IP Library Granted Patent US 8,575,571
Granted Patent B2
US 8,575,571 · App. 13/618,624 · Granted Nov 5, 2013

Cleaning apparatus, measurement method and calibration method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,575,571
App. No.
13/618,624
Granted
Nov 5, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A calibration method for calibrating a measurement device for measuring a concentration of a gas dissolved in a liquid includes varying the concentration of the gas dissolved in the liquid, and predetermining, as a reference concentration, a concentration of the gas at which an intensity of luminescence produced when the liquid is irradiated with ultrasonic waves shows a peak. The liquid is illuminated with ultrasonic waves while varying the concentration of the gas in the liquid and a measured value is measured, using the measurement device, as a concentration of the gas in the liquid when the intensity of the luminescence shows a peak. The measurement device is calibrated based on the measured value and the reference concentration.

Claims (16)

1. A calibration method for calibrating a measurement device for measuring a concentration of a gas dissolved in a liquid, the method comprising:

varying the concentration of the gas dissolved in the liquid, and predetermining, as a reference concentration, a concentration of the gas at which an intensity of luminescence produced when the liquid is irradiated with ultrasonic waves shows a peak;

irradiating the liquid with ultrasonic waves while varying the concentration of the gas in the liquid and measuring, using the measurement device, as a measured value, a concentration of the gas in the liquid when the intensity of the luminescence shows a peak; and

calibrating the measurement device based on the measured value and the reference concentration.

2. The calibration method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is water.

3. The calibration method according to claim 1 , wherein the intensity of the luminescence is measured using at least one of an image intensifier and a photomultiplier tube.

4. The calibration method according to claim 1 , wherein the gas is nitrogen.

5. The calibration method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is a cleaning liquid for cleaning a semiconductor substrate, and the measurement device is included in a cleaning apparatus configured to clean the semiconductor substrate.

6. A measurement method for measuring a concentration of a gas dissolved in a liquid, the method comprising:

irradiating the liquid with ultrasonic waves and measuring, using a luminescence intensity measuring device, an intensity of luminescence produced to obtain a measured value of the intensity of the luminescence; and

deriving the concentration of the gas from the measured value of the intensity of the luminescence based on a predetermined correlation between the concentration of the gas dissolved in the liquid and the intensity of the luminescence produced when the liquid is irradiated with ultrasonic waves.

7. An apparatus for cleaning a substrate comprising:

a cleaning tank configured to hold a cleaning liquid for cleaning the substrate;

an ultrasonic generating unit configured to irradiate the cleaning liquid with ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic generating unit being connected to the cleaning tank via a medium capable of transmitting the ultrasonic waves to the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank;

a luminescence intensity measuring device configured to measure, as a measured value, an intensity of luminescence produced when the cleaning liquid is irradiated with the ultrasonic waves; and

a processing unit configured to derive a concentration of the gas dissolved in the cleaning liquid from the measured value and a predetermined correlation between the concentration of the gas dissolved in the cleaning liquid and the intensity of the luminescence.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE DATE OF THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS FROM 03/12/2020 TO 12/03/2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056719 FRAME: 0881. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 1, 2021
From: SILTRONIC AG
To: SILTRONIC AG
Reel/Frame 057561/0451 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 30, 2021
From: SILTRONIC AG
To: SILTRONIC AG
Reel/Frame 056719/0881 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2012
From: HAIBARA, TERUO; MORI, YOSHIHIRO; KUBO, ETSUKO; UCHIBE, MASASHI
To: SILTRONIC AG
Reel/Frame 028985/0292 →