Substrate Drying via Segmented Gas Discharge Ports
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate drying methods face challenges in maintaining a large liquid level angle at the liquid film boundary, leading to potential pattern collapse as the liquid film removed region expands, making it difficult to keep the periphery of the liquid film boundary in a low surface tension liquid atmosphere.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method involving the use of dual discharge ports to control the supply of low surface tension liquid containing gas, where the first discharge port faces the rotating center and the second discharge port faces the outer region, ensuring the liquid film boundary remains in a low surface tension atmosphere throughout the drying process, enhancing the Marangoni effect and maintaining a large liquid level angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a liquid film removed region is expanded to cover the entire upper surface of the substrate, then the processing liquid is removed from the substrate, but it becomes difficult to keep the periphery of the liquid film boundary in an atmosphere of low surface tension liquid containing gas, leading to pattern collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply region is segmented into a first gas supply region facing a central portion of the substrate and a second gas supply region facing a peripheral portion of the substrate. This segmentation allows independent control of gas supply to different regions, enabling the liquid film boundary to be kept in the low surface tension liquid atmosphere throughout the drying process while maintaining high drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the substrate are provided with different gas supply conditions. The first gas supply region supplies low surface tension liquid containing gas to the central portion, while the second gas supply region supplies it to the peripheral portion. This local differentiation ensures that the liquid film boundary remains in the appropriate atmosphere regardless of its position during expansion.
2Area of moving object
If the liquid film boundary moves away from the discharge port during expansion, then the liquid film removed region expands, but it becomes difficult to maintain a large liquid level angle at the liquid film boundary
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is made dynamic by providing two separate gas supply regions that can be independently controlled. As the liquid film boundary moves from the central portion toward the peripheral portion during drying, the system can dynamically adjust which region is actively supplying gas, ensuring continuous maintenance of the liquid level angle throughout the boundary's movement.
3Device complexity
If a single discharge port is used, then the device complexity is low, but it cannot supply low surface tension liquid containing gas to the liquid film boundary throughout the entire drying process
Solution Approach 1:
The single discharge port is segmented into multiple discharge ports (first gas supply region and second gas supply region) positioned at different locations. This segmentation enables continuous supply of low surface tension liquid containing gas to the liquid film boundary regardless of its position, improving reliability while maintaining relatively simple device complexity.
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 method effectively prevents pattern collapse by maintaining a large liquid level angle at the liquid film boundary, allowing for efficient drying of the substrate surface while suppressing pattern collapse.
Implementation Method 1
a low surface tension liquid containing gas containing steam of a low surface tension liquid
Implementation Method 2
enhancing the Marangoni effect and maintaining a large liquid level angle
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing method includes a first discharge step of discharging, from the first discharge port which faces a predetermined first region including the rotating center of the upper surface, a low surface tension liquid containing gas containing steam of a low surface tension liquid having a larger specific gravity than air and lower surface tension than the processing liquid and not discharging the low surface tension liquid containing gas from the second discharge port which faces a predetermined second region surrounding the outside of the first region on the upper surface of the substrate, and a second discharge step of discharging the low surface tension liquid containing gas from the second discharge port after the first discharge step and not discharging the low surface tension liquid containing gas from the first discharge port.