Megasonics Overview Megasonic cleaning uses high-frequency acoustic energy produced by transducers to generate pressure waves in a liquid. It is a higher frequency version (700-1,000 kHz) of acoustic cleaning than ultrasonics (20-40 kHz). An important difference between the two methods is that there is no significant cavitation in the megasonic range. This significantly reduces the likelihood of surface damage. Parts that are damaged by ultrasonic energy might be cleaned without damage in a megasonic bath using the same solutions. This technique is effective for removing submicron particles from silicon wafers without damage. Removal of other contaminants depends on the solutions in the tank. Megasonic agitation will increase the removal of other contaminants but is not as aggressive as ultrasonics. Megasonic cleaning is more of a line-of-sight operation than is ultrasonics. With ultrasonics, cavitation occurs throughout the tank, cleaning all sides of the submerged parts. With megasonics, only the side of the part facing the transducers will be cleaned. State Information | Glossary | Conversion Checklist | Comments Home | Process Advisor | Alternatives | Links | Search All SAGE material, Copyright© 1992, Research Triangle Institute Last Update: 15 March 1995 sage@rti.org http://clean.rti.org/alt.cfm?id=me&cat=ov