Combined plasma/liquid cleaning of substrates
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsGary S. Selwyn, Ivars Henins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for cleaning substrates. A substrate is held and rotated by a chuck and an atmospheric pressure plasma jet places a plasma onto predetermined areas of the substrate. Subsequently liquid rinse is sprayed onto the predetermined areas. In one embodiment, a nozzle sprays a gas onto the predetermined areas to assist in drying the predetermined areas when needed.
Claims24
Apparatus for the cleaning of substrates comprises:
- a chuck for holding said substrate for cleaning;
- an atmospheric pressure plasma jet spaced apart from said chuck and said substrate for causing a plasma to impinge upon predetermined areas of said substrate;
- means for spraying a liquid rinse onto said predetermined areas of said substrate either while or after said substrate is exposed to said plasma while said substrate is held by said chuck.
Apparatus for the cleaning of substrates comprises:
- a rotating chuck for holding said substrate for cleaning;
- an atmospheric pressure plasma jet spaced apart form said rotating chuck and said substrate for causing a plasma to impinge upon predetermined areas of said substrate;
- means for spraying a liquid rinse onto said predetermined areas of said substrate while said substrate is held by said rotating chuck;
- and
- a nozzle for blowing a gas onto said predetermined areas of said substrate while said substrate is held by said rotating chuck.
A method of cleaning substrates comprises the steps of:
- rotating said substrate to be cleaned on a chuck;
- impinging a plasma from a source of flowing atmospheric pressure plasma onto predetermined areas of said substrate while said substrate is on said chuck;
- spraying a liquid rinse onto said predetermined areas of said substrate while said substrate is on said chuck.
A method for cleaning of substrates held by a chuck comprises the steps of:
- positioning an atmospheric pressure plasma jet in a position to treat predetermined regions of said substrate while said substrate is held by said chuck;
- treating said predetermined regions of said substrate with said plasma while said substrate is held by said chuck;
- rinsing said predetermined regions of said substrate with a liquid rinse for removing a preselected portion of film from said substrate while said substrate is held by said chuck.
Apparatus for the cleaning of substrates comprises:
- a chuck for holding said substrate for cleaning in a stationary position;
- an atmospheric pressure plasma jet spaced apart from said substrate and said chuck for causing a plasma to impinge upon predetermined areas of said substrate;
- means for spraying a liquid rinse onto said predetermined areas of said substrate while said substrate is held by said chuck;
- and
- wherein said atmospheric pressure plasma jet and said means for spraying a liquid rinse are rotated so that said plasma and liquid rinse reach predetermined regions of said substrate while said substrate is held by said chuck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.