US 12,588,452 B2Granted

Substrate processing apparatus and method thereof

AssigneesSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Semes Co., Ltd.

InventorsHae Won Choi, Seung Min Shin, Sang Jine Park, Jae Won Shin, Ji Hwan Park, Kun Tack Lee, Koriakin Anton, Joon Ho Won, Pil Kyun Heo

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Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method are provided, in which a flow rate of CO2 injected into a supercritical drying vessel is controlled through multi-level pressure control. The substrate processing method includes disposing a substrate coated with a chemical liquid in a process chamber, that includes a space in which the substrate is processed; drying the substrate by using a supercritical fluid; and taking the substrate out of the process chamber when the substrate is dried.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A substrate processing method comprising:

supplying a fluid into a process chamber to pressurize the fluid to be in a supercritical phase in the process chamber;
processing a substrate in the process chamber by using the fluid in the supercritical phase;
and
reducing a pressure in the process chamber by exhausting the fluid from the process chamber,
wherein the supplying comprises supplying the fluid into the process chamber during a first time period and a second time period, which are continuous with each other,
wherein, during the first time period:
the supplying comprises providing, by a fluid supply unit that includes at least one valve, a first initial supply amount of the fluid toward the process chamber;
and
the supplying further comprises discharging, by a venting unit that includes at least one valve, a first discharge amount of the fluid so that a first supply amount of the fluid is supplied into the process chamber, and
wherein, during the second time period:
the supplying comprises providing, by the fluid supply unit, a second initial supply amount of the fluid, different from the first initial supply amount, toward the process chamber;
and
the supplying further comprises discharging, by the venting unit, a second discharge amount different from the first discharge amount so that a second supply amount of the fluid, different from the first supply amount, is supplied into the process chamber.

10 more elements

A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber in which supercritical drying of a substrate is configured to be performed;
a fluid supply unit comprising at least one valve, the fluid supply unit configured to supply a fluid used for the supercritical drying as a part of a pressurizing step;
a venting unit comprising at least one valve, the venting unit configured to adjust a supply amount of the fluid as a part of the pressurizing step;
at least one processor;
and
a memory storing computer instructions, the computer instructions configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to control the fluid supply unit and the venting unit to perform the pressurizing step,
wherein the pressurizing step is performed in a first time period and a second time period, which are continuous with each other,
wherein, during the first time period:
the fluid supply unit is controlled by the at least one processor to provide a first initial supply amount of the fluid toward the process chamber;
and
the venting unit is controlled by the at least one processor to discharge a first discharge amount of the fluid so that a first supply amount of the fluid is supplied into the process chamber, and
wherein, during the second time period:
the fluid supply unit is controlled by the at least one processor to provide a second initial supply amount of the fluid, different from the first initial supply amount, toward the process chamber;
and
the venting unit is controlled by the at least one processor to discharge a second discharge amount of the fluid, different from the first discharge amount, so that a second supply amount of the fluid, different from the first supply amount, is supplied into the process chamber.

12 more elements

A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber in which supercritical drying of a substrate is configured to be performed;
a fluid supply unit configured to supply a fluid used for the supercritical drying as a part of a pressurizing step;
a venting unit configured to adjust a supply amount of the fluid as a part of the pressurizing step;
at least one processor;
and
a memory storing computer instructions, the computer instructions configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to control the fluid supply unit and the venting unit to perform the pressurizing step,
wherein the pressurizing step is performed in a first time period and a second time period, which are continuous with each other,
wherein the computer instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to, during the first time period, control the fluid supply unit and the venting unit such that a first supply amount of the fluid is supplied into the process chamber,
wherein the computer instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to, during the second time period, control the fluid supply unit and the venting unit such that a second supply amount of the fluid, greater than the first supply amount, is supplied into the process chamber,
wherein a slope of pressure rise in the process chamber during the second time period is greater than a slope of pressure rise in the process chamber during the first time period,
wherein the fluid supply unit comprises:
a storage tank configured to store the fluid;
a main supply line connected to the process chamber;
and
a first supply line and a second supply line, which are disposed in parallel between the storage tank and the main supply line, and
wherein the venting unit comprises:
a first venting line and a second venting line, which are disposed in parallel with the main supply line.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/876,266Filed 28 Jul 2022
Priority: KR 10-2021-014346526 Oct 2021
Published: US 2023/0131222 A127 Apr 2023
Granted: 24 Mar 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H10P 72/0408
For cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like: for drying
G03F 7/36
Processing photosensitive materials; Apparatus therefor: imagewise removal not covered by groups G03F7/30 - G03F7/34, e.g. using gas streams,…
G03F 7/427
Stripping or agents therefor: using plasma means only
H10P 70/15
Cleaning before device manufacture, i.e. Begin-Of-Line process: by wet cleaning only