KR101145777B1 - Substrate drying apparatus and method for drying substrate thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for drying a substrate using a supercritical fluid, the present invention comprising: a chamber that is open at the top and provides an interior space in which the substrate is accommodated; A chamber cover which is moved up and down and is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space; And a locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during the drying process on the substrate; The chamber has a sidewall surrounding a side of the chamber cover, the chamber cover having a cylindrical cover body surrounded by the sidewall of the chamber; Support members installed on a bottom surface of the cover body and supporting a bottom surface of the substrate; And chucking members for chucking edges of the substrate placed on the support members.

Description

Substrate drying apparatus and its substrate drying method {SUBSTRATE DRYING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRYING SUBSTRATE THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for drying a substrate using a supercritical fluid.

In general, wafer processing in the semiconductor manufacturing process includes photoresist coating, developing & developing, etching, chemical vapor deposition and ashing. In the process of performing each of the various steps, there is a cleaning process (Wet Cleaning Process) as a process for removing PR, various contaminants, etc. attached to the substrate.

The substrate cleaning apparatus performing such a cleaning process sprays the chemical or pure water onto the substrate through a nozzle to remove the PR, various contaminants, etc., from the substrate while the substrate is loaded on the substrate support positioned inside the hermetic chamber. Generally, a wet cleaning method and a dry cleaning method are used for the substrate cleaning process. Recently, a supercritical substrate capable of supplying supercritical fluid compressed by a high pressure pump into the process chamber to be eco-friendly and precisely dried on the substrate Drying techniques have been proposed.

A technique for drying treatment using a supercritical fluid has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 8-250464. The technique disclosed in this publication is carried in a high pressure vessel which is a supercritical processing apparatus, a series of wet treatments are carried out, and then liquid carbon dioxide is introduced into the apparatus to replace alcohol on the surface of the substrate, and the temperature is raised to increase the carbon dioxide. It is made to be in a critical state and subjected to a supercritical drying process, followed by depressurization.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate drying apparatus and method capable of efficiently processing a substrate even at a high pressure.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a substrate drying apparatus and method capable of minimizing particle generation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate drying apparatus capable of minimizing an internal space volume of a chamber to maintain an optimal supercritical state and at the same time providing a space required for substrate transfer of a robot.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above objects, the substrate drying apparatus of the present invention includes a chamber that is open at the top and provides an inner space in which the substrate is accommodated; A chamber cover which is moved up and down and is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space; And a locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during the drying process on the substrate; The chamber has a side wall surrounding the side of the chamber lid.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the chamber cover includes a cylindrical cover body surrounded by the side wall of the chamber, is installed at regular intervals on the bottom of the cover body, and further supporting members for supporting the bottom of the substrate Include.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the chamber cover further comprises chucking members for chucking the edge of the substrate placed on the support members; The chucking members are driven by magnetic force.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the chamber cover further comprises chucking members for chucking the edge of the substrate placed on the support members; Each of the chucking members may include a moving block moved by magnetic force; A chucking pin installed on the movable block and exposed from a bottom surface of the chamber cover to move to a position where the substrate can be chucked by the movement of the movable block; And an elastic member providing an elastic force to the moving block so that the chucking pin is moved to an unchucking position when the magnetic force is lost.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable block has a first magnet, and the chamber has a second magnet at a position opposite to the first magnet.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the first magnet is provided in the movable block so as to be adjacent to the edge side of the chamber cover, the second magnet is the first magnet when the chamber cover is lowered to a position for substrate processing It is provided in the chamber to face the magnet, the chucking pin is moved to the outside of the center of the substrate to facilitate the entry and exit of the substrate during substrate loading / unloading, when the chamber cover is lowered to a position for processing the substrate The substrate is chucked while being pushed inward toward the center of the substrate by the magnetic force between the two magnets and the first magnet.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the chamber cover has a cylindrical cover body having a bottom and an upper surface; A pillar installed on an upper surface of the cover body; And a connection bar installed at the pillar and connected to the elevating member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking member may include driving parts installed on an upper end of the chamber cover; And safety pins which are moved back and forth by each of the driving units and fitted into the locking grooves formed in the inner wall of the lower chamber.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the chamber has a processing line, a discharge line for discharging various contaminants to the outside, a high pressure treatment fluid to be used in the drying process, and a supply line for supplying various processing fluids to the bottom surface. Is provided.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, further comprising a seal installed between the chamber and the chamber cover to prevent the outflow of the high-pressure processing fluid used for drying the substrate; The seal has an elliptical groove structure to expand with the pressure of the high pressure treatment fluid.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the chamber supplies a purge gas to a gap between the chamber cover and the chamber outside the seal to remove foreign substances and particles generated when the chamber cover is coupled.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the chamber or the chamber cover further includes a heater for maintaining the temperature of the high-pressure processing fluid.

According to the substrate drying apparatus of the present invention as described above has the following effects.

First, the chucking pins are driven by the magnetic force to chuck the substrate edge, thereby stably holding the substrate in the supercritical state, suppressing substrate vibration, and minimizing particle generation.

Second, by minimizing the volume of the processing space in which the drying process for the substrate is performed in the chamber, an optimal supercritical state can be maintained, and the space required for transporting the substrate is separate from the processing space in which the drying process for the substrate is performed. We can provide enough in space.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention
2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the chamber cover is moved to the lowered position in FIG.
6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the safety pin of the locking member is fitted in the locking groove in FIG.
7A and 7B are enlarged cross-sectional views illustrating main parts for explaining the operation of the chucking member.
FIG. 8 is a view taken along the line XX of FIG. 4.

The embodiments of the present invention can be modified into various forms and the scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by the embodiments described below. This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the shapes and the like of the components in the drawings are exaggerated in order to emphasize a clearer explanation.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1 to 4, the substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber 100, the chamber cover 200, the locking member 300, elevating member 900.

The chamber 100 provides a space for performing a predetermined process of the semiconductor device, such as an ashing process, a cleaning process, a developing process, and the like. Preferably, the chamber 100 of the present embodiment is a hermetic drying chamber for performing a drying process using a supercritical fluid on a wet processed substrate.

The chamber 100 includes an inlet 102 for injecting a substrate W to perform a supercritical drying process into the chamber 100 and a discharge line for discharging processing fluid and various contaminants to the outside after the drying process is performed. 104, supply lines 106 for supplying a high pressure treatment fluid and various treatment fluids to be used in the drying process. The discharge line 104 and the supply line 106 are provided on the bottom surface 120 of the chamber 100. For example, the high pressure treatment fluid may include supercritical fluids (SCCO2, SCF), and the various treatment fluids may include isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solutions and the like.

The chamber 100 is provided in a cylindrical shape with an open top. The inner space A of the chamber 100 may be divided into an upper space A1 and a lower space A2, and the upper space A1 may include a sidewall 130 on which an inlet 102 into which a substrate is loaded / exported is located. Provided by The side wall 130 is provided to surround the chamber cover 200. The lower space A2 is located below the upper space A1 and corresponds to a processing space in which a drying process is performed on the substrate. The lower space A2 has a smaller diameter than the upper space A1 and the chamber when the chamber cover 200 descends. It is provided between the lid 200 and the chamber 100.

The chamber cover 200 is moved up and down by the elevating member 900 and is coupled to the chamber 100 to seal the internal space A. The chamber cover 200 is installed in a cylindrical cover body 210 surrounded by the side wall 130 of the chamber 100, a pillar 222 installed on an upper surface of the cover body 210, and a pillar 222. Located at the outer periphery and includes a connection bar 224 connected to the elevating member 900. The chamber cover 200 is moved to the raised position and the lowered position by the elevating member 900, and receives the substrate brought in through the inlet as shown in FIG. That is, the upper space A1 of the chamber 100 is provided only when the chamber cover 200 is moved to the raised position. When the chamber cover 200 is moved to the lowered position, the cover body 210 is moved to the upper space A1. As it is located in the inlet 102 is blocked, as well as the upper space (A1) is also blocked. As such, the inlet 102 into which the substrate is loaded in and out is automatically closed by the chamber lid 200 when the drying process for the substrate is performed. Therefore, the door for opening and closing the inlet 102 may be omitted.

The chamber cover 200 includes support members 230 for supporting a substrate and chucking members 240 for chucking the substrate.

7A to 8, the support members 230 are installed on the bottom surface of the cover body 210, and the number of the support members 230 is preferably at least three, so that each of the support members 230 does not collide with the substrate. A vertical portion 232 extending vertically from the bottom of the cover body 210, a horizontal portion 234 extending from the vertical portion 232 and extending into the bottom of the substrate, and upwardly from an end of the horizontal portion 234. It includes a support portion 236 protruding to support the bottom of the substrate. As shown in FIG. 8, the positions of the support members 230 and the chucking members 240 may be freely disposed within a range in which collision with the loading / exporting of the substrate does not occur.

The substrate drying apparatus 1 of the present invention is not a manner in which the substrate is supported by the lift pins installed on the bottom of the inner space of the chamber in the general substrate processing apparatus, but the chamber lid 200 coupled to the upper portion of the chamber 100. In the state supported by the support members 230 installed on the bottom of the) has a structural feature to move down to the lower space (A2) where the substrate drying process is performed.

The chucking member 240 is for chucking an edge of the substrate placed on the supporting members 230, and the chucking members 240 are driven by magnetic force. Each of the chucking members 240 is moved by magnetic force, and is installed on the movable block 242 and exposed from the bottom of the cover body 210 to chuck the substrate along with the movement of the movable block 242. It includes a chucking pin 244 to be moved to a possible position and the spring 246 is an elastic member for providing an elastic force to the moving block 242 so that the chucking pin 244 is moved to the unchucking position when the magnetic force is lost. For reference, the movable block 242 has a first magnet 243, the second magnet 248 facing the first magnet 243 is located on the side of the chamber 100 corresponding to the lower space (A2) Is installed.

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in the present invention, when the cover body 210 moves to the lowered position while the substrate is supported by the support members 230, the chucking members 240 move by magnetic force. This will chuck the substrate edges. In other words, the chucking pins 244 are moved outwardly to the center of the substrate to facilitate entry and exit of the substrate during substrate loading / unloading (elastic force by the elastic member), and the chamber lid 200 is moved to a position for processing the substrate. When descending, the substrate is chucked while being pushed inward toward the center of the substrate by the magnetic force between the second magnet 248 and the first magnet 243.

As such, the chucking pins 244 for chucking the substrate are not operated by the driving device but automatically operated by the magnetic force, thereby reducing particle generation generated in the chamber 100 and generating an overhead time generated during wafer chucking. (over head time) shortening effect can be expected.

Referring back to FIG. 7A, a seal 250 is installed at the bottom edge of the chamber cover 200. Seal 250 is to prevent the high-pressure treatment fluid used for drying the substrate to the outside through the gap between the chamber 100 and the chamber cover 200, the seal 250 is the pressure of the high-pressure treatment fluid It has an elliptical groove 252 structure to expand. In addition, the chamber 100 has a purge gas supply passage 109. The purge gas supply passage 109 is disposed between the chamber cover 200 and the chamber 100 outside the seal 250 to remove foreign substances and particles generated when the chamber cover 200 moves downward in the chamber 100. The purge gas is supplied to the gap.

On the other hand, the locking member 300 is for fixing the chamber cover 200 to the chamber 100 during the drying process for the substrate. The locking member 300 is installed on the upper surface of the chamber cover 200. The locking member 300 is moved back and forth by the four driving units 310 and the respective driving units 310 installed on the upper surface of the chamber cover 200, and is provided in the locking groove 190 formed on the inner wall of the chamber 100. Include safety pins 320 to be fitted. The safety pin 320 is formed in an arc shape so as to fit in the locking groove 190, and as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the locking member 300 is operated when the chamber cover 200 is moved to the lowered position.

Although not shown, at least one of the chamber 100 and the cover body 210 of the chamber cover may be provided with a heater for maintaining the temperature of the processing fluid supplied to the lower space.

Referring to the operation of the substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

First, the chamber lid 200 waits while being moved to an elevated position, and the substrate W for performing the substrate drying process is an upper space A1, which is an interior space of the chamber, through the inlet 102 of the chamber 100. Carried in and placed on the support members 230 installed on the bottom surface of the chamber cover 200.

When the substrate W is placed on the support members 230, the chamber cover 200 is moved to the lowered position, and the chucking members 240 are operated by magnetic force to chuck the substrate edges. Meanwhile, as the safety pins 320 of the locking members 300 are operated by the driving units 310 to be fitted into the locking groove 190, the chamber cover 200 is stably fixed to the chamber 100. When the chamber cover 200 moves downward in this way, the volume of the lower space A2 is reduced by 1/2 or more. In other words, only a minimal space capable of processing only one substrate is provided. In particular, the inlet 102 for carrying in / out of the substrate is characterized in that it is located in a space separate from the space where the substrate is dried. When the chucking of the substrate and the fixing of the chamber cover 200 are completed, the high pressure treatment fluid and various processing fluids used for drying the substrate are supplied through the supply lines 182 installed on the bottom surface of the chamber 100 to process the substrate.

As such, the substrate drying apparatus of the present invention can stably hold the substrate W in the supercritical state, and can maintain the optimal supercritical state by minimizing the volume of the space for processing the substrate, The space required for transporting the substrate may be provided in an upper space rather than a lower space in which a substrate drying process is performed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the following claims rather than the above description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. do.

100: chamber 102: inlet
200: chamber cover 210: cover body
300: locking member

Claims (19)

delete delete In the substrate drying apparatus:
A chamber that is open at the top and provides an interior space in which the substrate is accommodated;
A chamber cover which is moved up and down, is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space, and has a cylindrical cover body surrounded by sidewalls of the chamber; And
A locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during a drying process on the substrate;
The chamber has a sidewall surrounding a side of the chamber lid,
The chamber cover is installed on the bottom surface of the cover body at regular intervals, the support members for supporting the bottom surface of the substrate; And chucking members chucking edges of the substrate placed on the supporting members.
And the chucking members are driven by a magnetic force. In the substrate drying apparatus:
A chamber that is open at the top and provides an interior space in which the substrate is accommodated;
A chamber cover which is moved up and down, is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space, and has a cylindrical cover body surrounded by sidewalls of the chamber; And
A locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during a drying process on the substrate;
The chamber has a sidewall surrounding a side of the chamber lid,
The chamber cover is installed on the bottom surface of the cover body at regular intervals, the support members for supporting the bottom surface of the substrate; And chucking members chucking edges of the substrate placed on the supporting members.
Each of the chucking members
A moving block moved by magnetic force;
A chucking pin installed on the movable block and exposed from a bottom surface of the chamber cover to move to a position where the substrate can be chucked by the movement of the movable block; And
And an elastic member for providing an elastic force to the moving block so that the chucking pin is moved to an unchucking position when the magnetic force is lost. The method of claim 4, wherein
The moving block has a first magnet,
And said chamber has a second magnet at a position opposite said first magnet. The method of claim 5, wherein
The first magnet
Provided on the movable block to be adjacent to an edge side of the chamber cover,
The second magnet
The chamber lid is provided in the chamber to face the first magnet when the chamber lid is lowered to a position for substrate processing,
The chucking pin is moved outwardly to the center of the substrate to facilitate entry and exit of the substrate during substrate loading / unloading, and is applied to the magnetic force between the second magnet and the first magnet when the chamber cover is lowered to a position for processing the substrate. And the substrate is chucked while being pushed inward toward the center of the substrate. In the substrate drying apparatus:
A chamber that is open at the top and provides an interior space in which the substrate is accommodated;
A chamber cover which is moved up and down and is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space; And
A locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during a drying process on the substrate;
The chamber has a sidewall surrounding a side of the chamber lid,
The chamber cover has a cylindrical cover body having a bottom and an upper surface;
A pillar installed on an upper surface of the cover body; And
And a connection bar installed on the pillar and connected to the elevating member. In the substrate drying apparatus:
A chamber that is open at the top and provides an interior space in which the substrate is accommodated;
A chamber cover which is moved up and down and is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space; And
A locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during a drying process on the substrate;
The chamber has a sidewall surrounding a side of the chamber lid,
The locking member
Driving units installed at an upper end of the chamber cover; And
And a safety pin that is moved back and forth by each of the driving units and fitted into a locking groove formed in an inner wall of the chamber. delete In the substrate drying apparatus:
A chamber that is open at the top and provides an interior space in which the substrate is accommodated;
A chamber cover which is moved up and down and is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space;
A locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during a drying process on a substrate; And
A seal installed between the chamber and the chamber cover and for preventing an outflow of the high pressure treatment fluid used for drying the substrate;
The chamber has a side wall surrounding the side surface of the chamber cover, and on the bottom surface the processing fluid, a discharge line for discharging various contaminants to the outside, a high pressure treatment fluid to be used in the drying process and various processing fluids Including supply lines,
And said seal has an elliptical groove structure so as to expand at the pressure of said high pressure processing fluid. The method of claim 10,
The chamber
And a purge gas is supplied to a gap between the chamber cover and the chamber outside the seal to remove foreign substances and particles generated when the chamber cover is coupled. The method of claim 10,
The chamber or the chamber cover further comprises a heater for maintaining the temperature of the high-pressure processing fluid. In the substrate drying apparatus:
A chamber that is open at the top and provides an interior space in which the substrate is accommodated;
A chamber cover which is moved up and down and is coupled to the chamber to seal the internal space; And
A locking member for fixing the chamber cover to the chamber during a drying process on the substrate;
The chamber has a sidewall surrounding a side of the chamber lid,
The chamber cover is
A cylindrical cover body surrounded by the sidewall of the chamber;
Support members installed on a bottom surface of the cover body and supporting a bottom surface of the substrate;
And chucking members chucking edges of the substrate placed on the support members. The method of claim 13,
The locking member
Driving units installed at an upper end of the chamber cover; And
And a safety pin that is moved back and forth by each of the driving units and fitted into a locking groove formed in an inner wall of the chamber. The method of claim 13,
And the chucking members are driven by a magnetic force. The method of claim 13,
The side wall of the chamber has an inlet for carrying in and out of the substrate,
The inlet is opened and closed by the chamber cover, characterized in that the substrate drying apparatus. In the substrate drying method:
The substrate is brought in through the inlet of the chamber;
Placing a substrate on support members provided on a bottom surface of a chamber cover that seals an open top of the chamber;
Moving the chamber cover to the lowered position by the elevating member so that the substrate placed on the support members is moved to a lower space which is a dry processing space of the chamber;
When the chamber cover is moved to the lowered position, the substrate is chucked by the chucking members, and the chamber cover is fixedly coupled to the chamber by the locking member; And
And processing the substrate in the lower space of the chamber. The method of claim 17,
And the inlet is closed by the chamber cover when the chamber cover is moved to the lowered position. The method of claim 17,
And the chucking members for chucking the substrate are driven by a magnetic force.

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