Methods and apparatus for cleaning and/or treating a substrate using CO2
AssigneeMicell Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJames DeYoung, James B. McClain, Michael E. Cole, Steven Lee Worm, David Brainard
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Abstract
An apparatus for cleaning a microelectronic substrate includes a pressure chamber, a supply of a process liquid including dense phase CO2 fluidly connected to the chamber and a distilling system. Distilling system includes a still fluidly connected to the chamber and operative to separate CO2 from the process fluid. The distilling system is operative to re-introduce the separated CO2 into the chamber or a further chamber.
Claims19
An apparatus for cleaning a microelectronic substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a pressure chamber;
- b) a supply of a process fluid including dense phase CO2 fluidly connected to the chamber;
- c) a distilling system including a still fluidly connected to the chamber and operative to separate CO2 from the process fluid, wherein the distilling system is operative to re-introduce the separated CO2 into the chamber or a further chamber;
- and
- d) a transfer system between the pressure chamber and the still to change at least one of a temperature and a state of the process fluid, wherein the transfer system is located downstream of the pressure chamber and upstream the still.
An apparatus for cleaning a microelectronic substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a process chamber adapted to contain a process fluid including CO2;
- b) means for removing the process fluid from the process chamber following use of the process fluid in the process chamber;
- c) means for separating CO2 from the used process fluid, wherein the means for separating CO2 includes a still;
- d) means for returning the separated CO2 to the process chamber or a further process chamber for subsequent use;
- and
- e) a transfer system between the process chamber and the still to change at least one of a temperature and a state of the process fluid, wherein the transfer system is located downstream of the pressure chamber and upstream of the still.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.