Patent ID: 8075703

Claim:
A process for cleaning a silicon electrode, the process comprising: soaking the silicon electrode in an aqueous detergent solution, wherein the aqueous detergent solution comprises metal cations such that the aqueous detergent solution has a metal cation concentration of less than about 200 ppm; rinsing the silicon electrode with water following removal from the aqueous detergent solution; soaking the silicon electrode in an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution; rinsing the silicon electrode with water following removal from the IPA solution; subjecting the silicon electrode to a first ultrasonic cleaning operation in water following removal from the IPA solution; removing contaminants from the silicon electrode by soaking the silicon electrode in an agitated mixed acid solution comprising hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, and water and by rinsing the acid-soaked silicon electrode with water; subjecting the silicon electrode to an additional ultrasonic cleaning operation in water following removal from the mixed acid solution; and rinsing and drying silicon electrode following the additional ultrasonic cleaning operation.