Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for applying disparate etching solutions to interior and exterior surfaces

US7073522B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
4References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 9, 2005
Grant dateJul 11, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 9, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/905
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Described are methods, systems, and chemistries for cleaning various components of semiconductor process equipment. A method in accordance with one embodiment cleans articles with differently contaminated interior and exterior surfaces by using those articles to separate a cleaning vessel into separate chambers, one chamber for the interior surface and one for the exterior surface. Different chemistries are then applied to the differently contaminated surfaces. This embodiment reduces the required volume of etchant, and consequently saves the cost, treatment, and disposal of toxic chemicals. One embodiment further reduces the requisite etchant volume using one or more volume-displacement elements that displace some of the etchant volume.

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