Gil Lund

US Patent:

6668844, Dec 30, 2003

Filed:

Jul 16, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/907544

Inventors:

Eric Lund - Kent WA
Joe Lanfrankie - Kent WA
Gil Lund - Kent WA
Dana Scranton - Kalispell MT
Eric Bergman - Kalispell MT

Assignee:

Semitool, Inc. - Kalispell MT

International Classification:

B08B 300

US Classification:

134155, 134 30, 134 33, 134 991, 134186, 134137, 134902, 34165, 34279, 34288, 34397, 34444

Abstract:

Workpieces requiring low levels of contamination, such as semiconductor wafers, are loaded into a rotor within a process chamber. The process chamber has a horizontal drain opening in its cylindrical wall. The chamber is closed via a door. A process or rinsing liquid is introduced into the chamber. The liquid rises to a level so that the workpieces are immersed in the liquid. The chamber slowly pivots or rotates to move the drain opening down to the level of the liquid. The liquid drains out through the drain opening. The drain opening is kept near the surface of the liquid to drain off liquid at a uniform rate. An organic solvent vapor is introduced above the liquid to help prevent droplets of liquid from remaining on the workpieces as the liquid drains off. The rotor spins the workpieces to help to remove any remaining droplets by centrifugal force.