Treatment of parts by vaporized solvent
A method is described in which a part is placed within a chamber. Vaporized solvent is provided within the chamber such that the solvent condenses onto and treats the part. A vacuum is then applied to the chamber to extract the solvent and stop the treatment. The vacuum is controlled such that a pressure within the chamber over time has a predefined profile to prevent defects in the part from occurring due to the extraction of solvent from the part.
1 . A method comprising:
placing a part within a chamber;
providing vaporized solvent within the chamber such that the solvent condenses onto the part and treats the part via chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP);
applying a vacuum to the chamber to extract the solvent and stop treatment of the part via the CMP; and
controlling reduction of pressure within the chamber over time to apply the vacuum, according to a predefined time-pressure profile, to at least reduce defects in the part occurring due to the extraction of solvent from the part during application of the vacuum that stops the CMP.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile is defined by at least one of: (i) a material of the part, (ii) a geometry of the part, (iii) a composition of the solvent, (iv) a quantity of the vaporized solvent provided in the chamber, (v) a temperature within the chamber, and (vi) an exposure time between providing the vaporized solvent within the chamber and applying the vacuum.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises a first region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a first rate, and a second region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a second lower rate, and the first region has a predefined period or a predefined minimum pressure.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises a first region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a first rate, and a second region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a second rate, and the first rate is at least five times that of the first rate.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises a stepped region.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein each step in the stepped region has a height of no greater than 15 mbar.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises periods during which the pressure within the chamber increases.
8 . A method comprising:
providing a part within a chamber;
causing vaporized solvent to condense onto the part such that the part is treated via chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP);
applying a vacuum to the chamber to extract the solvent and stop treatment of the part via the CMP; and
controlling reduction of pressure within the chamber over time to apply the vacuum, according to a predefined time-pressure profile, to prevent at least reduce defects in the part caused by extraction of the solvent during application of the vacuum that stops the CMP,
wherein the predefined time-pressure profile is defined by at least one of: (i) a material of the part, (ii) a geometry of the part, (iii) a composition of the solvent, (iv) a quantity of the vaporized solvent, (v) a temperature within the chamber, and (vi) a solvent exposure time.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises a first region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a first rate, and a second region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a second lower rate, and the first region has a predefined period or a predefined minimum pressure.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises a first region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a first rate, and a second region over which the pressure within the chamber decreases at a second rate, and the first rate is at least five times that of the first rate.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises a stepped region.
12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises periods during which the pressure within the chamber increases.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile is to at least reduce defects in the part occurring due to outgassing of solvent from the part.
14 . A processing station comprising:
a chamber to receive a part;
a solvent delivery system to deliver solvent within the chamber to treat the part via chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP);
a vacuum pump to apply a vacuum to the chamber to extract the solvent and stop treatment of the part via the CMP; and
a controller to control the vacuum pump to control reduction of pressure within the chamber over time to apply the vacuum, according to a predefined time-pressure profile, to at least reduce defects in the part occurring due to extraction of solvent from the part during application of the vacuum that stops the CMP.
15 . The processing station of claim 14 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile is defined by at least one of: (i) a material of the part, (ii) a geometry of the part, (iii) a composition of the solvent, (iv) a quantity of vaporized solvent delivered by the solvent delivery system, (v) a temperature within the chamber, and (vi) a solvent exposure time.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises reducing the pressure within the chamber over time in a step-wise manner.
17 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises reducing the pressure within the chamber over time in a step-wise manner.
18 . The processing station of claim 14 , wherein the predefined time-pressure profile comprises reducing the pressure within the chamber over time in a step-wise manner.