Substrate Treatment Nozzle Segmentation for Wetness Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In semiconductor device manufacturing, the surface of wafers can dry out during the transition from using a first chemical to a second chemical in the cleaning process, leading to contamination and reduced productivity due to waiting times while nozzles are changed.

Innovation Solution

A substrate treatment method and apparatus that successively positions and ejects a first and second substrate treatment liquid onto a substrate without waiting, with the second nozzle positioned closer to the center than the edge and moving to the first nozzle's position while the first nozzle is in operation, ensuring continuous chemical application and preventing drying.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If nozzles are changed to provide different chemicals sequentially, then different substrate treatment liquids can be applied, but waiting time occurs and substrate surface dries out causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to apply different substrate treatment liquidsVSAvoidwaiting time during nozzle change

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the substrate treatment process into multiple segments, each handled by a dedicated nozzle positioned at different locations. Multiple nozzles can simultaneously eject different substrate treatment liquids onto different regions of the substrate, eliminating the need to switch nozzles and thus eliminating waiting time while maintaining the ability to apply different chemicals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple nozzles are pre-positioned at different locations above the substrate before the treatment process begins. This preliminary arrangement allows immediate application of different substrate treatment liquids to different regions without requiring nozzle movement or switching during the process, thereby preventing substrate surface drying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If nozzles are changed to provide the second chemical after the first chemical, then different treatment liquids can be applied, but the substrate surface becomes dry during transition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to apply multiple substrate treatment liquidsVSAvoidsubstrate surface wetness continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate surface is divided into multiple regions, each served by a dedicated nozzle. Multiple nozzles simultaneously eject different substrate treatment liquids onto different regions, ensuring continuous coverage and preventing any region from drying out during the treatment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple nozzles operate simultaneously and continuously to eject substrate treatment liquids onto the substrate surface. This parallel operation ensures that the substrate surface remains continuously wetted with treatment liquids without interruption or drying, maintaining reliability throughout the process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Adaptability or versatility

If waiting time occurs during nozzle change, then different chemicals can be provided sequentially, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to provide different chemicalsVSAvoidsubstrate treatment speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate treatment process is segmented into multiple parallel operations, with each nozzle handling a specific region and chemical. This segmentation allows simultaneous application of different chemicals to different regions, eliminating sequential nozzle switching and significantly increasing substrate treatment productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple nozzles are pre-positioned and configured to eject different substrate treatment liquids before the treatment process begins. This preliminary setup enables immediate parallel treatment of multiple substrate regions without waiting time, thereby maximizing productivity while maintaining chemical versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20220355345A1Substrate treatment apparatus and method

Publication Date: 2022.11.10 SYSTEM ENGINEERING MEGA SOLUTION CO LTD

AI summary

Provided are a substrate treatment apparatus and method for treating a substrate while preventing the surface of the substrate from drying out. The substrate treatment method includes: moving a first nozzle to above a first point on a substrate; ejecting a first substrate treatment liquid onto the substrate from the first nozzle; moving a second nozzle to above the first point; and ejecting a second substrate treatment liquid onto the substrate from the second nozzle, wherein the second nozzle is positioned above a second point on the substrate before moving to above the first point.