Apparatus and method for drying substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9587880-B2
Application number	US-201313905676-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2013
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and method for drying a substrate. The apparatus includes a housing, a substrate support member, a fluid supply member, and a discharge member. The housing provides a space in which a drying process is performed. The substrate support member is provided in the housing to support the substrate. The fluid supply member includes a supply line for supplying a process fluid of a supercritical state to the housing. The discharge member includes a discharge line for discharging the process fluid from the housing. Here, the supply line includes a first supply line provided to supply the process fluid to the housing at a first supply flow rate, and a second supply line provided to supply the process fluid to the housing at a second supply flow rate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for drying a substrate, comprising:
a housing providing a space in which a drying process is performed;
a substrate support member provided in the housing to support the substrate;
a storage storing a process fluid of a supercritical state;
a fluid supply member comprising a supply line for supplying the process fluid of the supercritical state from the storage to the housing; and
a discharge member comprising a discharge line for discharging the process fluid from the housing,
wherein the supply line comprises:
a lower supply line connected to a bottom of the housing and provided to supply the process fluid from the storage to the housing at a first supply flow rate before an internal pressure of the housing reaches a predetermined pressure; and
an upper supply line connected to a top of the housing and provided to supply the process fluid from the storage to the housing at a second supply flow rate after the internal pressure of the housing reaches the predetermined pressure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supply line further comprises:
a front supply line connected to the storage ; and
a rear supply line connected to the housing,
wherein the lower supply line and the upper supply line are connected in parallel to each other, and connect between the front supply line and the rear supply line.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the lower supply line comprises a first flow control valve that controls the process fluid to flow at the first supply flow rate;
the upper supply line comprises a second flow control valve that controls the process fluid to flow at the second supply flow rate; and
the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve are controlled such that the second supply flow rate is greater than the first supply flow rate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the supply line further comprises a third supply line provided with a third flow control valve that controls the process fluid to flow at a third supply flow rate, and the third flow control valve is controlled such that the third supply flow rate is greater than the second supply flow rate.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the supply line further comprises a controller, which controls an opening degree of the second flow control valve during the drying process such that the first supply flow rate and the second supply flow rate of the process fluid passing through the supply line are controlled.

Assignees

• Semes Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Boong
• Kim Ki Bong
• Song Gil Hun
• Kwon Oh Jin

Classifications

• H10P72/0408

  for drying · CPC title

• H10P72/0402 Primary

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• F26B21/37 Primary

  Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow · CPC title

• F26B5/005

  by dipping them into or mixing them with a chemical liquid, e.g. organic; chemical, e.g. organic, dewatering aids (F26B3/005 takes precedence; using chemical vapours or gases F26B21/40) · CPC title

• H01L21/67034

  Electricity · mapped topic