| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foreign matter removing method and its apparatus which are preferable for cleaning a substrate on which a fine pattern is formed, and which have high removing efficiency of foreign matters by laser heating, and further which do not depend on the thickness of a liquid film and the kind, size, and shape or the like of foreign matters. SOLUTION: When the foreign matters 3 are existent on a silicon oxide film 2 formed on the surface of a silicon substrate 1, a liquid phase 4 is formed in a region between the silicon oxide film 2 and the foreign matters 3 by condensing combustible gas. For example, when mixed gas (air containing water vapor) containing condensable gas at partial pressure slightly lower than vapor pressure at substrate temperature is supplied onto the silicon oxide film 2 under the condition of the substrate cooled, the liquid phase 4 is formed only around a contact 10 owing to capillary condensation. Successively, the surface of the substrate is heated by being irradiated with laser light 9 with a wavelength likely to be absorbed by the surface of the substrate, and the liquid phase 4 is boiled with produced heat. Expansive force 8 produced by the boiling of the liquid phase 4 effectively acts on the foreign matter 3 from a lower side as force to remove the foreign matter 3 from the silicon oxide film 2. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
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