EP0396002A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Surface treating apparatus and method using vapor
Assignee: Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co Ltd
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Filing: 1990-04-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-04-24
Abstract
Abstract A surface treating apparatus using vapor includes a container (1) for holding a mixture (2) of two liquids, e.g., hydrogen fluoride and water, which exhibits an azeotropic phenomenon under predetermined conditions, and an azeotropic condition establishing device (15) for conditioning the container (1) to satisfy the predetermined azeotropic conditions. Under the azeotropic conditions, a vapour mixture (3) having the composition of the liquid mixture is produced in the space (200) above the liquid mixture (2). Surface treatment of substrates (5) is performed in a chamber (4) using the vapor mixture (3) which has a constant composition so that the surface treatment is effected under fixed conditions all the time.
Inventors
- 👤 Masato C/O Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd Tanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:33
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0406; H10P70/00; H10P70/10; H10P70/12; H10P70/125; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/28; H10P50/282; H10P50/283; H10P70/15; H10P70/20; H10P72/0404
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A surface treating apparatus comprising liquid holding means (1) for holding a mixture (2) of at least two liquids and having a space (200) in which a vapor mixture (3) is generated from said liquid mixture (2), and surface treating means (4, 32) for treating the surface of an object (5) to be treated using said vapor mixture, characterised in that said liquid mixture (2) exhibits azeotrophy under predetermined conditions and azeotropic condition setting means (15) are provided for conditioning said liquid holding means (1) to establish said predetermined azeotropic conditions and thereby produce an azeotropic vapor mixture (3) of constant composition in said space (200).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A surface treating apparatus comprising liquid holding means (1) for holding a mixture (2) of at least two liquids and having a space (200) in which a vapor mixture (3) is generated from said liquid mixture (2), and surface treating means (4, 32) for treating the surface of an object (5) to be treated using said vapor mixture, characterised in that said liquid mixture (2) exhibits azeotrophy under predetermined conditions and azeotropic condition setting means (15) are provided for conditioning said liquid holding means (1) to establish said predetermined azeotropic conditions and thereby produce an azeotropic vapor mixture (3) of constant composition in said space (200).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said azeotropic condition setting means (15) sets temperature and pressure to the predetermined azeotropic condition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said liquid mixture (2) includes hydrogen fluoride and water.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said liquid mixture (2) includes hydrochloric acid and water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said liquid mixture (2) includes nitric acid and water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said surface treating means (4, 32) includes an object holding chamber (4) for effecting surface treatment of said object (5), and azeotropic vapor mixture supplying means (32) for supplying said azeotropic vapor mixture (3) to said object holding chamber (4).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising temperature controlling means (34) for keeping said space (200), said object holding chamber (4) and said azeotropic vapor mixture supplying means (32) at a predetermined temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined temperature is a temperature above the dew point of said azeotropic vapor mixture (3).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, comprising diluting means (31, V4) for decreasing the concentration of said azeotropic vapor mixture (3) in said object holding chamber (4).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, comprising means (34) for keeping said diluting means (31, V4) at a predetermined temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising liquid feeding means (10, 38, 39, V1, V2) for feeding said liquid mixture (2) to said liquid holding means (1).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said liquid holding means (1) includes held amount detecting means (21) for detecting the held amount of said liquid mixture (2), and said liquid feeding means (10, 38, 39, V1, V2) operates in response to a detection signal from said held amount detecting means (21).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said liquid holding means (1) includes stirring means (23) for stirring said held liquid mixture (2).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising diluting gas feeding means (40, V3) for feeding a diluting gas to said space (200) thereby to generate a quasi-azeotropic vapor mixture (3).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, comprising means for keeping said diluting gas feeding means (40, V3) at a predetermined temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said diluting gas includes an inert gas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said inert gas includes nitrogen gas.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 17, comprising control means (9, 11) for controlling said diluting gas feeding means (40, V3) to feed said diluting gas in accordance with the pressure of said vapor mixture (3) in said space (200) of said liquid holding means (1).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pressure in said space (200) is held equal to atmospheric pressure, and said diluting gas is fed in such a manner that the pressure in said space (200) is equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
90 words
A surface treating method comprising the steps of producing a vapor mixture (3) from a mixture (2) of at least two liquids and treating the surface of an object (5) to be treated using said vapor mixture, characterised by the steps of preparing a liquid mixture (2) so that it exhibits an azeotropic phenomenon under predetermined conditions, and controlling the conditions under which said vapor mixture (3) is produced from said liquid mixture (2) to satisfy said predetermined azeotropic conditions, thereby producing an azeotropic vapor mixture (3) of constant composition.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
90 words
A surface treating method comprising the steps of producing a vapor mixture (3) from a mixture (2) of at least two liquids and treating the surface of an object (5) to be treated using said vapor mixture, characterised by the steps of preparing a liquid mixture (2) so that it exhibits an azeotropic phenomenon under predetermined conditions, and controlling the conditions under which said vapor mixture (3) is produced from said liquid mixture (2) to satisfy said predetermined azeotropic conditions, thereby producing an azeotropic vapor mixture (3) of constant composition.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein said step of controlling said conditions under which said vapor mixture (3) is produced includes the step of setting the pressure and temperature to the predetermined azeotropic conditions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 21, wherein said liquid mixture (2) includes hydrogen fluoride and water.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 21, wherein said liquid mixture (2) includes hydrochloric acid and water.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 21, wherein said liquid mixture (2) includes nitric acid and water.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
41 words
A method according to any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein said step of treating the surface of said object (5) includes conveying said azeotropic vapor mixture to an object holding chamber (4) for performing surface treatment of said object.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein said step of treating the surface of said object (5) includes keeping said object holding chamber (4) at a predetermined temperature which prevents said azeotropic vapor mixture from dewing and supplying said azeotropic vapor mixture to said object holding chamber (4).
Claim 29
Independent Claim
35 words
A method according to any one of claims 20 to 26 comprising the step of diluting the azeotropic vapor mixture to decrease the concentration of said vapor mixture (3) in said object holding chamber (4).
Claim 30
Independent Claim
39 words
A method according to any one of claims 20 to 27, wherein said step of preparing said liquid mixture (2) includes separately feeding said at least two liquids to liquid holding means (1) for holding said liquid mixture (2).
Claim 31
Independent Claim
120 words
A method according to any one of claims 20 to 27, wherein said step of preparing said liquid mixture (2) includes preparing holding means (1) for holding said liquid mixture and feeding said liquid mixture (2) to said holding means (1), whereby a space (200) in which said azeotropic vapor mixture is generated is defined in the region of said holding means (1) where said liquid mixture (2) is not held, said step of controlling said azeotropic conditions includes setting said holding means (1) at a predetermined temperature, and a quasi-azeotropic vapor mixture (3) is generated by feeding a diluting gas to said space (200) so that the pressure in said space is equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein said step of feeding a diluting gas includes feeding said diluting gas in accordance with the pressure of said azeotropic vapor mixture in said holding means (1).
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method according to claim 29 or 30, comprising the step of supplying said quasi-azeotropic vapor mixture (3) from said space (200) to an object holding chamber (4) for performing surface treatment of said object (5), the temperature of said quasi-azeotropic vapor mixture (3) being kept at higher than the dew point of said vapor mixture from its generation to its treatment of said object (5) through its supplying to said object holding chamber (4).
Claim 34
Independent Claim
42 words
A method according to any one of claims 29 to 31, comprising the step of supplying dilution gas to decrease the concentration of said azeotropic vapor mixture (3) in said object holding chamber (4) for performing surface treatment of said object (5).
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 32, comprising the step of keeping said dilution gas at a predetermined temperature.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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