Method and buffer unit for storing a substrate sensor for measuring the levelness of a support member provided in a temperature changing atmosphere

Abstract

The inventive concept provides a buffer unit for temporarily storing substrates. In embodiments, the buffer unit comprises a housing having a space for storing substrates therein, one or more slots arranged within the housing for placing substrates therein, and a holding unit arranged at a bottom portion of the housing having a flat and non-inclined top surface and comprising a built-in wireless charging module, and wherein a substrate type sensor is deposited at the holding unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the inventive concept described herein relate to a method and buffer unit for storing a substrate-type sensor for measuring the levelness of a support member placed in an atmosphere of temperature variation. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor devices are typically manufactured from substrates, such as wafers. Specifically, semiconductor devices are manufactured by performing processes such as deposition, photolithography, cleaning, drying, and etching to form fine circuit patterns on the top surface of the substrate.

[0003] During the above process, the substrate may be contaminated with various foreign objects on the top surface on which the circuit pattern is formed, so a cleaning process can be performed to remove the foreign objects.

[0004] Recently, supercritical fluids have been used in substrate cleaning or developing processes. For example, a cleaning process can be performed by supplying isopropanol (IPA) to the top surface of the substrate to clean it, and then supplying a supercritical phase of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the top surface of the substrate to remove the IPA remaining on the substrate.

[0005] In processes using supercritical fluids, a container is used to provide a processing space in which the process fluid is maintained at a high temperature and high pressure, forming a supercritical phase. For example, when supplying supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) to the top surface of a substrate, the processing space of this container must be maintained above the critical temperature and critical pressure of CO2. When the processing space is maintained above the critical temperature and critical pressure, the wafer supported on the support members may not be kept horizontal within the processing space. The inventors recognize that it is currently impossible to directly measure the horizontality of the wafer supported on the substrate support members inside the container. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for storing a substrate-type sensor unit and a buffer member for storing a substrate-type sensor, the sensor unit measuring the level of a substrate support member located inside a container providing a high-temperature and high-pressure atmosphere during a process of handling a substrate (i.e., a wafer) with supercritical fluid and during idle periods.

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for storing a substrate-type sensor unit and a buffer member for storing the substrate-type sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit measures the levelness of a substrate support member located inside a container providing a high-temperature and high-pressure atmosphere with a resolution of 0.1 degrees or less during a process of using a supercritical fluid to process a substrate (i.e., a wafer) and during an idle state.

[0008] The objectives of this invention are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other objectives not mentioned from the following description.

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention provides a buffer unit for temporarily storing a substrate. The buffer unit includes: a housing having space for storing the substrate therein; one or more slots disposed within the housing for placing the substrate thereon; and a holding unit disposed at the bottom portion of the housing having a flat and non-sloping top surface and including a built-in wireless charging module, wherein a substrate-type sensor is stored at the holding unit.

[0010] In one embodiment, the holding unit further includes a level sensor for measuring the tilt angle of the top surface of the holding unit.

[0011] In one embodiment, a buffer unit is arranged between the transfer device of the transposition module and the processing module, and the processing module includes means for processing the substrate at a temperature above room temperature.

[0012] In one embodiment, the substrate-type sensor includes: a substrate-shaped member; a horizontal measuring member disposed on the substrate-shaped member; a receiving unit for receiving data from the horizontal measuring member; and a power unit for providing power to the horizontal measuring member and the receiving unit, wherein the power unit is charged by a wireless charging module.

[0013] In an embodiment, the substrate sensor is a substrate sensor used to measure the levelness of a support member supporting a substrate under a temperature-changing atmosphere, and the level measuring member is disposed at the substrate-shaped member and includes at least one sensor composed of a 3-axis or more axial accelerometer or a 6-axis or more axial inertial measurement unit (IMU).

[0014] In one embodiment, the substrate-type sensor is zeroed when supported by a holding unit.

[0015] In one embodiment, the substrate-like member has physical dimensions that are substantially the same as those of the substrate.

[0016] In one embodiment, the buffer unit further includes a sending unit that sends data received by the receiving unit to the outside.

[0017] In an embodiment, the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors, and any two opposing sensors are arranged such that the center point of the substrate-like member lies on a straight line defined by connecting the two opposing sensors.

[0018] In one embodiment, the sensor generates an inherent error based on temperature changes.

[0019] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for measuring the levelness of a support member of a support substrate using a substrate-type sensor. The substrate-type sensor includes: a substrate-shaped member; a level measuring member disposed on the substrate-shaped member; a receiving unit for receiving collected data from the level measuring member; and a power unit for providing power to the level measuring member and the receiving unit. The method includes: zeroing the substrate-type sensor while it is held by a holding unit of a buffer unit; and placing the substrate-type sensor on the support member. The method determines whether the support member is level based on the data collected from the substrate-type sensor.

[0020] In one embodiment, a substrate-type sensor measures the levelness of a support member of a supporting substrate under a temperature-changing atmosphere. The level measuring member includes at least one sensor composed of a 3-axis or more-axis accelerometer or a 6-axis or more-axis IMU. Placing the substrate-type sensor on the support member includes: placing the substrate-type sensor on the support member at a first angle and receiving collected data from the substrate-type sensor placed on the support member at the first angle as first data; placing the substrate-type sensor on the support member at a second angle different from the first angle and receiving collected data from the substrate-type sensor placed on the support member at the second angle as second data. The method determines whether the support member is level by comparing the first data and the second data.

[0021] In one embodiment, the sensor is a 6-axis or more-axis IMU, each of the first data and the second data includes roll (horizontal X) and pitch (horizontal Y), and comparing the first data and the second data includes comparing corresponding elements of the first data and the second data, and the method determines that: when the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are within a set range, the support member is in a horizontal state; and when the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are outside the set range, the support member is in a non-horizontal state.

[0022] In one embodiment, the sensor is a 6-axis or more-axis IMU, each of the first and second data includes roll (horizontal X) and pitch (horizontal Y), and the first data includes elements (horizontal X1, horizontal Y1), the second data includes elements (horizontal X2, horizontal Y2), the sensor generates an inherent error based on temperature changes, and the tilt angle of the support member measured by the substrate-type sensor unit is calculated via a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code executable by a processor to include (horizontal X... a , level Y a The elements of ) when the first angle is defined as 0 degrees (deg) and the second angle is 180 degrees: Horizontal X a It is (level X1 - level X2) / 2, and level Y aIt can be calculated as (level Y1 - level Y2) / 2.

[0023] In one embodiment, the substrate-type sensor includes a plurality of sensors, and any two opposing sensors are arranged such that the center point of the substrate-like member lies on a straight line defined by connecting the two opposing sensors. First data and second data are received from the two opposing sensors respectively. The support member is determined to be horizontal by comparing the first data received from one of the two opposing sensors with the second data, and the validity of the determination made by the other sensor is determined by comparing the first data received from the other of the two opposing sensors with the second data.

[0024] In one embodiment, a support member is disposed at a high-pressure vessel of a substrate processing apparatus using supercritical fluid, and the support member includes a plurality of support pins that space the substrate from the plane of the support member, and a sensor is located at a position corresponding to the position of one or more of the support pins at a first angle and a second angle.

[0025] In one embodiment, the first data includes elements X1, Y1, and Z1, and the second data includes elements X2, Y2, and Z2. Comparing the first data with the second data includes comparing the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data. The method determines that when the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are within a set range, the support member is in a horizontal state; when the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are outside the set range, the support member is in a non-horizontal state.

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for storing a substrate-type sensor. The method includes: providing a holding unit at the bottom portion of a buffer unit, the holding unit having a flat and non-tilted top surface and including a built-in wireless charging module; the buffer unit temporarily storing a substrate; and storing the substrate-type sensor at the holding unit.

[0027] In one embodiment, the substrate-type sensor is zeroed when supported by a holding unit.

[0028] In one embodiment, the substrate sensor includes a power unit that provides power to various components of the substrate sensor, and the power unit is charged by a wireless charging module.

[0029] In one embodiment, the holding unit further includes a level sensor for measuring the tilt angle of the upper surface of the holding unit.

[0030] The purpose of this invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that, when using supercritical fluid to process a substrate, allows for easy replacement of the atmosphere in the processing chamber where the substrate is processed using supercritical fluid.

[0031] The purpose of this invention is not limited thereto, and other objectives not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following statements.

[0032] An embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes: a liquid processing chamber for liquid processing of a substrate therein; a drying chamber for drying the liquid-processed substrate; a transfer device for transferring the substrate between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber; and a controller for controlling the liquid processing chamber and the transfer device, wherein the transfer device includes: a transfer robot having a hand for placing the substrate thereon; and a heating member for heating the substrate, and wherein the controller controls the transfer device such that the heating member of the transfer device heats the liquid on the substrate to a first temperature before the transfer device transfers the substrate taken from the liquid processing chamber to the drying chamber.

[0033] In this embodiment, the heating element is a heater installed at the hand.

[0034] According to embodiments of the present invention, a substrate-type sensor unit can be efficiently stored that is capable of measuring the horizontal state of a substrate support member located inside a container providing a high-temperature and high-pressure atmosphere during processes using a supercritical fluid-processed substrate (i.e., a wafer) and during idle periods.

[0035] According to embodiments of the present invention, when measuring the level of a substrate support member located inside a container providing a high-temperature and high-pressure atmosphere during a process using a supercritical fluid processing substrate (i.e., a wafer) and during idle periods, a substrate-type sensor unit for measuring level in units of 0.1 degrees or less can be effectively stored.

[0036] The effects of this invention are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can clearly understand any effects not mentioned based on this specification and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The above and other objects and features will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in the various drawings denote the same parts.

[0038] FIG. 1 This is a schematic top view illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 2 It is shown schematically. FIG. 1 A view of an embodiment of a liquid handling chamber.

[0040] FIG. 3 It is shown schematically.FIG. 1 A view of an embodiment of a supercritical processing chamber.

[0041] FIG. 4 It is shown schematically in FIG. 3 A perspective view of an embodiment of a substrate support member provided at a supercritical processing chamber.

[0042] FIG. 5 This is a top view of a substrate-type sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 6 It is based on FIG. 5 A perspective view of a substrate-type sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B This is an example graph showing how IMU measurements change with temperature. FIG. 7A The graph shows an example of how the measurements from the first IMU change with temperature variations, and FIG. 7B The graph shows an example of how the measurements from the second IMU change with temperature variations.

[0045] FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B This paper describes a method for measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit 600, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and will describe the method when the support member is configured to horizontally support the wafer.

[0046] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B The illustration shows a method for measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit 600, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As an example, the method is used when the support member is tilted at an angle θ and cannot horizontally support the wafer.

[0047] FIG. 10 This is a top view of a substrate-type sensor unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 11 It is based on FIG. 10 A perspective view of a substrate-type sensor unit according to an embodiment.

[0049] FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B Described according to FIG. 10 The method for measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described when the support member is set in a state in which the support member can horizontally support the wafer.

[0050] FIG. 13A andFIG. 13B It shows that according to FIG. 10 The embodiment of the method for measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit, and as an example, is in the state where the support member cannot horizontally support the wafer when it is tilted at an angle θ.

[0051] FIG. 14 These are coordinate axes used to explain the concept of embodiments according to the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 15 These are coordinate axes used to explain another embodiment of the concept according to the present invention.

[0053] FIG. 16 It is shown schematically. FIG. 1 A perspective view of an embodiment of the buffer unit.

[0054] FIG. 17 It is shown schematically. FIG. 1 This is a view of another embodiment of the supercritical processing chamber, and a cross-sectional view showing the container with the container open.

[0055] FIG. 18 It shows the basis FIG. 17 A cross-sectional view of the container of the supercritical processing chamber in the embodiment, with the container closed. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The present invention can be modified and taken in various forms, and specific embodiments thereof will be illustrated and described in detail in the accompanying drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention are not intended to limit the specific forms disclosed, and it should be understood that the present invention encompasses all variations, equivalents, and substitutions within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In the description of the present invention, detailed descriptions of relevant known technologies may be omitted where such omissions might obscure the essence of the present invention.

[0057] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the inventive concept. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the absence of a specified quantity and the use of the word "the" are intended to include the plural form. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising" and / or "including" as used herein indicate the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and components and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any combination and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Furthermore, the term "exemplary" indicates an example or illustration.

[0058] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another region, layer, or segment. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept.

[0059] FIG. 1 The figure illustrates a substrate processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] refer to FIG. 1 The substrate processing system includes a transposition module 10, a processing module 20, and a controller 30. According to an embodiment, the transposition module 10 and the processing module 20 are arranged sequentially. Hereinafter, the arrangement direction of the transposition module 10 and the processing module 20 will be referred to as the first direction 92. When viewed from above, the direction perpendicular to the first direction 92 will be referred to as the second direction 94, and the direction perpendicular to both the first direction 92 and the second direction 94 will be referred to as the third direction 96.

[0061] The transposition module 10 returns the wafer W from the container 80 storing the wafer W to the processing module 20, and retrieves the processed wafer W from the processing module 20 for storage in the container 80. The transposition module 10 is arranged such that its length extends along a second direction 94. The transposition module 10 has a loading port 12 and a transposition frame 14. The transposition frame 14 is arranged between the loading port 12 and the processing module 20. The container 80 storing the wafer W is placed on the loading port 12. Multiple loading ports 12 may be provided, and the multiple loading ports 12 may be arranged along the second direction 94.

[0062] For container 80, a closed container such as a front-open unified pod (FOUP) can be used. Container 80 can be placed on loading port 12 by means of an overhead transfer device, an overhead conveyor, an automated guided vehicle, or an operator.

[0063] The sorting frame 14 is equipped with a sorting robot 120. In the sorting frame 14, a guide rail 140 extends along a second direction 94, and the sorting robot 120 is movable on the guide rail 140. The sorting robot 120 includes a hand 122 on which a wafer W is placed, and the hand 122 is configured to move forward and backward, rotate about a third direction 96 as an axis, and move along the third direction 96. A plurality of hands 122 are spaced apart vertically, and the hands 122 are capable of moving forward and backward independently of each other.

[0064] Processing module 20 includes a buffer unit 200, a transfer device 300, a liquid processing device 400, and a supercritical processing device 500. The buffer unit 200 provides temporary space for the wafer W introduced into and removed from the processing module 20. The liquid processing device 400 supplies liquid to the wafer W to perform liquid processing processes on the wafer W. The supercritical processing device 500 performs a drying process to remove any remaining liquid from the wafer W. The transfer device 300 transfers the wafer W between the buffer unit 200, the liquid processing device 400, and the supercritical processing device 500.

[0065] The transfer device 300 may be arranged such that its length extends along a first direction 92. A buffer unit 200 may be placed between the indexing module 10 and the transfer device 300. A liquid processing device 400 and a supercritical processing device 500 may be arranged on one side of the transfer device 300. The liquid processing device 400 and the transfer device 300 may be arranged along a second direction 94. The supercritical processing device 500 and the transfer device 300 may be arranged along a second direction 94. The buffer unit 200 may be located at one end of the transfer device 300.

[0066] In this embodiment, the liquid processing device 400 can be arranged on both sides of the transfer device 300, and the supercritical processing device 500 can be arranged on both sides of the transfer device 300, with the liquid processing device 400 positioned closer to the buffer unit 200 than the supercritical processing device 500. On one side of the transfer device 300, the liquid processing device 400 can be arranged in an array A×B (A and B are natural numbers greater than 1 or 1) along a first direction 92 and a third direction 96. Furthermore, on one side of the transfer device 300, the supercritical processing device 500 can be arranged in an array C×D (C and D are natural numbers greater than 1 or 1) along the first direction 92 and the third direction 96, respectively. Unlike the aforementioned arrangement, only the liquid processing device 400 can be arranged on one side of the transfer device 300, and only the supercritical processing device 500 can be arranged on the other side of the transfer device 300.

[0067] The transfer device 300 includes a transfer robot 320. Within the transfer device 300, a guide rail 340 is provided, extending along a first direction 92, and the transfer robot 320 is configured to move along the guide rail 340. The transfer robot 320 includes a hand 322 on which the wafer W is placed, and the hand 322 is configured to move forward and backward, rotate about a third direction 96 as an axis, and move along the third direction 96. A plurality of hands 122 are arranged at vertical intervals, and the hands 122 are capable of moving forward and backward independently of each other.

[0068] The buffer unit 200 has a plurality of slots 224 on which the wafer W is placed. The buffers 220 can be configured to be spaced apart from each other along a third direction 96. The buffer unit 200 has an open front side and an open rear side. The front side faces the transposition module 10, and the rear side faces the transfer device 300. The transposition robot 120 can access the buffer unit 200 via the front side, and the transfer robot 320 can access the buffer unit 200 via the rear side.

[0069] FIG. 2 The diagram shows FIG. 1 An embodiment of the liquid handling device 400 in [the context of the document]. See reference [the document]. FIG. 2 The liquid handling equipment 400 includes a housing 410, a cup-shaped portion 420, a support unit 440, a liquid supply unit 460, a lifting unit 480, and a controller 40. The controller 40 controls the operation of the liquid supply unit 460, the support unit 440, and the lifting unit 480. The housing 410 is typically configured as a rectangular parallelepiped. The cup-shaped portion 420, the support unit 440, and the liquid supply unit 460 are located within the housing 410.

[0070] The cup-shaped portion 420 has a processing space with an open upper portion, within which the wafer W undergoes liquid processing. A support unit 440 supports the wafer W within this processing space. A liquid supply unit 460 supplies liquid to the wafer W supported by the support unit 440. Liquid can be supplied in various types and is sequentially supplied to the wafer W. A lifting unit 480 adjusts the relative level between the cup-shaped portion 420 and the support unit 440.

[0071] In one embodiment, the cup-shaped portion 420 has a plurality of collection bowls (422, 424, and 426). Each of the collection bowls (422, 424, and 426) has a collection space for collecting liquid used to process the substrate. Each collection bowl (422, 424, and 426) is configured in an annular shape surrounding the support unit 440. When a liquid processing process is performed, the processing liquid, dispersed due to the rotation of the wafer W, flows into the collection space through the inlets (422a, 424a, and 426a) of each collection bowl (422, 424, and 426). In another embodiment, the cup-shaped portion 420 has a first collection bowl 422, a second collection bowl 424, and a third collection bowl 426. The first collection bowl 422 is arranged around the support unit 440, the second collection bowl 424 is arranged around the first collection bowl 422, and the third collection bowl 426 is arranged around the second collection bowl 424. The second inlet 424a, which allows liquid to flow into the second collection bowl 424, may be located above the first inlet 422a, which allows liquid to flow into the first collection bowl 422, and the third inlet 426a, which allows liquid to flow into the third collection bowl 426, may be located above the second inlet 424a.

[0072] The support unit 440 includes a support plate 442 and a drive shaft 444. The upper surface of the support plate 442 is typically disk-shaped and may have a diameter larger than that of the wafer W. At the center of the support plate 442, a support pin 442a is configured to support the bottom surface of the wafer W, and the upper end of the support pin 442a is configured to protrude from the support plate 442, thus separating the wafer W from the support plate 442. A chuck pin 442b is located at the edge of the support plate 442. The chuck pin 442b is configured to protrude upward from the support plate 442, supporting (aggregating) the side surface of the wafer W, so that the wafer W does not deviate from the support unit 440 when it rotates. The drive shaft 444 is driven by a drive member 446 and connected to the center of the bottom surface of the wafer W, causing the support plate 442 to rotate about its central axis.

[0073] In an embodiment, the liquid supply unit 460 has a first nozzle 462, a second nozzle 464, and a third nozzle 466. The first nozzle 462 supplies a first liquid to the wafer W. The first liquid may be a liquid used to remove residual layers or foreign matter from the wafer W. The second nozzle 464 supplies a second liquid to the wafer W. The second liquid is readily soluble in a third liquid. For example, the second liquid may dissolve better in the third liquid than in the first liquid. The second liquid may neutralize the first liquid supplied to the wafer W. Furthermore, the second liquid may neutralize the first liquid and simultaneously dissolve better in the third liquid than the first liquid. In an embodiment, the second liquid may be water. The third nozzle 466 supplies a third liquid to the wafer W. The third liquid is readily soluble in the supercritical fluid used in the supercritical processing apparatus 500. For example, the third liquid may dissolve better in the supercritical fluid used in the supercritical processing apparatus 500 than the second liquid. In an embodiment, the third liquid may be an organic solvent. The organic solvent may be isopropanol (IPA). In an embodiment, the supercritical fluid may be carbon dioxide. The first nozzle 462, the second nozzle 464, and the third nozzle 466 are supported by different arms 461, and these arms 461 are movable independently. Optionally, the first nozzle 462, the second nozzle 464, and the third nozzle 466 can be mounted on the same arm and move simultaneously.

[0074] The lifting unit 480 moves the cup-shaped portion 420 in the vertical direction. The relative horizontal distance between the cup-shaped portion 420 and the wafer W is changed by the vertical movement of the cup-shaped portion 420. As a result, the collection bowls (422, 424, and 426) for collecting the processed liquid change according to the type of liquid supplied to the substrate W, thus allowing for separate collection of the liquid. Unlike the above, the cup-shaped portion 420 is fixedly mounted, and the lifting unit 480 can move the support unit 440 in the vertical direction.

[0075] FIG. 3 It is shown schematically. FIG. 1A view of an embodiment of a supercritical processing apparatus 500. According to the embodiment, the supercritical processing apparatus 500 uses supercritical fluid to remove liquid from a wafer W. The supercritical processing apparatus 500 includes a container 520, a support member (hereinafter also referred to as a first substrate support) 540, a fluid supply unit 560, and a baffle 580.

[0076] Container 520 provides a processing space 502 in which supercritical processes are performed. Container 520 has an upper container (upper body) 522 and a lower container (lower body) 524, which are combined to provide the processing space 502. The upper container 522 is positioned above the lower container 524. The position of the upper container 522 is fixed, and the lower container 524 can be raised and lowered by a drive member 590 (such as a cylinder). When the lower container 524 is spaced apart from the upper container 522, the processing space 502 is opened, at which time the wafer W can be placed or removed. During the process, the lower container 524 is in close contact with the upper container 522, thus isolating the processing space 502 from the outside. The supercritical processing apparatus 500 has a heater 570. In an embodiment, the heater 570 is located inside the wall of container 520. In one embodiment, heater 570 may be disposed in at least one of the upper container 522 and the lower container 524 constituting container 520. Heater 570 heats the processing space 502 of container 520 such that the fluid supplied to the processing space 502 in container 520 remains in a supercritical state. The processing space 502 has an atmosphere formed by the supercritical fluid.

[0077] A support member 540 supports the wafer W within the processing space 502 of the container 520. The support member 540 includes a retaining rod 542 and a retainer 544. The retaining rod 542 is securely mounted in the upper container 522 and protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the upper container 522. The retaining rod 542 may be configured such that its longitudinal direction is vertical. A plurality of retaining rods 542 are provided, and they may be spaced apart from each other. The retaining rods 542 are arranged such that the wafer W does not interfere with the retaining rods 542 when it is placed into or removed from the space they enclose. The retainer 544 is coupled to each of the retaining rods 542. The retainer 544 extends laterally from the lower end of the retaining rod 542. In one embodiment, the retainer 544 extends in a shape capable of supporting the back circumference of the wafer W.

[0078] Fluid supply unit 560 supplies process fluid to the processing space 502 of container 520. In one embodiment, the process fluid may be supplied to the processing space 502 in a supercritical phase. In another embodiment, the process fluid is supplied to the processing space 502 in a gaseous phase and may undergo a phase transition to a supercritical phase within the processing space 502. In one embodiment, fluid supply unit 560 has a main supply line 562, a top branch line 564, and a bottom branch line 566. The top branch line 564 and the bottom branch line 566 branch from the main supply line 562. The top branch line 564 is connected to the upper container 522 to supply cleaning fluid from above the top portion of the wafer W placed on the support member 540. In one embodiment, the top branch line 564 is connected to the center of the upper container 522. The bottom branch line 566 is connected to the lower container 524 to supply cleaning fluid from below the wafer W placed on the support member 540. In one embodiment, the bottom branch line 566 is connected to the center of the lower container 524. Discharge unit 550 is connected to the lower container 524. The supercritical fluid in the processing space 502 of container 520 is discharged to the outside of container 520 via discharge unit 550.

[0079] A baffle 580 may be provided in the processing space 502 of container 520. The baffle 580 may be disc-shaped. The baffle 580 is supported by supports 582 and spaced upwards from the bottom surface of container 520. Multiple supports 582 are arranged in a rod-like manner and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. When viewed from above, the baffle 580 may be configured to overlap with the discharge port of bottom branch line 566 and the inlet of discharge unit 550. The baffle 580 prevents damage to the wafer W from direct discharge of cleaning fluid supplied via bottom branch line 566 towards the wafer W.

[0080] FIG. 4 It is shown in the diagram FIG. 3 A perspective view of an embodiment of the support member 540 provided in the supercritical processing chamber. Reference will be made below. FIG. 4 The support member 540 according to the embodiment is described in more detail.

[0081] The support member 540 includes a fixing rod 542 and a retainer 544. The fixing rod 542 is fixedly mounted in the upper container 522 and protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the upper container 522. The fixing rod 542 can be arranged vertically along its longitudinal direction. According to an embodiment, a plurality of fixing rods 542 are provided, and the plurality of fixing rods 542 can be spaced apart from each other. In an embodiment, the fixing rod 542 includes a first fixing rod 542a, a second fixing rod 542b, a third fixing rod 542c, and a fourth fixing rod 542d. A plurality of retainers 544 are provided, and they can be spaced apart from each other. In an embodiment, the retainer 544 includes a first retainer 544a and a second retainer 544b. The first fixing rod 542a and the second fixing rod 542b are connected to the first retainer 544a. The third fixing rod 542c and the fourth fixing rod 542d are connected to the second retainer 544b. The first fixing rod 542a and the second fixing rod 542b are positioned adjacent to each other, and the third fixing rod 542c and the fourth fixing rod 542d are positioned adjacent to each other. The space between the first fixing rod 542a and the third fixing rod 542c is formed to have a width that allows the wafer W to pass through. The first fixing rod 542a and the third fixing rod 542c are spaced apart from each other so that the wafer W can pass through the gap. Similarly, the second fixing rod 542b and the fourth fixing rod 542d can be spaced apart from each other so that the wafer W can pass through the gap.

[0082] The first retainer 544a can be configured as an arc shape with a predetermined central angle. A first support pin 546a and a second support pin 546b are disposed on the top surface of the first retainer 544a, spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The first support pin 546a and the second support pin 546b protrude from the top surface of the first retainer 544a at a predetermined height. Because the separation distance between the first support pin 546a and the second support pin 546b is set to be longer, the wafer W can be stably supported, but this can be set differently depending on the design.

[0083] The second retainer 544b can be configured as an arc shape with a predetermined central angle. A third support pin 546c and a fourth support pin 546d are disposed on the top surface of the second retainer 544b, spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The third support pin 546c and the fourth support pin 546d are formed to protrude from the top surface of the second retainer 544b at a predetermined height. Because the separation distance between the third support pin 546c and the fourth support pin 546d is set to be longer, the wafer W can be stably supported, but this can be set differently depending on the design.

[0084] The first support pin 546a, the second support pin 546b, the third support pin 546c, and the fourth support pin 546d allow the wafer W to be spaced apart from the top surface of the holder 544 at a predetermined distance. The support pins 546 make point contact with the wafer W to reduce contamination of the wafer W due to increased contact area. As an example,FIG. 4 Only four support pins are shown in the figure, but two, three, or more than four support pins may be provided. Support pins 546 must remain undeformed under high temperature and high pressure conditions. In an embodiment, support pins 546 may be made of the same material as the cage 544.

[0085] Due to the above structure, the edge region of the wafer W introduced into the processing space 502 of the container 520 is placed on the support pin 546 of the holder 544, and a portion of the edge region of the entire top surface of the wafer W, the central region of the bottom surface of the wafer W, and the bottom surface of the wafer W are exposed to the process fluid supplied to the processing space 502.

[0086] The ends of the support pins 546 supporting the wafer W should have a constant height. The height of each of the support pins 546 may vary depending on whether the retainer 544 is horizontal and the degree of connection between the fixing rod 542 and the upper container 522. Furthermore, during the opening of the container 520, the height of the uppermost end of the support pin 546 may vary due to the rising and falling movement of the lower container 524. The height of the uppermost end of the support pin 546 may also vary for various reasons other than those mentioned above. However, the wafer W supported by the upper ends of the support pins 546 can only be held horizontally when the maximum heights of the support pins 546 are set to be the same. The uniformity of the maximum heights of the support pins 546 can be measured using a drop gauge, but this has a significant margin of error and cannot confirm whether the maximum heights of the support pins 546 are the same during the process.

[0087] FIG. 5 This is a top view of a substrate-type sensor unit 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 It is based on FIG. 5 A perspective view of a substrate-type sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference will be made below. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 A substrate-type sensor unit 600 according to an embodiment is described. When using the substrate-type sensor unit 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to measure whether the wafer W can be horizontally supported by the support member 540. For example, the substrate-type sensor unit 600 can measure the maximum height difference between the support pins 546 with a resolution of 0.1 degrees or less, and can check whether the maximum heights of the support pins 546 are the same during the process.

[0088] The substrate-type sensor unit 600 includes a substrate-like member 610. The substrate-like member 610 is configured to have physical dimensions that are substantially the same as or similar to those of the substrate to be processed.

[0089] The substrate-type sensing unit 600 includes one or more sensors. The sensors are configured as at least three-axis accelerometers or at least six-axis inertial measurement units (IMUs).

[0090] Accelerometers are a known technology that measures the force acting on an object based on the Earth's gravitational acceleration. An accelerometer decomposes gravitational acceleration into components along the X, Y, and Z axes, displaying the magnitude of each component. An accelerometer can express gravitational acceleration as a vector sum of the X, Y, and Z values. Because accelerometer values ​​remain consistent even when the sensor is stationary, tilt can be determined. When measuring tilt angles using an accelerometer, the tilt angle relative to the x-axis can be expressed as arctan(x / z), and the tilt angle relative to the y-axis can be expressed as arctan(y / z).

[0091] Six-axis or more inertial measurement units are known technology, further including three-axis gyroscopes in addition to three-axis accelerometers. The three-axis gyroscope measures angular velocity. For example... FIG. 14 As shown, for a 6-axis or more IMU, roll (horizontal X), pitch (horizontal Y), and yaw are calculated. In known IMUs, a three-axis geomagnetic sensor can be used to correct for drift in the final values ​​of the gyroscope sensor.

[0092] Sensors such as IMUs are sensitive to changes in temperature and measurement values, which can lead to errors. For example, when the temperature of an IMU increases, its measurement value may increase. Conversely, when the temperature of an IMU increases, its measurement value may decrease. For example, when the temperature of an IMU increases, its measurement value decreases along with it. FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B This is an example graph showing how IMU measurements change with temperature. FIG. 7A The graph shows an example of how the measurements from the first IMU change with temperature variations. FIG. 7B The graph shows an example of how the measurements from the second IMU change with temperature variations. (Reference) FIG. 7A graphics and FIG. 7B The graph shows that the first IMU exhibits a larger measurement change relative to temperature than the second IMU. According to an embodiment of the invention, despite measurement errors due to temperature rise, it is still possible to measure whether the wafer W can be horizontally supported by the support member 540.

[0093] The sensors disposed in the substrate-type sensor unit 600 include a first sensor 621. Furthermore, a second sensor 622 may be further included. The first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 are IMUs having six or more axes. The first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 may be located at positions opposite to each other relative to the center C of the substrate-type sensor unit 600. The first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 may be located at opposite edges of the substrate-type sensor unit 600. In an embodiment, the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 may be arranged above support pins 546, respectively. More specifically, the first sensor 621 may be located above a first support pin 546a, and the second sensor 622 may be located above a fourth support pin 546d. The angle formed by the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 based on the center C of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 may be 180 degrees.

[0094] The substrate-type sensor unit 600 includes a central module 630. The central module 630 may include a communication unit for receiving data from a first sensor 621 and / or a second sensor 622, a storage unit for storing data, a transmission unit for transmitting data, and a power unit for providing power to the various components. The first sensor 621 can be connected to the central module 630 so that the central module 630 receives data acquired by the first sensor 621. The second sensor 622 can be connected to the central module 630 so that the central module 630 receives data acquired by the second sensor 622. The transmission unit may be provided as a wireless communication module. Operations described later can be performed in an external device via data transmitted from a transmitter. Alternatively, an operation unit may be provided for the central module 630, and operations described later can be performed in this operation unit to transmit the tilt angle generated by the support member 540 to an external device via the transmission unit. The power supply unit is configured as a wireless rechargeable battery.

[0095] FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B This paper describes a method for measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit 600, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and will describe the method when the support member is configured to horizontally support the wafer. FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B The illustration shows a method for measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit 600, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As an example, it shows a state where the wafer cannot be horizontally supported when the support member is tilted at an angle θ. Reference will be made below. FIG. 8A , FIG. 8B , FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B A method for measuring the level using a support member of a substrate-type sensor unit 600 is described.

[0096] According to an embodiment, the substrate-type sensor unit 600 includes a first step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when it is set at a first angle, and a second step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when it is set at a second angle. The second angle is a rotation of 180 degrees from the first angle. FIG. 8A and FIG. 9A The diagram illustrates the tilt angle measurement status based on the first step, and FIG. 8B and FIG. 9B The diagram illustrates the tilt angle measurement state according to the second step. The substrate-type sensor unit 600 can be rotated 180 degrees from the first angle to the second angle via an aligner provided externally to the supercritical processing device 500. For example, the substrate-type sensor unit 600 can be rotated by the aligner to align with the substrate included in the buffer unit 200. The rotated substrate-type sensor unit 600 can be transferred by the transfer robot 320 and positioned at the support member 540.

[0097] According to the state where the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is positioned at a first angle according to the first step, the first sensor 621 may be located above the first support pin 546a, and the second sensor 622 may be located above the fourth support pin 546d. According to the state where the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is positioned at a second angle according to the second step, the first sensor 621 may be located above the fourth support pin 546d, and the second sensor 622 may be located above the first support pin 546a. The positions of the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 are merely examples and are not intended to be limited to the above positions. However, the inventors understand that when the sensor is located above the support pin 546, the horizontal state of the support member 540 can be derived most accurately. However, since the multiple support pins 546 may be positioned in locations different from those in embodiments of the present invention, the positions of the sensors according to the first angle may be appropriately modified in consideration of common sense.

[0098] The measured values ​​of the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 can vary with temperature. As described above, this is a fundamental characteristic of an IMU. According to an embodiment of the present invention, although the measured values ​​vary with temperature, the horizontal state can be measured by measuring the tilt angle in the state set at a first angle and the tilt angle in the state set at a second angle.

[0099] For example, suppose the first temperature (a temperature above room temperature) is, for example, a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Suppose that in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, an inherent error (0.64°, 0.42°) is generated in the first sensor 621 at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). And suppose that in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, an inherent error (0.61°, 0.43°) is generated in the second sensor 622 at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y).

[0100] likeFIG. 8A and FIG. 8B As shown, when the support member is positioned to horizontally support the wafer, and the zeroed IMU value in the horizontal state is (0.00°, 0.00°), the measured value V1 of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 set at the first angle in the first step is (0.64°, 0.42°) at the first sensor 621 and (0.61°, 0.43°) at the second sensor 622. Furthermore, the measured value V2 of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 set at the second angle in the second step is (0.64°, 0.42°) at the first sensor 621 and (0.61°, 0.43°) at the second sensor 622. When the support member is positioned to horizontally support the wafer, only the inherent error of each sensor exists; as a result, V1-V2 is (0.00°, 0.00°), indicating a horizontal state. However, in embodiments of the invention, this is represented as a mathematical value (0.00°, 0.00°), but if it is a state that can be substantially considered as (0.00°, 0.00°), it is determined to be a horizontal state. For example, if the range (±0.05°, ±0.05°) can be evaluated as horizontal, it is determined to be a horizontal state even if it is not mathematically (0.00°, ±0.00°).

[0101] The comparison is shown in Table 1 below.

[0102] [Table 1]

[0103]

[0104] like FIG. 9A and FIG. 9BAs shown, when the wafer is supported by the support member 540, the wafer tilt θ will be described below. It is assumed that in a first temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, the first sensor 621 has an inherent error of (0.64°, 0.42°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). It is also assumed that in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, the second sensor 622 has an inherent error of (0.61°, 0.43°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). It is assumed that when the substrate sensor unit 600 is tilted by an angle θ in a state set at the first angle, the vector coordinates are (0.07°, -0.05°). The measured value V1 measured when the substrate sensor unit 600 is set at the first angle according to the first step is (0.71°, 0.37°) for the first sensor 621 and (0.68°, 0.38°) for the second sensor 622. The measured value V2, taken by the substrate-type sensor unit 600 in the state set to the second angle according to the second step, is (0.54°, 0.48°) for the first sensor 621 and (0.57°, 0.47°) for the second sensor 622. Therefore, in the case of the first sensor 621, V1-V2 is not (0.00°, 0.00°), and thus it can be determined to be a non-horizontal state.

[0105] The comparison is shown in Table 2 below.

[0106] [Table 2] Atmosphere at the first temperature FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B The measured value under the condition of.

[0107]

[0108] If the substrate-type sensor unit 600 rotates 180° in the second step, the position of the first sensor 621 at the first angle in the first step becomes the position of the second sensor 622 at the second angle. Similarly, if the substrate-type sensor unit 600 rotates 180° in the second step, the position of the second sensor 622 at the first angle in the first step becomes the position of the first sensor 621 at the second angle. Furthermore, when the sensor orientation is reversed, the measured values ​​of the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 at the second angle form part of the measured value by measuring the tilt value θ as (-0.07, 0.05). That is, since V1 = (horizontal X inherent error, horizontal Y inherent error) + (0.07°, -0.05°) and V2 = (horizontal X inherent error, horizontal Y inherent error) + (-0.07°, +0.05°), the tilt value θ can be obtained according to the formula (V1-V2) / 2. According to the embodiment, θ = (V1-V2) / 2 = (0.07°, -0.05°).

[0109] From another perspective, the tilt value can be measured based on the location of the measurement.

[0110] [Table 3] Based on the atmosphere at the first temperature FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B The tilt value is calculated based on the measured values ​​at different angles under the given conditions.

[0111]

[0112] According to another aspect of the concept of the present invention, it can be achieved through {( 1- 2)+( 1- 2)} / 4 Calculate the tilt value. FIG. 5 to FIG. 9B The substrate-type sensor unit 600 described herein can obtain the same result using only the first sensor 621, but this can be verified by providing a second sensor 622. Furthermore, a more accurate tilt value can be calculated by averaging the tilt values ​​obtained from the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622. FIG. 10 This is a plan view of a substrate-type sensor unit 1600 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 It is based on FIG. 10 A perspective view of the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 of an embodiment is shown below. (Referring to the following...) FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 A substrate-type sensor unit 1600 according to another embodiment is described. When using the substrate-type sensor unit 1600, it is possible to measure whether the wafer W can be horizontally supported by the support member 540. For example, the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 can measure the maximum height difference between the support pins 546 with a resolution of 0.1 degrees or less, and can check whether the maximum heights of the support pins 546 are the same during the process.

[0113] The substrate-type sensor unit 1600 includes one or more sensors. The sensors may be IMUs (Integrated Device Units). The sensors disposed in the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 include a first sensor 621 and a second sensor 622. Furthermore, it may further include a third sensor 623 and a fourth sensor 624. The first sensor 621, the second sensor 622, the third sensor 623, and the fourth sensor 624 are IMUs.

[0114] The first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 may be located at positions opposite each other relative to the center C of the substrate-type sensor unit 600. The first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 may be located at opposite edges of the substrate-type sensor unit 600. In an embodiment, the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 may be respectively positioned above the support pin 546. More specifically, the first sensor 621 may be located above the first support pin 546a, and the second sensor 622 may be located above the fourth support pin 546d. The angle formed by the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 based on the center C of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 may be 180 degrees.

[0115] The third sensor 623 and the fourth sensor 624 may be located at positions opposite each other relative to the center C of the substrate-type sensor unit 600. The third sensor 623 and the fourth sensor 624 may be located at opposite edges of the substrate-type sensor unit 600. In an embodiment, the third sensor 623 and the fourth sensor 624 may be respectively positioned above the support pin 546. More specifically, the third sensor 623 may be located above the second support pin 546b, and the fourth sensor 624 may be located above the third support pin 546c. The angle formed by the third sensor 623 and the fourth sensor 624 based on the center C of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 may be 180 degrees.

[0116] The substrate-type sensor unit 1600 includes a central module 630. The central module 630 may include a communication unit for receiving data from a second sensor 622, a third sensor 623, and / or a fourth sensor 624, a storage unit for storing data, a transmission unit for transmitting data, and a power unit for providing power to the various components. A first sensor 621 may be connected to the central module 630 to allow the central module 630 to receive data acquired by the first sensor 621. A second sensor 622 may be connected to the central module 630 to allow the central module 630 to receive data acquired by the second sensor 622. A third sensor 623 may be connected to the central module 630 to allow the central module 630 to receive data acquired by the third sensor 623. A fourth sensor 624 may be connected to the central module 630 to allow the central module 630 to receive data acquired by the fourth sensor 624. The transmission unit may be configured as a wireless communication module. Operations described later can be performed in an external device via data transmitted from the transmitter. Alternatively, an operating unit may be provided for the central module 630, and the operations described later may be performed in the operating unit to transmit the tilt angle generated by the support member 540 to an external device via the transmitting unit.

[0117] FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B Description of use based on FIG. 10The method of measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer is described in the embodiment of the substrate-type sensor unit 1600, and will be described when the support member is set in a state in which it can horizontally support the wafer. FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B The diagram illustrates the use of... FIG. 10 The substrate-type sensor unit 1600 of the embodiment measures whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer. As an example of a state where the support member cannot horizontally support the wafer, when supporting the wafer, the wafer will tilt by θ. Reference will be made below. FIG. 12A , FIG. 12B , FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B A method for measuring the horizontal angle of a support member 540 using a substrate-type sensor unit 1600 is described.

[0118] According to an embodiment, the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 includes a first step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when it is positioned at a first angle, and a second step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when it is positioned at a second angle. The second angle is a rotation of 180 degrees from the first angle. FIG. 12A and FIG. 13A The diagram illustrates the tilt angle measurement status based on the first step, and FIG. 12B and FIG. 13B The diagram illustrates the tilt angle measurement state according to the second step. The rotation of the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 from the first angle to the second angle can be performed by an aligner disposed outside the supercritical processing device 500. For example, the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 can be rotated by the aligner to align with the substrate in the buffer unit 200. The rotated substrate-type sensor unit 1600 can be transferred by the transfer robot 320 and positioned on the support member 540.

[0119] According to the state in which the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 is set at a first angle according to the first step, the first sensor 621 may be located above the first support pin 546a, and the second sensor 622 may be located above the fourth support pin 546d. In addition, the third sensor 623 may be located above the second support pin 546b, and the fourth sensor 624 may be located above the third support pin 546c.

[0120] According to the state of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 set at the second angle in the second step, the first sensor 621 can be located above the fourth support pin 546d, and the second sensor 622 can be located above the first support pin 546a. In addition, the third sensor 623 can be located above the third support pin 546c, and the fourth sensor 624 can be located above the second support pin 546b.

[0121] The positions of the first sensor 621, the second sensor 622, the third sensor 623, and the fourth sensor 624 are merely illustrative and not limited to the positions described above. However, the inventors understand that the horizontal state of the support member 540 can be most accurately derived when the sensors are positioned above the support pins 546. However, since the multiple support pins 546 can be positioned differently from those in the embodiments of the present invention, the positions of the sensors according to the first angle can be appropriately modified, taking common sense into consideration.

[0122] The measured values ​​of the first sensor 621, the second sensor 622, the third sensor 623, and the fourth sensor 624 can vary according to temperature. As described above, this is a fundamental characteristic of an IMU. According to an embodiment of the present invention, although the measured values ​​vary according to temperature, the horizontal state can be measured by measuring the tilt angle in the state set at a first angle and the tilt angle in the state set at a second angle.

[0123] For example, assume a first temperature (a temperature above room temperature) of approximately 70°C. Assume that in this approximately 70°C temperature atmosphere, the first sensor 621 exhibits an inherent error (0.64°, 0.42°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). And assume that in this approximately 70°C temperature atmosphere, the second sensor 622 has an inherent error (0.61°, 0.43°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y).

[0124] Assume that the third sensor 623 has an inherent error (0.62°, 0.43°) in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Furthermore, assume that the fourth sensor 624 has an inherent error (0.65°, 0.42°) in a temperature environment of approximately 70°C.

[0125] When the IMU value is (0.00°, 0.00°) in a horizontal state, such as FIG. 12A and FIG. 12BAs shown, when the support member is positioned to horizontally support the wafer, the measured value V1, measured by the substrate-type sensor unit 600 at a first angle according to the first step, is (0.64°, 0.42°) at the first sensor 621, (0.61°, 0.43°) at the second sensor 622, (0.62°, 0.43°) at the third sensor 623, and (0.65°, 0.42°) at the fourth sensor 624. Furthermore, the measured value V2, measured when the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is positioned at a second angle according to the second step, is (0.64°, 0.42°) at the first sensor 621, (0.61°, 0.43°) at the second sensor 622, (0.62°, 0.43°) at the third sensor 623, and (0.65°, 0.42°) at the fourth sensor 624. When the support member is positioned to horizontally support the wafer, only the inherent errors of each sensor exist. Therefore, all V1-V2 are derived as (0.00°, 0.00°), which is judged as a horizontal state. However, in embodiments of the present invention, this is represented as a mathematical value (0.00°, 0.00°), but if it is essentially considered to be a (0.00°, 0.00°) state, it is judged as a horizontal state. For example, if the range (±0.05°, ±0.05°) is evaluated as horizontal, it is judged as a horizontal state even if it is not mathematically (0.00°, 0.00°).

[0126] The comparison is shown in Table 4 below.

[0127] [Table 4] Atmosphere at First Temperature FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B Measured values ​​under the specified conditions.

[0128]

[0129] like FIG. 13A and FIG. 13BAs shown, when the wafer is supported by the support member 540, the case of wafer tilting θ will be described below. It is assumed that in a first temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, the first sensor 621 has an inherent error of (0.64°, 0.42°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). It is assumed that in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, the second sensor 622 has an inherent error of (0.61°, 0.43°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). It is assumed that in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, the third sensor 623 has an inherent error of (0.62°, 0.43°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). Furthermore, it is assumed that in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C, the fourth sensor 624 has an inherent error of (0.65°, 0.42°) at coordinates (horizontal X, horizontal Y). It is assumed that the vector coordinates when the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 is tilted by an angle θ while in a state set at the first angle are (0.07°, -0.05°). When the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is set to the first angle according to the first step, the measured value V1 of the first sensor 621 is (0.71°, 0.37°), the measured value V1 of the second sensor 622 is (0.68°, 0.38°), the measured value V1 of the third sensor 623 is (0.69°, 0.38°), and the measured value V1 of the fourth sensor 624 is (0.72°, 0.37°). Furthermore, when the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is set to the second angle according to the second step, the measured value V2 is (0.57°, 0.47°) for the first sensor 621, (0.54°, 0.48°) for the second sensor 622, (0.55°, 0.48°) for the third sensor 623, and (0.58°, 0.47°) for the fourth sensor 624. When the chip is positioned to support it horizontally, there are actual measured values. In addition, the inherent errors between the individual sensors are added as a vector sum. Therefore, it can be determined that V1-V2 of the first sensor 621, the second sensor 622, the third sensor 623, and / or the fourth sensor 624 are not in a horizontal state (0.00°, 0.00°).

[0130] The comparison is shown in Table 5 below.

[0131] [Table 5] Atmosphere at the first temperature FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B Measured values ​​under the specified conditions.

[0132]

[0133] In the first step, the position of the first sensor 621 at the first angle becomes the position of the second sensor 622 at the second angle after the substrate sensor unit 600 is rotated 180° in the second step. Furthermore, the position of the second sensor 622 at the first angle in the first step becomes the position of the first sensor 621 at the second angle after the substrate sensor unit 600 is rotated 180° in the second step. Also, the position of the third sensor 623 at the first angle in the first step becomes the position of the fourth sensor 624 at the second angle after the substrate sensor unit 600 is rotated 180° in the second step. And the position of the fourth sensor 624 at the first angle in the first step becomes the position of the third sensor 623 at the second angle after the substrate sensor unit 600 is rotated 180° in the second step. Furthermore, when the sensor orientation is reversed, the measured values ​​of the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 at the second angle are used to form part of the measured value by measuring the tilt value θ as (-0.07, 0.05). That is, since V1 = (inherent error of horizontal X, inherent error of horizontal Y) + (0.07°, -0.05°) and V2 = (inherent error of horizontal X, inherent error of horizontal Y) + (-0.07°, +0.05°), the tilt value θ can be obtained according to the formula (V1-V2) / 2. According to the embodiment, θ = (V1-V2) / 2 = (0.07°, -0.05°). From another perspective, the tilt value can be measured based on the measurement position.

[0134] [Table 6] Based on the atmosphere at the first temperature FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B The tilt value is calculated based on the measured values ​​at different angles under the given conditions.

[0135]

[0136] According to another aspect of the invention, the tilt value is {( 1- 2)+( 1- 2)} / 4 and {( 1X- 2X)+( 1X- 2X)} / 4. Furthermore, a higher precision tilt value can be calculated by averaging the tilt values ​​derived from the first sensor 621, the second sensor 622, the third sensor 623, and the fourth sensor 624. Hereinafter, a method for calculating the tilt value according to another embodiment will be described. According to another embodiment, the sensor provided in the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is a 3-axis accelerometer. Referring now to Figures 8 to... FIG. 12B A method for calculating the tilt value according to another embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0137] Figure 8 illustrates a method for measuring whether a support member 540 can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit 600, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and will be described when the support member is configured to horizontally support the wafer. FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B The figure illustrates a method for measuring whether a support member can horizontally support a wafer using a substrate-type sensor unit 600, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As an example, it shows a support member that cannot horizontally support the wafer tilted by an angle θ. Reference will be made below. FIG. 8A , FIG. 8B , FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B A method for measuring the level of a support member using a substrate-type sensor unit 600 is described.

[0138] According to an embodiment, the substrate-type sensor unit 600 includes a first step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when it is set at a first angle, and a second step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when it is set at a second angle. The second angle is a rotation of 180 degrees from the first angle. FIG. 8A and FIG. 9A The figure shows the tilt angle measurement status in the first step, and FIG. 8B and FIG. 9B The diagram illustrates the tilt angle measurement state in the second step. The rotation of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 from the first angle to the second angle can be performed using an aligner located outside the supercritical processing device 500. For example, an aligner located in the buffer unit 200 can be used to rotate the substrate-type sensor unit 600 to align the substrate. The rotated substrate-type sensor unit 600 can then be transferred by the transfer robot 320 and positioned on the support member 540.

[0139] According to the state where the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is set at a first angle according to the first step, the first sensor 621 may be located above the first support pin 546a, and the second sensor 622 may be located above the fourth support pin 546d. According to the state where the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is set at a second angle according to the second step, the first sensor 621 may be located above the fourth support pin 546d, and the second sensor 622 may be located above the first support pin 546a. The positions of the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 are merely examples and are not intended to be limited to the above positions. However, the inventors understand that the horizontal state of the support member 540 can be most accurately derived when the sensor is located above the support pin 546. However, since the multiple support pins 546 may be set in positions different from those in the embodiments of the present invention, the positions of the sensors according to the first angle may be appropriately modified in view of common sense.

[0140] The measured values ​​of the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622 can vary with temperature. As described above, this is a fundamental characteristic of an accelerometer. According to an embodiment of the present invention, although the measured values ​​vary with temperature, the horizontal state can be measured by measuring the tilt angle in the state set at a first angle and the tilt angle in the state set at a second angle.

[0141] For example, suppose the first temperature (a temperature above room temperature) is, for example, a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Suppose that the first sensor 621 has an inherent error (1, 1, -1) in vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Furthermore, suppose that the second sensor 622 has an inherent error (0.8, 0.7, -1.1) in vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C.

[0142] When the accelerometer value is (0, 0, -9.8) in a horizontal state, as follows: FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B As shown, when the support member is positioned to horizontally support the wafer, the measured value V1 of the substrate-type sensor unit 600, set at a first angle according to the first step, is (1, 1, 10.8) at the first sensor 621 and (0.8, 0.7, -10.9) at the second sensor 622. The measured value V2 of the substrate-type sensor unit 600, set at a second angle according to the second step, is (1, 1, -10.8) at the first sensor 621 and (0.8, 0.7, -10.9) at the second sensor 622. When positioned to horizontally support the wafer, only the measured value corresponds to the Z value, and there is an inherent error for each sensor; therefore, all V1-V2 are derived as (0, 0, 0), which is determined to be in a horizontal state. However, in embodiments of the present invention, it is represented as the mathematical value (0, 0, 0), but if it can be substantially considered as (0, 0, 0), it is determined to be in a horizontal state. For example, if the range (±0.05, ±0.05, ±0.05) is evaluated as level, it is judged to be in a level state even if it is not mathematically (0, 0, 0).

[0143] The comparison is shown in Table 7 below.

[0144] [Table 7] Atmosphere at First Temperature FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B Measured values ​​under the specified conditions.

[0145]

[0146] like FIG. 9A and FIG. 9BAs shown, when the wafer is supported by the support member 540, the case of wafer tilt θ will be described below. It is assumed that the first sensor 621 has an inherent error of (1, 1, -1) at vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a first temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Furthermore, it is assumed that the second sensor 622 has an inherent error of (0.8, 0.7, -1.1) for vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. It is assumed that, in the state set at the first angle, the vector coordinates when the substrate sensor unit 600 is tilted θ are (2, 0.5, -9.56). The measured value V1 measured by the substrate sensor unit 600 in the state set at the first angle according to the first step is (3, 1.5, -10.3) for the first sensor 621 and (2.8, 1.2, -10.4) for the second sensor 622. Furthermore, the measured value V2, taken by the substrate-type sensor unit 600 in the state set at the second angle according to the second step, is (-1, 0.5, -10.3) for the first sensor and (-1, 0.2, -10.4) for the second sensor 622. When set in a state that can horizontally support the wafer, there is a substantial measured value, and the inherent error between each sensor is added as a vector sum. Therefore, in the case of the first sensor 621, V1-V2 is (2.8, 1.2, 0), and in the case of the second sensor 622, V1-V2 is derived as (2.8, 1, 0), thus it can be determined that it is a non-horizontal state.

[0147] The comparison is shown in Table 8 below.

[0148] [Table 8] Atmosphere at First Temperature FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B Measured values ​​under the specified conditions.

[0149]

[0150] By using (V1-V2) / 2, we can determine the X and Y values ​​of the vector coordinates when the object is tilted by an angle θ from the initial angle. (V1-V2) / 2 = (x, y, 0). Therefore, when the supporting member is not horizontal, the tilt direction can be determined using this equation. In this embodiment, (V1-V2) / 2 = (x, y, 0) = (2, 0.5, 0). Considering that the acceleration g used by the accelerometer is the Earth's gravitational acceleration, if calculated using polar coordinates, the z value of the tilt angle θ relative to the plane can be obtained from the x and y values, and thus can be used as the value of g*sin(a). Alternatively, the Pythagorean theorem can be used... To obtain it. Considering the direction of gravity, the value of z is calculated as follows: As a result, it can be achieved through... The vector coordinates of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 when it is tilted by an angle θ while it is set at a first angle are obtained using an accelerometer. Furthermore, the inherent error of the X value, the inherent error of the Y value, and the Z value of V1 (or V2) can be derived from (V1+V2) / 2. For example, in the case of the first sensor 621, (V1+V2) / 2 = (1, 1, -10.3), and in the case of the second sensor 622, (V1+V2) / 2 = (0.8, 0.7, -10.4). Furthermore, the inherent error of the Z value can be obtained by comparing V1(Z) or V2(Z) with the Z value of the tilt value (i.e., ...). The difference between them is used for calculation.

[0151] FIG. 5 The same result can be obtained using only the first sensor 621 in the substrate-type sensor unit 600 described in Figure 9, but can be verified by providing a second sensor 622.

[0152] Then, refer to FIG. 12A , FIG. 13A , FIG. 13B and FIG. 10 Description based on reference FIG. 12A The substrate-type sensor unit 1600, according to another embodiment of the inventive concept, measures tilt values ​​according to another embodiment of the method. The substrate-type sensor 1600 includes one or more sensors. The sensors are provided as 3-axis or more axis accelerometers.

[0153] According to an embodiment, the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 includes a first step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when set at a first angle, and a second step of measuring the tilt angle of the support member 540 when set at a second angle. The second angle is a rotation of 180 degrees from the first angle. FIG. 13A and FIG. 12B The figure shows the tilt angle measurement status during the first step, and FIG. 13B and FIG. 12A The diagram illustrates the tilt angle measurement state during the second step. The rotation of the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 from the first angle to the second angle can be performed by an aligner located outside the supercritical processing equipment 500. For example, an aligner located in the buffer unit 200 can be used to rotate the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 to align the substrate. The rotated substrate-type sensor unit 1600 can then be transferred by the transfer robot 320 and positioned on the support member 540.

[0154] According to the state in which the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 is set at a first angle according to the first step, the first sensor 621 may be located above the first support pin 546a, and the second sensor 622 may be located above the fourth support pin 546d. In addition, the third sensor 623 may be located above the second support pin 546b, and the fourth sensor 624 may be located above the third support pin 546c.

[0155] According to the state of the substrate-type sensor unit 600 set at the second angle in the second step, the first sensor 621 can be located above the fourth support pin 546d, and the second sensor 622 can be located above the first support pin 546a. In addition, the third sensor 623 can be located above the third support pin 546c, and the fourth sensor 624 can be located above the second support pin 546b.

[0156] The positions of the first sensor 621, the second sensor 622, the third sensor 623, and the fourth sensor 624 are merely illustrative and are not intended to be limited to the aforementioned positions. However, the inventors understand that the horizontal state of the support member 540 can be most accurately derived when the sensors are positioned above the support pins 546. However, since the multiple support pins 546 can be positioned differently from embodiments of the present invention, the positions of the sensors according to the first angle can be appropriately modified, taking into account common sense.

[0157] The measured values ​​of the first sensor 621, the second sensor 622, the third sensor 623, and the fourth sensor 624 can vary with temperature. As described above, this is a fundamental characteristic of an accelerometer. According to an embodiment of the present invention, although the measured values ​​vary with temperature, the horizontal state can be measured by measuring the tilt angle in the state set at a first angle and the tilt angle in the state set at a second angle.

[0158] For example, assume a first temperature (a temperature above room temperature) is, for example, a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Assume that the first sensor 621 has an inherent error (1, 1, -1) in vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) within a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Assume that the second sensor 622 has an inherent error (0.8, 0.7, -1.1) in vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) within a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Assume that the third sensor 623 has an inherent error (0.6, 0.7, -1) in vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) within a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Furthermore, assume that the fourth sensor 624 has an inherent error (0.5, 0.8, -1.2) in vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) within a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C.

[0159] When the accelerometer value is (0, 0, -9.8) in a horizontal state, as follows: FIG. 12B and FIG. 12AAs shown, the measured value V1 of the substrate-type sensor unit 600, positioned at the first angle, is (1, 1, -10.8) for the first sensor 621, (0.8, 0.7, -10.9) for the second sensor 622, (0.6, 0.7, -10.8) for the third sensor 623, and (0.5, 0.8, -11) for the fourth sensor 624. Furthermore, the measured value V2 of the substrate-type sensor unit 600, positioned at the second angle according to the second step, is (1, 1, -10.8) for the first sensor, (0.8, 0.7, -10.9) for the second sensor 622, (0.6, 0.7, -10.8) for the third sensor 623, and (0.5, 0.8, -11) for the fourth sensor 624. When the device is positioned to horizontally support the wafer, only the measured values ​​correspond to the Z-value, and each sensor has its inherent error. Therefore, all V1-V2 values ​​are derived as (0, 0, 0), which is considered to be in a horizontal state. However, in embodiments of the present invention, this is represented as the mathematical value (0, 0, 0), but if it can be substantially considered as (0, 0, 0), it is considered to be in a horizontal state. For example, if the range (±0.05, ±0.05, ±0.05) is evaluated as horizontal, it is considered to be in a horizontal state even if it is not mathematically (0, 0, 0).

[0160] The comparison is shown in Table 9 below.

[0161] [Table 9] Atmosphere at First Temperature FIG. 12B and FIG. 13A Measured values ​​under the specified conditions.

[0162]

[0163] like FIG. 13B and FIG. 13AAs shown, when the wafer is supported by the support member 540, the case where the wafer is tilted by θ will be described below. Assume that the first sensor 621 has an inherent error of (1, 1, -1) at vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a first temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Assume that the second sensor 622 has an inherent error of (0.8, 0.7, -1.1) at vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a temperature atmosphere of approximately 70°C. Assume that the third sensor 623 has an inherent error of (0.6, 0.7, -1) at vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a temperature environment of approximately 70°C. Furthermore, assume that the fourth sensor 624 has an inherent error of (0.5, 0.8, -1.2) at vector coordinates (X, Y, Z) in a temperature environment of approximately 70°C. Assume that, in the state set at the first angle, the vector coordinates when the substrate-type sensor unit 1600 is tilted by an angle θ are (2, 0.5, -9.3). The measured value V1, when the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is set to a first angle according to the first step, is (3, 1.5, -10.3) for the first sensor 621, (2.8, 1.2, -10.4) for the second sensor 622, (-2.6, 4, -10.3) for the third sensor 623, and (-2.7, 4.1, -10.5) for the fourth sensor 624. Furthermore, the measured value V2, when the substrate-type sensor unit 600 is set to a second angle according to the second step, is (-1, 0.5, -10.3) for the first sensor 621, (-1.2, 0.2, -10.4) for the second sensor 622, (3.8, -2.6, -10.3) for the third sensor 623, and (3.7, -2.5, -10.5) for the fourth sensor 624. When the device is positioned to horizontally support the wafer, there are actual measured values, and these are added as a vector sum to account for the inherent errors between the individual sensors. Therefore, in the case of the first sensor 621, V1-V2 is (2.8, 1.2, 0); in the case of the second sensor 622, V1-V2 is (2.8, 1, 0); in the case of the third sensor 623, V1-V2 is (-6.4, -6.6, 0); and in the case of the fourth sensor 624, V1-V2 is derived to be (-6.4, -6.6, 0).

[0164] The comparison is shown in Table 10 below.

[0165] [Table 10] Atmosphere at the first temperature FIG. 13B and FIG. 15 Measured values ​​under the specified conditions.

[0166]

[0167] By using (V1-V2) / 2, the X and Y values ​​of the vector coordinates when tilted by an angle θ while set at the first angle can be determined. (V1-V2) / 2 = (x, y, 0). Therefore, when it is determined that the support member is not in a horizontal state, the tilt direction can be determined using this equation. In the aforementioned embodiment, (V1-V2) / 2 = (x, y, 0) = (2, 0.5, 0) is derived from the first sensor 621 and the second sensor 622. Furthermore, (V1-V2) / 2 = (x, y, 0) = (-3.2, 3.3, 0) is derived from the third sensor 623 and the fourth sensor 624. Even if the numbers differ, this is due to the rotation of the coordinate system. Considering that the acceleration g value used by the accelerometer is the Earth's gravitational acceleration, if calculated using polar coordinates, the z value of the tilt angle θ relative to the plane can be obtained from the x and y values, as shown in the reference... FIG. 16 As shown, it can therefore be obtained as the value of g*sin(a). Alternatively, it can also be obtained through... We use the Pythagorean theorem to obtain the value. Considering the direction of gravity, the value of z is calculated as follows: The result can be achieved through... The vector coordinates of the substrate sensor unit 600 when tilted by an angle θ while it is set at a first angle are obtained using an accelerometer. Furthermore, (V1+V2) / 2 can derive the inherent error of the X value, the inherent error of the Y value, and the Z value of V1 (or V2). For example, in the aforementioned embodiment, in the case of the first sensor 621, (V1+V2) / 2 = (1, 1, -10.3), and in the case of the second sensor 622, (V1+V2) / 2 = (0.8, 0.7, -10.4). Furthermore, in the case of the third sensor 623, (V1+V2) / 2 = (0.6, 0.7, -10.3), and in the case of the fourth sensor 624, (V1-V2) / 2 = (x, y, 0) = (0.5, 0.8, -10.5). Furthermore, the inherent error of the Z value can be obtained via the Z value of the tilt value (i.e., V1(Z) or V2(Z)). The difference between them is used for calculation.

[0168] The above embodiments and formulas correspond to embodiments of the inventive concept. Those skilled in the art will be able to derive various undisclosed formulas and embodiments based on the spirit of the invention described herein.

[0169] FIG. 1 It is shown schematically. FIG. 16 A perspective view of an embodiment of the buffer unit. (Refer to...) FIG. 17 The buffer unit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0170] Buffer unit 200 is configured as a temporary storage substrate. Buffer unit 200 includes a housing providing space for storing substrate W therein, and slots 224 disposed in the housing and for placing substrate W. A plurality of slots 224 are spaced apart from each other on a third direction 96. The plurality of slots 224 constitute substrate storage unit 222. The slots 224 stack a plurality of wafers W in multiple stages.

[0171] A holding unit 230 is provided below the buffer unit 200 to hold the substrate-type sensor units 600 and 1600. The top surface of the holding unit 230 is disposed in a flat plane without inclination. The substrate-type sensor units 600 and 1600 can be held by the holding unit 230 for zeroing the sensors. A horizontal sensor may also be provided in the holding unit 230 to periodically monitor and calibrate the substrate-type sensor units 600 and 1600.

[0172] The wireless charging module 235 can be built into the holding unit 230. By embedding the wireless charging module 235, the power supply unit can be charged while the substrate sensor units 600 and 1600 are stored in the buffer unit 200.

[0173] By equipping the buffer unit 200 with a wireless charging module 235 and a zero-adjustable holding unit 230, the substrate-type sensor units 600 and 1600 can be used at any time in the facility without having to be removed from the facility.

[0174] In an embodiment, if necessary, the wireless charging module 235 can charge the substrate sensor units 600 and 1600 using magnetic induction (less than 5 cm) or magnetic resonance (within 1 m), and can observe or transmit data measured by the substrate sensor units 600 and 1600.

[0175] FIG. 1 It is shown schematically. FIG. 18 This is a view of another embodiment of the supercritical processing chamber, and is a cross-sectional view showing the container in the open state. FIG. 17 The diagram illustrates the basis FIG. 17 A cross-sectional view of the container of the supercritical processing chamber in the closed state of an embodiment. (Refer to...) FIG. 18 and FIG. 15 Another embodiment of the inventive concept is described below.

[0176] The substrate processing chamber 500a may include a container 520, a first substrate support 540, a second substrate support 583, a first supply port 531, a second supply port 533, and a discharge port 532.

[0177] Container 520 provides space for drying a substrate. This space may include a processing space 502 and a buffer region 504. The processing space 502 may be a region corresponding to the top surface of the substrate W, and the buffer region 504 may be a region located below the substrate W. Container 520 may include an upper container 522 and a lower container 524. The upper container 522 may include a top wall and a first side wall. The top wall of the upper container 522 may be configured as the top wall of container 520. The first side wall of the upper container 522 may be provided as part of the side wall of container 520. The lower container 524 may include a bottom wall and a second side wall. The bottom wall of the lower container 524 may be configured as the bottom wall of container 520. The second side wall of the lower container 524 may be provided as part of the chamber side wall.

[0178] The upper container 522 and the lower container 524 can be moved relative to each other by a drive mechanism (not shown) to engage with each other, thereby sealing the container 520 in the closed position (e.g., FIG. 14 (as shown in the image) and the location of the opening in the open chamber (as shown in the image) FIG. 14 Switching between (as shown in the diagram). For example, at least one of the upper container 522 and the lower container 524 can move up and down along a lifting rod (not shown) to be connected or separated from each other. In the open position of container 520, substrate W can be loaded into / unloaded from container 520. In the closed position of container 520, a supercritical drying process for substrate W can be performed.

[0179] The first substrate support 540 can be arranged in the container 520 and can support the substrate W when the substrate W is loaded into the chamber. FIG. 15 As shown, when the substrate W is loaded / unloaded into the chamber at the opening of the container 520, the first substrate support 540 supports the substrate W. A second substrate support 583 can be disposed within the container 520 and can support the substrate W when it is being processed within the container 520. FIG. 17 As shown, when supercritical fluid processing is performed on substrate W at the closed position of container 520, the second substrate support 583 can support substrate W.

[0180] The first substrate support 540 may include a first support member extending from the top wall of the upper container 522 to support the substrate W at a position spaced apart from the top wall by a first distance. The first substrate support 540 may support the substrate W at a first height from the lower wall of the lower container 524 when the container 520 is in a closed position.

[0181] The substrate W loaded into / unloaded from the chamber at the opening of container 520 can be temporarily supported by the first substrate support 540. The substrate W supported by the first substrate support 540 can be supported such that the top surface of the substrate W faces the top wall of the upper container 522 and the bottom surface of the substrate W faces the bottom surface of the lower container 524.

[0182] The substrate processing chamber 500a may include a baffle 580 disposed between the lower wall of the lower container 524 and the first substrate support 540. The baffle 580 may be mounted to be spaced apart from the lower wall of the lower container 524 by a predetermined distance. The baffle 580 may be fixed to the lower wall of the lower container 524 by a support 582. The baffle 580 may include a plate having a predetermined thickness, which occupies a predetermined space in the buffer region 504. The baffle 580 may prevent supercritical fluid from the first supply port 531 from being directly sprayed onto the bottom surface of the substrate W. The volume of the buffer region 504 may be reduced by the baffle 580. The volume of the buffer region 504 may be smaller than the volume of the processing space 502. Therefore, the amount of supercritical fluid present in the buffer region 504 below the substrate W may be relatively smaller than the amount of supercritical fluid present in the processing space 502 above the substrate W. The baffle 580 can reduce the buffer space by placing a structure in the buffer space at the lower part of the substrate W, thereby reducing the process time, so as to reduce the amount of supercritical fluid used in the drying process and maintain process performance.

[0183] The second substrate support 583 supports the substrate W at a position spaced apart from the top wall of the upper container 522 by a second distance. The second support member can support the substrate W at a second height, which is greater than the first height of the lower wall of the lower container 524, when the chamber is closed.

[0184] The second substrate support 583 may be disposed on the baffle 580 and support the substrate W. The second substrate support 583 may include a plurality of second support protrusions extending upward from the top surface of the baffle 580. The second support protrusions may extend upward on the baffle 580 and contact and support the central region of the substrate W.

[0185] The second substrate support 583 is arranged on the baffle 580, but is not limited thereto, and the second substrate support 583 can be installed at a predetermined height from the lower wall of the lower container 524.

[0186] When container 520 is opened, the second support protrusion forming the second substrate support 583 can move together with the lower container 524. Subsequently, substrate W can be loaded into container 520 and positioned on the first support protrusion of the first substrate support 540. When container 520 is closed, the second support protrusion forming the second substrate support 583 can rise together with the lower container 524. Since the second support protrusion forming the second substrate support 583 at the closed position of container 520 has a greater height than the first support protrusion of the first substrate support 540, substrate W can be positioned on the second support protrusion forming the second substrate support 583. Subsequently, a supercritical drying process can be performed on substrate W supported by the second substrate support 583.

[0187] According to embodiments of the present invention, substrate-type sensor units 600 and 1600 can be disposed according to reference. FIG. 18 and ​ In other embodiments, the tilt angle of the second substrate support 583 is measured in the supercritical processing chamber.

[0188] Furthermore, although embodiments of the inventive concept are provided in a supercritical processing chamber for measuring the level of a support member, this specification can be applied to level measurements requiring high density in high-temperature environments.

[0189] Furthermore, because the present invention performs measurements under specific environmental conditions, it achieves higher measurement accuracy under specific conditions compared to the method of using correction coefficients to correct temperature-sensitive materials in accelerometers.

[0190] Although the inherent error is larger in high-temperature environments as described above, horizontal measurements can be performed even at room temperature.

[0191] The tilt angle of the support member 540, measured by the aforementioned substrate-type sensor units 600 and 1600, can be calculated using a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code executable by a processor.

[0192] The effects of this invention are not limited to those described above. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can clearly understand the effects not mentioned based on the specification and accompanying drawings.

[0193] Although preferred embodiments of the inventive concept have been illustrated and described to date, the inventive concept is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can implement the inventive concept in various ways without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept claimed in the claims, and modifications should not be interpreted separately from the technical spirit or prospects of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. A buffer unit for temporarily storing a substrate, the buffer unit comprising: A housing having space therein for storing a substrate; One or more slots are arranged within the housing for placing a substrate thereon; as well as The retaining unit, located at the bottom portion of the housing, has a flat and non-sloping top surface and includes a built-in wireless charging module. The substrate-type sensor is stored in the holding unit. The holding unit further includes a level sensor for measuring the tilt angle of the top surface of the holding unit.

2. The buffer unit of claim 1, wherein the buffer unit is disposed between the transfer device of the transposition module and the processing module, and the processing module includes means for processing the substrate at a temperature above room temperature.

3. The buffer unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate-type sensor comprises: Substrate-shaped components; A horizontal measuring component is disposed at the base plate-shaped component; A receiving unit for receiving data from the horizontal measuring component; as well as A power unit for supplying power to the level measuring component and the receiving unit, and The power unit is charged by the wireless charging module.

4. The buffer unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the substrate sensor is a substrate sensor for measuring the levelness of the support member of the support substrate under a temperature-changing atmosphere, and The horizontal measuring component is disposed on the substrate-like component and includes at least one sensor consisting of a 3-axis or more axial accelerometer or a 6-axis or more axial inertial measurement unit.

5. The buffer unit of claim 3, wherein the substrate sensor is zeroed when supported by the holding unit.

6. The buffer unit of claim 3, wherein the substrate-like member has physical dimensions substantially the same as the dimensions of the substrate.

7. The buffer unit of claim 3, further comprising a sending unit that sends the data received by the receiving unit to an external location.

8. The buffer unit of claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and any two opposing sensors are arranged such that the center point of the substrate-like member lies on a straight line defined by connecting the two opposing sensors.

9. The buffer unit of claim 4, wherein the sensor generates an inherent error based on temperature changes.

10. A method for measuring the levelness of a support member supporting a support substrate using a substrate-type sensor, wherein the substrate-type sensor comprises: Substrate-shaped components; A horizontal measuring component is disposed at the base plate-shaped component; A receiving unit is configured to receive collected data from the horizontal measuring component; as well as A power supply unit for supplying power to the level measuring component and the receiving unit, and The method includes: The substrate sensor is zeroed when it is held by the holding unit of the buffer unit as described in claim 1; as well as The substrate sensor is placed on the support member; and The method determines whether the support member is horizontal based on data collected from the substrate-type sensor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate-type sensor measures the levelness of the support member supporting the substrate under a temperature-changing atmosphere, and The horizontal measuring component includes at least one sensor composed of a 3-axis or more axis accelerometer or a 6-axis or more axis inertial measurement unit, and Placing the substrate sensor on the support member includes: The substrate sensor is placed at a first angle at the support member; The data collected from the substrate-type sensor placed on the support member at the first angle is used as the first data; The substrate sensor is placed at the support member at a second angle different from the first angle. as well as The method receives collected data from the substrate-type sensor placed on the support member at the second angle as second data, and the method determines whether the support member is horizontal by comparing the first data with the second data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is a 6-axis or more-axis inertial measurement unit, and each of the first data and the second data includes roll (horizontal X) and pitch (horizontal Y), and The comparison of the first data and the second data includes comparing the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data, and The method determines that when the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are within a set range, the supporting member is in a horizontal state; and when the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are outside the set range, the supporting member is in a non-horizontal state.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is a 6-axis or more-axis inertial measurement unit, and each of the first data and the second data includes roll (horizontal X) and pitch (horizontal Y), and The first data includes elements (horizontal X1, horizontal Y1). The second data includes elements (horizontal X2, horizontal Y2). The sensor generates an inherent error based on temperature changes, and The tilt angle of the support member, measured by the substrate-type sensor, is calculated via a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable program code, comprising (horizontal x...). a , level Y a ) elements, When the first angle is defined as 0 degrees and the second angle is 180 degrees: The level X a It is (level X1 - level X2) / 2, and The level Y a The calculation is (level Y1 - level Y2) / 2.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate-type sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and any two opposing sensors are arranged such that the center point of the substrate-like member lies on a straight line defined by connecting the two opposing sensors. The first data and the second data are respectively received from the two opposing sensors. Whether the support member is level is determined by comparing the first data received from one of the two opposing sensors with the second data. The validity of the judgment made by one of the sensors is determined by comparing the first data received from the other of the two opposing sensors with the second data.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the support member is disposed at the high-pressure vessel of the substrate processing equipment using supercritical fluid, and The support member includes a plurality of support pins that space the substrate and the plane of the support member apart, and The sensor is positioned at a location corresponding to the position of one or more of the support pins at the first angle and the second angle.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data comprises elements X1, Y1, and Z1, and the second data comprises elements X2, Y2, and Z2, and comparing the first data with the second data comprises comparing the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data. The method determines: When the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are within a set range, the supporting member is in a horizontal state; and When the corresponding elements of the first data and the second data are outside the set range, the support member is in a non-horizontal state.

17. A method for storing a substrate-type sensor, comprising: A holding unit is provided at the bottom portion of the buffer unit, the holding unit having a flat and non-sloping top surface and including a built-in wireless charging module, the buffer unit temporarily storing the substrate. as well as A substrate-type sensor is stored in the holding unit. The holding unit further includes a level sensor for measuring the tilt angle of the top surface of the holding unit.

18. The method for storing a substrate-type sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the substrate-type sensor is zeroed when supported by the holding unit.

19. The method for storing a substrate-type sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the substrate-type sensor includes a power unit that provides power to various structures of the substrate-type sensor, and the power unit is charged by the wireless charging module.

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