Patent ID: 8231939
Filing Date: 2012-07-31
Classification: G03F,H01L

Abstract:
1. Method for wet treatment of plate-like articles in a device, the method comprising the steps of: placing a plate-like article on a chuck, in the device, for horizontally holding the plate-like article, the chuck i) having an upwardly facing surface at least underneath the plate-like article's edge for receiving liquid running off the plate-like article when being treated with liquid, ii) outwardly bordered by a circumferential annular lip, iii) having an outer diameter greater than the greatest diameter of the plate-like article to be treated, and iv) comprising a gas feed means for at least partial gas purging of the surface of the plate-like article, which faces the chuck, for providing a gas-cushion between the chuck and the plate-like article, the device further comprising a rotatable part with an upwardly facing ring-shaped surface for receiving liquid running off the circumferential lip of the chuck, the rotatable part is rotatable with respect to the chuck, the ring-shaped surface coaxially arranged with respect to the circumferential annular lip, the inner diameter of the ring-shaped surface smaller than the outer diameter of the chuck, and the distance d between the lip and the upwardly facing ring-shaped surface in a range from 0.1 mm to 5 mm, wherein a peripheral side of the chuck includes a first gas guiding device which routes most of the purging gas away from the edge area of the plate-like article, and wherein the rotatable part is a second gas guiding device underneath the rotatable ring-shaped surface for further guiding gas coming from the first gas guiding device radially outwards, dispensing liquid onto the upwardly facing surface of the plate-like article letting the liquid flow towards the edge of the plate-like article letting the liquid run off the plate-like article onto the upwardly facing surface of the chuck, which surface is outwardly bordered by a circumferential lip, and letting the liquid run off the upwardly facing surface over the circumferential lip of the chuck onto the upwardly facing rotating ring-shaped surface, whereby the liquid is accelerated and spun off the rotating ring-shaped surface, wherein the rotating ring-shaped surface is rotating faster than the plate-like article.