Substrate processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12198948-B2
Application number	US-202217859007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2022
Priority date	Jul 14, 2021
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber, a holding unit, a hydrophobizing agent nozzle, a first organic solvent nozzle, a second organic solvent nozzle, and an exhaust port. The chamber has a gastight space that is capable of accommodating the plurality of substrates. The holding unit lifts or lowers the plurality of substrates between a storage area where a liquid is stored in the gastight space and a drying area that is located above the storage area in the gastight space. The hydrophobizing agent nozzle supplies a vapor of a hydrophobizing agent to the drying area. The first organic solvent nozzle supplies an organic solvent from the drying area to the storage area. The second organic solvent nozzle supplies a vapor of an organic solvent to the drying area. The exhaust port discharges a gas in the gastight space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus that collectively executes a drying process for a plurality of substrates in a wet state thereof, wherein the substrate processing apparatus comprises:
a chamber that has a gastight space that is capable of accommodating the plurality of substrates;
a holding unit that lifts or lowers the plurality of substrates between a storage area where a liquid is stored in the gastight space and a drying area that is located above the storage area in the gastight space;
a hydrophobizing agent nozzle that supplies a vapor of a hydrophobizing agent to the drying area;
a first organic solvent nozzle that supplies an organic solvent from the drying area to the storage area;
a second organic solvent nozzle that supplies a vapor of an organic solvent to the drying area; and
an exhaust port that discharges a gas in the gastight space.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first organic solvent nozzle and the second organic solvent nozzle are arranged above the hydrophobizing agent nozzle.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the second organic solvent nozzle supplies a vapor of an organic solvent upward or obliquely upward.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , comprising:
a connection route that connects a halfway part of a second organic solvent supply route that supplies a vapor of an organic solvent to the second organic solvent nozzle and a halfway part of a hydrophobizing agent supply route that supplies a hydrophobizing agent to the hydrophobizing agent nozzle; and
a switching unit that switches a destination of outflow of a vapor of an organic solvent between the second organic solvent nozzle and the hydrophobizing agent nozzle.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , comprising:
a first vaporizer that vaporizes a hydrophobizing agent; and
a second vaporizer that vaporizes an organic solvent.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the first organic solvent nozzle sprays an organic solvent in a conical form or a fan-like form.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the hydrophobizing agent nozzle and the second organic solvent nozzle includes:
a body unit with a cylindrical shape that extends along an arrangement direction of the plurality of substrates; and
a plurality of discharge holes that are formed on the body unit at an interval(s) along an arrangement direction of the plurality of substrates.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the exhaust port is arranged above the hydrophobizing agent nozzle.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising:
a connection route that connects a halfway part of a second organic solvent supply route that supplies a vapor of an organic solvent to the second organic solvent nozzle and a halfway part of a hydrophobizing agent supply route that supplies a hydrophobizing agent to the hydrophobizing agent nozzle; and
a switching unit that switches a destination of outflow of a vapor of an organic solvent between the second organic solvent nozzle and the hydrophobizing agent nozzle.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising:
a first vaporizer that vaporizes a hydrophobizing agent; and
a second vaporizer that vaporizes an organic solvent.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the first organic solvent nozzle sprays an organic solvent in a conical form or a fan-like form.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the hydrophobizing agent nozzle and the second organic solvent nozzle includes:
a body unit with a cylindrical shape that extends along an arrangement direction of the plurality of substrates; and
a plurality of discharge holes that are formed on the body unit at an interval(s) along an arrangement direction of the plurality of substrates.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the exhaust port is arranged above the hydrophobizing agent nozzle.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
a connection route that connects a halfway part of a second organic solvent supply route that supplies a vapor of an organic solvent to the second organic solvent nozzle and a halfway part of a hydrophobizing agent supply route that supplies a hydrophobizing agent to the hydrophobizing agent nozzle; and
a switching unit that switches a destination of outflow of a vapor of an organic solvent between the second organic solvent nozzle and the hydrophobizing agent nozzle.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
a first vaporizer that vaporizes a hydrophobizing agent; and
a second vaporizer that vaporizes an organic solvent.

16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first organic solvent nozzle sprays an organic solvent in a conical form or a fan-like form.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the hydrophobizing agent nozzle and the second organic solvent nozzle includes:
a body unit with a cylindrical shape that extends along an arrangement direction of the plurality of substrates; and
a plurality of discharge holes that are formed on the body unit at an interval(s) along an arrangement direction of the plurality of substrates.

18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the exhaust port is arranged above the hydrophobizing agent nozzle.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Nonaka Jun
• Hamashima Yuta

Classifications

• H10P72/0408 Primary

  for drying · CPC title

• H10P72/0404

  for general liquid treatment, e.g. etching followed by cleaning · CPC title

• H10P72/0414 Primary

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

• H10P72/3312

  Vertical transfer of a batch of workpieces · CPC title

• H10P72/0416

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