Substrate processing apparatus, processing method and buffer module

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor devices. Disclosed are a substrate processing apparatus, a processing method and a buffer module. The substrate processing apparatus comprises a drying module and a bearing member, wherein the drying module comprises a drying cavity; the bearing member and the drying cavity are separated; the bearing member comprises a bearing portion and a blocking portion; the bearing portion is configured to bear a substrate; the blocking portion is provided on the periphery of the bearing portion; and the blocking portion is configured such that when the bearing portion bears the substrate, the height of the blocking portion is not lower than that of the substrate. The bearing member and the drying cavity are separated such that the bearing member is easier to take out from the drying cavity, and compared with the integrated design of the bearing member and the drying cavity, the height and shape of the blocking portion can be adjusted more easily.

Description

Substrate processing device, processing method and buffer module Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a substrate processing device, a processing method and a buffer module. Background Art

[0002] The rapid development of advanced technologies such as mobile phones, 5G communications, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and edge computing has placed higher demands on the operating speed and performance of integrated circuits. Currently, chip feature sizes are being designed to be smaller and smaller, and aspect ratios are increasing. This has led to increasingly severe challenges in many processes. Taking DRAM as an example, as key DRAM technology nodes continue to evolve, feature sizes have gradually evolved to 17 / 19nm. The aspect ratios of its shallow trench isolation (STI) and storage capacitor modules (SN) have become increasingly higher. These ultra-high aspect ratio graphic structures have also placed increasingly stringent requirements on cleaning and drying. The main challenges are: 1) It is difficult for drugs to enter the deep trenches; 2) Due to the surface tension of the liquid, high aspect ratio structures can easily adhere and collapse during the cleaning and drying processes.

[0003] In order to solve such problems, supercritical fluid drying technology with zero surface tension came into being. Especially at the 17 / 19nm node, supercritical fluid drying technology has become a technology that cannot be circumvented. As the fourth special state different from solid, liquid and gas, supercritical fluid has properties between liquid and gas. It has the characteristics of high density, easy diffusion and zero surface tension. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for cleaning and drying of high aspect ratio structures, but its process conditions are high temperature and high pressure, which not only has high requirements on hardware, but also very strict requirements on process parameters. The flow field is a very critical factor, especially the violent flow field (such as too fast flow rate) will affect the graphic structure on the surface of the substrate, resulting in adhesion of the graphic structure during the drying process. The flow field on the surface of the substrate in the existing drying chamber is not easy to adjust. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defect in the prior art that the flow field in the drying chamber is difficult to adjust, and to provide a substrate processing device, a processing method and a buffer module.

[0005] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the following technical solutions:

[0006] A substrate processing device, comprising:

[0007] A drying module, including a drying chamber;

[0008] The carrier is detachably arranged from the drying chamber, and the carrier includes a carrier portion and a blocking portion, the carrier portion is used to carry the substrate, the blocking portion is arranged at the periphery of the carrier portion, and the blocking portion is configured such that when the carrier portion carries the substrate, the height of the blocking portion is not lower than the height of the substrate.

[0009] A substrate processing method includes providing a carrier for placing a substrate, the carrier comprising a carrier portion and a blocking portion, the carrier portion being configured to carry the substrate, the blocking portion being disposed around the carrier portion, the blocking portion being configured such that when the carrier portion carries the substrate, the height of the blocking portion is not lower than the height of the substrate, the method comprising:

[0010] placing the cleaned substrate on a carrier;

[0011] The carrier and the substrate are transferred together to a drying chamber for drying.

[0012] A buffer module is provided for supporting a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a carrier portion and a blocking portion, wherein the carrier portion is configured to support a substrate, and the blocking portion is disposed around the carrier portion, and wherein the blocking portion is configured such that when the carrier portion supports the substrate, the height of the blocking portion is not lower than the height of the substrate. The buffer module comprises:

[0013] A base, used for supporting the bearing member;

[0014] A lifting support column is provided on the base, and the lifting support column can be lifted and lowered in the vertical direction. An opening matching the lifting support column is provided on the bearing portion. The lifting support column can pass through the opening and carry the substrate, and is used to place the substrate on the bearing portion, or to lift the substrate from the bearing portion.

[0015] The positive progress effect of the present invention is:

[0016] 1. The substrate is placed on the carrier, and the barrier is arranged around the carrier. The carrier and the drying chamber can be separated. Compared with the integrated design of the carrier and the drying chamber, the carrier is easier to take out from the drying chamber, and it is convenient to replace carriers of different specifications outside the drying chamber, so it is easier to adjust the height and shape of the barrier. When using supercritical fluid drying technology for drying, the barrier can play a role in regulating the flow field of the substrate. The height and shape of the barrier can be adjusted more conveniently for different graphic structures on the substrate. For example, for graphic structures with ultra-high aspect ratios, the flow field needs to be very gentle, and the height of the barrier can be increased. The fluid is blocked by the barrier, and the flow rate on the substrate surface will decrease, thereby obtaining a flow field that better matches the graphic structure, thereby reducing the problem of graphic collapse during the drying process, which is beneficial to improving the product yield.

[0017] 2. The buffer module can place the substrate more conveniently by setting a lifting support column. When the carrier receives the substrate, the lifting support column can rise in the vertical direction so that the height of the upper end surface of the lifting support column is higher than the blocking part. The blocking part will not interfere with the robot arm, and the substrate can be placed on the lifting support column. Subsequently, the lifting support column descends in the vertical direction to place the substrate on the carrier.

[0018] Summary of the Figures

[0019] The features and performance of the present application are further described by the following examples and drawings.

[0020] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a drying module according to Example 1 of the present invention;

[0021] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a module of a substrate processing device according to Example 1 of the present invention;

[0022] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer module according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0023] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a carrier according to Example 1 of the present invention;

[0024] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a buffer module in a first state according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0025] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of the buffer module in the second state according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0026] FIG7 is a schematic flow chart of a substrate processing method according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0027] Preferred embodiment of this application

[0028] The present invention is further described below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of the examples.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] As shown in FIG1 , this embodiment provides a substrate processing apparatus, comprising a drying module 100 and a carrier 210 . The drying module 100 includes a drying chamber 110 for drying a substrate W. The carrier 210 is detachably disposed within the drying chamber 110 and comprises a carrying portion 211 and a blocking portion 212 . The carrying portion 211 is configured to carry the substrate W, and the blocking portion 212 is disposed on the periphery of the carrying portion 211 . The blocking portion 212 is configured such that when the carrying portion 211 carries the substrate W, the height of the blocking portion 212 is not less than the height of the substrate W.

[0031] The substrate W is placed on the carrier 211, and the barrier 212 is arranged around the carrier 211. The carrier 210 and the drying chamber 110 are separable. Compared with the integrated design of the carrier 210 and the drying chamber 110, the carrier 210 is easier to remove from the drying chamber 110, and it is convenient to replace carriers of different specifications outside the drying chamber, thereby making it easier to adjust the height and shape of the barrier 212. The height and shape of the barrier 212 can be more conveniently adjusted for different graphic structures on the substrate W. For example, for graphic structures with ultra-high aspect ratios, the flow field needs to be very gentle. The height of the barrier 212 can be increased, thereby obtaining a flow field that better matches the graphic structure, thereby reducing the problem of graphic collapse during the drying process and helping to improve the product yield. In addition, openings can be provided in the barrier 212 to improve the flow field.

[0032] In this embodiment, in order to further facilitate the adjustment of the blocking portion 212 , the blocking portion 212 is detachably disposed on the carrying portion 211 .

[0033] In this embodiment, the drying module 100 uses a supercritical fluid to dry the substrate W. The drying module 100 also includes a third support column 120, which is disposed at the bottom of the drying chamber 110 and is used to support the carrier 210. The drying module 100 also includes a first fluid supply pipe 130, a second fluid supply pipe 150, and a fluid discharge pipe 160. The first fluid supply pipe 130 is used to replenish an organic solvent, such as ethylene glycol, methanol, ethanol, n-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl ether, etc., into the drying chamber 110. The amount of organic solvent replenished can be determined based on the total weight of the carrier 210 and the substrate W. To mitigate the impact of the organic solvent on the substrate W during supply, a shower head 140 is installed at the supply port of the first fluid supply pipe 130. The shower head 140 is located directly above the substrate W. Its projection toward the substrate W covers the outer edge of the substrate W. The shower head 140 sprays the organic solvent onto the surface of the substrate W in a shower-like manner, effectively preventing damage to the pattern on the substrate W. The second fluid supply pipe 150 is used to supply a supercritical fluid, such as supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2), into the drying chamber 110 after the substrate W is immersed in the organic solvent. The fluid discharge pipe 160 is used to discharge the organic solvent and supercritical fluid from the drying chamber 110.

[0034] The drying chamber 110 has a door 1101. When the door 1101 is opened, the carrier 210 and the substrate W are transferred to the third support pillars 120 within the drying chamber 110. After the carrier 210 and the substrate W are transferred to the drying chamber 110, the door 1101 is closed to seal the drying chamber 110, forming an enclosed space within the drying chamber 110 for processing the substrate W. After the drying process for the substrate W is completed, the door 1101 is opened to remove the carrier 210 and the substrate W from the drying chamber 110.

[0035] Furthermore, the carrier 210 further includes a first support column 213 , which is disposed on the carrier portion 211 and is used to support the substrate W. The first support column 213 is in direct contact with the substrate W. Therefore, the first support column 213 is made of a special material with high friction and resistance to high temperature, high pressure, and supercritical fluid, such as PTFE.

[0036] In other embodiments, the first supporting pillars 213 may not be provided, and the substrate may be placed directly on the supporting portion 211 .

[0037] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a buffer module 200 and a conveyor module 300. The buffer module 200 is disposed outside the drying chamber 110. The buffer module 200 further includes a base 220 and second support columns 230. The second support columns 230 are disposed on the base 220 and are used to support the carrier 210. The carrier 210 is placed on the second support columns 230, and a certain gap is formed between the carrier 210 and the base 220. This gap facilitates the conveyor module 300 to convey the carrier 210. If the conveyor module 300 uses a robot to convey the carrier 210, this gap can reserve space for the robot to pick up and place the carrier 210. The conveyor module 300 is used to transfer the carrier 210 and the substrate placed on the carrier portion 211 between the buffer module 200 and the drying chamber 110. When the supercritical fluid is used to dry the substrate, the transfer module 300 transfers the carrier 210 and the substrate together into the drying chamber 110 , and the blocking portion 212 can regulate the flow field on the surface of the substrate.

[0038] In other embodiments, the buffer module 200 may not be provided, and the carrier 210 only needs to be taken out of the drying chamber 110 when the blocking portion 212 needs to be adjusted.

[0039] In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a cleaning module 400 , which is used to clean substrates. The transfer module 300 is further used to transfer the substrates cleaned by the cleaning module 400 to the buffer module 200 .

[0040] In other embodiments, the second support column 230 may not be provided, and the carrier 210 may be placed directly on the base 220 . A groove may be preset on the base 220 to reserve a pick-up and placement space for the robot.

[0041] Furthermore, the buffer module 200 also includes a weight measurement module (not shown), which is disposed on the second support column 230 and is used to measure the weight of the carrier 210 and the substrate. In some embodiments, when the second support column 230 is not provided, the weight measurement module can be disposed between the carrier 210 and the base 220.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in this embodiment, since the height of the blocking portion 212 is not lower than the height of the substrate, the blocking portion 212 can easily interfere with the blocking portion 212 when a robot is used to pick up and place the substrate. Therefore, to prevent the blocking portion 212 from interfering with the robot's ability to pick up and place the substrate, the buffer module 200 further includes a lifting support column 240. The lifting support column 240 is disposed on the base 220. The support portion 211 is provided with an opening 2111 that matches the lifting support column 240. The lifting support column 240 is configured to pass through the opening 2111 and be raised and lowered in a vertical direction. When the lifting support column 240 descends, it is configured to place the substrate carried on the lifting support column 240 on the first support column 213 of the support portion 211. When the lifting support column 240 ascends, it is configured to lift the substrate from the first support column 213 on the support portion 211.

[0043] As shown in FIG5 , when the carrier 210 receives the substrate W, the upper end surface of the lifting support column 240 is higher than the upper end surface of the blocking portion 212. Therefore, the blocking portion 212 does not interfere with the robot, allowing the robot to place the substrate W on the lifting support column 240. Subsequently, the lifting support column 240 descends, placing the substrate W on the first support column 213. The state of the buffer module 200 at this time is shown in FIG6 .

[0044] In other embodiments, the lifting support column 240 may not be provided, and the structure of the robot arm may be improved, such as by adding a vacuum adsorption device to the robot arm to absorb the substrate, so that the robot arm can avoid the blocking portion 212 to pick up and place the substrate.

[0045] Example 2

[0046] As shown in FIG7 , this embodiment provides a substrate processing method, including using the carrier as in embodiment 1,

[0047] S10, placing the cleaned substrate on a carrier;

[0048] S20, transferring the carrier and the substrate together to a drying chamber for drying.

[0049] By adopting the substrate processing method in this embodiment, the height and shape of the blocking part on the carrier can be more conveniently adjusted for different graphic structures on the substrate. For example, for a graphic structure with an ultra-high aspect ratio, the flow field needs to be very gentle, and the height of the blocking part can be increased, thereby obtaining a flow field that is more matched with the graphic structure, thereby reducing the problem of graphic collapse during the drying process, which is beneficial to improving the product yield.

[0050] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that these are merely illustrative and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art may make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, and such changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A substrate processing device, characterized in that: include: A drying module, including a drying chamber; The carrier is detachably arranged from the drying chamber, and the carrier includes a carrier portion and a blocking portion, the carrier portion is used to carry the substrate, the blocking portion is arranged at the periphery of the carrier portion, and the blocking portion is configured such that when the carrier portion carries the substrate, the height of the blocking portion is not lower than the height of the substrate.

2. The substrate processing device according to claim 1, wherein The carrier also includes a first supporting column, which is disposed on the carrying portion and is used to carry the substrate.

3. The substrate processing device according to claim 1, wherein Also includes: a buffer module, disposed outside the drying chamber, the buffer module comprising a base for supporting the supporting member; The conveying module is used to convey the carrier and the substrate placed on the carrier between the buffer module and the drying chamber.

4. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, wherein: The buffer module further includes a second support column, which is disposed on the base and is used to support the supporting member.

5. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, wherein: The buffer module further includes a weight measuring module for measuring the weight of the carrier and the substrate.

6. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, wherein: The buffer module also includes a lifting support column, which is arranged on the base. The load-bearing portion is provided with an opening matching the lifting support column. The lifting support column is used to pass through the opening and rise and fall in a vertical direction. When the lifting support column descends, it is used to place the substrate carried on the lifting support column on the load-bearing portion. When the lifting support column rises, it is used to lift the substrate on the load-bearing portion from the load-bearing portion.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The drying module further includes a third supporting column, which is disposed at the bottom of the drying chamber and is used to support the supporting member.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The drying module is configured to dry the substrate using a supercritical fluid.

9. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, wherein: It also includes a cleaning module, which is used to clean the substrate, and the transfer module is further used to transfer the substrate cleaned by the cleaning module to the carrier.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The blocking portion is detachably disposed on the carrying portion.

11. A substrate processing method, characterized in that: include: A carrier for placing a substrate is provided, the carrier comprising a carrier portion and a blocking portion, the carrier portion being used to carry the substrate, the blocking portion being arranged around the carrier portion, and the blocking portion being configured such that when the carrier portion carries the substrate, the height of the blocking portion is not lower than the height of the substrate; placing the cleaned substrate on the carrier; as well as The carrier and the substrate are transferred together to a drying chamber for drying.

12. A buffer module, characterized in that: include: A base for supporting a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a carrier portion and a blocking portion, the carrier portion being configured to support a substrate, the blocking portion being disposed around the carrier portion, and the blocking portion being configured such that when the carrier portion supports the substrate, the height of the blocking portion is not lower than the height of the substrate; A lifting support column is provided on the base, and an opening matching the lifting support column is provided on the bearing portion. The lifting support column is used to pass through the opening and to be lifted and lowered in a vertical direction. When the lifting support column descends, the substrate carried on the lifting support column is placed on the bearing portion. When the lifting support column rises, the substrate on the bearing portion is lifted from the bearing portion.

13. The buffer module according to claim 12, wherein: It also includes a second supporting column, which is arranged on the base and is used to support the supporting member.

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