Process for washing semiconductor substrate with organic solvent

Claim 1

A unitary apparatus for conducting organic solvent washing of semiconductor substrates to remove at least water and particulate matter therefrom, said apparatus comprising: an upper vapor washing zone comprising a washing space for receivably containing a semiconductor substrate and washing at least water and particulate matter therefrom, a vapor condensing space, disposed above said washing space and fluidically connected thereto, for condensing an organic solvent vapor, a collection means, disposed below said washing space and fluidically connected thereto, for receiving said condensed organic solvent vapor containing water and particulate matter; a lower vapor generating zone comprising a distillation means for generating said organic solvent vapor from an organic solvent containing particulate material, said particulate material being entrainable in said organic solvent vapor; an intermediate demisting zone, disposed between said upper vapor washing zone and said lower vapor generating zone, for fluidically connecting said upper vapor washing zone and said lower vapor generating zone so as to allow passage of said vapor from said lower vapor generating zone to said upper vapor washing zone and to inhibit passage of said particulate material from said lower vapor generating zone to said upper vapor washing zone; a pervaporation means for removing water from said organic solvent containing water and particulate matter, said pervaporation means comprising a liquid treating chamber, receivable of organic solvent containing water and particulate matter, a permeation vapor chamber, receivable of water, and a substantially selective water-permeable membrane fluidically connecting said liquid treating chamber and said permeation vapor chamber, wherein water contained in said organic solvent in said liquid treating chamber substantially selectively passes through said membrane to said permeation vapor chamber; first fluid connection means for fluidically connecting said collection means and said liquid treating chamber to feed condensed organic solvent vapor containing water and particulate matter from said collection means to said liquid treating chamber; second fluid connection means for fluidically connecting said liquid treating chamber and said lower vapor generating zone to feed organic solvent containing water and particulate matter, from which said water has been substantially removed, from said liquid treating chamber to said lower vapor generating zone; water-removal means for removing water from said permeation vapor chamber.