Abstract: A blocking plate is disposed to face a substrate which is held by substrate holding device. A processing fluid is supplied to a surface of the substrate while supplying inert gas into a space between the substrate and the blocking plate. Since the inert gas flows along the surface of the substrate within the space between the substrate and the blocking plate, no turbulence which whirls upward is created at the surface of the substrate. This prevents the pollutants from adhering to the substrate and improves the quality of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing unit having a substrate processing section for processing a substrate held therein while supplying a process fluid to the substrate; an enclosure enclosing the substrate processing section and having an opening, formed in a side wall thereof, through which the substrate is carried in and out of the substrate processing section; a process fluid pipe through which the process fluid is supplied to the substrate held in the processing section; and a connector section for connecting the process fluid pipe to an external process fluid source. The connector section is provided on a side wall of the enclosure opposite across the substrate processing section from the side wall formed with the opening. A substrate processing apparatus is constituted by a plurality of such substrate processing units which are arranged with the openings thereof being oriented in substantially the same direction.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes a loader 1 for soaking a plurality of wafers W in deionized water, a back surface cleaning portion 2, a front surface cleaning portion 3, a rinsing and drying unit 4 and a plurality of transporting units 6. The back surface cleaning unit 2 cleans the back surface of the wafer W with a brush from the lower side by supplying deionized water to the wafer W that is removed from the loader 1. The front surface cleaning unit 3 cleans the upper surface of the wafer W with a brush by supplying deionized water to the wafer W cleaned by the back surface cleaning unit 2. The rinsing and drying unit 4 rinses the cleaned wafer W and then dries it.

Abstract: A wafer cleaning method and apparatus in which a cleaning solution is caused to evaporate at a temperature below its boiling point, and cleaning vapor thus produced is applied at a temperature above its dew point to a wafer such as a semiconductor wafer. The wafer is cleaned without formation of colloidal silica in the absence of aerosol, or etched uniformly free of impurities. The wafer cleaning apparatus comprises a cleaning solution storage, a vapor generating section, a wafer supporting position of a wafer supporting device and a vapor supply section. These components are arranged in a housing to overlap one another in plan view and to lie vertically close to one another. The apparatus has a compact overall construction with simplified seals for preventing leakage of the cleaning vapor.

Abstract: A wafer cleaning method and apparatus in which a cleaning solution is caused to evaporate at a temperature below its boiling point, and cleaning vapor thus produced is applied at a temperature above its dew point to a wafer such as a semiconductor wafer. The wafer is cleaned without formation of colloidal silica in the absence of aerosol, or etched uniformly free of impurities. The wafer cleaning apparatus comprises a cleaning solution storage, a vapor generating section, a wafer supporting position of a wafer supporting device and a vapor supply section. These components are arranged in a housing to overlap one another in plan view and to lie vertically close to one another. The apparatus has a compact overall construction with simplified seals for preventing leakage of the cleaning vapor.

Abstract: A wafer holding mechanism horizontally holds, one at a time, wafers which are sequentially transported thereto. Wafers are treated with liquids such as an etchant, rinsing liquid, and the like, at the same time that the wafer is rotated at a high speed. The mechanism includes a hollow rotary shaft having an upper end thrust into a housing, a rotary plate horizontally mounted on the upper end of the rotary shaft, chuck pieces provided on the rotary plate for holding an outer peripheral edge of the wafer, the chuck pieces being movable in the radial direction of the rotating plate between a holding position wherein the wafer is tightly held by the chuck pieces and a release position wherein the wafer is free to be removed from the chuck pieces.