Patent ID: 7380560

Claim:
A wafer cleaning apparatus, comprising: a cleaning tub configured to receive a wafer to be cleaned; a wafer cleaning unit coupled to the cleaning tub configured to provide wafer cleaning solution to the wafer; a probe positioned in the cleaning tub proximate the wafer, the probe being configured to provide megasonic vibrational energy to a surface of the wafer and/or the wafer cleaning solution to separate contaminants from the surface of the wafer; a probe cleaning unit that is configured to provide a probe cleaning solution to the probe to clean the probe; and a probe storing tub configured to receive and store the probe, the probe storing tub being positioned proximate the cleaning tub, wherein the probe is movable between a position in the cleaning tub proximate the wafer and a position in the probe storing tub and wherein the probe cleaning unit is positioned in the probe storing tub to clean the probe while the probe is moving between the cleaning tub and the probe storing tub.