Typical examples are shown in Q.4. In the U.S. and other countries, it is used for dry cleaning of clothing and ballpoint pen balls. In Japan, contact lens cleaning, removal of VOCs and other substances from HEPA filters used in semiconductor factories, and removal of etching residue from semiconductor wafers (R&D only) have also been performed.
Cleaning technology utilizing the dissolving power of supercritical carbon dioxide is attracting attention in a wide range of fields as an environmentally friendly technology. In addition, supercritical carbon dioxide has low surface tension, which allows it to penetrate into minute spaces and clean fine patterns (semiconductor parts, precision parts, etc.) without destroying them. Furthermore, this unique process eliminates the need for a drying process. An example of a supercritical cleaning system is shown here.