Substrate Drying Chamber Buffering for Faster Solvent Substitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The concentration of organic solvent in a supercritical drying chamber increases rapidly, reducing the substitution reaction rate between the organic solvent and supercritical fluid, thereby decreasing substrate treatment rate and process efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus and method that includes a chamber with a supply unit, exhaust unit, and control unit to manage the introduction and removal of treatment fluid, featuring a buffer chamber and controlled volume expansion to maintain optimal fluid substitution reaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If supercritical fluid is supplied to the substrate in a supercritical drying chamber, then the organic solvent can be removed from the substrate, but the concentration of organic solvent increases rapidly in the treatment space, reducing the substitution reaction rate and substrate treatment rate
Solution Approach 1:
The drying chamber is divided into two separate spaces: a treatment space for substrate processing and a buffer space for storing exhausted atmosphere. This segmentation prevents the accumulated organic solvent concentration in the treatment space from reducing the substitution reaction rate, thereby maintaining high substrate treatment rate while effectively removing organic solvent.
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer chamber acts as an intermediary between the treatment space and the exhaust system. It temporarily stores the exhausted atmosphere containing organic solvent, preventing it from immediately re-entering the treatment space. This mediator role maintains the concentration gradient necessary for efficient substitution reaction while enabling continuous organic solvent removal.
2Productivity
If the treatment space volume is expanded to reduce organic solvent concentration, then the substitution reaction rate improves, but the apparatus size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of expanding the treatment space volume in the same dimension, the invention adds a new dimension by introducing a separate buffer space connected through a branch line. This allows the system to achieve effective volume expansion for solvent concentration reduction without increasing the footprint or complexity of the main treatment chamber structure.
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
Enhances the substitution reaction rate between supercritical fluid and organic solvent, improving substrate treatment efficiency by reducing solvent concentration and expanding the diffusion space.
Implementation Method 1
a technique of drying substrates using supercritical liquid when proceeding with a drying process is under development. According to this technique, it proceeds in the way of substituting an organic solvent for a rinse solution on a substrate and then removing the organic solvent from the substrate by supplying supercritical fluid to the substrate
Implementation Method 2
the concentration of the organic solvent increases in the treatment space in the drying chamber. In particular, an organic solvent is not included in the atmosphere in the treatment space at the early stage of the supply of treatment fluid, the organic solvent is quickly removed and the concentration of the organic solvent quickly increases
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus. In an embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus includes: a chamber having a treatment space therein; a supporting unit supporting a substrate in the treatment space; a supply unit supplying treatment fluid to the treatment space; an exhaust unit exhausting an atmosphere in the treatment space; and a control unit controlling the supply unit and the exhaust unit, wherein the supply unit includes a supply line connected to the treatment space, and a supply valve opening and closing the supply line; and the exhaust unit includes an exhaust line connected to the treatment space, an exhaust valve installed on the exhaust line and opening and closing the exhaust line, and a buffer chamber connected to the exhaust line.