Substrate Supercritical Drying With Dual-Sided CO₂ Supply
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional supercritical drying processes for substrates result in defects and non-uniform drying marks due to upward airflow during carbon dioxide supply, which affects the efficiency and quality of the drying process.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that involves a controlled pressure increase by supplying carbon dioxide to both the top and bottom sides of the substrate, followed by a discharge process, to manage airflow and minimize drying marks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If carbon dioxide is supplied to the back side of the substrate to increase chamber pressure, then the pressure increase is achieved, but upward airflow causes liquid film distortion and drying marks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional supply direction by providing carbon dioxide simultaneously to both the back side and front side of the substrate. This reversal of the single-direction supply approach eliminates the upward airflow that causes liquid film distortion, while still achieving the necessary pressure increase in the chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different supply strategies to different regions of the substrate. By supplying carbon dioxide to the back side and front side separately with controllable flow rates, it creates localized flow control that prevents harmful upward airflow at the liquid film interface while maintaining pressure increase throughout the chamber.
2Productivity
If carbon dioxide supply flow rate is increased to improve drying efficiency, then drying speed increases, but drying marks propagate more rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the conventional single-direction supply approach by implementing dual-sided supply. This allows the system to increase overall carbon dioxide supply for faster drying while the front side supply specifically counteracts the harmful upward airflow that causes drying mark propagation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent independently controls the flow rates of carbon dioxide supplied to the back side and front side. This parameter control allows optimization of drying efficiency by adjusting total supply while preventing drying marks by balancing the flow distribution between the two sides.
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 drying treatment efficiency, effectively removes treating liquids, and minimizes drying marks on substrates during the drying process.
Implementation Method 1
The carbon dioxide in the supercritical state has a high dissolvability and a high permeability. Accordingly, when the carbon dioxide in the supercritical state is supplied to the substrate, the carbon dioxide easily permeates into the pattern on the substrate.
Implementation Method 2
when the carbon dioxide F is supplied to the back side of the substrate W as described above, the supplied carbon dioxide F forms an upward flow as a whole. The upward flow changes the liquid film formed by the treating liquid L on the top surface of the substrate W into a curved shape.
Data Source
AI summary
The inventive concept provides a method for treating a substrate. The method for treating a substrate comprises: a pressurization step for increasing a pressure of an inner space of a chamber by supplying a treating fluid to the inner space, after taking the substrate into the inner space; a flow step for generating a flow of the treating fluid by combination of supplying and discharging the treating fluid to and from the inner space; and a depressurization step of decreasing the pressure of the inner space by discharging the treating fluid from the inner space, and wherein the pressurization step comprises: a bottom side supply process for increasing the pressure of the inner space by supplying the treating fluid to a backside of the substrate taken into the inner space; and a top side supply process of increasing the pressure of the inner space by supplying the treating fluid to a top side of the substrate taken into the inner space.