KR101373730B1 - Apparatus and method for treating substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

The present specification discloses a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method, and more particularly, a substrate processing apparatus performing a supercritical process and a substrate processing method using the same. One aspect of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, the opening is formed on one side, the housing for providing a space in which the process is performed; A door for opening and closing the opening; And a support member installed on the door and on which the substrate is mounted.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING SUBSTRATE}

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

Semiconductor devices are manufactured by forming circuit patterns on a substrate through various processes including photolithography. Particles (particles), organic contaminants, metal impurities, etc. are generated during the manufacturing process, and these foreign substances cause defects on the substrate, which directly affects the yield of semiconductor devices. Therefore, the semiconductor manufacturing process necessarily involves a cleaning process for removing foreign matter from the substrate.

In general, the cleaning process removes foreign substances on the substrate with chemicals, cleans the substrate with DI-water (deionized water), and then removes pure water with an organic solvent such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA) having a low surface tension. Subsequent to evaporation, the substrate is dried in order. However, such a conventional drying method has a low drying efficiency in the case of a semiconductor device having a fine circuit pattern, and a pattern collapse that frequently damages the circuit pattern is caused by surface tension of a relatively weak organic solvent during the drying process. Occurs.

Accordingly, the supercritical drying process for drying the substrate using a supercritical fluid for semiconductor devices having a line width of 30 nm or less is gradually replacing the existing drying process. Supercritical fluid is a fluid having the properties of gas and liquid at the same time above the critical temperature and the critical pressure, excellent diffusion and penetration, high dissolving power, almost no surface tension can be very useful for drying the substrate.

However, the process chamber performing such a supercritical process has a problem in that its footprint is increased to decrease the substrate throughput in order to maintain a high pressure supercritical state.

One object of the present invention is to provide a substrate treating apparatus and a substrate treating method for improving space efficiency of a process chamber performing a supercritical process.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of withstanding a high pressure environment.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-described problem, and the objects not mentioned may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the present specification and the accompanying drawings. will be.

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus.

One aspect of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, the opening is formed on one side, the housing for providing a space in which the process is performed; A door for opening and closing the opening; And a support member installed on the door and on which the substrate is mounted.

The substrate processing apparatus further includes a pressing member for applying a force to the door in a direction perpendicular to the one side, wherein the opening is moved in a direction perpendicular to the one side by the pressing member to open the housing. Or it may be sealed.

The support member may be located inside or outside the housing as the door moves.

The pressing member may include a cylinder coupled to the housing and a rod connected to the cylinder, coupled to the door, and moving in a direction perpendicular to the one side by the cylinder.

The support member may have a plate shape extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the door from a surface facing the opening of the door, and a hole in which the substrate is mounted may be formed in the plate.

The substrate processing apparatus includes a heating member for heating the inside of the housing; A supply port for supplying a supercritical fluid to the housing; And an exhaust port for exhausting the supercritical fluid from the housing.

The supply port may include an upper supply port formed on an upper surface of the housing and a lower supply port formed on a lower surface of the housing.

Another aspect of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, the transfer chamber for transferring the substrate; And a housing having an opening formed in one side thereof, the housing providing a space in which the process is performed, a door for opening and closing the opening, and a support member installed in the door, and having a substrate seated thereon, disposed on one side of the transfer chamber. It includes a process chamber; When viewed from the top, one side of the transfer chamber and one side of the housing is perpendicular to each other.

The substrate processing apparatus further includes a pressing member for applying a force to the door in a direction perpendicular to one side of the housing, wherein the door is moved in a direction perpendicular to one side of the housing by the pressing member. The housing can be opened or closed.

The pressing member may include a cylinder coupled to the housing, a rod connected to the cylinder, coupled to the door, and moving in a direction perpendicular to one side of the housing by the cylinder.

The support member may have a plate shape extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the door from a surface facing the opening of the door, and a hole in which the substrate is mounted may be formed in the plate.

The process chamber may be plural, and the plurality of process chambers may be arranged in one line on one side of the transfer chamber according to the moving direction of the door.

The process chamber may be plural, and the plurality of process chambers may be stacked in a vertical direction.

The substrate processing apparatus includes a heating member for heating the inside of the housing; A supply port for supplying a supercritical fluid to the housing; And an exhaust port for exhausting the supercritical fluid from the housing.

The supply port may include an upper supply port formed on an upper surface of the housing and a lower supply port formed on a lower surface of the housing.

The present invention provides a substrate processing method.

One aspect of the substrate processing method according to the invention, the step of mounting the substrate on the support member installed in the door; Moving the door to be in close contact with one side of the opening formed in the housing, positioning the support member inside the housing, and closing the housing; Performing a process on the substrate inside the housing; And moving the door to be spaced apart from the one side, positioning the support member on the outside of the housing, and opening the housing.

In the step of moving the door in close contact with the one side and the step of moving apart, the door is connected to a cylinder connected to the housing and the rod coupled to the door in a direction perpendicular to the one side by the cylinder I can move it.

In the performing of the process, the pressing member may apply a force greater than the force generated by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the housing to seal the housing while the process is performed.

The support member has a plate shape extending in a vertical direction from a surface facing the opening of the door, and a hole in which the substrate is mounted is formed in the plate, and in the step of performing the process, the housing An upper supply port formed at an upper portion and a lower supply port formed at a lower portion of the housing may supply a supercritical fluid to the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate seated on the support member.

In the step of performing the process, the lower supply port may begin to supply the supercritical fluid earlier than the upper supply port.

According to the present invention, as the process chamber is provided in a structure in which the door slides, it occupies a small space in the vertical direction.

According to the present invention, the process chambers are stacked in the vertical direction so that more process chambers can be arranged in the same footprint, thereby improving the substrate throughput.

According to the present invention, since the support member installed in the door moves into and out of the housing so that the loading and unloading of the substrate can be performed outside the housing, the apparatus for carrying a substrate such as a transfer robot does not have to enter and exit the housing. Can be made small. When the area of the opening is small, the force generated by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the housing during the process is small, it is possible to seal the housing during the process progress with a relatively small force.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and the effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the present specification and attached drawings.

1 is a graph relating to the phase change of carbon dioxide.
2 is a plan view of an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus.
3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus.
4 is a cross-sectional view of the first process chamber of FIG. 2.
5 and 6 are perspective views of one embodiment of the second process chamber of FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the second process chamber of FIG. 2.
8 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the second process chamber of FIG. 2.
FIG. 9 illustrates that the second process chamber of FIG. 2 is stacked and disposed.
10 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a substrate processing method.
11 is a flowchart of another embodiment of a substrate processing method.
12 to 13 are operation diagrams of the substrate processing method of FIG.

The terms and accompanying drawings used herein are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention easily, and the present invention is not limited by the terms and drawings.

The detailed description of known techniques which are not closely related to the idea of the present invention among the techniques used in the present invention will be omitted.

Hereinafter, the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention will be described.

The substrate processing apparatus 100 may perform a supercritical process for treating the substrate S by using the supercritical fluid as the process fluid.

Here, the substrate S is a comprehensive concept including both a semiconductor device, a flat panel display (FPD), and other substrates used for manufacturing an article having a circuit pattern formed on a thin film. Examples of such a substrate S include various wafers including silicon wafers, glass substrates, organic substrates, and the like.

Supercritical fluid refers to a phase having both the properties of a gas and a liquid that are formed when a critical temperature and a critical pressure exceeding a critical pressure are reached. Supercritical fluids have molecular densities close to liquids and viscosities close to gases, which is very effective in chemical reactions due to their excellent diffusivity, penetration, and solubility, and do not apply interfacial tension to microstructures because they have little surface tension. Has characteristics.

Supercritical processes are carried out using the characteristics of these supercritical fluids. Representative examples include supercritical drying processes and supercritical etching processes. Hereinafter, the supercritical process will be described based on the supercritical drying process. However, since this is only for ease of description, the substrate processing apparatus 100 may perform other supercritical processes other than the supercritical drying process.

The supercritical drying process may be performed by dissolving the organic solvent remaining in the circuit pattern of the substrate S as a supercritical fluid to dry the substrate S. It is excellent in drying efficiency and prevents collapse. There are advantages to it. As the supercritical fluid used in the supercritical drying process, a material miscible with an organic solvent may be used. For example, supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO ₂ ) can be used as the supercritical fluid.

1 is a graph relating to the phase change of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide has a critical temperature of 31.1 ℃, the critical pressure of 7.38Mpa is relatively low, making it easy to supercritical state, easy to control the phase change by adjusting the temperature and pressure, and has the advantage of low cost. In addition, carbon dioxide is harmless to humans due to its nontoxicity, nonflammability, and inertness. Supercritical carbon dioxide has a diffusion coefficient of 10 to 100 times higher than water or other organic solvents, resulting in rapid penetration. The substitution of the solvent is quick, and there is little surface tension, which has advantageous properties for use in drying the substrate S having a fine circuit pattern. In addition, carbon dioxide can be recycled as a by-product of various chemical reactions, and can be used in a supercritical drying process, and then converted into a gas to separate and reuse organic solvents, which is less burdensome in terms of environmental pollution.

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

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

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

The index module 1000 may receive the substrate S from the outside and convey the substrate S to the process module 2000, and the process module 2000 may perform a cleaning process.

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

In the load port 1100, a container C in which the substrate S is accommodated is placed. As the container C, a front opening unified pod (FOUP) may be used. The container C may be brought into or out of the load port 1100 from the outside by an overhead transfer (OHT).

The transfer frame 1200 conveys the substrate S between the container C placed on the load port 1100 and the process module 2000. The transport frame 1200 includes an index robot 1210 and an index rail 1220. The index robot 1210 may move on the index rail 1220 and carry the substrate S.

The process module 2000 is a module that performs a process and includes a buffer chamber 2100, a transfer chamber 2200, a first process chamber 3000, and a second process chamber 4000.

The buffer chamber 2100 provides a space in which the substrate S to be temporarily transported between the index module 1000 and the process module 2000 temporarily stays. The buffer chamber 2100 may be provided with a buffer slot on which the substrate S is placed. For example, the index robot 1210 may withdraw the substrate S from the container C and place it in the buffer slot, and the transfer robot 2210 of the transfer chamber 2200 may take the substrate S placed in the buffer slot. The drawing may be transferred to the first process chamber 3000 or the second process chamber 4000. A plurality of buffer slots may be provided in the buffer chamber 2100 so that a plurality of substrates S may be placed.

The transfer chamber 2200 conveys the substrate S between the buffer chamber 2100, the first process chamber 3000, and the second process chamber 4000 arranged around the periphery. The transfer chamber 2200 may include a transfer robot 2210 and a transfer rail 2220. The transfer robot 2210 may move on the transfer rail 2220 and carry the substrate S.

The first process chamber 3000 and the second process chamber 4000 may perform a cleaning process. In this case, 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 rinse process, and an organic solvent process may be performed during the cleaning process 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 to face each other with the transfer chamber 2200 therebetween.

In addition, a plurality of first process chambers 3000 and second process chambers 4000 may be provided in the process module 2000. The plurality of process chambers 3000 and 4000 may be arranged in a line on the side of the transfer chamber 2200, stacked in a vertical direction, 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 above-described example, and may be appropriately changed in consideration of various factors such as the footprint and process efficiency of the substrate processing apparatus 100. have.

Hereinafter, the first process chamber 3000 will be described.

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

The first process chamber 3000 may perform a chemical process, a rinse process, and an organic solvent process. Of course, the first process chamber 3000 may selectively perform only some of these processes. Here, the chemical process is a process of removing foreign substances on the substrate S by providing a cleaner to the substrate S, and the rinsing process is a process of washing the detergent remaining on the substrate S by providing a rinse agent to the substrate. The organic solvent step is a step of providing an organic solvent to the substrate S to replace the rinse agent remaining between the circuit patterns of the substrate S with an organic solvent having a low surface tension.

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 chucking pin 3112, a rotation shaft 3120, and a rotation driver 3130.

The support plate 3110 has a top surface of the same or similar shape as the substrate S, and a support pin 3111 and a chucking pin 3112 are formed on the top surface of the support plate 3110. The support pin 3111 may support the bottom surface of the substrate S, and the chucking pin 3112 may fix the side surface of the substrate S.

The rotating shaft 3120 is connected to the lower portion of the support plate 3110. The rotary shaft 3120 receives the rotational force from the rotary driver 3130 to rotate the support plate 3110. Accordingly, the substrate S mounted on the support plate 3110 may rotate. In this case, the chucking pin 3112 may prevent the substrate S from leaving the correct position.

The nozzle member 3200 injects a medicament to 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 medicament onto the substrate S mounted on the support plate 3110. The agent may be a detergent, a rinse agent or an organic solvent. Here, the cleaning agent may be a solution in which ammonia (NH ₄ OH), hydrochloric acid (HCl) or sulfuric acid (H ₂ SO ₄ ) is mixed with hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) solution or hydrogen peroxide solution, or a hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution. have. In addition, pure water may be used as a rinse agent. As the organic solvent, isopropyl alcohol, ethyl glycol, 1-propanol, tetra hydraulic franc, 4-hydroxyl, 4-methyl, 2-pentanone, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, methanol, ethanol, n-propyl alcohol or dimethylether Gas can be used.

The nozzle 3210 is formed at one bottom of the nozzle bar 3220. The nozzle bar 3220 is coupled to the nozzle shaft 3230, and the nozzle shaft 3230 is provided to be able to lift or rotate. The nozzle shaft driver 3240 may adjust the position of the nozzle 3210 by lifting or rotating the nozzle shaft 3230.

The recovery member 3300 recovers the medicine supplied to the substrate S. When the medicine is supplied to the substrate S by the nozzle member 3200, the support member 3100 may rotate the substrate S to uniformly supply the medicine to the entire area of the substrate S. When the substrate S rotates, the medicament scatters from the substrate S, and the scattering medicament may be recovered by the recovery member 3300.

The recovery member 3300 may include a recovery container 3310, a recovery line 3320, a lifting bar 3330, and a lifting driver 3340.

The recovery container 3310 is provided in an annular ring shape surrounding the support plate 3110. The recovery container 3310 may be provided in plurality. The plurality of recovery containers 3310 are provided in a ring shape away from the support plate 3110 in order when viewed from the top, and the recovery containers 3310 that are farther from the support plate 3110 are provided to have a higher height. As a result, a recovery port 3311 through which the chemicals scattered from the substrate S flows into the space between the recovery containers 3310 is formed.

A recovery line 3320 is formed on the bottom surface of the recovery container 3310. The recovery line 3320 is supplied to a drug regeneration system (not shown) for regenerating the medicine recovered in the recovery container 3310.

The lifting bar 3330 is connected to the recovery container 3310 to receive power from the lifting driver 3340 to move the recovery container 3310 up and down. The lifting bar 3330 may be connected to the recovery container 3310 disposed at the outermost part when the recovery container 3310 is plural. The lifting and lowering driver 3340 may adjust the recovery port 3311 through which the chemicals scattered among the plurality of recovery ports 3311 are lifted by elevating the recovery container 3310 through the lifting bar 3330.

Hereinafter, the second process chamber 4000 will be described.

The second process chamber 4000 may perform a supercritical drying process using a supercritical fluid. As described above, the process performed in the second process chamber 4000 may be another supercritical process in addition to the supercritical drying process. Furthermore, the second process chamber 4000 may use another process fluid instead of the supercritical fluid. The process may be carried out.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the second process chamber 4000 will be described.

5 and 6 are perspective views of one embodiment of the second process chamber 4000 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the second process chamber 4000 of FIG. 2.

5 to 7, the second process chamber 4000 may include a housing 4100, a door 4150, a pressing member 4200, a supporting member 4300, a heating member 4400, and a supply port 4500. And an exhaust port 4600.

The housing 4100 provides a space in which the supercritical drying process is performed. The housing 4100 provides a space in which the supercritical drying process is performed. The housing 4100 is provided of a material that can withstand high pressures above the critical pressure.

An opening 4110 is formed at one side of the housing 4100. The substrate S may be carried into or out of the housing 4100 through the opening 4110. Here, the substrate S may be carried in the substrate S in a state in which the organic solvent remains in the first process chamber 3000 through an organic solvent process.

 One side of the housing 4100 in which the opening 4110 is formed may be a surface perpendicular to each other when viewed from the top and one side where the second process chamber 4000 of the transfer chamber 2000 is disposed. When the transfer robot 2210 of the transfer chamber 2200 moves into the housing 4100 to bring in the substrate S, the opening 4110 may be disposed on the surface facing the transfer chamber 2200 of the housing 4100. It must be formed. However, in the present invention, since the support member 4300 in which the transfer robot 2210 is located outside the housing 4100 can be positioned outside the housing 4100, the opening 4110 is formed in the transfer chamber (4100) of the housing 4100. It may be formed on a surface perpendicular to the transfer chamber 2200 rather than a surface facing the 2200.

The door 4150 may open or close the opening 4110. The door 4150 may be disposed to face a side surface on which the opening 4110 of the housing 4100 is formed, and may move in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the door 4150 to open and close the opening 4110. Accordingly, the housing 4100 or the second process chamber 4000 may be opened or closed.

The pressing member 4200 may apply a force to the door 4150. The door 4150 may be moved by the pressing member 4150 to be spaced apart from the opening 4110 or to be in close contact with the opening 4110. For example, the pressing member 4200 may apply a force to the door 4150 in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the opening 4110 is formed in the housing 4100, and the door 4150 may move accordingly.

In addition, the pressing member 4200 may seal the housing 4100 by applying a force to the door 4150 in the direction toward the opening 4110 during the supercritical drying process. Since the supercritical drying process is performed at a high pressure in a supercritical state, a force acts in a direction away from the opening 4110 in the door 4150 by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the housing 4100. The door 4150 may receive a greater force from the pressing member 4100 in the opposite direction to seal the housing 4100 not to be opened during the supercritical drying process.

The pressing member 4200 may include a cylinder 4210 and a rod 4220. The cylinder 4210 may be installed at both sides of the housing 4100. The rod 4220 may be connected to the cylinder 4210, and one end thereof may be coupled to the door 4150. For example, rod 4220 may have one end inserted into cylinder 4210 and therefrom extending through housing 4100 and door 4150. The other end of the rod 4220 is formed of a rod head 4201 having a larger cross-sectional area than a portion penetrating through the door 4150, and the rod head 4201 is formed on a surface of the rod 4150 facing the opening 4110. It can be combined in close contact with the opposite side.

According to this structure, the rod 4220 may move in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the opening 4110 is formed by the cylinder 4210, and move the door 4150 in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, the door 4150 may open or close the opening 4110. In addition, the door 4150 may be in close contact with the opening 4110 and may receive a force from the rod head 4201 toward the housing 4100 to seal the housing 4100 during the process.

The support member 4300 supports the substrate S. The support member 4300 may support the edge region of the substrate S. For example, the support member 4300 may be provided in the shape of a plate in which a hole 4310 smaller than the area of the substrate S is formed in the same or similar shape as the substrate S. The substrate S may be seated on the support member 4300, and upper and lower surfaces of the substrate S may be exposed to the outside through holes 4310 formed in the support member 4300. Accordingly, during the supercritical drying process in the second process chamber 4000, the entire area of the substrate S may be exposed to the supercritical fluid and dried.

The support member 4300 may be installed on a surface of the door 4150 facing the opening 4110. The support member 4300 installed in the door 4150 may be carried into the housing 4100 by sliding through the opening 4110 according to the movement of the door 4150, or may be located outside the housing 4100. In this case, the support member 4300 may be provided in the shape of a plate whose one side is fixed to a surface facing the opening 4110 of the door 4150 and extends in a vertical direction from the surface. However, since the position at which the support member 4300 is installed is not limited to the door 4150, the support member 4300 may be installed inside the housing 4100.

On the other hand, the opening 4110 may be provided to have an area equal to or slightly larger than that of the side surface of the support member 4300 such that the support member 4300 is carried into the housing 4100. Since the interior of the housing 4100 is maintained at a high pressure above the critical pressure during the supercritical drying process, the larger the area of the opening 4110 is, the greater the force is required for the door 4150 to seal the housing 4100. If the 4110 is provided in the size of the area of the side surface of the support member 4300, the housing 4100 may be sealed with a relatively small force.

The heating member 4400 heats the inside of the housing 4100. The heating member 4400 may heat the supercritical fluid supplied inside the second process chamber 4000 above a critical temperature to maintain the supercritical fluid or to become a supercritical fluid again when liquefied. The heating member 4400 may be embedded in the wall of the housing 4100. The heating member 4400 may be provided as, for example, a heater that generates heat by receiving power from the outside.

The supply port 4500 supplies the supercritical fluid to the second process chamber 4000. The supply port 4500 may be connected to a supply line 4550 for supplying a supercritical fluid. At this time, the supply port 4500 may be provided with a valve for adjusting the flow rate of the supercritical fluid supplied from the supply line (4550).

The supply port 4500 may include an upper supply port 4510 and a lower supply port 4520. The upper supply port 4510 is formed on the upper wall of the housing 4100 and supplies a supercritical fluid to the upper surface of the substrate S supported by the support member 4300. The lower supply port 4520 is formed on the lower wall of the housing 4100 and supplies a supercritical fluid to the lower surface of the substrate S supported by the support member 4300. Here, the substrate S may be mounted on the support member 4300 such that its upper surface is a patterned surface and the lower surface is a non-patterned surface.

The supply ports 4500 may inject supercritical fluid into the central region of the substrate S. [ For example, the upper supply port 4510 may be located vertically above the center of the substrate S supported by the support member 4300. In addition, the lower supply port 4520 may be located vertically downward from the center of the substrate S supported by the support member 4300. Accordingly, the supercritical fluid injected into the supply port 4500 may reach the center region of the substrate S and spread to the edge region, and may be uniformly provided to the entire region of the substrate S. FIG.

Also, in the upper supply port 4510 and the lower supply port 4520, the lower supply port 4520 may supply a supercritical fluid first, and later the upper supply port 4510 may supply a supercritical fluid. Since the supercritical drying process may be performed in a state where the inside of the second process chamber 4000 is less than the critical pressure in the initial stage, the supercritical fluid supplied into the second process chamber 4000 may be liquefied. Therefore, when the supercritical fluid is supplied to the upper supply port 4510 at the beginning of the supercritical drying process, the supercritical fluid may be liquefied and fall to the substrate S by gravity to damage the substrate S. The upper supply port 4510 is supplied with a supercritical fluid to the second process chamber 4000 through the lower supply port 4520 so that the supercritical fluid is supplied when the internal pressure of the second process chamber 4000 reaches a critical pressure. Starting from, it is possible to prevent the supercritical fluid supplied to liquefy and fall to the substrate (S).

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

The exhaust port 4600 may be formed on the lower wall of the housing 4100. In the later stage of the supercritical drying process, the supercritical fluid may be exhausted from the second process chamber 4000, and the internal pressure may be forced down to a critical pressure or less to liquefy the supercritical fluid. The liquefied supercritical fluid may be discharged through the exhaust port 4600 formed in the lower wall of the housing 4100 by gravity.

On the other hand, in the above-described second process chamber 4000, the temperature inside and outside the housing 4100 are different from each other. Therefore, in the process of moving from the outside of the housing 4100 to the inside in a state where the substrate S is seated on the support member 4300, damage may occur to the substrate S due to a temperature difference inside and outside the housing 4100.

8 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the second process chamber 4000 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 8, the second process chamber 4000 may further include a heating member 4320. The heating member 4320 may apply heat to the substrate S mounted on the support member 4300.

The heating member 4320 may be installed on the supporting member 4300 to apply heat to the substrate S. For example, the heating member 4320 may be provided as a heater embedded in the support member 4300, as shown in FIG. 8. The heater generates heat using an external power source, and the generated heat may increase the temperature of the support member 4300. Accordingly, the substrate S mounted on the support member 4300 may be maintained at a predetermined temperature.

Alternatively, the heating member 4320 may be installed in the door 4150. For example, the heating member 4320 may be provided as a heater embedded in the door 4150. Heat generated from the heater is transmitted to the support member 4300 installed in the door 4150 through the door 4150. Accordingly, the substrate S mounted on the support member 4300 may be heated to a predetermined temperature.

In the second process chamber 4000, the interior of the housing 4100 is heated by the heating member 4400 during the supercritical drying process to be in a high temperature state above the critical temperature. When the heating member 4320 is spaced apart from the opening 4110 by the door 4150, and heats the substrate S seated on the support member 4300 positioned outside the housing 4100 and maintains the substrate S at a predetermined temperature, The temperature difference generated while the substrate S moves from the outside to the inside of the housing 4100 is minimized, thereby preventing damage to the substrate S due to the temperature difference.

FIG. 9 illustrates that the second process chamber 4000 of FIG. 2 is stacked.

Referring to FIG. 9, four second process chambers 4000a, 4000b, 4000c, and 4000d are stacked in a vertical direction. Of course, the number of stacked second process chambers 4000 may be adjusted as needed. In the second process chamber 4000, the support member 4300 is installed in the door 4150, and the door 4150 slides so that the substrate S is seated on the support member 4300 through the opening 4110. Since it is carried into the housing 4100, the transfer robot 4100 does not need to enter the housing 4100 while directly holding the substrate S, and thus may be provided to have a small height up and down. In addition, since the area of the opening 4110 is small according to this structure, a relatively small force is required to seal the opening 4110 during the supercritical drying process, and thus, the driving force of the pressing member 4200 to seal the housing 4100. This may be small, the size of the pressing member 4200 can also be small. As a result, since the second process chamber 4000 may be made smaller in overall size than the process chambers that perform the supercritical process, in particular, its height may be made smaller in the vertical direction, the plurality of second process chambers 4000 may be used. It is easy to arrange by stacking.

The substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention has been described as supplying a supercritical fluid to the substrate S to process the substrate, but the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention necessarily performs such a supercritical process. It is not limited to doing. Therefore, the second process chamber 4000 of the substrate processing apparatus 100 may process the substrate S by supplying another process fluid instead of the supercritical fluid to the supply port 4500. In this case, an organic solvent or gas of various components, plasma gas, inert gas, etc. may be used as the process fluid instead of the supercritical fluid.

In addition, the substrate processing apparatus 100 may further include a controller for controlling the components. For example, the controller may control the heating member 4400 to adjust the internal temperature of the housing 4100. For another example, the controller may control the valve installed in the nozzle member 2320, the supply line 4550 or the exhaust line 4650 to adjust the flow rate of the drug or supercritical fluid. For another example, the controller may control the pressing member 4200 to open or close the housing 4100. In another example, the controller may start supplying a supercritical fluid to one of the upper supply port 4110 and the lower supply port 4120, and then the internal pressure of the second process chamber 4000 may reach a preset pressure. If so, the other may be controlled to start supplying the supercritical fluid.

Such a controller may be implemented in a computer or similar device using hardware, software or a combination thereof.

In terms of hardware, controllers include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, and microcontrollers. It can be implemented as micro-controllers, microprocessors or electrical devices that perform similar control functions.

In software, the controller may be implemented by software code or software application written in one or more programming languages. The software is executed by a hardware-implemented control unit. The software may be installed by being transmitted from an external device such as a server in the hardware configuration described above.

Hereinafter, the substrate processing method according to the present invention will be described using the substrate processing apparatus 100 described above. However, since this is only for ease of description, the substrate processing method may be performed using the same or similar other device in addition to the substrate processing apparatus 100 described above. In addition, the substrate processing method according to the present invention may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium in the form of a code or a program for performing the same.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the substrate processing method will be described. One embodiment of a substrate processing method relates to the overall cleaning process.

10 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a substrate processing method.

One embodiment of the substrate processing method is a step (S110) of carrying the substrate (S) into the first process chamber 3000, performing a chemical process (S120), performing a rinse process (S130), an organic solvent Performing the process (S140), the step (S150) of importing the substrate (S) into the second process chamber 4000, performing the supercritical drying process (S160) and the container placed in the load port (1100) And storing the substrate S in C) (S170). On the other hand, the above-described steps are not necessarily executed in the order described, the steps described later may be performed before the steps described first. The same holds true for other embodiments of the substrate processing method described later. Each step will be described below.

The substrate S is loaded into the first process chamber 3000 (S110). First, a conveying device such as an overhead transferr or the like places the container C in which the substrate S is stored in the load port 1100. When the container C is placed, the index robot 1210 draws the substrate S from the container C and loads the substrate S in the buffer slot. The substrate S loaded in the buffer slot is taken out by the transfer robot 2210 and brought into the first process chamber 3000 and seated on the support plate 3110.

When the substrate S is loaded into the first process chamber 3000, a chemical process is performed (S120). When the substrate S is placed on the support plate 3110, the nozzle shaft 3230 is moved and rotated by the nozzle shaft driver 3240 so that the nozzle 3210 is positioned above the substrate S. The nozzle 3210 sprays a cleaner on the upper surface of the substrate S. When the cleaning agent is sprayed, the foreign matter is removed from the substrate (S). At this time, the rotary driver 3130 may rotate the rotating shaft 3120 to rotate the substrate (S). When the substrate S is rotated, the cleaning agent is uniformly supplied to the substrate S and scattered from the substrate S. FIG. Flushing detergent flows into the recovery container 3310 and is sent to the fluid regeneration system (not shown) through the recovery line 3320. In this case, the lifting and lowering driver 3340 lifts and recovers the recovery container 3310 such that the cleaning agent scattered into one of the plurality of recovery containers 3310 is introduced through the lifting bar 3330.

When the foreign substance on the substrate S is sufficiently removed, a rinse process is performed (S130). When the chemical process is completed, foreign matter is removed from the substrate S, and the cleaning agent remains. Of the plurality of nozzles 3210, the nozzles 3210 sprayed with the cleaner are separated from the upper portion of the substrate S, and another nozzle 3210 moves to the upper portion of the substrate S to rinse the upper surface of the substrate S. Spray it. When the rinse agent is supplied to the substrate S, the cleaning agent remaining on the substrate S is washed. Even during the rinse process, the substrate S may be rotated and the drug may be recovered. The lift driver 3340 adjusts the height of the recovery container 3310 such that the rinsing agent flows into the recovery container 3310 and the other recovery container 3310 from which the cleaning agent is collected.

When the substrate S is sufficiently washed, an organic solvent process is performed (S140). When the rinsing process is completed, another nozzle 3210 moves to the upper portion of the substrate S to spray the organic solvent. When the organic solvent is supplied, the rinse agent on the substrate S is replaced with the organic solvent. On the other hand, during the organic solvent process, the substrate S may not be rotated or may be rotated at a low speed. This is because when the organic solvent is directly evaporated on the substrate S, the interfacial tension acts on the circuit pattern by the surface tension of the organic solvent, thereby causing the circuit pattern to collapse.

When the organic solvent process is finished in the first process chamber 3000, the substrate S is loaded into the second process chamber 4000 (S150), and the second process chamber 4000 performs a supercritical drying process ( S160). Step S150 and step S160 will be described in detail in another embodiment of the substrate processing method to be described later.

When the supercritical drying process is completed, the substrate S is stored in the container C placed in the load port 1100 (S170). When the second process chamber 4000 is opened, the transfer robot 2210 pulls out the substrate S. The substrate S may move to the buffer chamber 2100, may be withdrawn from the buffer chamber 2100 by the index robot 1110, and may be accommodated in the container C.

Hereinafter, another embodiment of the substrate processing method will be described. Another embodiment of the substrate processing method relates to a method in which the second process chamber 4000 performs a supercritical drying process.

11 is a flowchart of another embodiment of a substrate processing method.

Another embodiment of the substrate processing method is a step (S210) of mounting the substrate (S) on the support member 4300 of the second process chamber 4000, the step of contacting the door 4150 to the opening (4110) (S220) Supplying the supercritical fluid (S230), evacuating the supercritical fluid (S240), separating the door 4150 from the opening 4110 (S250), and removing the substrate S from the second process chamber. Exporting step S260 is included. Each step will be described below.

12 to 13 are operation diagrams of the substrate processing method of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 12, the substrate S is seated on the support member 4300 of the second process chamber 4000 (S210). Here, in the second process chamber 4000, the door 4150 is spaced apart from the opening 4110, and the support member 4300 is located outside the housing 4100. Therefore, the transfer robot 2210 may seat the substrate S on the support member 4300 from the outside of the housing 4100 without entering the inside of the housing 4100. Here, the transfer robot 2210 may withdraw the substrate S in a state in which the organic solvent remains from the first process chamber 3000 and mount it on the support member 4300.

The door 4150 is brought into close contact with the opening 4110 (S220). When the substrate S is seated on the supporting member 4300, the pressing member 4300 moves the door 4150 in the direction of the opening 4110 to closely contact the opening 4110. As such, when the door 4150 moves, the support member 4300 installed in the door 4150 moves to the inside of the housing 4100, and the substrate S is carried into the housing 4100. In addition, when the door 4150 is in close contact with the opening 4110, the inside of the housing 4100 is sealed. Specifically, the cylinder 4210 moves the rod 4220 from the door 4150 toward the housing 4110, and moves the door 4150 coupled with the rod 4220 in close contact with the opening 4110 according to the operation. do.

When the second process chamber 4000 is sealed, the supercritical fluid is supplied (S230). The supply port 4500 may inject a supercritical fluid into the housing 4100. In this process, the heating member 4300 may heat the inside of the housing 4100 to maintain the inside of the housing 4100 in a supercritical atmosphere. The supercritical fluid to be injected may be provided to the substrate S to dissolve the organic solvent remaining in the substrate S to dry the substrate S.

The supercritical fluid may be supplied through the upper supply port 4510 and the lower supply port 4520. In this case, the support member 4100 may be installed closer to the upper wall than the lower wall of the housing 4100. When the substrate S has a pattern surface on the top surface and an unpattern surface on the bottom surface, when the support member 4100 is provided closer to the upper wall, the supercritical fluid injected from the upper supply port 4510 is applied to the substrate S. Can be better communicated. Accordingly, drying of the pattern surface of the substrate S, that is, drying of the organic solvent remaining between the circuit patterns can be effectively performed.

Referring to FIG. 13, first, the supercritical fluid is supplied to the lower supply port 4520 (S231), and later, the supercritical fluid may be supplied to the upper supply port 4510 (S242). When the supercritical fluid is introduced for the first time, since the pressure inside the housing 4100 is still below the critical pressure, the supercritical fluid may be liquefied. When the supercritical fluid is supplied to the upper portion of the substrate S, the supercritical fluid may be liquefied and fall to the upper portion of the substrate S by gravity, thereby causing damage to the substrate S. Therefore, first, the supercritical fluid may be supplied through the lower supply port 4520, and the supercritical fluid may be supplied later through the upper supply port 4510.

When the supercritical fluid continuously flows through the lower supply port 4510, the internal pressure of the housing 4100 rises above the critical pressure, and when the inside of the housing 4100 is heated by the heating member 4200, the housing 4100. As the internal temperature rises above the critical temperature, a supercritical atmosphere may be formed inside the housing 4100. The upper supply port 4510 may start supplying the supercritical fluid when the inside of the housing 4100 becomes the supercritical state. That is, the controller may supply the supercritical fluid through the upper supply port 4510 when the internal pressure of the housing 4100 is greater than or equal to the threshold pressure.

Meanwhile, while the supercritical drying process is performed by supplying the supercritical fluid as described above, the pressing member 4200 exerts a force on the door 4150 in the direction of the housing 4100 to the housing 4100 or the second process chamber 4000. Can be kept closed. When the cylinder 4210 generates a driving force from the door 4150 in the direction of the housing 4100, the rod 4220 faces the opening 4110 of the door 4150 via the rod head 4201. You can force it.

Since the interior of the housing 4100 is maintained in a supercritical state, the internal pressure of the housing 4100 becomes a high pressure state exceeding a critical pressure in the supercritical state. Accordingly, a force acts in a direction in which the door 4150 is spaced apart from the housing 4100 on a surface in close contact with the opening 4110 of the door 4150 due to a difference in pressure between the outside and the inside of the housing 4100. The pressing member 4200 may close the housing 4100 during the process by applying a force greater than the force generated by the pressure difference to the opposite surface facing the opening 4110 of the door 4150.

When the organic solvent remaining in the substrate S is dissolved by the supercritical fluid and the substrate S is sufficiently dried, the supercritical fluid is exhausted (S240). The exhaust port 4600 exhausts the supercritical fluid from the second process chamber 4000. On the other hand, the supply and exhaust of the above-described supercritical fluid can be performed by the controller controls the valves installed in each supply line 4550 and the exhaust line 4650 to adjust the flow rate. The supercritical fluid to be exhausted may be released into the atmosphere through the exhaust line 4650 or provided to a supercritical fluid regeneration system (not shown).

When the internal pressure of the second process chamber 4000 is sufficiently lowered through the exhaust, for example, when the internal pressure is normal, the door 4150 is spaced apart from the opening 4110 (S250). Specifically, when the cylinder 4210 moves the rod 4220 in the direction of the door 4150 from the housing 4100, the door 4150 coupled thereto moves in a direction away from the opening 4110.

The substrate S is taken out from the second process chamber 4000 (S280). When the door 4150 is spaced apart from the opening 4110, the support member 4300 is positioned outside the housing 4100. The transfer robot 2210 may carry the substrate S from the second process chamber 4000 by holding the substrate S seated thereon from the support member 4300 positioned outside the housing 4100.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are described in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention to those skilled in the art, so the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

Therefore, it is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. All of the modifications are included.

In addition, the scope of protection of the present invention should be construed according to the following claims, and all inventions within the scope of the claims should be construed as being included in the scope 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: chucking pin 3120: rotating shaft
3130: rotary actuator 3200: nozzle member 3210: nozzle
3220: nozzle bar 3230: nozzle shaft 3240: nozzle shaft actuator
3300: recovery member 3310: recovery container 3311: recovery port
3320: recovery line 3330: hoisting bar 3340: hoisting drive
4000: second process chamber 4100: housing 4110: opening
4150: door 4200: pressure member 4210: cylinder
4220: rod 4221: rod head 4300: support member
4310: hole 4320: heating member 4400: heating member
4500: supply port 4550: supply line 4510: upper supply port
4520: Lower supply port 4600: Exhaust port 4650: Exhaust line
C: container S: substrate

Claims (20)

An opening formed in one side and providing a space in which the process is performed;
A door for opening and closing the opening;
A support member installed on the door and on which a substrate is mounted;
A pressing member for applying a force to the door in a direction perpendicular to the one side surface;
A heating member for heating the inside of the housing;
A supply port for supplying a supercritical fluid to the housing; And
Performing a supercritical process, including an exhaust port for exhausting the supercritical fluid from the housing,
The door is moved in a direction perpendicular to the one side by the pressing member to open or close the housing,
The support member is located inside or outside the housing as the door moves, and has a plate shape extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the door from a surface facing the opening. The substrate is seated and holes smaller than the area of the substrate are formed
Substrate processing apparatus. delete delete The method of claim 1,
The pressing member includes a cylinder coupled to the housing and a rod coupled to the cylinder, coupled to the door, and moving in a direction perpendicular to the one side by the cylinder.
Substrate processing apparatus. delete delete The method of claim 1,
The supply port includes an upper supply port formed on the upper surface of the housing and a lower supply port formed on the lower surface of the housing.
Substrate processing apparatus. A transfer chamber for transferring a substrate;
An opening is formed in one side, a housing providing a space in which a process is performed, a door for opening and closing the opening, and a support member installed in the door and on which a substrate is seated, and disposed on one side of the transfer chamber. Process chamber;
A pressing member for applying a force to the door in a direction perpendicular to one side of the housing;
A heating member for heating the inside of the housing;
A supply port for supplying a supercritical fluid to the housing; And
Performing a supercritical process, including an exhaust port for exhausting the supercritical fluid from the housing,
When viewed from the top, one side of the transfer chamber and one side of the housing are perpendicular to each other,
The door is moved in a direction perpendicular to one side of the housing by the pressing member to open or close the housing,
The support member has a plate shape extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the door from a surface facing the opening of the door, the hole is smaller than the area of the substrate is seated in the plate Formed
Substrate processing apparatus. delete 9. The method of claim 8,
The pressing member includes a cylinder coupled to the housing and a rod coupled to the cylinder, coupled to the door, and moving in a direction perpendicular to one side of the housing by the cylinder.
Substrate processing apparatus. delete The method according to claim 8 and 10,
The process chamber is a plurality,
The plurality of process chambers are arranged in one line on one side of the transfer chamber according to the moving direction of the door.
Substrate processing apparatus. The method according to claim 8 and 10,
The process chamber is a plurality,
The plurality of process chambers are arranged to be stacked in the vertical direction
Substrate processing apparatus. delete The method according to claim 8 and 10,
The supply port includes an upper supply port formed on the upper surface of the housing and a lower supply port formed on the lower surface of the housing.
Substrate processing apparatus. Mounting a substrate on a support member installed on the door;
Moving the door to be in close contact with one side of the opening formed in the housing, positioning the support member inside the housing, and closing the housing;
Performing a process on the substrate inside the housing; And
Moving the door to be spaced apart from the one side, positioning the support member on the outside of the housing, and opening the housing;
The support member has a plate shape extending in a vertical direction from a surface facing the opening of the door, the substrate is seated in the plate and a hole smaller than the area of the substrate is formed,
In the performing of the process, the pressing member applies a force greater than the force generated by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the housing so that the housing is closed while the process is performed, and the upper portion of the housing The upper supply port and the lower supply port formed in the lower portion of the housing to supply the supercritical fluid to the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate seated on the support member
Substrate processing method. 17. The method of claim 16,
In the step of moving the door in close contact with the one side and the step of moving apart, the door is connected to a cylinder connected to the housing and the rod coupled to the door in a direction perpendicular to the one side by the cylinder Moving
Substrate processing method. delete delete 17. The method of claim 16,
In the performing of the process, the lower supply port starts supplying the supercritical fluid before the upper supply port.
Substrate processing method.

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