Supercritical Fluid Drying for Pattern-Safe Semiconductor Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

As semiconductor manufacturing processes become more intricate, managing contamination during cleaning and drying steps becomes increasingly challenging, particularly due to the risk of damaging microcircuit patterns with high-speed spin-drying methods, and there is a need for efficient contamination management to improve the reliability and yield of semiconductor devices.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method incorporating a wet treatment chamber, a supercritical fluid treatment chamber, and a transfer device with nozzles and a controller to efficiently manage contamination by spraying treatment materials and supercritical fluids on substrates, minimizing contamination through controlled rinsing and drying processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high-speed spin-drying method is used to dry the substrate, then drying efficiency is improved, but microcircuit patterns may be damaged by centrifugal force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoidpattern damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful centrifugal force is eliminated by extracting the rotation mechanism and replacing it with a static supercritical fluid treatment chamber. The substrate is dried without rotation, thus removing the source of pattern damage while maintaining drying effectiveness through supercritical fluid properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical spin-drying system is replaced with a supercritical fluid-based drying system. Instead of using centrifugal force from high-speed rotation, the patent uses the unique properties of supercritical fluids (high density, low viscosity, diffusivity) to achieve drying without mechanical stress on the substrate patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If multiple cleaning and drying processes are performed to improve reliability, then contamination management becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice reliabilityVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple separate cleaning and drying processes are merged into a single integrated supercritical fluid treatment chamber. The supercritical fluid simultaneously performs cleaning, drying, and contamination removal functions that previously required multiple sequential steps, thereby simplifying the overall process while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The supercritical fluid treatment system is designed to perform multiple functions (cleaning, drying, contamination removal) within a single chamber using a universal treatment mechanism. This multi-functional approach reduces process complexity while maintaining or improving device reliability through comprehensive contamination management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution effectively removes contaminants from substrates and transfer device components, reducing the risk of pattern damage and enhancing the reliability and yield of semiconductor devices by automating the contamination management process.

Implementation Method 1

a supercritical fluid treatment chamber configured to supply a supercritical fluid onto the substrate to treat the substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSupercritical fluid: Supercritical Fluid

Implementation Method 2

a nozzle provided in the wet treatment chamber and configured to spray a treatment material onto a substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpray: Spray

Implementation Method 3

a transfer device comprising an arm configured to transfer the substrate between the wet treatment chamber and the supercritical fluid treatment chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical transfer:

Data Source

PatentUS20240001408A1Apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device using the same

Publication Date: 2024.01.04 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: a wet treatment chamber; a nozzle provided in the wet treatment chamber and configured to spray a treatment material onto a substrate; a supercritical fluid treatment chamber configured to supply a supercritical fluid onto the substrate to treat the substrate; a transfer device comprising an arm configured to transfer the substrate between the wet treatment chamber and the supercritical fluid treatment chamber; and a controller configured to control the wet treatment chamber to spray the treatment material onto the arm