Substrate Pressure Profiling for Pattern-Safe Supercritical Drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing semiconductor manufacturing processes face challenges in preventing the collapse of fine patterns on substrates during cleaning and drying, particularly due to the use of organic solvents and supercritical fluids, which can disrupt pattern integrity.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a controlled pressure increase and decrease in a chamber using successive pressurization and depressurization periods with varying rates, utilizing supercritical fluids like CO2 to manage the transition of organic solvents, ensuring minimal disruption to patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If organic solvent is supplied to the substrate for cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but pattern collapse risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidpattern collapse risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes phase transition of CO2 from supercritical state to gaseous state during depressurization. The supercritical fluid penetrates and removes organic solvents effectively, then transitions to gas phase during depressurization to eliminate residual solvents without causing pattern collapse, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and pattern integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes physical parameters (pressure and temperature) of CO2 to achieve supercritical state for effective cleaning, then reduces pressure to transition to gas phase for safe solvent removal. This parameter control resolves the contradiction by optimizing cleaning effectiveness while preventing pattern collapse through controlled phase changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If pressure is increased rapidly to remove organic solvent, then solvent removal efficiency is improved, but pattern damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesolvent removal efficiencyVSAvoidpattern damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic pressure control with multiple pressurization and depressurization cycles. Each cycle allows controlled solvent removal while preventing pattern damage through gradual pressure changes, resolving the contradiction between removal efficiency and pattern safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary pressurization to supercritical state before solvent removal, and maintains this state long enough to ensure complete solvent penetration and removal. This preliminary action ensures efficient solvent removal while the controlled subsequent depressurization prevents pattern damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If pressure is maintained for extended period to ensure complete solvent removal, then cleaning completeness is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning completenessVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses phase transition from supercritical to gaseous state to accelerate the final stage of solvent removal. The supercritical state ensures complete penetration and removal, while the rapid phase transition to gas during depressurization quickly eliminates residual solvents, resolving the contradiction between cleaning completeness and processing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

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 effectively maintains pattern integrity by stabilizing the substrate environment, preventing pattern collapse and ensuring efficient solvent removal without damaging fine features.

Implementation Method 1

supplying fluid to the processing space of the chamber and pressurizing the processing space... The fluid may include at least one of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2), nitrous oxide (N2O), hexafluoroethane (C2F6), or sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSupercritical fluid extraction: Supercritical Fluid Extraction

Implementation Method 2

maintaining pressure in the processing space of the chamber for a period of time subsequently to pressurizing the processing space

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure stabilization:

Implementation Method 3

depressurizing the processing space of the chamber subsequently to maintaining the pressure in the processing space

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDepressurization: Depressurisation

Data Source

PatentUS20250249487A1Method of processing substrate and method of manufacturing semiconductor devices using the same

Publication Date: 2025.08.07 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A method of processing a substrate includes supplying an organic solvent to the substrate, transferring the substrate to a processing space in a chamber, supplying fluid to the processing space of the chamber and pressurizing the processing space, maintaining pressure in the processing space of the chamber for a period of time subsequently to pressurizing the processing space, and depressurizing the processing space of the chamber subsequently to maintaining the pressure in the processing space. The pressurizing the processing space of the chamber includes causing the pressure in the processing space to increase in each of a first pressurization period, a second pressurization period, and a third pressurization period that are successive. A pressure increase rate in the second pressurization period is greater than a pressure increase rate in the third pressurization period.