Refrigeration – Processes – Separating or preventing formation of undesirables
Patent
1987-08-26
1988-10-18
Capossela, Ronald C.
Refrigeration
Processes
Separating or preventing formation of undesirables
62303, 134 254, F25B 4700
Patent
active
047778040
ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus is provided for removing submicron sized particles from the surface of a silicon semiconductor wafer (38). Conventional cleaning methods are capable of only removing particles that are about 1 micron or larger in size. The present invention provides a way to increase the submicron particles in size so that they are removable by the known methods. The silicon semiconductor wafer (38) is cooled by a refrigeration unit (36) or by exposure to liquid nitrogen (74). The cooled wafer (38) is then exposed to a condensable material (42) which is allowed to condense on the surface of the wafer (38). The condensable material will surround any particles that are on the surface and cause them to grow in size due to the formation of frozen crystals. Without allowing the crystals to melt, the enlarged particles then are removed by any of the known methods.
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patent: 4129919 (1978-12-01), Fitch
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patent: 4322252 (1982-03-01), Plumb
patent: 4589926 (1986-05-01), Holmstrand
Bowling Robert A.
Fisher Wayne G.
Millis Edwin G.
Anderson Rodney M.
Capossela Ronald C.
Heiting Leo N.
Sharp Melvin
Texas Instruments Incorporated
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