third distance and a second step of causing
the control unit to control the first member drive unit and the
second member drive unit so that the first cleaning member and the
second cleaning member simultaneously start moving at a third
movement speed lower than the first movement speed and
simultaneously contact the first surface and the second surface of
the substrate, respectively, and the control unit determines the
second movement speed of the second cleaning member, on the basis
of the first movement speed of the first cleaning member, so that
the first cleaning member disposed at the first initial position
and the second cleaning member disposed at the second initial
position simultaneously start the moving and the second cleaning
member reaches the second proximity position at timing identical to
timing when the first cleaning member reaches the first proximity
position, before the first step.
[0042] According to a substrate cleaning method according to a
fourteenth aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning
method according to the thirteenth aspect, each of the first
cleaning member and the second cleaning member is a roll cleaning
member.
[0043] According to a substrate cleaning method according to a
fifteenth aspect of the embodiment, in the substrate cleaning
method according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, each of
the first member drive unit and the second member drive unit is an
electric actuator.
[0044] Hereinafter, specific examples of an embodiment will be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In
the following description and the drawings used in the following
description, the same reference numerals will be used for parts
that can be configured in the same way, and redundant descriptions
will be omitted.
[0045] <Substrate Processing Apparatus>
[0046] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an entire configuration of a
substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 has
a substantially rectangular housing 10 and a load port 12 on which
a substrate cassette (not shown in the drawings) for stocking a
plurality of substrates W (refer to FIG. 2 or the like) is placed.
The load port 12 is disposed to be adjacent to the housing 10. The
load port 12 can be equipped with an open cassette, a standard
manufacturing interface (SMIF) pod, or a front opening unified pod
(FOUP). The SMIF pod and the FOUP are closed containers that can
maintain the environment independent of an external space by
accommodating the substrate cassette inside and covering the
substrate cassette with a partition wall. As the substrate W, for
example, a semiconductor wafer or the like can be mentioned.
[0048] In the housing 10, a plurality of (four in an aspect shown
in FIG. 1) substrate polishing devices 14a to 14d, a first
substrate cleaning device 16a and a second substrate cleaning
device 16b for cleaning the substrate W after polishing, and a
substrate drying device 20 for drying the substrate W after
cleaning are accommodated. The substrate polishing devices 14a to
14d are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the housing 10,
and the substrate cleaning devices 16a and 16b and the substrate
drying device 20 are also arranged along the longitudinal direction
of the housing 10.
[0049] A first transfer robot 22 is disposed in a region surrounded
by the load port 12, the substrate polishing device 14a located at
the side of the load port 12, and the substrate drying device 20.
Further, a transfer unit 24 is disposed in parallel with the
longitudinal direction of the housing 10, between a region where
the substrate polishing devices 14a to 14d are arranged and a
region where the substrate cleaning devices 16a and 16b and the
substrate drying device 20 are arranged. The first transfer robot
22 receives the substrate W before polishing from the load port 12
and transfers the substrate W to the transfer unit 24 or receives
the dried substrate W extracted from the substrate drying device 20
from the transfer unit 24.
[0050] A second transfer robot 26 for transferring the substrate W
between the first substrate cleaning device 16a and the second
substrate cleaning device 16b is disposed between the first
substrate cleaning device 16a and the second substrate cleaning
device 16b. Further, a third transfer robot 28 for transferring the
substrate W between the second substrate cleaning device 16b and
the substrate drying device 20 is disposed between the second
substrate cleaning device 16b and the substrate drying device
20.
[0051] Further, the substrate processing apparatus 1 is provided
with a control panel 30 for controlling the movement of each of the
devices 14a to 14d, 16a, 16b, 22, 24, 26, and 28. In the aspect
shown in FIG. 1, although the control panel 30 is disposed inside
the housing 10, the control panel 30 is not limited thereto and may
be disposed outside the housing 10.
[0052] As the first substrate cleaning device 16a and/or the second
substrate cleaning device 16b, a roll cleaning device (a substrate
cleaning device 16 according to a first embodiment or a substrate
cleaning device 16' according to a second embodiment to be
described later) that contacts a roll cleaning member extending
linearly over substantially an entire length of a diameter of the
substrate W with a surface of the substrate W in the presence of a
cleaning liquid and scrub-cleans the surface of the substrate W
while rotating the roll cleaning member may be used, a pencil
cleaning device (substrate cleaning device 16 according to a first
modification of the first embodiment to be described later) that
contacts a columnar pencil cleaning member extending in a vertical
direction with the surface of the substrate W in the presence of
the cleaning liquid, moves the pencil cleaning member in one
direction parallel to the surface of the substrate W while rotating
the pencil cleaning member, and scrub-cleans the surface of the
substrate W may be used, a buff cleaning/polishing device
(substrate cleaning device 16 according to a second modification of
the first embodiment to be described later) that contacts a buff
cleaning/polishing member with a rotation axis extending in a
vertical direction with the surface of the substrate W in the
presence of the cleaning liquid, moves the buff cleaning/polishing
member in one direction parallel to the surface of the substrate W
while rotating the buff cleaning/polishing member, and scrub-cleans
and polishes the surface of the substrate W may be used, and a
two-fluid jet cleaning device that cleans the surface of the
substrate W by a two-fluid jet may be used. Further, as the first
substrate cleaning device 16a and/or the second substrate cleaning
device 16b, any combination of two or more devices of the roll
cleaning device, the pencil cleaning device, the buff
cleaning/polishing device, and the two-fluid jet cleaning device
may be used.
[0053] The cleaning liquid includes a rinse liquid such as pure
water (DIW) and a chemical liquid such as ammonia hydrogen peroxide
(SC1), hydrochloric acid hydrogen peroxide (SC2), sulfuric acid
hydrogen peroxide (SPM), sulfuric acid hydration, or hydrofluoric
acid. Unless otherwise noted in the present embodiment, the
cleaning liquid means either the rinse liquid or the chemical
liquid.
[0054] As the substrate drying device 20, a spin drying device that
jets IPA vapor from an injection nozzle moving in one direction
parallel to the surface of the substrate W toward the rotating
substrate W to dry the substrate W and rotates the substrate W at
high speed to dry the substrate W by a centrifugal force may be
used.
[0055] <Substrate Cleaning Device According to First
Embodiment>
[0056] Next, a substrate cleaning device 16 according to the first
embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing
the substrate cleaning device 16 according to the first embodiment
and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the
substrate cleaning device 16 according to the first embodiment. The
substrate cleaning device 16 according to the first embodiment may
be used as the first substrate cleaning device 16a and/or the
second substrate cleaning device 16b in the substrate processing
apparatus 1 described above.
[0057] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the substrate cleaning device 16
has a cleaning member 46 that cleans a substrate W by contacting
the substrate W, a member rotation unit 96 that rotates the
cleaning member 46, a member drive unit 56 that presses the
cleaning member 46 against the substrate W, a load measurement unit
54 that measures a pressing load of the cleaning member 46, and a
control unit 90 that controls a pressing amount of the cleaning
member 46 by the member drive unit 56, on the basis of a
measurement value of load measurement unit 54, so that the pressing
load of the cleaning member 46 becomes a setting load.
[0058] In the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, although the
cleaning member 46 is a roll cleaning member (roll sponge)
extending in a columnar shape and a long shape and made of PVA, for
example, the cleaning member 46 is not limited thereto and may be a
pencil cleaning member (refer to FIG. 13) with a columnar shape
extending in a vertical direction or a buff cleaning/polishing
member (refer to FIG. 14) with a rotation axis extending in the
vertical direction.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate cleaning device 16 is
provided with a substrate rotation mechanism 40 for jsupporting and
rotating the substrate W, a member holder 42 disposed liftably
above the substrate W supported and rotated by the substrate
rotation mechanism 40, and a cleaning liquid supply unit 50 for
supplying a cleaning liquid to a surface of the substrate W, and
the cleaning member 46 is supported rotatably by the member holder
42.
[0060] In the example shown in the drawings, the substrate rotation
mechanism 40 is a plurality of horizontally movable (four in the
example shown in the drawings) spindles that support a
circumferential part of the substrate W and horizontally rotate the
substrate W. However, the substrate rotation mechanism 40 is not
limited thereto and may be rotatable chucks. An arrow E of FIG. 2
indicates a rotation direction of the substrate W by the substrate
rotation mechanism 40.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 3, the member rotation unit 96 is fixed to
one end side of the member holder 42 in the longitudinal direction.
As the member rotation unit 96, for example, a motor is used. The
member rotation unit 96 is driven, so that the cleaning member 46
is rotated about a center axis parallel to the surface of the
substrate W. An arrow F1 of FIG. 2 indicates a rotation direction
of the cleaning member 46 by the member rotation unit 96.
[0062] In the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a recess 42a is
formed substantially at the center of the member holder 42 along
the longitudinal direction, and the load measurement unit 54 is
disposed in the recess 42a and is fixed to the member holder 42. As
the load measurement unit 54, for example, a load cell is used.
[0063] As the member drive unit 56, for example, an electric
actuator is used. The electric actuator may be a ball screw type
electric actuator, may be a rack pinion type electric actuator, or
may be a direct driven type electric actuator (linear motor).
[0064] In the example shown in the drawings, the substrate cleaning
device 16 is provided with a lift shaft 57 lifted by driving of the
member drive unit 56 and extending in a vertical direction and a
lift arm 58 having a base end connected to an upper end of the lift
shaft 57 and extending in a horizontal direction, and the member
holder 42 is connected to a tip of the lift arm 58 via the load
measurement unit 54. Further, a tilt mechanism 70 for tilting the
member holder 42 is provided between the load measurement unit 54
and the tip of the lift arm 58. The member drive unit 56 is driven,
so that the member holder 42 is lifted integrally with the lift
shaft 57 and the lift arm 58 above the substrate W supported and
rotated by the substrate rotation mechanism 40.
[0065] The control unit 90 has a programmable logic controller
(PLC) that receives an output signal of the load measurement unit
54 and a motor controller that supplies electric pulses of a
predetermined number of pulses to the member drive unit 56,
according to an instruction from the PLC. At least a part of the
control unit 90 may be provided in the control panel 30 described
above. Further, in the control unit 90, a target value of the
pressing load of the cleaning member 46 is stored in advance as a
"setting load", on the basis of an input from a user to the control
panel 30.
[0066] By adjusting the number of pulses of the electric pulses
supplied from the control unit 90 to the member drive unit 56, a
movement amount (a pressing amount when the cleaning member 46
contacts the surface of the substrate W) of the member holder 42 in
the vertical direction can be adjusted with high accuracy.
[0067] The member holder 42 is connected to the tip of the lift arm
58 via the load measurement unit 54. In a state where the cleaning
member 46 does not contact the substrate W, a weight of the member
holder 42 is measured as a tensile load by the load measurement
unit 54. At the time of cleaning the substrate W, if the member
holder 42 is moved downward by the member drive unit 56 and the
cleaning member 46 contacts the substrate W, the tensile load
applied to the load measurement unit 54 decreases according to a
deformation amount of the cleaning member 46 and a decreased amount
of the tensile load is matched with the pressing load applied to
the substrate W by the cleaning member 46.
[0068] Thereby, the pressing load applied to the substrate W by the
cleaning member 46 at the time of cleaning the substrate W is
measured by the load measurement unit 54 by the decreased tensile
load. The control unit 90 calculates a necessary movement amount of
the cleaning member 46, on the basis of a measurement value of the
load measurement unit 54, so that the pressing load of the cleaning
member 46 becomes the setting load, and supplies the electric
pulses of the number of pulses corresponding to the calculated
movement amount to the member drive unit 56. As a result, the
pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 by the member drive unit
56 is adjusted, and the pressing load for the substrate W is
adjusted according to the deformation amount of the cleaning member
46.
[0069] In the present embodiment, at the time of cleaning the
substrate W, the control unit 90 adjusts the pressing load of the
cleaning member 46 by closed loop control of a plurality of steps
(for example, two steps). That is, at the time of cleaning the
substrate, the control unit 90 compares the measurement value of
the load measurement unit 54 with the setting load. When a
difference value is larger than a first threshold value (for
example, 0.1 N) and equal to or smaller than a second threshold
value (for example, 1.5 N), the control unit 90 changes (adjusts)
the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 by a first movement
amount (for example, 0.01 mm) so that the difference value
decreases, and when the difference value is larger than the second
threshold value (for example, 1.5 N), the control unit 90 changes
(adjusts) the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 by a second
movement amount (for example, 0.05 mm) larger than the first
movement amount (for example, 0.01 mm) so that the difference value
decreases. The control unit 90 repeats the above operation until
the difference value becomes equal to or smaller than the first
threshold value (0.1 N). As described above, when the pressing load
of the cleaning member 46 is adjusted, the control unit 90 performs
the closed loop control of the plurality of steps (for example, the
two steps). As a result, it is possible to shorten a time required
for adjusting the pressing load, as compared with the case of
performing the closed loop control of one step.
[0070] Further, in the present embodiment, referring to FIG. 7A,
the control unit 90 previously stores a correspondence relation
between the pressing load and the pressing amount of the cleaning
member 46 for M (6 in the example shown in the drawing) pressing
loads (=2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 N) as master data in a storage
medium (memory). The master data may be values obtained by
previously measuring the correspondence relation between the
pressing load and the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 as
a guide using a dummy substrate in a substrate cleaning device
maker or the like, for example.
[0071] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 7B, the control unit 90
acquires the correspondence relation between the pressing load and
the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 for N (three in the
example shown in the drawing) pressing loads (=2, 6, and 10 N)
among the M pressing loads as measurement data, on the basis of the
measurement value of the load measurement unit 54, before cleaning
the substrate W. The control unit 90 stores the acquired
measurement data in the storage medium (memory).
[0072] In addition, the control unit 90 corrects each of the
pressing amounts corresponding to the M pressing loads (=2, 4, 6,
8, 10, and 12 N) in the master data, on the basis of the
measurement data, so that the correspondence relation between the
pressing load and the pressing amount for the N pressing loads (=2,
6, and 10 N) in the master data (refer to FIG. 7A) approaches the
correspondence relation between the pressing load and the pressing
amount for the N pressing loads (=2, 6, and 10 N) in the
measurement data (refer to FIG. 7B), and generates data for
movement amount calculation (refer to FIG. 7C) showing the
correspondence relation between the pressing load and the pressing
amount for the M pressing loads (=2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 N).
Specifically, in the examples shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, for each of
the pressing loads of 2, 6, and 10 N, the pressing amount in the
measurement data is 50 .mu.m larger than the pressing amount in the
master data. Therefore, the control unit 90 generates a numerical
value obtained by adding 50 .mu.m to the pressing amount in the
master data for each of the pressing loads of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and
12 N as data for movement amount calculation. The control unit 90
stores the generated data for movement amount calculation in the
storage medium (memory).
[0073] In addition, at the time of cleaning the substrate W, the
control unit 90 calculates the pressing amount of the cleaning
member 46 corresponding to the setting load, on the basis of the
correspondence relation between the pressing load and the pressing
amount in the generated data for movement amount calculation (refer
to FIG. 7C). Specifically, for example, when the setting load is 8
N, instead of calculating the pressing amount necessary for
realizing the setting load as 800 .mu.m by referring to the master
data (FIG. 7A), the control unit 90 calculates the pressing amount
as 850 .mu.m by referring to the data for movement amount
calculation (FIG. 7C). As a result, the control unit 90 can
calculate the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 with high
accuracy, as compared with the case where the pressing amount is
calculated on the basis of the master data before correction.
[0074] Next, an example of a substrate cleaning method by the
substrate cleaning device 16 having the above configuration will be
described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the
substrate cleaning method. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a
step of controlling the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46
on the basis of the measurement value of the pressing load. FIG. 6
is a flowchart illustrating a step of calculating the pressing
amount of the cleaning member 46 corresponding to the setting
load.
[0075] As shown in FIG. 4, first, if the user inputs the setting
load via the control panel 30, the control unit 90 calculates the
pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 corresponding to the
input setting load (step S10).
[0076] Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the
control unit 90 previously stores a correspondence relation between
the pressing load and the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46
for the M (6 in the example shown in the drawing) pressing loads
(=2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 N) as the master data in the storage
medium (memory) by referring to FIG. 7A, the control unit 90
acquires the correspondence relation between the pressing load and
the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46 with respect to the
actual substrate W for N (3 in the example shown in the drawing)
pressing loads (=2, 6, and 10 N) among the M pressing loads as
measurement data, on the basis of the measurement value of the load
measurement unit 54, by referring to FIG. 7B (step S11). In
addition, the control unit 90 stores the acquired measurement data
in the storage medium (memory).
[0077] Next, the control unit 90 corrects each of the pressing
amounts corresponding to the M pressing loads (=2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and
12 N) in the master data, on the basis of the measurement data, so
that the correspondence relation between the pressing load and the
pressing amount for the N pressing loads (=2, 6, and 10 N) in the
master data (refer to FIG. 7A) approaches the correspondence
relation between the pressing load and the pressing amount for the
N pressing loads (=2, 6, and 10 N) in the measurement data (refer
to FIG. 7B), and generates data for movement amount calculation
(refer to FIG. 7C) showing the correspondence relation between the
pressing load and the pressing amount for the M pressing loads (=2,
4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 N) (step S12). The control unit 90 stores the
generated data for movement amount calculation in the storage
medium (memory).
[0078] In addition, the control unit 90 calculates the pressing
amount of the cleaning member 46 corresponding to the setting load
input by the user, on the basis of the correspondence relation
between the pressing load and the pressing amount in the generated
data for movement amount calculation (refer to FIG. 7C) (step S13).
As a result, it is possible to calculate the pressing amount of the
cleaning member 46 with high accuracy in accordance with the actual
substrate W, as compared with the case where the pressing amount is
calculated on the basis of the master data before correction.
[0079] As shown in FIG. 2, after calculating the pressing amount of
the cleaning member 46 corresponding to the setting load, the
control unit 90 supplies electric pulses of a predetermined number
of pulses to the member drive unit 56, moves downward the cleaning
member 46 by driving of the member drive unit 56, and contacts the
cleaning member 46 with the surface of the substrate W (step S20).
At this time, the cleaning member 46 only contacts the surface of
the substrate W, the deformation amount of the cleaning member 46
is zero, and the pressing load of the cleaning member 46 for the
substrate W is also zero.
[0080] Next, the control unit 90 supplies the electric pulses of
the number of pulses according to the pressing amount calculated in
step S10 to the member drive unit 56 and presses the cleaning
member 46 against the surface of the substrate W by the calculated
pressing amount by driving of the member drive unit 56 (step
S30).
[0081] The load measurement unit 54 measures the pressing load of
the cleaning member 46 for the substrate W (step S40).
[0082] In addition, the control unit 90 controls the pressing
amount of the cleaning member 46 by the member drive unit 56 by the
closed loop control, on the basis of the measurement value of the
load measurement unit 54, so that the pressing load of the cleaning
member 46 becomes the setting load input by the user (step
S50).
[0083] Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the control
unit 90 acquires the measurement value of the pressing load from
the load measurement unit 54 (step S51) and compares the acquired
measurement value of the pressing load with the setting load (step
S52).
[0084] Then, the control unit 90 determines whether or not a
difference value .DELTA.F between the measurement value of the
pressing load and the setting load is equal to or smaller than the
second threshold value (for example, 1.5 N) previously stored in
the control unit 90 (step S53).
[0085] Then, when the difference value is larger than the second
threshold value (.DELTA.F>1.5 N), the control unit 90 supplies
the electric pulses of the number of pulses corresponding to the
predetermined second movement amount (for example, 0.05 mm) to the
member drive unit 56 and changes (adjusts) the pressing amount of
the cleaning member 46 by the second movement amount (0.05 mm) by
driving of the member drive unit 56 (step S55). Then, the
processing is repeated from step S51 (closed loop control of the
first step).
[0086] On the other hand, when the difference value is equal to or
smaller than the second threshold value (.DELTA.F.ltoreq.1.5 N)
(step S53: YES), the control unit 90 determines whether the
difference value .DELTA.F between the measurement value of the
pressing load and the setting load is equal to or smaller than the
first threshold value (for example, 0.1 N) smaller than the second
threshold value previously stored in the control unit 90 (step
S54).
[0087] Then, when the difference value is larger than the first
threshold value (.DELTA.F>0.1 N), the control unit 90 supplies
the electric pulses of the number of pulses corresponding to the
first movement amount (for example, 0.01 mm) smaller than the
predetermined second movement amount to the member drive unit 56
and changes (adjusts) the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46
by the first movement amount (0.01 mm) by driving of the member
drive unit 56 (step S56). Then, the processing is repeated from
step S51 (closed loop control of the second step).
[0088] On the other hand, when the difference value is equal to or
smaller than the first threshold value (.DELTA.F.ltoreq.0.1 N)
(step S54: YES), the processing of step S50 ends. As a result, the
pressing load of the cleaning member 46 is adjusted with high
accuracy so as to have substantially the same value as the setting
load input by the user.
[0089] According to the present embodiment described above, when
the difference value between the measurement value of the load
measurement unit 54 and the setting load is larger than the first
threshold value and equal to or smaller than the second threshold
value, the control unit 90 changes the pressing amount of the
cleaning member 46 by the first movement amount (that is, finely
adjusts the pressing amount when the difference value is small).
However, when the difference value is larger than the second
threshold value, the control unit 90 changes the pressing amount of
the cleaning member 46 by the second movement amount larger than
the first movement amount (that is, roughly adjusts the pressing
amount when the difference value is large). As a result, as
compared with the method of changing the pressing amount of the
cleaning member 46 by the first movement amount even when the
difference value is larger than the second threshold value (that
is, finely adjusting the pressing amount even when the difference
value is large), it is possible to shorten a time until the
difference value converges to the first threshold value or less,
which can lead to an increase in the number of substrates processed
per unit time (wph; wafer per hour). Further, as compared with the
method of changing the pressing amount of the cleaning member by
the second movement amount even when the difference value is equal
to or smaller than the second threshold value (that is, roughly
adjusting the pressing amount even when the difference value is
small), the pressing amount can be controlled with high accuracy.
As a result, accuracy of the pressing load can be improved.
[0090] Further, according to the present embodiment, the control
unit 90 corrects the correspondence relation between the pressing
load and the pressing amount in the master data (refer to FIG. 7A),
on the basis of the measurement data (refer to FIG. 7B), and
calculates the pressing amount of the cleaning member 46, on the
basis of the data for movement amount calculation (refer to FIG.
7C) to be the correspondence relation after correction. Therefore,
the control unit 90 can determine the pressing amount with high
accuracy as compared with the case where the pressing amount of the
cleaning member 46 is calculated on the basis of the correspondence
relation (=master data) before correction. As a result, accuracy of
the pressing load can be improved.
[0091] Further, according to the present embodiment, since the
member drive unit 56 is the electric actuator, the pressing amount
of the cleaning member 46 can be controlled with high accuracy as
compared with the case where an air cylinder is adopted as the
member drive unit 56. As a result, accuracy of the pressing load
can be further improved. <Substrate Cleaning Device According to
Second Embodiment>
[0092] Next, a substrate cleaning device 16' according to a second
embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing
the substrate cleaning device 16' according to the second
embodiment and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic
configuration of the substrate cleaning device 16' according to the
second embodiment. The substrate cleaning device 16' according to
the second embodiment may be used as a first substrate cleaning
device 16a and/or a second substrate cleaning device 16b in the
substrate processing apparatus 1 described above.
[0093] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in addition to a configuration of
a substrate cleaning device 16 according to the first embodiment
described above, the substrate cleaning device 16' according to the
second embodiment further has a second cleaning member 48 that
cleans a second surface of a substrate W by contacting the second
surface of the substrate W, a second member rotation unit 98 that
rotates the second cleaning member 48, a second member drive unit
56a that presses the second cleaning member 48 against the second
surface of the substrate W, and a second load measurement unit 54a
that measures a pressing load of the second cleaning member 48. A
control unit 90 controls each of a pressing amount of a first
cleaning member 46 by a first member drive unit 56 and a pressing
amount of the second cleaning member 48 by the second member drive
unit 56a, on the basis of a measurement value of a first load
measurement unit 54 and a measurement value of the second load
measurement unit 54a, so that a pressing load of the first cleaning
member 46 becomes a first setting load and a pressing load of the
second cleaning member 48 becomes a second setting load.
[0094] In the present embodiment, each of the first cleaning member
46 and the second cleaning member 48 is a roll cleaning member
(roll sponge) extending in a columnar shape and a long shape and
made of PVA, for example. As shown in FIG. 8, the substrate
cleaning device 16' is further provided with a second member holder
44 disposed liftably under the substrate W supported and rotated by
a substrate rotation mechanism 40 and a second cleaning liquid
supply unit 52 for supplying a cleaning liquid to the second
surface of the substrate W, and the second cleaning member 48 is
supported rotatably by the second member holder 44.
[0095] As shown in FIG. 9, the second member rotation unit 98 is
fixed to one end side of the second member holder 44 in a
longitudinal direction. As the second member rotation unit 98, for
example, a motor is used. The second member rotation unit 98 is
driven, so that the second cleaning member 48 is rotated about a
center axis parallel to the surface of the substrate W. An arrow F2
of FIG. 8 indicates a rotation direction of the second cleaning
member 48 by the second member rotation unit 98.
[0096] In the examples shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a recess 44a is
formed substantially at the center of the second member holder 44
along the longitudinal direction, and the second load measurement
unit 54a is disposed in the recess 44a and is fixed to the second
member holder 44. As the second load measurement unit 54a, for
example, a load cell is used.
[0097] As the second member drive unit 56a, for example, an
electric actuator is used. The electric actuator may be a ball
screw type electric actuator, may be a rack pinion type electric
actuator, or may be a direct driven type electric actuator (linear
motor).
[0098] In the example shown in the drawings, the substrate cleaning
device 16' is provided with a second lift shaft 59 lifted by
driving of the second member drive unit 56a and extending in a
vertical direction, and the second member holder 44 is connected to
an upper end of the second lift shaft 59 via the second load
measurement unit 54a. Further, a second tilt mechanism for tilting
the second member holder 44 is provided between the second load
measurement unit 54a and the second member holder 44. The second
member drive unit 56a is driven, so that the second member holder
44 is lifted integrally with the second lift shaft 59 under the
substrate W supported and rotated by the substrate rotation
mechanism 40.
[0099] The control unit 90 has a second programmable logic
controller (PLC) that receives an output signal of the second load
measurement unit 54a and a second motor controller that supplies
electric pulses of a predetermined number of pulses to the second
member drive unit 56a, according to an instruction from the second
PLC. Further, in the control unit 90, a target value of the
pressing load of the second cleaning member 48 is stored in advance
as a "second setting load", on the basis of an input from a user to
a control panel 30.
[0100] By adjusting the number of pulses of the electric pulses
supplied from the control unit 90 to the second member drive unit
56a, a movement amount (a pressing amount when the second cleaning
member 48 contacts the second surface of the substrate W) of the
second member holder 44 in the vertical direction can be adjusted
with high accuracy.
[0101] The second member holder 44 is connected to the upper end of
the second lift shaft 59 via the second load measurement unit 54a.
In a state where the second cleaning member 48 does not contact the
substrate W, a weight of the second member holder 44 is measured as
a compressive load by the second load measurement unit 54a. At the
time of cleaning the substrate W, if the second member holder 44 is
moved upward by the second member drive unit 56a and the second
cleaning member 48 contacts the substrate W, the compressive load
applied to the second load measurement unit 54a increases according
to a deformation amount of the second cleaning member 48 and an
increased amount of the compressive load is matched with the
pressing load applied to the substrate W by the second cleaning
member 48.
[0102] Thereby, the pressing load applied to the substrate W by the
second cleaning member 48 at the time of cleaning the substrate W
is measured by the second load measurement unit 54a by the
increased compressive load. The control unit 90 calculates a
necessary movement amount of the second cleaning member 48, on the
basis of a measurement value of the second load measurement unit
54a, so that the pressing load of the second cleaning member 48
becomes the second setting load, and supplies the electric pulses
of the number of pulses corresponding to the calculated movement
amount to the second member drive unit 56a. As a result, the
pressing amount of the second cleaning member 48 by the second
member drive unit 56a is adjusted, and the pressing load for the
substrate W is adjusted according to the deformation amount of the
second cleaning member 48.
[0103] In the present embodiment, the control unit 90 is configured
to execute a first step of controlling the first member drive unit
56 and the second member drive unit 56a so that the first cleaning
member 46 moves at a first movement speed V1 from a first initial
position separated from the first surface of the substrate W by a
first distance D1 to a first proximity position separated from the
first surface by a third distance D3 and the second cleaning member
48 moves at a second movement speed V2 from a second initial
position separated from the second surface of the substrate W by a
second distance D2 shorter than the first distance D1 to a second
proximity position separated from the second surface by the third
distance D3, by referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, before cleaning the
substrate W.
[0104] Further, the control unit 90 is configured to execute a
second step of controlling the first member drive unit 56 and the
second member drive unit 56a so that the first cleaning member 46
and the second cleaning member 48 simultaneously start moving at a
third movement speed V3 lower than the first movement speed V1 and
simultaneously contact the first surface and the second surface of
the substrate W, respectively, by referring to FIGS. 12B and 12C,
after the first step. By moving the first cleaning member 46 and
the second cleaning member 48 respectively disposed at the first
proximity position and the second proximity position having the
same distances from the substrate W, symmetrically with respect to
the substrate W, and simultaneously contacting the first cleaning
member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 with the substrate W,
it is possible to simultaneously and accurately position the first
cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 on the
surfaces of the substrate W.
[0105] Further, the control unit 90 is configured to determine the
second movement speed V2 of the second cleaning member 48 by the
second member drive unit 56a, on the basis of the first movement
speed V1 of the first cleaning member 46 by the first member drive
unit 56, so that the first cleaning member 46 disposed at the first
initial position and the second cleaning member 48 disposed at the
second initial position simultaneously start the moving and the
second cleaning member 48 reaches the second proximity position at
timing identical to timing when the first cleaning member 46
reaches the first proximity position, before the first step.
Specifically, for example, the control unit 90 determines the
second movement speed V2 of the second cleaning member 48 by the
second member drive unit 56a by a calculation formula of
V2=V1.times.(D2-D3)/(D1-D3). By determining the second movement
speed V2 of the second cleaning member 48 disposed at the second
initial position relatively close to the substrate W, on the basis
of the first movement speed V1 of the first cleaning member 46
disposed at the first initial position relatively far from the
substrate W, it is possible to shorten a time required for causing
the first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 to
reach the first proximity position and the second proximity
position, respectively.
[0106] Next, an example of a substrate cleaning method by the
substrate cleaning device 16' having the above configuration will
be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the
substrate cleaning method. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a
step of contacting the first cleaning member 46 and the second
cleaning member 48 with the substrate W.
[0107] As shown in FIG. 10, first, if the user inputs the first
setting load and the second setting load via the control panel 30,
the control unit 90 calculates each of the pressing amounts of the
first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48
corresponding to the input setting loads (step S110).
[0108] Next, the control unit 90 supplies electric pulses of a
predetermined number of pulses to the first member drive unit 56,
moves downward the first cleaning member 46 by driving of the first
member drive unit 56, and contacts the first cleaning member 46
with the first surface of the substrate W, and the control unit 90
supplies electric pulses of a predetermined number of pulses to the
second member drive unit 56a, moves upward the second cleaning
member 48 by driving of the second member drive unit 56a, and
contacts the second cleaning member 48 with the second surface of
the substrate W (step S120).
[0109] Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the control
unit 90 determines the second movement speed V2 of the second
cleaning member 48 by the second member drive unit 56a, on the
basis of the first movement speed V1 of the first cleaning member
46 by the first member drive unit 56 (step S121), so that the first
cleaning member 46 disposed at the first initial position and the
second cleaning member 48 disposed at the second initial position
simultaneously start the moving (refer to FIG. 12A) and the second
cleaning member 48 reaches the second proximity position at timing
identical to timing when the first cleaning member 46 reaches the
first proximity position (refer to FIG. 12B).
[0110] Next, referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, the control unit 90
controls each of the first member drive unit 56 and the second
member drive unit 56a, moves the first cleaning member 46 at the
first movement speed V1 (for example, a maximum speed by the first
member drive unit 56) from the first initial position to the first
proximity position, and moves the second cleaning member 48 at the
second movement speed V2 determined in step S121 from the second
initial position to the second proximity position (step S122). As a
result, it is possible to shorten a time required for causing the
first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 to reach
the first proximity position and the second proximity position,
respectively.
[0111] Next, referring to FIGS. 12B and 12C, the control unit 90
controls each of the first member drive unit 56 and the second
member drive unit 56a, simultaneously starts moving the first
cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 at the third
movement speed V3 lower than the first movement speed V1, and
simultaneously contacts the first cleaning member 46 and the second
cleaning member 48 with the first surface and the second surface of
the substrate W, respectively (step S123). As a result, it is
possible to simultaneously and accurately position the first
cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 on the
surfaces of the substrate W.
[0112] At this time, the first cleaning member 46 only contacts the
first surface of the substrate W, the deformation amount of the
first cleaning member 46 is zero, and the pressing load of the
first cleaning member 46 for the substrate W is also zero.
Similarly, the second cleaning member 48 only contacts the second
surface of the substrate W, the deformation amount of the second
cleaning member 48 is zero, and the pressing load of the second
cleaning member 48 for the substrate W is also zero.
[0113] Next, the control unit 90 supplies the electric pulses of
the number of pulses according to the pressing amounts calculated
in step S110 to the first member drive unit 56 and the second
member drive unit 56a and presses the first cleaning member 46 and
the second cleaning member 48 against the first surface and the
second surface of the substrate W by the calculated pressing
amounts by the first member drive unit 56 and the second member
drive unit 56a (step S130).
[0114] The first load measurement unit 54 and the second load
measurement unit 54a respectively measure the pressing loads of the
first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 for the
substrate W (step S140).
[0115] Then, the control unit 90 controls the pressing amounts of
the first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 by
the first member drive unit 56 and the second member drive unit 56a
by closed loop control, on the basis of the measurement values of
the first load measurement unit 54 and the second load measurement
unit 54a, so that the pressing load of the first cleaning member 46
becomes the first setting load input by the user and the pressing
load of the second cleaning member 48 becomes the second setting
load input by the user (step S150). As a result, the pressing loads
of the first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48
are adjusted with high accuracy so as to have substantially the
same values as the first and second setting loads input by the
user.
[0116] According to the present embodiment described above,
referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, the second movement speed of the
second cleaning member 48 disposed at the second initial position
relatively close to the substrate W is determined on the basis of
the first movement speed of the first cleaning member 46 disposed
at the first initial position relatively far from the substrate W.
Therefore, it is possible to shorten a time required for causing
the first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 to
reach the first proximity position and the second proximity
position, respectively. As a result, it is possible to increase the
number of substrates processed per unit time (wph; wafer per
hour).
[0117] Further, according to the present embodiment, referring to
FIGS. 12B and 12C, the first cleaning member 46 and the second
cleaning member 48 respectively disposed at the first proximity
position and the second proximity position having the same
distances from the substrate W are moved symmetrically with respect
to the substrate W and the first cleaning member 46 and the second
cleaning member 48 are simultaneously contacted with the substrate
W. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously and accurately
position the first cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning
member 48 on the surfaces of the substrate W. As a result,
subsequent pressing amount control can be performed with high
accuracy, and accuracy of the pressing load can be improved.
[0118] Further, according to the present embodiment, since each of
the first member drive unit 56 and the second member drive unit 56a
is the electric actuator, the pressing amounts of the first
cleaning member 46 and the second cleaning member 48 can be
controlled with high accuracy, as compared with the case where air
cylinders are adopted as the first member drive unit 56 and the
second member drive unit 56a. As a result, accuracy of the pressing
load can be further improved.
[0119] Although the embodiments and the modifications of the
present technology are described by the examples, a range of the
present technology is not limited thereto, and changes and
modifications according to objects can be made within a range
described in claims. Further, the embodiments and the modifications
can be appropriately combined within a range in which processing
contents are not contradicted.
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