Substrate Treating Apparatus Supercritical Fluid Purge

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing substrate treating apparatuses using supercritical fluids face challenges in maintaining the supercritical state during substrate treatment, leading to inefficiencies and contamination due to phase changes and byproduct formation within the treating space and supply pipes.

Innovation Solution

The proposed substrate treating apparatus and method involve a purge operation that optimizes the inner ambient of the treating space by supplying and discharging a treating fluid, such as a supercritical fluid, during an idle period to maintain the process pressure and temperature, thereby preventing phase changes and byproduct formation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the supercritical fluid is supplied continuously to the treating space, then the substrate treatment can be performed efficiently, but the pressure and temperature inside the supply pipe cannot be maintained during standby time causing phase change and byproduct formation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate treatment efficiencyVSAvoidprocess condition stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by maintaining the supply pipe temperature above the critical temperature even during standby time between substrate treatments. This preventive measure ensures that when substrate treatment resumes, the supercritical fluid can be supplied immediately without phase change or byproduct formation, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous treatment efficiency and process stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the supply pipe temperature is not maintained during standby time, then energy consumption is reduced, but the supercritical fluid liquefies and forms byproducts causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidcontamination from byproducts

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the temperature parameter of the supply pipe to be maintained above the critical temperature during standby time. This parameter change prevents the supercritical fluid from undergoing phase change and forming byproducts, thereby eliminating contamination while managing energy consumption through targeted heating only when necessary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stress or pressure

If the pressure inside the supply pipe increases due to fixed supercritical fluid, then the pipe may be damaged, but maintaining constant pressure requires continuous fluid supply which causes contamination during standby

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupply pipe pressure stabilityVSAvoidcontamination from byproducts

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes preliminary action by maintaining the supply pipe temperature above the critical temperature during standby periods. This prevents the supercritical fluid from liquefying and fixing within the pipe, thereby avoiding pressure increases that could damage the pipe while also preventing byproduct formation and contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 efficient substrate treatment by minimizing byproduct generation and contamination, ensuring consistent process conditions, and extending the lifespan of the apparatus by preventing damage from increased pressure within the supply pipes.

Implementation Method 1

a supercritical fluid is used in a substrate cleaning process or a substrate developing process

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSupercritical fluid: Supercritical Fluid

Implementation Method 2

a fluid such as a carbon dioxide is changed to a supercritical state and supplied to the top surface of the substrate to remove a remaining treating liquid on the substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 3

A space through which the supercritical fluid flows should maintain a process pressure and a process temperature. For example, an inside of a treating space at which the substrate is treated and a pipe through which the supercritical fluid is supplied must maintain the process pressure and the process temperature.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure maintenance:

Implementation Method 4

the optimizing includes a purge operation of supplying and discharging a treating fluid to/from the treating space

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPurge operation:

Data Source

PatentUS20250100029A1Apparatus for treating substrate and method for treating a substrate

Publication Date: 2025.03.27 SYSTEM ENGINEERING MEGA SOLUTION CO LTD

AI summary

The inventive concept provides a substrate treating method. The substrate treating method includes first treating a substrate in a treating space according to a reference recipe; second treating a substrate in the treating space according to the reference recipe after the first treating; and optimizing an inner ambient of the treating space according to the reference recipe, and wherein the optimizing includes a purge operation of supplying and discharging a treating fluid to/from the treating space.