This application is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-103767, filed on Apr. 22, 2009, with the Japanese Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method, which is to process a substrate having a main body part, and a plurality of convex portions provided on the main body part.
There has been conventionally known a liquid processing method, which includes a step of rinsing, by using a rinsing liquid such as deionized water, a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of micro protrusion lines (convex portions) formed as a fine pattern on a surface of a main body part of the semiconductor substrate, and a step of drying the semiconductor substrate, after the rinsing step.
However, in such a liquid processing method, when the rinsing liquid supplied to the semiconductor substrate is dried out, the rinsing liquid's surface tension between the protrusion lines formed on the main body part of the substrate may result in an elongation and collapse of adjacent protrusion lines.
Accordingly, in order to prevent such a collapse in the protrusion lines, an attempt to carry out a hydrophobicizing treatment has been made, in which a hydrophobicizing liquid is supplied to the protrusion lines formed as a fine pattern, prior to a rinsing step on a semiconductor substrate. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. HEI 7-273083.
However, the hydrophobicizing treatment using a hydrophobicizing liquid increases the number of required processes and reduces the processing efficiency of the substrate. Also, the required amount of an expensive hydrophobicizing liquid is increased.
According to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a liquid processing apparatus to process a substrate having a main body part, and a plurality of convex portions provided on the main body part, the liquid processing apparatus includes a supporting part to support the main body part of the substrate, a chemical liquid supply mechanism to supply a chemical liquid to the substrate supported by the supporting part, a rinsing liquid supply mechanism to supply a rinsing liquid to the substrate to which the chemical liquid has been supplied by the chemical liquid supply mechanism, and a hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism to inject and supply a hydrophobicizing gas to the substrate to which the rinsing liquid has been supplied by the rinsing liquid supply mechanism.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
a, 4b, 4c each is a lateral cross-sectional view illustrating an aspect of the processing by a liquid processing method according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
a, 5b each is a lateral cross-sectional view illustrating an application effect of a liquid processing method according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
a, 6b each is a lateral cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism, and the neighborhood of a carrier gas supply device, according to one modified embodiment of a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.
The present disclosure provides a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method, which can prevent the convex portions from collapsing and increase the processing efficiency of the substrate.
According to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a liquid processing apparatus to process a substrate having a main body part, and a plurality of convex portions provided on the main body part. The liquid processing apparatus includes a supporting part to support the main body part of the substrate, a chemical liquid supply mechanism to supply a chemical liquid to the substrate supported by the supporting part, a rinsing liquid supply mechanism to supply a rinsing liquid to the substrate to which the chemical liquid has been supplied by the chemical liquid supply mechanism, and a hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism to inject and supply a hydrophobicizing gas to the substrate to which the rinsing liquid has been supplied by the rinsing liquid supply mechanism.
The liquid processing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment may further comprises a moving mechanism to relatively move the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism with respect to the substrate, and a moving mechanism to relatively move the rinsing liquid supply mechanism and the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism with respect to the substrate. In particular, the moving mechanism includes a rinsing liquid moving part to relatively move the rinsing liquid supply mechanism with respect to the substrate, and a hydrophobicizing gas moving part to relatively move the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism with respect to the substrate, and the rinsing liquid moving part and the hydrophobicizing gas moving part move the rinsing liquid supply mechanism and the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism simultaneously.
The liquid processing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment may further comprises a rotation driving mechanism to rotate the substrate through rotation of the supporting part on a rotation shaft, the moving mechanism moves the rinsing liquid supply mechanism and the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism simultaneously in a direction perpendicular to the rotation shaft, and the rinsing liquid supply mechanism and the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism are positioned in such a way that the hydrophobicizing gas is supplied nearer to a rotational center side of the substrate than the rinsing liquid while the rinsing liquid supply mechanism and the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism move from rotational center toward circumferential periphery of the substrate. Also, the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism includes a hydrophobicizing gas heating part to supply a heated hydrophobicizing gas from the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism.
The liquid processing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment may further comprises a carrier gas supply part to mix a carrier gas with the hydrophobicizing gas and to supply a mixed gas of the hydrophobicizing gas and the carrier gas to the substrate. Moreover, the liquid processing apparatus further comprises a carrier gas heating part to heat the carrier gas supplied from the carrier gas supply part, a mixed gas heating part to heat the mixed gas of the hydrophobicizing gas and the carrier gas, and an ultraviolet irradiation mechanism to irradiate ultraviolet rays to the substrate to which the hydrophobicizing gas has been supplied by the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism.
The liquid processing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment may further comprises an ultraviolet irradiation mechanism to irradiate ultraviolet rays to the substrate to which the hydrophobicizing gas has been supplied by the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism, and a moving mechanism to relatively move at least the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism and the ultraviolet irradiation mechanism with respect to the substrate, wherein the moving mechanism moves the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism and the ultraviolet irradiation mechanism simultaneously.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid processing method to process a substrate having a main body part, and a plurality of convex portions provided on the main body part, the liquid processing method including supporting the substrate by a supporting part, supplying a chemical liquid to the substrate supported by the supporting part, by a chemical liquid supply mechanism, supplying a rinsing liquid to the substrate to which the chemical liquid has been supplied by the chemical liquid supply mechanism, by a rinsing liquid supply mechanism, and injecting and supplying a hydrophobicizing gas to the substrate to which the rinsing liquid has been supplied by the rinsing liquid supply mechanism, by a hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism. In particular, the hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism is relatively moved with respect to the substrate by a moving mechanism.
According to yet another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a liquid processing apparatus to process a substrate having a main body part, and a plurality of convex portions provided on the main body part, the liquid processing apparatus comprises means for supporting to support the main body part of the substrate, means for supplying a chemical liquid to supply the chemical liquid to the substrate supported by the means for supporting, means for supplying a rinsing liquid to supply the rinsing liquid to the substrate to which the chemical liquid has been supplied by the means for supplying a chemical liquid, and means for supplying a hydrophobicizing gas to inject and supply a hydrophobicizing gas to the substrate to which the rinsing liquid has been supplied by the means for supplying a rinsing liquid. In particular, the liquid processing apparatus further comprises means for moving to relatively move the means for supplying a hydrophobicizing gas with respect to the substrate. Also, the liquid processing apparatus further comprises means for moving to relatively move the means for supplying a rinsing liquid and the means for supplying a hydrophobicizing gas with respect to the substrate.
In the present disclosure, a hydrophobicizing gas is injected and supplied to the substrate to which a rinsing liquid has been supplied. Thus, it is possible to more securely prevent convex portions from collapsing. Also, the use of such a hydrophobicizing gas can increase the processing efficiency of the substrate.
Hereinafter, a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method will be described with reference to the drawings, according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Herein,
A liquid processing apparatus 100 is used for processing a substrate 90 having a substrate main body part (main body part) 91, and a plurality of convex portions 92 provided on substrate main body part 91, as illustrated in
Also, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Moving mechanism 60 has a liquid supply arm moving part (a rinsing liquid moving part) 61, and a gas supply arm moving part (a hydrophobicizing gas moving part) 62. Liquid supply arm moving part 61 swing liquid supply arm 15 of rinsing liquid supply mechanism 10 in the horizontal direction, which is perpendicular to rotation shaft 52, around a swinging shaft 15a. Gas supply arm moving part 62 swing gas supply arm 25 of hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20 in the horizontal direction, which is perpendicular to rotation shaft 52, around a swinging shaft 25a. Also, each of liquid supply arm moving part 61 and gas supply arm moving part 62 is configured to selectively swing liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25, respectively, and can individually or simultaneously swung liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25. Also, although a configuration where liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25 are separately provided is used in the above described aspect of the present exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25 may be integrated and a single arm may function as both liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25.
Also, the positional relationship between liquid supply nozzle 16 and gas supply nozzle 26 is configured in such a way that mixed gas G is supplied nearer to the rotational center side of substrate 90 than the supply position of rinsing liquid R, while liquid supply nozzle 16 and gas supply nozzle 26 move from the rotational center of substrate 90 toward the circumferential periphery, as shown in
Also, hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20 has a hydrophobicizing gas heating part 29h to supply a heated hydrophobicizing gas from hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20. Specifically, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Hereinafter, the operation of the present exemplary embodiment having the above described configuration will be described.
First, as shown in
Next, three lift pins 55a of lift pin plate 55 take substrate 90 from the carrying robot, and support the back surface (lower surface) of substrate 90 (a taking step).
Next, by lift driving part 45, lift pin plate 55 is positioned at a lower position in which substrate 90 is processed by a chemical liquid (a lower position determining step).
While lift pin plate 55 is positioned at the lower position as described above, supporting part 50 of support plate 51 maintains and supports substrate main body part 91 of substrate 90 (a supporting step)(see
Next, rotation shaft 52 is rotationally driven by motor 41, thereby rotating substrate 90 maintained and supported by supporting part 50 of support plate 51 (a rotating step), as indicated by arrow A1 in
First, a chemical liquid is supplied to substrate 90 by chemical liquid supply mechanism 1, as shown in
Next, after the chemical liquid has been supplied to the surface of substrate 90 by chemical liquid supply mechanism 1, rinsing liquid R is supplied to the surface by rinsing liquid supply mechanism 10 in a state where convex portions 92 of substrate 90 are not exposed to the outside of liquid surface (a rinsing liquid supplying step), as illustrated in
Next, in a state where rinsing liquid R has been supplied to substrate 90 from liquid supply nozzle 16, liquid supply arm 15 starts to be swung in the horizontal direction by liquid supply arm moving part 61 in such a way that liquid supply nozzle 16 traces circular arcs from the center of substrate 90 toward the circumferential periphery. That is, a rinsing liquid moving step is started. See, for example, arrow A2 in
Herein, after rinsing liquid R has been supplied to the surface of substrate 90, mixed gas G starts to be injected and supplied by hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20. That is, a gas supplying step is started. Also, gas supply arm 25 starts to be swung in the horizontal direction by gas supply arm moving part 62 in such a way that gas supply nozzle 26 traces circular arcs toward the circumferential periphery of substrate 90. That is, a gas moving step is started. See, for example, arrow A3 in
However, while liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25 are swung in the same direction in the present embodiment as described above, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25 may be swung in an opposite directions. A substantially similar effect can be achieved in this case since substrate 90 rotates. In other words, in this case, gas supply nozzle 26 supplies mixed gas G to a position nearer to the rotational center side of substrate 90 than the supply position of rinsing liquid R on substrate 90 by liquid supply nozzle 16, while liquid supply nozzle 16 and gas supply nozzle 26 move from the rotational center of toward the circumferential periphery of substrate 90. Thus, it is possible to sequentially process substrate 90 from the center toward the circumferential periphery.
Hereinafter, general effects and phenomena during the rinsing liquid supplying step, the rinsing liquid moving step, the gas supplying step, and the gas moving step will be described.
Also, a force F to collapse convex portions 92 is calculated using the following equation:
wherein γ denotes an interfacial tension between rinsing liquid R and convex portions 92, θ denotes an inclination angle of rinsing liquid R with respect to the lateral surface of convex portions 92, H denotes a height of liquid surface of rinsing liquid R between convex portions 92, D denotes a depth (not shown) of convex portions 92, and S denotes a space between convex portions 92, as illustrated in
First, hereinafter, the initial stage of the injection and supply of mixed gas G to the surface of substrate 90 will be described. At the initial stage of the injection and supply of mixed gas G, since mixed gas G is vigorously injected, it is possible to lower the level of a liquid surface in a state where θ value is close to 90° with respect to convex portions 92 of substrate 90, as shown in
In other words, in a conventional case where a hydrophobicizing gas is not injected, since the level of a liquid surface of rinsing liquid R gets lowered slowly, θ value is decreased (cos θ value is increased) as shown in
Hereinafter, the effects following the start of formation of a hydrophobicized surface 93 on the surface of substrate 90 by a hydrophobicizing gas will be described. After hydrophobicized surface 93 starts to be formed on the surface of substrate 90 as described above, hydrophobicized surface 93 is formed on at least one of adjacent convex portions 92. For this reason, even in a case where rinsing liquid R is splashed on convex portions 92 side formed with hydrophobicized surface 93, it is possible to prevent rinsing liquid R from residing over between convex portions 92 since rinsing liquid R bounces off. See, for example,
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, liquid supply nozzle 16 and gas supply nozzle 26 are simultaneously swung, and mixed gas G is supplied slightly nearer to the rotational center side of substrate 90 than the supply position of rinsing liquid R as illustrated in
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, due to the injection of mixed gas G, an injection power of mixed gas G becomes stronger from a convex portion 92 side already formed with hydrophobicized surface 93 toward a convex portion 92 side where hydrophobicized surface 93 is not yet formed. This may prevent rinsing liquid R from moving to hydrophobicized convex portions 92 side as shown in
However, in a case where a silylating agent such as dimethylaminotrimethylsilane (TMSDMA) is used as a hydrophobicizing gas, a hydrophilic —OH group existing in the side surface of convex portions 92 is silylated, and, as a result, a hydrophobic trimethylsiloxy group [—OSi(CH3)3] is generated to carry out hydrophobicization and hydrophobicized surface 93 is formed.
Also, since the present exemplary embodiment utilizes the hydrophobicizing gas which is gasified with an increased volume, it is possible to reduce the required amount of a hydrophobicizing liquid which is expensive as compared to the required amount of hydrophobicizing liquid in a conventional technology. This may reduce the cost required for processing substrate 90.
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, a mixed gas, where a carrier gas supplied from carrier gas supply part 30 is mixed with a hydrophobicizing gas, is supplied to substrate 90. For this reason, a strong injection power can be delivered to the surface of convex portions 92 even with a small amount of hydrophobicizing gas, thereby reducing the required amount of hydrophobicizing liquid.
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, since substrate 90 can be hydrophobicized by a hydrophobicizing gas included in mixed gas G, and also can be dried out by mixed gas G, there is no need to provide a hydrophobicizing process separately as used for a conventional technology. For this reason, it is possible to increase the processing efficiency of substrate 90 compared to a conventional technology.
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, it is possible to simultaneously swing liquid supply arm 15 and gas supply arm 25, thereby a cleaning of substrate 90 by rinsing liquid R, and hydrophobicizing/drying of substrate 90 by mixed gas G can be performed in parallel. This may further increase the processing efficiency of substrate 90.
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, since a high temperature hydrophobicizing gas evaporated by heating of hydrophobicizing gas heating part 29h is used, it is possible to efficiently dry out the surface of substrate 90 by the high temperature mixed gas G. This may also increase the processing efficiency of substrate 90.
As described above, when gas supply nozzle 26 provided in gas supply arm 25 is moved to the end position by carrying out of the above described steps including rinsing liquid supplying step, rinsing liquid moving step, gas supplying step and gas moving step, the entire surface of substrate 90 is hydrophobicized and dried out, as illustrated in
When the rotation of substrate 90 is stopped as described above, lift pin plate 55 is positioned at an upper position by lift driving part 45, and substrate 90 is raised by lift pins 55a (an upper position determining step). Then, substrate 90 is taken and drawn out by a carrying robot (a drawing-out step).
However, in the above described aspect of the present exemplary embodiment, hydrophobicizing gas supply device 22 of hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20 has hydrophobicizing gas heating part 29h for heating a hydrophobicizing gas in order to supply high temperature mixed gas G to substrate 90. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, in another embodiment, carrier gas supply tube 31 may be provided with a carrier gas heating part 31h for heating the carrier gas supplied to carrier gas supply tube 31 from carrier gas supply part 30, as shown in
Also, in the above described aspect using carrier gas heating part 31h or mixed gas heating part 23h, hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20 may have a reservoir case 28 for reserving a hydrophobicizing liquid, as shown in
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, liquid processing apparatus 100 may further include an ultraviolet irradiation mechanism 70 having an arranging table 72 and an ultraviolet irradiation part 71, as shown in
By the provision of ultraviolet irradiation mechanism 70, hydrophobicized surface 93 formed on the surface of substrate 90 may be removed, and particles including organic matter may be removed from substrate 90 as well.
Also, since ultraviolet irradiation part 71 needs to move relatively only with respect to substrate 90, the present disclosure is not limited to the above described aspect where ultraviolet irradiation part 71 is moved in the horizontal direction by ultraviolet moving part 67. Ultraviolet moving part 67′ for moving arranging table 72 in the horizontal direction may be used. See, for example, the two-dot chain line and the dotted arrow in
Meanwhile, in the present exemplary embodiment, a computer program for executing the liquid processing method described above may be recorded in a recording medium 84 of computer system 80, as shown in
Hereinafter, a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to
In contrast, in the second exemplary embodiment as shown in
Also, in the present exemplary embodiment, ultraviolet irradiation mechanism 70 having ultraviolet irradiation part 71 for irradiating ultraviolet rays to substrate 90 is provided. Ultraviolet irradiation part 71 is provided with ultraviolet moving part 67 for moving ultraviolet irradiation part 71 in the horizontal direction. Also, chemical liquid moving part 66, rinsing liquid moving part 61′, hydrophobicizing gas moving part 62′, and ultraviolet moving part 67 constitute a moving mechanism 60′.
Each of chemical liquid moving part 66, rinsing liquid moving part 61′, hydrophobicizing gas moving part 62′, and ultraviolet moving part 67 constituting moving mechanism 60′ can simultaneously move chemical liquid supply mechanism 1′, rinsing liquid supply mechanism 10′, hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20′, and ultraviolet irradiation mechanism 70, respectively, in the horizontal direction.
Other components are substantially similar to those in the first exemplary embodiment shown in
In the second exemplary embodiment, it is possible to achieve similar effects to those of the first exemplary embodiment. Some of major effects includes a firm prevention of convex portions 92 from collapsing, increasing the processing efficiency of substrate 90, and reducing the processing cost of substrate 90.
Also, according to the second exemplary embodiment, chemical liquid supply mechanism 1′, rinsing liquid supply mechanism 10′, hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20′, and ultraviolet irradiation mechanism 70 simultaneously move simultaneously in the horizontal direction. Thus, it is possible to carry out various processes including cleaning of substrate 90 by a chemical liquid, rinsing of substrate 90 by rinsing liquid R, hydrophobicizing and drying of substrate 90 by a hydrophobicizing gas, and removing of hydrophobicized surface 93 and particles (including organic matter) from substrate 90 by ultraviolet rays, in parallel. Accordingly, it is possible to process substrate 90 with a high efficiency.
Also, chemical liquid supply mechanism 1′, rinsing liquid supply mechanism 10′, hydrophobicizing gas supply mechanism 20′, and ultraviolet irradiation mechanism 70 needs only to move relatively with respect to substrate 90. For this reason, a moving mechanism 60″ to move support plate 51 may be provided, illustrated as the two-dot chain line and the dotted arrow in
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2009-103767 | Apr 2009 | JP | national |