Abstract:
In one aspect, a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The scrubber brush assembly includes (1) a cylindrical brush including exterior and interior surfaces; and (2) a sleeve having an exterior surface coupled to the interior surface of the scrubber brush and an interior surface. The exterior surface of the sleeve includes first coupling features adapted to prevent rotation of the sleeve relative to the brush. The scrubber brush assembly also includes a mandrel coupled to the interior surface of the sleeve. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/780,688, filed Mar. 7, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to a scrubber brush with a sleeve, and a brush mandrel for use with the scrubber brush. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A scrubber brush assembly, which includes a scrubber brush coupled to a mandrel, may be used for cleaning a substrate. For example, the scrubber brush assembly may be employed in a substrate processing system, such as a substrate cleaning system, to scrub a major surface of a substrate during substrate processing. Further, the scrubber brush assembly may be used in other substrate processing systems. 
         [0004]    To assemble a conventional scrubber brush assembly for use in a substrate processing system, the scrubber brush must be installed (e.g., slid) onto the mandrel. However, installing a scrubber brush on a mandrel is difficult due to friction created between the scrubber brush and the mandrel during assembly. Accordingly, improved methods and apparatus for installing a scrubber brush on a mandrel are desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In a first aspect of the invention, a method for assembling a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The method includes (1) providing a scrubber brush formed on a sleeve; and (2) inserting a mandrel into the sleeve to form the brush assembly. 
         [0006]    In a second aspect of the invention, a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The scrubber brush assembly includes (1) a cylindrical brush including exterior and interior surfaces; and (2) a sleeve having an exterior surface coupled to the interior surface of the scrubber brush and an interior surface. The exterior surface of the sleeve includes first coupling features adapted to prevent rotation of the sleeve relative to the brush. The scrubber brush assembly also includes a mandrel coupled to the interior surface of the sleeve. 
         [0007]    In a third aspect of the invention, a sleeve for use in a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The sleeve includes a cylindrical body having an exterior surface adapted to couple to a scrubber brush and an interior surface adapted to couple to a mandrel. 
         [0008]    In a fourth aspect of the invention, a mandrel is provided for use in a scrubber brush assembly having a scrubber brush formed on a sleeve. The mandrel includes a cylindrical body having an exterior surface adapted to couple to an interior surface of the sleeve. Numerous other aspects are provided. 
         [0009]    Other features and aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a scrubber brush that may be included in a scrubber brush assembly provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of an exemplary sleeve provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is an end view of an exemplary embodiment of a sleeve coupled to a brush provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a side cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a sleeve coupled to a brush provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of an exemplary mandrel provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged, isometric view of the mandrel depicted in  FIG. 4  being inserted into to a brush and sleeve as provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an end view of an exemplary brush assembly formed by inserting a mandrel into a sleeve as provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side cross sectional view of a brush assembly inserted between an exemplary rotary mount and drive shaft of a substrate processing system as provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged side cross sectional view of a portion of the brush assembly depicted in  FIG. 7  illustrating a spacing between the sleeve and the drive shaft. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side cross sectional view of a brush assembly inserted between a rotary mount and drive shaft of a substrate processing system including a spacer as provided in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged side cross sectional view of a portion of the brush assembly depicted in  FIG. 9  illustrating a spacing between the sleeve and the drive shaft. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    A scrubber brush is provided that includes a sleeve adapted to couple to a brush mandrel. In at least one embodiment, the scrubber brush is formed on the sleeve when the scrubber brush is manufactured. A brush mandrel is provided that fits within the sleeve so as to form a scrubber brush assembly that may be used for cleaning a substrate. For example, the scrubber brush assembly may be employed in a substrate processing system, such as a substrate cleaning system, to scrub a major surface of a substrate during substrate processing. Further, the scrubber brush assembly may be used in other substrate processing systems. 
         [0022]    To assemble the scrubber brush assembly, the scrubber brush must be installed (e.g., slid) onto the mandrel. As stated, installing a conventional scrubber brush on a mandrel is difficult due to friction created between the scrubber brush and the mandrel during assembly. The present methods and apparatus reduce friction created between the scrubber brush and mandrel while assembling the brush assembly by providing the scrubber brush with a sleeve. For example, in some embodiments, the sleeve may slide easily over the mandrel and/or lock the scrubber brush in place relative to the mandrel (e.g., so as to prevent the scrubber brush from sliding and/or twisting relative to the mandrel). These and other aspects of the invention are described below with reference to  FIGS. 1-10 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a scrubber brush  101  that may be included in a brush assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The brush  101  may be cylindrical in shape and have a profiled exterior surface  103 . For example, the exterior surface  103  of the brush  101  may include raised surface features  105 , such as nodules. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the exterior surface  103  of the brush  101  may include a smooth geometry. The brush  101  may, for example, be porous and/or sponge like and/or may comprise a resilient material such as polyvinyl acetate (PVA). The brush  101  may comprise other and/or different materials and/or shapes, and may exhibit other and/or different material characteristics. 
         [0024]    The brush  101  may include an interior surface  107  that is coupled to a sleeve  109 . As will be described below, the sleeve  109  may be used to easily couple the brush  101  to a brush mandrel so as to form a brush assembly (for use during substrate processing). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the brush  101  may be formed directly on the sleeve  109 . For example, the sleeve  109  may be molded to the brush  101  during formation of the brush (e.g., by placed the sleeve within a brush mold prior to introducing brush material to the mold). Alternatively, the brush  101  may be formed and then coupled to the sleeve  109  (e.g., via bonding, gluing or another suitable method). 
         [0025]    The sleeve  109  preferably is formed from a material that is resistant to any chemistry used during substrate scrubbing. For example, the sleeve  109  may be formed from polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) or another suitable material. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the sleeve  109  of  FIG. 1  provided in accordance with the present invention; and  FIGS. 3A and 3B  are an end view and a side cross sectional view, respectively, of the sleeve  109  having the brush  101  formed on the sleeve  109 . As shown in  FIGS. 2-3B , the sleeve  109  sets the inner diameter of the brush  101 . 
         [0027]    In the embodiment of  FIGS. 2-3B , the sleeve  109  includes four outside ribs  201   a - d  that extend the length of the sleeve  109  and that prevent the sleeve  109  from twisting and/or rotating relative to the brush  101 . Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 3A , the sleeve  109  includes four inside ribs  301   a - d  that extend the length of the sleeve  109  and that prevent the sleeve  109  from twisting and/or rotating relative to a brush mandrel inserted in the sleeve  109  (as described further below with reference to  FIGS. 4-6 ). In at least one embodiment, the inside ribs  301   a - d  are provided with sloped sidewalls  303  that extend inward from an inner surface  305  of the sleeve  109  (e.g., when the openings in the sleeve  109  are formed by a piercing process). Other numbers and/or types of outside and/or inside ribs may be employed. For example, the ribs may not extend the entire length of the sleeve  109 , or each rib may be replaced with two or more ribs that run along a length of the sleeve  109 . 
         [0028]    The sleeve  109  also includes a plurality of openings  203   a - d  into which the brush  101  may extend. The openings  203   a - d  also limit twisting and/or rotating of the sleeve  109  relative to the brush  101  and allow chemicals to be jetted into the brush  101  from a mandrel inserted in the sleeve  109  as described below. Other numbers and/or shapes of openings  203   a - d  may be employed. For example, each opening  203   a - d  may be replaced by two or more openings that run along a length of the sleeve  109 . 
         [0029]    At least one end of the sleeve  109  may include a lip  205  that creates a gap or recess  207  between the lip  205  and the outer ribs  201   a - d  (see  FIG. 2 and 3B ). As is shown in  FIG. 3B , a portion of the brush  101  may extend into the recess  207  so that the brush  101  is prevented from sliding (longitudinally) off of the sleeve  109 . Note that one or both ends of the sleeve  109  may include a lip  205 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of an exemplary mandrel  401  provided in accordance with the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 4 , the mandrel  401  includes a plurality of grooves  403   a - d  (only  403 d shown in  FIG. 4 ) sized to couple and/or mate with respective inside ribs  301   a - d  of the sleeve  109 . That is, the mandrel  401  is shaped so that inside ribs  301   a - d  ( FIG. 3A ) of the sleeve  109  slide within the grooves  403   a - d  to allow the mandrel  401  to be inserted into the sleeve  109  during formation of a brush assembly as described further below. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the grooves  403   a - d  have sloped sidewalls  405  that approximately match a slope of the sidewalls  303  of inside ribs  301   a - d.  Other sidewall shapes may be employed for the grooves  403   a - d  and/or inside ribs  301   a - d.  In at least one embodiment, the sidewalls  405 ,  303  are angled at about 45 degrees from the inner edges of the inside ribs  301   a - d,  although other angles may be used. 
         [0032]    The mandrel  401  also includes raised regions  407   a - d  (only  407   a  and  407   d  shown in  FIG. 4 ) between the grooves  403   a - d.  The raised regions  407   a - d  are sized so as to extend between the inner ribs  301   a - d  of the sleeve  109  and to contact the inner surface  305  of the sleeve  109 . In at least one embodiment, each raised region  407   a - d  may include a plurality of openings  409   a - t  for allowing jetting of chemicals from the mandrel  401  into the brush  101 . While a line of 20 holes is shown in  FIG. 4  for each raised region  407   a - d,  it will be understood that other numbers, layouts, sizes and/or shapes of openings may be used. 
         [0033]    The mandrel  401  preferably is formed from a material that is resistant to any chemistry used during substrate scrubbing. For example, the mandrel  401  may be formed from polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) or another suitable material. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged, isometric view of the mandrel  401  being inserted into to the brush  101  and sleeve  109 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the inner ribs  301   a - d  of the sleeve  109  are sized so as to fit within the grooves  403   a - d  of the mandrel  401  and to allow the mandrel  401  to slide into the sleeve  109 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is an end view of a brush assembly  601  formed by inserting the mandrel  401  into the sleeve  109  (and brush  101 ). The mandrel  401  and the sleeve  109  preferably are designed so that the mandrel  401  may be easily inserted into the sleeve  109  to form the brush assembly  601 . Thereafter the brush assembly  601  may be used for substrate processing, such as to scrub a major surface of a substrate. Because of the inner ribs  301   a - d  of the sleeve  109  and the grooves  403   a - d  of the mandrel  401 , the mandrel  401  and the sleeve  109  (and the brush  101 ) are prevented from slipping and/or rotating relative to one another. That is, the mandrel  401  may be driven/rotated, such as by the motor of a brush box or other tool, to cause the brush  101  to rotate relative to a substrate surface during a scrubbing operation. 
         [0036]    When the brush  101  needs to be replaced, the mandrel  401  may be easily removed from the sleeve  109  and inserted into a new sleeve  109  having a brush  101  formed thereon so as to form a new brush assembly. The new brush assembly then may be used for substrate processing as previously described. 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  is a side cross sectional view of the brush assembly  601  inserted between a rotary mount  701  and drive shaft  703  of a substrate processing system (not separately shown), such as a brush box. As shown in  FIG. 7 , to prevent the mandrel  401  from sliding along the sleeve  109 , one end of the mandrel  401  may include a stop or lip  705  that contacts the sleeve  109  when the mandrel  401  is fully inserted into the sleeve  109 . The opposite end of the mandrel  401  contacts the drive shaft  703 . In at least one embodiment of the invention, the mandrel  401  is configured so as to contact the drive shaft  703  while creating a space between the sleeve  109  and the drive shaft  703 .  FIG. 8  is an enlarged side cross sectional view of a portion of the brush assembly  601  of  FIG. 7  illustrating a spacing  801  between the sleeve  109  and the drive shaft  703 . The spacing  801  may be used, for example, to accommodate tolerancing and/or process errors. 
         [0038]    If the spacing between the drive shaft  703  and sleeve  109  is too large (e.g., so as to allow too much sliding of the sleeve  109  along the mandrel  401 ), a spacer may be provided between the sleeve  109  and drive shaft  703 . For example,  FIG. 9  is a side cross sectional view of the brush assembly  601  inserted between the rotary mount  701  and drive shaft  703  of a substrate processing system (not separately shown). As shown in  FIG. 9 , to prevent the mandrel  401  from sliding along the sleeve  109 , one end of the mandrel  401  includes the lip  705  that contacts the sleeve  109  when the mandrel  401  is fully inserted into the sleeve  109 . 
         [0039]    The opposite end of the mandrel  401  contacts the drive shaft  703 , and a spacer  901  is provided between the drive shaft  703  and sleeve  109 . The spacer  901  may be formed from any suitable material, such as PVDF or the like and have any suitable thickness. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the mandrel  401  is configured so as to contact the drive shaft  703  while creating a space between the spacer  901  and the drive shaft  703 .  FIG. 10  is an enlarged side cross sectional view of a portion of the brush assembly  601  of  FIG. 9  illustrating a spacing  1001  between the spacer  901  and the drive shaft  703 . 
         [0040]    Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.