Wafer edge cleaning

Abstract

In a first aspect, an apparatus for cleaning a thin disk is provided. The apparatus includes (1) a plurality of support rollers adapted to support an edge of the thin disk as the thin disk rotates within a first plane; and (2) an edge-cleaning roller adapted to rotate within a second plane oriented at a first non-zero angle to the first plane, so as to contact an edge bevel of the thin disk while so rotating. Numerous other aspects are provided.

1 . An apparatus for cleaning a thin disk comprising: 
 a plurality of support rollers adapted to support an edge of the thin disk as the thin disk rotates within a first plane; and    an edge-cleaning roller adapted to rotate within a second plane oriented at a first non-zero angle to the first plane, so as to contact an edge bevel of the thin disk while so rotating.    
     
     
         2 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-cleaning roller comprises an abrasive material adapted to contact the edge bevel of the thin disk.  
     
     
         3 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first non-zero angle is sufficiently large such that an area on the edge cleaning roller of contact between an abrasive material of the edge cleaning roller and the beveled edge of the thin disk is greater than would be the case if the second plane were oriented at an angle of zero relative to the first plane.  
     
     
         4 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first non-zero angle is at least ten degrees.  
     
     
         5 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first non-zero angle is thirty degrees or less.  
     
     
         6 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of support rollers rotates within the first plane while supporting the edge of the thin disk.  
     
     
         7 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a scrubber brush for contacting a major surface of a thin disk supported by the plurality of support rollers.  
     
     
         8 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the edge cleaning roller that contacts the edge bevel of the thin disk is adapted to rotate at a different speed relative to the edge bevel of the thin disk so as to both contact the edge bevel and slide thereagainst during cleaning of the thin disk.  
     
     
         9 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the edge-cleaning roller that contacts the edge bevel of the thin disk is adapted to rotate at a different speed relative to the edge bevel of the thin disk while at least one of the plurality of support rollers matches a speed of rotation of the edge bevel where the one support roller contacts the edge bevel.  
     
     
         10 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a roller drive apparatus adapted to drive the edge-cleaning roller and at least one of the plurality of support rollers at different rates of rotation.  
     
     
         11 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first motor for driving the edge-cleaning roller and a second motor for driving at least one of the plurality of support rollers.  
     
     
         12 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the roller drive apparatus comprises a first motor for driving the edge-cleaning roller and a second motor for driving the at least one of the plurality of support rollers.  
     
     
         13 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the edge-cleaning roller is further adapted to selectively match a speed of rotation of the edge bevel where the edge-cleaning roller contacts the edge bevel during cleaning of the thin disk.  
     
     
         14 . The disk cleaning apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the edge-cleaning roller is adapted to toggle between a unmatched speed mode and a speed matching mode relative to a speed of rotation of the edge bevel while at least one of the support rollers remains in a speed matching mode relative to the speed of rotation of the edge bevel.  
     
     
         15 . A support roller for supporting a rotating wafer within a wafer cleaner, comprising: 
 a guide portion, for receiving an edge of a wafer, having an inclined surface comprising a low-friction material and adapted to allow the wafer edge to slide thereagainst; and    an edge-trap portion for retaining the edge of the wafer and having a transverse surface comprising a high-friction material and adapted, when in communication with the edge of the wafer, to resist sliding thereagainst.    
     
     
         16 . The support roller of  claim 15 , wherein the edge-trap portion comprises a slot having a bottom comprising the transverse surface.  
     
     
         17 . The support roller of  claim 16 , wherein the slot comprises slot walls located at opposite sides of the transverse surface, each slot wall having a substantially straight portion.  
     
     
         18 . The support roller of  claim 17 , wherein the substantially straight portions are parallel to each other.  
     
     
         19 . The support roller of  claim 15 , wherein the transverse surface is cylindrical.  
     
     
         20 . The support roller of  claim 15 , wherein the transverse surface comprises a frictional insert adapted to be incorporated within the roller.  
     
     
         21 . A side-contact roller for contacting one or more major surfaces of a wafer rotating within a wafer cleaner, comprising: 
 a guide portion, for receiving an edge of a wafer, having an inclined surface comprising a low-friction material and adapted to allow the wafer edge to slide thereagainst; and    an edge-trap portion for retaining the edge of the wafer and having a planar surface comprising a high-friction material and adapted, when in communication with a major surface of the wafer, to resist sliding thereagainst.    
     
     
         22 . The side contact roller of  claim 21 , wherein the edge-trap portion comprises a slot, and wherein the planar surface comprises a side wall of the slot.  
     
     
         23 . The support roller of  claim 21 , wherein the planar surface comprises a frictional insert adapted to be incorporated within the roller.  
     
     
         24 . A method of cleaning an edge of a wafer, the method comprising: 
 providing an edge cleaning roller having a first inclined frictional surface for cleaning an edge corner of a wafer rotating within a first plane; and    causing the edge cleaning roller to rotate within a second plane at an angle to the first plane while the inclined frictional surface contacts and cleans the edge corner.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein causing the edge cleaning roller to rotate within a second plane at an angle to the first plane while the inclined frictional surface contacts and cleans the edge corner comprises: 
 orienting the second plane at an angle to the first plane such that a line formed by an intersection between the first and the second planes is disposed perpendicular to a line drawn tangent to the edge of the wafer.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein causing the edge cleaning roller to rotate within a second plane at an angle to the first plane while the inclined frictional surface contacts and cleans the edge corner comprises: 
 orienting the second plane at an angle to the first plane such that a line formed by an intersection between the first and the second planes is disposed parallel to a line drawn tangent to the edge of the wafer.    
     
     
         27 . A method of cleaning an edge of a wafer, the method comprising: 
 providing a roller for cleaning an edge of a wafer rotating within a first plane; and    causing the roller to rotate within a second plane at an angle to the first plane such that the roller cleans the edge of the wafer.