Substrate Treatment Apparatus for Uniform Coating Film Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate treatment methods face challenges in achieving uniformity and high accuracy in flattening coating films on substrates with uneven surfaces, particularly due to evaporation issues that reduce flowability and lead to non-uniform film formation, especially in technologies involving air blowing or solvent vapor application.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a series of steps including a first coating step, followed by heating to adjust etching conditions, an etching step to remove excess film, a second coating step, and a second drying step to cure the film, with repeated cycles to further reduce surface level differences, utilizing a substrate treatment apparatus with controlled temperature and rotation for uniform film formation and etching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If air is blown to the coating solution to speed up drying, then drying speed is improved, but the coating solution evaporates to harden, resulting in a decrease in flowability and failure to sufficiently uniformize the coating film
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an inert atmosphere (nitrogen gas) environment in the treatment section to prevent the coating solution from evaporating and hardening due to air exposure. This allows the coating solution to maintain its flowability while still achieving drying through controlled heating, thereby resolving the contradiction between drying speed and coating film uniformity.
2Manufacturing precision
If solvent vapor is supplied to suppress evaporation, then coating solution flowability is maintained, but the coating solution still evaporates to harden due to surrounding environment influence, resulting in insufficient coating film uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a controlled inert atmosphere environment that completely prevents the coating solution from evaporating and hardening, making the coating process reliable and consistent. This resolves the issue where partial vapor supply was insufficient to maintain coating solution stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If CMP process is used to flatten the coating film, then flattening effect is achieved, but high-load process complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by ensuring the coating solution is applied under controlled conditions from the beginning, preventing excessive unevenness in the first place. This eliminates the need for subsequent high-load CMP processes, reducing both device complexity and processing time while achieving the desired flatness.
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 allows for the formation of a uniformly flat coating film with reduced level differences, enabling accurate stacking and improving subsequent process conditions without the need for high-load processes like CMP, by controlling etching conditions and using suitable etching solutions.
Implementation Method 1
a first drying step of heating the substrate having the coating film formed thereon to adjust an etching condition of the coating film
Implementation Method 2
an etching step of supplying an etching solution for etching the coating film formed on the substrate to etch the coating film
Implementation Method 3
drying and burning it by thermal treatment such as baking or curing to bond the glass component thereto
Data Source
AI summary
In a substrate treatment method for supplying a coating solution to a substrate with projections and depressions on a front surface thereof to form a coating film on the front surface of the substrate, the coating solution is supplied to the rotating substrate to form a coating film on the front surface of the substrate, and the substrate having the coating film formed thereon is heated to adjust an etching condition of the coating film. Next, the etching solution is supplied to the rotating substrate to etch the coating film, and thereafter the coating solution is supplied to the substrate to form a flat coating film on the front surface of the substrate. Thereafter, the substrate is heated to cure the coating film. This flattens the coating film with uniformity and high accuracy without undergoing a high-load process such as chemical mechanical polishing.