METHOD FOR CLEANING A SURFACE

• US 20100012157A1
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research AG (Lam Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SEZ AG (Lam Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Sellmer, Reinhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,932,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/29
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/022 Cleaning travelling work B08B3/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/024 Cleaning by means of spray elements moving over the surface to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles

Abstract

A method for cleaning a surface of a plate-like article includes the steps of:

• • treating the surface with free flow cleaning, wherein liquid is dispensed through a dispense nozzle onto the surface in a continuous liquid flow, and
  • treating the surface with spray cleaning, wherein liquid is directed through a spray nozzle towards the surface in form of droplets. The surface is treated with a spray cleaning step before the free flow cleaning step and a spray cleaning step after the free flow cleaning step.

Claims

1. Method for cleaning a surface of a plate-like article comprising the steps

treating the surface with free flow cleaning, wherein liquid is dispensed through a dispense nozzle onto the surface in a continuous liquid flow,

treating the surface with spray cleaning, wherein liquid is directed through a spray nozzle towards the surface in form of droplets,

wherein the surface is treated with a spray cleaning step before the free flow cleaning step and a spray cleaning step after the free flow cleaning step.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein the sequence of a free flow cleaning step followed by a spray cleaning step is carried out at least twice.

3. Method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the free flow cleaning steps and/or the spray cleaning steps utilizes an alkaline cleaning liquid.

4. Method according to claim 3 wherein alkaline cleaning liquid comprises an oxidizing agent selected from the group of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and a mixture of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.

5. Method according to claim 4 wherein the cleaning liquid comprises ammoniac.

6. Method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the spray cleaning steps utilizes a cleaning liquid selected from the group comprising water, organic solvent alkaline composition, and acidic composition.

7. Method according to claim 1 wherein the free low cleaning step and the spray cleaning step timely overlap not more than 5 s.

8. Method according to claim 1 wherein the plate-like article is rotated during at least one cleaning step.

9. Method according to claim 1 wherein the spray cleaning step utilizes a spray nozzle selected from the group airless spray nozzle, two phase nozzle with inner mixing or two phase nozzle with outer mixing.

10. Method according to claim 9 wherein the spray cleaning step utilizes a two phase nozzle with outer mixing.

11. Method according to claim 9 wherein the spray nozzle'"'"'s orifice is located at a distance d to the plate-like article'"'"'s surface of d being in a range of 0.1 cm to 10 cm preferably 0.3 cm to 5 cm.

12. Method according to claim 1 wherein at least two of the spray cleaning steps are run for 5 s to 45 s each;

preferably 8 s to 30 s.

13. Method according to claim 2 wherein at least two of the free flow cleaning steps are run for 5 s to 45 s each;

preferably 8 s to 30 s.

14. Method according to claim 9 wherein the spray nozzle scans laterally across the plate-like article.