Liquid Processing for Deep Concave Portions via Solvent Wetting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in semiconductor processing is that chemical liquids struggle to penetrate deeply into concave portions of substrates with high aspect ratios, such as TSVs, leading to prolonged processing times and potential damage to films, due to their high surface tension and low penetration ability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of an organic solvent with lower surface tension, like isopropylalcohol (IPA) or xylene, to pre-wet the concave portion, followed by substitution with a chemical liquid, such as deionized water or an inorganic cleaning liquid, to efficiently clean the interior surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical liquid is supplied to clean the inside of concave portion, then cleaning function is provided, but penetration into deep concave portion is insufficient due to high surface tension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by first supplying an organic solvent with low surface tension to the concave portion before supplying the chemical liquid. This preliminary wetting action prepares the surface and enables subsequent rapid penetration of the chemical liquid into deep concave portions, resolving the contradiction between cleaning reliability and penetration speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The organic solvent acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates the penetration of the chemical liquid. By having lower surface tension than the chemical liquid, the organic solvent temporarily wets the concave portion and creates conditions that allow the chemical liquid to penetrate rapidly, thus mediating between the cleaning requirement and penetration difficulty.
2Speed
If chemical liquid is supplied for prolonged time to penetrate into concave portion, then penetration is improved, but productivity is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
By performing preliminary wetting with organic solvent, the patent eliminates the need for prolonged chemical liquid supply. The organic solvent's low surface tension allows rapid penetration into deep concave portions, achieving complete wetting in seconds rather than minutes, thus maintaining high penetration ability while dramatically reducing processing time and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface tension parameter by introducing an organic solvent with lower surface tension than the chemical liquid. This parameter change enables rapid penetration into concave portions without requiring prolonged exposure time, thus resolving the contradiction between penetration ability and processing time.
3Reliability
If chemical liquid is supplied for prolonged time to ensure penetration, then cleaning coverage is improved, but film damage risk increases due to etching
Solution Approach 1:
The preliminary wetting with organic solvent ensures complete penetration and coverage of the concave portion before chemical liquid is supplied. This eliminates the need for prolonged chemical liquid exposure, achieving thorough cleaning coverage while minimizing etching damage to surrounding films by reducing the chemical liquid's contact time to just the necessary minimum.
Solution Approach 2:
The organic solvent serves as a protective intermediary that enables complete wetting of the concave portion before the chemical liquid acts. This intermediary action ensures that the chemical liquid penetrates fully and uniformly, allowing for complete cleaning coverage while limiting its exposure time and thus reducing harmful etching effects on surrounding films.
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 allows for rapid and effective filling of concave portions with chemical liquids, reducing processing time and preventing damage to films by facilitating the penetration of cleaning solutions into deep holes, thereby enhancing the productivity and quality of semiconductor device manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
supplying the organic solvent having surface tension smaller than the chemical liquid to the substrate
Implementation Method 2
wetting the inside of the concave portion of the substrate with an organic solvent
Implementation Method 3
substituting the liquid wetting the inside of the concave portion with the chemical liquid
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a liquid processing method capable of rapidly penetrating a liquid chemical into a concave portion formed on the surface of a substrate with the chemical liquid. The liquid processing method includes wetting the inside of the concave portion by supplying an organic solvent having surface tension smaller than the chemical liquid to the substrate, and cleaning the inside of the concave portion with the chemical liquid by supplying a cleaning liquid including the chemical liquid to the substrate and substituting the liquid inside the concave portion with the chemical liquid.