Substrate Rear-Side Coating Flow Control to Block Precursor Infiltration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The infiltration of a friction reducing film precursor onto the frontal surface of a substrate during formation on the rear surface affects the wettability of the coating film and EBR processing, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing processes with high positional alignment accuracy demands.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a configuration that includes a processing container, a heating element, a precursor supplier, first and second gas suppliers, and an exhauster, which controls the supply and exhaust of inert gas to prevent precursor infiltration onto the frontal surface by forming a friction reducing film on the rear surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a friction reducing film is formed on the rear surface of the substrate by supplying precursor, then friction reduction is achieved, but the precursor infiltrates the frontal surface of the substrate causing harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is segmented into multiple independent gas suppliers (first gas supplier for peripheral edge, second gas supplier for center region) that can be controlled separately. This segmentation allows precise control of inert gas flow to different regions of the substrate, preventing precursor infiltration at the peripheral edge while maintaining friction reduction film formation at the center.
Solution Approach 2:
Inert gas is introduced as an intermediary substance between the precursor supply and the substrate peripheral edge. The inert gas acts as a barrier that prevents the precursor from infiltrating the frontal surface, while allowing the friction reducing film to be formed on the rear surface through controlled precursor deposition.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the peripheral edge region is widened to prevent precursor infiltration, then infiltration is reduced, but the area available for friction reducing film formation is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the substrate are treated with different gas flow characteristics. The first gas supplier provides inert gas to the peripheral edge region to prevent infiltration, while the second gas supplier provides inert gas to the center region to support film formation. This local differentiation allows the peripheral edge to be protected without sacrificing the central film formation area.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas flow rates and patterns are dynamically controlled to adapt to different processing requirements. By adjusting the flow rates of the first and second gas suppliers, the system can dynamically balance between preventing precursor infiltration at the edges and maintaining adequate film formation area at the center.
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
Prevents precursor infiltration onto the frontal surface, enhancing overlay accuracy and enabling controlled deposition of the friction reducing film for improved subsequent processing, such as resist film formation.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element configured to heat the rear surface of the substrate inside the processing container
Implementation Method 2
a supplier configured to supply a precursor that forms the friction reducing film toward the rear surface of the substrate inside the processing container
Implementation Method 3
a first gas supplier configured to supply an inert gas to a peripheral edge of the substrate from a space above the substrate inside the processing container, and a second gas supplier configured to supply the inert gas closer to a center of the substrate
Implementation Method 4
an exhauster configured to exhaust an atmosphere of the processing space from a periphery of the substrate or a space below the substrate inside the processing container
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus that forms a friction reducing film on a rear surface of a substrate includes a processing container configured to accommodate the substrate and to define a hermetically-sealed processing space, a heating element configured to heat the rear surface of the substrate inside the processing container, a supplier configured to supply a material forming the friction reducing film toward the rear surface of the substrate inside the processing container, a first gas supplier configured to supply an inert gas to a peripheral edge of the substrate from a space above the substrate, a second gas supplier configured to supply the inert gas closer to a center of the substrate than the first gas supplier from a space above the substrate inside the processing, and an exhauster configured to exhaust an atmosphere of the processing space from a periphery or a space below the substrate.