Abstract: A method and cleaning solution for cleaning electronic substrates, such as a semiconductor wafers, hard disks, photomasks or imprint molds. The method comprises the steps of contacting a surface of the substrate with a cleaning solution comprised of a polyphosphate, and then removing the cleaning solution from the surface. Additional optional steps include applying acoustic energy to the cleaning solution while the cleaning solution is in contact with the surface, and removing the cleaning solution from the surface by rinsing the surface with a rinsing solution with or without the application of acoustic energy. The cleaning solution comprises a polyphosphate, such as any of the water soluble polyphosphates. Depending on the application, the cleaning solution may also comprise a base and/or a quantity of suspended particles. Complexing agents, amines, biocides, surfactants and/or other substances, may also be added to the cleaning solution.

Abstract: A cleaning solution and method for removing submicron particles from the surface and/or the bevel of an electronic substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The cleaning solution comprises a polycarboxylate polymer or an ethoxylated polyamine. The method comprises the step of contacting a surface of the substrate with a cleaning solution comprised of a polycarboxylate polymer or an ethoxylated polyamine. Additional optional steps in the method include applying acoustic energy to the cleaning solution and/or rinsing the surface with a rinsing solution with or without the application of acoustic energy to the rinsing solution.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing droplets of a liquid, and methods for measuring various fluid parameters of the liquid are described. The liquid dispensing apparatus comprises a container having a chamber for holding a liquid. An orifice is positioned at an end of the chamber for dispensing droplets of the liquid, the orifice being configured to retain the liquid in the container if the container is positioned with the orifice facing in a downward direction. An acoustic transducer means is at least partially positioned in the chamber for periodically propagating a focused acoustic beam toward the orifice and through at least some of the liquid while the liquid is contained in the chamber, with the focused acoustic beam being capable of causing a droplet of the liquid to be ejected from the orifice when a free surface of the liquid is within the depth of field of the acoustic transducer means.

Abstract: A method and cleaning solution for cleaning electronic substrates, such as a semiconductor wafers, hard disks, photomasks or imprint molds. The method comprises the steps of contacting a surface of the substrate with a cleaning solution comprised of a polyphosphate, and then removing the cleaning solution from the surface. Additional optional steps include applying acoustic energy to the cleaning solution while the cleaning solution is in contact with the surface, and removing the cleaning solution from the surface by rinsing the surface with a rinsing solution with or without the application of acoustic energy. The cleaning solution comprises a polyphosphate, such as any of the water soluble polyphosphates. Depending on the application, the cleaning solution may also comprise a base and/or a quantity of suspended particles. Complexing agents, amines, biocides, surfactants and/or other substances, may also be added to the cleaning solution.

Abstract: A cleaning solution and method for removing submicron particles from the surface and/or the bevel of an electronic substrate such as a hard disk media substrate, or an imprint mold used in the manufacturing of the hard disk media or a read/write head assembly part. The cleaning solution comprises a polycarboxylate polymer or an ethoxylated polyamine. The method comprises the step of contacting a surface of the substrate with a cleaning solution comprised of a polycarboxylate polymer or an ethoxylated polyamine. Additional optional steps in the method include applying acoustic energy to the cleaning solution and/or rinsing the surface with a rinsing solution with or without the application of acoustic energy to the rinsing solution.

Abstract: A method for characterizing cavitation that occurs in a fluid exposed to acoustic energy. The method comprises the steps of exposing a volume of process fluid to acoustic energy at a specified power level; measuring the photon output from the fluid over a period of time; and when the photon output deviates from a desired level, initiating a remedial step to bring the photon output back to approximately the desired level.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for calibrating a droplet dispensing apparatus using acoustic energy to dispense a plurality of droplet sets of a liquid from a source container into a plurality of target containers, with each droplet set being comprised of one or more individual droplets of the liquid, and with a liquid level of the liquid in the source container being measured before each of the droplet sets are dispensed. The average droplet volume for the individual droplets in each of the droplet sets is then calculated by detecting the presence of an indicator, such as a fluorescent chemical. Once the average droplet volume has been calculated, it is determined if the average droplet volume for each droplet set is acceptable or not acceptable. Where the average droplet volume is determined to be not acceptable, an existing droplet dispensing parameter is changed to a new droplet dispensing parameter that will cause the average droplet volume for that droplet set to change.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for characterizing cavitation that occurs in a fluid exposed to acoustic energy. The apparatus comprises a vessel for holding the fluid; an acoustic energy generating means for generating acoustic energy, the acoustic energy generating means being positioned to transmit the acoustic energy into the fluid while the fluid is held in the vessel; and a cavitation detection means for detecting cavitation in the fluid held in the vessel. In a preferred embodiment, the cavitation detection means comprises a light detection means, such as a photomultiplier tube, that detects sonoluminescent emission from the fluid. The method comprises the steps of exposing a volume of process fluid to acoustic energy at a specified power level; measuring the photon output from the fluid over a period of time; and when the photon output deviates from a desired level, initiating a remedial step to bring the photon output back to approximately the desired level.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing droplets of a liquid, and methods for measuring various fluid parameters of the liquid are described. The liquid dispensing apparatus comprises a container having a chamber for holding a liquid. An orifice is positioned at an end of the chamber for dispensing droplets of the liquid, the orifice being configured to retain the liquid in the container if the container is positioned with the orifice facing in a downward direction. An acoustic transducer means is at least partially positioned in the chamber for periodically propagating a focused acoustic beam toward the orifice and through at least some of the liquid while the liquid is contained in the chamber, with the focused acoustic beam being capable of causing a droplet of the liquid to be ejected from the orifice when a free surface of the liquid is within the depth of field of the acoustic transducer means.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a noncontact method for measuring viscosity and/or surface tension information of a liquid in a liquid containment structure. The steps of the method include exciting a surface of the liquid with an excitation burst of acoustic energy that causes the surface to oscillate; generating a positional data set comprised of a plurality of positional measurements related to the detected position of the surface at a plurality of times after the surface is excited; generating a frequency domain data set from the positional data set, the amplitude spectrum of the frequency domain data set comprising information about the oscillation frequency of at least one vibrational mode of the of the surface as it oscillates; and processing the frequency domain data set and/or the positional data set to yield information about the surface tension and/or viscosity of the liquid. A Fast Fourier Transform technique may be used in generating the frequency domain data set.

Abstract: Devices useful in liquid transfer applications and in particular, devices for controlling the free surface of a source liquid in acoustic liquid ejection systems are disclosed. The devices advantageously maintain a source liquid to be transferred at a constant height and reduce disturbances formed in the liquid due to droplet ejection. In one variation, a well plate includes a plurality of wells each having a capillary. Source liquid in a well moves up the capillary due to capillary action and arrives at a certain height. The height arrived at remains constant despite the source liquid depleting from the well during the ejection process. The capillary can be separately joined or integral with the well plate. An acoustic wave emitter positioned adjacent to the well plate emits a focused acoustic beam that causes at least some of the liquid in the capillary to be ejected.

Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise two or more piezoelectric crystal segments that are separately controllable with respect to power and/or time. When assembled, the two more piezoelectric crystal segments give the acoustic energy generating means a rectangular shape, a wedge shape or a triangle shape. The resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer comprised of a resonator, an acoustic energy generating means, such as one or more piezoelectric crystals, and a bonding layer comprised of indium or tin for attaching the acoustic energy generating means to the resonator. The resonator comprises a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, sapphire, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum, ceramics and stainless steel. The resonator may form a detachable part of a container or the acoustic energy generating means may be attached directly to a side or to the bottom of the container, in which case a part of the container acts as the resonator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for droplet steering is disclosed herein. A throated structure having a nozzle defines a converging throat with an inlet and an outlet and a vectored fluid stream directed therethrough. The fluid stream is driven through the system via a vacuum pump. As the fluid approaches the outlet, its velocity increases and is drawn away from the nozzle through a connecting channel. As a droplet is ejected from a liquid therebelow, it will have a first trajectory until it is introduced to the high velocity fluid stream at the perimeter of the interior walls of the nozzle. The fluid accordingly steers the momentum of the droplet such that it obtains a second or corrected trajectory. Alternative variations include an electrically chargeable member, e.g., a pin, positionable to be in apposition to the outlet and capillary tubes for controlling the ejection surface of the pool of source fluid.

Abstract: A transducer comprised of a resonator and a piezoelectric crystal for cleaning single items such as semiconductor wafers and flat panel displays. The resonator is an elongated piece of material having a cross section that is trapezoidal in shape. The parallel sides of the trapezoid form the top and bottom ends of the resonator and the nonparallel sides of the trapezoid focus the acoustic energy on the bottom end of the resonator.

Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise two or more piezoelectric crystal segments that are separately controllable with respect to power and/or time. When assembled, the two more piezoelectric crystal segments give the acoustic energy generating means a rectangular shape, a wedge shape or a triangle shape. The resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.

Abstract: A megasonic cleaning system comprised of a container, a resonator, one or more piezoelectric crystals and a bonding layer comprised of indium or tin for attaching the piezoelectric crystal to the resonator. The resonator comprises a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, sapphire, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum, ceramics and stainless steel. The piezoelectric crystal may be attached directly to a side or to the bottom of the container, in which case the container acts as the resonator.

Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise a wedge shaped piezoelectric crystal. A resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.

Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy in the frequency range of 0.4 to 2.0 MHz, and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise a wedge shaped piezoelectric crystal. A resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.

Abstract: A megasonic cleaning system comprised of a one-piece cleaning tank, one or more piezoelectric crystals and an indium layer for attaching the piezoelectric crystals to the cleaning tank. The tank comprises a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, sapphire, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, ceramics and stainless steel. The piezoelectric crystals are attached directly to a side or to the bottom of the tank.