Removal of contaminants using supercritical processing
OwnerChantal J. Arena-Foster, Allan Wendell Awtrey +2inventors
InventorsChantal J. Arena-Foster, Allan Wendell Awtrey, Nicholas Alan Ryza, Paul Schilling
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Abstract
A method of cleaning a surface of an object is disclosed. The object is placed onto a support region within a pressure chamber. The pressure chamber is then pressurized. A cleaning process is performed. A series of decompression cycles are performed. The pressure chamber is then vented.
Claims45
A method of cleaning a surface of an object comprising:
- a. placing the object onto a support region within a pressure chamber;
- b. pressurizing the pressure chamber;
- c. performing a cleaning process;
- d. performing a series of decompression cycles;
- and
- e. venting the pressure chamber.
A method of removing at least a portion of a material selected from the group consisting of a photoresist, a photoresist residue, a residual etching reactant/byproduct, and a combination thereof, from a surface of an object comprising:
- a. placing the object onto a support region within a pressure chamber;
- b. pressurizing the pressure chamber;
- c. performning a cleaning process;
- d. performing a series of decompression cycles;
- and
- e. venting the pressure chamber.
A method of removing a contaminant from a surface of an object comprising:
- a. placing the object onto a support region within a pressure chamber;
- b. pressurizing the pressure chamber;
- c. performing a cleaning process;
- d. pressurizing the pressure chamber to push a cleaning chemistry out of the pressure chamber;
- e. performing a series of decompression cycles;
- and
- f. venting the pressure chamber.
A method of removing a contaminant from a surface of a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of:
- a. placing the wafer onto a support region within a pressure chamber;
- b. pressurizing the pressure chamber to a first pressure sufficient to form a supercritical fluid;
- c. injecting a cleaning chemistry into the pressure chamber;
- d. increasing a pressure of the pressure chamber to a second pressure;
- e. recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the pressure chamber;
- f. increasing a pressure of the pressure chamber to push the cleaning chemistry out of the pressure chamber
- g. performing a series of decompression cycles;
- and
- h. venting the pressure chamber.
An apparatus for removing a contaminant from a surface of an object comprising:
- a. pressure chamber including an object support;
- b. means for pressurizing the pressure chamber;
- c. means for performing a cleaning process;
- d. means for performing a series of decompression cycles;
- and
- e. means for venting the pressure chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.