A surface maintenance machine comprises a surface maintenance head assembly with attached surface maintenance tool for collecting debris/fluid using a fluid delivery/recovery system. Embodiments include an outlet nozzle configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. The outlet nozzle is fluidly connected to a cleaning fluid source which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle such that different intensities of the cleaning fluid correspond to the cleaning fluid being dispensed on different areas of the surface maintenance tool. Embodiments also include a second outlet nozzle, located opposite the first, which is configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. Further embodiments include a pump which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle in a cyclical manner and suspend the cleaning fluid from exiting the outlet nozzle.

A surface maintenance machine comprises a surface maintenance head assembly with attached surface maintenance tool for collecting debris/fluid using a fluid delivery/recovery system. Embodiments include an outlet nozzle configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. The outlet nozzle is fluidly connected to a cleaning fluid source which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle such that different intensities of the cleaning fluid correspond to the cleaning fluid being dispensed on different areas of the surface maintenance tool. Embodiments also include a second outlet nozzle, located opposite the first, which is configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. Further embodiments include a pump which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle in a cyclical manner and suspend the cleaning fluid from exiting the outlet nozzle.

The invention relates to a substrate cleaning apparatus, a polishing apparatus, a buffing apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, a machine learning apparatus used for any of these apparatuses, and a substrate cleaning method, with improved performance and throughput. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a cleaning tool configured to clean a substrate held by a substrate holder; a surface-property measuring device configured to obtain surface data of the cleaning tool; and a controller configured to determine a replacement time of the cleaning tool based on the surface data. The surface-property measuring device is configured to obtain surface data of the cleaning tool at at least two measurement points of the cleaning tool each time a predetermined number of substrates are scrubbed, and the controller is configured to determine the replacement time of the cleaning tool based on a difference in the surface data obtained.

The invention relates to a substrate cleaning apparatus, a polishing apparatus, a buffing apparatus, a substrate processing apparatus, a machine learning apparatus used for any of these apparatuses, and a substrate cleaning method, with improved performance and throughput. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a cleaning tool configured to clean a substrate held by a substrate holder; a surface-property measuring device configured to obtain surface data of the cleaning tool; and a controller configured to determine a replacement time of the cleaning tool based on the surface data. The surface-property measuring device is configured to obtain surface data of the cleaning tool at at least two measurement points of the cleaning tool each time a predetermined number of substrates are scrubbed, and the controller is configured to determine the replacement time of the cleaning tool based on a difference in the surface data obtained.

A surface maintenance machine comprises a surface maintenance head assembly with attached surface maintenance tool for collecting debris/fluid using a fluid delivery/recovery system. Embodiments include an outlet nozzle configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. The outlet nozzle is fluidly connected to a cleaning fluid source which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle such that different intensities of the cleaning fluid correspond to the cleaning fluid being dispensed on different areas of the surface maintenance tool. Embodiments also include a second outlet nozzle, located opposite the first, which is configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. Further embodiments include a pump which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle in a cyclical manner and suspend the cleaning fluid from exiting the outlet nozzle.

A surface maintenance machine comprises a surface maintenance head assembly with attached surface maintenance tool for collecting debris/fluid using a fluid delivery/recovery system. Embodiments include an outlet nozzle configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. The outlet nozzle is fluidly connected to a cleaning fluid source which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle such that different intensities of the cleaning fluid correspond to the cleaning fluid being dispensed on different areas of the surface maintenance tool. Embodiments also include a second outlet nozzle, located opposite the first, which is configured to dispense cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle on the surface maintenance tool. Further embodiments include a pump which can vary the intensity of cleaning fluid exiting the outlet nozzle in a cyclical manner and suspend the cleaning fluid from exiting the outlet nozzle.

A wafer cleaning apparatus includes a wafer roller rotating a wafer around a first direction parallel to a normal direction of a first surface of the wafer, a first brush facing the first surface of the wafer, a second brush facing a second surface of the wafer opposite to the first surface, a first cleaning tank disposed apart from the first brush and movable to accommodate at least a portion of the first brush, and a second cleaning tank disposed apart from the second brush and movable to accommodate at least a portion of the second brush. The first and second cleaning tanks include a first solution injection member connected to a first solution supply pipe and a second solution injection member connected to a second solution supply pipe, respectively. Each of the first and second solution injection members includes a bubble generating filter having a plurality of through-holes.

A wafer cleaning apparatus includes a wafer roller rotating a wafer around a first direction parallel to a normal direction of a first surface of the wafer, a first brush facing the first surface of the wafer, a second brush facing a second surface of the wafer opposite to the first surface, a first cleaning tank disposed apart from the first brush and movable to accommodate at least a portion of the first brush, and a second cleaning tank disposed apart from the second brush and movable to accommodate at least a portion of the second brush. The first and second cleaning tanks include a first solution injection member connected to a first solution supply pipe and a second solution injection member connected to a second solution supply pipe, respectively. Each of the first and second solution injection members includes a bubble generating filter having a plurality of through-holes.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multi-stage system and process for removing debris from plastic sheets (such as tier sheets or any other suitable sheets formed from any suitable material). Certain embodiments of the sheet-cleaning system (10) include a drive assembly comprising a drive roller (211, 212) driven by a drive actuator, an electrostatic-discharge device (220) operable to discharge static electricity, and a cleaning roller assembly (230) comprising a cleaning roller (231, 232) driven by a cleaning roller actuator, the cleaning roller (231, 232) comprising a cleaning implement on at least part of its outer surface.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multi-stage system and process for removing debris from plastic sheets (such as tier sheets or any other suitable sheets formed from any suitable material). Certain embodiments of the sheet-cleaning system (10) include a drive assembly comprising a drive roller (211, 212) driven by a drive actuator, an electrostatic-discharge device (220) operable to discharge static electricity, and a cleaning roller assembly (230) comprising a cleaning roller (231, 232) driven by a cleaning roller actuator, the cleaning roller (231, 232) comprising a cleaning implement on at least part of its outer surface.