US5868866A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for cleaning workpiece
Assignee: Ebara Corp
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Filing: 1996-03-01
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Granted: 1999-02-09
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Expires: 2016-03-01
Abstract
Abstract A method of and an apparatus for cleaning a thin disk-shaped workpiece that is required to have a high degree of cleanliness, e.g., a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate, a liquid crystal display, or the like. The method of cleaning the workpiece includes a plurality of cleaning steps, and comprises the steps of holding a workpiece, and performing a liquid jet cleaning of a surface of the workpiece in a first portion of plural cleaning steps. The method further comprises the step of performing a liquid jet cleaning of the surface of the workpiece in a latter portion of the plural cleaning steps.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshiro Maekawa
- 👤 Koji Ono
- 👤 Manabu Tsujimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:25
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0448; B; B08; B08B; B08B1/00; B08B1/30; B08B1/32; B08B1/36; B08B1/50; B08B1/52; B08B3/00; B08B3/04; B08B3/10; B08B3/12; H10P72/0402; H10P72/0406; H10P72/0411; H10P72/0412; H10P72/0414; B08B2203/00; B08B2203/02; B08B2203/0288; G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/50; G11B23/505; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said method comprising: performing a first cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto a surface of said workpiece at least one first jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein; then performing a second cleaning step comprising contacting said surface with a cleaning member and thereby scrubbing said surface; and then performing a third cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto said surface at least one second jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said method comprising: performing a first cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto a surface of said workpiece at least one first jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein; then performing a second cleaning step comprising contacting said surface with a cleaning member and thereby scrubbing said surface; and then performing a third cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto said surface at least one second jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising impacting said second jet onto said surface at a greater force than said first jet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said workpiece comprises a semiconductor substrate having said surface thereof polished.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said semiconductor substrate has thereon circuit interconnections.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said method comprising: performing a first cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto a surface of said workpiece at least one first jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy; then performing a second cleaning step comprising contacting said surface with a cleaning member and thereby scrubbing said surface; and then performing a third cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto said surface at least one second jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said method comprising: performing a first cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto a surface of said workpiece at least one first jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy; then performing a second cleaning step comprising contacting said surface with a cleaning member and thereby scrubbing said surface; and then performing a third cleaning step comprising ejecting from a nozzle onto said surface at least one second jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, comprising impacting said second jet onto said surface at a greater force than said first jet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said workpiece comprises a semiconductor substrate having said surface thereof polished.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said semiconductor substrate has thereon circuit interconnections.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said apparatus comprising: means for performing a first cleaning step by ejecting onto a surface of the workpiece at least one first jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein; cleaning member means operable to be brought into contact with the surface to thereby then perform a second cleaning step by scrubbing the surface; and means for then performing a third cleaning step by ejecting onto the thus scrubbed surface at least one second jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said apparatus comprising: means for performing a first cleaning step by ejecting onto a surface of the workpiece at least one first jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein; cleaning member means operable to be brought into contact with the surface to thereby then perform a second cleaning step by scrubbing the surface; and means for then performing a third cleaning step by ejecting onto the thus scrubbed surface at least one second jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said means for performing said first cleaning step is operable to impact said first jet onto the surface at a first force, and said means for performing said third cleaning step is operable to impact said second jet onto the surface at a second force that is greater than said first force.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said means for performing said first cleaning step and said means for performing said third cleaning step comprise separate liquid jet nozzles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, operable to perform said cleaning steps on a semiconductor substrate as the workpiece when the surface thereof is a polished surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, operable to perform said cleaning steps when the semiconductor substrate has circuit interconnections.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said apparatus comprising: means for performing a first cleaning step by ejecting onto a surface of the workpiece at least one first jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy; cleaning member means operable to be brought into contact with the surface to thereby then perform a second cleaning step by scrubbing the surface; and means for then performing a third cleaning step by ejecting onto the thus scrubbed surface at least one second jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for cleaning a disk-shaped workpiece by performing thereon a plurality of cleaning steps, said apparatus comprising: means for performing a first cleaning step by ejecting onto a surface of the workpiece at least one first jet in the form of an ultrasonic jet of cleaning liquid having ultrasonic vibrational energy; cleaning member means operable to be brought into contact with the surface to thereby then perform a second cleaning step by scrubbing the surface; and means for then performing a third cleaning step by ejecting onto the thus scrubbed surface at least one second jet in the form of a cavitation jet of cleaning liquid having cavitation therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means for performing said first cleaning step is operable to impact said first jet onto the surface at a first force, and said means for performing said third cleaning step is operable to impact said second jet onto the surface at a second force that is greater than said first force.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means for performing said first cleaning step and said means for performing said third cleaning step comprise separate liquid jet nozzles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, operable to perform said cleaning steps on a semiconductor substrate as the workpiece when the surface thereof is a polished surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, operable to perform said cleaning steps when the semiconductor substrate has circuit interconnections.
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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) | 2002-02-08 | 2002-08-10 | 2003-02-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-02-08 | 2006-08-10 | 2007-02-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-02-08 | 2010-08-10 | 2011-02-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |