KR20130134996A - Substrate treating apparatus and substrate treating method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate treating apparatus using a supercritical fluid. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate treating apparatus includes a housing; a support member supporting the substrate and formed in the housing; a supercritical fluid supply unit storing the supercritical fluid; a supply pipe with a supply valve controlling the amount of the supercritical fluid supplied from the supercritical fluid supply unit to the housing and connecting the supercritical fluid supply unit and the housing; and a vent pipe branched from the supply pipe and discharging the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe. The vent pipe includes an opening/closing valve for opening/closing the vent pipe.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus,

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate using a supercritical fluid and a substrate processing method using the same.

The semiconductor device is manufactured through various processes including a photolithography process of forming a circuit pattern on a substrate such as a silicon wafer. During the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device, various foreign substances such as particles, organic contaminants, and metal impurities are generated. These foreign matters cause defects on the substrate and directly act on the performance and yield of the semiconductor device. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device is necessarily accompanied by a cleaning process for removing such foreign matter.

The cleaning process is performed through a chemical process of removing foreign substances on the substrate with a chemical, a washing process of washing the chemical with pure water, and a drying process of drying the substrate. The general drying process has been performed by replacing pure water on a substrate with an organic solvent such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA) having a small surface tension and then evaporating it.

However, such a drying method still causes a pattern collapse for semiconductor devices having a fine circuit pattern of 30 nm or less in line width even though an organic solvent is used. The drying process is replacing the existing drying process.

The present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of efficiently performing a drying process by a supercritical fluid.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus for preventing a fluid other than a supercritical fluid from being supplied to a housing.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for treating a substrate using a supercritical fluid, comprising: a housing; A support member provided in the housing and supporting the substrate; A supercritical fluid supply unit that stores a fluid in a supercritical state; A supply pipe connecting the supercritical fluid supply unit and the housing and provided with a supply valve for controlling an amount of the supercritical fluid supplied from the supercritical fluid supply unit to the housing; And a vent pipe branched from the supply pipe and discharging the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe, wherein the vent pipe may be provided with an opening / closing valve for opening and closing the vent pipe.

In addition, the vent pipe may be provided with a flow rate adjusting member for adjusting the flow rate of the supercritical fluid flowing through the vent pipe.

In addition, the flow control member may include a metering valve or orifice.

In addition, the flow rate control member may be provided on the other side of the vent pipe is connected to the supply pipe on the basis of the on-off valve.

In addition, the supply pipe, the main pipe one end is connected to the supercritical fluid supply unit; An upper supply pipe branched at a branch located at the other end of the main pipe and connected to an upper portion of the housing; And a lower supply pipe branched from the branch part and connected to the lower part of the housing.

In addition, the vent pipe may be branched at one point of the main pipe, the upper supply pipe or the lower supply pipe.

In addition, the supply valve may include a main valve, an upper valve and a lower valve positioned in the main pipe, the upper supply pipe and the lower supply pipe, respectively.

In addition, the vent pipe may be branched between the branch portion and the main valve, the upper valve or the lower valve.

In addition, the main pipe may be provided with a filter between the main valve and the branch.

The supply valve may further include a front valve adjacent to the supercritical fluid supply unit and a rear valve adjacent to the housing, and the vent pipe may be branched between the front valve and the rear valve.

The apparatus may further include a controller for controlling the supply valve and the open / close valve, wherein the controller opens the open / close valve in a state in which the supply valve is shut off, and discharges the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe through the vent pipe. You can.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in the method for processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus, the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe by opening the on-off valve in a state in which the supply valve is closed to the vent pipe After discharging, the substrate processing method of supplying the supercritical fluid to the housing by closing the open / close valve and opening the supply valve may be provided.

In addition, while discharging the supercritical fluid into the vent pipe, the substrate may be carried out from the housing or brought into the housing.

According to another aspect of the invention, in the method for processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus, when the drying of the substrate is completed, the supercritical fluid is introduced into the supply pipe from the supercritical fluid supply unit In a blocked state, a substrate processing method for discharging the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe while discharging the supercritical fluid inside the housing may be provided.

In addition, when the substrate is brought into the housing, the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe is discharged into the vent pipe, and then the supercritical fluid is supplied from the supercritical fluid supply unit to the housing through the supply pipe. May be initiated.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the supercritical fluid is prevented from remaining in the supply pipe.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe is prevented from being changed into a gas or liquid state.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the non-supercritical fluid is not supplied into the housing.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, gas or liquid is supplied to the housing to prevent breakage of the substrate.

1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.
3 is a diagram relating to a phase change of carbon dioxide.
4 is a view illustrating piping of a second process chamber of FIG. 1.
5 is a view showing the vent control member of FIG.
6 is a diagram illustrating a connection relationship between controllers.
7 to 9 is a view showing a vent control member according to another embodiment.
10 to 12 are views illustrating piping of a second process chamber according to another embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a view illustrating piping of a second process chamber according to another embodiment. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention can be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following embodiments. This embodiment is provided to more fully describe the present invention to those skilled in the art. Thus, the shape of the elements in the figures has been exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

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

Referring to FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes an index module 1000 and a process module 2000.

The index module 1000 is an equipment front end module (EFEM) and includes a load port 1100 and a transfer frame 1200. The index module 1000 receives the substrate S from the outside and provides the substrate S to the process module 2000.

The load port 1100, the transfer frame 1200, and the process module 2000 may be sequentially arranged in a line. Here, the direction in which the load port 1100, the transfer frame 1200, and the process module 2000 are arranged is called a first direction X, and when viewed from the top, a direction perpendicular to the first direction X is defined. A direction perpendicular to the first direction X and a second direction Y is called a second direction Y, and a third direction Z is called.

The index module 1000 may be provided with one or a plurality of load ports 1100. The load port 1100 is disposed on one side of the transfer frame 1200. When there are a plurality of load ports 1100, the load ports 1100 may be arranged in a line in the second direction (Y). The number and arrangement of the load ports 1100 are not limited to the examples described above, and may be changed according to the footprint of the substrate processing apparatus 100, process efficiency, arrangement with other substrate processing apparatus 100, and the like. In the load port 1100, a carrier C on which the substrate S is accommodated is placed. The carrier C is conveyed from the outside and loaded into the load port 1100 or unloaded from the load port 1100 and conveyed to the outside. For example, the carrier C may be transferred between the substrate processing apparatuses 100 by a transfer apparatus such as an overhead hoist transfer (OHT). Here, the conveyance of the substrate S may be performed by another conveying device or operator such as an automatic guided vehicle, a rail guided vehicle, or the like instead of the overhead transfer.

The substrate S is accommodated in the carrier C. As the carrier C, a front opening unified pod (FOUP) may be used. At least one slot is formed in the carrier C to support the edge of the substrate S. FIG. When there are a plurality of slots, the slots may be spaced apart from each other in the third direction Z. Accordingly, the substrate S may be placed inside the carrier C. For example, the carrier C can accommodate 25 board | substrates S. FIG. The carrier C may be sealed insulated from the outside by an openable door. Thereby, the contamination of the board | substrate S accommodated in the carrier C is prevented.

The transport frame 1200 includes an index robot 1210 and an index rail 1220. The transfer frame 1200 conveys the substrate S between the carrier C mounted on the load port 1100 and the process module 2000.

The index rail 1220 provides a path through which the index robot 1210 moves. The index rail 1220 may be provided in parallel with its length direction in the second direction (Y). The index robot 1210 carries the substrate S.

The index robot 1210 may have a base 1211, a body 1212, and an arm 1213. The base 1211 is installed on the index rail 1220 and may move along the index rail 1220. The body 1212 is coupled to the base 1211 and may move along the third direction Z or rotate about the base 1211 in the third direction Z. Arm 1213 is installed on body 1212 and can move forward and backward. One end of the arm 1213 may be provided with a hand to pick up or place the substrate (S). The index robot 1210 is provided with one or a plurality of arms 1213. When the plurality of arms 1213 are provided, the index robot 1210 is stacked and disposed on the body 1212 along the third direction Z. Arm 1213 can be driven individually. Accordingly, the index robot 1210 moves the base 1211 in the second direction Y on the index rail 1220 and moves the substrate 12 from the carrier C according to the operation of the body 1212 and the arm 1213. S) may be taken out and brought into the process module 2000 or the substrate S may be taken out from the process module 2000 and stored in the carrier C. FIG.

In addition, the index rail 1220 may be omitted from the transfer frame 1200, and the index robot 1210 may be fixed to the transfer frame 1200. In this case, the index robot 1210 may be disposed at the center of the transfer frame 1200.

 The process module 2000 includes a buffer chamber 2100, a transfer chamber 2200, a first process chamber 2300, and a second process chamber 2500. The process module 2000 receives the substrate S from the index module 1000 and performs a cleaning process on the substrate S. FIG. The buffer chamber 2100 and the transfer chamber 2200 are disposed along the first direction X, and the transfer chamber 2200 is disposed such that the longitudinal direction thereof is parallel to the first direction X. The process chambers 2300 and 2500 may be disposed on the side surface of the transfer chamber 2200 in the second direction (Y). Here, the first process chamber 2300 is disposed on one side of the second direction Y of the transfer chamber 2200, and the second process chamber 2500 is the other side of the opposite direction in which the first process chamber 2300 is disposed. Can be placed in The first process chamber 2300 may be one or plural, and the plurality of first process chambers 2300 may be disposed along one side of the transfer chamber 2200 along the first direction X or in the third direction Z. Can be stacked or arranged by a combination thereof. The second process chamber 2500 may also be one or plural, and the plurality of second process chambers 2500 may be disposed along the first direction X on the other side of the transfer chamber 2200 or in the third direction Z. Can be laminated or arranged by a combination thereof.

However, the arrangement of the chambers 2100, 2200, 2300, and 2500 in the process module 2000 is not limited to the above-described example, and may be appropriately modified in consideration of process efficiency. For example, the first process chamber 2300 and the second process chamber 2500 may be disposed in the same side of the transfer module along the first direction X or may be stacked on each other.

The buffer chamber 2100 is disposed between the transfer frame 1200 and the transfer chamber 2200. The buffer chamber 2100 provides a buffer space in which the substrate S to be temporarily transferred between the index module 1000 and the process module 2000 temporarily stays. One or more buffer slots on which the substrate S is placed are provided in the buffer chamber 2100. When there are a plurality of buffer slots, the buffer slots may be spaced apart from each other in the third direction (Z). The substrate S drawn from the carrier C by the index robot 1210 is seated in the buffer slot, or the substrate S300 is removed from the process chambers 2300 and 2500 by the transfer robot 2210 of the transfer chamber 2200. (S) may be seated. In addition, the index robot 1210 or the transfer robot 2210 may take out the substrate S from the buffer slot, accommodate the carrier S, or transfer the substrate S to the process chambers 2300 and 2500.

The transfer chamber 2200 transfers the substrate S between the chambers 2100, 2300, and 2500 arranged around the chamber 2200. The buffer chamber 2100 is disposed at one side of the first direction X of the transfer chamber 2200, and the process chambers 2300 and 2500 are disposed at one side or both sides of the second direction Y of the transfer chamber 2200. The transfer chamber 2200 may transfer the substrate S between the buffer chamber 2100, the first process chamber 2300, and the second process chamber 2500. The transfer chamber 2200 includes a transfer rail 2220 and a transfer robot 2210.

The transfer rail 2220 provides a path for the transfer robot 2210 to move. The conveying rail 2220 may be provided side by side in the first direction X. The transfer robot 2210 carries the substrate S. The transfer robot 2210 includes a base 2211, a body 2212, and an arm 2213. Since each component of the transfer robot 2210 is similar to that of the index robot 1210, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The transfer robot 2210 is a buffer chamber 2100, the first process chamber 2300 and the second process by the operation of the body 2212 and the arm 2213 while the base 2211 moves along the transfer rail 2220 The substrate S is transported between the chambers 2500.

The first process chamber 2300 and the second process chamber 2500 each perform different processes on the substrate S. FIG. Here, the first process performed in the first process chamber 2300 and the second process performed in the second process chamber 2500 may be processes sequentially performed with each other. For example, in the first process chamber 2300, a chemical process, a washing process, and a first drying process may be performed, and in the second process chamber 2500, a second drying process may be performed as a subsequent process of the first process. have. The first drying process may be a wet drying process performed using an organic solvent, and the second drying process may be a supercritical drying process performed using a supercritical fluid. In the first drying process and the second drying process, only one drying process may optionally be performed.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first process chamber of FIG. 1.

1 and 2, the first process chamber 2300 includes a housing 2310 and a process unit 2400. The first process is performed in the first process chamber 2300. Here, the first process may include at least one of a chemical process, a washing process, and a first drying process. As described above, the first drying step may be omitted.

The housing 2310 forms an outer wall of the first process chamber 2300, and the process unit 2400 is located in the housing 2310 to perform a first process. The process unit 2400 may include a spin head 2410, a fluid supply member 2420, a recovery container 2430, and a lifting member 2440.

The substrate S is seated on the spin head 2410, and the substrate S is rotated while the process is in progress. The spin head 2410 may include a support plate 2411, a support pin 2412, a chucking pin 2413, a rotation shaft 2414, and a motor 2415.

The support plate 2411 is provided such that the upper portion has a shape, ie, a circle, substantially similar to the substrate S. A plurality of support pins 2412 on which the substrate S is placed and a plurality of chucking pins 2413 fixing the substrate S are formed on the support plate 2411. A rotating shaft 2414 rotated by the motor 2415 is fixedly coupled to the bottom surface of the support plate 2411. The motor 2415 rotates the support plate 2411 through the rotation shaft 2414 by generating a rotation force using an external power source. Accordingly, the substrate S is seated on the spin head 2410, and the support plate 2411 may rotate to rotate the substrate S during the first process.

The support pins 2412 protrude in the third direction Z on the upper surface of the support plate 2411, and the plurality of support pins 2412 are spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals. When viewed from the top, the overall arrangement of the support pins 2412 may form an annular ring shape. The back surface of the substrate S is placed on the support pin 2412. Accordingly, the substrate S is spaced apart from the upper surface of the support plate 2411 by the support pins 2412 at a distance from which the support pins 2412 protrude.

The chucking pin 2413 protrudes longer than the support pin 2412 in the third direction Z on the upper surface of the support plate 2411, and is located at a position farther from the center of the support plate 2411 than the support pin 2412. Is placed. The chucking pins 2413 may move between the fixed position and the pickup position along the radial direction of the support plate 2411. Here, the fixed position is a position away from the center of the support plate 2411 by a distance corresponding to the radius of the substrate S, and the pickup position is a position farther from the center of the support plate 2411 than the fixed position. The chucking pin 2413 is positioned at the pick-up position when the substrate S is loaded onto the spin head 2410 by the transfer robot 2210. When the substrate S is loaded and the process proceeds, the chucking pin 2413 moves to the fixed position. The substrate S is fixed in position by contacting the side of S, and the transfer robot 2210 picks up the substrate S and moves to the pickup position again when the substrate S is unloaded after the process is completed. Can be. Accordingly, the chucking pin 2413 may prevent the substrate S from being released from its position due to the rotational force when the spin head 2410 rotates.

The fluid supply member 2420 may include a nozzle 2421, a support 2422, a support shaft 2423, and a driver 2424. The fluid supply member 2420 supplies a fluid to the substrate S.

The support shaft 2423 has a longitudinal direction along the third direction Z, and a driver 2424 is coupled to a lower end of the support shaft 2423. The driver 2424 rotates the support shaft 2423 or moves it up and down in the third direction Z. FIG. The support 2422 is vertically coupled to the upper portion of the support shaft 2423. The nozzle 2421 is provided at the bottom of one end of the support 2422. The nozzle 2421 can move between the process position and the standby position by the rotation and lifting of the support shaft 2423 by the driver 2424. Here, the process position is a position where the nozzle 2421 is disposed on the vertical upper portion of the support plate 2411, and the standby position is a position where the nozzle 2421 is deviated from the vertical upper portion of the support plate 2411.

The process unit 2400 may be provided with one or a plurality of fluid supply members 2420. When there are a plurality of fluid supply members 2420, each fluid supply member 2420 supplies different fluids. For example, the plurality of fluid supply members 2420 may supply a detergent, a rinse agent, or an organic solvent, respectively. Here, the cleaning agent is a solution in which ammonia (NH4OH), hydrochloric acid (HCl) or sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is mixed with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution or hydrogen peroxide solution, or hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution, and pure water is mainly used as a rinse agent. Isopropyl alcohol may be used as the organic solvent. Optionally, organic solvents are ethyl glycol, 1-propanol, tetra hydraulic franc, 4-hydroxyl, 4-methyl, 2-pentanone ), 1-butanol, 2-butanol, methanol, methanol, ethanol, n-propyl alcohol, dimethyl ether and the like can be used. For example, the first fluid supply member 2420a injects ammonia hydrogen peroxide solution, the second fluid supply member 2420b injects pure water, and the third fluid supply member 2420c injects isopropyl alcohol solution. Can be.

When the substrate S is seated on the spin head 2410, the fluid supply member 2420 may move from the standby position to the process position to supply the above-described fluid to the upper portion of the substrate S. For example, as the fluid supply unit supplies the detergent, the rinse agent, and the organic solvent, the chemical process, the washing process, and the first drying process may be performed, respectively. As such, the spin head 2410 may be rotated by the motor 2415 so that the fluid is evenly provided on the upper surface of the substrate S during the process.

The recovery container 2430 provides a space in which the first process is performed, and recovers the fluid used in this process. Recovery container 2430 is disposed to surround the spin head 2410 when viewed from the top, the top is open. The processing unit 2400 may be provided with one or a plurality of recovery containers 2430. Hereinafter, a process unit 2400 having three recovery containers 2430 of the first recovery container 2430a, the second recovery container 2430b, and the third recovery container 2430c will be described. However, the number of the recovery container 2430 may be differently selected depending on the number of fluids used and the conditions of the first process.

The first collection container 2430a, the second collection container 2430b, and the third collection container 2430c are each provided in an annular ring shape surrounding the spin head 2410. The first collection container 2430a, the second collection container 2430b, and the third collection container 2430c are disposed away from the center of the spin head 2410 in this order. The first recovery container 2430a surrounds the spin head 2410, the second recovery container 2430b surrounds the first recovery container 2430a, and the third recovery container 2430c surrounds the second recovery container 2430b. It is provided to wrap. The first inlet 2431a is provided in the first collecting container 2430a by an inner space of the first collecting container 2430a. A second inlet 2431b is provided in the second collection container 2430b by a space between the first collection container 2430a and the second collection container 2430b. A third inlet 2431c is provided in the third collection container 2430c by the space between the second collection container 2430b and the third collection container 2430c. A recovery line 2432 extending downward in the third direction Z is connected to the bottoms of the recovery containers 2430a, 2430b, and 2430c. Each of the recovery lines 2432a, 2432b, and 2433c discharges the recovered fluid to each of the recovery bins 2430a, 2430b, and 2430c and supplies them to an external fluid regeneration system (not shown). The fluid regeneration system (not shown) may be regenerated to reuse the recovered fluid.

The lifting member 2440 includes a bracket 2441, a lifting shaft 2442, and an elevator 2443. The lifting member 2440 moves the recovery container 2430 in the third direction Z. The relative height of the recovery container 2430 with respect to the spin head 2410 of the recovery container 2430 is changed so that the inlet 2431 of the recovery container 2430 is positioned on the horizontal plane of the substrate S seated on the spin head 2410. . The bracket 2441 is fixedly installed in the recovery container 2430, and the lifting shaft 2442 that is moved in the third direction Z by the elevator 2443 is fixed to one end of the bracket 2441. When there are a plurality of recovery containers 2430, the bracket 2441 may be coupled to the outermost recovery container 2430. The elevating member 2440 moves the path of the transfer robot 2210 through which the recovery container 2430 conveys the substrate S when the substrate S is loaded into or unloaded from the spin head 2410. The recovery container 2430 may be moved downward so as not to interfere.

In addition, the elevating member 2440 is bounced from the substrate S by centrifugal force in accordance with the rotation of the substrate S while the fluid is supplied by the fluid supply unit and the spin head 2410 is rotated to perform the first process. The recovery container 2430 may be moved in the third direction Z to recover the fluid, so that the inlet 2431 of the recovery container 2430 may be positioned on the same horizontal plane as the substrate S. FIG. For example, when the first process is performed by a chemical process using a cleaning agent, a cleaning process using a rinse agent, and then proceeds in the order of the first drying process using an organic solvent, the first inlet when supplying the cleaning agent. The second inlet 2431b is moved when the rinse agent is supplied, and the third inlet 2431c is moved to the horizontal plane of the substrate S when the organic solvent is supplied. The recovery container 2430b and the third recovery container 2430c may be configured to recover the respective fluids. As such, when the used fluid is recovered, the environmental pollution is prevented and the expensive fluids can be recycled, thereby reducing the semiconductor manufacturing cost.

On the other hand, the lifting member 2440 may have a configuration for moving the spin head 2410 in the third direction (Z) instead of moving the recovery container 2430.

3 is a diagram relating to a phase change of carbon dioxide.

Referring to Figure 3, the supercritical fluid will be described.

Supercritical fluid refers to a fluid in a state in which a substance has reached a critical temperature and a threshold pressure, that is, a critical state is reached and a liquid and gas cannot be distinguished. Supercritical fluids have molecular densities close to liquids but viscosities close to gases. These supercritical fluids are very effective in chemical reactions due to their high diffusivity, permeability, and dissolving power, and because they have very low surface tensions, they do not apply interfacial tension to the microstructures. It can be useful.

Hereinafter will be described based on the supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide (CO2) mainly used for drying the substrate (S). However, components and types of supercritical fluids are not limited thereto.

Carbon dioxide is supercritical when the temperature is above 31.1 ° C and the pressure is above 7.38 MPa. Carbon dioxide is nontoxic, nonflammable, and inert. Supercritical carbon dioxide has lower critical temperature and pressure than other fluids, making it easy to control its dissolving power by controlling temperature and pressure, and water and other organic solvents. Compared with this, the diffusion coefficient is 10 ~ 100 times lower and the surface tension is extremely small. In addition, carbon dioxide can be used not only by recycling the generated by-products of various chemical reactions, but also by circulating and reusing the supercritical carbon dioxide used in the drying process, so that it can be used without burdening the environment.

4 is a view illustrating piping of a second process chamber of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, the second process chamber 2500 includes a housing 2510, a heating member 2520, and a support member 2530. The second process is performed in the second process chamber 2500. Here, the second process may be a second drying process of drying the substrate S by using a supercritical fluid.

The inside of the housing 2510 is sealed from the outside and provides a space for drying the substrate (S). The housing 2510 is provided of a material that can withstand high pressure sufficiently. A heating member 2520 may be installed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the housing 2510 to heat the inside of the housing 2510. Of course, the position of the heating member 2520 is not limited thereto and may be installed at a different position. The support member 2530 supports the substrate S. The support member 2530 may be fixedly installed in the housing 2510. Alternatively, the support member 2530 may be provided in a rotatable structure instead of being fixed to rotate the substrate S seated on the support member 2530.

The supercritical fluid supply unit 3000 generates a supercritical fluid. For example, the supercritical fluid supply unit 3000 applies carbon dioxide at a temperature above a critical temperature and a pressure above a critical pressure to make the carbon dioxide into a supercritical fluid. The supercritical fluid generated in the supercritical fluid supply unit 3000 is supplied to the housing 2510 through the supply pipe 3001.

The supply pipe 3001 includes a main pipe 3002, an upper supply pipe 3003, and a lower supply pipe 3004. One end of the main pipe 3002 is connected to the supercritical fluid supply unit 3000. At the other end of the main pipe 3002, a branch 3005 is formed in which the upper supply pipe 3003 and the lower supply pipe 3004 are branched. One end of the upper supply pipe 3003 is connected to the branch 3005 and the other end of the upper supply pipe 3003 is connected to the upper portion of the housing 2510. One end of the lower supply pipe 3004 is connected to the branch 3005, and the other end of the upper supply pipe 3003 is connected to the lower portion of the housing 2510. The supply pipe 3001 is provided with supply valves 3011, 3012, 3013. The main valve 3011 is located in the main pipe 3002. The main valve 3011 may control the opening and closing of the main pipe 3002 and the flow rate of the supercritical fluid flowing through the main pipe 3002. The upper valve 3012 and the lower valve 3013 are located in the upper supply pipe 3003 and the lower supply pipe 3004, respectively. The upper valve 3012 and the lower valve 3013 may control the opening and closing of the upper supply pipe 3003 and the lower supply pipe 3004 and the flow rate of the supercritical fluid, respectively. A filter 3014 is provided between the branch 3005 and the main valve 4826. The filter 3014 filters out foreign matter in the supercritical fluid flowing through the supply pipe 3001.

The discharge pipe 4001 discharges the supercritical fluid and the gas inside the housing 2510 to the outside. One end of the discharge pipe 4001 is connected to the housing 2510, and the other end of the discharge pipe 4001 is connected to the regeneration unit 4000. The discharge pipe 4001 is provided with a discharge valve 4002. The discharge valve 4002 opens and closes the discharge pipe 4001. In addition, the discharge valve 4002 can adjust the flow rate of the supercritical fluid flowing through the discharge pipe 4001. The supercritical fluid discharged from the housing 2510 is accommodated in the regeneration unit 4000. The regeneration unit 4000 removes impurities contained in the supercritical fluid. For example, the supercritical fluid may be supplied to the supercritical fluid supply unit 3000 after impurities are removed, or moved to a container for storing the supercritical fluid.

The vent pipe 5001 branches off the main pipe 3002. The vent pipe 5001 branches between the main valve 3011 and the branch portion 3005. The supercritical fluid of the supply pipe 3001 may be discharged to the outside through the vent pipe 5001. For example, the vent pipe 5001 may be connected to a tank (not shown). The supercritical fluid flowing through the vent pipe 5001 may be collected in a tank and then discarded. The vent pipe is provided with a vent control member 5000 for opening and closing the pipe or controlling the flow rate of the supercritical fluid.

5 is a view showing the vent control member of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 5, the vent control member 5000 includes an open / close valve 5011, a check valve 5012, and a flow control member 5013. Hereinafter, the vent pipe 5001 is called a front portion near the supply pipe 3001 and a portion discharged to the outside is called a rear portion.

The vent pipe 5001 may be formed to have a lower pressure than the supply pipe 3001. For example, the vent pipe 5001 may be provided with a pump (not shown). The pump discharges the supercritical fluid or gas in the vent pipe 5001 to the outside. The open / close valve 5011 is provided at one point of the vent pipe 5001. The open / close valve 5011 may be positioned adjacent to the branch 3005. The shutoff valve 5011 opens and closes the vent pipe 5001. When the open / close valve 5011 is opened, the supercritical fluid of the supply pipe 3001 flows through the vent pipe 5001 and is discharged to the outside. In addition, the on-off valve 5011 may adjust the opening degree of the vent pipe 5001 to adjust the amount of the supercritical fluid flowing through the vent pipe 5001.

A check valve 5012 is provided at one point of the vent pipe 5001. The check valve 5012 may be located between the branch portion 3005 and the check valve 5012. In addition, it may be located in the opposite direction of the branch 3005 with respect to the on-off valve 5011. The check valve 5012 allows the supercritical fluid to flow only in one direction in the vent pipe 5001. The check valve 5012 blocks the supercritical fluid from flowing from the vent pipe 5001 in the direction of the supply pipe 3001.

The vent pipe 5001 is provided with a flow regulating member 5013. For example, the flow control member 5013 may be a metering valve. The metering valve adjusts the degree of opening of the vent pipe 5001 to regulate the amount of supercritical fluid flowing through the vent pipe 5001. In addition, the flow control member 5013 may be an orifice. The inner diameter of the orifice is formed smaller than the inner diameter of the vent pipe 5001. Thus, the orifice adjusts the amount of supercritical fluid flowing through the vent pipe 5001 without control of the bellows. The supercritical fluid is throttled through the orifice. The condensed supercritical fluid absorbs ambient heat as it evaporates. The vent pipe 5001 may freeze rearward with respect to the orifice. When the vent pipe 5001 in which the on / off valve 5011 or the check valve 5012 is located is frozen, the operation of the on / off valve 5011 or the check valve 5012 may be prevented. Therefore, the flow rate adjusting member 5013 is preferably located behind the on / off valve 5011 and the check valve 5012.

6 is a diagram illustrating a connection relationship between controllers.

Referring to FIG. 6, a process of opening and closing the valves 3011, 3012, 3013, 4002, 5011, and 5013 by the controller 6000 will be described. The valves 3011, 3012, 3013, 4002, 5011, 5013 are connected to the controller 6000. The flow regulating member 5013 is connected to the controller 6000 when provided as a metering valve. The check valve 5012 is not connected to the controller 6000. The controller 6000 controls the valves 3011, 3012, 3013, 4002, 5011, 5013 to open or close the supply pipe 3001, the discharge pipe 4001 or the vent pipe 5001, respectively.

First, a process in which the second drying process is performed will be described. The substrate S carried into the housing 2510 is located in the support member 2530. A door (not shown) provided in the housing 2510 shields the inside of the housing 2510 from the outside. Thereafter, a supercritical fluid is supplied into the housing 2510. The controller 6000 closes the discharge valve 4002 and the open / close valve 5011, and opens the main valve 3011, the upper valve 3012, and the lower valve 3013. The upper valve 3012 and the lower valve 3013 may be opened simultaneously with the main valve 3011. Thus, the supercritical fluid is simultaneously supplied to the top and bottom of the housing 2510. In addition, one of the upper valve 3012 and the lower valve 3013 may be opened first and then the other. Thus, the supercritical fluid can be supplied first at the top or bottom of the housing 2510.

The supercritical fluid supplied into the housing 2510 dries the substrate S. The heating member 2520 heats the internal space while the second drying process is performed. The temperature of the heating member 2520 may be greater than or equal to the critical temperature of the supercritical fluid. Therefore, the supercritical fluid can be prevented from lowering below the critical temperature during the second drying process. The controller 6000 may open the discharge valve 4002 while the second drying process is performed. Therefore, the amount of supercritical fluid in the housing 2510 during the second drying process can be maintained within a certain range. At this time, the amount of supercritical fluid can be controlled such that the pressure inside the housing 2510 is higher than the critical pressure of the supercritical fluid.

When the second drying process is completed, the controller 6000 closes the main valve 3011, the upper valve 3012, and the lower valve 3013 to block the supply of the supercritical fluid. The controller 6000 opens the discharge valve 4002 to discharge the supercritical fluid in the housing 2510 to the outside. The substrate S on which the second drying process is performed is carried out from the housing 2510, and a new substrate S on which the second drying process is to be performed is carried into the housing 2510. The controller 6000 supplies a supercritical fluid back into the housing 2510 to perform a second drying process. In this case, the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe 3001 may be supplied to the housing 2510. The supply pipe 3001 may have a temperature below the critical temperature or a pressure below the critical pressure. Therefore, the fluid remaining inside the supply pipe 3001 can be changed from the supercritical state into the gas or liquid state. When a gas or a liquid fluid is supplied to the housing 2510, it collides with the substrate S to cause breakage of the substrate S or deformation of the substrate S. Therefore, the vent pipe 5001 discharges the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe 3001.

The controller 6000 closes the main valve 3011, the upper valve 3012, and the lower valve 3013, opens the open / close valve 5011, and discharges the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe 3001. The residual fluid discharge of the supply pipe 3001 may be sequentially performed with the discharge of the supercritical fluid of the housing 2510. When the second drying process is completed, the controller 6000 closes the main valve 3011, the upper valve 3012, and the lower valve 3013, opens the discharge valve 4002, and discharges the supercritical fluid inside the housing 2510. do. The controller 6000 opens the on / off valve 5011 and discharges the remaining fluid in the supply pipe 3001 while the substrate S is taken out and the new substrate S is loaded. When the loading of the substrate S is completed, the controller 6000 opens the main valve 3011, the upper valve 3012, and the lower valve 3013 to supply the supercritical fluid to the housing 2510. Residual fluid discharge of the supply pipe 3001 may be performed simultaneously with the discharge of the supercritical fluid of the housing 2510. The controller 6000 closes the main valve 3011, the upper valve 3012, and the lower valve 3013, and opens the discharge valve 4002 and the open / close valve 5011. The supercritical fluid inside the housing 2510 is discharged to the discharge pipe 4001, and the remaining fluid of the supply pipe 3001 is discharged to the vent pipe 5001. The upper valve 3012 and the lower valve 3013 are closed to prevent the supercritical fluid from flowing back into the supply pipe 3001.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe and the supercritical fluid are supplied to the housing from the supercritical fluid supply unit sequentially. Therefore, the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe does not flow into the housing. The breakage of the substrate S is prevented from occurring.

7 to 9 is a view showing a vent control member according to another embodiment.

7 to 9, in the vent adjusting member 5000 of FIG. 5, the check valve 5012 or the flow adjusting member 5013 may be omitted.

The vent control member 5100 of FIG. 7 includes an on / off valve 5101 and a flow rate regulating member 5102, and the vent control member 5200 of FIG. 8 includes an on / off valve 5201 and a check valve 5202. 9, the vent control member 5300 is provided as an on-off valve 5300. The operations of the on / off valves 5101, 5201, and 5300, the check valve 5202, and the flow regulating member 5102 of FIGS. 7 to 9 are performed by the on / off valve 5011, the check valve 5012, and the flow regulating member ( 5013).

10 to 12 are views illustrating piping of a second process chamber according to another embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 10, the vent pipe 5401 may be branched from the upper supply pipe 3103. The vent pipe 5401 is branched between the branch portion 3105 and the upper valve 3111. The supercritical fluid supply unit 3100, the housing 2540, the main pipe 3102, the upper supply pipe 3103, the lower supply pipe 3104, the discharge pipe 4101, and the vent control member 5400 are illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 4. Same as 9

Referring to FIG. 11, the vent pipe 5501 may be branched from the lower supply pipe 3204. The vent pipe 5501 is branched between the branch portion 3205 and the lower valve 3213. The supercritical fluid supply unit 3200, the housing 2550, the main pipe 3202, the upper supply pipe 3203, the lower supply pipe 3204, the discharge pipe 4201, and the vent control member 5500 are illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 4. Same as 9

Referring to FIG. 12, a plurality of vent pipes 5601, 5602, and 5603 may be provided. Vent pipes 5601, 5602, 5603 may be branched from the main pipe 3302, the upper supply pipe 3303, and the lower supply pipe 3304, respectively. The vent pipes 5601, 5602, 5603 are branched between the main valve 3311, the upper valve 3312, and the lower valve 3313 and the branch 3305, respectively. In addition, the vent pipes 5601, 5602, 5603 may be selectively provided at two positions in the main pipe 3302, the upper supply pipe 3303, and the lower supply pipe 3304. Supercritical Fluid Supply Unit 3300, Housing 2560, Main Pipe 3302, Upper Supply Pipe 3303, Lower Supply Pipe 3304, Discharge Pipe 4301 and Vent Control Members 5600a, 5600b, 5600c Is the same as FIGS. 4 to 9.

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating piping of a second process chamber according to another embodiment. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 13, the supercritical fluid supply unit 3400 is connected to the housing 2570 through a supply pipe 3401. The supply pipe 3401 is provided with supply valves 3402 and 3403. The front valve 3402 is located adjacent to the supercritical fluid supply unit 3400, and the rear valve 3403 is located adjacent to the housing 2570. The vent pipe 5701 is branched between the front valve 3402 and the rear valve 3403. In addition, the supply pipe 3401 may be provided in plurality. In this case, the vent pipe 5701 may be provided to each supply pipe 3401. The plurality of supply pipes 3401 may be connected to different portions of the housing 2570. For example, one may be connected to the top of the housing 2570 and the other may be connected to the bottom of the housing 2570. The supercritical fluid supply unit 3400, the housing 2570, the vent control member 5700, and the discharge pipe 4401 are the same as those of FIGS. 4 to 9.

The foregoing detailed description is illustrative of the present invention. In addition, the foregoing is intended to illustrate and explain the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention may be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. That is, it is possible to make changes or modifications within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed in this specification, within the scope of the disclosure, and / or within the skill and knowledge of the art. The embodiments described herein are intended to illustrate the best mode for implementing the technical idea of the present invention and various modifications required for specific applications and uses of the present invention are also possible. Accordingly, the detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. It is also to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover such other embodiments.

1000: indes module 2000: process module
2100: buffer chamber 2200: transfer chamber
2300: first process chamber 2500: second process chamber
2510: housing 2520: heating member
2530: support member 3000: supercritical fluid supply unit
3001: supply pipe 3002: main pipe
4001: discharge pipe 5001: vent pipe

Claims (15)

An apparatus for treating a substrate using a supercritical fluid,
housing;
A support member provided in the housing and supporting the substrate;
A supercritical fluid supply unit that stores a fluid in a supercritical state;
A supply pipe connecting the supercritical fluid supply unit and the housing and provided with a supply valve for controlling an amount of the supercritical fluid supplied from the supercritical fluid supply unit to the housing; And
A vent pipe branched from the supply pipe and discharging the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe,
The vent pipe is provided with an on-off valve for opening and closing the vent pipe. The method of claim 1,
The vent pipe is provided with a flow rate adjusting member for adjusting the flow rate of the supercritical fluid flowing through the vent pipe. 3. The method of claim 2,
The flow rate control member includes a metering valve or orifice. 3. The method of claim 2,
The flow rate adjusting member is provided on the other side of the vent pipe is connected to the supply pipe on the basis of the on-off valve. The method of claim 1,
The supply pipe,
A main pipe having one end connected to the supercritical fluid supply unit;
An upper supply pipe branched at a branch located at the other end of the main pipe and connected to an upper portion of the housing; And
And a lower supply pipe branched from the branch and connected to a lower portion of the housing. The method of claim 5, wherein
The vent pipe is branched at one point of the main pipe, the upper supply pipe or the lower supply pipe. The method according to claim 6,
The supply valve, the substrate processing apparatus comprising a main valve, an upper valve and a lower valve located in the main pipe, the upper supply pipe and the lower supply pipe, respectively. The method of claim 7, wherein
The vent pipe is branched between the branch portion and the main valve, the upper valve or the lower valve. The method of claim 7, wherein
The main pipe is provided with a filter between the main valve and the branch. The method of claim 1,
The supply valve includes a front valve adjacent to the supercritical fluid supply unit and a rear valve adjacent to the housing,
And the vent pipe is branched between the front valve and the rear valve. The method according to claim 7 or 10,
Further comprising a controller for controlling the supply valve and the on-off valve,
The controller is a substrate processing apparatus for discharging the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe through the vent pipe by opening the on-off valve in a state in which the supply valve is blocked. In the method of processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus of claim 1,
The supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe is discharged to the vent pipe by opening the on / off valve in a state in which the supply valve is closed, then closing the on / off valve and opening the supply valve to deliver the supercritical fluid to the housing. Substrate processing method to supply. 13. The method of claim 12,
And discharging the substrate from the housing or bringing the substrate into the housing while discharging the supercritical fluid into the vent pipe. In the method of processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus of claim 1,
When the drying of the substrate is completed, the supercritical fluid remaining in the housing while discharging the supercritical fluid from the supercritical fluid supply unit into the supply pipe is discharged. A substrate processing method for discharging a critical fluid. 15. The method of claim 14,
When the substrate is brought into the housing, the supercritical fluid remaining in the supply pipe is discharged to the vent pipe, and then the supercritical fluid supply unit starts supplying the supercritical fluid from the supercritical fluid supply unit to the housing through the supply pipe. Substrate processing method.

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