Substrate Liquid Film Solidification Under Dry Atmosphere Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing methods face challenges in accurately solidifying liquid films due to moisture absorption, leading to unpredictable solidification points and potential pattern collapse or incomplete solidification, resulting in increased processing costs and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method and apparatus that control the atmosphere around the substrate to prevent moisture absorption by supplying a drying gas, followed by a to-be-solidified liquid and a cooling gas to ensure precise solidification of the liquid film, maintaining a dry environment to stabilize the solidification point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liquid film is solidified by cooling a substrate without atmosphere control, then the solidification process is simple, but moisture absorption causes unpredictable solidification point depression leading to incomplete solidification or pattern collapse
Solution Approach 1:
A dry atmosphere is created around the substrate surface before the liquid film is supplied and during the solidification process. This preliminary atmosphere control prevents moisture absorption that would otherwise cause solidification point depression, ensuring reliable solidification without requiring complex real-time monitoring or adjustment systems.
2Reliability
If the cooling temperature is set extremely low to ensure complete solidification, then solidification is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By controlling the atmosphere to prevent moisture absorption, the solidification point of the liquid film is maintained at its expected value. This allows the cooling temperature to be set optimally rather than extremely low, achieving complete solidification while minimizing energy consumption. The parameter being changed is the atmospheric humidity level around the substrate.
3Adaptability or versatility
If moisture is absorbed by the liquid film during solidification, then the solidification point decreases, but this makes it impossible to determine the appropriate cooling gas temperature
Solution Approach 1:
A dry atmosphere is maintained around the substrate surface during liquid film supply and solidification. This inert environment prevents moisture absorption by the liquid film, ensuring that the solidification point remains accurate and predictable. As a result, the appropriate cooling gas temperature can be determined and applied without uncertainty.
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 allows for excellent solidification of the liquid film on the substrate, preventing pattern collapse and optimizing processing efficiency while reducing energy consumption and costs.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a drying gas to a front surface of a substrate on which a pattern has been formed and making a dry atmosphere around the front surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 2
forming a solidified mass by solidifying the liquid film
Implementation Method 3
solidifying the liquid film
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing technique including a process of forming a liquid film on an upper surface of a substrate and excellently solidifying the liquid film is provided. A substrate processing method includes an atmosphere control step of supplying a drying gas to a front surface of a substrate on which a pattern has been formed and to which a liquid has adhered and making a dry atmosphere around the front surface of the substrate, a to-be-solidified liquid supplying step of supplying a to-be-solidified liquid to the front surface of the substrate, and a solidification step of forming a solidified mass by solidifying a liquid film of the to-be-solidified liquid. The atmosphere control step is started before the liquid film of the to-be-solidified liquid supplied to the front surface of the substrate in the to-be-solidified liquid supplying step is formed.