公开(公告)号：JPH04211127A

公开(公告)日：1992-08-03

申请号：JP511491

申请日：1991-01-21

Applicant: TENCOR INSTRUMENTS

Inventor： JIYON ERU BOOTO

IPC: B08B7/00 ,  B23K7/06 ,  B23K26/03 ,  H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/304

Abstract: PURPOSE: To remove fine particles from wafer, mask, reticule, and the similar matters without damaging a surface or contaminating a clean area by using a focused laser beam or the like, and generating an impact wave from a point on the surface which is the closest to the particle. CONSTITUTION: A wafer 11 is arranged on a wafer supporting part 13, and moved to a particle detector 15. The position of each particle to be detected on the surface is decided, and recorded in a computer 19. The wafer 11 is moved to a laser impact wave removing station. Response to a signal on a line 59 from the computer is obtained. Then, a laser beam pulse 53 is directed and focused to a point 63 with a shallow angle or a large beam convergent angle for escaping any damage on the wafer 11. Then, an impact wave can be generated. This impact wave removes the particle on the wafer surface which is the closest to the point 63.