Substrate Drying via Inclined Orientation and Supercritical Fluid
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing substrate drying process using supercritical fluids is inefficient due to the need for separate chambers for liquid treatment and drying, leading to prolonged drying times when a large amount of liquid remains on the substrate, potentially causing process defects.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that includes a chamber with a conversion unit to change the substrate's state between horizontal and inclined positions, using a fluid supply unit to remove excess liquid with a supercritical drying fluid, allowing for simultaneous atmosphere formation and efficient liquid removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large amount of liquid is kept on the substrate during liquid treatment to prevent pattern collapse, then substrate pattern stability is improved, but drying time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support unit dynamically changes the substrate's orientation between horizontal and inclined states. During liquid treatment, the substrate remains horizontal to maintain pattern stability. During drying, it transitions to an inclined state to facilitate liquid drainage, thus resolving the contradiction between pattern stability and drying efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of substrate orientation (from horizontal to inclined) to optimize the drying process. This parameter change allows the same substrate to achieve both pattern stability during treatment and efficient drying during the drying phase
2Reliability
If liquid treatment and drying are performed in separate chambers, then process control is improved, but process complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the liquid treatment chamber and drying chamber into a single integrated chamber. The substrate support unit enables sequential performance of both processes in the same space, reducing structural complexity while maintaining process control through automated substrate orientation changes
3Reliability
If a large amount of liquid remains on the substrate before drying, then liquid treatment effectiveness is improved, but drying efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support unit dynamically adjusts substrate orientation based on process requirements. The substrate remains horizontal during liquid treatment to ensure treatment effectiveness, then transitions to inclined position during drying to enhance drying efficiency through gravity-assisted liquid drainage
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 significantly reduces the drying time by allowing part of the liquid to flow down when the substrate is inclined and the remaining liquid to be removed by a supercritical fluid, preventing pattern collapse and process defects.
Implementation Method 1
a first liquid removing operation of allowing a part of a liquid that stays on the substrate to flow down from the substrate by converting the state of the substrate to an inclined state
Implementation Method 2
a second liquid removing operation of allowing the remaining part of the liquid that stays on the substrate to be removed by the drying fluid, by supplying the drying fluid into the treatment space
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for drying a substrate. The apparatus for drying a substrate includes a chamber having a treatment space in the interior thereof, a substrate support unit configured to the substrate in the treatment space, a conversion unit configured to convert a state of the substrate supported by the substrate support unit between a horizontal state and an inclined state, a fluid supply unit configured to supply a drying fluid into the treatment space, and a controller configured to control the conversion unit and the fluid supply unit.