Supercritical Substrate Chamber Temperature Reset Between Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate processing methods using supercritical fluids face inefficiencies due to temperature fluctuations in the chamber, particularly when processing multiple substrates consecutively, leading to varying processing results and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing method and apparatus that includes temperature adjustment steps by introducing and discharging processing fluid to stabilize the chamber temperature, ensuring consistent initial conditions for each substrate processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pressure increase and pressure reduction are repeated to maintain supercritical state, then the supercritical processing can be performed, but the temperature becomes unstable and processing efficiency varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by cooling the chamber internal temperature to the target temperature or lower before introducing the processing fluid. This advance temperature preparation ensures that when the processing fluid is introduced, the temperature remains stable within the predetermined range, preventing temperature fluctuations that would otherwise occur during pressure cycling operations.
2Productivity
If the chamber temperature is not controlled between processing cycles, then the processing throughput is maintained, but the processing fluid temperature varies causing inconsistent processing results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring the chamber internal temperature and adjusting it to the target temperature or lower before each processing fluid introduction. This closed-loop temperature management ensures consistent processing conditions across multiple substrates while maintaining high throughput through automated temperature regulation between processing cycles.
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
Stabilizes processing efficiency and quality by controlling the chamber temperature, allowing for stable processing of multiple substrates with reduced variations and improved throughput.
Implementation Method 1
processing using supercritical fluids has been put into practical use in recent years
Implementation Method 2
a supercritical fluid having a lower surface tension than a liquid penetrates deep into gaps among the pattern
Implementation Method 3
a density change particularly associated with a temperature change is very large in the supercritical fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing method according to the invention includes a supercritical process step of processing a substrate by a processing fluid in a supercritical state by introducing the processing fluid into an internal space of the chamber accommodating the substrate, a decompression step of decompressing the internal space by discharging the processing fluid, a carry-out step of carrying out the substrate from the chamber, and a temperature adjustment step of adjusting a temperature of the internal space to a target temperature by introducing and discharging the processing fluid to and from the internal space after the substrate is carried out. Stable processing efficiency can be obtained also particularly in the case of processing a plurality of substrates in turn by properly controlling a temperature in a chamber after a process in a technique for processing a substrate by a processing fluid in a supercritical state in the chamber.