KR100749548B1 - Apparatus for treating substrates - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for processing a substrate is provided to prevent the liquefaction of a dry fluid due to the decrease of temperature and to improve a drying efficiency by keeping the temperature of the dry fluid in the aiming range using a plurality of heating members capable of heating an inner wall of an upper chamber. A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate support member(110) with a chuck for loading a substrate, a lower chamber(120) for enclosing the chuck, an upper chamber for sealing an upper opening portion of the lower chamber, and an indirect spraying nozzle. The indirect spraying nozzle(140) is installed at a peripheral portion of the upper chamber. The indirect spraying nozzle is capable of spraying indirectly a dry fluid to the substrate by spraying the dry fluid toward a center portion of the upper chamber. The upper chamber includes a plurality of heating members capable of preventing the liquefaction of the dry fluid supplied from the indirect spraying nozzle.

Description

Substrate Processing Unit {APPARATUS FOR TREATING SUBSTRATES}

1 is a schematic view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a view showing a state in which the lower chamber is partially open in the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view showing a state in which the lower chamber is entirely opened in the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

4 shows the upper chamber.

5 is a view showing a flow of a drying fluid injected from the first nozzles of the upper chamber.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

110: substrate support member

120: lower chamber

130: upper chamber

140: indirect injection nozzle

160: chemical nozzle member

170: decompression member

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus for cleaning and drying a substrate by supplying a chemical liquid or gas onto the substrate.

Generally, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, deposition, etching, coating of photo-resist, developing, removing asher, and the like of a dielectric material are repeated several times. A process of removing foreign matters generated in each process includes a cleaning process using deionized water or a chemical.

In general, the cleaning and drying apparatus is a wafer chuck capable of processing a single wafer, and then rotates the wafer by a motor while flowing the chemical liquid or pure water through the injection nozzle at the top of the wafer, The chemical liquid or pure water is spread to the entire surface of the wafer by the rotational force so that the process is performed.

As described above, in the single wafer type washing drying apparatus, a washing drying step is performed by drying with N2 gas after rinsing with pure water.

However, as the wafer becomes large and the pattern formed on the wafer becomes fine, a phenomenon in which pure water used in the cleaning process is not completely removed but undried occurs. In addition, since the cleaning and drying are performed while the wafer is exposed to the air, drying defects are generated due to a great influence on the external environment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of rapid substrate drying.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of protecting a substrate from external contamination.

An object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can minimize the water spots generated during the substrate drying process.

An object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can minimize the impact from the external environment.

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, a substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate support member having a chuck on which a substrate is placed; A lower chamber having an upper portion open and shaped to surround the chuck; An upper chamber that opens or closes an upper portion of the lower chamber so that a drying process for the substrate is performed in an isolated state from the outside; And an indirect injection nozzle installed at an edge of the upper chamber and spraying the drying fluid toward the center of the upper chamber so that the drying fluid is indirectly injected onto the substrate. The upper chamber includes heating members for preventing liquefaction of the drying fluid injected from the indirect injection nozzle.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the heating members heat the inner wall of the upper chamber providing a path through which the drying fluid flows.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper chamber further comprises an annular space for guiding the drying fluid injected from the indirect spray nozzle toward the center of the upper chamber, the heating members are the inner wall forming the annular space Is installed on.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall adjacent to the heating members is formed in an uneven form to widen the contact area with the drying fluid.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper chamber further comprises an air flow guide member for guiding the flow of the drying fluid in the upper center so that the drying fluid injected from the indirect injection nozzle first reaches the center of the substrate.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the air flow guide member is made of a guide of the cone shape is installed toward the center of the substrate from the upper center of the upper chamber.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heating member heats the guide protrusion.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper chamber has a sensor for checking the internal temperature.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided so that the disclosure may be made thorough and complete, and to fully convey the spirit of the invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shape of the elements in the drawings and the like are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are denoted together for components that perform the same function.

The present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can achieve the effect of increasing the drying efficiency of the substrate, blocking external contamination and preventing oxide films. To this end, the present invention can indirectly inject the drying fluid into the chamber (upper and lower chamber) of the upper and lower separation structure that can separate the substrate processing space from the outside so that the drying process of the substrate is processed below atmospheric pressure The upper chamber, which has a decompression member for depressurizing the processing space of the chamber, is characterized by its characteristics.

1 is a schematic view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a view showing a state in which the lower chamber is partially open in the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a view showing a state in which the lower chamber is entirely opened in the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 3, the substrate processing apparatus 100 performs processing such as chemical cleaning, rinsing, and drying while spinning the substrate w.

The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a substrate support member 110 having a chuck 112 on which a substrate W is placed, a lower chamber 120, an upper chamber 130, and a chemical nozzle member. 160 and the pressure reducing member 170.

The substrate supporting member 110 supports the substrate w during the processing process. The substrate support member 110 has a chuck 112, a spindle 114, a rotation member 116, a lifting member 117, and a back nozzle portion 118.

The chuck 112 is disposed in an inner space of the lower chamber 120. The chuck 112 includes an upper surface 112a on which the substrate W is loaded, support pins 113a supporting the substrate W while being spaced apart from the upper surface 112, and the substrate ( and chucking pins 113b for fixing w). The support pins 113a support the substrate spaced apart from the upper surface 112a of the chuck 112, and the chucking pins 113b chuck a portion of the edge of the substrate during the process.

Spindle 114 is engaged with the central lower portion of chuck 112. The spindle 130 is in the form of a hollow shaft, the inside of which is hollow, and transmits the rotational force of the rotating member 116 to the chuck 112. Although not shown in detail, the rotating member 116 may be formed of a conventional configuration such as a driving unit such as a motor generating a rotational force, a belt, a power transmission unit such as a chain, and the like, which transmits the rotational force generated from the driving unit to the spindle.

The elevating member 117 is for moving the chuck 112 up and down so that the relative height of the chuck 112 changes in the lower chamber 120 depending on the type of fluid used in the process (or depending on the treatment process). The chuck 112 is moved by the elevating member 117 to a height corresponding to the first, second, and third suction ducts 122a, 122b, and 122c which will be described later, depending on the type of fluid (or processing step) used. In the above-described example, the lower chamber 120 is fixed, and the chuck 112 is moved up and down according to a process (or a type of fluid used) such as cleaning, rinsing, and drying. However, on the contrary, the chuck 112 may be fixed and the lower chamber 120 may be moved up and down.

The bag nozzle part 118 is for selectively injecting a fluid for cleaning and drying to the bottom of the substrate (w), the bag nozzle part 118 is a portion of the fluid passing through the hollow section of the spindle 114 It includes a supply pipe 118a, which is a movement path, and a nozzle 118b installed at the center of the upper surface of the chuck 112. The nozzle 118b is connected to the supply pipe 118a and exposed to the central portion of the chuck 112 to inject a fluid for cleaning and drying onto the back of the substrate to perform back cleaning and drying of the substrate. The supply pipe 118a may be composed of a predetermined pipe or may be defined as an empty space in the form of a pipe inside the spindle 114. The fluid injected through the nozzle 118b to the back center of the substrate is easily dispersed to the edge of the substrate by the rotation of the substrate.

The lower chamber 120 is shaped so that the top is open and wraps around the chuck 112, and the annular first, second and third suction ducts 122a and 122b for introducing and sucking the fluid scattered on the rotating substrate are formed. 122c) is arranged in multiple stages and has an exhaust port 124 connected to the vacuum line 174 to allow forced exhaust. Although not shown, the lower chamber 120 is connected to the discharge line for the chemical liquid recovery.

1, 4, and 5, the upper chamber 130 may include an upper cup 132 that opens or closes an upper portion of the lower chamber 120, and an upper cup 132 installed in a fluid for drying. Indirect injection nozzle 140 for injecting the indirectly to the substrate and the upper cup 132 includes an opening and closing drive unit 138 for driving the upper cup 132 to open or close the upper portion of the lower chamber 120.

The upper cup 132 is large enough to cover the upper portion of the lower chamber 120, and has an annular space 134, a guide protrusion 139, a central opening 135, a guide surface 136, and a protruding wall 137. And heating members 192a, 192b, and 192c.

The annular space 134 is an umbrella-shaped space composed of an edge portion 134a on which the indirect injection nozzle 140 is installed and a central portion 134b higher than the edge portion 134a, and is injected from the indirect injection nozzle 140. It has an inclined passage 134c for guiding the drying fluid to the center. In addition, the bottom inner wall providing the annular space 134 is formed with irregular bumps 190.

The guide protrusion 139 is an airflow guide member for guiding the flow of the drying fluid so that the drying fluid injected from the indirect injection nozzle 140 can reach the center of the substrate first, and the guide protrusion 139 is the upper cup 132. It has a cone shape installed toward the center of the substrate from the upper center of the). If there is no guide protrusion 139, the drying fluid collides at the upper center of the upper cup 132, resulting in uneven air flow. Therefore, the guide protrusion 139 also serves to prevent a collision of the drying fluid that may occur in the upper center of the upper cup 132.

The indirect injection nozzle 140 may be formed in a ring shape installed at the edge portion 134a of the annular space 134, and the indirect injection nozzle 140 is formed with injection holes 142 at predetermined intervals, and the injection hole 142. They are formed to spray the drying fluid in the upward direction (guide protrusion direction). The drying fluid is injected through the injection holes 142 of the indirect injection nozzle 140 and then directed to the guide protrusion 139 located in the central portion 134b of the annular space along the annular space 134.

Drying fluid collected at the central portion 134b of the annular space 134 is drawn out of the processing space a through the central opening 135 by the guide protrusion 139 to the center of the substrate. The protruding wall 137 is a protruding portion located between the annular space 134 through which the dry fluid injected from the indirect spray nozzle 140 flows and the processing space a of the substrate. The protruding wall 137 is an indirect spray nozzle. The substrate is protected from foreign matter falling from 140.

 For reference, the drying fluid may include an organic solvent (IPA) and nitrogen gas, and the organic solvent and nitrogen gas may be used heated to a temperature of 60 degrees or more and less than 90 degrees.

For example, a drying fluid heated to 80 degrees is injected through an indirect spray nozzle and the temperature (40 degrees) is dropped while moving to the center of the annular space. If the temperature of the drying fluid is lowered below a certain temperature, liquefaction of the drying fluid may occur. In the present invention, the heating members 192a and 192b are provided on the lower inner wall and the upper inner wall, respectively, to provide a path (annular space) through which the drying fluid flows in order to prevent the temperature of the drying fluid. The heating members 192a and 192b increase the temperature of the inner wall constituting the annular space to prevent the temperature of the drying fluid from decreasing. In the inner wall constituting the annular space, it can be seen that the concave-convex 190 is formed at the lower side to increase the contact area with the drying fluid. Of course, the concavities and convexities may be formed in the inner wall adjacent to the heating member 192b and the guide protrusion 139. On the other hand, another heating member 192c is installed inside the guide protrusion 139 to prevent the temperature drop of the drying fluid to exit through the opening 135. In addition, a temperature sensor 194 is installed on an inner wall of the upper cup 132. The temperature sensor 194 controls the operating state of the heating members 192a, 192b, and 192c by checking the inner wall temperature (or the temperature of the drying fluid) on the path through which the drying fluid passes.

As described above, the present invention can maintain the laminar flow of the entire surface by indirectly spraying the drying fluid onto the substrate, and can uniformly maintain the concentration distribution of the drying fluid compared to the conventional swing nozzle method of spraying directly onto the substrate surface. In particular, the indirect spray nozzle 140 is located at the edge (annular space) 134a of the annular space 134 so that foreign matters falling from the injection holes 142 of the indirect spray nozzle 140 (droplets due to the liquefaction phenomenon). ) Can be prevented from falling onto the substrate. In particular, the drying fluid is uniformly dried because the drying fluid has a stable air flow flowing into the center portion of the substrate w after gathering at the center portion of the upper cup 132. In addition, the present invention installed a plurality of heating members (192a, 192b, 192c) in the upper cup 132 to prevent the temperature drop of the drying fluid.

On the other hand, the guide surface 136 of the upper cup 132 has a structure inclined downward so that the height is lowered toward the edge from the center. The guide surface 136 guides the drying fluid so that the drying fluid exiting through the central opening 135 flows as it gradually diffuses (spreads) from the center of the substrate to the edge. The guide surface 136 of such a structure is to prevent the density of the drying fluid from lowering toward the edge compared to the center of the substrate, the guide surface 136 of the upper cup 132 is narrower toward the edge than the center of the substrate The processing space a will be provided.

As described above, since the processing space a of the upper portion of the substrate decreases from the center to the edge, the density of the dry fluid flowing from the center to the edge of the substrate increases toward the edge. In addition, the drying fluid is uniformly provided on the front surface of the substrate because it flows while gradually spreading (spreading) from the center of the substrate to the edge.

In particular, since the processing space a on the substrate, which becomes the fluid passage, becomes narrower toward the edge, the drying fluid moves faster toward the substrate edge than the center of the substrate. Therefore, the removal efficiency and the moisture removal efficiency of the particles remaining on the substrate surface can be improved.

The upper chamber 130 is provided with a sealing member 133 on the side of the upper cup 132 in contact with the lower chamber 120 to seal the space in which the substrate is processed.

The decompression member 170 is for depressurizing the closed processing space a formed by the combination of the lower chamber 120 and the upper chamber 130. The pressure reducing member 170 has a vacuum pump 172, one end of which is connected to the vacuum pump 172 and the other end of which is connected to the exhaust port 124 of the lower chamber 120.

As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 100 of the present invention not only separates the processing space a of the substrate w from the outside by the upper chamber 130, but also processes the substrate w isolated from the outside. The space (enclosed space; a) has a structural feature capable of reducing the pressure below atmospheric pressure. According to this structural feature, it is possible to minimize the influence of the external environment in the drying process of the substrate, it is possible to quickly dry the substrate.

Although not shown, the lower chamber 120 and the chuck 112 of the substrate support member 110 may be configured to elevate relatively or separately, and the substrate w may be lifted from the substrate support member (the substrate support member ( The substrate 120 may be loaded into the chuck 112 of the 110 or the unloaded substrate W may be unloaded.

1 and 3, the chemical liquid nozzle member 160 is for injecting a fluid for cleaning and rinsing fluid onto the upper surface of the substrate w, and the chemical liquid nozzle member 160 is a nozzle moving member 164. It includes a nozzle 162 that is linearly moved in the vertical direction by the () or rotated outwardly of the lower chamber 120 in the upper center of the wafer (W). The nozzle moving member 164 has a horizontal support 166 to which the nozzle 162 is coupled and a vertical support 168 coupled thereto and rotatable by a motor (not shown).

As such, the substrate processing apparatus 100 of the present invention may change the number of injection holes or the type of fluid supplied to the injection holes according to the cleaning and drying method of the substrate, and the interval between the injection holes may also be changed. For example, a mixed solution of deionized water and a hydrofluoric acid solution, deionized water, a mixed solution of an ammonia solution and an aqueous peroxide solution may be used as the fluid for cleaning, and isopropyl alcohol vapor and nitrogen gas are mixed into the fluid for drying. Gas, nitrogen gas, and the like can be used.

As shown in FIG. 5, the spacing between the edge of the upper cup 132 and the substrate as the drying process proceeds should be at least 0.5 cm to prevent water particles and dry fluid from the substrate from hitting and rebounding the walls of the lower chamber. It is preferred to be spaced at most 2 cm apart.

Looking at the process of cleaning and drying the substrate using the substrate processing apparatus as described above.

1 to 5, the substrate w is loaded into the chuck 122 through the open top of the lower chamber 120. The substrate w is chucked by the chucking pins 113b while being supported by the support pins 113a. The substrate w is rotated together with the chuck 112 by the operation of the rotating member 116. Subsequently, the rotated substrate is cleaned and rinsed by the fluid injected through the nozzle 162 of the chemical nozzle member 160 (see FIG. 3).

After the cleaning and rinsing treatment of the substrate is completed, the drying treatment to the substrate w is performed. The drying treatment of the substrate proceeds quickly and in an environment below atmospheric pressure so that water spots do not occur on the substrate surface.

Looking at the drying process in detail, first the upper portion of the lower chamber 120 is closed by the upper cup 132. In addition, the processing space a sealed by the upper chamber 130 and the lower chamber 120 is decompressed to atmospheric pressure or lower by the pressure reducing member 170. When the processing space a is reduced to below atmospheric pressure, the substrate w is dried by a drying fluid indirectly injected through the indirect spray nozzle 140. Here, the drying fluid may be provided through the indirect injection nozzle 140 from the time before the processing space a is depressurized (the moment the upper chamber moves to seal the lower chamber). On the other hand, the indirect injection nozzle 140 is located at the edge portion 134a of the annular space 134 blocked by the protruding wall 137, and the foreign matter falling from the injection hole 142 because the injection hole 142 faces upward. It is possible to prevent substrate contamination due to.

The drying fluid is injected through the injection holes 142 of the indirect injection nozzle 140 and then collected along the annular space 134 to the center portion 134b (center of the upper cup) of the annular space. Drying fluid collected at the central portion 134b of the annular space 134 is directed by the guide protrusion 139 through the central opening 135 to the substrate central portion of the processing space a. On the other hand, the drying fluid is maintained in temperature by the heating members (192a, 192b, 192c) until it exits through the opening. Therefore, not only the liquefaction phenomenon due to the temperature drop of the drying fluid can be prevented, but also the drying efficiency can be improved. Drying fluid directed through the central opening 135 to the central portion of the substrate dries the substrate surface quickly and uniformly as it gradually diffuses (spreads) from the center of the rotating substrate w to the edge.

In the present invention, the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate can be cleaned and dried at the same time. The bottom cleaning and drying of the substrate w is performed while the same fluid supplied to the upper surface of the substrate w is supplied to the bottom surface of the substrate through the nozzle 152 of the bag nozzle unit 150 while the substrate is rotated. .

When the substrate drying process is completed, the upper cup 132 of the upper chamber 130 is raised to the position shown in FIG. 2 and then moved to the position shown in FIG. 3 to open the lower chamber 120. The substrate w is unloaded from the chuck 112 with the chuck 112 stationary.

The present invention can be applied to any equipment for treating a substrate with a liquid (or gaseous) fluid. Among such embodiments, as a preferred embodiment, the rotary cleaning apparatus used in the semiconductor cleaning process has been described as an example. The present invention may also be used in a rotary etching apparatus and the like.

In the above, the configuration and operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention have been shown in accordance with the above description and drawings, but this is merely an example, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Of course.

As described above, the present invention can prevent the liquefaction phenomenon caused by the temperature drop of the drying fluid. In addition, the present invention can increase the drying efficiency by maintaining the temperature of the drying fluid.

In addition, the present invention enables rapid substrate drying.

In addition, the present invention can indirectly spray the drying fluid onto the substrate to maintain the laminar airflow as a whole, and uniformly maintain the concentration distribution of the drying fluid.

In addition, the present invention can prevent the foreign matter falling to the substrate because the indirect injection nozzle is directed upward.

In addition, the present invention can protect the substrate with an external contaminant during substrate drying.

In addition, the present invention can minimize the water spots generated during the substrate drying process.

In addition, the present invention can minimize the influence from the external environment during substrate drying.

In addition, the present invention can prevent the substrate from contacting air.

In addition, the present invention can minimize the concentration and temperature change of the fluid supplied for substrate drying.

In addition, the present invention is stable in the air flow and thus excellent in drying efficiency since a flow of drying fluid is first reached toward the center of the substrate and then formed to spread to the edge of the substrate.

Claims (8)

In the substrate processing apparatus: A substrate support member having a chuck on which the substrate is placed; A lower chamber having an upper portion open and shaped to surround the chuck; An upper chamber that opens or closes an upper portion of the lower chamber so that a drying process for the substrate is performed in an isolated state from the outside; And An indirect injection nozzle installed at an edge of the upper chamber and injecting a drying fluid toward the center of the upper chamber such that the drying fluid is indirectly injected onto a substrate; The upper chamber is a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that for heating elements for preventing the liquefaction of the drying fluid injected from the indirect injection nozzle. The method of claim 1, And the heating members heat the inner wall of the upper chamber providing a path through which the drying fluid flows. The method of claim 1, The upper chamber Further comprising an annular space for guiding the drying fluid injected from the indirect spray nozzle toward the center of the upper chamber, The heating member is a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that installed on the inner wall forming the annular space. The method of claim 3, The inner wall adjacent to the heating member is a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that the concave-convex shape to increase the contact area with the drying fluid. The method of claim 1, And the upper chamber further comprises an airflow guide member for guiding the flow of the drying fluid so that the drying fluid injected from the indirect injection nozzle reaches the center of the substrate first in the upper center. The method of claim 5, The airflow guide member And a cone-shaped guide protrusion provided from the upper center of the upper chamber toward the center of the substrate. The method of claim 5, And the heating member heats the guide protrusion. The method of claim 1, The upper chamber further comprises a sensor for checking the internal temperature.

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