Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016336201-A1
Application number	US-201615219542-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 26, 2016
Priority date	Jun 8, 2012
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus is provided including: a liquid processing unit that processes a substrate with a processing liquid; a carry-in port formed in the liquid processing unit and configured to carry-in the substrate in a dry-state before the substrate is processed with the processing liquid; a carry-out port formed in the liquid processing unit and configured to carry-out the substrate in a wet-state after completing the liquid processing; a supercritical dry processing unit that performs a dry processing for the substrate using a supercritical fluid; a first substrate transport unit that transports the substrate in a dry-state before the substrate is processed with the processing liquid to the carry-out port of the liquid processing unit; and a second substrate transport unit that transports the substrate in a wet-state after completing the liquid processing from the carry-out port of the liquid processing unit to the supercritical dry processing unit.

First claim

1 : A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a liquid processing unit configured to process a substrate with a processing liquid; a carry-in port formed in the liquid processing unit, wherein the carry-in port is configured such that the substrate can be carried through the carry-in port in a dry-state before the substrate is processed with the processing liquid; a carry-out port formed in the liquid processing unit, wherein the carry-out port is configured such that the substrate can be carried out through the carry-out port in a wet-state after the substrate is processed with the processing liquid; a supercritical dry processing unit configured to perform a dry processing for the substrate using a supercritical fluid; a first substrate transport unit configured to transport the substrate in a dry-state to the carry-in port of the liquid processing unit before the substrate is processed with the processing liquid, wherein the first substrate transport unit is configured to move through a first substrate transport chamber; and a second substrate transport unit configured to transport the substrate in a wet-state from the carry-out port of the liquid processing unit to the supercritical dry processing unit, wherein the second substrate transport unit is configured to move through a second substrate transport chamber that is separate from the first substrate transport chamber, wherein the first substrate transport unit is configured to transport the substrate from a carry-out port of the supercritical dry processing unit after the substrate has been dried in the supercritical dry processing unit, wherein the first substrate transport unit is not configured to move through the second substrate transport chamber, wherein the second substrate transport unit is not configured to move through the first substrate transport chamber, and wherein the second substrate transport unit is disposed between the liquid processing unit and the supercritical dry processing unit.

2 : The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second substrate transport unit transports the substrate in a state where the substrate is wetted by an organic solvent.

3 . (canceled)

4 : The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carry-in port and the first substrate transport chamber are communicated with each other, and the carry-out port of the liquid processing unit and the second substrate transport chamber are communicated with each other.

5 : The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a door which is capable of being opened/closed is installed in the carry-in port of the liquid processing unit and/or the carry-out port of the liquid processing unit.

6 : The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dew point temperature of a gas supplied to the second substrate transport chamber is lower than the dew point temperature of a gas supplied to the first substrate transport chamber.

7 : The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dried substrate is carried out from the supercritical dry processing unit by the first substrate transport unit.

8 - 9 . (canceled)

10 : The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid processing unit is adjacent to the supercritical dry processing unit through the carry-out port of the liquid processing unit, and the second substrate transport unit is accommodated within the supercritical dry processing unit.

11 - 14 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Inadomi Hiroaki

Classifications

• H10P70/20

  Cleaning during device manufacture · CPC title

• H10P72/3308

  Vertical transfer of a single workpiece · CPC title

• H10P72/3306

  Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece · CPC title

• H10P72/0461

  characterised by the presence of two or more transfer chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0458

  vertical arrangement · CPC title