CN116741621A - Substrate processing method and substrate processing system - Google Patents

Substrate processing method and substrate processing system Download PDF

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Publication number
CN116741621A
CN116741621A CN202310192144.0A CN202310192144A CN116741621A CN 116741621 A CN116741621 A CN 116741621A CN 202310192144 A CN202310192144 A CN 202310192144A CN 116741621 A CN116741621 A CN 116741621A
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China
Prior art keywords
substrate
processing
liquid
ipa
treatment
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CN202310192144.0A
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Chinese (zh)
Inventor
五师源太郎
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Tokyo Electron Ltd
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Tokyo Electron Ltd
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Priority claimed from JP2022182765A external-priority patent/JP2023133102A/en
Application filed by Tokyo Electron Ltd filed Critical Tokyo Electron Ltd
Publication of CN116741621A publication Critical patent/CN116741621A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02041—Cleaning
    • H01L21/02101—Cleaning only involving supercritical fluids
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
    • H01L21/67017—Apparatus for fluid treatment
    • H01L21/67028—Apparatus for fluid treatment for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
    • H01L21/67034—Apparatus for fluid treatment for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like for drying

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Cleaning Or Drying Semiconductors (AREA)

Abstract

The invention provides a substrate processing method and a substrate processing system, which prevent or at least inhibit damage of patterns formed on the surface of a substrate when performing supercritical drying processing. The substrate processing method includes: a degassing step of removing dissolved gas in the treatment liquid; a liquid film forming step of supplying the processing liquid from which the dissolved gas has been removed to a surface of a substrate to form a liquid film of the processing liquid covering the surface of the substrate; a carry-in step of carrying the substrate on which the liquid film is formed into a processing container; and a supercritical drying step of maintaining a pressure in the processing container in which the substrate having the liquid film formed thereon is carried to a pressure at which the processing fluid is maintained in a supercritical state, and flowing the processing fluid into the processing container, thereby replacing the processing fluid covering the surface of the substrate with the processing fluid, and thereafter drying the surface of the substrate by vaporizing the processing fluid.

Description

Substrate processing method and substrate processing system
Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing system.
Background
In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a laminated structure for forming an integrated circuit on a surface of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer) or the like as a substrate, a process for treating the wafer surface with a liquid is performed, and for example, fine dust, a natural oxide film, or the like on the wafer surface is removed by a cleaning liquid such as a chemical liquid.
A method of using a supercritical processing fluid in removing a liquid remaining on a surface of a wafer by such a processing step is known. For example, patent document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus that dissolves an organic solvent from a substrate by a supercritical fluid and dries a wafer.
In the substrate processing apparatus of patent document 1, cleaning of the surface of a wafer is performed by a cleaning liquid such as a chemical liquid in the processing apparatus. An organic solvent is contained as a treatment liquid on the surface of the wafer after cleaning. The wafer containing the organic solvent is transferred from the cleaning apparatus to the supercritical processing apparatus, and the wafer is dried by using the supercritical processing fluid in the supercritical processing apparatus. By placing the organic solvent on the surface of the wafer in this manner, the surface of the wafer after cleaning is prevented from being dried before being dried in the supercritical processing apparatus, and generation of particles is prevented.
Prior art literature
Patent literature
Patent document 1: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2019-33246
Disclosure of Invention
Problems to be solved by the invention
The present disclosure provides a technique capable of preventing or at least suppressing damage to a pattern formed on a surface of a substrate when performing a supercritical drying process.
Solution for solving the problem
A substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a degassing step of removing dissolved gas in the treatment liquid; a liquid film forming step of supplying the processing liquid from which the dissolved gas has been removed to a surface of a substrate to form a liquid film of the processing liquid covering the surface of the substrate; a carry-in step of carrying the substrate on which the liquid film is formed into a processing container; and a supercritical drying step of maintaining a pressure in the processing container in which the substrate having the liquid film formed thereon is carried to a pressure at which the processing fluid is maintained in a supercritical state, and flowing the processing fluid into the processing container, thereby replacing the processing liquid covering the surface of the substrate with the processing fluid, and thereafter drying the surface of the substrate by vaporizing the processing fluid.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION
According to the above embodiments of the present disclosure, damage to a pattern formed on a surface of a substrate can be prevented or at least suppressed when performing a supercritical drying process.
Drawings
Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate processing system according to an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of a single-wafer liquid processing unit included in the substrate processing system of fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of the supercritical drying unit included in the substrate processing system of fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a piping structure diagram illustrating an IPA supply mechanism for supplying IPA used in the single-piece liquid processing unit of fig. 2 and a structure for degassing provided in the IPA supply mechanism.
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing damage to a pattern due to generation of bubbles.
Detailed Description
Next, a substrate processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. For simplifying the explanation about the direction, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set and shown in the lower left part of fig. 1. The Z direction is the up-down direction, and the Z positive direction is the up direction.
As shown in fig. 1, the substrate processing system 1 includes a control device 100. The control device 100 is configured by a computer, and includes a calculation processing unit 101 and a storage unit 102. The storage unit 102 stores programs (including processing procedures) for controlling various processes performed in the substrate processing system 1. The arithmetic processing unit 101 reads and executes the program stored in the storage unit 102 to control the operations of the respective constituent elements of the substrate processing system 1 described later, and executes a series of processes described later. The control device 100 may be provided with a user interface such as a keyboard, a touch panel, or a display. The program may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium, and installed from the storage medium into the storage unit 102 of the control device 100. As a storage medium readable by a computer, there are, for example, a Hard Disk (HD), a Flexible Disk (FD), an optical disk (CD), a magneto-optical disk (MO), a memory card, and the like.
The substrate processing system 1 includes a carry-in/carry-out section (carry-out station) 2 and a processing section (processing station) 6.
The carry-in/out section 2 includes a container mounting section 21 and a first conveying section 22. A plurality of substrate transfer containers C (for example, FOUPs) can be placed on the container placement unit 21. In each substrate transport container C, a plurality of substrates W (for example, semiconductor wafers) are stored in a horizontal posture at intervals in the vertical direction.
The first conveying section 22 is provided adjacent to the container mounting section 21. A first substrate transfer robot (first substrate transfer mechanism) 23 and a delivery unit (delivery unit) 24 are provided inside the first transfer unit 22. The first substrate transfer robot 23 includes a substrate holding mechanism as an end effector for holding the substrate W. The first substrate transfer robot 23 is movable in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and is rotatable about the vertical axis. The first substrate transfer robot 23 transfers the substrate W between the substrate transfer container C and the delivery unit 24 on the container mounting section 21.
The processing unit 6 is provided adjacent to the first conveying unit 22. The processing unit 6 is provided with one or more single-wafer liquid processing units 61, one or more supercritical drying units 62 for performing supercritical drying of the substrate W processed by the single-wafer liquid processing units 61, and a second substrate transfer robot (second substrate transfer mechanism) 63. In one embodiment, a plurality of single-sheet liquid processing units 61 and a plurality of supercritical drying units 62 may be disposed in a stacked manner up and down in the position shown in fig. 1.
The second substrate transfer robot 63 includes an end effector movable by a multi-axis drive mechanism 631, and the multi-axis drive mechanism 631 is movable in the X-direction and the Y-direction, is movable in the Z-direction, and is rotatable about a vertical axis. The end effector is a substrate holder 632, for example, in a fork shape, which can hold a single substrate in a horizontal posture. The second substrate transfer robot 63 (in particular, the end effector thereof) is capable of transferring substrates among the transfer unit 24, the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61, and the supercritical drying unit 62 by moving in the transfer space 64. The substrate W is maintained in a horizontal posture all the time while being transferred by the second substrate transfer robot 63.
A nitrogen gas supply unit 65 for ejecting nitrogen gas is provided in the conveyance space 64. The nitrogen gas is supplied to the nitrogen gas supply unit 65 from a nitrogen gas supply source provided as a field facility, for example. An exhaust portion 66 may be provided that exhausts the atmosphere within the conveyance space 64 to facilitate nitrogen purging within the conveyance space 64. From the viewpoint of improving the purge efficiency, the nitrogen gas supply portion 65 and the exhaust portion 66 are preferably provided at positions separated from each other. The nitrogen gas supply unit 65 schematically shown in fig. 1 may be provided on the top wall of the rectangular parallelepiped conveying space 64, and in this case, the nitrogen gas supply unit 65 forms a downward flow of nitrogen gas in the conveying space 64. Alternatively, the nitrogen gas supply unit 65 may be provided on a side wall of the conveyance space 64, in which case the nitrogen gas supply unit 65 forms a flow measurement of nitrogen gas in the conveyance space 64.
A partition wall 67 is provided between the transfer space 64 of the processing unit 6 and the delivery unit 24, and a door (not shown) having appropriate air tightness is provided to the partition wall 67. The door, not shown, is opened only when the substrate W passes through the door. With this configuration, unnecessary consumption of nitrogen gas due to leakage of nitrogen gas from the transfer space 64 to the first transfer unit 22 can be prevented, and leakage of nitrogen gas from the transfer space 64 to the surrounding environment of the substrate processing system 1 can be prevented.
As the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61, any single-wafer liquid processing unit known in the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses can be used. A configuration example of the single-chip liquid processing unit 61 that can be used in the present embodiment will be briefly described below with reference to fig. 2. The single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 includes a spin chuck 611 capable of holding the substrate W in a horizontal posture and rotating the substrate W around a vertical axis, and one or more nozzles 612 for ejecting the processing liquid onto the substrate W held and rotated by the spin chuck 611. The nozzle 612 is supported by an arm 613 for moving the nozzle 612. The single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 includes a liquid receiving cup 614 for collecting the processing liquid scattered from the rotating substrate W. The liquid receiving cup 614 has a liquid discharge port 615 for discharging the recovered processing liquid to the outside of the liquid processing unit 61, and an exhaust port 616 for discharging the atmosphere gas in the liquid receiving cup 614. Clean gas is blown down from a blower filter unit 618 provided at the top of the chamber 617 of the single-chip liquid processing unit 61, introduced into the liquid receiving cup 614, and discharged to the gas outlet 616.
As the blower filter unit 618, a filter unit having a selective clean air (clean air) and an inert gas, here, for example, nitrogen (N) 2 Gas) and a fan filter unit for jetting out the gas. In this case, as the clean air, clean air obtained by filtering air in a clean room in which the substrate processing system 1 is installed by a filter (e.g., ULPA filter) in the blower filter unit 618 is used, and as the nitrogen gas, nitrogen gas supplied from a nitrogen gas supply source provided as a field facility of the semiconductor manufacturing factory is used. The fan filter unit 618 having such a function is well known in the art of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, and a detailed description of the structure is omitted.
As the supercritical drying unit 62, any supercritical drying unit known in the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses can be used. The configuration and operation of the supercritical drying unit 62 usable in the present embodiment will be briefly described below with reference to fig. 1 and 3. The supercritical drying unit 62 includes a supercritical chamber 621 and a substrate support tray 622 that can advance and retreat with respect to the supercritical chamber 621. Fig. 1 depicts a substrate support tray 622 withdrawn from the supercritical chamber 621, and in this state, the second substrate transfer robot 63 can transfer the substrate W to and from the substrate support tray 622.
Fig. 3 shows a state in which the substrate support tray 622 is accommodated in the supercritical chamber 621. The substrate support tray 622 has a lid 625, and the lid 625 closes an opening of the supercritical chamber 621 through a not-shown member, thereby forming a closed processing space in the supercritical chamber 621. Marker 623 is a treatment fluid (e.g., CO 2 (carbon dioxide)) supply port 623, labeled 624 as fluid (CO 2 IPA, etc.).
The supercritical drying unit 62 may be provided with a nitrogen gas discharge portion 626 so that a region 628 (in fig. 1, a region where the substrate support tray 622 is present) for delivering the substrate W to the substrate support tray 622 in the supercritical drying unit 62 is set to a nitrogen gas atmosphere. An exhaust 627 that exhausts the atmosphere of the region 628 may also be provided to facilitate a nitrogen purge of the region 628. From the viewpoint of improving the purge efficiency, it is preferable to provide the nitrogen gas supply portion 626 and the exhaust portion 627 at positions separated from each other.
Next, an IPA supply mechanism 700 for supplying IPA (isopropyl alcohol) used in the single-chip liquid processing unit 61 and a structure for degassing provided in the IPA supply mechanism 700 will be described with reference to fig. 4.
The IPA supply mechanism 700 includes a tank 702 for storing IPA, and a circulation line 704 connected to the tank 702. The circulation line 704 includes, in order from the upstream side, a pump 706, a thermostat 708, a filter 710, a flow meter 712, and a constant pressure valve 714. The pump 706 pressurizes and discharges the IPA, thereby forming a circulating flow of the IPA in the circulation line 704. The thermostat 708 adjusts the temperature of the IPA to a temperature suitable for use in the single-chip liquid processing unit 61 as the supply destination of the IPA. Filter 710 removes contaminants such as particulates from the IPA. The constant pressure valve 714 can allow the IPA to flow into the single-chip liquid processing unit 61 as a supply destination of the IPA at an appropriate pressure.
A plurality of branch points 715 are set in the circulation line 704, and branch supply lines 716 are branched from the circulation line 704 at the respective branch points 715. The downstream end of each branch supply line 716 is connected to the nozzle 612 for supplying IPA of the corresponding single-chip liquid processing unit 61. A dissolved gas monitor 718, a constant pressure valve 720, an on-off valve 722, and a dissolved gas filter (e.g., a hollow fiber membrane filter) 724 are provided in this order from the upstream side in the branch supply line 716. A branch return line 730 branches from the branch supply line 716 at a branch point 728 set in the branch supply line 716. An on-off valve 732 is provided in the branch return line 730. The plurality of branched return lines 730 merge into one return line 734, and the downstream end of the return line 734 is connected to the tank 702.
The degassing line 742 branches from a branching point 740 provided in the circulation line 704. An online megasonic device 744, an online dissolved gas monitor (dissolved gas sensor) 746, a constant pressure valve 748, and a hollow fiber membrane filter 750 are provided in this order from the upstream side in the degassing line 742. The downstream end of the degassing line 742 is connected to the tank 702.
The line megasonic device 744 generates cavitation bubbles by applying high output ultrasonic waves to the IPA flowing in the degassing line 742. An online dissolved gas monitor (dissolved gas sensor) 746 measures the concentration of the gas contained in the IPA flowing in the degassing line 742, particularly oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc., which are harmful gases for a process described later. The constant pressure valve 748 regulates the flow of IPA flowing in the degassing line 742.
When IPA flows through the hollow fiber membrane, the outer side of the hollow fiber membrane filter 750 is depressurized, and bubbles contained in the IPA (which are cavitation bubbles generated by the linear megasonic device 744) and dissolved gas contained in the IPA pass through the wall surface of the hollow fiber membrane and come to the outer side of the hollow fiber membrane. Thus, bubbles and dissolved gas in the IPA can be reduced. Degassing can also be performed only by the hollow fiber membrane filter 750. However, in this degassing line 742, since the gas in the IPA is bubbled up by the line megasonic device 744 on the upstream side of the hollow fiber membrane filter 750, the removal efficiency of the dissolved gas can be further improved compared to the case where the degassing is performed by only the hollow fiber membrane filter 750. The IPA from which dissolved gases are removed is returned to tank 702.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the in-line degassing mechanism is composed of two in-line devices, an in-line megasonic device 744 and a hollow fiber membrane filter 750. In addition, as described above, since the degassing can be performed only by the hollow fiber membrane filter 750, the in-line degassing mechanism can be configured only by the hollow fiber membrane filter 750. The on-line degassing mechanism is a mechanism that is provided in a line (a flow path of a liquid such as a pipe) and that can degas the liquid while the liquid is flowing through the mechanism (without stopping the flow of the liquid).
IPA is supplied from an IPA supply 760 to the tank 702 via an IPA supply line 762. An on-off valve 764 is provided in the IPA supply line 762. In many cases, the IPA supply 760 is provided as a facility in a semiconductor manufacturing facility in which the substrate processing system 1 is installed. The tank 702 is connected to a discharge line 766, and an on-off valve 768 is provided in the discharge line 766.
In the first configuration example of the IPA supply mechanism 700, the tank 702 is connected to a supply source 780 of an inert gas (here, nitrogen gas) via a gas supply line 782. An on-off valve 784 is connected to the gas supply line 782. In many cases, a nitrogen supply 780 is also provided as a field facility. Further, a heater 790 is provided in the tank 702. A cooler 726 is provided downstream of the filter 724 of the branch supply line 716. The components described in this paragraph are depicted by dashed or dotted lines.
In the second configuration example of the IPA supply mechanism 700, the tank 702 is connected to a vacuum pump (pressure reducing device) 770 via a pressure reducing line 772. The pressure reducing line 772 is provided with an opening/closing valve 774 and a vacuum filter 776. A discharge line 778 is connected to the pressure reducing line 772.
The first structural example and the second structural example differ only in the above-described portion, and other structures are common therebetween.
Next, the operation of the IPA supply mechanism 700 in the first configuration example will be described. Nitrogen gas is supplied from a nitrogen gas supply source 780 to the tank 702, and the inside of the tank 702 is set to a nitrogen gas atmosphere. This can prevent oxygen and carbon dioxide from being dissolved in IPA. Further, the tank 702 is supplied from the IPA supply source 760, and after a predetermined amount of IPA is stored in the tank 702, the pump 706 is operated, and the heater 790 attached to the tank 702 is operated. Thus, the IPA in the tank 702 is heated to an appropriate temperature (for example, about 70 ℃) equal to or lower than the boiling point, and the heated IPA is circulated through the circulation line 704. The thermostat 708 also heats the IPA flowing through the circulation line 704 to maintain the IPA at an appropriate temperature. By heating the IPA, the solubility of the gas in the IPA is reduced, the gas is less likely to dissolve into the IPA in the tank, and a part of the gas having dissolved into the IPA is separated from the IPA.
A part of the IPA flowing through the circulation line 704 flows into the deaeration line 742, is deaerated by the in-line megasonic device 744 and the hollow fiber membrane filter 750 according to the aforementioned mechanism, and is returned to the tank 702. In this case, IPA is heated, so that the degassing efficiency is improved.
The IPA flowing through the circulation line 704 flows into at least some of the branch supply lines 716 (for example, branch supply lines corresponding to the single-chip liquid processing units 61 whose processing is expected to start at a near timing) among the plurality of branch supply lines 716, does not go to the nozzle 612, flows into the corresponding branch return line 730, and further returns to the tank 702 via the return line 734.
When the above state continues for a while and at least the following conditions are satisfied, the control device 100 determines that the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 is in a state in which IPA can be supplied to the substrate W (IPA available state).
Through dissolved gas monitor 746 of degassing line 742, the gas concentration (e.g., oxygen concentration and/or carbon dioxide gas concentration) in ipa is below a predetermined threshold.
By means of the dissolved gas monitor 718 corresponding to the monolithic liquid processing unit 61, where the processing is expected to start close, the gas concentration (e.g. oxygen concentration and/or carbon dioxide gas concentration) in ipa is below a predetermined threshold.
As other conditions, there is a case where the temperature of the IPA circulating in the circulation line 704 is within a predetermined temperature range. To confirm the temperature of the IPA, a temperature sensor can be provided in the tank 702 or an appropriate line connected to the tank.
Preferably, after confirming that the IPA suppliable state is established, the single wafer processing unit 61 starts processing one wafer of substrates W. When the IPA is supplied to the substrate W, the cooler 726 is operated to close the on-off valve 732 and to open the on-off valve 722. Accordingly, the IPA whose temperature has been reduced to a predetermined temperature (for example, about room temperature to 30 ℃) by the cooler 726 is supplied from the nozzle 612 for ejecting the IPA to the substrate W.
Next, the operation of the IPA supply mechanism 700 in the second configuration example will be described. As in the first configuration example, the tank 702 is supplied from the IPA supply 760, and after a predetermined amount of IPA is stored in the tank 702, the inside of the tank 702 is depressurized by the vacuum pump 770 so as to satisfy the condition that "the pressure (not the gauge pressure, but the absolute pressure) in the tank 702 is higher than the vapor pressure of the IPA". And, the pump 706 operates. Since the inside of the tank 702 is depressurized, a part of the gas dissolved in the IPA is separated from the IPA. As in the first configuration example, the IPA circulates through the circulation line 704, and a part of the IPA flowing through the circulation line 704 flows into the degassing line 742, and is degassed by an online megasonic device 744 and a hollow fiber membrane filter 750 provided in the degassing line 742.
In addition, as in the first configuration example, the IPA flowing through the circulation line 704 flows into at least some of the branch supply lines 716 (for example, the branch supply line corresponding to the single-chip liquid processing unit 61 whose processing is expected to start at a near timing) among the plurality of branch supply lines 716, does not go to the nozzle 612, flows into the corresponding branch return line 730, and further returns to the tank 702 via the return line 734. At this time, the dissolved gas concentration is monitored by the dissolved gas monitor 746 of the deaeration line 742 and the dissolved gas monitor 718 of the branch supply line 716 in the same manner as in the first configuration example, and after confirming that the IPA suppliable state is established, the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 allows the start of the processing of one wafer W. In the second configuration example, unlike the first configuration example, the heating of the IPA in the tank 702 and the cooling of the IPA in the branch supply line 716 are not performed.
Next, a flow of processing the substrate W in the substrate processing system 1 will be described. The first substrate transfer robot 23 of the carry-in/out section 2 takes out the substrate W from the substrate transfer container C placed on the container placement section 21, and places the taken-out substrate W on the transfer unit 24. Next, the substrate W is taken out from the delivery unit 24 by the second substrate transfer robot 63 of the processing unit 6, and is carried into the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61.
The substrate W carried into the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 is held in a horizontal posture by the rotation holding tray 611. Then, the substrate W is rotated around the vertical axis by rotating the holding plate 611. In this state, the various processing liquids are sequentially supplied from one or more nozzles 612 for dispensing the various processing liquids required for the processing to the substrate W, thereby performing the liquid processing on the substrate W. An example of the liquid treatment will be described below. First, a pre-wetting process is performed by supplying a pre-wetting liquid to the substrate W, a chemical solution treatment process (wet etching or chemical solution cleaning) is performed by supplying a chemical solution to the substrate W, and then a rinse process is performed by supplying a rinse liquid (for example, DIW (pure water)) to the substrate W. The chemical treatment process and the rinsing process may be performed a plurality of times each time.
In one embodiment, for example, the following steps are performed on one substrate W.
Step 1: prewetting process using DIW
Step 2: DHF etching process
And step 3: DIW rinsing Process
And 4, step 4: SC1 cleaning step
And step 5: DIW rinsing Process
In the steps 1 to 5, DHF (dilute hydrofluoric acid) and SC1 are supplied from different nozzles 612. The DIW may be supplied from the nozzle 612 dedicated to supplying the DIW, or may be supplied from the nozzle 612 for DHF supply.
In step 2, siO is removed by DHF etching 2 (silicon oxide) and columnar bodies made of Si (silicon) extending in the vertical direction are formed at substantially equal intervals. The same column is also shown in fig. 5. In an exemplary embodiment, the protection is provided byThe substrate W is dried by a supercritical drying process described later while the columnar body made of Si is damaged.
After the final rinsing step (e.g., step 5), IPA is supplied from the IPA discharge nozzle 612 to the substrate W while the substrate W is continuously rotated, and the rinse liquid on the surface of the substrate W (including the surface of the concave portion of the pattern) is replaced with IPA (IPA replacement step). Thereafter, the rotation speed of the substrate is reduced to an extremely low speed while the IPA is still supplied from the nozzle, and the film thickness of the IPA is adjusted. As a result, the surface of the substrate W is covered with an IPA liquid film (i.e., a japanese (japanese language)) having a desired film thickness (i.e., an IPA liquid forming step). In the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61, the degassed IPA is used as the IPA supplied to the substrate W in the IPA substitution step and the IPA slurry forming step.
The atmosphere in the chamber of the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 is preferably an inert gas atmosphere, for example, a nitrogen gas atmosphere, to prevent oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air from being dissolved again into the degassed IPA. Therefore, nitrogen gas is supplied from the blower filter unit 618 having the nitrogen gas discharge function. Since nitrogen gas has a lower solubility in IPA than oxygen gas and carbon dioxide gas, dissolution of gas into IPA can be suppressed by setting the atmosphere around the substrate W to which IPA is adhered to a nitrogen atmosphere.
Preferably, the atmosphere in the chamber of the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 is a nitrogen atmosphere at least during the period in which the substrate W having IPA on the surface is in the chamber. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to set the atmosphere in the chamber to be a nitrogen atmosphere at the latest point in time when the discharge of IPA is started. When the substrate W is not present in the chamber and when IPA is not attached to the surface of the substrate in the chamber, the chamber may be a clean air atmosphere having a normal atmospheric composition.
After the completion of the processing in the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61, the end effector (substrate holder) of the second substrate transfer robot 63 enters the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61, and the substrate W having the IPA slurry formed on the surface thereof is taken out of the spin holding tray 611 and transferred to the supercritical drying unit 62. The interior of the transfer space 64 through which the substrate W passes during the transfer from the single-wafer liquid processing unit 61 to the supercritical drying unit 62 is adjusted to an inert gas (here, nitrogen gas) atmosphere. Thus, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air can be prevented from being dissolved again in the IPA on the substrate W even when the substrate W passes through the conveyance space 64.
The second substrate transfer robot 63 places the substrate W carried into the supercritical drying unit 62 on the substrate support tray 622 of the supercritical drying unit 62. Next, the substrate support tray 622 is housed in the supercritical chamber 621, and a lid 625 integrated with the substrate support tray 622 seals the supercritical chamber 621. The inside of the housing of the supercritical drying unit 62 (in the region 628) is also an inert gas (here, nitrogen) atmosphere. Accordingly, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air can be prevented from being re-dissolved in IPA on the substrate W until the substrate W is carried into the supercritical drying unit 62 and then stored in the supercritical chamber 621 in a state of being placed on the substrate support tray 622.
When the substrate W is accommodated in the supercritical chamber 621, supercritical drying processing is performed. First, a processing fluid (e.g., CO) is supplied into the supercritical chamber 621 through the supply port 623 from a supercritical fluid supply source (not shown) 2 ) Thereby, the supercritical chamber 621 is filled with CO while the pressure in the supercritical chamber 621 is increased 2 (step of boosting). In addition, during the period before the supercritical chamber 621 is pressurized, CO may be supplied through another supply port (not shown) opened to the lower surface of the substrate support tray 622 2 。
The pressure in the supercritical chamber 621 reaches the supercritical state assurance pressure (assurance of CO 2 Individual fluid and CO 2 The pressure of the mixed fluid with IPA in the supercritical state) and then a flow-through process is performed. In the flow-through process, CO supplied from the supply port 623 2 The IPA slurry flows along the surface of the substrate W above the IPA slurry and is discharged from the exhaust port 624 (see arrow in the figure). By continuing this state, the IPA on the surface of the substrate W is replaced with CO 2 . Supercritical CO in IPA 2 After replacement, the exhaust port 624 side is connected to the atmospheric airThe inside of the supercritical chamber 621 is returned to normal pressure. Thereby, supercritical CO on the surface of the substrate W 2 Vaporizing, and drying the surface of the substrate W (discharging step). In this way, the substrate W can be dried while preventing damage to the pattern formed on the surface of the substrate W.
Immediately after the substrate support tray 622 on which the substrate W is placed enters the supercritical chamber 621 (maintained at a relatively high temperature (for example, about 80 ℃), the temperature of the IPA on the substrate W increases, and as a result, the dissolved gas in the IPA is vaporized, and bubbles are generated in the IPA. When a fine pattern with a high aspect ratio is formed on the surface of the substrate W, particularly when thin and high columnar portions extending in the vertical direction are arranged at intervals and grooves are formed between the columnar portions, if large bubbles (for example, see mark B in fig. 5) are generated in the IPA in the grooves, there is a risk that the columnar portions are broken by the force generated by the expansion of the bubbles, and the pattern is broken. In this embodiment, since the degassed IPA is used, bubbles are less likely to be generated, and thus pattern damage due to the above mechanism is less likely to occur.
Further, since the space where the substrate W having the IPA slurry formed can exist is set to a nitrogen atmosphere, an increase in the amount of the dissolved gas of the IPA during the transfer can be suppressed. Therefore, pattern damage based on the above mechanism is less likely to occur.
Here, the "nitrogen atmosphere" described above need not be an atmosphere having a nitrogen concentration of 100%, and the nitrogen concentration in the atmosphere may be a suitable value higher than the nitrogen concentration in the air.
After the supercritical drying process is completed, the dried substrate W is taken out of the supercritical drying unit 62 by the second substrate transfer robot 63 and transferred to the delivery unit 24. Next, the first substrate transfer robot 23 takes out the substrate W from the delivery unit 24 and stores the substrate W in the original substrate transfer container C placed on the container placement unit 21.
According to the above embodiment, the degassed IPA is used as the treatment liquid to be replaced with the treatment fluid in the supercritical state at the time of the supercritical drying treatment, and thereby, damage to the pattern can be prevented or greatly suppressed. In addition, by setting the atmosphere of the space for carrying the substrate with the IPA slurry to a nitrogen atmosphere, damage to the pattern can be more reliably prevented or greatly suppressed.
The presently disclosed embodiments are considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted or altered in various ways without departing from the scope of the appended claims and their gist.
The substrate is not limited to the semiconductor wafer, and may be another type of substrate used in manufacturing a semiconductor device, such as a glass substrate and a ceramic substrate. In the above embodiment, the atmosphere in the tank (702) at the time of degassing and the atmosphere in the space where the substrate W having the IPA slurry formed therein is present or transported are nitrogen atmosphere, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be other inert gas (e.g., argon) atmosphere.

Claims (13)

1. A substrate processing method, comprising:
a degassing step of removing dissolved gas in the treatment liquid;
a liquid film forming step of supplying the processing liquid from which the dissolved gas has been removed to a surface of a substrate to form a liquid film of the processing liquid covering the surface of the substrate;
a carry-in step of carrying the substrate on which the liquid film is formed into a processing container; and
and a supercritical drying step of maintaining a pressure in the processing container in which the substrate having the liquid film formed thereon is carried to a pressure at which a processing fluid is maintained in a supercritical state, and flowing the processing fluid into the processing container, thereby replacing the processing fluid covering the surface of the substrate with the processing fluid, and thereafter drying the surface of the substrate by vaporizing the processing fluid.
2. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein,
the degassing step includes heating the treatment liquid to a temperature below the boiling point.
3. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 2, wherein,
the degassing step includes: the inside of a container storing the treatment liquid is set to an inert gas atmosphere, and the treatment liquid stored in the container is heated to a temperature lower than the boiling point of the treatment liquid.
4. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 3, wherein,
the inactive gas is nitrogen or argon.
5. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein,
the degassing step includes: the container storing the treatment liquid is depressurized and exhausted.
6. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein,
the degassing step includes: applying ultrasonic vibration to the treatment liquid to generate bubbles in the treatment liquid; and removing the bubbles from the treatment liquid.
7. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 6, wherein,
the following process is performed by using an online degassing mechanism provided in a circulation path connected to a container for storing the process liquid while the process liquid is caused to flow in the circulation path: generating the bubbles in the treatment liquid; and removing the bubbles from the treatment liquid.
8. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:
the atmosphere of the space through which the substrate on which the liquid film of the processing liquid is formed passes is set to an inert gas atmosphere during a period from the end of the liquid film forming process to the end of the carry-in process.
9. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 8, wherein,
the inactive gas is nitrogen or argon.
10. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:
and a chemical treatment step of performing chemical treatment on the substrate before the liquid film forming step.
11. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 10, wherein,
the liquid medicine treatment is etching treatment.
12. The method for processing a substrate according to claim 11, wherein,
a pattern having a plurality of grooves is formed on the substrate by the etching process.
13. A substrate processing system is provided with:
a liquid treatment unit that performs a liquid film forming process on a substrate;
a treatment liquid supply mechanism that supplies a treatment liquid used in the liquid treatment unit, and that includes a degasifier that removes dissolved gas from the treatment liquid;
a supercritical drying unit that performs supercritical drying treatment on the substrate;
a transport device that transports the substrate from the liquid processing unit to the supercritical drying unit; and
a control section that controls an operation of the substrate processing system to execute the substrate processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
CN202310192144.0A 2022-03-10 2023-03-02 Substrate processing method and substrate processing system Pending CN116741621A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2022-037537 2022-03-10
JP2022-182765 2022-11-15
JP2022182765A JP2023133102A (en) 2022-03-10 2022-11-15 Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN116741621A true CN116741621A (en) 2023-09-12

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Country Link
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