Process and Information Document
#A-104
Cleanroom Facility, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
UV/Ozone Cleaning
This procedure uses the room temperature UV/Ozone cleaning unit.
The RT UV/Ozone cleaning unit is located in the Cleanroom Class 1000 South area.
The unit requires power for operation as well as negative pressure venting exhaust.
The unit generates an ozone environment through short wave UV generation that attacks
organic molecules on the surface of your substrate. Sufficiently high energy UV/Ozone
cleaning will not only degrade and remove organic contaminants (primary source of spin
coating adhesion problems) but it will also increase the energetics of the surface which
will promote adhesion of coatings. This unit does not generate enough ozone and does
not degrade organics at a high enough rate to be used for polyimide layer removal. For
that, the plasma asher should be used instead.
The essence of using the RT UV/Ozone cleaner is as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Place substrates on the pull out shelf, with the side to be cleaned facing up.
Push in the shelf and close/latch the door.
Set the timer to run for the required length of time.
Push start. If the audible alarm button is depressed, then an audible alarm will go
off when the timer cycle completes. It will continue to alarm until it is manually
reset, so please do not start the cleaner and leave the room. Others in the room
will have to suffer the alarm until you return, unless they reset it themselves
which some are reluctant to do not knowing what the status of the unit is when
someone else is using it.
5. Once the cycle is completed, open the door and remove the substrates.
The above information is intended to give a general overview of the process and not
enough information has been given for anyone to use the UV/Ozone cleaner without
additional formal training and certification. Should you need to do UV/Ozone cleaning,
please request formal training for the use of this machine from facility staff. Training
sessions are scheduled as staff have time and you may have to wait a week or so until a
time slot can be created and to allow for multiple users desiring the same training to be
assembled into a group.
Only Cleanroom Staff are allowed to train users on the use of cleanroom facility
equipment and processes. Please do not ask others in the department, your company or in
your research group to assist you to avoid formal training and certification. If training is
given by unendorsed individuals, both the trainer and trainee will lose cleanroom use
privileges for a period of time deemed appropriate by facility staff.