JP7345016B1 - Substrate processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus is provided that prevents a supercritical fluid from coming into direct contact with a substrate during initial injection. In the substrate processing apparatus, a second process chamber 4000 includes a housing 4000 that is a high-pressure chamber in which a processing space 4130 in which a supercritical processing process is performed, and a substrate S is supported in the processing space 4130. It includes a substrate support member 4300, a fluid supply unit 4500 that supplies processing fluid to the processing space 4130, and an exhaust unit 4600 that exhausts the atmosphere of the processing space 4130. The fluid supply unit 4500 includes a cover plate 4530 that faces the processing surface of the substrate S supported by the substrate support unit 4300 and has a supply hole formed therein for supplying processing fluid to the processing surface. [Selection diagram] Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus and method for performing a supercritical process.

Generally, semiconductor devices are manufactured from a substrate such as a wafer. Specifically, semiconductor devices are manufactured by forming fine circuit patterns on the upper surface of a substrate by performing a deposition process, a photolithography process, an etching process, etc.

While performing the above steps, various foreign substances are deposited on the upper surface of the substrate on which the circuit pattern is formed. During the above steps, a cleaning process is performed to remove foreign substances from the substrate.

In general, the cleaning process consists of a chemical treatment in which chemicals are supplied to the substrate to remove foreign matter on the substrate, a rinsing treatment in which pure water is supplied to the substrate to remove any chemicals remaining on the substrate, and a Includes a drying process to remove water.

A supercritical fluid is used for drying the substrate. According to one example, after replacing pure water on the substrate with an organic solvent, a supercritical fluid is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate in a high-pressure chamber to dissolve the organic solvent remaining on the substrate into the supercritical fluid. Remove from substrate. When isopropyl alcohol (hereinafter referred to as IPA) is used as an organic solvent, carbon dioxide (CO2) is used as the supercritical fluid because its critical temperature and critical pressure are relatively low and IPA easily dissolves in it. .

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a conventional substrate processing apparatus using supercritical fluid.

As shown in FIG. 11, in the conventional substrate processing apparatus 1 using supercritical fluid, the supercritical fluid supplied through the upper injection line 3 may be liquefied when the internal pressure of the chamber 2 is low at the beginning of the process. Therefore, the supercritical fluid supplied to the top of the substrate (S) at the beginning of the supercritical drying process is liquefied and falls onto the substrate (S) due to gravity, which may damage the substrate. In addition, although the exhaust is carried out under the substrate through the exhaust port 4, there is a problem in that impurities including IPA residue and particles contaminate the lower injection line 5 during the process.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0053337

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and method that can prevent a supercritical fluid from coming into direct contact with a substrate during an initial injection port.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and method that can separate and supply gases depending on the pressure of a chamber.

The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and problems not mentioned can be solved by those who have ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains from the present specification and the attached drawings. can be clearly understood.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a high-pressure chamber in which a processing space for performing a supercritical processing step is formed, a substrate support unit that supports a substrate in the processing space, and a processing fluid that is supplied to the processing space. and an exhaust unit that exhausts the atmosphere of the processing space, the fluid supply unit facing the processing surface of the substrate supported by the substrate support unit and supplying the processing fluid to the processing surface. A substrate processing apparatus may be provided that includes a cover plate having a supply hole formed therein.

Also, the cover plate may have a radius similar to that of the substrate or may be larger.

Also, the supply hole may be opposed to the center of the processing surface.

Further, the fluid supply unit includes a first injection line that supplies processing fluid to an upper surface of the high-pressure chamber facing the upper surface of the cover plate toward the upper surface of the cover plate, and supplies processing fluid to the supply hole. A second injection line may be included.

The control unit further includes a control unit that controls the fluid supply unit, and the control unit supplies the processing fluid through the first injection line until the pressure in the processing space reaches a target pressure, and the control unit supplies the processing fluid through the first injection line to the processing space. The fluid supply unit may be controlled to supply the processing fluid through the second injection line after the pressure reaches a target pressure.

Also, a plurality of first injection lines may be arranged radially with respect to the first injection line.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a high-pressure chamber in which a processing space in which a supercritical processing process is performed, a substrate support unit that supports a substrate in the processing space, and a processing fluid that supplies processing fluid to the processing space. and an exhaust unit that exhausts the atmosphere of the processing space, the fluid supply unit includes first and second injection lines provided on the upper surface of the high pressure chamber, and and the substrate support unit to block the processing fluid supplied from the first injection line from being directly injected in one direction toward the processing surface of the substrate, and the second injection line A substrate processing apparatus may be provided, including a cover plate having a supply hole connected to the cover plate and capable of supplying a processing fluid directly to a processing surface of a substrate.

The control unit further includes a control unit that controls the fluid supply unit, and the control unit supplies the processing fluid through the first injection line until the pressure in the processing space reaches a target pressure, and the control unit supplies the processing fluid through the first injection line to the processing space. The fluid supply unit may be controlled to supply the processing fluid through the second injection line after the pressure reaches a target pressure.

Further, the target pressure may be a critical pressure of the processing fluid.

Also, the cover plate may have a radius similar to that of the substrate or may be larger.

Also, the supply hole may be opposed to the center of the processing surface.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a substrate support unit that supports a substrate in a processing space of a chamber, a plate having a through hole formed therein and arranged to face a processing surface of a substrate, and a plate that supports a substrate in a processing space of a chamber; a fluid supply unit for supplying processing fluid, the fluid supply unit having a first injection line supplying processing fluid at the top surface of the plate, and a second injection line supplying processing fluid at the through hole of the plate. A substrate processing apparatus including:

The invention further includes a controller for controlling the fluid supply unit, wherein the controller is configured to supply the processing fluid through the first injection line in order to prevent the processing fluid from directly contacting the substrate between the initial injection ports of the processing fluid. can be controlled so that it is supplied first.

In addition, the fluid supply unit first supplies the processing fluid toward the edge of the substrate through the first injection line, and when the pressure in the processing space reaches a target pressure, directly supplies the processing fluid to the top surface of the substrate through the second injection line. can do.

The control unit further includes a detector configured to detect a pressure in the processing space, and the control unit supplies processing fluid to the first injection line and the second injection line based on the pressure value of the processing space provided from the detector. can be controlled.

Further, the controller may supply the processing fluid through the second injection line when the internal pressure of the processing space reaches a critical pressure.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the steps include carrying a substrate into a processing space of a chamber and seating it on a substrate support unit, supplying a processing fluid to the processing space, and exhausting the processing fluid from the processing space. and unloading the substrate from the chamber, wherein the step of supplying the processing fluid includes introducing the processing fluid from an edge region of the substrate through a first injection line formed on a top surface of the chamber. a primary injection step of supplying processing fluid through a first injection line such that a central region of the substrate is provided with processing fluid; and a secondary injection stage of supplying processing fluid through a second injection line such that processing fluid is provided to a central region of the substrate. A substrate processing method can be provided that includes steps.

In addition, in the primary implantation step, the first implantation line is supplied toward the top surface of a cover plate disposed to face the processing surface of the substrate, and in the secondary implantation step, the second implantation line is A processing fluid may be supplied to a central region of the substrate through a supply hole formed in the cover plate.

The first injection step may be performed until the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure, and the second injection step may be performed after the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure. .

Further, the target pressure may be a critical pressure of the processing fluid.

According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to prevent damage to the substrate by blocking direct contact between the supercritical fluid and the substrate between the initial injection ports.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the supercritical fluid can be separated and supplied by the pressure of the housing.
The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the attached drawings. could be done.

It is a graph regarding the phase change of carbon dioxide. FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first process chamber of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the second process chamber of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a concave portion for explaining the fluid supply unit shown in FIG. 5; Figures a to d show the supercritical fluid supply process in the second process chamber. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a substrate processing method in a second process chamber. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the second process chamber. a and b are perspective views showing the cover plate shown in FIG. 5; 1 is a diagram showing a conventional substrate processing apparatus using supercritical fluid.

The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. These Examples are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shapes of components in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation.

The substrate processing apparatus 100 can perform a supercritical process for processing a substrate (S) using a supercritical fluid as a process fluid.

Here, the term "substrate (S)" is a comprehensive concept that includes all substrates used for manufacturing semiconductor devices, flat panel displays (FPDs), and other products having circuit patterns formed on thin films. Examples of such substrates (S) include various wafers including silicon wafers, glass substrates, and organic substrates.
A supercritical fluid refers to a phase that is formed when it reaches a supercritical state exceeding a critical temperature and a critical pressure, and has the properties of a gas and a liquid at the same time. Supercritical fluids have a molecular density close to that of a liquid and a viscosity close to that of a gas, which makes them excellent in diffusion, penetration, and solubility, making them advantageous for chemical reactions, and with almost no surface tension. It has the property of not adding interfacial tension to the microstructure.

Supercritical processes are performed using the characteristics of supercritical fluids, and representative examples thereof include supercritical drying processes and supercritical etching processes. In the following, the supercritical process will be explained based on the supercritical drying process. However, this is only for ease of explanation, and the substrate processing apparatus 100 can perform other supercritical processes other than the supercritical drying process.

The supercritical drying process can be performed by dissolving the organic solvent remaining in the circuit pattern of the substrate (S) using a supercritical fluid and drying the substrate (S), and has excellent drying efficiency. It has the advantage of preventing the phenomenon of collapse. As the supercritical fluid used in the supercritical drying process, a substance that is miscible with an organic solvent can be used. For example, supercritical carbon dioxide ( _scCO2 ) can be used in the supercritical fluid.

FIG. 1 is a graph regarding the phase change of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide has a critical temperature of 31.1℃ and a critical pressure of 7.38Mpa, which are relatively low, making it easy to produce in a supercritical state, making it easy to control phase changes by adjusting temperature and pressure, and inexpensive. There are advantages. In addition, carbon dioxide is non-toxic, harmless to the human body, non-flammable, and inactive, and supercritical carbon dioxide has a diffusion coefficient of 10 to 100 times that of water and other organic solvents. ), it penetrates quickly, replaces organic solvents quickly, and has almost no surface tension, so it has physical properties that are advantageous for use in drying substrates (S) having fine circuit patterns. In addition, carbon dioxide is produced as a byproduct of various chemical reactions and can be reused.At the same time, after being used in a supercritical drying process, it is converted into a gas and the organic solvent is separated for reuse. It is possible to do so, and there is less burden on the environment in terms of pollution.

An embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention will be described below. The substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform a cleaning process including a supercritical drying process.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus 100, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus 100.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes an index module 1000 and a process module 2000.

The index module 1000 receives the substrate (S) from the outside and returns the substrate (S) to the process module 2000, and the process module 2000 can perform a supercritical drying process.

The index module 1000 is an equipment front end module (EFEM) and includes a load port 1100 and a transfer frame 1200.

A container (C) containing a substrate (S) is placed in the load port 1100. A front opening unified pod (FOUP) is sometimes used as the container (C). The container (C) can be carried into the load port 1100 from the outside by overhead transfer (OHT), or carried out from the load port 1100 to the outside.

The transfer frame 1200 returns the substrate (S) between the container (C) placed at the load port 1100 and the process module 2000. The transfer frame 1200 includes an indexing robot 1210 and an indexing rail 1220. The indexing robot 1210 can return the substrate (S) by moving on the indexing rail 1220.

The process module 2000 includes a buffer chamber 2100, a transfer chamber 2200, a first process chamber 3000, and a second process chamber 4000 as modules for actually performing processes.

The buffer chamber 2100 provides a space between the index module 1000 and the process module 2000 in which a returned substrate (S) temporarily remains. The buffer chamber 2100 may be provided with a buffer slot in which a substrate (S) is placed. For example, the indexing robot 1210 can pull out a substrate (S) from a container (C) and place it in a buffer slot, and the transfer robot 2210 of the transfer chamber 2200 can pull out a substrate (S) placed in a buffer slot and place it in a buffer slot. can be returned to the first process chamber 3000 or the second process chamber 4000. A plurality of buffer slots are provided in the buffer chamber 2100, and a plurality of substrates (S) can be placed therein.

The transfer chamber 2200 returns the substrate (S) between a buffer chamber 2100, a first process chamber 3000, and a second process chamber 4000, which are arranged around the transfer chamber 2200. The transfer chamber 2200 may include a transfer robot 2210 and a transfer rail 2220. The transfer robot 2210 can move on the transfer rail 2220 to return the substrate (S).

The first process chamber 3000 and the second process chamber 4000 can perform a cleaning process. At this time, the cleaning process may be sequentially performed in the first process chamber 3000 and the second process chamber 4000. For example, a chemical process, a rinsing process, and an organic solvent process among cleaning processes may be performed in the first process chamber 3000, and then a supercritical drying process may be performed in the second process chamber 4000.
The first process chamber 3000 and the second process chamber 4000 are disposed on the side of the transfer chamber 2200. For example, the first process chamber 3000 and the second process chamber 4000 may be disposed on other sides of the transfer chamber 2200 to face each other.

Further, the process module 2000 may include a plurality of first process chambers 3000 and a plurality of second process chambers 4000. The plurality of process chambers 3000 and 4000 may be arranged in a row on the side of the transfer chamber 2200, vertically stacked, or a combination thereof.

Of course, the arrangement of the first process chamber 3000 and the second process chamber 4000 is not limited to the example described above, and may be appropriately changed in consideration of various factors such as the print of the substrate processing apparatus 100 and process efficiency. can be done.

The first process chamber 3000 will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first process chamber 3000 of FIG. 2. Referring to FIG.

The first process chamber 3000 can perform a chemical process, a rinsing process, and an organic solvent process. Of course, the first process chamber 3000 can selectively perform only some of these processes. Here, the chemical process is a process of providing a cleaning agent to the substrate (S) to remove foreign substances on the substrate (S), and the rinsing process is a process of providing a rinsing agent to the substrate to remove foreign substances that remain on the substrate (S). This is a process of cleaning the cleaning agent, and the organic solvent process is a process of providing an organic solvent to the substrate (S) and replacing the rinsing agent remaining between the circuit patterns of the substrate (S) with an organic solvent with low surface tension. be.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first process chamber 3000 includes a support member 3100, a nozzle member 3200, and a recovery member 3300.

The support member 3100 supports the substrate (S) and can rotate the supported substrate (S). The support member 3100 may include a support plate 3110, a support pin 3111, a chuck pin 3112, a rotation shaft 3120, and a rotation driver 3130.

The support plate 3110 has an upper surface having the same or similar shape to the substrate (S), and support pins 3111 and chuck pins 3112 are formed on the upper surface of the support plate 3110. The support pins 3111 can support the substrate (S), and the chuck pins 3112 can fix the supported substrate (S).

A rotating shaft 3120 is connected to the lower part of the support plate 3110. The rotation shaft 3120 receives rotational force from the rotation drive machine 3130 and rotates the support plate 3110. Accordingly, the substrate (S) seated on the support plate 3110 can be rotated. At this time, the chuck pin 3112 can prevent the substrate (S) from leaving the fixed position.

The nozzle member 3200 injects the chemical onto the substrate (S). The nozzle member 3200 includes a nozzle 3210, a nozzle bar 3220, a nozzle shaft 3230, and a nozzle shaft driver 3240.

The nozzle 3210 injects a chemical onto the substrate (S) seated on the support plate 3110. The agent can be a cleaning agent, a rinsing agent or an organic solvent. Here, as a cleaning agent, a hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) solution, a solution of hydrogen peroxide solution mixed with ammonia (NH ₄ OH), hydrochloric acid (HCl) or sulfuric acid (H ₂ SO ₄ ), or hydrofluoric acid ( HF) solution, etc. can be used. Further, pure water can be used as a rinsing agent. In addition, as an organic solvent, isopropyl alcohol was used for the first time, ethyl glycol, 1-propanol, tetrahydrofuran, 4-hydroxyl, 4-methyl, 2-pentanone ( Solutions and gases of pentanone, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, methanol, ethanol, n-propyl alcohol, and dimethyl ether may be used. can.

The nozzle 3210 is formed on the bottom surface of one end of the nozzle bar 3220. The nozzle bar 3220 is coupled to a nozzle shaft 3230, and the nozzle shaft 3230 is provided to be movable up and down or rotated. The nozzle shaft driver 3240 can adjust the position of the nozzle 3210 by moving the nozzle shaft 3230 up and down or rotating it.

The recovery member 3300 recovers the medicine supplied to the substrate (S). When the drug is supplied to the substrate (S) by the nozzle member 3200, the support member 3100 can rotate the substrate (S) so that the drug is uniformly supplied to the entire area of the substrate (S). When the substrate (S) rotates, the medicine scatters from the substrate (S), and the scattered medicine can be collected by the collection member 3300.

The collection member 3300 may include a collection bucket 3310, a collection line 3320, a lifting bar 3330, and a lifting drive 3340.

The collection trough 3310 is provided in the form of an annular ring surrounding the support plate 3110. There may be a plurality of collection buckets 3310, but the plurality of collection buckets 3310 are provided in a ring shape that is farther away from the support plate 3110 in order of time when viewed from the top, and the collection buckets 3310 are located at a far distance from the support plate 3110. The higher the height, the higher the height. As a result, a collection port 3311 is formed in the space between the collection tubs 3310, into which the medicine scattered from the substrate (S) flows.

A collection line 3320 is formed on the bottom surface of the collection tub 3310. The collection line 3320 supplies a medicine regeneration system (not shown) that regenerates the medicine collected in the collection tub 3310.

The elevating bar 3330 is connected to the collecting tub 3310 and receives power from the elevating drive unit 3340 to move the collecting tub 3310 up and down. If there are a plurality of collection tubs 3310, the lifting bar 3330 may be connected to the outermost collection tub 3310. The elevating drive unit 3340 raises and lowers the collection tub 3310 through the elevating bar 3330, and can adjust which of the plurality of collection ports 3311 the collection port 3311 into which the scattered medicine flows.

The second process chamber 4000 will be described below.

The second process chamber 4000 can perform a supercritical drying process using supercritical fluid. Of course, as described above, the process performed in the second process chamber 4000 may be other supercritical processes other than the supercritical drying process, and the second process chamber 4000 may also be a supercritical drying process. Other process fluids could alternatively be used to perform the process.

The second process chamber 4000 may be disposed on one side of the transfer chamber 2200 as described above. If there is a plurality of second process chambers 4000, they may be arranged in a line on one side of the transfer chamber 2200, stacked one on top of the other, or a combination thereof. In the substrate processing apparatus 100, the load port 1100, the transfer frame 1200, the buffer chamber 2100, and the transfer module 2200 may be arranged in sequence, and the second process chamber 4000 is arranged on one side of the transfer chamber 2200 in the same direction. Can be arranged in a row.

An example of the second process chamber 4000 will be described below.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the second process chamber 4000 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a recess for explaining a fluid supply unit.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the second process chamber 4000 may include a housing 4100, a support member 4300, a heating member 4400, a fluid supply unit 4500, and a fluid exhaust unit 4600.

The housing 4100 is a high pressure chamber that provides a space in which a supercritical drying process is performed. The housing 4100 provides a space in which a supercritical drying process is performed. The housing 4100 is made of a material that can withstand high pressure above the critical pressure. The housing 4100 has an upper body 4110 and a lower body 4120, and the upper body 4110 and the lower body 4120 are combined with each other to provide the processing space 4130 described above. The upper body 4110 is provided on top of the lower body 4120. The upper body 4110 is fixed in position, and the lower body 4120 can be raised and lowered by a driving member 4190 such as a cylinder. Of course, unlike the above-described example, the lower body 4120 may be fixed in position in the housing 4100, and the upper body 4110 may be moved up and down by a driving member 4190 such as a cylinder.

When the lower body 4120 is separated from the upper body 4110, the processing space 4130 is opened, and at this time, the substrate (S) is carried in or carried out. During the process, the lower body 4120 is brought into close contact with the upper body 4110, and the processing space 4130 is sealed from the outside. Here, the substrate (S) may be subjected to an organic solvent process in the first process chamber 3000 and may be transported to the second process chamber 400 with the organic solvent remaining.

Although not shown in the drawings, according to another example, the housing may be provided with an opening on one side, and the substrate may be introduced into or removed from the housing through the opening.

The support member 4300 supports the substrate (S) within the processing space 4130 of the housing 4100. The support member 4300 is installed on the lower body 4120 and can support the substrate (S). The support member 4300 may be configured to lift and support the substrate (S). The support member 4300 may include a pedestal 4310 on which a substrate is placed, and a lug 4320 that supports the pedestal 4310 so as to be spaced apart from the bottom surface of the lower body 4120. Alternatively, the support member may be installed on the upper body 4110 to support the substrate (S). In this case, the support member (not shown) may be in a form that suspends and supports the substrate (S).

Here, the substrate (S) may be mounted on the support member 4300 such that the upper surface thereof is a patterned surface, which is a processing surface, and the lower surface thereof is a non-patterned surface.

Heating member 4400 heats the inside of housing 4100. The heating member 4400 can heat the supercritical fluid supplied to the second process chamber 4000 above a critical temperature and maintain the supercritical fluid level, or can become a supercritical fluid again when it is liquefied. The heating member 4400 may be installed embedded within the wall of the housing 4100. The heating member 4400 may be, for example, a heater that receives power from an external source and generates heat.

Fluid supply unit 4500 supplies processing fluid to processing space 4130 of housing 4100. According to one example, the processing fluid can be supplied to the processing space 4130 in a supercritical state. On the other hand, the processing fluid may be supplied to the processing space 4130 in a gaseous state and undergo a phase change within the processing space 4130 in a supercritical state. For convenience, the processing fluid will be defined as a supercritical fluid below.

According to one example, the fluid supply unit 4500 may include a first injection line 4510, a second injection line 4520, and a cover plate 4530.

Figures 10a and 10b are perspective views showing the cover plate.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 10a, and 10b, the cover plate 4530 may be provided to face the processing surface of the substrate supported by the support member 4300. The cover plate 4530 may have a circular plate shape. The radius of the cover plate can be provided to be similar to the substrate (S) or even larger. Cover plate 4530 has supply holes 4532 that supply supercritical fluid to the processing surface of the substrate. The cover plate 4530 can be provided with a radius similar to that of the substrate or even larger. The supply hole 4532 may be formed at a position facing the center of the processing surface. The cover plate 4530 may prevent the supercritical fluid supplied through the first injection line 4510 from being directly injected onto the processing surface of the substrate (S).

Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6, the first injection line 4510 and the second injection line 4520 supply supercritical fluid to the processing space 4130 of the second process chamber 4000. Each of the first injection line 4510 and the second injection line 4520 may be connected to a supply line 4550 that supplies supercritical fluid. At this time, a valve may be installed in the supply line 4550 to adjust the flow rate of the supercritical fluid.

The first injection line 4510 supplies supercritical fluid to the upper surface of the upper body 4110 facing the upper surface of the cover plate 4530. The first injection line 4510 may be arranged radially around the second injection line 4520. A second injection line 4520 supplies supercritical fluid to the supply hole 4532. According to one example, first injection line 4510 is coupled to upper body 4110. The second injection line 4520 may pass through the upper body 4110 and be connected to the supply hole 4532 of the cover plate 4530.

The second injection line 4520 may inject the supercritical fluid into the central region of the substrate (S). The supply hole 4532 to which the second injection line 4520 is connected may be located vertically above the center of the substrate (S) supported by the support member 4300. Accordingly, the supercritical fluid injected from the second injection line 4520 reaches the central area of the substrate (S) and spreads to the edge area, thereby being uniformly provided to the entire area of the substrate (S).

Control section 4900 controls fluid supply unit 4500. The control unit 4900 supplies supercritical fluid through the first injection line 4510 until the pressure in the processing space 4130 reaches the target pressure, and supplies the supercritical fluid through the second injection line 4510 after the pressure in the processing space 4130 reaches the target pressure. Fluid supply unit 4500 can be controlled to supply supercritical fluid through line 4520. A pressure sensor 4920 is installed within the housing 4100. Data measured by the pressure sensor 4920 may be provided to the controller 4900.

The controller 4900 controls the fluid supply unit 4500 so that the supercritical fluid is first supplied through the first injection line 4510 and then the supercritical fluid is supplied to the second injection line 4520. Since the supercritical drying process can be performed in a state where the inside of the second process chamber 4000 does not reach a critical pressure at the beginning, the supercritical fluid supplied to the inside of the second process chamber 4000 is liquefied. be able to. Therefore, when the supercritical fluid is supplied to the second injection line 4520 at the beginning of the supercritical drying process, the supercritical fluid is liquefied and falls onto the processing surface of the substrate (S) by gravity, thereby damaging the substrate (S). can be damaged. Therefore, the supercritical fluid is supplied to the space between the cover plate 4530 and the upper body 4110 through the first injection line 4510, and when the internal pressure of the second process chamber 4000 reaches the critical pressure, the second The supercritical fluid can be directly supplied to the processing surface of the substrate through the injection line 4520 to prevent the supplied supercritical fluid from being liquefied and falling onto the substrate (S).

Furthermore, when the supercritical fluid is supplied through the first injection line 4510 at the beginning of the supercritical drying process, the internal pressure of the housing 4100 is low, so the supplied supercritical fluid is injected at a high speed. can be done. If the supercritical fluid injected at such a high speed reaches the processing surface of the substrate directly, the physical pressure of the supercritical fluid will cause the supercritical fluid to directly enter the substrate (S). Leaning phenomenon may occur due to bending of the sprayed part. Further, the substrate (S) may be agitated by the jetting force of the supercritical fluid, and the organic solvent remaining on the substrate (S) may flow, causing damage to the circuit pattern on the substrate (S). Therefore, the cover plate 4530 disposed between the first injection line 4510 and the substrate blocks the supercritical fluid from being directly injected onto the substrate (S), and prevents the supercritical fluid from directly injecting the substrate (S) by the physical force of the supercritical fluid. can prevent damage from occurring.

The exhaust port 4600 exhausts supercritical fluid from the second process chamber 4000. The exhaust port 4600 may be connected to an exhaust line 4650 that exhausts supercritical fluid. At this time, a valve may be installed in the exhaust port 4600 to adjust the flow rate of the supercritical fluid exhausted to the exhaust line 4650. The supercritical fluid exhausted through the exhaust line 4650 can be discharged to the atmosphere or supplied to a supercritical fluid regeneration system (not shown) that regenerates the supercritical fluid.

The exhaust port 4600 may be formed in a lower wall of the housing 4100. In the latter half of the supercritical drying process, the supercritical fluid is exhausted from the second process chamber 4000, and the internal pressure is strongly increased below the critical pressure, so that the supercritical fluid can be liquefied. The liquefied supercritical fluid may be exhausted by gravity through an exhaust port 4600 formed in a lower wall of the housing 4100.

In the above description, the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention processes the substrate by supplying supercritical fluid to the substrate (S), but the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention always performs such a supercritical process. It is not limited to doing so. Therefore, the second process chamber 4000 of the substrate processing apparatus 100 may be able to process the substrate (S) by supplying another process fluid to the supply port 4500 instead of the supercritical fluid. In such a case, an organic solvent, a gas containing various other components, a plasma gas, an inert gas, etc. may be used instead of a supercritical fluid in the process fluid.

On the other hand, the control unit 4900 can control the components of the substrate processing apparatus 100. For example, the controller 4900 may control the heating member 4400 to adjust the internal temperature of the housing 4100. For example, the control unit 4900 can control valves installed in the nozzle member 2320, the supply line 4550, and the exhaust line 4650 to adjust the flow rate of the medicine or supercritical fluid. The control unit 4900 may be implemented in a computer or similar device using hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

In terms of hardware, the control unit 4900 includes ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), and processors. ), micro-controllers, microprocessors, and similar electrical devices that perform control functions.

Also, in terms of software, the control unit may be implemented by software code or software application written in one or more programming languages. The software can be executed by a controller implemented in hardware. Further, the software can be installed by being sent from an external device such as a server to the above-mentioned hardware configuration.

Hereinafter, a substrate processing method according to the present invention will be explained using the above-described substrate processing apparatus 100. However, since this is only for ease of explanation, the substrate processing method may be performed using other apparatuses that are the same or similar to the substrate processing apparatus 100 as well as the above-described substrate processing apparatus 100. Further, the substrate processing method according to the present invention can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium in the form of a code or program for performing the method.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the substrate processing method in the second process chamber.

Referring to FIGS. 7a to 8, the substrate processing method includes a step of carrying a substrate into a processing space of a housing and seating it on a support member (S100), and a step of supplying a supercritical fluid to the processing space (S200). , evacuating the supercritical fluid from the processing space (S300), and removing the substrate from the housing (S400). Here, the step of supplying the supercritical fluid (S200) is the primary injection step of supplying the supercritical fluid through the first injection line (S210), and the step of comparing whether the pressure in the processing space 4130 has reached the target pressure ( S220) A secondary injection step (S230) may be included in which the processing fluid is supplied through the second injection line 4520 so that the processing fluid is provided in the central region of the substrate.

In the supercritical fluid supply step S200, the fluid supply unit 4500 may first supply supercritical fluid through the first injection line 4510. Thereafter, the second injection line 4520 can supply supercritical fluid. The supercritical drying process may be performed in a state where the inside of the second process chamber 4000 does not reach a critical pressure at the beginning. When the inside of the second process chamber 4000 does not reach a critical pressure, the supercritical fluid supplied to the inside may be liquefied. If the supercritical fluid is liquefied, it may fall onto the substrate (S) due to gravity and may damage the substrate (S). Therefore, the first injection line 4510 first supplies supercritical fluid. The supercritical fluid supplied through the first injection line 4510 is separated from the upper surface of the cover plate 4530 and is prevented from directly contacting the processing surface of the substrate (S). The supercritical fluid moves to the outer area of the processing space (the outer area of the substrate) in the space between the cover plate 4530 and the upper surface of the upper body 4110. That is, the cover plate 4530 prevents the supercritical fluid supplied to the first injection line 4510 from being directly injected onto the processing surface of the substrate (S).

The supercritical fluid is supplied through the first injection line 4510 until the pressure in the processing space reaches a target pressure. When the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure (critical pressure) (S220), the control unit 4900 interrupts the supply of supercritical fluid through the first injection line 4510 and supplies the supercritical fluid through the second injection line 4520. supply The supercritical fluid supplied through the second injection line 4520 is injected into the central region of the upper part of the substrate through the supply hole 4532 of the cover plate 4530, and the space between the cover plate 4530 and the processing surface of the substrate (S) is filled with supercritical fluid. Become filled with. In this manner, the supercritical fluid can be supplied to the first injection line 4510 before the second injection line 4520, thereby preventing the supercritical fluid from being liquefied and falling onto the substrate (S).

FIG. 9 is a modification of the second step of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 9, the second process chamber 4000 according to the modified example includes a housing 4100, a support member 4300a, a heating member 4400, a fluid supply unit 4500, and a fluid exhaust unit 4600, which are used for the second process shown in FIG. Since the configuration and functions are generally similar to those of the present embodiment, the following description will mainly focus on the differences from the present embodiment.

In this modification, the support member 4300a is installed on the cover plate 4530 to support the substrate (S). In this case, the support member 4300a may be configured to hang and support the substrate. The support member 4300a may extend vertically upward from the bottom surface of the cover plate 4530, and may be bent horizontally from its upper end. In another example, the support member 4300a may be provided in the form of a slot protruding from both side walls of the housing 4100.

The support member 4300a can support the edge region of the substrate (S). For example, the support member 4300a may be provided in the shape of a plate in which a hole is formed in the support member 4300a in the same or similar shape to the substrate (S) and smaller in area than the substrate (S). Alternatively, the support member 4300a may be provided as a slot type that supports only the edge area of the substrate (S). Most of the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate (S) mounted on the supporting member 4300a are exposed. Therefore, while the supercritical drying process is performed in the second process chamber 4000, the entire area of the substrate (S) may be exposed to the supercritical fluid and dried.

The above explanation is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical idea of the present invention, and a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains will not depart from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Various modifications and variations may be possible. Therefore, the examples disclosed in the present invention are for illustrating rather than limiting the technical idea of the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by such examples. do not have. The protection scope of the present invention shall be interpreted according to the scope of the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto shall be construed as falling within the scope of rights of the present invention.

100 Substrate processing apparatus 1000 Index module 1100 Load port 1200 Transfer frame 1210 Index robot 1220 Index rail 2000 Process module 2100 Buffer chamber 2200 Transfer chamber 2210 Transfer robot 2220 Transfer rail 3000 First process chamber 3100 Support member 3110 Support plate 3111 Support pin 3112 Chuck Pin 3120 Rotating shaft 3130 Rotating drive machine 3200 Nozzle member 3210 Nozzle 3220 Nozzle bar 3230 Nozzle shaft 3240 Nozzle shaft drive machine 3300 Collection member 3310 Collection tub 3311 Collection port 3320 Collection line 3330 Lifting bar 3340 Lifting drive machine 4000 Second process chamber 410 0 Housing 4110 Opening 4150 Door 4151 Groove 4200 Pressure member 4210 Pressure cylinder 4220 Pressure load 4230 Pressure plate 4300 Support member 4400 Heating member 4500 Supply port 4550 Supply line 4510 Upper supply port 4520 Lower supply port 4600 Exhaust port 4650 Exhaust line 4700 Door drive machine

Claims (20)

a high-pressure chamber in which a processing space is formed in which a supercritical processing process is performed;
a substrate support unit that supports the substrate in the processing space;
a fluid supply unit that supplies processing fluid to the processing space; and an exhaust unit that exhausts the atmosphere of the processing space;
The fluid supply unit includes:
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a cover plate that faces a processing surface of a substrate supported by the substrate support unit and has a supply hole formed therein for supplying a processing fluid to the processing surface. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover plate has a radius similar to or larger than that of the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply hole faces the center of the processing surface. The fluid supply unit includes:
a first injection line that supplies a processing fluid toward the top surface of the cover plate, and a second injection line that supplies the processing fluid to the supply hole. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: further comprising a control unit that controls the fluid supply unit,
The control unit includes:
The processing fluid is supplied through the first injection line until the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure, and after the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure, the processing fluid is supplied through the second injection line. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fluid supply unit is controlled to supply the fluid. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of the first injection lines are arranged radially with respect to the second injection line. a high-pressure chamber in which a processing space is formed in which a supercritical processing process is performed;
a substrate support unit that supports the substrate in the processing space;
a fluid supply unit that supplies processing fluid to the processing space; and an exhaust unit that exhausts the atmosphere of the processing space;
The fluid supply unit includes first and second injection lines provided on the upper surface of the high-pressure chamber, and is disposed between the upper surface of the high-pressure chamber and the substrate support unit, and the fluid supply unit is disposed between the upper surface of the high-pressure chamber and the substrate support unit, and the fluid supply unit is configured to perform processing supplied from the first injection line. A supply hole is provided to prevent the fluid from being directly injected in one direction toward the processing surface of the substrate, and is connected to the second injection line to supply the processing fluid directly to the processing surface of the substrate. A substrate processing apparatus comprising a cover plate. further comprising a control unit that controls the fluid supply unit,
The control unit includes:
The processing fluid is supplied through the first injection line until the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure, and after the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure, the processing fluid is supplied through the second injection line. 8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the fluid supply unit is controlled to supply the fluid. The target pressure is
9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pressure is a critical pressure of the processing fluid. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cover plate has a radius similar to or larger than that of the substrate. 9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the supply hole faces the center of the processing surface. In a device that processes a substrate,
a substrate support unit that supports the substrate in the processing space of the chamber;
a plate having a through hole formed therein and arranged to face the processing surface of the substrate;
including a fluid supply unit that supplies processing fluid to the processing space;
The fluid supply unit includes:
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a first injection line that supplies processing fluid to the upper surface of the plate; and a second injection line that supplies processing fluid to the through hole of the plate. further comprising a control unit that controls the fluid supply unit,
The control unit includes:
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the processing fluid is controlled to be first supplied through the first injection line to prevent the processing fluid from directly contacting the substrate between the initial injection ports of the processing fluid. Substrate processing equipment. The fluid supply unit includes:
The processing fluid is first supplied toward the edge of the substrate through the first injection line, and when the pressure in the processing space reaches a target pressure, the processing fluid is directly supplied to the upper surface of the substrate through the second injection line. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13. further comprising a detector that detects the pressure in the processing space,
14. The substrate processing method according to claim 13, wherein the control unit controls supply of processing fluid to the first injection line and the second injection line based on a pressure value of the processing space provided from the detector. Device. The control unit includes:
The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing fluid is supplied through the second injection line when the internal pressure of the processing space reaches a critical pressure. carrying the substrate into the processing space of the chamber and placing it on the substrate support unit;
supplying a processing fluid to the processing space;
evacuating a processing fluid from the processing space; and removing the substrate from the chamber.
The step of supplying the processing fluid includes:
a primary injection step of supplying a processing fluid through a first injection line such that the processing fluid is provided from an edge region of the substrate through a first injection line formed on a top surface of the chamber; a secondary injection step of supplying processing fluid through a second injection line such that processing fluid is provided. In the first injection step,
the first injection line is supplied toward an upper surface of a cover plate disposed to face the processing surface of the substrate;
In the secondary injection step,
The method of claim 17, wherein the second injection line supplies the processing fluid to a central region of the substrate through a supply hole formed in the cover plate. The first injection step includes:
Performing until the pressure in the processing space reaches the target pressure,
The secondary injection step includes:
19. The substrate processing method according to claim 18, wherein the processing is performed after the pressure in the processing space reaches a target pressure. The target pressure is
20. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, wherein the pressure is a critical pressure of the processing fluid.

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