Spray jet cleaning apparatus and method

• US 7,946,299 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akrion Technologies Incorporated (Akrion Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Akrion Incorporated
• Inventors: Franklin, Cole, Rouillard, Mark, Fan, Yan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waldbaum; Samuel A
• Application Number:
  US11/745,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20070261716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 134/102.1
• US Class Current: 134/102.1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0483 with gas and liquid jets intersecting in the mixing chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles

Abstract

A spray cleaning device having an atomizing unit with at least one gas passage and at least one cleaning fluid passage converging into a atomizing area. The gas flowing though the gas passage and the cleaning fluid flowing through the cleaning fluid passages combine to form a mixture at the atomizing area. The accelerating unit has an acceleration passage for spraying the mixture onto a substrate surface. The gas passages are preferably angled with respect to the cleaning acceleration passage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a rotating substrate comprising:

an atomizing unit having an atomizing chamber;

a first gas passage terminating in an opening into the atomizing chamber for introducing a first gas into the atomizing chamber along a first axis, the opening being formed in a removable set screw that forms a portion of the first gas passage;

a cleaning fluid passage for introducing a cleaning fluid into the atomizing chamber along a second axis so that the cleaning fluid combines with the first gas to form a mixture within the atomizing chamber;

an acceleration unit operably connected to the atomizing unit, the acceleration unit having an acceleration passage for spraying the mixture formed in the atomizing chamber onto a substrate surface; and

wherein the first axis forms a non-zero acute angle with the second axis so that the first gas and the cleaning fluid converge within the atomizing chamber at the non-zero angle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the non-zero acute angle is between 30 to 70 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the non-zero acute angle is substantially 45 degrees.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first gas and the second gas are the same and are selected from the group consisting of CO2, N2, CDA, Argon, Helium, Oxygen, Ozone and combinations thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning fluid is selected from the group consisting of deionized water, diluted hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia hydroxide, Standard Clean 1, Standard Clean 2 and combinations thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the acceleration passage extends along a third axis, the third axis substantially aligned with the second axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second gas passage for introducing a second gas into the atomizing chamber along a fourth axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the fourth axis forms a non-zero acute angle with the second axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first axis and fourth axis forms a substantially 90 degree angle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first gas passage terminates in a substantially rectangular shaped opening into the atomizing chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a rotatable support for supporting a substrate in a substantially horizontal orientation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tube removably inserted within the acceleration passage.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the tube is constructed of a hydrophobic material.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of the acceleration passage is not uniform.

15. An apparatus for processing a rotating substrate comprising:

an atomizing unit having an atomizing chamber;

a first gas passage for introducing a first gas into the atomizing chamber, wherein the first gas passage terminates in an opening into the atomizing chamber, the opening having an elongated cross-sectional area;

a cleaning fluid passage for introducing a cleaning fluid into the atomizing chamber so that the cleaning fluid combines with the first gas to form a mixture within the atomizing chamber;

an acceleration unit operably connected to the atomizing unit, the acceleration unit having an acceleration passage for spraying the mixture formed in the atomizing chamber onto a substrate surface; and

a removable set screw;

wherein the first gas passage comprises a first zone and a second zone, wherein the second zone is located between the first zone and the opening, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the first zone is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second zone, and the cross-sectional area of the second zone is less than the elongated cross-sectional area of the opening; and

wherein the first gas passage extends through the set screw and further wherein the set-screw forms the second zone and the opening.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein a cross-sectional area of the first gas passage prior to the opening is smaller than the elongated cross-sectional area of the opening.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the elongated cross-sectional area of the opening has a major axis and a minor axis, wherein a length of the major axis is greater than a length of the minor axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the elongated cross-sectional area of the opening is substantially rectangular in shape.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the elongated cross-sectional area of the opening has a slit-like shape.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a second gas passage for introducing a second gas into the atomizing chamber;

wherein the first gas passage introduces the first gas into the atomizing chamber through a first side wall of the atomizing chamber and the second gas passage introduces the second gas into the atomizing chamber through a second side wall of the atomizing chamber that opposes the first side wall; and

wherein the cleaning fluid passage introduces the cleaning fluid into the atomizing chamber through a top wall of the atomizing chamber.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first gas and the second gas are the same.

22. An apparatus for processing a rotating substrate comprising:

an atomizing unit having an atomizing chamber;

a first gas passage terminating in an opening into the atomizing chamber for introducing a first gas into the atomizing chamber along a first axis, the opening being formed within a removable set screw that forms a portion of the first gas passage; and

a cleaning fluid passage for introducing a cleaning fluid into the atomizing chamber along a second axis so that the cleaning fluid combines with the first gas to form a mixture within the atomizing chamber.