Abstract: In a cleaning apparatus for substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, a permeable core member 68 made of a synthetic resin is supplied with distilled water from a distilled water supply path 60 within a head portion 66 of a cleaning tool 24. A planar portion 72 is provided on the lower surface of the core member 68 and a porous resin sheet 69 is attached to the outer surface of the core member 68, to cover it. The cleaning tool 24 is provided with an air bearing cylinder 30 that imparts a vertical driving force to a rod 31 that presses against the surface of a wafer W which is being rotated, and the distilled water supply path 60 is provided within the rod 31. The distilled water supplied from the distilled water supply path 60 permeates through the core member 68 and the porous resin sheet 69 and is sent out of the head 66 so that a flowing film of distilled water is formed on the surface of the wafer W. Thus contamination and damage of the substrate is prevented and the shape of the head is not destroyed.

Abstract: Method and device for cleaning germination trays. The device includes a moveable carriage comprising at least one telescoping carrier, the at least one telescoping carrier being coupled to at least one supply line, and a cleaning unit coupled to the at least one telescoping carrier. The method includes extending the at least one telescoping carrier from the moveable carriage, moving the moveable carriage, and directing a cleaning fluid onto a portion of the germinating tray using the at least one cleaning unit, wherein the cleaning fluid cleans the portion of the germination tray.

Abstract: A low pressure hot water parts washing apparatus recirculating a heated water/detergent solution and spraying same from a perforated manifold onto oily and dirt-laden parts carried by a rotary turntable. The turntable is peripherally mounted by bearings spaced about a conical solution reservoir tank to support parts without turntable tilting. The solution is drawn from the conical reservoir tank through apertures in a radiator tube housing heating elements, the elements being cleaned by a continual flow of solution passing thereover while efficiently heating the solution.

Abstract: A wafer cleaning device is provided with a roll brush extending in an axial direction and having an end portion supported so that the roll brush can be rolled around its axis freely for performing cleaning by touching a rolled contact surface of the roll brush to a cleaned surface of a wafer. The end portion of the roll brush is supported so that the roll brush can be displaced by a dial adjusting screw to enable the axis to be tilted to the cleaned surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A pneumatic pressure line cleaning assembly for clearing the pneumatic lines of a pressure gauge, specifically a speedometer for a power boat, is attached to a cut tube of the pneumatic line between the pressure gauge and the air intake opening with a second port of a three-port valve being connected in flow communication with the pressure gauge and a third port opening of the three-port valve being in flow communication with the pressure intake opening. The first port of the three-port valve is in flow communication with an air compressor. In normal operating conditions, ports two and three of the three-port valve are in flow communication so that the pressure gauge pneumatic line is in flow communication with the pressure intake opening and in a second position, the three-port valve is positioned so that the third-port is in flow communication with the first port. In the second position, the air compressor is actuated to provide pressurized bursts of air in a direction towards the air intake opening.

Abstract: A washer includes driving and scrubbing rollers that press against the opposing surfaces of a substrate, which may be, e.g., a small form factor disk. The driving rollers and scrubbing rollers are approximately aligned along two different radii of the substrate that are separated by 180 degrees. The driving rollers rotate in opposite directions as do the scrubbing rollers. During the scrub cycle, the driving rollers cause the substrate to rotate, while the scrubbing rollers scrub the opposing surfaces of the substrate. Outside diameter rollers that are orthogonally positioned relative to the driving rollers and the scrubbing rollers, and which may be free spinning, contact the outside diameter of the substrate and hold the substrate in position during the scrub cycle. The substrate is loaded into the washer by lifting the substrate, via a lifting arm, to the driving and scrubbing rollers.

Abstract: Seeds are treated in a cold plasma in a reaction chamber to etch the surface of the seeds to remove surface materials, such as fungicides and insecticides, or to disinfect the surfaces. The cold plasma process is carried out using etch gases which do not harm the seeds and for selected periods of time sufficient to remove surface materials without necessarily affecting the viability of live seeds after treatment. Tumbling the seeds while exposing the seeds to the plasma allows the surfaces of the seeds to be etched uniformly.

Abstract: A cryogenic cleaner for and a method of performing cleaning of a surface that must be substantially free of contaminants has a resiliently mounted nozzle for spraying a cryogenic cleaning medium on the surface. The nozzle is driven in an oscillatory manner at a predetermined amplitude and frequency so the nozzle spray is delivered in a manner to provide pulsing of the spray and to provide as “snow plow” effect on contaminants as the spray delivers the cleaning medium against the surface. The surface is transported past the nozzle, and the cleaning occurs in an enclosed controlled environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning system for removing ink from the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The cleaning system comprises a first cleaning station, a second cleaning station and a drying station. The first cleaning station spins the wafer and uses an N-Methyl-Pyrolidone (NMP) solution to dissolve the ink on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The second cleaning station also spins the wafer and uses another cleaning solution to clean the ink off the surface of the wafer. The drying station spins the wafer and uses a gas to blow the surface of the wafer so as to remove residue from the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for cleaning a pressurized container having at least one chemical contained therein. The pressurized container may be any type of container able to store chemicals under pressure. Preferably, however, the container may be a rail tank car. Generally, the system includes the container that may have a plurality of valves for adding or removing gaseous or liquid material to or from the container. The container may be connected with a nitrogen tank that may be heated via a heater. The container may further be connected to a flare for incinerating residual chemical material that may be removed from the container.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for cleaning a heater bellow in a chemical vapor deposition chamber by utilizing a plug and a plug base specifically designed for such cleaning are disclosed. The apparatus consists of the plug and the plug base which can be advantageously mounted in a heater bellow for the filling of the bellow with an oxidizing fluid such as H2O2. After a suitable soaking period of the oxidizing fluid, the fluid is drained away and then deionized water is used to fill the bellow to rinse the bellow wall and to remove the oxidized compound of metal, such as WO3. During the soaking process by H2O2 or by deionized water, an inert gas such as argon may be purged through the fluid to improve its uniformity and to improve its interaction with the metal oxide deposition on the bellow wall.

Abstract: A communication-controlled washing system and a method for operating the same, wherein at least one washing machine is remotely controllable through a communication unit. A service provider controls the use, operation completion, operation progress and fault diagnosis of a plurality of washing machines individually over a communication network, resulting in a significant reduction in time and effort required for users or managers to limit the use of machines, upgrade programs or repair faults. Further, the optimum washing mode can be performed according to a use history and environmental conditions of each machine.

Abstract: A cleaning system for a reaction chamber having jigs and top and bottom openings includes a cleaning solution supplier under the top opening for spraying a cleaning solution within the reaction chamber to supply the cleaning solution onto an inner wall of the reaction chamber and surfaces of the jigs, and a sloped bottom plate that closes the bottom opening so that the cleaning solution falls onto the sloped bottom plate and flows across the sloped bottom plate to a drain.

Abstract: A street sewer passive clean-out system is provided as a system and method to aid municipal workers in the cleaning of street sewers. A net type screen is provided on the end of a fiberglass pole. The pole would be variable in length from eight feet to sixteen feet. The screen would be available in 7, 9 and 11 inch sizes and would be interchangeable on the end of the pole.

Abstract: A washing device (10) includes a chamber (12) with a front door (24). The door is pivotable between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position. An article carrying assembly (34) is moveable from inside the washing device to an upper surface (26) of the open door. A lifting system (72) moves the front door between lower and upper positions (74, 76). The lifting system includes a follower (154) to which the front door is pivotally mounted. A motor (80) transmits power to a pair of chains (110, 116), which drive the follower along a guide (156) to move the door up and down. Alternatively, the lifting system includes a cable (182) coupled to a fluid cylinder (180). When the door is in the upper position, an operator can move the rack to a transfer cart or load and unload the article carrying assembly, all while in a substantially erect position.

Abstract: A pressure vessel for use in production processes requiring elevating and ranging of temperatures and pressures during the process cycle, readily adaptable to production line operation, suitable for wafer processing in the semiconductor industry and for other industries and processes. The pressure vessel is configured within an open support frame with a stationary, preferably inverted, orientation. The cover or closing plate is vertically movable towards the mouth of the pressure vessel and functions as the platform by which the object under process is transferred into the vessel. The moving and locking mechanism for the cover is isolated and shielded from the process environment.

Abstract: A hands-free, electrically operated food washing device having a fluid dispenser, such as a reservoir, a wash compartment, a motor-driven agitator, a removable food basket, and a drain for removing soiled fluid from the device. Also provided are controls allowing a user to vary wash cycle parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for rinsing and cleaning a wafer carrier and a semiconductor wafer mounted thereon during a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process is provided. The system includes a head spray assembly that comprises a plurality of spray nozzles positioned therein. The head spray assemble is moveably positionable between a park position and a spray position. The spray position is adjacent the wafer carrier such that liquid discharged from the spray nozzles is in liquid communication with the wafer carrier, the semiconductor wafer and the interior of the head spray assembly. The system provides aggressive and uniform cleaning and rinsing while containing and collecting the liquid discharged from the spray nozzles and the materials rinsed from the wafer carrier and semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an etchant mixing assembly for a semiconductor processing system. The etchant mixing assembly includes at least one acid source, at least one oxidizer source, a mixing tank selectively in fluid communication with the at least one acid source and the at least one oxidizer source, and a mixed etchant tank in fluid communication with the mixing tank. Additionally, a system controller configured to sense a low level of fluid in the mixed etchant tank, cause a fresh fluid solution to be mixed in the mixing tank, and cause the fresh fluid solution to the communicated to the mixed etchant tank is also provided in the etchant mixing assembly.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus comprises a holder for holding a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer horizontally and rotating the substrate about its central axis, while conducting a cleaning operation of the substrate by supplying a cleaning liquid thereto. The apparatus further comprises a cleaning vessel including a side wall encircling the substrate rotated by the holder to intercept the cleaning liquid supplied to and scattered from the rotating substrate and then finally drain the cleaning liquid. There is provided a vent duct for carrying gas from the inside of the cleaning vessel to the outside of the same. The vent duct includes an inlet provided at substantially the same level as that of the substrate for introducing the gas into the vent duct.