Dual Solvent Liquid Treatment for Semiconductor Substrate Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device manufacturing, the use of organic solvents in liquid treatment processes leads to foreign matter contamination on substrates, which is difficult to address due to the trade-off between filtration accuracy and throughput, making it challenging to optimize filtering conditions for cleanliness and supply rate.
Innovation Solution
A liquid treatment apparatus and method involving a dual solvent supply system, where a first organic solvent with lower cleanliness is initially applied, followed by a second solvent with higher cleanliness, which has been purified through repeated filtration, to reduce foreign matter on substrates while minimizing throughput loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the filtration rate is increased to improve throughput, then the supply rate of treatment liquid is improved, but the filtration accuracy deteriorates leading to more foreign matter on substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid treatment process is segmented into multiple stages: a first liquid treatment using a first organic solvent, followed by a second liquid treatment using a second organic solvent with higher cleanliness. This segmentation allows each treatment stage to have optimized filtration requirements, resolving the contradiction between throughput and filtration accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The first liquid treatment with the first organic solvent is performed as a preliminary action before the second liquid treatment. This preliminary treatment removes a significant portion of foreign matter, thereby reducing the burden on the subsequent filtration stage and enabling higher throughput while maintaining adequate filtration accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If the filtration accuracy is increased to reduce foreign matter on substrates, then the cleanliness of treatment liquid is improved, but the throughput is reduced due to slower filtration rate
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment process is divided into two sequential liquid treatments with different cleanliness levels. The first treatment uses a solvent that does not require ultra-high filtration, allowing high throughput. The second treatment uses a highly cleaned solvent for final foreign matter reduction, achieving both high cleanliness and maintained throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cleanliness levels are applied locally to different stages of the treatment process. The first organic solvent stage operates with standard cleanliness and high flow rate, while the second organic solvent stage operates with enhanced cleanliness. This local differentiation optimizes both foreign matter reduction and throughput.
3Manufacturing precision
If cycle filtration is repeated to improve cleanliness of treatment liquid, then the amount of foreign matter on substrates is reduced, but the time required for treatment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first liquid treatment serves as a preliminary cleaning stage that removes the bulk of foreign matter quickly. This preliminary action reduces the need for repeated cycle filtration in the second stage, thereby achieving high cleanliness without excessive treatment time.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying excessive filtration to the entire treatment process, the invention applies standard filtration in the first stage and enhanced filtration only in the second stage. This partial application of excessive action (filtration) achieves the required cleanliness level while minimizing total treatment time.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid treatment method includes: supplying a first organic solvent to a substrate with the substrate being held horizontally by a substrate holder; and thereafter supplying a second organic solvent to a substrate held by the substrate holder, the second solvent having a higher cleanliness than the first solvent.