Back to results
US 8,075,704 B2Granted
Method for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants using oxygen and/or water gas mixtures
AssigneeEntegris, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey J. Spiegelman, Daniel Alvarez, Jr., Russell J. Holmes, Allan Tram
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention discloses a method for the removal of a number of molecular contaminants from surfaces within a device. A purge gas containing oxygen and/or water is introduced into the interior of the device, contacting at least a portion of the interior surfaces. A contaminated purge gas is produced by transferring a portion of the contamination from the interior surfaces into the purge gas. The contaminated purge gas is removed from the device and the process is continued until the contaminant concentration in the contaminated purge gas is below a predetermined level.
Claims26
A method for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants (AMC) from a substrate, comprising:
- outgassing the AMC from a surface of the substrate under conditions that do not chemically change or alter the AMC, by contacting at least a portion of the substrate with a purified purge gas at a temperature of about 20° C. to 100° C., the purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water, the purified purge gas having an AMC concentration less than about 1 part trillion (ppt) on a volume basis, the substrate contaminated with AMC before the substrate is contacted with the purified purge gas;
- producing a contaminated purge gas by transferring a portion of the outgassed contaminants from the substrate into the purified purge gas;
- and
- removing the contaminated purge gas from the substrate, thereby removing AMC from the substrate,
- wherein the portion of the outgassed contaminants is transferred into the purified purge gas by diffusion or desorption.
2 more elements
A method for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants (AMC) from a substrate, comprising:
- outgassing the AMC from a surface of the substrate under conditions that do not chemically change or alter the AMC, by contacting at least a portion of the substrate with a purified purge gas at a temperature of about 20° C. to 100° C., the purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water, the purified purge gas having an AMC concentration less than about 1 part per trillion (ppt) on a volume basis;
- producing a contaminated purge gas by transferring the outgassed AMC from the substrate into the purified purge gas;
- and
- removing the contaminated purge gas from the substrate, wherein the oxygen and water in the purified purge gas are in an amount sufficient to outgas AMC from the substrate at a faster rate than the method using a purge gas consisting essentially of nitrogen gas,
- wherein the portion of the outgassed contaminants is transferred into the purified purge gas by diffusion or desorption.
2 more elements
A method for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants (AMC) from a substrate, comprising:
- outgassing the AMC from a surface of the substrate under conditions that do not chemically change or alter the AMC, by contacting at least a portion of the substrate with a humidified purge gas comprising extra clean dry air (XCDA) which has been humidified by the addition of water vapor thereto, the humidified purge gas having an AMC concentration less than about 1 part per trillion (ppt) on a volume basis;
- producing a contaminated purge gas by transferring a portion of the outgassed contaminants from the substrate into the purified purge gas;
- and
- removing the contaminated purge gas from the substrate, thereby removing AMC from the substrate,
- wherein the portion of the outgassed contaminants is transferred into the purified purge gas by diffusion or desorption.
2 more elements
A method for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants (AMC) from a substrate, comprising:
- outgassing the AMC from a surface of the substrate by contacting at least a portion of the substrate with a purified purge gas under conditions that do not chemically change or alter the AMC, the purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water, the purified purge gas having an AMC concentration less than about 1 part per trillion (ppt) on a volume basis, the substrate contaminated with AMC before the substrate is contacted with purified purge gas;
- producing a contaminated purge gas by transferring a portion of the outgassed contaminants from the substrate into the purified purge gas;
- and
- removing the contaminated purge gas from the substrate, thereby removing AMC from the substrate,
- wherein the portion of the outgassed contaminants is transferred into the purified purge gas by diffusion or desorption.
2 more elements
A method for purging organic contaminants from an organic contaminated component in a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising:
- causing the organic contaminants to outgas from a surface of the organic contaminated component in the semiconductor manufacturing process by contacting at least a portion of the surface with a purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water under conditions that do not chemically change or alter the AMC;
- transferring a portion of the outgassed organic contaminants from the organic contaminated component in the semiconductor manufacturing process into the purified purge gas to produce a contaminated purge gas comprising the outgassed organic contaminants,
- wherein the portion of the outgassed contaminants is transferred into the purified purge gas by diffusion or desorption;
- removing the contaminated purge gas from the component in the semiconductor manufacturing process;
- and
- repeating the above steps until an outgassing rate at the surface of the component in the semiconductor manufacturing process is reduced to 1 ppt or less.
3 more elements
A method for purging airborne molecular contaminants (AMC) from a component in a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising:
- outgassing the AMC from a surface of the substrate under conditions that do not chemically change or alter the AMC, by contacting at least a portion of the component in the semiconductor manufacturing process with a purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water at a temperature of about 20° C. to 100° C., the purified purge gas having an AMC concentration less than about 1 part per trillion (ppt) on a volume basis, the component in the semiconductor manufacturing process contaminated with AMC before the component is contacted with the purified purge gas;
- producing a contaminated purge gas by transferring a portion of the outgassed contaminants from the component in the semiconductor manufacturing process into the purified purge gas,
- wherein the portion of the outgassed contaminants is transferred into the purified purge gas by diffusion or desorption;
- and
- removing the contaminated purge gas from the component in the semiconductor manufacturing process, thereby removing AMC from the component in the semiconductor manufacturing process.
2 more elements
A method for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants (AMC) from a substrate, comprising:
- dehumidifying a purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2);
- adding a controlled amount of ultrapure water to the dehumidified purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) to form a purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water having an AMC concentration less than about 1 part per trillion (ppt) on a volume basis;
- outgassing the AMC from a surface of the substrate by contacting at least a portion of the substrate under conditions that do not chemically change or alter the AMC, with the purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water;
- producing a contaminated purge gas by transferring a portion of the outgassed contaminants from the substrate into the purified purge gas comprising oxygen (O2) and water,
- wherein the portion of the outgassed contaminants is transferred into the purified purge gas by diffusion or desorption;
- and
- removing the contaminated purge gas from the substrate, thereby removing AMC.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.