Laser Nozzle Methods And Apparatus For Surface Cleaning

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for cleaning a surface comprising contaminate particles are provided. In one respect, plasma and/or a shockwave may be created in a fluid flowing through a nozzle. The nozzle, coupled to a laser source and a fluid feed may be configured to deliver the generated plasma and/or shockwave to the surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.

FIG. 1A is side-view of a cleaning tool, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a top-view of the cleaning tool, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a laser nozzle, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a plasma chamber cap for a laser nozzle, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show confinement of plasma by a magnetic field, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show an azimuthal magnetic field by use of torrid, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show an electric field for confining plasma in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 7 shows a vapor/fume cleaning technique, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a laser nozzle coupled to a laser, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal configuration of the laser nozzle and laser of FIG. 8, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a laser coupled to long focal lens, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a laser-integrated cleaning system, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing contaminant particles from a surface, comprising: a nozzle operably moveable to a location adjacent to a surface;a fluid feed coupled to the nozzle for providing a fluid flow through the nozzle;a light source coupled to the nozzle for providing light from the light source, the light generating plasma and a shockwave within the fluid flow, where the generated plasma and shockwave are provided to the surface by the nozzle for removing contaminant particles from the surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the surface being selected from the group consisting of a substrate, a plate, a patterned silicon wafer, an unpatterned silicon wafer, a glass wafer, a glass substrate, a photomask substrate, and a mask.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the light source creating a shockwave for producing droplets, the droplets removing the contaminant particles from the surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the light source being selected from the group consisting of a high pressure mercury lamp, a low pressure mercury lamp, an ultraviolet light emitting diode, an ultraviolet laser diode, a metal halide lamp, a Xe2 excimer lamp, a KrCl excimer lamp, a XeI excimer lamp, a XeCl excimer lamp, an ArF excimer laser, a KrF excimer laser, an Ar2 excimer lamp, and a F2 laser.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the fluid feed being configured to provide more than one fluid flow through the nozzle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lens element coupled to the nozzle for focusing the light to the fluid flow.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a megasonic transducer coupled to the nozzle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor for detecting shockwaves within the nozzle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 being integrated into a wet processing chamber.

10. A method for removing particles from a surface comprising: providing a fluid through a nozzle;focusing light onto the fluid within the nozzle for generating plasma and a shockwave in the fluid within the nozzle;providing the generated plasma and shockwave to a surface, the plasma and shockwave removing contaminant particles from the surface.

11. The method of claim 10, the step of providing a surface comprises providing a substrate, a plate, a patterned silicon wafer, an unpatterned silicon wafer, a glass wafer, a glass substrate, a photomask substrate, or a mask.

12. The method of claim 1, the step of providing a fluid comprises providing more than one fluid through the nozzle.

13. The method of claim 1, the step of providing a fluid comprises providing a liquid chemical, water, ozonated water, hydrogenated water, deionized water, or mixtures of liquid chemicals.