Apparatus And Method For Drying Disk-Shaped Substrates
A device for drying a disk-shaped substrate includes an element for holding a single disk-shaped substrate, an element for supplying rinsing liquid onto the disk-shaped substrate surface, an element for generating an aerosol and an element for supplying the aerosol onto the disk-shaped substrate surface. Also described is a method for drying a disk-shaped substrate including the steps of providing a single disk-shaped substrate, applying rinsing liquid to the disk-shaped substrate surface, applying an aerosol onto the disk-shaped substrate surface wherein the aerosol includes a drying liquid as disperse phase and an inert gas as the continuous phase. At least part of the liquid is present on the disk-shaped substrate during supply of the aerosol and aerosol droplets condense on liquid surface.
1 . Device for drying a disk-shaped substrate comprising
means for holding a single disk-shaped substrate
means for supplying rinsing liquid onto the disk-shaped substrate surface
means for generating an aerosol being connected to a drying liquid source for feeding drying liquid to the aerosol generator and
means for supplying said aerosol onto the disk-shaped substrate surface.
2 . Device according to claim 1 further comprising means for rotatable holding the single disk-shaped substrate.
3 . Device according to claim 1 wherein the means for generating the aerosol comprises means selected from a group comprising vibrating elements, high pressure liquid spray nozzle (gasless), air brush nozzle (connected to a gas source for delivering carrier gas), two fluid jet nozzle.
4 . Device according to claim 1 wherein the means for generating the aerosol comprise vibrating elements.
5 . Device according to claim 2 wherein the means for rotatable holding a single disk-shaped substrate further comprise a plate parallel to said disk-shaped substrate when being treated in order to provide a gap between the disk-shaped substrate and said plate.
6 . Device according to claim 1 wherein the means for supplying said aerosol comprise at least one aerosol nozzle.
7 . Device according to claim 6 further comprising means for moving at least one aerosol nozzle across the surface of the disk-shaped substrate.
8 . Device according to claim 1 wherein the means for applying said rinsing liquid comprise a rinsing nozzle.
9 . Device according to claim 8 further comprising means for moving rinsing nozzle across the surface of the disk-shaped substrate.
10 . Device according to claim 1 further comprising a cover, which corresponds to the size of the disk-shaped substrate in order to cover said disk-shaped substrate.
11 . Device according to claim 1 further comprising a droplet separator, which is operatively arranged between the means for generating an aerosol and the means for supplying said aerosol.
12 . Method for drying a disk-shaped substrate comprising the steps of
providing a single disk-shaped substrate
applying rinsing liquid to the disk-shaped substrate surface
applying an aerosol onto the disk-shaped substrate surface wherein the aerosol comprises a drying liquid as disperse phase and an inert gas as the continuous phase,
wherein at least part of the liquid is present on the disk-shaped substrate during supply of the aerosol and aerosol droplets condense on liquid surface.
13 . Method according to claim 12 wherein said disk-shaped substrate is rotated about an axis substantially perpendicular to the disk-shaped substrate surface at least part of the time during aerosol is supplied to the disk-shaped substrate.
14 . Method according to claim 12 wherein the liquid and aerosol are at least part of the time supplied simultaneously.
15 . Method according to claim 12 wherein the point of supply of the aerosol moves across the surface of the disk-shaped substrate.
16 . Method according to claim 12 wherein the point of supply of the rinsing liquid moves across the surface of the disk-shaped substrate.
17 . Method for drying a disk-shaped substrate wherein both sides of the disk-shaped are treated by a method according to claim 12.