Particle removal in linear shear flow: model prediction and experimental validation

In many industrial processes, particle contamination is becoming a major issue. Particle detachment from surfaces can be detrimental, e.g. during lithographic processing. During cleaning however, detachment is aimed for. However, until recently, only little is known on the mechanism of particle detachment due to flowing gasses. In high throughput applications, large gas velocities are likely to occur at critical places in the system. It is possible to test particle behavior experimentally under all conditions that may arise. Therefore, the aim of this study is to be able to predict the risk of particle detachment by modeling. For this purpose particle-surface interaction is studied for micron-sized particles. Based on the particle Reynolds number, critical particle diameters were determined for which the flow-induced forces on the particles (drag and lift forces) are larger than the attractive forces between the particle and the surface (Van der Waals force). Among the different ∗ Corresponding author, electronic mail : [email protected] (M.L. Zoeteweij)