SUPPORTER AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SUBSTRATES WITH THE SUPPORTER, AND METHOD FOR CLEANING SUBSTRATES

Abstract

Provided are a supporter and a substrate cleaning apparatus including the supporter, and a method for cleaning substrates. In the apparatus, a guide plate is provided close to an outer surface of an outermost substrate among substrates arranged in a cleaning process. The guide plate is shaped such that cleaning liquid injected toward a lower edge of the outermost substrate flows to an upper edge of the outermost substrate in a substantially vertical direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional supporter;

FIG. 2 illustrates flow paths of cleaning liquid supplied to a wafer when the supporter of FIG. 1 is used;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross sectional views illustrating a substrate cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a supporter of the substrate cleaning apparatus depicted in FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the supporter depicted in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views illustrating flow paths of cleaning liquid comparing the case where the supporter of FIG. 1 is used and the case where the supporter of FIG. 5 is used; and

FIG. 9 shows a process error resulting from the use of the supporter of FIG. 1.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning substrates, comprising: a treating room;a supporter disposed in the treating room during a process, the supporter arranged and structured to support the substrates in a row in an upright position; anda liquid supplying member disposed in the treating room under the supporter for injecting cleaning liquid onto the substrates,wherein the supporter comprises: a plurality of supporting rods including slots for receiving edges of the substrates, the supporting rods comprising a first end slot, a second end slot, and interior slots;a fixing plate adapted to connect the supporting rods and adapted to fix the supporter to the treating room during a process; anda first guide plate mounted at a side of the first end slot of the slots of the supporting rods, the first guide plate adapted to allow the cleaning liquid injected under the substrates to substantially vertically flow along an outer surface of an outermost substrate inserted into the first end slot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first guide plate has a width equal to or larger than about half the diameter of the substrates.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first guide plate has a length equal to or larger than about ¾ of the diameter of the substrates.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the width and length of the first guide plate are smaller than the diameter of the substrates.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the width of the first guide plate is substantially uniform in a length direction of the first guide plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first guide plate and the outermost substrate inserted into the first end slot is equal to a distance between each of the substrates inserted into the interior slots.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first guide plate is shaped such that cleaning liquid injected toward a lower edge of the outermost substrate flows to an upper edge of the outermost substrate in a substantially vertical direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supporter further comprises: another fixing plate, the two fixing plates being respectively provided on both sides of the supporting rods; anda second guide plate, the second guide plate being provided at the outermost side of the outermost substrate of the substrates mounted on the supporting rods, wherein the second guide plate is mounted at a side of the second end slot.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first guide plate is fixedly mounted on the supporter.

10. A method for cleaning substrates arranged in a row in a substantially upright position by supplying cleaning liquid to the substrate, the method comprising providing a guide plate close to an outer surface of an outermost substrate of the substrates to allow cleaning liquid injected toward a lower edge of the outermost substrate to substantially vertically flow along the outer surface of the outermost substrate in an upward direction.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing another guide plate close to an outer surface of the other outermost substrate of the arranged substrates.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the guide plate has a width equal to or larger than about ½ of the diameter of the substrates and a length equal to or larger than about ¾ of the diameter of the substrates.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the guide plate has a substantially uniform width in a length direction of the guide plate.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the guide plate is fixedly mounted on a supporter supporting the substrates.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the cleaning liquid is a chemical solution or rinsing liquid.

16. A supporter for supporting a plurality of substrates in a row in an upright position, the supporter comprising: a plurality of supporting rods formed with slots for receiving edges of the substrates; anda guide plate mounted close to outermost slots of the slots of the supporting rods, the guide plate adapted to allow cleaning liquid injected under the substrates to substantially vertically and upwardly flow along an outer surface of an outermost substrate inserted into the outermost slots.

17. The supporter of claim 16, wherein the guide plate has a width equal to or larger than about 1/2 of the diameter of the substrates and a length equal to or larger than about ⅔ of the diameter of the substrates.

18. The supporter of claim 16, wherein a distance between the guide plate and the outermost substrate inserted into the outermost slots is equal to a distance between the substrates inserted into interior slots.

19. The supporter of claim 16, further comprising a fixing plate, the fixing plate including a connecting plate connecting ends of the supporting rods and an elongated fixing rod extending upward from the connecting plate.

20. The supporter of claim 16, wherein the guide plate comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.