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Supercritical fluid cleaning process for precision surfaces

  • US 20020014257A1
  • Filed: 05/18/2001
  • Published: 02/07/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A supercritical fluid cleaning process for cleaning precision surfaces comprising the steps:

  • (a) selecting process materials comprising a process gas which is convertible at a critical point of temperature and pressure to a supercritical fluid for said cleaning process, (b) selecting supercritical fluid operating parameters for said process gas including a supercritical temperature, a lower supercritical pressure, and a higher supercritical pressure, said higher supercritical pressure being preferably at least twice said lower supercritical pressure, (c) loading, closing and sealing at least one substrate with a said precision surface in a pressure vessel, said vessel being connected to a source of said process gas and a source of said supercritical fluid and having at least one port for exhausting byproducts of said process, said vessel configured with means for heating the interior thereof and having independent means for isolating said vessel from inflow of said process materials and outflow of said byproducts, (d) purging and pressurizing said vessel with process gas and supercritical fluid to said higher supercritical pressure while heating said interior to said supercritical temperature so as to displace all other gases with supercritical fluid without entering a liquid phase condition, (e) soaking said wafer at said higher supercritical pressure for a predetermined soak period, (f) agitating said substrate by rapidly decompressing said vessel to said lower supercritical pressure and flushing said vessel with said supercritical fluid for a predetermined period of time, then rapidly elevating said vessel to said higher supercritical pressure, (g) rinsing said substrate at said higher supercritical pressure, (h) drying said substrate with supercritical fluid and process gas by maintaining said vessel at supercritical temperature when decreasing vessel pressure to ambient, and (i) opening said vessel and unloading said substrate.

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