Vapor supplying apparatus, vapor drying apparatus, vapor supplying method, and vapor drying method
AssigneeSCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
InventorsYosuke Hanawa, Katsuhiko Miya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
When a substrate on which a fine pattern is formed is dried with vapor, prevention of collapse of the pattern due to water originally contained in IPA to be stored has been a problem to be solved. A mixed liquid stored in a mixed liquid storage is vaporized to generate mixed vapor containing the IPA and water (water vapor). Then, a vapor dewatering unit connected to a vapor supply pipe through which the mixed vapor is fed removes water in the mixed vapor. This can reduce the concentration of water originally contained in the IPA to be stored before the IPA is supplied to the substrate, thereby suppressing collapse of the pattern.
Claims14
A vapor supplying apparatus used for vapor drying process of supplying vapor of a low surface tension liquid to a main surface of a substrate to which a processing liquid adheres, said low surface tension liquid having surface tension same as or lower than that of said processing liquid, said vapor supplying apparatus comprising:
- a mixed liquid storage that stores a mixed liquid containing said low surface tension liquid and water;
- a vapor generator that generates mixed vapor as vapor of said mixed liquid from said mixed liquid stored in said mixed liquid storage;
- a vapor supply pipe connected to said mixed liquid storage and through which said mixed vapor generated by said vapor generator is supplied to said substrate;
- and
- a vapor dewatering unit interposed in said vapor supply pipe, said vapor dewatering unit removing water from said mixed vapor passing through said vapor supply pipe,
- wherein said vapor dewatering unit includes at least one of a separating section and an absorbing section,
- said separating section separates water from said mixed vapor, and
- said absorbing section absorbs water in said mixed vapor.
A vapor drying apparatus comprising:
- a vapor supplying apparatus;
- a chamber that houses a substrate;
- and
- a nozzle from which mixed vapor is supplied to said substrate housed in said chamber, said nozzle being communicatively connected to a vapor supply pipe,
- wherein said vapor supplying apparatus includes:
- a mixed liquid storage that stores a mixed liquid containing a low surface tension liquid and water;
- a vapor generator that generates said mixed vapor as vapor of said mixed liquid from said mixed liquid stored in said mixed liquid storage;
- said vapor supply pipe connected to said mixed liquid storage and through which said mixed vapor generated by said vapor generator is supplied to said substrate;
- and
- a vapor dewatering unit interposed in said vapor supply pipe, said vapor dewatering unit removing water from said mixed vapor passing through said vapor supply pipe;
- wherein said vapor dewatering unit includes at least one of a separating section and an absorbing section,
- said separating section separates water from said mixed vapor, and
- said absorbing section absorbs water in said mixed vapor.
A vapor supplying method used for vapor drying process of supplying vapor of a low surface tension liquid to a main surface of a substrate to which a processing liquid adheres, said low surface tension liquid having surface tension same as or lower than that of said processing liquid, said vapor supplying method comprising steps of:
- a) supplying a mixed liquid containing said low surface tension liquid and water to a mixed liquid storage that stores said mixed liquid;
- and
- b) generating mixed vapor as vapor of said mixed liquid from said mixed liquid stored in said mixed liquid storage and supplying said mixed vapor to a vapor supply pipe connected to said mixed liquid storage and through which said mixed vapor is supplied to said substrate,
- wherein said step b) includes a step of:
- b1) removing water from said mixed vapor supplied to said vapor supply pipe by passing said mixed vapor through a vapor dewatering unit,
- said vapor dewatering unit includes at least one of a separating section and an absorbing section,
- said separating section separates water from said mixed vapor, and
- said absorbing section absorbs water in said mixed vapor.
A vapor drying method of supplying vapor of a low surface tension liquid to a main surface of a substrate to which a processing liquid adheres, said low surface tension liquid having surface tension same as or lower than that of said processing liquid, said vapor drying method comprising steps of:
- e) supplying a mixed liquid containing said low surface tension liquid and water to a mixed liquid storage that stores said mixed liquid;
- and
- f) generating mixed vapor as vapor of said mixed liquid from said mixed liquid stored in said mixed liquid storage and supplying said mixed vapor through a vapor supply pipe connected to said mixed liquid storage to said main surface of said substrate to which said processing liquid adheres,
- wherein said step f) includes a step of:
- f1) removing water from said mixed vapor supplied to said vapor supply pipe by passing said mixed vapor through a vapor dewatering unit,
- said vapor dewatering unit includes at least one of a separating section and an absorbing section,
- said separating section separates water from said mixed vapor, and
- said absorbing section absorbs water in said mixed vapor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.