Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for removing a liquid from a surface of a rotating substrate

US6491764B2 · kind B2 · utility

115Cited by
7References
51Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 23, 1998
Grant dateDec 10, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 23, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S134/902
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for removing a liquid, i.e a wet processing liquid, from a surface of at least one substrate is disclosed. A liquid is supplied on a surface of substrate. Simultaneously or thereafter besides the liquid also a gaseous substance can be supplied thereby creating at least locally a sharply defined liquid-vapor boundary. The gaseous substance and the liquid can be selected such that the gaseous substance is miscible with the liquid and when mixed with the liquid yields a mixture having a surface tension lower than that of the liquid. According to the invention, the substrate is subjected to a rotary movement at a speed to guide said liquid-vapor boundary over said substrate thereby removing said liquid from said substrate.

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