In-situ reactor cleaning in high productivity combinatorial system
AssigneeIntermolecular, Inc.
InventorEdwin Adhiprakasha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a cleaning process, utilizing a gas flow to an interior of a hollow object in a fluid ambient. After capping the object to seal off the interior volume, gas is introduced to the object interior. The pressure is built up within the object interior, loosening the seal. The gas pressure is released, and the seal returns. The vibration caused by the cycling of gas pressure can be used to perform cleaning of particles adhering to the object. The cleaning process can be used in a combinatorial processing system, enabling in-situ cleaning of process reactor assemblies.
Claims7
A method for cleaning an object having a hollow interior and an opening, the method comprising:
- applying a force to the object against a substrate surface;
- forming a contact between the opening and the substrate surface;
- submerging the contact in a fluid;
- flowing a gas to the interior of the object to vibrate the object;
- and
- controlling a gas flow rate to achieve a vibration frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.