The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 21, 2002
Filed:
May. 01, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Toshiaki Fujii, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Kikuo Okuyama, Hiroshima-ken, JP;
Manabu Shimada, Hiroshima-ken, JP;
Assignee:
Ebara Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B08B 3/12 ; B08B 6/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B08B 3/12 ; B08B 6/00 ;
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for removing particles from a surface of an article, such as a semiconductor wafer in a clean room. The particles are supplied with an electric charge. Subsequently, an ultrasonic wave or a gas stream is applied onto the surface of the article while an electric field is applied for driving away the electrically charged particles from the surface, thereby removing particles having a dimension smaller than 1 micrometer from the surface. The presence of a collecting member allows the removal of resulting, floating particles.