US5372652A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aerosol cleaning method
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1993-06-14
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Granted: 1994-12-13
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Expires: 2013-06-14
Abstract
Abstract An aerosol cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes an aerosol producing means having a nozzle head. The nozzle head is positioned at a selected proximity and orientation to the substrate which is held by a rotatable holder. The aerosol spray dislodges particles from the substrate and the rotation of the substrate further assists in the removal of the loosened particles. A method of aerosol cleaning includes rotating a substrate at a preselected speed and spraying an aerosol jet in conjunction with the rotation to help in the removal of particles from the substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Kris V. Srikrishnan
- 👤 Jin J. Wu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0406; B; B08; B08B; B08B7/00; B08B7/0064; B08B7/0092; B08B7/02; B24; B24C; B24C1/00; B24C1/003; B24C3/00; B24C3/18; B24C3/20; B24C3/22; B24C3/32; B24C3/322; B24C5/00; B24C5/02; B24C5/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of removing unwanted particles on a surface of a substrate used in microelectronics manufacturing, comprising the steps of: holding the substrate; rotating the substrate at a speed on the order of 500-800 rpm for applying a centrifugal force which is substantially greater than 1 g, on unwanted particles on said surface; creating an aerosol spray using Joule-Thompson expansion, said aerosol including solid particles travelling at approximately the speed of sound; and directing said aerosol at the surface of said substrate, for bombarding said unwanted particles with said solid particles, for a selected time duration in coordination with the rotation so that the bombardment of said solid particles and the centrifugal force from the rotating of the substrate causes dislodging and removal of unwanted particles from the surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of removing unwanted particles on a surface of a substrate used in microelectronics manufacturing, comprising the steps of: holding the substrate; rotating the substrate at a speed on the order of 500-800 rpm for applying a centrifugal force which is substantially greater than 1 g, on unwanted particles on said surface; creating an aerosol spray using Joule-Thompson expansion, said aerosol including solid particles travelling at approximately the speed of sound; and directing said aerosol at the surface of said substrate, for bombarding said unwanted particles with said solid particles, for a selected time duration in coordination with the rotation so that the bombardment of said solid particles and the centrifugal force from the rotating of the substrate causes dislodging and removal of unwanted particles from the surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining the substrate in a partial vacuum during said step of rotating and during said step of directing the aerosol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the substrate in conjunction with said step of rotating and said step of directing the aerosol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing the aerosol and said step of rotating are carried out sequentially.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing the aerosol and said step of rotating are carried out simultaneously.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing the aerosol is carried out for a duration of more than 10 seconds but less than 5 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of rotating the substrate is carried out at a speed between 500 rpm to 8000 rpm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the speed of rotation is between 2000 to 4000 rpm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing the aerosol at the surface of the substrate is carried out followed by said step of rotating the substrate at a speed between 500 to 8000 rpm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing the aerosol at the surface of the substrate is performed while rotating the substrate at a speed of 500 to 8000 rpm, said step of directing the aerosol being carried out for a partial duration of the rotation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of directing the aerosol at the surface of the substrate is performed while rotating said substrate at a speed between 500 to 3000 rpm for a selected time duration, followed by rotating the substrate at a speed of 500 to 8000 rpm without directing the aerosol at the surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-12-12 | 1998-06-13 | 1998-12-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-12-12 | 2002-06-13 | 2002-12-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-12-12 | 2006-06-13 | 2006-12-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |