Substrate dryer and a drying method
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsChang-Hyeon Nam, Seung-Kun Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate dryer includes, among other things, means for generating isopropyl alcohol bubbles, and a vibrator to atomize stored isopropyl alcohol. A heater may be provided to heat pumped isopropyl alcohol, as wells as a spray nozzle to spray the heated IPA to the vibrator. It is possible to increase the concentration of the isopropyl alcohol supplied for the purpose of drying the substrate. Improved substrate drying is achieved.
Claims15
A method of cleaning and drying a substrate, the method comprising:
- immersing the substrate into a cleaning solution in a cleaning bath vessel;
- cleaning the substrate in the cleaning solution;
- extracting the substrate from the cleaning solution;
- and
- drying the substrate by producing atomized isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and bubbles of IPA, and supplying the bubbles of IPA, the atomized IPA and one batch of nitrogen gas into the cleaning bath vessel,
- wherein the producing of the atomized IPA and the bubbles of IPA comprises:
- supplying another batch of nitrogen gas directly into a body of liquid isopropyl alcohol (IPA) contained in an isopropyl alcohol supply unit, disposed outside the cleaning bath vessel, to thereby produce bubbles of IPA in the isopropyl alcohol supply unit,
- heating liquid IPA in the isopropyl alcohol supply unit, and
- spraying the heated liquid IPA directly onto a vibrator of the isopropyl alcohol supply unit to thereby atomize the IPA.
A method of generating atomized isopropyl (IPA) for use in a process of drying a substrate, the method comprising:
- producing bubbles of isopropyl alcohol by supplying nitrogen gas directly into a body of liquid isopropyl alcohol contained in a tank of an isopropyl alcohol supply unit,
- heating another portion of the body of liquid isopropyl alcohol using a heater of the isopropyl alcohol supply unit, and
- spraying the heated portion of the liquid isopropyl alcohol directly onto a vibrator in the tank of the isopropyl alcohol supply unit to thereby atomize said heated portion of the liquid isopropyl alcohol.
A method of cleaning and drying a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a vessel having an outer overflow bath and an inner bath within the outer bath;
- immersing the substrate in cleaning solution in the inner bath;
- cleaning the substrate in the cleaning solution;
- supplying nitrogen gas into the outer bath to form an atmosphere of nitrogen in the outer bath;
- draining cleaning solution from the inner bath after the atmosphere of nitrogen has been formed in the outer bath to extract thereby extract the substrate from the cleaning solution by;
- and
- drying the substrate including by producing atomized isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and bubbles of IPA outside the vessel, and subsequently supplying the atomized IPA and the bubbles of IPA into the vessel,
- wherein the producing of the atomized IPA comprises heating liquid IPA and spraying the heated IPA directly onto a vibrator at a location outside the vessel, and
- wherein the supplying of the atomized IPA and the bubbles of IPA into the vessel comprises directing the atomized IPA and the bubbles of IPA towards the inner bath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.