Apparatus for and method of processing substrate
US9922848B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 2015 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 23, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67034
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A rinsing liquid adheres to a substrate subjected to a cleaning process. The rinsing liquid on the substrate is first replaced with IPA liquid. While the substrate covered with the IPA liquid is held in a dryer chamber, liquid carbon dioxide is supplied to the surface of the substrate. Liquid nitrogen is supplied to cool down the interior of the dryer chamber. This solidifies the liquid carbon dioxide on the substrate into solid carbon dioxide. Thereafter, the pressure in the dryer chamber is returned to atmospheric pressure, and gaseous nitrogen is supplied into the dryer chamber. Thus, the temperature in the dryer chamber increases. The solid carbon dioxide on the surface of the substrate is sublimated, and is hence removed from the substrate. All of the steps are performed while carbon dioxide is not in a supercritical state but in a non-supercritical state.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.