Cleaning Compound and Method and System for Using the Cleaning Compound

Abstract

A cleaning compound is provided. The cleaning compound includes about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of a fatty acid dispersed in water. The cleaning compound includes an amount of a base sufficient to bring a pH of the fatty acid water solution to about a level where above about 50% of the dispersed fatty acid is ionized. A method for cleaning a substrate, a system for cleaning a substrate, and a cleaning solution prepared by a process are also provided.

1 . A system for cleaning a substrate, comprising:
 a cleaning head configured to be disposed over a surface of the substrate, the cleaning head including a cleaning portion; and   a cleaning solution reservoir connected to supply a cleaning solution to the cleaning portion of the cleaning head, the cleaning solution including a first immiscible liquid combined with a second immiscible liquid, the second immiscible liquid forming a plurality of droplets dispersed within the first immiscible liquid, the cleaning solution further including solid particles distributed within the first immiscible liquid,   wherein the cleaning portion of the cleaning head is structured to apply the cleaning solution to the surface of the substrate so as to direct the plurality of droplets of the second immiscible liquid to apply a force from some of the plurality of droplets to some of the solid particles, whereby some of the solid particles adhere to one or more contaminants present on the surface of the substrate under the applied force.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head includes a rinsing portion and a drying portion downstream from the cleaning portion. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning solution is stored under pressure in a single physical state in the cleaning solution reservoir and delivered at atmospheric pressure in multiple physical states to the cleaning portion of the cleaning head. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is stationary. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is moveable relative to the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head includes at least two of the cleaning portion, and wherein the cleaning solution reservoir is connected to supply the cleaning solution to each of the at least two of the cleaning portion. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of droplets of the second immiscible liquid are formed to force the solid particles to within about ten nanometers of the one or more contaminants present on the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is structured to form a meniscus of the cleaning solution between the cleaning portion of the cleaning head and the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first immiscible liquid is a polar solvent and the second immiscible liquid is a non-polar solvent. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first immiscible liquid is a non-polar solvent and the second immiscible liquid is a polar solvent. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles are agglomerates of a surface active material. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles are modified to be surface active. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the solid particles are surface active by way of ionization. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , where the pH of the first immiscible liquid is set to cause ionization of the solid particles. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning solution further includes a third immiscible liquid forming a second plurality of droplets dispersed within the first immiscible liquid. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles are formulated to deform under the force applied from the plurality of droplets of the second immiscible liquid so as to be imprinted by the one or more contaminants present on the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the solid particles are deformable to an extent at which a mechanical linkage is established between the solid particles and the one or more contaminants present on the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles are softer than the one or more contaminants present on the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles are substantially uniformly dispersed within the first immiscible liquid. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rinsing portion structured to apply a rinsing fluid to the surface of the substrate following application of the cleaning solution to the surface of the substrate by the cleaning portion; and   a drying portion structured to apply a drying fluid to the surface of the substrate following application of the rinsing fluid to the surface of the substrate by the rinsing portion.