Guard Height Adjustment for Liquid Scattering Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In substrate processing, the scattering of processing liquids from a blocking member can result in contamination due to varying wettability, leading to unpredictable collection by the guard, especially when using liquids with different affinities for the blocking member's surface.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method and apparatus that adjust the position of a guard relative to the substrate based on the affinity of the processing liquid for the blocking member's surface, ensuring effective collection by positioning the guard at specific heights to receive liquids scattered from the substrate, regardless of their affinity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a blocking member is provided to scatter processing liquid, then the processing liquid can be directed outwardly from the substrate, but the processing liquid may not be reliably received by the guard due to varying wettability and scattering direction
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the guard. It has a specific structure with a disk portion and extension portion that mediates the processing liquid flow, ensuring reliable collection by the guard regardless of the liquid's wettability characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member's geometry is specifically designed with dimensional parameters (disk portion radius, extension portion height and thickness) that are optimized to control processing liquid scattering. By adjusting these parameters, the system adapts to different processing liquids with varying wettability while maintaining reliable collection
2Reliability
If the guard is positioned to receive scattered processing liquid, then collection efficiency improves, but the system must account for varying liquid affinities which complicates the design
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member is positioned and configured in advance to pre-condition the processing liquid scattering pattern. This preliminary action ensures that when the liquid reaches the guard, it is in an optimal state for collection, eliminating the need for complex real-time adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member is designed as a universal component that handles multiple types of processing liquids with different wettability characteristics. Its specific geometric structure enables it to perform the same liquid directing function across various liquid types without requiring different guard positions
3Object-affected harmful factors
If processing liquid scatters beyond the guard due to wettability variations, then contamination of the apparatus interior occurs, but increasing guard size or changing its position may not effectively solve the problem for all liquid types
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member serves as a mediating structure that controls and contains the processing liquid scattering pattern. It ensures that liquids with different wettability characteristics are all directed within the guard's collection zone, preventing apparatus contamination regardless of liquid type
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member has non-uniform local properties with different portions (disk portion vs. extension portion) serving different functions. The extension portion specifically addresses the liquid scattering control near the substrate edge, creating a localized solution that contains all liquid types within the guard
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures that processing liquids are consistently and effectively collected by the guard, preventing contamination and improving the efficiency of the substrate processing process by accounting for the wettability of different liquids.
Implementation Method 1
The processing liquid supplied to the substrate is scattered outwardly from the substrate by means of a centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
the remaining capability of the processing liquid, which has adhered to the blocking member, on the blocking member depends on the wettability of the processing liquid with respect to the blocking member
Implementation Method 3
the processing liquid adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion is scattered from the blocking member by means of a centrifugal force
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing method includes the steps of: rotating a substrate horizontally around a vertical rotational axis, placing a facing member facing the substrate from above such that an inner peripheral surface of an extension portion of the facing member faces the substrate radially from the outside, rotating the facing member around the rotational axis, supplying a processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate being in a rotated state, and placing a guard that surrounds the substrate further radially outside from the extension portion in plan view at a height position, at which processing liquid scattered from the upper surface of the substrate toward the outside in the radial direction is received by the guard, in accordance with affinity of the processing liquid for the inner peripheral surface of the extension portion.