Cleaning system and method
First Claim
1. A cleaning system for removing impurities from a material to be cleaned, the system comprising:
- a. a first electrode placed near to a first surface of said material to be cleaned;
b. a second electrode placed at a distance from a second surface of said material to be cleaned thereby defining a gap between said second electrode and said material to be cleaned;
c. a chamber into which said first and second electrodes and said material to be cleaned is placed;
d. a medium of conductivity produceable at least within said gap, wherein said first and second electrodes are capable of defining an electrical potential therebetween and inducing, thereby, ion emission from said material to be cleaned to the more negatively charged electrode, and wherein, when said electrical potential exists, said medium of conductivity provides at least a flow of negatively charged particles towards the more positive electrode.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved cleaning system is provided for removing impurities from a material to be cleaned. The system includes two electrodes, a positive electrode ("anode") on one side, near to or in contact with the material to be cleaned, and a negative collector electrode ("cathode") located at a distance from the second side of the material. The material and the two electrodes are placed into a chamber. The system also includes a medium of conductivity which, when under voltage between anode and cathode, produces the flow of negative charge either as electrons or as negative ions. The chamber may be a vacuum chamber or a chamber filled with an inert gas or other electro-negative gases. The flow of negative charges provides layer of negative charge near the second surface of the material so as to induce the positive impurity ions to move towards the surface. Since a grid electrode is absent, the impure ions are removed unhindered from the material to be cleaned.
9 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A cleaning system for removing impurities from a material to be cleaned, the system comprising:
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a. a first electrode placed near to a first surface of said material to be cleaned; b. a second electrode placed at a distance from a second surface of said material to be cleaned thereby defining a gap between said second electrode and said material to be cleaned; c. a chamber into which said first and second electrodes and said material to be cleaned is placed; d. a medium of conductivity produceable at least within said gap, wherein said first and second electrodes are capable of defining an electrical potential therebetween and inducing, thereby, ion emission from said material to be cleaned to the more negatively charged electrode, and wherein, when said electrical potential exists, said medium of conductivity provides at least a flow of negatively charged particles towards the more positive electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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24. A cleaning system for removing impurities from a material to be cleaned, the system comprising:
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a. a first electrode at a distance from a first surface of said material to be cleaned thereby defining a first gap between said first electrode and said material to be cleaned; b. a second electrode placed at a distance from a second surface of said material to be cleaned thereby defining a second gap between said second electrode and said material to be cleaned; c. a chamber into which said first and second electrodes and said material to be cleaned is placed; d. a medium of conductivity produceable at least within said gaps; e. at least one pair of igniter electrodes for igniting the gas to produce said plasma, wherein said first and second electrodes are capable of defining an electrical potential therebetween and inducing, thereby, ion emission from said material to be cleaned to the more negatively charged electrode, and wherein, when said electrical potential is produced by alternating current, said medium of conductivity provides at least a flow of negatively charged particles towards the more positive electrode. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A system for cleaning and simultaneously oxidizing a surface of a material, the system comprising:
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a. a first electrode placed near a first surface of said material; b. a second electrode placed at a distance from a second surface of said material thereby defining a gap between said second electrode and said material, said second surface being the surface to be oxidized; c. a chamber into which said first and second electrodes and said material is placed; and d. a plasma of at least oxygen ions therein and produceable within said chamber, wherein said first and second electrodes are capable of defining an electrical potential therebetween, wherein, when said electrical potential exists, said plasma provides a flow of at least oxygen ions towards said second surface. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification