REMOVAL OF FINE PARTICLES FROM SMOOTH FLAT SURFACES BY CONSECUTIVE PULSE AIR-JETS

In order to develop an effective dry surface cleaning method, removal of fine particles by pulse air jets was experimentally investigated. A dimensionless resuspension parameter, F, which is the ratio of drag force on particles to van der Waals adhesion force, was introduced to correlate the removal efficiency. Resuspension experiments were carrie d out with monodisperse PSL particles and was particles with diameter between 0.25 and 1.1 mu m on silicon wafer and glass plate. As a resul t, it was found that deposition process of particles on the surface (g ravitational settling and impaction at a relatively low impaction velo city) has little effect on the removal efficiency and that consecutive pulse air jet is effective in the removal of fine particles. Further, F is the key parameter in determining the removal efficiency. The pr ediction method for the removal efficiency by pulse air jets with F i s proposed.