Claims
- 1. A method for the removal of organic sacrificial layers from a structure, said method comprising:
immersing said structure in at least one bath of at least one organic cleaning solvent, thereby removing substantially all of said organic sacrificial layers; rinsing said structure in a bath of an organic rinse solvent; transferring said structure to a pressure chamber without substantial evaporation of said organic rinse solvent wherein said structure is immersed in a second bath of said rinse organic solvent; introducing a process fluid into said pressure chamber and displacing said organic rinse solvent with said process fluid; sealing and pressurizing said pressure chamber with said process fluid; heating said process fluid above its critical temperature, thereby permitting said process fluid to undergo a phase change to a supercritical phase; and venting said process fluid.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is conducted at temperatures of less than 40 degrees centigrade.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said organic cleaning and rinse solvents are at least one organic solvent selected from the group of semi-volatile organic solvents.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of immersing said structure in at least one bath of at least one organic cleaning solvent, thereby removing substantially all of said organic sacrificial layers comprises:
immersing said structure into a first bath of a first solvent; subjecting said first bath to ultrasonic agitation; removing said structure from said first bath and immersing said structure in a second bath of a second solvent; agitating said second bath using ultrasonic pulses; transferring said structure to a third bath of a third solvent; and agitating said third bath using ultrasonic pulses.
- 5. A method for the removal of organic sacrificial layers from a structure, the method comprising:
immersing said structure into a first bath of a first solvent; subjecting said first bath to ultrasonic agitation; removing said structure from said first bath and immersing said structure in a second bath of a second solvent; agitating said second bath using ultrasonic pulses; transferring said structure to a third bath of a third solvent; agitating said third bath using ultrasonic pulses while flowing a supply of said third solvent over said structure; and transferring said structure to a fourth bath of a fourth solvent.
- 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:
placing said structure in a bath of said fourth solvent within a pressure chamber; filling said pressure chamber with liquid carbon dioxide; heating said carbon dioxide above its critical point; and depressurizing said pressure chamber and exhausting said carbon dioxide.
- 7. The method of claim 5 wherein said first, second, and fourth solvents comprise organic solvents.
- 8. The method of claim 5 wherein said first solvent is methanol.
- 9. The method of claim 5 wherein said second solvent is acetone.
- 10. The method of claim 5 wherein said third solvent is water.
- 11. The method of claim 5 wherein said fourth solvent is methanol.
- 12. A method for the removal of organic sacrificial layers from a structure, said method comprising:
immersing said structure in at least one bath of at least one organic cleaning solvent, thereby removing substantially all of said organic sacrificial layers; rinsing said structure in a bath of an organic rinse solvent; transferring said structure to a pressure chamber without substantial evaporation of said organic rinse solvent wherein said structure is immersed in a second bath of said rinse organic solvent; treating said structure with a process fluid in a supercritical phase in said pressure chamber, displacing the organic rinse solvent; and exhausting the process fluid.
- 13. The method according to claim 12 wherein treating said structure with a process fluid in a supercritical phase in said pressure chamber, displacing the organic rinse solvent comprises:
introducing a process fluid into said pressure chamber and displacing said organic rinse solvent with said process fluid; sealing and pressurizing said pressure chamber with said process fluid; heating said process fluid above its critical temperature, thereby permitting said process fluid to undergo a phase change to a supercritical phase; and venting said process fluid.
- 14. The method of claim 12 wherein treating said structure with a process fluid in a supercritical phase in said pressure chamber, displacing the organic rinse solvent comprises:
introducing a through flow of a supercritical phase process fluid; stopping said through flow; and exhausting said process fluid from said pressure chamber.
- 15. The method of claim 12 wherein treating said structure with a process fluid in a supercritical phase in said pressure chamber, displacing the organic rinse solvent comprises:
placing a lid on a base of said pressure chamber, said base having a cavity wherein is disposed said structure; clamping said lid to said base with two slidable locking clamp rings, each said ring having an open jaw sufficiently large to partially enclose an edge of said vessel, said chamber configured with top and bottom cam plates, said cam plates oriented with respect to said rings to bring said rings into vertically compressive locking engagement on said chamber when said rings are moved into said locking position; introducing a through flow of process fluid in said cavity at supercritical temperature and pressure; exhausting said process fluid from said closed cavity; unclamping said lid from said base; removing said lid from said base; and removing said structure from said cavity.
- 16. The method according to claim 12 wherein said structure is immersed in a plurality of organic cleaning solvent baths, each said organic cleaning solvent bath containing a different organic cleaning solvent.
- 17. The method according to claim 16 wherein said different organic cleaning solvents is at least one solvent selected from the group of solvents consisting of methanol, acetone, methylethylketone, low molecular weight alcohols, low molecular weight ketones, low molecular weight aromatics, low molecular weight alkanes, low molecular weight alkenes, low molecular weight polar organics, and low molecular weight non-polar organics.
- 18. The method according to claim 12 wherein said process fluid is carbon dioxide.
- 19. The method according to claim 12 wherein said organic rinse solvent is miscible with said process fluid.
- 20. The method according to claim 12 wherein said organic rinse solvent is the same as at least one said organic cleaning solvent.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/439,682, filed Jan. 13, 2003.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60439682 |
Jan 2003 |
US |