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:
Sep. 07, 2010
Filed:
May. 13, 2005
Robert Kevwitch, Chandler, AZ (US);
Robert Kevwitch, Chandler, AZ (US);
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
During the processing of substrates, the substrate surface may be subjected to a cleaning process using supercritical CO. Surface matter may remain, for example, because it is only minimally soluble in the supercritical CO. For example, an oxidation cleaning process causes the substrate structure to cleave at several points leaving smaller fragments of oxidized residue behind. This residue has only minimal solubility in supercritical COdue to the polar constituents resulting from oxidation. The method thus further includes processing the substrate with supercritical COand a functionalizing agent that can react with the smaller fragments and/or other less soluble components. These functionalized components are rendered more soluble in supercritical COand are more easily removed than their predecessors.