Substrate Treating Apparatus Sublimable Liquid Solidification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the manufacturing of electronic components, the dry processing step often results in pattern collapse due to surface tension, especially on substrates with fine patterns and high aspect ratios, as existing methods using sublimable substances like fluorocarbon materials fail to prevent collapse effectively.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating method and apparatus that supply a process liquid containing a sublimable substance, adjust the substrate temperature to control the process liquid within the melting point to boiling point range, and sublime the solidified body to prevent internal stress and excessive film thickness, thereby reducing pattern collapse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sublimable substance like fluorocarbon material is used in dry processing, then drying performance is improved, but pattern collapse cannot be sufficiently prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the substrate to below the melting point of the sublimable substance during the dry processing step. This temperature control causes the process liquid to solidify on the substrate surface, forming a solidified body that prevents pattern collapse while maintaining effective drying performance through subsequent sublimation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase transitions of the sublimable substance: first cooling it to solidify and form a protective solidified body that prevents pattern collapse, then heating or reducing pressure to sublime the solidified body and remove it from the substrate surface, achieving both pattern protection and complete drying.
2Volume of moving object
If process liquid is supplied at high rotation speed to prevent excessive film thickness, then film thickness is reduced, but solidification during supply causes pattern collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary cooling of the substrate to below the melting point of the sublimable substance before supplying the process liquid. This preliminary temperature adjustment ensures that the process liquid solidifies immediately upon contact with the substrate, forming a thin solidified body that prevents pattern collapse without requiring high rotation speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the substrate to control the solidification process during liquid supply. By maintaining the substrate temperature below the melting point of the sublimable substance, the process liquid solidifies in place, forming a controlled thin film that prevents pattern collapse while avoiding the need for high rotation speeds that could cause other problems.
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 method effectively prevents pattern collapse and residue formation by controlling the solidification of the process liquid, ensuring a thinner solidified film and reducing the presence of particles on the substrate surface.
Implementation Method 1
a solidifying step of solidifying, on the pattern-formed surface, the process liquid whose temperature is adjusted so as to form a solidified body
Implementation Method 2
a sublimating step of subliming the solidified body so as to remove the solidified body from the pattern-formed surface
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a substrate treating method of performing dry processing on a pattern-formed surface of a substrate, the substrate treating method comprising: a supplying step of supplying a process liquid containing a sublimable substance to the pattern-formed surface of the substrate; a temperature adjusting step of adjusting a temperature of the substrate so as to control the process liquid supplied to the pattern-formed surface of the substrate within a temperature range equal to or above a melting point of the sublimable substance and below a boiling point thereof; a solidifying step of solidifying, on the pattern-formed surface, the process liquid whose temperature is adjusted so as to form a solidified body; and a sublimating step of subliming the solidified body so as to remove the solidified body from the pattern-formed surface, wherein the temperature adjusting step is performed so as to overlap at least the supplying step and is completed at least before the solidifying step is started.