Method and apparatus for cleaning a thin disc
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsManoocher Birang, Bruno Strul
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for cleaning a thin disc. In accordance with a first aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes a tank adapted to contain a fluid, and at least one support mechanism adapted to support a thin disc such that the thin disc is at least partially submerged in the fluid. The apparatus further includes a plurality of transducers each adapted to produce energy waves in the fluid, and a controller adapted to adjust the energy waves produced by each transducer so as to scan an energy wave maximum along a surface of a thin disc supported by the at least one support mechanism.
Claims11
An apparatus for cleaning a thin disc comprising:
- a tank adapted to contain a fluid;
- at least one support mechanism adapted to support a thin disc such that the thin disc is at least partially submerged in the fluid;
- a plurality of transducers, each transducer adapted to produce energy waves in the fluid;
- and
- a controller coupled to the plurality of transducers and adapted to adjust the energy waves produced by each transducer so as to scan an energy wave maximum along a surface of a thin disc supported by the at least one support mechanism;
- wherein:
- the at least one support mechanism comprises a quartz holder so that energy waves produced by the transducers may be transmitted through the quartz holder;
- and
- the transducers are embedded in the quartz holder.
A method of cleaning a thin disc comprising:
- submerging at least a portion of a thin disc in a tank containing a fluid by supporting the thin disc on a quartz holder located within the tank, the tank having a plurality of transducers, each transducer adapted to supply sonic energy to the fluid;
- supplying power to the transducers so as to transmit sonic energy to the thin disc via the fluid;
- generating an energy wave maximum based on the sonic energy supplied by each transducer;
- and
- scanning the energy wave maximum along a surface of the thin disc;
- wherein the transducers are embedded in the quartz holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.