Patent ID: 8512478
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: B08B,H01L

Abstract:
1. A cleaning method for cleaning a process-liquid supply nozzle configured to supply a process liquid to a substrate so as to process the substrate, the cleaning method comprising: receiving the nozzle in a container having a funnel-like inner circumferential surface and defining therein a cleaning chamber, such that the inner circumferential surface is located around a distal end of the nozzle and that a lower end of the funnel-like inner circumferential surface is located above the distal end of the nozzle; sucking the process liquid remaining in the nozzle so as to retract a liquid level of the process liquid in the nozzle to a side of a process-liquid supply passage; supplying a first solvent for the process liquid from a first solvent supply unit into the cleaning chamber along the funnel-like inner circumferential surface in a circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface so as to form a swirl flow of the first solvent turning around the distal end of the nozzle, and cleaning the nozzle by the swirl flow; and supplying a second solvent for the process liquid from a second solvent supply unit to a region positioned above the funnel-like inner circumferential surface in the cleaning chamber so as to form a liquid pool of a solvent in the cleaning chamber, and sucking a portion of the solvent in the liquid pool into the nozzle.