US 2020/0286753 A1 · DRYING ENVIRONMENTS FOR REDUCING SUBSTRATE DEFECTS

Abstract

One or more embodiments described herein generally relate to drying environments within semiconductor processing systems. In these embodiments, substrates are cleaned and dried within a drying environment before returning to the factory interface. However, due to an opening between the factory interface and the drying environment, air flows from the factory interface into the drying environment, often reducing the effectiveness of the drying processes. In embodiments described herein, the air flow is blocked by a sliding door that raises up to the closed position when a substrate enters the drying portion of the dryer located within the drying environment. After the substrate exits the dryer and before the substrate enters the factory interface, the sliding door lowers to the opened position such that the substrate can enter the factory interface. As such, these processes allow for multiple substrates to dry quickly and consistently within the system, improving throughput.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A drying environment, comprising:

a dryer comprising a lid having a first dryer opening and a second dryer opening, wherein the lid is configured to receive at least one substrate into the dryer through the first dryer opening and to allow the at least one substrate to exit the dryer through the second dryer opening;
a top portion located above the dryer within the drying environment, the top portion having a drying environment opening between the drying environment and a factory interface;
at least one sliding door having a length and a width, the at least one sliding door positioned within the drying environment, wherein the at least one sliding door is configured to move upwards to a position such that the length of the at least one sliding door covers the entirety of the drying environment opening and is configured to move downwards to a position such that the length of the at least one sliding door is entirely below the drying environment opening while the at least one substrate is within the drying environment;
and
a rotation platform within the top portion, wherein the rotation platform is configured to transfer the at least one substrate to the factory interface through the dryer environment opening.

2 more elements

A drying environment, comprising:

a dryer, comprising:
a lid having a first dryer opening and a second dryer opening, wherein the lid is configured to receive at least one substrate into the dryer through the first dryer opening and allow the at least one substrate to exit the dryer through the second dryer opening;
a rinsing portion having a tube of liquid;
and
a drying portion having a plurality of spray bars located directly above the tube of liquid;
a top portion located above the dryer within the drying environment, the top portion having a drying environment opening between the drying environment and a factory interface;
a sliding door having a length and a width positioned within the drying environment, wherein:
the sliding door is positioned such that at least a portion of the length is below the drying environment opening while the at least one substrate is below the plurality of spray bars;
and
the sliding door is positioned such that the length of the sliding door covers the entirety of the drying environment opening while the at least one substrate is raised past the plurality of spray bars;
a rotation platform within the top portion, wherein the rotation platform is configured to transfer the at least one substrate to the factory interface through the dryer environment opening.

8 more elements

A method for drying substrates, comprising:

transferring a first substrate into a dryer through a first dryer opening while a sliding door, having a length and a width, is positioned within a drying environment such that the entire length of the sliding door is below a drying environment opening, wherein the dryer is located within the drying environment and the drying environment opening is between the drying environment and a factory interface;
raising the sliding door to a position such that the length of the sliding door partially covers the drying environment opening while the first substrate is transferred to position directly below a plurality of spray bars located within the dryer;
drying the first substrate by raising the first substrate past the plurality of spray bars and out of the dryer through a second dryer opening while the sliding door is in the position such that the entire length of the sliding door covers the drying environment opening;
lowering the sliding door to a position such that the length of the sliding door partially covers the drying environment opening while the first substrate is loaded onto a rotation platform within the drying environment;
and
transferring the first substrate to the factory interface through the drying environment opening while the sliding door is in the position such that the entire length of the sliding door is below the drying environment opening and simultaneously transferring a second substrate into the dryer through the first dryer opening.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Drying environments for reducing substrate defects

Life of this patent

Drying environments for reducing substrate defects

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20