A model for thermal Marangoni drying

The process of thermal Marangoni drying is considered, which has been recently proposed for use in semiconductor production. The process allows ultraclean drying of semiconductor wafer surfaces at the end of a sequence of wet operations. A theoretical model is presented, which incorporates the movement of a thin liquid film on the semiconductor surface, heat exchange between the semiconductor and outer medium, and the water flow below the meniscus. In the frame of this model, the problem is solved using a combination of lubrication approximation, one-dimensional heat transfer analysis, and spectral-element solution of the two-dimensional Stokes equations. Several examples are given to show how the model can be used to evaluate the efficiency of drying.