Post CMP scrubbing of substrates

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus is provided for brush cleaning a surface of a substrate. The apparatus comprises a first brush having a first surface geometry adapted to scrub a major surface of the substrate, and a second brush having a second surface geometry different from the first surface geometry and adapted to scrub the major surface of the substrate. In one aspect the cleaning apparatus comprises a first scrubbing apparatus having at least one brush with a profiled surface geometry, adapted to scrub a major surface of a substrate, and a second scrubbing apparatus having at least one brush with a smooth surface geometry, adapted to scrub a major surface of a substrate. Numerous other aspects are provided.

1 . A cleaning apparatus for brush cleaning a surface of a substrate, comprising: 
 a first brush having a first surface geometry adapted to scrub a major surface of the substrate; and    a second brush having a second surface geometry different from the first surface geometry and adapted to scrub the major surface of the substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface geometry is profiled and the second surface geometry is smooth.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface geometry is smooth, and the second surface geometry is profiled.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus is adapted such that the first brush and the second brush are positioned for sequential application to a substrate.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first brush and the second brush comprises a plurality of raised nodules and the other of the first and the second brush has a smooth surface.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller adapted to cause delivery of a first fluid to the first brush, and a second fluid to the second brush.  
   
   
       7 . A cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 a first scrubbing apparatus having at least one brush with a profiled surface geometry, adapted to scrub a major surface of a substrate; and    a second scrubbing apparatus having at least one brush with a smooth surface geometry, adapted to scrub a major surface of a substrate.    
   
   
       8 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one brush of the first scrubbing apparatus is a roller brush, and wherein the at least one brush of the second scrubbing apparatus is a roller brush.  
   
   
       9 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the profiled surface geometry comprises nodules.  
   
   
       10 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first and the second scrubbing apparatuses are each adapted to scrub the first major surface of a substrate and a second major surface of the substrate simultaneously.  
   
   
       11 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first and the second scrubbing apparatuses are each adapted to scrub a vertically oriented substrate.  
   
   
       12 . A method of cleaning a substrate comprising: 
 scrubbing a first surface of the substrate with a brush having a first surface geometry; and then scrubbing the first surface of the substrate with a brush having a second surface geometry, wherein the first and the second surface geometries are different.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first surface geometry is profiled and the second surface geometry is smooth.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first surface geometry is smooth and the second surface geometry is profiled.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein scrubbing with the brush having the smooth surface geometry comprises trapping a cleaning fluid between the first surface of the substrate and the brush having the smooth surface geometry.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a first cleaning fluid is applied while scrubbing with the brush having the first surface geometry, and a second cleaning fluid is applied while scrubbing with the brush having the second surface geometry.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a first concentration of a first cleaning fluid is applied while scrubbing with the brush having the first surface geometry and a second concentration of the first cleaning fluid is applied while scrubbing with the brush having the second surface geometry.