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Method and apparatus for cleaning surfaces to absolute or near-absolute cleanliness

  • US 5,039,349 A
  • Filed: 05/18/1990
  • Issued: 08/13/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of cleaning a surface to absolute or near-absolute cleanliness such that when dry nitrogen is filtered through a 0.01 μ

  • filter, passed over the cleaned, dried surface and through a laser particle counter, the laser particle counter will detect less than five particles having a diameter ≧

    0.1 μ

    per cubic foot of gas flow, a condensation nucleating counter will detect no more than five particles having a diameter of 0.02 μ

    or larger, and wherein residual surface ions and residual surface organics, if any, are present in a concentration of less than one part per million, said method comprising contacting a surface of a member to be cleaned with jets of a cleaning solution which impinge on the surface at high speed and flow over the surface so as to create a scrubbing action on the surface and flowing a rinse liquid in contact with the surface to be cleaned to rinse the surface, wherein the rinse liquid is recirculated into contact with the surface during said rinsing, the recirculating rinse liquid being filtered during recirculation to remove all particles having a diameter equal to or greater than 0.2 μ

    .

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