Patent ID: 7531059

Claim:
An apparatus for removing contaminate particulate matter from a contaminate particle containing integrated circuit semiconductor substrate surface comprising: a support for supporting an integrated circuit semiconductor substrate containing undesirable particulate matter on the surface of the substrate; means for applying a sacrificial coating of a curable polymer on the surface of the substrate, which curable polymer is to encapsulate and suspend the undesirable particles therein; means for fluidizing the curable polymer if necessary; energy forming means to dislodge at least some of the particulate matter from the surface of the integrated circuit semiconductor substrate into the fluid curable polymer sacrificial coating such that the particulate matter is partially or fully encapsulated and suspended within the sacrificial curable polymer coating forming a particulate matter containing curable polymer sacrificial coating; means for curing the fluidized particulate matter containing curable polymer sacrificial coating to form a cured polymer strippable film containing the particulate matter; and means for removing the particulate matter containing curable polymer sacrificial strippable film from the surface of the substrate as a strippable film providing a substrate surface having less particulate matter therein and a stripped film containing the particles.