IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,905,555
Granted Patent B2
US 6,905,555 · App. 10/448,474 · Granted Jun 14, 2005

Methods for transferring supercritical fluids in microelectronic and other industrial processes

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,905,555
App. No.
10/448,474
Granted
Jun 14, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of displacing a supercritical fluid from a pressure vessel (e.g., in a microelectronic manufacturing process), with the steps of: providing an enclosed pressure vessel containing a first supercritical fluid (said supercritical fluid preferably comprising carbon dioxide); adding a second fluid (typically also a supercritical fluid) to said vessel, with said second fluid being added at a pressure greater than the pressure of the first supercritical fluid, and with said second fluid having a density less than that of the first supercritical fluid; forming an interface between the first supercritical fluid and the second fluid; and displacing at least a portion of the first supercritical fluid from the vessel with the pressure of the second, preferably fluid while maintaining the interface therebetween.

Claims (30)

1. A method of displacing a supercritical fluid from a pressure vessel, consisting of the following steps:

providing an enclosed pressure vessel containing a supercritical fluid, said supercritical fluid comprising carbon dioxide;

adding a second fluid to said vessel, with said second fluid being added at a pressure greater than the pressure of said supercritical fluid, and with said second fluid having a density less than that of said supercritical fluid;

forming an interface between said supercritical fluid and said second fluid; and

displacing at least a portion of said supercritical fluid from said vessel with the pressure of said second fluid while maintaining said interface therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said interface is a visible interface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said interface is an optically detectable interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid comprises at least 50% by weight carbon dioxide.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second fluid comprises a supercritical fluid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second fluid comprises at least 50% by weight helium.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second fluid consists essentially of helium.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises a cleaning agent.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises a coating component.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises a polymer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises at least one compound extracted from a processing composition.

12. A method of displacing a supercritical fluid from a pressure vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosed pressure vessel containing a supercritical fluid, said supercritical fluid comprising carbon dioxide;

adding a second fluid to said vessel, with said second fluid being added at a pressure greater than the pressure of said supercritical fluid, and with said second fluid having a density less than that of said supercritical fluid;

forming an interface between said supercritical fluid and said second fluid, wherein said vessel has a length dimension along which said supercritical fluid is displaced, and wherein said interface has a thickness of not more than about ten percent of said length dimension; and

displacing at least a portion of said supercritical fluid from said vessel with the pressure of said second fluid while maintaining said interface therebetween.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said interface is a visible interface.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said interface is an optically detectable interface.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said supercritical fluid comprises at least 50% by weight carbon dioxide.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second fluid comprises a supercritical fluid.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second fluid comprises at least 50% by weight helium.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second fluid consists essentially of helium.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises a cleaning agent.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises a coating component.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises a polymer.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein said supercritical fluid further comprises at least one compound extracted from a processing composition.