Substrate Treating Pipe Cooling for Uniform Etching

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing substrate treating apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform etching treatment of semiconductor wafers due to temperature variations in the common pipe line used for supplying treating solutions to both surfaces, leading to inconsistent etching rates and surface marring.

Innovation Solution

A substrate treating apparatus with a cooling mechanism that cools the common pipe line using deionized water at normal temperature, preventing temperature increases and ensuring uniform treatment by supplying treating solutions and warm water through a multiple valve system, while also utilizing organic solvents and inert gases for efficient drying.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If heated deionized water is supplied to the back surface of the semiconductor wafer using a common pipe line, then the temperature of the semiconductor wafer is raised, but the temperature of the common pipe line rises due to heat accumulation, causing temperature variations in the treating liquid

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature of semiconductor waferVSAvoiduniformity of etching treatment

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the pipe line into separate segments: a first pipe line for supplying treating liquid to the front surface and a second pipe line for supplying treating liquid to the back surface. This segmentation prevents heat accumulation in a common pipe line and ensures that the treating liquid temperature remains stable, thereby maintaining uniform etching treatment across multiple semiconductor wafers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the heat source (heated deionized water supply) from the common pipe line system. By separating the heated water supply into a distinct path that does not share the treating liquid delivery pipes, the system eliminates the problem of heat accumulation affecting treating liquid temperature, thus preserving etching uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If hot treating liquid is supplied toward the rotation center on the back surface of the spinning semiconductor wafer, then the treating liquid can be supplied efficiently, but a temperature difference is created between the area adjacent the rotation center and the area adjacent the edge

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of treating liquid supplyVSAvoiduniformity of etching over the surface

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different temperature qualities to different locations: the treating liquid supplied to the back surface is maintained at a stable temperature (not heated in the pipe line), while deionized water for temperature control is supplied separately. This local differentiation ensures that temperature differences between the rotation center and edge areas are minimized, maintaining uniform etching across the wafer surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a common pipe line is used for supplying both treating solution and warm water, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature of the common pipe line rises due to heat accumulation from continuous operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of pipe linesVSAvoidtemperature of common pipe line

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the fluid delivery system into separate pipe lines: one for treating liquid and another for deionized water/warm water. Although this increases device complexity compared to a single common pipe line, it effectively prevents heat accumulation and maintains stable treating liquid temperature, ensuring consistent etching quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

The cooling mechanism maintains consistent temperatures across the substrate surfaces, ensuring uniform etching treatment and preventing temperature-related inconsistencies, thereby improving the precision and efficiency of the substrate treatment process.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling mechanism for cooling the common pipe line by supplying deionized water at normal temperature to outer peripheries of the common pipe line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

spins the semiconductor wafer at high speed to scatter the deionized water off the semiconductor wafer and dry the latter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 3

supplies heated deionized water to the back surface of the semiconductor wafer to raise the temperature of the semiconductor wafer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10424496B2Substrate treating method

Publication Date: 2019.09.24 SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD

AI summary

An upper end of a tubular member surrounding a common pipe line is closed by a lid member. The lid member has an opening formed therein for supplying liquids to adjacent the rotation center on the back surface of a wafer. Deionized water supplied at normal temperature to the interior of the tubular member, after serving to cool the common pipe line, flows out of a lower end of the tubular member.