Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938524-B2
Application number	US-202017442137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2020
Priority date	Aug 29, 2019
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing tank, and a hydrophobizing gas supply unit. The liquid processing tank stores a processing liquid and dips a plurality of substrates in the processing liquid to liquid-process the plurality of substrates. The hydrophobizing gas supply unit supplies a gas of a hydrophobizing agent to the plurality of substrates after liquid processing thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising
a liquid processing tank that stores a processing liquid and dips a plurality of substrates in the processing liquid to liquid-process the plurality of substrates;
a hydrophobizing gas supplier that supplies a gas of a hydrophobizing agent to the plurality of substrates after the liquid processing; and
a processing liquid supplier that supplies the processing liquid to the liquid processing tank, wherein
the processing liquid supplier includes an organic solvent supplier that supplies an organic solvent to the liquid processing tank,
the processing liquid supplier supplies the organic solvent that is supplied from the organic solvent supplier to the liquid processing tank, and
the liquid processing tank comprises a storage tank, an overflow tank, and a seal tank, the overflow tank is formed on a peripheral part of the storage tank at an upper end of the storage tank, and the seal tank is formed on a peripheral part of the overflow tank at an upper end of the overflow tank.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing liquid supplier further includes
a water supplier that supplies water to the liquid processing tank.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing liquid supplier further includes
a discharger that is arranged in an inside of the liquid processing tank and is connected to the organic solvent supplier and the water supplier.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processing liquid supplier includes:
an organic solvent discharger that is connected to the organic solvent supplier and discharges the organic solvent to an inside of the liquid processing tank; and
a water discharger that is connected to the water supplier and discharges the water to an inside of the liquid processing tank.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the organic solvent discharger is arranged above the water discharger and discharges the organic solvent toward an inside of the liquid processing tank like a shower.

6. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a liquid processing tank that stores a processing liquid and dips a plurality of substrates in the processing liquid to liquid-process the plurality of substrates;
a processing liquid supplier that supplies the processing liquid to the liquid processing tank;
a hydrophobizing gas supplier that supplies a gas of a hydrophobizing agent to the plurality of substrates; and
a controller that controls the processing liquid supplier and the hydrophobizing gas supplier, wherein
the processing liquid supplier includes
an organic solvent supplier that supplies an organic solvent to the liquid processing tank, and
the controller controls the processing liquid supplier in such a manner that the organic solvent that is supplied from the organic solvent supplier is supplied to the liquid processing tank to supply the organic solvent to the plurality of substrates that are arranged in the liquid processing tank, and subsequently, controls the hydrophobizing gas supplier in such a manner that the gas of a hydrophobizing agent is supplied to the plurality, of substrates,
wherein the liquid processing tank comprises a storage tank, an overflow tank, and a seal tank, the overflow tank is formed on a peripheral part of the storage tank at an upper end of the storage tank, and the seal tank is formed on a peripheral part of the overflow tank at an upper end of the overflow tank.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 , comprising:
a drying process tank that is arranged on an upper part of the liquid processing tank and executes a drying process for the plurality of substrates;
a movement structure that lifts the plurality of substrates from the liquid processing tank and moves them to the drying process tank; and
an organic solvent supplier that supplies a vapor of an organic solvent to an inside of the drying process tank, wherein
the hydrophobizing gas supplier supplies the gas of a hydrophobizing agent to an inside of the drying process tank, and
the controller controls the movement structure, after the organic solvent is supplied to the plurality of substrates that are arranged in the liquid processing tank, in such a manner that the plurality of substrates are lifted from the liquid processing tank, subsequently controls the hydrophobizing gas supplier in such a manner that the gas of a hydrophobizing agent is supplied to an inside of the drying process tank, and subsequently controls the organic solvent supplier in such a manner that a vapor of the organic solvent is supplied to an inside of the drying process tank.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a drying process tank that is arranged on an upper part of the liquid processing tank and executes a drying process for the plurality of substrates; and
a movement structure that lifts the plurality of substrates from the liquid processing tank and moves them to the drying process tank, wherein
the hydrophobizing gas supplier supplies the gas of a hydrophobizing agent to an inside of the drying process tank.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising
an organic solvent supplier that supplies a vapor of an organic solvent to an inside of the drying process tank.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing liquid supplier includes:
a chemical liquid supplier that supplies a chemical liquid that is used for a chemical liquid process for the plurality of substrates to the liquid processing tank; and
a hydrophobizing liquid supplier that supplies a liquid of the hydrophobizing agent to the liquid processing tank.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing liquid supplier includes:
a water supplier that supplies water that is used for a rinsing process for the plurality of substrates to the liquid processing tank; and
a hydrophobizing liquid supplier that supplies a liquid of the hydrophobizing agent to the liquid processing tank.

12. A substrate processing method, comprising:
a step of liquid-processing a plurality of substrates by dipping the plurality of substrates in a processing liquid that is stored in a liquid processing tank;
a step of supplying a gas of a hydrophobizing agent to the plurality of substrates after the step of liquid-processing;
a step of supplying the processing liquid to the liquid processing tank; and a step of supplying an organic solvent to the liquid processing tank, wherein
the step of supplying an organic solvent includes supplying the organic solvent to the plurality of substrates that are arranged in the liquid processing tank,
wherein the liquid processing tank comprises a storage tank, an overflow tank, and a seal tank, the overflow tank is formed on a peripheral part of the storage tank at an upper end of the storage tank, and the seal tank is formed on a peripheral part of the overflow tank at an upper end of the overflow tank.

13. The substrate processing method according to claim 12 , further comprising
a step of replacing water as the processing liquid that is attached to the plurality of substrates by the step of liquid-processing, with an organic solvent before the step of supplying a gas of a hydrophobizing agent, wherein
the step of liquid-processing stores water as the processing liquid in the liquid processing tank to dip the plurality of substrates in the water that is stored in the liquid pr

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Nonaka Jun
• Nakamori Mitsunori

Classifications

• H10P72/3312

  Vertical transfer of a batch of workpieces · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/0406

  for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like · CPC title

• H10P52/00

  Grinding, lapping or polishing of wafers, substrates or parts of devices · CPC title

• H10P72/0426

  with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels · CPC title