JP7508426B2 - Cleaning Equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device.

In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, it is sometimes required to clean the surface of the semiconductor wafer, which is the substrate, with a high degree of cleanliness. For example, after chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is performed to flatten the surface of the substrate, contaminants (hereinafter referred to as particles) such as polishing debris containing organic matter and metals and slurry residues adhere to the surface of the substrate.

Particles can cause product defects by preventing even film formation and shorting out circuit patterns. For this reason, it is necessary to remove the particles by cleaning the substrate with a cleaning liquid. A cleaning device that uses a rotating brush is known as a device for performing this type of cleaning.

This cleaning device rotates the substrate and moves a rotating brush in a direction parallel to the substrate, contacting the substrate surface via the cleaning liquid. This causes particles adhering to the substrate surface to float in the cleaning liquid and are then removed from the substrate by the brush, cleaning the entire substrate.

In addition, if particles are attached to the outer peripheral edge surface of the substrate rather than the surface, they also affect the circuit pattern. For this reason, it is necessary to remove particles that are attached to the outer peripheral edge surface as well as the surface of the substrate. Patent Document 1 has proposed a cleaning device equipped with a brush mechanism for cleaning the outer peripheral edge surface of such substrates.

Patent No. 5064331

However, the brush mechanism for cleaning the outer peripheral edge of the substrate needs to be positioned adjacent to the substrate, which creates the problem that the cleaning liquid bounces off the substrate while cleaning the surface, causing particles to redeposit on the substrate surface.

In addition, when performing maintenance on the cleaning device, the worker's hand may come into contact with the brush mechanism, damaging the brush. For example, in a chamber that houses the cleaning device, a brush mechanism cannot be provided on the side of the entrance through which the substrate is loaded and unloaded, taking into consideration interference with the substrate transport robot. In addition, when the outer edge of the substrate is held by rollers and the substrate is rotated, the brush mechanism cannot be provided at the position where the rollers move to move the substrate toward and away from the substrate. This requires that the brush mechanism be provided on the side of the maintenance access opening provided in the chamber, but in this case, the brush mechanism gets in the way when the worker puts his or her hand in or out through the access opening.

The embodiment of the present invention has been proposed to solve the problems described above, and its purpose is to provide a cleaning device that can reduce the edge brush that cleans the outer peripheral edge of the substrate from becoming a source of substrate contamination or a hindrance during maintenance.

In order to solve the above problems, the cleaning apparatus of the present invention comprises a chamber having a cleaning chamber for cleaning a substrate carried in, a rotational drive unit that rotates the substrate by rotating a plurality of rollers that hold the outer periphery of the substrate within the cleaning chamber, a cleaning liquid discharge unit that discharges a cleaning liquid onto the substrate, a cleaning unit that cleans a surface of the substrate by contacting a brush with at least one surface of the rotating substrate, an outer periphery cleaning unit that cleans the outer periphery edge surface of the substrate by contacting an edge brush with the outer periphery edge surface of the substrate, an accommodating chamber having a accommodating chamber for accommodating the outer periphery cleaning unit, a moving mechanism that moves the outer periphery cleaning unit between a cleaning position where it can wash the outer periphery edge surface and a accommodating position where it is accommodated in the accommodating chamber , and a shielding unit that shields the accommodating chamber from the cleaning chamber .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the edge brush used to clean the outer peripheral edge of a substrate from being a source of substrate contamination or a hindrance during maintenance.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a cleaning device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a rear view showing a schematic configuration of the cleaning device according to the embodiment. 1A is a plan view showing the roller in a released position and FIG. 1B is a plan view showing the roller in a held position. FIG. 13 is a front view showing the roller (A) in the released position and the roller (B) in the held position. 1A is a plan view showing a cleaning section at a start position of cleaning, (B) a cleaning section during cleaning, and (C) a cleaning section at an end position. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing the outer periphery cleaning unit in the cleaning position, the outer periphery cleaning unit in the process of being accommodated in the accommodation chamber, and the outer periphery cleaning unit in the accommodation position. FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen of a display unit, and shows a selection screen for an operation mode and a maintenance mode (A), a display screen for an operation mode (B), and a display screen for a maintenance mode (C). FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the accommodation chamber.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment is a cleaning device 1 that cleans a substrate W with a cleaning liquid and a brush while rotating the substrate W. The substrate W to be cleaned is typically a semiconductor wafer, but may also be a substrate for a display device, etc.

The substrate W is circular, and its outer peripheral edge surface is beveled. In other words, the corners are chamfered by grinding. In the following description, the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate W are referred to as the front and back surfaces, and when referring to both the front and back surfaces, the front and back surfaces of the substrate W are referred to. The outer peripheral edge surface is the side surface of the substrate W other than the front and back surfaces.

[composition]
1 and 2, the cleaning device 1 includes a chamber 10, a rotation drive unit 20, a cleaning unit 30, a brush drive unit 40, a cleaning liquid discharge unit 50, an outer periphery cleaning unit 60, a storage chamber 70, a moving mechanism 80, and a control unit 100. Note that Figs. 1 and 2 are see-through views of the inside of the chamber 10.

(Chamber)
The chamber 10 is a container having a cleaning chamber 11 for cleaning the substrate W that is carried in. The chamber 10 is a rectangular parallelepiped housing, and the internal space serves as the cleaning chamber 11. The bottom of the chamber 10 is indicated by 10a. Of the two opposing sides of the chamber 10, one side is provided with a loading/unloading port 12 for loading and unloading the substrate W by a transport robot.

A work opening 13 for maintenance work is provided on the side of the chamber 10 opposite the side on which the loading/unloading entrance 12 is provided. The loading/unloading entrance 12 and the work opening 13 are configured to be openable and closable by doors (not shown). Each door opens and closes the loading/unloading entrance 12 and the work opening 13 by an opening/closing mechanism (not shown).

An opening 14 is provided on the working port 13 side of the bottom 10a of the chamber 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the opening 14 is provided with a shielding portion 15. The shielding portion 15 is a pair of plate-shaped shutters that open and close the opening 14 by moving horizontally in opposite directions using an opening/closing mechanism (not shown) (see FIG. 6).

(Rotation drive unit)
As shown in Fig. 3, the rotation drive unit 20 rotates a plurality of rollers 20a that hold the outer periphery of the substrate W, thereby rotating the substrate W. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the rotation drive unit 20 has a first holding unit 21, a second holding unit 22, a first drive unit 23, and a second drive unit 24. The first holding unit 21 and the second holding unit 22 are disposed at positions facing each other with the substrate W interposed therebetween.

The first holding part 21 and the second holding part 22 each have a pair of rollers 20a. The rollers 20a are rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the substrate W. Each roller 20a has a large diameter portion having a large diameter and a small diameter portion having a small diameter and arranged coaxially with the large diameter portion. The rollers 20a hold the substrate W by abutting the side of the small diameter portion against the outer periphery of the substrate W. The rollers 20a are made of a material that is resistant to cleaning liquid, such as PEEK.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24 support the first holding unit 21 and the second holding unit 22, respectively, and rotate the roller 20a around its axis. The first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24 house a rotation mechanism (not shown) that drives the roller 20a.

The rotation mechanism is, for example, a belt drive mechanism. In other words, a belt that transmits a driving force is stretched between the drive shaft of a motor, which is the drive source, and a pulley provided on the drive shaft of one of the rollers 20a, and between the pulleys provided on the drive shafts of the pair of rollers 20a, so that the pair of rollers 20a can be rotated by the drive source. Note that the rotation mechanism is not limited to this, and for example, each roller 20a may be configured to rotate by a motor provided on each roller 20a.

The first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24 are also configured to be movable in a direction in which the roller 20a moves toward and away from the substrate W. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, drive mechanisms 25, 26 are provided at the lower ends of the first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24, respectively, and the drive mechanisms 25, 26 move the first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24 in a direction in which they move toward and away from the substrate W. As a result, the first holding unit 21 and the second holding unit 22 also move in a direction in which they move toward and away from the substrate W.

The drive mechanisms 25, 26 each have a guide member 27 and a cylinder 28. The guide member 27 is provided below the bottom 10a of the chamber 10, and supports the first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24 so that they can slide horizontally. The cylinder 28 has a drive rod connected to the first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24, and moves the first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24 in opposite directions.

The drive mechanisms 25, 26 move the first holding unit 21 and the second holding unit 22 in directions away from each other, so that the roller 20a is in a release position away from the substrate W, as shown in Figures 3(A) and 4(A). The drive mechanisms 25, 26 move the first holding unit 21 and the second holding unit 22 in directions toward each other, so that the roller 20a is in a holding position in which it contacts and holds the substrate W, as shown in Figures 3(B) and 4(B).

(Cleaning section)
4 and 5, the cleaning unit 30 cleans the surface of the substrate W by bringing a rotating brush 35 into contact with the surface of the substrate W. The contact referred to here includes both direct contact of the brush 35 and contact via a cleaning liquid. The brush 35 is a cylindrical member made of a flexible and elastic material.

The brush 35 of this embodiment uses a spongy resin such as PVA (nylon resin) or PTFE (fluorine resin). Note that a bristle brush made of a similar resin may also be used. In other words, the brush 35 of this embodiment includes a spongy mass and a mass of many densely packed hair bodies. Note that the brush 35 made of a spongy mass also includes a mass of multiple densely packed fibrous bodies. The number of brushes 35 may be one or more.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the brush 35 is removably attached to a support provided on the cylindrical body 31 via a brush holder. The body 31 contains a motor (not shown) that is a drive source for rotating the brush 35.

(Brush drive unit)
As shown in Fig. 5, the brush driving unit 40 moves the cleaning unit 30 in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate W. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the brush driving unit 40 has an arm 41 and a driving mechanism 42. The arm 41 is a member in a direction parallel to the substrate W, and has the cleaning unit 30 attached to one end. The driving mechanism 42 has a swinging mechanism and a lifting mechanism.

As shown in Figures 5(A) to (C), the swing mechanism reciprocates the arm 41 parallel to the substrate W from the outer periphery of the substrate W to the outer periphery on the opposite side in an arc trajectory with the end opposite the cleaning unit 30 as its axis. The swing mechanism also reciprocates the arm 41 from a standby position to the outer periphery of the substrate W. The swing mechanism has a support shaft extending from the arm 41 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate W, and a motor (not shown) that is a drive source for swinging the support shaft. When the substrate W is not being cleaned, the arm 41 is positioned at a standby position (not shown) outside the substrate W.

As shown in Figures 4(A) and (B), the lifting mechanism moves the arm 41 in a direction in which the cleaning unit 30 moves toward and away from the substrate W. As the lifting mechanism, a ball screw mechanism, cylinder, or the like that raises and lowers the support shaft of the arm 41 can be used.

(Cleaning liquid discharge part)
The cleaning liquid discharge unit 50 discharges the cleaning liquid onto the substrate W. The cleaning liquid discharge unit 50 discharges the cleaning liquid from a nozzle 51 onto both sides of the rotating substrate W. The cleaning liquid in this embodiment is ozone water, pure water, or SC-1 (a cleaning liquid made by mixing ammonia water and hydrogen peroxide water). The cleaning liquid discharge unit 50 is connected to a cleaning liquid supply mechanism (not shown) via piping. The supply mechanism has a liquid delivery device, a valve, and the like connected to a pure water production device (pure water storage tank), an ozone water production device (ozone water storage tank), and an SC-1 supply device, and is capable of switching between supplying pure water, ozone water, or SC-1.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the cleaning unit 30, brush drive unit 40, and cleaning liquid discharge unit 50 as described above are provided in pairs above and below the substrate W so that the front and back surfaces of the substrate W can be cleaned. In other words, the pair of cleaning units 30 have a pair of arms 41 of the brush drive unit 40 arranged above and below the substrate W so that the brushes 35 of each of the pair of cleaning units 30 face the substrate W. The drive mechanism 42 moves the pair of arms 41 between a contact position (Figure 4(B)) where the pair of brushes 35 are in contact with the substrate W so as to sandwich it, and a separated position (Figure 4(A)) where they are separated from the substrate W.

The drive mechanism 42 also swings the pair of arms 41 to move the pair of brushes 35 at the contact position along an arcuate trajectory, as shown in Figures 5(A) to (C). When viewed in a plan view, the contact position is the start point of the swinging of the brushes 35, as shown in Figure 5(A), and the separation position is the end point of the swinging of the brushes 35, as shown in Figure 5(C). The contact positions are on the outer periphery of the substrate W, and the separation position is on the outer periphery of the substrate W opposite the contact positions.

(Outer circumference cleaning section)
The outer periphery cleaning unit 60 cleans the outer periphery edge surface of the substrate W by bringing an edge brush 61 into contact with the outer periphery edge surface of the substrate W. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 has an edge brush 61, a head unit 62, a swinging mechanism 63, a support unit 64, a brush cleaning unit 65, and a cleaning liquid supply unit 66.

The edge brush 61 is a cylindrical brush. The edge brush 61 is made of a hard resin such as PTFE (fluorine resin) or PVA (nylon resin). The edge brush 61 is also called a bevel brush because it cleans the beveled outer edge of the substrate W. The outer edge of the edge brush 61 is parallel to the outer edge of the substrate W. However, the axis of the edge brush 61 is inclined so that it is twisted relative to the axis of rotation of the substrate W (axis of rotation of the roller 20a). This is to make it easier to drop contaminants downward together with the cleaning liquid. The head unit 62 supports the edge brush 61 so that it can rotate. A motor (not shown) is arranged at an angle in the head unit 62, and its shaft is connected to the axis of the edge brush 61.

The oscillating mechanism 63 rotatably supports the head unit 62 in the direction in which the end surface brush 61 approaches and moves away from the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W. Although not shown, the oscillating mechanism 63 incorporates a vertical support column connected to the head unit 62 and a rotary actuator that rotates the support column.

The support part 64 is a member that supports the lower end of the oscillating mechanism 63. The support part 64 is a plate-like body that can close the opening 14 provided in the bottom part 10a of the chamber 10. When the support part 64 closes the opening 14, the shielding part 15 of the opening 14 is in an open state.

The brush cleaning unit 65 cleans the edge brush 61 by contacting the edge brush 61. In other words, the edge brush 61 can be cleaned by contacting the inclined surface of the brush cleaning unit 65 with the cleaning surface of the edge brush 61 (the surface that contacts the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W). The brush cleaning unit 65 is erected at a position adjacent to the oscillating mechanism 63, and has an inclined surface 65a at its upper end that is parallel to the axis of the edge brush 61. The edge brush 61 is movable between a peripheral cleaning position in contact with the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W and a self-cleaning position in contact with the inclined surface 65a of the brush cleaning unit 65 by rotation of the head unit 62 by the oscillating mechanism 63.

The cleaning liquid supply unit 66 has a pillar 66a, an arm 66b, and a liquid supply pipe 66c. The pillar 66a is erected vertically on the bottom 10a of the chamber 10. The arm 66b extends horizontally from the upper end of the pillar 66a. The liquid supply pipe 66c is supported so that its tip faces downward from the tip of the arm 66b, and its other end is connected to a cleaning liquid supply mechanism. This supply mechanism can be the same as that of the cleaning liquid discharge unit 50. In addition, part of the supply mechanism, such as the cleaning liquid supply source, can be shared with the cleaning liquid discharge unit 50.

The pillar portion 66a is rotatably mounted by a rotating mechanism such as a rotary actuator so that the tip of the arm 66b, i.e., the tip of the liquid supply pipe 66c, can move between a contact position between the end face brush 61 and the outer peripheral end face of the substrate W and a retracted position spaced apart from the end face brush 61 and the substrate W.

(Containment chamber)
1, 2 and 6, the accommodating chamber 70 is a container having an accommodating chamber 71 that accommodates the peripheral cleaning part 60. The accommodating chamber 70 is connected to the lower part of the opening 14, and the peripheral cleaning part 60 including the support part 64 is lowered to be accommodated in the accommodating chamber 71. In other words, the accommodating chamber 70 is provided below the bottom part 10a of the chamber 10. As a result, the accommodating chamber 71 is disposed at a position separated from the cleaning chamber 11.

The accommodation chamber 71 is provided with a supply unit 72 and a discharge unit 73. The supply unit 72 supplies cleaning liquid for cleaning the end face brush 61. For this reason, the supply unit 72 is provided in a position where it can supply cleaning liquid to the end face brush 61 in the brush cleaning position when the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 is accommodated in the accommodation chamber 71.

The supply unit 72 is connected to a cleaning liquid supply mechanism. This supply mechanism can be the same as the cleaning liquid discharge unit 50. In addition, a part of the supply mechanism, such as the cleaning liquid supply source, can be shared with the cleaning liquid discharge unit 50. In this embodiment, the supply unit 72 is a nozzle that discharges the cleaning liquid to the end face brush 61. The discharge unit 73 discharges the cleaning liquid from the storage chamber 71. The discharge unit 73 is connected to a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism via piping.

(Moving mechanism)
1, 2 and 6, the moving mechanism 80 moves the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 between a cleaning position where the outer periphery end surface of the substrate W can be cleaned and a storage position where the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 is stored in the storage chamber 71. The moving mechanism 80 has, for example, a cylinder 81 connected to the bottom 70a of the storage chamber 70. A vertical drive rod 81a of the cylinder 81 extends upward within the storage chamber 71 and is connected to the support unit 64. It should be noted that the moving mechanism 80 is not limited to the cylinder 81. For example, the moving mechanism 80 may be configured to move the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 by a ball screw mechanism.

(Control Unit)
As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 100 is a computer that controls each part of the cleaning apparatus 1, and includes a storage unit that stores various information and programs related to substrate cleaning, and a processor that executes the various programs.

The control unit 100 controls each mechanism by outputting operation commands to the drive circuits that drive the opening and closing mechanisms of the doors of the loading/unloading entrance 12 and the work entrance 13 of the chamber 10, the opening and closing mechanism of the shielding unit 15, the rotation mechanism of the roller 20a of the rotation drive unit 20, the drive mechanisms 25, 26, the drive mechanism 42 of the brush drive unit 40, the supply mechanism of the cleaning liquid discharge unit 50, the oscillating mechanism 63 of the outer periphery cleaning unit 60, the supply mechanism and rotating mechanism of the cleaning liquid supply unit 66, the supply mechanism of the supply unit 72, the movement mechanism 80, etc.

The control unit 100 is connected to a display unit 110 and an input unit 120. The display unit 110 is an output device such as a display, lamp, meter, etc. that displays information for checking the status of the cleaning device 1 in a state that is visible to the operator. The input unit 120 is an input device such as a switch, touch panel, keyboard, mouse, etc. that allows the operator to operate the cleaning device 1 and input settings via the control unit 100.

The display unit 110 displays the status of the cleaning device 1. The input unit 120 can input instructions as to whether the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 should be in the cleaning position or the storage position. For example, the display unit 110, in which the input unit 120 is configured as a touch panel, can display buttons that prompt the user to input information, and the user can input the desired instructions by selecting the button.

More specifically, the control unit 100 is set to an operation mode for cleaning the substrate W and a maintenance mode for maintaining the cleaning device 1, and as shown in FIG. 7(A), the display unit 110 displays a button for selecting either mode.

When the operation mode is selected, as shown in FIG. 7(B), a start cleaning button and a storage button are displayed on the display unit 110. When the start cleaning button is selected, cleaning of the front and back surfaces of the substrate W and cleaning of the outer peripheral edge surface of the substrate W are performed.

If the front and back surfaces of the substrate W are to be cleaned but the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W is not to be cleaned, the accommodation button is selected. The control unit 100 then outputs an instruction to place the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 in the accommodation position, so that the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 is accommodated in the accommodation chamber 70. If the cleaning start button is then selected, the front and back surfaces of the substrate W are cleaned but the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W is not cleaned.

When the maintenance mode is selected, as shown in FIG. 7(C), a start maintenance button and an up button are displayed on the display unit 110. When the start maintenance button is selected, the door of the work entrance 13 opens.

When performing maintenance on the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 for the substrate W, the up button is selected. This causes the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 to rise from the storage chamber 70 and reach the cleaning position. After that, when the maintenance start button is selected, the door of the access port 13 opens.

In addition to the case where the button is operated, the control unit 100 can also be set to automatically and continuously clean the substrate W. In this case, the processing sequence can be programmed in advance (recipe setting), and when cleaning the substrate W, it can be selected whether or not to clean the edge of the substrate W.

[motion]
The operation of the cleaning device 1 configured as above will be described. In the initial state, the control unit 100 is in the operation mode, and the peripheral cleaning unit 60 is in the raised cleaning position. At this time, the opening 14 of the chamber 10 is closed by the support unit 64 that constitutes the lower end of the peripheral cleaning unit 60.

(Carrying in the board)
First, a description will be given of the operation of carrying in the substrate W. That is, in the previous step, ozone water is sprayed on the surface of the processed substrate W, and an oxide film is formed on the surface, which is hydrophilic. Organic contaminants (slurry, etc.) and metal contaminants remaining from the CMP step before the previous step are attached to the surface of the substrate W on which the oxide film is formed.

This means that the ozone water is supplied to the surface of the substrate W with contaminants still attached, meaning that an oxide film is formed with the contaminants still attached. Although ozone water has the ability to remove organic matter, this pre-process is not a process for removing organic matter, but rather a process aimed solely at making the front and back surfaces of the substrate W hydrophilic.

The transport robot takes the substrate W out from the previous process and transports it through the entrance 12 of the cleaning device 1 between the rollers 20a of the first holding unit 21 and the second holding unit 22, as shown in Figs. 3(A) and 4(A). The first holding unit 21 and the second holding unit 22 move in a direction approaching each other, as shown in Fig. 3(B). Then, the four rollers 20a move toward the substrate W and contact the outer periphery of the substrate W, thereby holding the substrate W.

At this time, the upper and lower arms 41 are in a standby state at standby positions outside the substrate W. Also, the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 is in the cleaning position, but the edge brush 61 is in a position adjacent to but spaced apart from the outer peripheral edge surface of the substrate W in the chamber 10.

(Cleaning the surface of the substrate)
Next, a description will be given of the cleaning operation of the substrate W. First, a description will be given of the operation of cleaning the outer peripheral edge surface of the substrate W when cleaning the front and back surfaces of the substrate W. When the operation mode displayed on the display unit 110 is selected and the button to start cleaning is selected (see FIGS. 7A and 7B), as shown in FIG. 3, the roller 20a rotates clockwise in the figure, thereby rotating the substrate W counterclockwise. Note that the black arrow in the figure indicates the rotation direction of the substrate W.

The upper and lower arms 41 in the standby position rotate the brushes 35 by the motor, and then swing to the outer periphery of the substrate W as shown in FIG. 5(A), and stop temporarily. Then, as the upper and lower arms 41 move toward the substrate W, the brushes 35 of the upper and lower cleaning units 30 come into contact with the front and back surfaces of the substrate W, as shown in FIG. 4(B), and thus sandwich the substrate W.

The upper and lower arms 41 rotate, causing the upper and lower brushes 35 to move horizontally. At this time, the nozzle 51 discharges cleaning liquid from its outlet, causing the cleaning liquid to flow between the brush 35 and the substrate W. In other words, as shown in Figures 5(A) and (B), the brush 35 starts moving from one side of the outer periphery of the substrate W, and as it moves along the arc indicated by the white arrow in the figure, it pushes contaminants together with the cleaning liquid to the outer periphery of the substrate W.

As shown in FIG. 5(C), when the brush 35 passes over the other side of the outer periphery of the substrate W and is removed from the substrate W, the brush 35 stops rotating, the nozzle 51 stops spraying the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning process ends.

The upper and lower arms 41 then move away from each other, causing the upper and lower brushes 35 to move away from each other, and the arms 41 then swing to retreat to a standby position outside the outer periphery of the substrate W. Note that the above operation may then be repeated to perform multiple cleaning operations using the brushes 35. In this case, after each cleaning, the arms 41 return to the position where the cleaning starts (see FIG. 5(A)).

When cleaning the front and back surfaces of the substrate W as described above, the outer peripheral edge surface of the substrate W is cleaned as follows. That is, as shown in Figures 5(A) and (B), while the substrate W rotates counterclockwise due to the rotation of the roller 20a and its front and back surfaces are cleaned by the brush 35, the edge brush 61 is rotated by the motor and moved by the oscillating mechanism 63 to the outer peripheral cleaning position where it comes into contact with the outer peripheral edge surface of the substrate W.

At the same time, the pillar 66a of the cleaning liquid supply unit 66 rotates, and the end of the liquid supply pipe 66c at the tip of the arm 66b moves above the edge brush 61 to supply cleaning liquid. As a result, the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W is cleaned by the rotating edge brush 61.

When cleaning of the front and back surfaces of the substrate W by the brush 35 is completed, as shown in FIG. 5(C), the end surface brush 61 is moved by the oscillating mechanism 63 to a position away from the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate W, and the supply of cleaning liquid by the cleaning liquid supply unit 66 is stopped.

When the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W is not to be cleaned, the operator selects the accommodation button displayed on the display unit 110 before selecting the cleaning start button. Then, as shown in Figures 6(A) and (B), the movement mechanism 80 is actuated, causing the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 to descend and pass through the opening 14, and to be accommodated in the accommodation chamber 70, as shown in Figure 6(C). Then, the opening 14 is closed by the shielding unit 15.

Then, when the operator selects the button to start cleaning, the brush 35 cleans the front and back surfaces of the substrate W as described above. At this time, the peripheral cleaning unit 60 is housed within the accommodation chamber 70, and the opening 14 is closed by the shielding unit 15, so that the cleaning liquid does not come into contact with the peripheral cleaning unit 60.

(maintenance)
When an operator performs maintenance on the cleaning device 1, the operator selects the maintenance mode button displayed on the display unit 110. Then, as described above, the movement mechanism 80 is actuated to accommodate the outer circumferential cleaning unit 60 in the accommodation chamber 70, and the opening 14 is closed by the shielding unit 15 (see FIG. 6 ).

When the worker selects the maintenance start button, the door of the access port 13 is opened by the opening/closing mechanism. This allows the worker to perform maintenance inside the chamber 10 through the access port 13. At this time, the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 is housed in the housing chamber 70, so it does not get in the way of the worker performing maintenance.

When an operator performs maintenance on the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60, the operator selects the up button. The opening and closing mechanism then opens the shielding unit 15, and the moving mechanism 80 raises the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 and moves it to a cleaning position above the bottom 10a of the chamber 10. This allows the operator to perform maintenance such as replacing the end brush 61.

(Cleaning the end brush)
Next, an operation for cleaning the end face brush 61 of the outer periphery cleaning part 60 housed in the housing chamber 70 will be described. When housed in the housing chamber 70, the end face brush 61 is in a self-cleaning position in which it contacts the inclined surface 65a of the brush cleaning part 65 by the swing mechanism 63, and the nozzle of the supply part 72 is in a position where the cleaning liquid can be supplied to the end face brush 61.

In this state, when cleaning liquid is supplied from the supply unit 72 while rotating the end brush 61, the side of the end brush 61 is cleaned as it is rubbed against the brush cleaning unit 65. The cleaning liquid that falls to the bottom of the storage chamber 70 is discharged from the discharge unit 73.

(effect)
(1) The cleaning apparatus 1 of this embodiment as described above comprises a chamber 10 having a cleaning chamber 11 for cleaning the substrate W carried in, a rotation drive unit 20 that rotates the substrate W by rotating a plurality of rollers 20a that hold the outer periphery of the substrate W within the cleaning chamber 11, a cleaning liquid discharge unit 50 that discharges a cleaning liquid onto the substrate W, a cleaning unit 30 that cleans at least one surface of the rotating substrate W by contacting a brush 35 with at least one surface of the substrate W, an outer periphery cleaning unit 60 that cleans the outer periphery edge surface of the substrate W by contacting an edge brush 61 with the outer periphery edge surface of the substrate W, an accommodating chamber 70 having an accommodating chamber 71 for accommodating the outer periphery cleaning unit 60, and a moving mechanism 80 that moves the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 between a cleaning position where it can clean the outer periphery edge surface and a accommodating position where it is accommodated in the accommodating chamber 71.

Therefore, by storing the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 in the storage chamber 70 during maintenance, the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 is prevented from coming into contact with the operator's hands and damaging the edge brushes 61. Furthermore, by storing the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 in the storage chamber 70 when the outer periphery edge of the substrate W is not being cleaned, the possibility of the cleaning liquid splashing onto the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 and adhering to the surface of the substrate W when cleaning the front and back surfaces of the substrate W is reduced.

(2) The accommodation chamber 70 is provided below the bottom 10a of the chamber 10. Therefore, the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 is accommodated at a position lower and away from the substrate W being cleaned, further reducing the possibility of the cleaning liquid adhering to the substrate W.

(3) This embodiment has a shielding section 15 that shields the storage chamber 71 from the cleaning chamber 11. This reliably prevents the cleaning liquid from adhering to the outer peripheral cleaning section 60 housed in the storage chamber 71.

(4) The chamber 10 has an entrance 12 for loading and unloading the substrate W and an access port 13 for maintenance, and the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 is provided on the access port 13 side. Therefore, even if the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 cannot be placed on the entrance 12 side for the substrate W and must be provided on the access port 13 side, the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 can be stored in the storage chamber 71 of the storage chamber 70 during maintenance, thereby reliably preventing it from getting in the way of workers.

(5) The outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 has a brush cleaning unit 65 that cleans the end surface brush 61 by contacting the end surface brush 61, and the accommodation chamber 71 is provided with a supply unit 72 that supplies cleaning liquid for cleaning the end surface brush 61 and a discharge unit 73 that discharges the cleaning liquid. Therefore, the end surface brush 61 of the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 accommodated in the accommodation chamber 71 can be cleaned by the brush cleaning unit 65 and the cleaning liquid.

(6) The supply unit 72 has a nozzle that ejects cleaning liquid onto the end face brush 61. Therefore, the end face brush 61 can be cleaned by ejecting cleaning liquid while the rotating end face brush 61 is held against the brush cleaning unit 65.

(7) It has a control unit 100 that controls the movement mechanism 80, a display unit 110 that displays the state of the cleaning device 1, and an input unit 120 that inputs an instruction as to whether the outer peripheral cleaning unit 60 is to be placed in the cleaning position or the storage position.

Therefore, an operator can check the status of the cleaning apparatus 1 using the display unit 110, and when the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 is in the cleaning position, use the input unit 120 to set the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 to the storage position, thereby preventing the cleaning liquid from hitting the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 when cleaning the front and back surfaces of the substrate W. In addition, when the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 is in the storage position, the operator can perform maintenance on the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 by using the input unit 120 to set the outer periphery cleaning unit 60 to the cleaning position.

(Modification)
This embodiment is not limited to the above-described aspects, and the following modified examples can also be configured.

(1) As shown in FIG. 8, the storage chamber 71 may be provided so that the end brush 61 can be immersed in the cleaning liquid. In other words, the storage chamber 71 is made waterproof so that the cleaning liquid supplied from the supply unit 72 can be stored at a position higher than the end brush 61. In this state, the end brush 61 can be cleaned by rotating the end brush 61 against the brush cleaning unit 65. The cleaning liquid can be kept constantly purified by adjusting the amount of liquid supplied by the supply unit 72 and the amount of liquid discharged by the discharge unit 73.

(2) The shielding part 15 may be configured as a single shutter that moves in one direction to open and close, rather than a pair of shutters. In addition, by forming the gap at the boundary between the opening 14 and the shielding part 15 into a curved labyrinth structure, the intrusion of the cleaning liquid into the storage chamber 71 can be further reduced. Furthermore, the shielding part 15 does not need to be provided at the opening 14. Even in this case, as long as it is contained within the storage chamber 71, adhesion of the cleaning liquid to the outer peripheral cleaning part 60 can be reduced.

(3) The number of rollers 20a is not limited to the above embodiment. The configuration of the cleaning unit 30 is also not limited to the above embodiment. For example, it may be configured to clean only one side of the substrate W with the brush 35.

[Other embodiments]
Although the embodiment of the present invention and the modified examples of each part have been described above, these embodiments and the modified examples of each part are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims.

1 Cleaning device 10 Chamber 10a Bottom 11 Cleaning chamber 12 Carry-out entrance 13 Work opening 14 Opening 15 Shielding section 20 Rotation drive section 20a Roller 21 First holding section 22 Second holding section 23 First drive section 24 Second drive section 25, 26 Drive mechanism 27 Guide member 28 Cylinder 30 Cleaning section 31 Body section 35 Brush 40 Brush drive section 41 Arm 42 Drive mechanism 50 Cleaning liquid discharge section 51 Nozzle 60 Outer periphery cleaning section 61 End face brush 62 Head section 63 Swing mechanism 64 Support section 65 Brush cleaning section 65a Inclined surface 66 Cleaning liquid supply section 66a Pillar section 66b Arm 66c Liquid supply pipe 70 Storage chamber 70a Bottom 71 Storage chamber 72 Supply section 73 Discharge section 80 Movement mechanism 81 Cylinder 81a Drive rod 100 Control unit 110 Display unit 120 Input unit

Claims (7)

a chamber having a cleaning chamber for cleaning the substrate carried therein;
a rotation drive unit that rotates a plurality of rollers that hold an outer periphery of the substrate in the cleaning chamber to rotate the substrate;
a cleaning liquid discharge unit that discharges a cleaning liquid onto the substrate;
a cleaning unit that cleans at least one surface of the rotating substrate by bringing a brush into contact with the surface of the substrate;
an outer periphery cleaning unit that cleans the outer periphery end surface of the substrate by bringing an end surface brush into contact with the outer periphery end surface of the substrate;
a housing chamber having a housing chamber for housing the outer circumferential cleaning unit;
a moving mechanism that moves the outer periphery cleaning unit between a cleaning position where the outer periphery end surface can be cleaned and a housing position where the outer periphery cleaning unit is housed in the housing chamber;
a shielding portion that shields the storage chamber from the cleaning chamber;
A cleaning device comprising: The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage chamber is provided below the bottom of the chamber. the chamber has an entrance for loading and unloading the substrate and an access for maintenance;
3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the outer circumferential cleaning section is provided on the side of the access port. the outer periphery cleaning unit has a brush cleaning unit that cleans the end face brush by contacting the end face brush,
The storage chamber includes:
A supply unit that supplies a cleaning liquid for cleaning the end surface brush;
A discharge section for discharging the cleaning liquid;
4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. The cleaning device according to claim 4 , wherein the supply unit has a nozzle for discharging the cleaning liquid onto the end face brush. 5. The cleaning device according to claim 4 , wherein the accommodation chamber is provided so that the end surface brush can be immersed in the cleaning liquid. A control unit that controls the movement mechanism;
A display unit that displays information indicating a state of the cleaning device;
an input unit for inputting an instruction as to whether the outer circumferential cleaning unit is to be placed in the storage position or the cleaning position;
7. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

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