Substrate Processing Apparatus for Anti-Drying Liquid Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing techniques for removing liquids from semiconductor wafers using high-pressure fluids face challenges in efficiently removing liquids from recessed portions of three-dimensional patterns with high aspect ratios, leading to pattern collapse and prolonged processing times, which hinders productivity in semiconductor device manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method involving heating the substrate and creating a high-pressure atmosphere within a processing container to change the anti-drying liquid into a high-pressure state, either supercritical or subcritical, while preventing vaporization and maintaining the liquid in recessed portions, allowing for rapid removal without pattern collapse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high-pressure fluid is used to remove liquid from recessed portions of a three-dimensional pattern, then pattern collapse is prevented, but the processing time becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is heated before the high-pressure fluid is introduced. This preliminary heating action raises the temperature of the liquid in the recessed portions, accelerating its transition to supercritical state and enabling faster removal while maintaining pattern collapse prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter by heating the substrate before fluid introduction. This parameter change accelerates the phase transition of the liquid to supercritical state, reducing the time required for liquid removal while preventing pattern collapse
2Productivity
If the anti-drying liquid is heated to cause vaporization, then removal speed increases, but pattern collapse occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the phase transition from liquid to supercritical state by introducing high-pressure fluid. This phase transition enables rapid liquid removal without the harmful effects of vaporization, as the liquid directly transitions to supercritical state rather than vaporizing
Solution Approach 2:
The high-pressure fluid acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates the phase transition of the anti-drying liquid. Instead of directly heating the liquid to cause vaporization, the high-pressure fluid mediates the phase transition to supercritical state, enabling fast removal without pattern collapse
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 enables the rapid removal of liquids from semiconductor wafers while preventing pattern collapse, enhancing productivity by ensuring efficient processing times and reducing particle adherence.
Implementation Method 1
heating the substrate and supplying a pressurizing gas or a fluid in a high-pressure state into the processing container
Implementation Method 2
supplying a pressurizing gas or a fluid in a high-pressure state into the processing container, thereby forming a high-pressure atmosphere
Implementation Method 3
bringing the anti-drying liquid into a high-pressure state which is a supercritical state or a subcritical state
Implementation Method 4
heating the substrate and supplying a pressurizing gas or a fluid in a high-pressure state into the processing container, thereby forming a high-pressure atmosphere in the processing container before the anti-drying liquid vaporizes
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing method and apparatus which can remove an anti-drying liquid, which has entered a three-dimensional pattern with recessed portions formed in a substrate, in a relatively short time. The substrate processing method includes the steps of: carrying a substrate, having a three-dimensional pattern formed in a surface, into a processing container, said pattern being covered with an anti-drying liquid that has entered the recessed portions of the pattern; heating the substrate and supplying a pressurizing gas or a fluid in a high-pressure state into the processing container, thereby forming a high-pressure atmosphere in the processing container before the anti-drying liquid vaporizes to such an extent as to cause pattern collapse and bringing the anti-drying liquid into a high-pressure state while keeping the liquid in the recessed portions of the pattern; and thereafter discharging a fluid in a high-pressure state or a gaseous state from the processing container.