KR102357843B1 - Substrate drying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate drying apparatus capable of improving a dry efficiency of a substrate using supercritical fluid by supplying the supercritical fluid to a substrate dry chamber with a constant pressurization speed in the same condition every process. The substrate drying apparatus comprises: a substrate dry chamber providing a dry chamber for drying a substrate; a supercritical fluid generating/storing part generating and storing supercritical fluid to be supplied to the dry chamber inside the substrate dry chamber; a main opening/closing valve installed at a supply line between the supercritical fluid generating/storing part and the substrate dry chamber to determine whether to supply the supercritical fluid stored in the supercritical fluid generating/storing part to the substrate dry chamber; one automatic flow amount control valve installed at a supply line located at the rear end of the main opening/closing valve to gradually control a flow amount of the supercritical fluid supplied from the supercritical fluid generating/storing part when the main opening/closing valve is opened; and an orifice installed between the main opening/closing valve and the automatic flow amount control valve to reduce the pressure applied to the automatic flow amount control valve by the supercritical fluid passing through the main opening/closing valve.

Description

Substrate drying apparatus {SUBSTRATE DRYING APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a substrate drying apparatus. More specifically, the present invention can improve the drying efficiency of the substrate using the supercritical fluid by supplying the supercritical fluid to the substrate drying chamber at a constant pressurization rate and under the same conditions for every process, and adding the supercritical fluid to the substrate drying chamber When supplying, an orifice that constantly buffers the flow of the supercritical fluid is installed at the front end of the automatic flow control valve located in the supply line to prevent the flow rate fluctuation of the automatic flow control valve that regulates the flow. Shutdown for equipment maintenance by supplying the speed under the same conditions for every process and extending the valve life by preventing damage to the automatic flow control valve due to the high differential pressure that occurs in the automatic flow control valve during rapid pressurization When supercritical fluid is supplied to the substrate drying chamber that can process substrates under high pressure, the desired flow rate can be automatically adjusted step by step by using one automatic flow control valve located in the supply line. And, by reducing the number of valves required for the substrate drying apparatus using the supercritical fluid, the device manufacturing cost and maintenance cost are reduced, the convenience of securing the internal space of the device for maintenance is increased, and the outlet point related to the valve ( Leak point) to reduce the possibility of leakage of the supercritical fluid, while reducing the overall valve operation corresponding to the reduced number of valves, it is possible to reduce the particle issue causing process defects, and the upper housing constituting the substrate drying chamber When the supercritical fluid is supplied to the substrate drying chamber using a heater built into at least one of the and the lower housing, the organic solvent wetted in the pattern formed on the substrate is removed by adjusting the inside of the substrate drying chamber to be above the critical point of the supercritical fluid. In the drying process of dissolving the supercritical fluid and discharging it to the outside, it is possible to prevent the collapse of the pattern formed on the substrate and increase the supercritical drying efficiency. By uniformly dispersing in the substrate drying chamber, supplying and discharging The present invention relates to a substrate drying apparatus capable of increasing substrate drying efficiency and preventing a problem that particles are introduced into a substrate inside the substrate drying chamber when the substrate drying chamber is opened after the drying process is completed.

The semiconductor device manufacturing process includes various processes such as a lithography process, an etching process, and an ion implantation process. After each process, the wafer surface is cleaned by removing impurities and residues remaining on the wafer surface before moving to the next process. A cleaning process and a drying process for cleaning are being performed.

For example, in the cleaning treatment of the wafer after the etching process, a chemical solution for the cleaning treatment is supplied to the surface of the wafer, and thereafter, deionized water (DIW) is supplied to perform a rinse treatment. After the rinse treatment, a drying treatment of drying the wafer by removing the deionized water remaining on the wafer surface is performed.

As a method of performing the drying treatment, for example, a technique of drying the wafer by replacing deionized water on the wafer with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is known.

However, according to this conventional drying technique, as shown in FIG. 1 , during the drying process, a problem occurs in that the pattern formed on the wafer collapses due to the surface tension of the liquid IPA.

In order to solve this problem, a supercritical drying technique in which the surface tension becomes zero has been proposed.

According to the supercritical drying technique, IPA on the wafer is dissolved in the supercritical carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) fluid by supplying carbon dioxide in a supercritical state to the wafer whose surface is wetted with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in a chamber. In addition, the supercritical carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) fluid dissolving the IPA is gradually discharged from the chamber, thereby drying the wafer without destroying the pattern.

The supercritical drying process is a drying step in which IPA is dissolved in the supercritical fluid and discharged through a pressurization step of supplying the supercritical fluid into the chamber at the beginning of the process, and a flushing process that repeats the pressure increase and pressure in the pressure range above the critical point. and a decompression step performed after drying is completed.

For the supercritical drying process, the pressurization step of supplying the supercritical fluid into the chamber occupies about 30% of the total process time, and a fast pressurization speed is required to shorten the process time.

Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2016-0135035 (published date: November 24, 2016, title: substrate drying apparatus and method), which is a prior art, addresses the problems that occur in the process of adjusting the flow rate of the supercritical fluid according to the prior art. It will be described with reference to FIG. 2 showing the as follows.

Referring to FIG. 2 , a supply line 4800 supplies process fluid from a supply tank 4850 to a chamber 4000 . One end of the supply line 4800 is connected to the supply tank 4850 and the other end is connected to the chamber 4000 . The supply line 4800 includes a front supply line 4880 and a rear supply line 4890 . The front feed line 4880 regulates the flow rate. The front supply line 4880 includes a first front supply line 4810 and a second front supply line 4820 connected in parallel to each other.

The first front supply line 4810 includes a first on/off valve 4810a and a first flow valve 4810b. The first on/off valve 4810a controls the flow of the first front supply line 4810 , and the first flow valve 4810b controls the flow of the first front supply line 4810 . The first flow valve 4810b controls the pressure of the process fluid flowing into the chamber 4000 by allowing the process fluid to move at a preset flow rate.

The second front supply line 4820 includes a second on/off valve 4820a and a second flow valve 4820b. The second on-off valve 4820a controls the flow of the second front supply line 4820 , and the second flow valve 4820b controls the flow of the second front supply line 4820 . The second flow valve 4820b controls the pressure of the process fluid flowing into the chamber 4000 by moving the process fluid at a preset flow rate.

The first flow valve 4810b and the second flow valve 4820b are provided such that flow rates of the process fluid moving through the first front supply line 4810 and the second front supply line 4820 are different from each other. According to an example, the second supply flow rate is provided to be greater than the first supply flow rate.

The process fluid introduced into the chamber 4000 at the beginning of the process fluid supply process is provided through the first front supply line 4810 . Since the flow rate of the process fluid moved to the first front supply line 4810 is less than that of the second front supply line 4820 , the initial pressure of the process fluid is low in the chamber 4000 . Due to this, it is possible to prevent particles from being generated inside the chamber 4000 . In addition, it is possible to prevent damage to the substrate S due to the initial pressurization of the process fluid. When the process fluid is supplied through the first front supply line 4810 and the inside of the chamber 4000 reaches a preset pressure, a large amount of the process fluid is supplied through the second front supply line 4820 . For this reason, the process time can be shortened and process efficiency can be achieved.

In the prior art disclosed in Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2016-0135035, the supercritical fluid supplied through the on/off valves 4810a and 4820a and the supply line in the supply tank 4850 is supplied to the flow valves 4810b and 4820b. As a method of controlling (pressurization speed), in order to control different flow rates, an opening/closing and flow valve must be installed for each set flow rate. For example, if the number of flow rates to be set is three, three opening/closing and flow valves are required respectively.

According to the prior art using a plurality of valves corresponding to the number of set flow rates, the number of valves increases the cost of device manufacturing and maintenance, and since a large number of valves are used, the leak point associated with the valves ) increases, the possibility of leakage of the supercritical fluid increases correspondingly, and the number of operation of the valve increases as a whole, thereby increasing the probability of a particle issue causing process failure.

In addition, according to the prior art disclosed in Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2016-0135035, a high differential pressure in the flow valves 4810b and 4820b, that is, hammering due to the pressure difference occurs during rapid pressurization, and thus the flow rate fluctuates (The valve control handle of the flow valve is slightly twisted due to impact), and there is a problem in that it is difficult to maintain a desired pressurization speed.

In addition, there is a problem in that the flow valves 4810b and 4820b may cause loss due to shortened lifespan due to damage.

3 illustrates a substrate processing chamber disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2017-0137243, which is a prior art related to a substrate processing apparatus using a supercritical fluid.

Referring to FIG. 3 , in the process of removing the organic solvent in the supercritical drying process, the organic solvent may be introduced into the contact bonding surface of the upper body 430 and the lower body 420 constituting the high-pressure chamber 410 . . In this way, the organic solvent introduced into the bonding surface of the upper body 430 and the lower body 420 becomes particles and accumulates around them.

After the supercritical drying process is finished, the chamber is opened to transport the treated substrate to the outside, and at this time, due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the chamber, particles around the bonding surface of the upper body 430 and the lower body 420 . may be introduced into the chamber.

According to Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2017-0137243, since the substrate is located below the coupling surface of the upper body 430 and the lower body 420, the coupling surface of the upper body 430 and the lower body 420 is provided. There is a high possibility that some of the particles are introduced into the substrate due to gravity while the surrounding particles are introduced into the chamber.

In this way, since the particles flowing into the substrate cause process defects, there is a need to additionally install a blocking film around the coupling surface of the upper body 430 and the lower body 420 to prevent the inflow of particles, Accordingly, there is a problem in that the overall structure of the device becomes complicated.

In addition, according to the prior art including the Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0137243 No., the lower supply port 422 for supplying the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization, the exhaust port for exhausting the supercritical fluid after drying ( 426) is not located in the exact center of the lower body 420, thereby forming an asymmetric flow when supplying and discharging the fluid, so that it is difficult to uniformly disperse the supercritical fluid in the chamber to supply and discharge it, and this reduces the drying efficiency problems arise.

In addition, according to the prior art including Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2017-0137243, when the temperature inside the chamber becomes less than the critical point for maintaining the supercritical state in the process of supplying the supercritical fluid for drying, the pattern formed on the substrate In the drying process of dissolving the organic solvent wetted in the supercritical fluid and discharging to the outside, the pattern formed on the substrate may be destroyed, and there is a problem in that the supercritical drying efficiency is lowered.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0135035 (published date: November 24, 2016, title: substrate drying apparatus and method) Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0137243 (published date: December 13, 2017, title: substrate processing apparatus and method)

The technical problem of the present invention is to improve the drying efficiency of the substrate using the supercritical fluid by supplying the supercritical fluid to the substrate drying chamber under the same conditions for every process at a constant pressurization rate.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to control the flow rate by installing an orifice that constantly buffers the flow of the supercritical fluid at the front end of the automatic flow control valve located in the supply line when the supercritical fluid is supplied to the substrate drying chamber By preventing the flow rate fluctuation of the automatic flow control valve, the supercritical fluid pressurization speed is supplied under the same conditions for every process.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to prevent damage to the automatic flow control valve due to high differential pressure generated in the automatic flow control valve during rapid pressurization to extend the valve life, thereby reducing the loss of shutdown for equipment maintenance. is to prevent

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to use a single flow rate automatic control valve located in the supply line when supplying a supercritical fluid to a substrate drying chamber capable of processing a substrate under high pressure in a substrate drying apparatus using a supercritical fluid. An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of automatically adjusting a desired flow rate step by step.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to reduce the number of valves required for a substrate drying apparatus using a supercritical fluid, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of the device, and increasing the convenience of securing the internal space of the device for maintenance .

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to reduce the number of valves required for a substrate drying apparatus using the supercritical fluid, thereby reducing the leak point associated with the valve to reduce the possibility of leakage of the supercritical fluid.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to reduce the number of valves required for a substrate drying apparatus using a supercritical fluid to reduce the overall valve operation, thereby reducing the particle issue causing process defects.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to control the inside of the substrate drying chamber to be above the critical point of the supercritical fluid when the supercritical fluid is supplied to the substrate drying chamber using a heater built into at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing. In the drying process of dissolving the organic solvent wetted on the pattern formed in the supercritical fluid and discharging it to the outside, the collapse of the pattern formed on the substrate is prevented and the supercritical drying efficiency is increased.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to provide a supply path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization through one integrated supply/discharge port and a discharge path of the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent formed on the substrate after drying is dissolved in the supercritical fluid for drying By doing so, the substrate drying efficiency is increased by inducing a symmetrical flow when supplying and discharging the supercritical fluid, uniformly dispersing the supercritical fluid in the chamber, and supplying and discharging the supercritical fluid.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to block the particles re-introduced when the chamber is opened after completion of the drying process by using the substrate placement plate, which is essential for arranging the substrate, and the initial pressure directed directly to the substrate surface at the beginning of the drying process Prevents the collapse of the pattern formed on the substrate by preventing the flow of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization, prevents the problem of particles that may be contained in the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization, or reduces the deposition amount on the substrate, It is to shorten the drying process time by reducing the working volume of the chamber due to the volume.

In addition, the technical problem of the present invention is to place the substrate on the substrate mounting plate so as to be positioned higher than the coupling surface of the lower housing and the upper housing, so that when the drying process is completed and the chamber is opened, it is provided on the coupling surface of the lower housing and the upper housing This is to prevent the problem that particles around the sealed portion are introduced into the substrate by gravity according to the height difference between the substrate and the bonding surface.

A substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention for solving these technical problems is a substrate drying chamber providing a drying space for drying a substrate, and a supercritical fluid for generating and storing a supercritical fluid supplied to a drying space inside the substrate drying chamber A fluid generation/storage unit, which is installed in a supply line between the supercritical fluid generation/storage unit and the substrate drying chamber, and determines whether the supercritical fluid stored in the supercritical fluid generation/storage unit is supplied to the substrate drying chamber The main on/off valve to determine the main on/off valve is installed in the supply line located at the rear end of the main on/off valve, and the main on/off valve is opened to adjust the flow rate of the supercritical fluid supplied from the supercritical fluid generation/storage unit in stages. of the automatic flow control valve and an orifice installed between the main on-off valve and the automatic flow control valve to reduce the differential pressure applied to the automatic flow control valve by the supercritical fluid passing through the main on-off valve do.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the flow of the supercritical fluid passing through the main opening/closing valve is buffered while passing through the orifice, so that the flow rate fluctuation of the supercritical fluid passing through the automatic flow rate control valve is suppressed. do.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the automatic flow rate control valve includes a body in which a flow path providing a movement path of the supercritical fluid supplied through the main opening/closing valve is formed, and a control fluid supplied from the control fluid supply unit. The inflow control fluid inlet, one end of which is located in the control fluid inlet and the other end in the flow path formed in the body part, is formed in the body part by adjusting the degree of descent according to the pressure of the control fluid flowing into the control fluid inlet part It characterized in that it comprises a stem for adjusting the degree of opening of the flow path step by step and a positioner coupled to the stem to display the position of the stem descending according to the pressure of the control fluid.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate drying chamber includes an upper housing, a lower housing operably coupled to the upper housing, a heater unit built in at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing, and the lower housing. The substrate arrangement plate coupled to the bottom surface and on which the substrate on which the organic solvent is formed is disposed, the upper supply port formed to face the substrate arrangement plate in the central region of the upper housing to provide a supply path of the supercritical fluid for drying and a supply path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization and the upper supply port extending from the side surface of the lower housing to the middle region of the lower housing and formed to face the substrate arrangement plate in the middle region of the lower housing. It is characterized in that it comprises an integrated supply/discharge port that provides a discharge path of the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the drying supercritical fluid after drying by the supercritical fluid for drying supplied through it.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the heater unit includes a plurality of heating elements symmetrically arranged in a concentric circle shape inside at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the heater unit maintains the temperature above the critical point of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port and the supercritical fluid for drying supplied through the upper supply port. It is characterized in that it operates.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the plurality of heating elements constituting the heater unit extends to an opening formed in at least one sidewall of the upper housing and the lower housing and is electrically connected to an external power source. do.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization branched from the first point of the supply line located at the rear end of the automatic flow control valve and passed through the automatic flow control valve is formed on the side surface of the substrate drying chamber A first branch line providing a path to be supplied to the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber through an integrated supply/discharge port, the drying supercritical fluid branching from the first point and passing through the automatic flow rate control valve is the substrate A second branch line providing a path to be supplied to the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber through the upper supply port formed on the upper surface of the drying chamber, and a second point between the first point and the integrated supply/discharge port of the substrate drying chamber It is characterized in that it further comprises a discharge line branched at a point to provide a path through which the mixed fluid is discharged to the outside of the substrate drying chamber.

The substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention is installed in the supply line between the automatic flow rate control valve and the first point, characterized in that it further comprises an external heater for heating the supercritical fluid passing through the automatic flow rate control valve.

The substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention is installed in the first branch line, an initial pressure on/off valve for determining whether to supply the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization, and is installed in the second branch line to supply the supercritical fluid for drying It characterized in that it further comprises a dry opening/closing valve for determining whether or not and a discharge opening/closing valve installed on the discharge line to determine whether to discharge the mixed fluid.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the integrated supply/discharge port includes a common conduit formed from a side surface of the lower housing to an intermediate area of the lower housing and communicated with the common conduit in the intermediate area of the lower housing. It is characterized in that it comprises a common port portion formed to face the substrate arrangement plate.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization is supplied from the outside to the drying space sealed to the upper housing and the lower housing through the common pipe part and the common port part, and the drying candle The mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the critical fluid is discharged from the drying space to the outside through the common port part and the common conduit part.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate drying chamber further includes a sealing part provided on a coupling surface of the lower housing and the upper housing, and the substrate is positioned higher than the coupling surface of the lower housing and the upper housing. It is disposed on the substrate arrangement plate, and when the drying process is completed and the lower housing and the upper housing are opened, particles around the sealing part provided on the bonding surface are generated according to the difference in height between the substrate and the bonding surface. It is characterized in that the inflow into the substrate is prevented by gravity.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the common pipe part and the common port part is blocked by the substrate arrangement plate, and direct injection to the substrate is prevented.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, one end of the substrate drying chamber is coupled to the bottom surface of the lower housing and the other end is coupled to the substrate arrangement plate, and the substrate arrangement plate is moved to the lower part while supporting the substrate arrangement plate. It characterized in that it further comprises a substrate arrangement plate support portion spaced apart from the bottom surface of the housing.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the first separation space existing between the bottom surface of the lower housing and the substrate arrangement plate by the substrate arrangement plate support part is for initial pressurization supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port. It is characterized in that the supercritical fluid moves along the lower surface of the substrate arrangement plate to induce it to gradually diffuse into the processing area on which the substrate is disposed.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, one end of the substrate drying chamber is coupled to the upper surface of the substrate arrangement plate and the other end is coupled to the substrate, and the substrate is spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate arrangement plate while supporting the substrate It is characterized in that it further comprises a substrate support.

In the substrate drying apparatus according to the present invention, the second separation space existing between the upper surface of the substrate arrangement plate and the substrate by the substrate support part is the initial pressure supplied to the lower surface of the substrate through the integrated supply/discharge port. It is characterized in that it shortens the drying process time by exposing it to the supercritical fluid for drying and the supercritical fluid for drying supplied through the upper supply port.

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the drying efficiency of the substrate using the supercritical fluid by supplying the supercritical fluid to the substrate drying chamber under the same conditions for each process at a constant pressurization rate.

In addition, when supplying the supercritical fluid to the substrate drying chamber, an orifice that constantly buffers the flow of the supercritical fluid is installed at the front end of the automatic flow control valve located in the supply line to control the flow rate of the automatic flow control valve. By preventing the flow rate fluctuation, the supercritical fluid pressurization rate can be supplied under the same conditions for every process.

In addition, damage to the automatic flow control valve due to the high differential pressure generated in the automatic flow control valve during rapid pressurization is prevented, thereby extending the valve life, thereby preventing losses such as shutdown for equipment maintenance.

In addition, in the substrate drying apparatus using the supercritical fluid, when the supercritical fluid is supplied to the substrate drying chamber that can process the substrate under high pressure, the desired flow rate is automatically controlled step by step using one automatic flow control valve located in the supply line. There is an effect that an adjustable substrate processing apparatus is provided.

In addition, since the number of valves required for the substrate drying apparatus using the supercritical fluid is reduced, the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of the device are reduced, and the convenience of securing the internal space of the device for maintenance is increased.

In addition, since the number of valves required for the substrate drying apparatus using the supercritical fluid is reduced, a leak point related to the valve is reduced, thereby reducing the possibility of leakage of the supercritical fluid.

In addition, by reducing the number of valves required for the substrate drying apparatus using the supercritical fluid, the overall valve operation is reduced, thereby reducing particle issues causing process defects.

In addition, when the supercritical fluid is supplied to the substrate drying chamber using a heater built into at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing, the inside of the substrate drying chamber is adjusted to be above the critical point of the supercritical fluid, so that the pattern formed on the substrate is wetted. In the drying process of dissolving the organic solvent in the supercritical fluid and discharging it to the outside, it is possible to prevent the collapse of the pattern formed on the substrate and increase the supercritical drying efficiency.

In addition, by providing a supply path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization and a discharge path of the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent formed on the substrate after drying is dissolved in the drying supercritical fluid through one integrated supply/discharge port, the supercritical fluid By inducing a symmetrical flow during supply and discharge, the supercritical fluid is uniformly distributed in the substrate drying chamber to supply and discharge, thereby increasing substrate drying efficiency.

In addition, a supercritical fluid for initial pressurization directed directly to the substrate surface at the beginning of the drying process by blocking particles re-introduced when the substrate drying chamber is opened after completion of the drying process by using the substrate placement plate, which is essential for arranging the substrate. prevents the collapse of the pattern formed on the substrate by preventing the flow of There is an effect that can shorten the drying process time by reducing the internal volume (working volume) of the drying chamber.

In addition, by disposing the substrate on the substrate mounting plate so as to be positioned higher than the bonding surface of the lower housing and the upper housing, when the drying process is completed and the substrate drying chamber is opened, around the sealing part provided on the bonding surface of the lower housing and the upper housing There is an effect that can prevent the problem of particles from flowing into the substrate due to gravity according to the height difference between the substrate and the bonding surface.

1 is a view showing a pattern collapse phenomenon that occurs in the drying process of a substrate according to the prior art,
2 is a view showing a conventional substrate drying apparatus,
3 is a view showing a conventional substrate drying chamber,
4 is a view showing a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,
5 is a view showing an exemplary configuration of an automatic flow control valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a view showing the operation timing of valves constituting the substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,
7 is a view showing an exemplary configuration of a substrate drying chamber constituting a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
8 is a view showing an exemplary external shape of a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention;
9 is a view showing an exemplary cross-sectional shape of a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention;
10 is a view showing a diffusion path of a supercritical fluid for initial pressurization in an embodiment of the present invention;
11 is a view showing a diffusion path of a supercritical fluid for drying according to an embodiment of the present invention;
12 is a view showing a discharge path of a mixed fluid in which an organic solvent is dissolved in a drying supercritical fluid according to an embodiment of the present invention;
13 is a diagram showing a sealing portion provided on a coupling surface of an upper housing and a lower housing and a substrate of particles present in the vicinity thereof when the drying process is completed and the lower housing and the upper housing are opened according to an embodiment of the present invention; It is a diagram for explaining the principle of preventing the inflow of.

Specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention disclosed in this specification are only exemplified for the purpose of explaining the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may take various forms. It can be implemented with the above and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

Since the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may have various changes and may have various forms, the embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, this is not intended to limit the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention to specific disclosed forms, and includes all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Terms such as first or second may be used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another, for example without departing from the scope of the inventive concept, a first component may be termed a second component and similarly a second component A component may also be referred to as a first component.

When a component is referred to as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, it may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but it should be understood that other components may exist in between. will be. On the other hand, when it is said that a certain element is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that the other element does not exist in the middle. Other expressions describing the relationship between elements, such as "between" and "immediately between" or "neighboring to" and "directly adjacent to", should be interpreted similarly.

The terms used herein are used only to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprise" or "have" are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described herein exists, but one or more other features It should be understood that it does not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in the dictionary generally used should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with the meanings in the context of the related art, and unless explicitly defined in the present specification, they are not to be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. .

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 is a diagram showing a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of an automatic flow rate control valve according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram of the present invention It is a view showing an exemplary configuration of a substrate drying chamber constituting a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment.

4, 5 and 7 , a substrate drying apparatus 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate drying chamber 1 , a supercritical fluid generation/storage unit 1000 , and a control fluid supply unit 1500 . ), main on-off valve (2100), automatic flow control valve (2200), orifice (2300), initial pressure on-off valve (2400), dry on-off valve (2500), discharge on-off valve (2600), external heater unit (2700) , a first branch line DL1 , a second branch line DL2 , and an exhaust line EL.

The substrate drying chamber 1 is a component that provides a drying space for drying the substrate. A specific and exemplary configuration of the substrate drying chamber 1 will be described in detail hereinafter with further reference to FIG. 7 .

The supercritical fluid generating/storing unit 1000 is a component that generates and stores the supercritical fluid supplied to the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber 1 .

The control fluid supply unit 1500 performs a function of supplying a control fluid for controlling an open rate of the automatic flow control valve 2200 .

The main on/off valve 2100 is installed in the supply line PL between the supercritical fluid generating/storing unit 1000 and the substrate drying chamber 1 and supercritical fluid stored in the supercritical fluid generating/storing unit 1000 . It is a component that determines whether or not to be supplied to the substrate drying chamber (1).

The automatic flow control valve 2200 is installed in the supply line PL located at the rear end of the main on/off valve 2100, and the main on/off valve 2100 is opened to supply from the supercritical fluid generation/storage unit 1000 It is a component that controls the flow rate of supercritical fluid in stages. The automatic flow rate control valve 2200 is configured as one valve whose open rate is controlled.

An exemplary configuration of the automatic flow control valve 2200 will be described with additional reference to FIG. 5 as follows.

5 , the automatic flow rate control valve 2200 may include a body 2220 , a control fluid inlet 2230 , a stem 2240 , and a positioner 2250 .

A flow path 2210 providing a movement path of the supercritical fluid supplied through the main on/off valve 2100 is formed in the body portion 2220 constituting the automatic flow rate control valve 2200 .

The control fluid inlet 2230 is a component into which the control fluid supplied from the control fluid supply unit 1500 is introduced.

One end of the stem 2240 is located in the control fluid inlet 2230 and the other end is located in the flow path 2210 formed in the body 2220, and descends according to the pressure of the control fluid introduced into the control fluid inlet 2230. It is a component that adjusts the degree of opening of the flow path 2210 formed in the body 2220 step by step by adjusting the degree. For example, the opening degree of the flow path 2210 may be 75%, 50%, or 25%, but this is only an example.

The positioner 2250 is coupled to the stem 2240 that moves in the vertical direction according to the pressure of the control fluid introduced into the control fluid inlet 2230, and the stem 2240 that moves in the vertical direction according to the pressure of the control fluid. It performs the function of displaying the location of The job manager can quickly and accurately grasp the opening rate of the automatic flow control valve 2200 and the supply state of the supercritical fluid corresponding to the opening rate through the position information of the stem 2240 displayed by the positioner 2250.

The orifice 2300 is installed between the main on/off valve 2100 and the automatic flow control valve 2200 to reduce the differential pressure applied to the automatic flow control valve 2200 by the supercritical fluid passing through the main on/off valve 2100. perform the function

For example, the supercritical fluid passing through the main on/off valve 2100 is buffered while passing through the orifice 2300, so that the flow rate fluctuation of the supercritical fluid passing through the automatic flow control valve 2200 is suppressed. have.

These configurations will be described in more detail as follows.

Although previously described in the process of explaining the problems of the prior art, according to the conventional structure in which there is no orifice 2300 between the main on/off valve 2100 and the automatic flow rate control valve 2200, the automatic flow rate control valve 2200 during rapid pressurization ), a high differential pressure, that is, hammering due to a pressure difference, causes a flow rate fluctuation in the automatic flow control valve 2200, and thus there is a problem in that it is difficult to maintain a desired pressurization speed. In addition, the loss due to the shortened life span due to damage to the automatic flow control valve 2200, that is, a loss such as shutdown for maintenance of equipment including replacement of the damaged automatic flow control valve 2200, etc. There is this.

However, according to an embodiment of the present invention in which the orifice 2300 is installed between the main on-off valve 2100 and the automatic flow control valve 2200 , the orifice 2300 is a supercritical fluid that has passed through the main on-off valve 2100 . reduces the differential pressure applied to the automatic flow control valve 2200 by Fluctuations in the flow rate of one supercritical fluid are suppressed.

According to this configuration of the present invention, when supplying the supercritical fluid to the substrate drying chamber 1, an orifice 2300 for constantly buffering the flow of the supercritical fluid at the front end of the automatic flow control valve 2200 of the supply line PL ) is installed, by preventing the flow rate fluctuation of the flow rate automatic control valve 2200 that controls the flow rate, the supercritical fluid pressurization rate can be constantly supplied under the same conditions for every process, and the automatic flow rate control valve ( By preventing damage to the automatic flow control valve 2200 due to the high differential pressure generated in 2200) and extending the valve life, it is possible to prevent losses such as shutdown for equipment maintenance.

The first branch line DL1 is branched from the first point P1 of the supply line PL located at the rear end of the automatic flow control valve 2200 and passes through the automatic flow control valve 2200 for initial pressurization. A path through which the fluid is supplied to the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber 1 through the integrated supply/discharge port 50 formed on the side of the substrate drying chamber 1 is provided.

The second branch line DL2 branches at the first point P1 and the supercritical fluid for drying that has passed through the automatic flow rate control valve 2200 passes through the upper supply port 60 formed on the upper surface of the substrate drying chamber 1 . A path is provided through which the substrate is supplied to the drying space inside the drying chamber 1 .

The discharge line EL is branched at a second point P2 between the first point P1 and the integrated supply/discharge port 50 of the substrate drying chamber 1 to allow the mixed fluid to flow out of the substrate drying chamber 1 . It provides an exit route.

The external heater unit 2700 is installed in the supply line PL between the automatic flow control valve 2200 and the first point P1 to heat the supercritical fluid passing through the automatic flow control valve 2200. do. Components such as the supply line PL, the first branch line DL1, the second branch line DL2, and valves provided in these lines, the supercritical fluid stored in the supercritical fluid generating/storing unit 1000 is In the process of passing through, a phase change may occur from a supercritical state to a liquid phase, a gas phase, etc. due to a decrease in temperature due to heat loss, and the external heater unit 2700 heats the supercritical fluid to cause such a phase change. function to prevent

The initial pressurization on-off valve 2400 is installed in the first branch line DL1 between the automatic flow control valve 2200 and the integrated supply/discharge port 50 to determine whether to supply the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization. carry out

The dry opening/closing valve 2500 is installed in the second branch line DL2 between the automatic flow rate control valve 2200 and the upper supply port 60 to determine whether to supply the supercritical fluid for drying.

The discharge opening/closing valve 2600 is installed in the discharge line EL connected to the integrated supply/discharge port 50 to determine whether to discharge the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent on the substrate W is dissolved in the drying supercritical fluid after drying perform the function

As illustrated in FIG. 7 , the substrate drying chamber 1 is coupled to an upper housing 10 , a lower housing 20 operably coupled to the upper housing 10 , and a bottom surface of the lower housing 20 , It may include a substrate arrangement plate 40 on which the substrate on which the organic solvent is formed is disposed.

For example, the integral supply/discharge port 50 starts at the side surface 24 of the lower housing 20 and extends to the middle region 28 of the lower housing 20, and the middle region ( 28), a path for supplying the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization formed to face the substrate arrangement plate 40 and supplied through the supply line PL and the first branch line DL1 into the substrate drying chamber 1 . It may be configured to provide a path for discharging the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the supercritical fluid for drying after drying.

Also, for example, the upper supply port 60 is formed to face the substrate arrangement plate 40 in the central region of the upper housing 10 , and is supplied through the supply line PL and the second branch line DL2 . It may be configured to provide a path for supplying the supercritical fluid for drying into the substrate drying chamber 1 .

An exemplary configuration of such a substrate drying chamber 1 will be described later in more detail.

Hereinafter, a drying process in an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail and exemplarily with additional reference to FIG. 6 showing operation timings of valves constituting the substrate drying apparatus 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. do.

Referring further to FIG. 6 , the drying sequence may be performed in the order of initial pressurization, flushing, and final discharge.

First, 1) in the initial pressurization process, the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization through the common pipe part 510 and the common port part 520 constituting the integrated supply/discharge port 50 is set at a set process temperature and pressure above the critical point. It is supplied during the set initial pressurization time. To this end, the main on-off valve 2100 and the initial pressure on-off valve 2400 are opened, and the dry on-off valve 2500 and the discharge on-off valve 2600 are closed. In this case, the automatic flow rate control valve 2200 may be opened according to an opening rate set for initial pressurization.

When the initial pressurization process is completed, the process of discharging the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the supercritical fluid in the initial pressurization process to the outside of the substrate drying chamber 1 within a short time is performed. To this end, the discharge on-off valve 2600 is opened, and the main on-off valve 2100 , the initial pressure on-off valve 2400 , and the dry on-off valve 2500 are closed.

Next, 2) the supply of the supercritical fluid for drying and the discharge of the mixed fluid are repeated for a set number of times, flushing is performed.

That is, the supply of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization is cut off and the supercritical fluid for drying is supplied to the substrate drying chamber 1 for a unit drying time through the upper supply port 60, and for this, the main on/off valve 2100 and the dry on-off valve 2500 is opened, and the initial pressure on-off valve 2400 and the discharge on-off valve 2600 are closed. In this case, the automatic flow control valve 2200 may be opened according to an opening rate set for drying.

Next, the process of discharging the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the supercritical fluid for the unit drying time to the outside of the substrate drying chamber 1 is performed after the unit drying time has elapsed. To this end, the discharge on-off valve 2600 is opened, and the main on-off valve 2100 , the initial pressure on-off valve 2400 , and the dry on-off valve 2500 are closed.

The drying process may be performed through flushing in which the unit drying time and unit discharge time are repeated as many times as set.

Next, 3) the drying time elapses, that is, after the flushing is finished, the supply of the supercritical fluid for drying is cut off, and the common port part 520 and the common pipe part 510 constituting the integrated supply/discharge port 50 are ), the mixed fluid is finally discharged during the discharge time. To this end, the discharge on-off valve 2600 is opened, and the main on-off valve 2100 , the initial pressure on-off valve 2400 , and the dry on-off valve 2500 are closed.

Reference numerals 2800 and 2900 of FIG. 4 indicate filters for filtering foreign substances included in the supercritical fluid, P indicates a pressure sensor, and T indicates a temperature sensor.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the substrate drying chamber 1 which is a component of the substrate drying apparatus 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

7 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a substrate drying chamber constituting a substrate drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is an exemplary external shape of a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention. 9 is a view showing an exemplary cross-sectional shape of the lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a diffusion path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization in an embodiment of the present invention 11 is a diagram showing a diffusion path of the supercritical fluid for drying in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is an organic solvent dissolved in the supercritical fluid for drying according to an embodiment of the present invention. 13 is a view showing the discharge path of the mixed fluid, and FIG. 13 is a sealing provided on the coupling surface of the upper housing and the lower housing when the drying process is completed and the lower housing and the upper housing are opened. It is a view for explaining the principle of preventing the inflow of particles existing in the unit and its surroundings into the substrate.

7 to 13 , the substrate drying chamber 1 constituting the substrate drying apparatus 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an upper housing 10 , a lower housing 20 , and a sealing part ( 30), a substrate placement plate 40, an integrated supply/discharge port 50, an upper supply port 60, a substrate placement plate support part 70, a substrate support part 80, a housing driving part 90, and a heater part. can be configured.

The upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are connected to each other so as to open and close, and provide a space in which the drying process is performed. For example, the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 may be configured to have a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto. As will be described later, an upper supply port 60 is formed in the upper housing 10 , and an integrated supply/discharge port 50 is formed in the lower housing 20 .

The heater unit is built in at least one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 .

Hereinafter, a case in which the heater unit includes the upper heater unit 110 built in the upper housing 10 and the lower heater unit 210 built in the lower housing 20 will be described as an example, but this is only an example. , the heater unit may be formed of only the upper heater unit 110 or only the lower heater unit 210 .

In addition, the upper heater unit 110 and the lower heater unit 210 may have substantially the same shape, and the heater unit will be described with reference to the lower heater unit 210 in order to avoid duplication of description, but the same description will be applied to the upper heater unit. (110) can also be applied.

As illustrated in FIG. 8 showing an exemplary external shape of the lower housing 20 and FIG. 9 showing an exemplary cross-sectional shape of the lower housing 20 , the lower heater unit 210 is disposed inside the lower housing 20 . It may be configured to include a plurality of heating elements (201, 202, 203, 204) symmetrically arranged in a concentric circle shape. As a specific example, a groove for arranging the lower heater unit 210 may be provided inside the lower housing 20 , and the lower heater unit 210 may be arranged in this groove.

For example, the plurality of heating elements 201 , 202 , 203 , and 204 constituting the lower heater unit 210 extend to an opening 220 formed in the sidewall of the lower housing 20 and extend to an external power source (not shown). ) and may be configured to supply heat to the inside of the substrate drying chamber 1 in a manner that generates heat by resistance heat when external power is applied.

For example, in the lower heater unit 210, the initial pressurization supercritical fluid supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port 50 and the drying supercritical fluid supplied through the upper supply port 60 have a temperature above the critical point. can operate to maintain. As a means for this, although not shown in the drawings, the control operation of the valve for controlling the supply of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port 50, and the supercritical for drying through the upper supply port 60 The control operation of the valve for controlling the supply of the fluid and the control operation of the external power supplying power to the lower heater unit 210 may be interlocked.

In this way, the lower heater unit 210 so that the initial pressurization supercritical fluid supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port 50 and the drying supercritical fluid supplied through the upper supply port 60 maintain a temperature above the critical point. By operating the pattern formed on the substrate in the drying process by dissolving an organic solvent such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wetted on the pattern formed on the substrate W in a supercritical fluid such as carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) and discharging to the outside can be prevented from collapsing.

The sealing part 30 is provided on the coupling surface C of the lower housing 20 and the upper housing 10, and maintains the airtightness of the coupling surface C of the lower housing 20 and the upper housing 10. The inner region of the substrate drying chamber 1 is blocked from the outside.

For example, when the drying process is completed and the lower housing 20 and the upper housing 10 are opened, the sealing part 30 provided on the coupling surface C of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 . And as illustrated in FIG. 13 for explaining the principle of preventing the inflow of particles existing around the substrate W into the substrate W, the substrate W is a coupling surface between the lower housing 20 and the upper housing 10 . When the lower housing 20 and the upper housing 10 are opened after the drying process is completed and the lower housing 20 and the upper housing 10 are opened, the sealing part is provided on the coupling surface (C). (30) The surrounding particles may be configured to prevent inflow into the substrate (W) by gravity according to the height difference between the substrate (W) and the coupling surface (C).

The substrate arrangement plate 40 is coupled to the bottom surface 22 of the lower housing 20 and is a component on which the substrate W on which the organic solvent is formed is disposed.

For example, the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the common pipe part 510 and the common port part 520 constituting the integrated supply/discharge port 50 is blocked by the substrate arrangement plate 40 and the substrate W ) can be configured to prevent direct injection into it.

More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 10 showing the diffusion path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization and FIG. 12 showing the discharge path of the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the drying supercritical fluid, the substrate ( After the drying process is completed by using the substrate placement plate 40, which is essential to place W), particles re-introduced when the substrate drying chamber 1 is opened, and to the surface of the substrate W at the beginning of the drying process. It is possible to prevent the collapse of the pattern formed on the substrate (W) by preventing the flow of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization directed directly to it, and particles that may be contained in the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization are deposited on the substrate (W). It is possible to prevent or reduce the deposition amount, and to reduce the working volume of the substrate drying chamber 1 due to the volume occupied by the substrate arrangement plate 40 , thereby shortening the drying process time.

The integral supply/discharge port 50 starts at the side surface 24 of the lower housing 20 and extends to the middle area 28 of the lower housing 20 , and at the intermediate area 28 of the lower housing 20 , the substrate Formed to face the arrangement plate 40, the substrate (W) in the supercritical fluid for drying after drying by the supercritical fluid for drying supplied through the supply path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization and the upper supply port 60 It is a component that provides a discharge path for the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent formed in the is dissolved.

By providing a supply path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization and a discharge path of the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent formed on the substrate W after drying is dissolved in the supercritical fluid for drying through this one integrated supply/discharge port 50 , by inducing a symmetrical flow when supplying and discharging the supercritical fluid, uniformly dispersing the supercritical fluid in the substrate drying chamber 1, supplying and discharging the supercritical fluid, thereby increasing the substrate drying efficiency.

For example, this integrated supply/discharge port 50 includes a common conduit portion 510 formed from the side surface 24 of the lower housing 20 to the intermediate area 28 and the intermediate area 28 of the lower housing 20 . ) in communication with the common conduit portion 510 and may be configured to include a common port portion 520 formed to face the substrate arrangement plate 40 . According to this configuration, 1) the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization is transferred from the outside of the substrate drying chamber 1 through the common pipe part 510 and the common port part 520 to the inside of the substrate drying chamber 1, that is, the upper housing ( 10) and the lower housing 20 are supplied to the sealed drying space, and 2) the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the supercritical fluid for drying is a common port part 520 from the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber (1). and is discharged to the outside of the substrate drying chamber 1 through the common conduit 510 .

The upper supply port 60 is a component that is formed to face the substrate arrangement plate 40 in the central region of the upper housing 10 to provide a supply path of the supercritical fluid for drying.

The substrate placement plate support part 70 has one end coupled to the bottom surface 22 of the lower housing 20 and the other end coupled to the substrate placement plate 40, while supporting the substrate placement plate 40, the substrate placement plate ( 40) from the bottom surface 22 of the lower housing 20.

For example, the first separation space R1 existing between the bottom surface 22 of the lower housing 20 and the substrate arrangement plate 40 by the substrate arrangement plate support part 70 is the integrated supply/discharge port 50 ) may perform a function of inducing that the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the substrate moves along the lower surface of the substrate placement plate 40 and gradually diffuses into the processing area on which the substrate W is disposed.

The substrate support part 80 has one end coupled to the upper surface of the substrate placement plate 40 and the other end coupled to the substrate W, and supports the substrate W while supporting the substrate W on the upper surface of the substrate placement plate 40 . It is a component that separates it from

For example, the second separation space (R2) existing between the upper surface of the substrate placement plate 40 and the substrate (W) by the substrate support part (80) forms the lower surface of the substrate (W) through the integrated supply/discharge port ( 50) performs a function of shortening the drying process time by exposing it to the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through and the supercritical fluid for drying supplied through the upper supply port 60 .

The housing driving unit 90 is a means for opening and closing the housing, and after the drying process is completed, the lower housing 20 is driven to separate the lower housing 20 from the upper housing 10 to open the substrate drying chamber 1 or , when the drying process is started, the lower housing 20 is driven to couple the lower housing 20 to the upper housing 10 to close the substrate drying chamber 1 . In the drawings, the housing driving unit 90 is expressed as driving the lower housing 20 , but this is only an example, and the housing driving unit 90 may be configured to drive the upper housing 10 .

For example, the initial pressurization supercritical fluid and drying supercritical fluid may include carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), and the organic solvent may include alcohol (alcohol), but is not limited thereto. As a specific example, the alcohol may include methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, IPA, and 1-butanol. not limited

For example, according to the supercritical drying technique performed in an embodiment of the present invention, carbon dioxide in a supercritical state is applied to the substrate W whose surface is wetted with an organic solvent such as alcohol in the substrate drying chamber 1 . By supplying the alcohol on the substrate W is dissolved in the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid. In addition, by gradually discharging the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid in which the alcohol is dissolved from the substrate drying chamber 1 , the substrate W can be dried without destroying the pattern.

1: substrate drying chamber
2: substrate drying device
10: upper housing
20: lower housing
22: bottom surface
24: the side of the lower housing
28: middle area
30: sealing part
40: substrate arrangement plate
50: integrated supply/discharge port
60: upper supply port
70: substrate arrangement plate support part
80: substrate support
90: housing driving unit
110: upper heater unit
201, 202, 203, 204: heating element
210: lower heater unit
220: aperture (aperture)
1000: supercritical fluid generation/storage unit
1500: control fluid supply unit
2100: main on-off valve
2200: automatic flow control valve
2210: Euro
2220: body part
2230: control fluid inlet
2240: stem (stem)
2250: positioner (positioner)
2300: orifice
2400: pre-pressurized on-off valve
2500: dry on-off valve
2600: exhaust on-off valve
2700: external heater unit
2800, 2900: filter
510: common pipeline
520: common port unit
C: mating surface
R1: first separation space
R2: second separation space
PL: supply line
DL1: first branch line
DL2: 2nd branch line
EL: discharge line
P1: first point
P2: second point
W: substrate

Claims (18)

a substrate drying chamber providing a drying space for drying the substrate;
a supercritical fluid generating/storing unit for generating and storing the supercritical fluid supplied to the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber;
a main opening/closing valve installed in a supply line between the supercritical fluid generating/storing unit and the substrate drying chamber and determining whether to supply the supercritical fluid stored in the supercritical fluid generating/storing unit to the substrate drying chamber;
a single flow rate automatic control valve installed in the supply line located at the rear end of the main on/off valve and controlling the flow rate of the supercritical fluid supplied from the supercritical fluid generating/storing unit in stages by opening the main on/off valve; and
and an orifice installed between the main on/off valve and the automatic flow control valve to reduce the differential pressure applied to the automatic flow control valve by the supercritical fluid passing through the main on/off valve,
The automatic flow control valve includes a body in which a flow path providing a movement path of the supercritical fluid supplied through the main on/off valve is formed, a control fluid inlet through which the control fluid supplied from the control fluid supply unit flows, and one end of the valve Stem located in the control fluid inlet and the other end in the flow path formed in the body part, and the degree of descent is adjusted according to the pressure of the control fluid flowing into the control fluid inlet part to adjust the degree of opening of the flow path formed in the body part step by step and a positioner coupled to the stem to indicate the position of the stem descending according to the pressure of the control fluid.
According to claim 1,
The supercritical fluid passing through the main opening/closing valve is buffered in flow while passing through the orifice, so that the flow rate fluctuation of the supercritical fluid passing through the automatic flow rate control valve is suppressed.
delete According to claim 1,
The substrate drying chamber,
upper housing;
a lower housing operably coupled to the upper housing;
a heater unit built in at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing;
a substrate arrangement plate coupled to the bottom surface of the lower housing and on which a substrate on which an organic solvent is formed is disposed;
an upper supply port formed to face the substrate arrangement plate in the central region of the upper housing and providing a supply path of the supercritical fluid for drying; and
It starts from the side surface of the lower housing and extends to the middle region of the lower housing and is formed to face the substrate arrangement plate in the middle region of the lower housing, through the supply path of the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization and the upper supply port. Substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that it comprises an integrated supply/discharge port that provides a discharge path of the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the drying supercritical fluid after drying by the supplied drying supercritical fluid.
5. The method of claim 4,
The heater unit comprises a plurality of heating elements symmetrically arranged concentrically in at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing, the substrate drying apparatus.
6. The method of claim 5,
The heater unit is characterized in that the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port and the supercritical fluid for drying supplied through the upper supply port operate to maintain a temperature above a critical point, substrate drying apparatus .
6. The method of claim 5,
The plurality of heating elements constituting the heater unit extends to an opening formed in at least one sidewall of the upper housing and the lower housing and is electrically connected to an external power source.
5. The method of claim 4,
The supercritical fluid for initial pressurization branched from the first point of the supply line located at the rear end of the automatic flow control valve and passed through the automatic flow control valve through the integrated supply/discharge port formed on the side of the substrate drying chamber. a first branch line providing a path to be supplied to the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber;
A method for providing a path in which the drying supercritical fluid branched from the first point and passing through the automatic flow rate control valve is supplied to the drying space inside the substrate drying chamber through an upper supply port formed on the upper surface of the substrate drying chamber 2 branch line; and
and a discharge line branching at a second point between the first point and the integrated supply/discharge port of the substrate drying chamber to provide a path through which the mixed fluid is discharged to the outside of the substrate drying chamber, substrate drying device.
9. The method of claim 8,
The substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that it further comprises an external heater installed in the supply line between the automatic flow control valve and the first point to heat the supercritical fluid passing through the automatic flow control valve.
9. The method of claim 8,
an initial pressurization opening/closing valve installed in the first branch line to determine whether to supply the initial pressurized supercritical fluid;
a drying opening/closing valve installed in the second branch line to determine whether to supply the drying supercritical fluid; and
The substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that it further comprises a discharge opening/closing valve installed in the discharge line to determine whether to discharge the mixed fluid.
5. The method of claim 4,
The integrated supply/discharge port is
a common conduit portion formed from a side surface of the lower housing to a middle region of the lower housing; and
and a common port portion communicating with the common conduit portion in an intermediate region of the lower housing to face the substrate arrangement plate.
12. The method of claim 11,
The initial pressurization supercritical fluid is supplied from the outside to the dry space sealed to the upper housing and the lower housing through the common pipe part and the common port part,
The substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that the mixed fluid in which the organic solvent is dissolved in the drying supercritical fluid is discharged from the drying space to the outside through the common port part and the common pipe part.
5. The method of claim 4,
The substrate drying chamber,
Further comprising a sealing portion provided on the coupling surface of the lower housing and the upper housing,
The substrate is disposed on the substrate mounting plate to be positioned higher than the coupling surface of the lower housing and the upper housing, and when the drying process is completed and the lower housing and the upper housing are opened, a sealing provided on the coupling surface Substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that the inflow of particles around the substrate to the substrate is prevented by gravity according to the height difference between the substrate and the bonding surface.
12. The method of claim 11,
The substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that the supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the common conduit portion and the common port portion is blocked by the substrate arrangement plate to prevent direct injection to the substrate.
5. The method of claim 4,
The substrate drying chamber,
One end is coupled to the bottom surface of the lower housing and the other end is coupled to the substrate placement plate, and further comprising a substrate placement plate support part to space the substrate placement plate from the bottom surface of the lower housing while supporting the substrate placement plate A substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that.
16. The method of claim 15,
The first separation space existing between the bottom surface of the lower housing and the substrate arrangement plate by the substrate arrangement plate support part is a supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port is the lower surface of the substrate arrangement plate A substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that it moves along and induces a gradual diffusion into the processing area on which the substrate is disposed.
5. The method of claim 4,
The substrate drying chamber,
The substrate drying apparatus further comprising: a substrate support part having one end coupled to the upper surface of the substrate arrangement plate and the other end coupled to the substrate to space the substrate apart from the upper surface of the substrate arrangement plate while supporting the substrate .
18. The method of claim 17,
The second separation space existing between the upper surface of the substrate arrangement plate and the substrate by the substrate support part is a supercritical fluid for initial pressurization supplied through the integrated supply/discharge port to the lower surface of the substrate and the upper supply port. A substrate drying apparatus, characterized in that it shortens the drying process time by exposing it to a drying supercritical fluid supplied through it.

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