Patent · US Expired

Processing a surface

US5967156A · kind A · utility

56Cited by
73References
65Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 7, 1994
Grant dateOct 19, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 7, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05K3/26
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In one aspect, foreign material on the surface of a substrate is processed to form a reaction product by: providing a directed flow of a fluid, comprising a reactant, to the vicinity of the foreign material to be processed; and delivering an aerosol of at least partially frozen particles continuously or intermittently to the foreign material to aid the reactant react with the foreign material to form the reaction product. In another aspect, foreign material is processed by: providing a directed flow of a fluid, comprising a reactant, to the foreign material to be processed in a limited area reaction region corresponding to a minor fraction of the total area of the substrate; agitating the foreign material in the limited area reaction region to aid the reactant react with the foreign material to form the reaction product; and providing relative motion between the substrate and the directed flow of fluid to achieve a substantially uniform exposure of the foreign material to fluid flow and the agitation. Infrared or ultraviolet radiation may also be delivered to the foreign material. Specific methods for processing oxide layers, organic layers and metal contamination are also describe…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.