Substrate Liquid Processing Apparatus Boiling State Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate liquid processing apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform etching when using a phosphoric acid aqueous solution, as the boiling state of the processing liquid affects etching uniformity, and existing methods struggle to control this effectively without altering the concentration of the solution.
Innovation Solution
A substrate liquid processing apparatus equipped with a boiling state detecting unit and a controller that adjusts the pressure of the processing liquid supply pump to regulate the boiling state, allowing for precise control of the boiling intensity without changing the phosphoric acid concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the phosphoric acid aqueous solution is heated to a predetermined temperature and boiled, then the etching process can be performed, but etching uniformity cannot be secured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the phosphoric acid aqueous solution by controlling pressure and temperature to achieve a supercritical state. This parameter transformation allows the solution to maintain liquid-like density while exhibiting gas-like diffusivity, thereby achieving uniform etching throughout the substrate while maintaining process stability through controlled phase transition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition by heating and pressurizing the phosphoric acid aqueous solution to transform it into a supercritical fluid state. This phase transition enables the solution to penetrate the substrate uniformly and achieve consistent etching, resolving the contradiction between etching uniformity and process stability
2Manufacturing precision
If the concentration of phosphoric acid is adjusted to improve etching uniformity, then etching quality may improve, but the complexity of controlling the solution composition increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adjusting chemical concentration, the patent changes physical parameters (temperature and pressure) to achieve the desired etching uniformity. This approach maintains simple solution composition while achieving precise control over etching quality through supercritical fluid transformation
3Manufacturing precision
If the phosphoric acid aqueous solution is heated to improve etching performance, then etching capability increases, but control of the boiling state becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the phase transition to supercritical state by simultaneously managing temperature and pressure parameters. This controlled phase transition enables enhanced etching capability while maintaining ease of operation through defined transformation conditions that eliminate unpredictable boiling behavior
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback control to monitor and adjust temperature and pressure parameters, ensuring the phosphoric acid solution maintains the desired supercritical state. This feedback mechanism simplifies operation by automatically maintaining optimal conditions for etching performance
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 enables improved etching uniformity by adjusting the boiling state of the phosphoric acid aqueous solution to a desired state, enhancing the processing quality without altering the solution's concentration, thus addressing the uniformity issues in existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a controller configured to control the supply pump based on a signal from the boiling state detecting unit and adjust a pressure of the processing liquid in a flow path supplied from the processing liquid supply unit to the liquid processing unit
Implementation Method 2
a boiling state detecting unit provided in the liquid processing unit and configured to detect a boiling state of the processing liquid
Implementation Method 3
a substrate liquid processing apparatus that performs a liquid processing on a substrate using a processing liquid... etching a silicon nitride film formed on the surface of the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes a liquid processing unit, a processing liquid circulating line, and a boiling state detecting unit provided in a processing bath of the liquid processing unit. The controller controls a supply pump of the processing liquid circulating line based on a signal from the boiling state detecting unit, and adjusts a pressure of a supplied phosphoric acid aqueous solution in a flow path so as to adjust the boiling state of the phosphoric acid aqueous solution to a desired state.