Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Using solid work treating agents
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-19
2001-07-17
Markoff, Alexander (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Using solid work treating agents
C134S026000, C134S032000, C134S033000, C134S034000, C134S902000, C015S077000, C015S097100, C015S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261378
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning unit and a method for cleaning a substrate such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) glass substrate or a semiconductor wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, when a liquid crystal display is fabricated a sequence of processes using photolithography technology is used for forming an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) thin film and an electrode pattern on a LCD substrate (glass substrate) in the same manner as the fabrication of semiconductor devices. In the photolithography process, a circuit pattern is reduced. The reduced circuit pattern is transferred to photoresist. The resultant photoresist is developed.
In such a sequence of processes, resist solution is coated on a glass substrate. Thereafter, an exposing process and a developing process are performed. Before such processes are performed, it is necessary to clean the front surface of the glass substrate on which the resist solution is coated so as to prevent a defective circuit pattern, wiring short-circuit, out-of-focus state in the exposing process, and particles from taking place.
Thus, in a resist coating and developing system, a cleaning unit is disposed. In a conventional cleaning unit, an arm is disposed on one side of a glass substrate held by a holding means such as a spin chuck. While the glass substrate is rotated, a brush or a nozzle disposed at the edge of the arm is moved to an upper position of the upper surface of the glass substrate so as to clean the front surface of the substrate. The cleaning operation using the brush is referred to as scrubber cleaning operation. The cleaning operation using the nozzle is referred to as mega-sonic cleaning operation.
However, in the conventional cleaning unit, since the arm is held on one side thereof, the strength of the cleaning unit is weak. In particular, as the size of LCD panels becomes large, the cleaning area becomes large. Thus, the length of the arm should be increased. However, when the length of the arm becomes large, the arm further weakens. Moreover, in most conventional cleaning units, only one brush or nozzle is disposed at the edge of the arm. Thus, the cleaning areas of the conventional cleaning units are not wide. In other words, it takes a long time to clean the entire front surface of a glass substrate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning means that is stronger than a conventional cleaning means.
A first aspect of the present invention is a cleaning unit for cleaning a substrate, comprising a holding mechanism for rotatably and horizontally holding the substrate, a first traveling means for holding both sides of a cleaning mechanism having at least one cleaning member and for moving the cleaning mechanism in such a manner that the first traveling means is kept in parallel with the substrate held by the holding mechanism, and a second traveling means for holding both sides of a processing solution supplying mechanism having supplying mechanisms for supplying different types of processing solution and for moving the cleaning mechanism in such a manner that the second traveling means is kept in parallel with the substrate held by the holding mechanism. Thus, the process of a cleaning mechanism and the process of a processing solution supplying mechanism can be equally performed for the entire area of the substrate. Consequently, the size of the cleaning means can be increased for large glass substrates that are currently available and those that will be available in future. Thus, the cleaning area can be widened. Consequently, the yield of the substrates can be improved.
A second aspect of the present invention is a method for cleaning a substrate, comprising the steps of (a) moving a cleaning member on the front surface of the substrate in such a manner that the cleaning member is kept in parallel with the substrate that is horizontally held and that the cleaning member pressures the front surface of the substrate with a predetermined pressure so as to clean the front surface of the substrate, and (b) causing a processing solution supplying member to travel on the front surface of the substrate and supply different types of processing solution to the front surface of the substrate at a time in such a manner that the processing solution supplying member is kept in parallel with the substrate so as to clean the front surface of the substrate. Thus, the cleaning process can be equally performed for the entire area of a processing surface of the substrate. The equality of the process can be maintained for large glass substrates that are currently available and those that will be available in future. Consequently, the yield for the entire surface of the substrate or the yield against an error among each substrate can be improved.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
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Hashimoto Hiroshi
Matsuda Yoshitaka
Satou Fumio
Uchihira Norio
Yoshida Masaaki
Markoff Alexander
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
Tokyo Electron Limited
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