Wafer cleaning method
US5009240A · kind A · utility
32Cited by
12References
6Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 1989 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB24C3/322
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A wafer cleaning system which cleans semiconductor wafers by sand blasting them with ice particles is disclosed. In this system a stream of gas is conducted by a conduit to the semiconductor wafer while a spray of water is frozen into the ice particles by a number of cooling coil systems which protrude into the conduit. After the semiconductor wafer is sandblasted with ice, any residual ice is removed simply by evaporating it. This results in a clean wafer without the contamination that can accompany chemical solvents of other semiconductor cleaning and etching systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.