Substrate cleaning apparatus and substrate cleaning method

Abstract

There is provided a substrate cleaning apparatus capable of highly effective self-cleaning of a cleaning tool in a short time period. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning tool for cleaning a substrate while in contact with a surface of the substrate, a self-cleaning member for self-cleaning the cleaning tool while in contact with the cleaning tool, a rotation mechanism for rotating the cleaning tool, and a holding mechanism for holding the cleaning tool, the holding mechanism being capable of pressing the cleaning tool against the substrate and pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member. The substrate cleaning apparatus also includes a controller which controls pressing force for the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member such that self-cleaning torque, with which the rotation mechanism rotates the cleaning tool at the time of self-cleaning of the cleaning tool, is prescribed torque equal to or more than substrate cleaning torque, with which the rotation mechanism rotates the cleaning tool when the cleaning tool cleans the substrate.

1 . A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a cleaning tool for cleaning a substrate while in contact with a surface of the substrate;   a self-cleaning member for self-cleaning the cleaning tool while in contact with the cleaning tool;   a rotation mechanism for rotating the cleaning tool;   a holding mechanism which holds the cleaning tool, the holding mechanism being capable of pressing the cleaning tool against the substrate and pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member; and   a controller which controls pressing force for the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member such that torque, with which the rotation mechanism rotates the cleaning tool when the cleaning tool is in contact with the self-cleaning member, is prescribed torque equal to or more than substrate cleaning torque, with which the rotation mechanism rotates the cleaning tool when the cleaning tool cleans the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . A substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller, when the cleaning tool is in contact with the self-cleaning member, controls the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with first pressing force when the cleaning tool is rotating at a first rotational speed and controls the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with second pressing force larger than the first pressing force when the cleaning tool is rotating at a second rotational speed higher than the first rotational speed.   
     
     
         3 . A substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller, when the cleaning tool is in contact with the self-cleaning member in liquid or with supply of the liquid, controls the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with first pressing force when the liquid is at a first temperature and controls the holding mechanism such that the cleaning tool is pressed against the self-cleaning member with second pressing force larger than the first pressing force when the liquid is at a second temperature higher than the first temperature.   
     
     
         4 . A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a cleaning tool for cleaning a substrate while in contact with a surface of the substrate;   a first self-cleaning member for self-cleaning the cleaning tool while in contact with the cleaning tool, the first self-cleaning member being formed of a first material; and   a second self-cleaning member for self-cleaning the cleaning tool while in contact with the cleaning tool, the second self-cleaning member being formed of a second material,   wherein the substrate cleaning apparatus selects one of the first self-cleaning member and the second self-cleaning member on the basis of external input, and self-cleans the cleaning tool by bringing the cleaning tool into contact with the selected self-cleaning member.   
     
     
         5 . A substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the controller self-cleans the cleaning tool by bringing the cleaning tool into contact with the first self-cleaning member and then bringing the cleaning tool into contact with the second self-cleaning member.   
     
     
         6 . The substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the first material is a material in which surface free energy has a larger hydrogen-bonding component and a smaller dispersion force component than the second material at the time of self-cleaning the cleaning tool. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the first material is an inorganic oxide-based material or a first organic polymer-based material which has a polar group in a molecular structure, and   the second material is a second organic polymer-based material which is non-polar.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the self-cleaning of the cleaning tool comprises short-time self-cleaning of first duration and long-time self-cleaning of second duration longer than the first duration, and   ultrapure water is used in the short-time self-cleaning, and an ultrapure water rinse is used after chemical solution processing or only ultrapure water processing is performed in the long-time self-cleaning.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bath in which liquid is stored and which houses the self-cleaning member; and   a vibration module which gives ultrasound vibration to the liquid.   
     
     
         10 . The substrate cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a jetting module which jets gas or liquid toward the cleaning tool when the cleaning tool is self-cleaned.   
     
     
         11 . A substrate cleaning method comprising:
 a cleaning step of cleaning a substrate by rotating a cleaning tool and bringing the cleaning tool into contact with a surface of the substrate; and   a self-cleaning step of self-cleaning the cleaning tool by rotating the cleaning tool and bringing the cleaning tool into contact with a self-cleaning member,   wherein the self-cleaning step comprises controlling pressing force for the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member such that torque which rotates the cleaning tool is prescribed torque equal to or more than substrate cleaning torque which rotates the cleaning tool in the cleaning step.   
     
     
         12 . A substrate cleaning method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the self-cleaning step comprises pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member with first pressing force when the cleaning tool is rotating at a first rotational speed and pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member with second pressing force larger than the first pressing force when the cleaning tool is rotating at a second rotational speed higher than the first rotational speed.   
     
     
         13 . A substrate cleaning method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the self-cleaning step comprises pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member with first pressing force when the liquid is at a first temperature and pressing the cleaning tool against the self-cleaning member with second pressing force larger than the first pressing force when the liquid is at a second temperature higher than the first temperature.   
     
     
         14 . A substrate cleaning method comprising:
 a cleaning step of cleaning a substrate by rotating a cleaning tool and bringing the cleaning tool into contact with a surface of the substrate;   a selection step of selecting one of a first self-cleaning member which is formed of a first material and a second self-cleaning member which is formed of a second material, on the basis of external input; and   a self-cleaning step of self-cleaning the cleaning tool by rotating the cleaning tool and bringing the cleaning tool into contact with the self-cleaning member selected in the selection step.   
     
     
         15 . A substrate cleaning method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the self-cleaning step comprises
 a first self-cleaning step of self-cleaning the cleaning tool by rotating the cleaning tool and bringing the cleaning tool into contact with a first self-cleaning member which is formed of a first material; and 
 a second self-cleaning step of, after the first self-cleaning step, self-cleaning the cleaning tool by rotating the cleaning tool and bringing the cleaning tool into contact with a second self-cleaning member which is formed of a second material.