Substrate Cleaning Apparatus Using Hot Gas Volatilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, existing cleaning methods often damage semiconductor patterns or require lengthy processes to remove particles from substrates, as high-speed rotation is necessary to dry coating films, which can lead to erosion and increased manufacturing time.
Innovation Solution
A substrate cleaning apparatus and method that uses a mixture of polymer and volatile organic solvent to form a coating film, followed by injection of hot gas to volatilize the solvent and a peeling treatment liquid to remove the film, allowing for low-speed rotation and efficient particle removal without damaging the semiconductor pattern.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed rotation is used to dry coating film, then drying efficiency is improved, but semiconductor pattern is damaged due to erosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical drying method (high-speed rotation) with a chemical drying method (hot gas injection). The hot gas flows along the semiconductor pattern surface to evaporate the coating film solvent, achieving drying without mechanical erosion. This substitution eliminates the harmful mechanical forces while maintaining drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the drying parameters from mechanical rotation speed to thermal parameters (hot gas temperature and flow rate). By controlling the hot gas temperature at 50-150°C and flow rate at 10-100 sccm, the patent achieves effective drying without the need for high-speed rotation, thus preventing pattern damage while maintaining productivity.
2Productivity
If high-speed rotation is used to remove coating film, then removal speed is improved, but manufacturing time increases due to erosion damage requiring rework
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical removal methods with chemical removal using hot gas. The hot gas dissolves and removes the coating film through chemical interaction rather than mechanical force, enabling fast removal without pattern damage that would require rework and extend manufacturing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes hot gas parameters (temperature 50-150°C, flow rate 10-100 sccm) to achieve rapid coating film removal. These parameter adjustments enable efficient removal speed while preventing the erosion damage that would lead to rework and increased manufacturing time.
3Reliability
If polymer and volatile organic solvent mixture is used to form coating film, then particle removal effectiveness is improved, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single hot gas injection step. The hot gas simultaneously performs drying (evaporating solvent), removal (dissolving coating film), and cleaning (removing particles) functions. This merging of functions achieves high particle removal effectiveness while minimizing the number of processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of the volatile organic solvent from liquid to vapor form through hot gas heating. This phase transition enables the coating film to be easily removed as vapor, achieving effective particle removal through a single processing step rather than multiple separate operations.
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
The method effectively removes particles from substrates without damaging the semiconductor pattern, reduces manufacturing time, and lowers costs by eliminating the need for high-speed rotation, thus improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
injecting a hot gas onto the coating film in a second direction, oblique to the first direction, to volatilize the organic solvent included in the coating film
Implementation Method 2
a third supply source inside the chamber and facing a lower surface of the support, the lower surface being opposite the upper surface, and the third supply source to inject the hot gas to a second surface of the substrate to heat the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a support inside a chamber to hold a substrate, a first supply source inside the chamber that includes a first nozzle along a first direction and facing an upper surface of the support, the first nozzle to spray polymer and solvent onto the substrate to form a coating, and a second nozzle at an oblique angle to the first direction and facing an edge of the support to inject a hot gas toward the coating to volatilize the solvent, a second supply source inside the chamber and having a third nozzle facing the upper surface of the support to inject a peeling treatment to the coating to peel the coating from the substrate, and a third supply source inside the chamber and facing a lower surface of the support to inject the hot gas to heat a second surface of the substrate.