Methods for Confinement of Foam Delivered by a Proximity Head

Abstract

A method suctions liquid from an upper surface of a substrate as the substrate is transported by a carrier under a head in a chamber. This operation is performed by the first section of the head. The method causes a first film of cleaning foam to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate proceeds under the head. This operation is performed by a second section which is contiguous to the first section in the head. The method causes a second film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate is carried under the head. This rinsing operation is performed by a third section which is contiguous to the second section in the head and which is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
 suctioning liquid from an upper surface of a substrate as the substrate is transported by a carrier under a head in a chamber, wherein the carrier includes pins on which the substrate rests and which exposes surfaces of the substrate and wherein this suctioning operation is performed by the first section of the head;   causing a first film of cleaning foam to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate proceeds under the head, wherein this cleaning operation is performed by a second section which is contiguous to the first section in the head; and   causing a second film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate is carried under the head, wherein this rinsing operation is performed by a third section which is contiguous to the second section in the head and which is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section and wherein the third section and the first section create a confinement of the cleaning foam with respect to the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the second section includes one or more input channels for delivering the first film of cleaning foam and one or more output channels for removing the first film of cleaning foam. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the input and output channels are arranged to cause the first film to flow in a radial pattern across the upper surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein each of the input channels in the second section includes an edge that projects over the mouth of the input channel. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein a group of the input channels are located at the bottom of one side of a triangular reservoir fed by a main passage above the intersection of the other two sides. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 2 , further comprising an operation of:
 causing a third film of cleaning foam to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate proceeds under the head, wherein this cleaning operation is performed by a third section included in the head, contiguous to the second section, and wherein the cleaning foam in the third film has a composition which differs from the composition of the cleaning foam in the first film.   
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 6 , wherein the input and output channels of both the second section and the third section are arranged to cause cleaning foam to flow in radial patterns across the upper surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning foam comprises a liquid, a gas, and a surfactant. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a semiconductor wafer. 
     
     
         10 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
 suctioning liquid from an upper surface of a substrate as the substrate is transported by a carrier under a head in a chamber, wherein the carrier includes pins on which the substrate rests and which exposes surfaces of the substrate and wherein this suctioning operation is performed by the first section of the head;   causing a first film of cleaning foam to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate proceeds under the head, wherein this cleaning operation is performed by a second section which is contiguous to the first section in the head and wherein a group of the input channels are located below a horizontal triangular reservoir fed by a main passage above an intersection of the other two sides of the triangular reservoir; and   causing a second film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate is carried under the head, wherein this rinsing operation is performed by a third section which is contiguous to the second section in the head and which is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section and wherein the third section and the first section create a confinement of the cleaning foam with respect to the chamber.   
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the second section includes one or more input channels for delivering the first film of cleaning foam and one or more output channels for removing the first film of cleaning foam. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein the input and output channels are arranged to cause the first film to flow in a radial pattern across the upper surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein each of the input channels in the second section includes an edge that projects over the mouth of the input channel. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein a group of the input channels are located at the bottom of one side of a triangular reservoir fed by a main passage above the intersection of the other two sides. 
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 11 , further comprising an operation of:
 causing a third film of cleaning foam to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate proceeds under the head, wherein this cleaning operation is performed by a third section included in the head, contiguous to the second section, and wherein the cleaning foam in the third film has a composition which differs from the composition of the cleaning foam in the first film.   
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the input and output channels of both the second section and the third section are arranged to cause cleaning foam to flow in radial patterns across the upper surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the cleaning foam comprises a liquid, a gas, and a surfactant. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the substrate is a semiconductor wafer. 
     
     
         19 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising:
 suctioning liquid from an upper surface of a substrate as the substrate is transported by a carrier under a head in a chamber, wherein the carrier includes pins on which the substrate rests and which exposes surfaces of the substrate and wherein this suctioning operation is performed by the first section of the head;   causing a film of cleaning foam to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate proceeds under the head, wherein this cleaning operation is performed by a second section which is contiguous to the first section in the head, wherein the cleaning foam is a non-Newtonian fluid with a viscosity in a range of about 200-2000 centipoise (cP); and   causing a film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate is carried under the head, wherein this rinsing operation is performed by a third section which is contiguous to the second section in the head and which is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section and wherein the third section and the first section create a confinement of the cleaning foam with respect to the chamber.   
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 19 , wherein the cleaning foam comprises a liquid, a gas, and a surfactant.