Plasma-Preen Cleaner/Etcher

First-of-its-kind design uses microwave oven to generate plasma cleaning medium
Safely removes organic and many inorganic contaminants from a wide range of components and substrates
Maintains low processing temperatures (25-200°C controllable)
Produces higher plasma power and densities than comparably priced systems—up to 700 watts
Yields no significant effluent, eliminates waste disposal problems—unlike solvent cleaning
Allows easy adjustment of power levels in both continuous and duty cycling
Easy to use and maintain

Applications

These are suggested applications. Check with your process engineer to ensure material compatibility. The system may not remove heavy encrustations.

Argon Plasma Cleaning Without Iontrap*
Substrates with Epoxy Bonds
Wire Bond Pads
Pd-Ag Die Attach Pads
Gold Plated Parts
Solder Preforms
Epoxy Bleed
Preparation for Soldering
Photoresist Removal
Oxidizable Metal Surfaces
Gold or Aluminum Wire
Removal of Some Metal Oxides
Oxygen Plasma Cleaning Without Iontrap
Photoresist Removal
Bare Ceramic Substrates
Removal of Plastic Encapsulants for Failure Mode Analysis
Glass Parts
Gold Plated Parts
Metal Oxide Parts
Gallium Arsenide
Silicon
Preparation of Fluorocarbons and other Plastics for Gluing
Indium Phosphide
Argon Plasma Cleaning With Iontrap**
Devices with Sensitive Chips
Laser Diode Facets
Ceramics with Soft Solder
PC Boards with Soft Solder
Oxygen Plasma Cleaning With Iontrap
Functions as Downstream Plasma Etcher
Sensitive Components with Photoresist

* System includes suitable regulator. Order pump separately.
**Iontrap forms a Faraday cage to neutralize charged ions and protect work against microwaves.

The Plasma-Preen Cleaner/Etcher is the first commercial product in its price range that uses microwave energy (2.45 GHz) to clean organic and some inorganic contaminants from a wide range of components and materials, including semiconductors, ceramics and metals.

The microwave energy used by the Plasma Preen Cleaner generates plasma (an electrically neutral, highly ionized gas) under adjustable power, which functions as a safe, effective cleaning medium. This plasma results when microwave energy reacts with a process gas; the highly reactive and/or energetic plasma then "sputters" and/or reacts with contaminants from the surface of the material being cleaned, leaving it atomically clean.

Safe, Efficient Plasma Generation Revolutionizes Cleaning Operations

This method of cleaning revolutionizes existing cleaning operations in a number of ways. Unlike chemical processing, microwave-generated plasma consumes very small quantities of reactants and produces no significant effluent. In the case of argon operations, no waste is produced; oxygen operations produce only small amounts of carbon dioxide and water, which require no elaborate waste disposal. As a result, this cleaning system offers drastically reduced processing costs—only a fraction of what chemical techniques commonly require!

In addition, microwave generation allows you to control process temperatures between 25°C and 200°C. Low process temperatures enable you to clean a wider variety of sensitive components without worrying about heat damage.

This plasma cleaner also offers space-saving portability. Instead of cumbersome exhaust fume hoods, exhaust venting, and protective clothing, you work with a completely safe, compact unit that's literally the size of a breadbox.

Microwave Energy Enhances Versatility

This unit also offers a variety of advantages over conventional methods of plasma generation, which typically rely on capacitance or inductively coupled plasma equipment. Most importantly, it is capable of producing higher plasma power and plasma densities than have ever before been possible in this price range. And because it operates at higher gas pressures, you can achieve higher reaction rates (and more cleaning power). That means more flexible applications, from cleaning laser diode facets or sensitive wire-bond pads to removing certain metal oxides and cleaning solder preforms.

Unlike other plasma-generating methods, the Plasma-Preen System uses 2.45 GHz radiation that reduces the chance of damaging components. It also features fully adjustable power levels for duty cycle and/or analog control. A digital timer, duty cycle, clock and memory allow completely repeatable results and let you design the exact cleaning procedure called for in each application.

Versatile System Configurations For All Your Cleaning Needs

The Plasma-Preen Etcher is available in two versions: a barrel reactor and a water cooled unit (for applications with temperature-sensitive work, for better control, and for a larger reactor chamber)./p>

The barrel reactor is ideal for applications that require high-energy cleaning, such as removing metal oxides from a ceramic surface. If higher temperatures are not a critical problem, you can operate the cleaner at the highest plasma power for faster results. If temperatures must remain lower, you can simply decrease plasma power (and conduct cleaning operations for a longer period), or you can select the water-cooled unit, which allows higher process rates at lower temperatures. This model features a water-cooled base plate that effectively "heat sinks" the work in progress, and is recommended for hybrid cleaning. The optional water recycling system enhances water cooling.

Either design can be operated with oxygen, argon or other process gas (see "Applications" in blue box above). In general, argon is suitable for applications that involve epoxy-bonded surfaces since it will not "sputter" epoxy. It is also the preferred medium for removing metal oxides. Oxygen, because it attacks epoxy, should be used selectively in the presence of epoxy bonding. It is, however, ideal for cleaning contaminants from ceramic or oxide parts.

Select the optional ion trap to protect very sensitive materials (such as laser diode facets or soft solder) from the sputtering action of the plasma. This trap serves a dual function: it neutralizes the charged ions (leaving only neutral radicals to perform the cleaning action), and it acts as a Faraday cage that shields work from microwaves inside the chamber.

Flexible Applications Mean Enhanced Productivity

This cleaner's compact size and flexibility not only vastly improves on existing cleaning methods, it also lets you introduce standard cleaning procedures in operations for which no feasible means has ever existed. You'll be able to improve component reliability (and increase productivity) by carrying out cleaning operations between each step of wafer processing, or by cleaning die before wire-bonding, or by removing organic contaminants from PC boards.

And you won't have to worry about contaminating exhaust, cumbersome hoods, or unrepeatable results.

All systems come complete with a power supply, digital timer, duty cycle, clock, memory, and reaction chamber. The Plasma Preen Controller (order separately) contains all vacuum and gas controls necessary for operation and provides power for the vacuum pump and water recycling system. Requires separate gas supply, vacuum pump, and controller for operation.

System Dimensions: 24"W x 10"H x 15"D 610 mm x 254 mm x 381 mm
Materials:
- Barrel Reactor System: Pyrex
- Water Cooled System: Pyrex and Aluminum Power
- Frequency: 2.45 GHz
Cycle Time: From 10% to continuous
Utilities Required: Vacuum Pump Gas Supply (Oxygen or Argon)