1. A wet treatment method useful in at least one of a chemical processing step and a rinsing step performed upon fabrication of semiconductor devices, which comprises a sub-step in which:
a substrate under treatment is treated with a desired liquid while causing said substrate to revolve around an axis of rotation outside said substrate such that said desired liquid flowing on a surface of said substrate is maintained flowing under a centrifugal force greater than gravitation, the surface of the substrate disposed on a horizontal plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and
said substrate is treated while supplying an additional amount of said desired liquid at a flow rate at least equal to a discharge rate of said desired liquid, the additional amount of the desired liquid provided to the substrate only in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation, while
directly spraying with the desired liquid only a top cover of a chamber in which the desired liquid is supplied to the substrate,
whereby said substrate is evenly treated at said surface thereof with said desired liquid while avoiding development of such a situation that flows of said desired liquid run against each other on said surface of said substrate or a flow of said desired liquid stagnates on said surface of said substrate.
2. The wet treatment method according to claim 1, wherein said desired liquid has a high viscosity, a high adhesion, or contains an organic substance.
3. The wet treatment method according to claim 1, wherein said sub-step is conducted before a final treatment in at least one of said chemical processing step and said rinsing step.
4. The wet treatment method according to claim 3, wherein said wet treatment method is used in said rinsing step such that the desired liquid is used to rinse a chemical employed in said chemical processing step; and said chemical employed in the chemical processing step has a high viscosity, high adhesion, contains an organic substance, or has an etching rate that increases when mixed with water.
5. The wet treatment method according to claim 2, wherein said wet treatment method is used in said rinsing step such that the desired liquid is used to rinse a chemical employed in said chemical processing step; and said chemical used in the chemical processing step comprises a solution of at least one of amines and ammonium fluoride dissolved as an effective component in an organic solvent or a water-containing organic solvent.
6. A wet treatment method according to claim 1, wherein said desired liquid comprises pure water.
7. The wet treatment method according to claim 1, wherein a nozzle sprays the top cover of the chamber, the nozzle disposed on a rotating table on which the substrate is disposed.
8. The wet treatment method according to claim 1, wherein directly spraying comprises directly spraying the desired liquid from a nozzle, the nozzle configured to directly spray only the top cover of the chamber.
9. The wet treatment method according to claim 8, wherein the nozzle is disposed on a table on which the substrate is disposed.
10. The wet treatment method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of nozzles configured to clean the top cover with the desired liquid spray only the top cover of the chamber.
11. A method of treating a substrate, comprising:
rotating the substrate about an axis disposed apart from the substrate, a surface of the substrate disposed on a horizontal plane perpendicular to the axis;
supplying a liquid to treat the surface of the substrate in a direction only perpendicular to the axis; and
directly spraying with the liquid only a top cover of a chamber in which the liquid is supplied to the substrate,
whereby said substrate is evenly treated at said surface thereof with said liquid while avoiding development of such a situation that flows of said liquid run against each other on said surface of said substrate or a flow of said liquid stagnates on said surface of said substrate.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the substrate is rotated such that a centrifugal force is greater than a gravitational force.
13. The method according to claim 11, wherein supplying comprises supplying the liquid at a rate at least equal to a rate of removal of the liquid from the substrate due to a centrifugal force.
14. The method according to claim 11, wherein rotating comprises rotating the substrate such that the supplied liquid flows in a direction of liquid flow from the substrate due to a centrifugal force.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the liquid comprises water.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid comprises chemical etchant.
17. The method according to claim 11, wherein a nozzle sprays the top cover of the chamber, the nozzle disposed on a rotating table on which the substrate is disposed.
18. The method according to claim 11, wherein directly spraying comprises directly spraying the liquid from a nozzle, the nozzle configured to directly spray only the top cover of the chamber.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the nozzle is disposed on a table on which the substrate is disposed.
20. The method according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of nozzles configured to clean the top cover with the liquid spray only the top cover of the chamber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of fastening together two tissue portions, comprising:
positioning a medical device adjacent a region of tissue having two tissue portions, the medical device comprising: a male member and a female member, wherein one of the male member and the female member includes a first bioabsorbable material overlying one of a non-bioabsorbable material and a second bioabsorbable material, the first bioabsorbable material having a first degradation rate, and the second bioabsorbable material having a second degradation rate slower than the first degradation rate; and
inserting the male member inside the female member so as to inhibit withdrawal of the male member from the female member and with the two tissue portions between the male member and the female member.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting the first bioabsorbable material to degrade in the body, wherein degradation of the first bioabsorbable material in the body permits withdrawal of the male member from the female member.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising withdrawal of the male member from the female member.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the two tissue portions remain fastened together after withdrawal of the male member from the female member.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the male member includes a post having a head disposed at a first end of the post, and the female member includes a bore adapted to receive the head and a flange extending into the bore.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inserting step includes engaging the head with the flange once the head has been inserted past the flange so as to inhibit withdrawal of the head from the bore.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the head and the flange comprises an outer coating over an inner core, the outer coating comprising the first bioabsorbable material, the inner core comprising one of the non-bioabsorbable material and the second bioabsorbable material.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising permitting the first bioabsorbable material to degrade, wherein degradation of the first bioabsorbable material facilitates withdrawal of the head past the flange.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the outer coating has a predetermined thickness.
10. A method of securing a gastric fundus to an esophagus, comprising:
inserting a medical device within a body, the medical device comprising: a male member and a female member, wherein one of the male member and the female member includes a first bioabsorbable material overlying one of a non-bioabsorbable material and a second bioabsorbable material, the first bioabsorbable material having a first degradation rate, and the second bioabsorbable material having a second degradation rate slower than the first degradation rate; and
inserting the male member inside the female member so as to inhibit withdrawal of the male member from the female member and with tissue of the gastric fundus and tissue of the esophagus between the male member and the female member.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the male member includes a post having a head disposed at a first end of the post, and the female member includes a sleeve defining a bore adapted to receive the head and having a flange extending into the bore, and wherein the inserting step includes engaging the head with the flange once the head has been inserted past the flange so as to inhibit withdrawal of the head from the bore.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the head and the flange comprises an outer coating over an inner core, the outer coating comprising the first bioabsorbable material, the inner core comprising one of the non-bioabsorbable material and the second bioabsorbable material.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising permitting the first bioabsorbable material to degrade in the body.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein degradation of the first bioabsorbable material facilitates withdrawal of the head past the flange.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first degradation rate is predetermined and corresponds to a time sufficient for the tissue of the gastric fundus to fuse to the tissue of the esophagus.
16. A method for fastening tissue, comprising:
positioning a medical device adjacent tissue in a body, the medical device comprising: a male portion and a female portion, the male portion including a post and a head disposed at a first end of the post, and the female portion including a sleeve defining a bore having a flange extending into the bore, wherein at least one of the flange and the head comprises a first material and a second material, wherein the first material is a first bioabsorbable material and the second material is one of a non-bioabsorbable material and a second bioabsorbable material, the first bioabsorbable material having a first degradation rate, and the second bioabsorbable material having a second degradation rate slower than the first degradation rate; and
engaging the head with the flange so as to inhibit withdrawal of the head from the bore and to fasten the tissue.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein only one of the head and the flange comprises the first bioabsorbable material, the other of the head and the flange comprises one of the non-bioabsorbable material and the second bioabsorbable material.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising permitting the first bioabsorbable material to degrade in the body.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein degradation of the first bioabsorbable material in the body permits withdrawal of the head from the bore.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising withdrawal of the head from the bore, and wherein the tissue remains fastened after withdrawal of the head from the bore.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first degradation rate is predetermined and corresponds to a time sufficient to fuse the tissue.
22. A method for fastening gastrointestinal tissue, comprising:
positioning a medical device adjacent gastrointestinal tissue, the medical device comprising: a male member and a female member, wherein one of the male member and the female member includes a first bioabsorbable material overlying one of a non-bioabsorbable material and a second bioabsorbable material, the first bioabsorbable material having a first degradation rate, and the second bioabsorbable material having a second degradation rate slower than the first degradation rate; and
inserting the male member inside the female member so as to inhibit withdrawal of the male member from the female member and with at least two portions of the gastrointestinal tissue between the male member and the female member.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the male member includes a post having a head disposed at a first end of the post, and the female member includes a sleeve defining a bore adapted to receive the head and having a flange extending into the bore, and wherein the inserting step includes engaging the head with the flange once the head has been inserted past the flange so as to inhibit withdrawal of the head from the bore.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the head and the flange comprises an outer coating over an inner core, the outer coating comprising the first bioabsorbable material, the inner core comprising one of the non-bioabsorbable material and the second bioabsorbable material.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising permitting the first bioabsorbable material to degrade in the body, wherein degradation of the first bioabsorbable material facilitates withdrawal of the head past the flange.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first degradation rate is predetermined and corresponds to a time sufficient for the at least two portions of the gastrointestinal tissue to fuse.