Apparatus and methods for cleaning and drying of wafers

Abstract

An first example method and apparatus for etching and cleaning a substrate comprises device with a first manifold and a second manifold. The first manifold has a plurality of nozzles for dispensing chemicals onto the substrate. The second manifold is attached to a vacuum source and/or a dry air/gas source. A second example embodiment is a wafer cleaning device and method that uses a manifold with capillary jet nozzles and a liquid capillary jet stream to clean substrates.

1 . A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate comprising:
 a first manifold and a second manifold, the first and second manifolds are spaced apart;   a liquid source for supplying a liquid to said first manifold, wherein said first manifold is provided with a first bottom, the first bottom of said first manifold is provided with a plurality of spaced first nozzles through which said liquid passes onto a substrate; and   a gas source for supplying gases to said second manifold, wherein said second manifold is provided with a second bottom; the second bottom of said second manifold provided with a plurality of spaced second nozzles through which said gases pass onto the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprises:
 a support for mounting a substrate beneath said first and second manifolds; and 
 a mechanism for transporting the substrate in a first direction under said first and second manifolds, while said first and second manifolds remain stationary. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said transporting mechanism comprises a wafer transporter, belt or track, and said first and second manifolds are spaced from and approximately parallel to said transporting mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein either the substrate moves, and the first and second manifolds are stationary; or the substrate is stationary and the first and second manifolds move. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a retraction mechanism for moving said first and second manifolds across the entire substrate in a first direction and back in an opposite direction, said retraction mechanism having a center passageway connected to said first and second nozzles. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first and second manifolds have an elongated shape and are spaced apart, and approximately parallel. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first nozzles directs a jet or stream of said liquid onto an entire top surface of said substrate at an angle of incidence with respect to said surface of said substrate of not more than about  10  degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the first and second nozzles comprises capillary jet nozzles or capillary tubes having an opening with a size diameter less than or equal to about 0.1 micron. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said jet or stream coming out of the capillary jet nozzles or capillary tubes is small/sharp enough to dislodge similar sized particles on each area of the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first manifold has a width at least as wide as the substrate, and is connected to a first shaft that is connected to said liquid source. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said second manifold has a width at least as wide as the substrate and is connected to a second shaft that is connected to said gas source. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said gas source is adapted to supply either negative or positive pressure to said second nozzles. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said first manifold is moved in a first pass over an entire top surface of the substrate while dispensing said liquid through said first nozzles over the entire top surface of said substrate and said second manifold is moved over the entire top surface of the substrate while removing said liquid by a suction/vacuum and/or blowing gas passing through said second nozzles. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said liquid source is adapted to supply chemical comprising H 2 O, DHF, SC1, SC2 or any other chemicals used for etching and cleaning. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a rotatable spindle. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the rotatable spindle is operatively connected to an electric motor, and a speed controller is operatively connected to the motor for rotating the spindle at a selected variable speed. 
     
     
         18 . A device comprising:
 a substrate chuck for supporting a substrate;   a manifold having a central passageway in communication with spaced apart nozzles;   a liquid source that supplies a liquid to said manifold; and   a retraction mechanism for moving said manifold over said substrate relative to said substrate chuck.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein said manifold comprises an about round shape, and said retraction mechanism has a center passage way connected to said spaced apart nozzles, wherein said nozzles have openings with a diameter of less than  10  micron. 
     
     
         20 . A device for cleaning a substrate comprising:
 a first manifold connected to a liquid source for supplying the same liquid onto an entire top surface of a substrate to clean the substrate; and   a second manifold spaced parallel and apart from said first manifold, said second manifold connected to a gas source for supplying negative or positive pressure gases to said second manifold to remove the liquid from the top surface of the substrate by a suction/vacuum and/or blowing gas, wherein said first manifold is provided with a first bottom having a plurality of spaced first nozzles through which said liquid passes onto the substrate and wherein said second manifold is provided with a second bottom having a plurality of spaced second nozzles through which liquid is sucked away from the substrate by negative pressure gases or positive pressure gases pass onto the substrate.