Apparatus and process for static drying of substrates
First Claim
1. A process for drying substrates comprising:
- positioning the substrates in an enclosed chamber, said chamber being openable to permit insertion and removal of substrates and closeable to maintain the chamber in a fluid tight seal, said substrates being supported within the chamber primarily by their edges in spaced apart relationship generally parallel to each other, such that the planar surfaces of the substrates are inclined from the vertical at an angle of approximately 30°
, and said chamber being equipped with fluid inlet valves, fluid drainage valves and vacuum aspiration valves for controlling the introduction of fluids into and drainage and vacuum aspiration of fluids out of said chamber, respectively;
closing the chamber in a fluid tight seal;
filling the chamber with rinsing solution through said fluid inlet valve while maintaining vacuum aspiration through the aspiration valve;
degassing the rinsing solution by vacuum aspiration while maintaining the chamber filled with rinsing solution;
draining the rinsing solution through the drainage valve, while continuing vacuum aspiration and introducing inert gas over the rinsing solution, said draining of the rinsing solution, vacuum aspiration and introduction of inert gas all controlled to allow the substrate to emerge dry as the rinsing solution drains away;
discontinuing the flow of inert gas while continuing vacuum aspiration after draining the chamber; and
repressurizing the chamber and releasing the fluid tight seal;
such that the substrates are maintained in an essentially static condition throughout the drying process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for drying semiconductor wafers or similar substrates maintains the substrates in a static position to avoid the generation of undesired particulate. The substrates are maintained within the apparatus at an angle of approximately 30° from the vertical to facilitate complete drainage of the processing fluid. According to this invention, the substrates are positioned in the chamber of the apparatus at the appropriate angle, the chamber is closed in a fluid tight seal and filled with the processing fluid, until the fluid overflows through a vacuum valve. While maintaining the chamber completely filled, vacuum aspiration is continued to degas the chamber. While continuing vacuum aspiration of the chamber, a vacuum assisted drain valve is opened, and clean dry inert gas is introduced above the draining fluid. The draining step assures that any droplets remain with the draining fluid so that the substrates emerge dry as the fluid drains away. The inert gas flow is discontinued and vacuum aspiration is maintained briefly after the chamber has drained. The vacuum aspiration is discontinued and the chamber is repressurized to essentially ambient pressure prior to opening the chamber to remove the dry substrates.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A process for drying substrates comprising:
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positioning the substrates in an enclosed chamber, said chamber being openable to permit insertion and removal of substrates and closeable to maintain the chamber in a fluid tight seal, said substrates being supported within the chamber primarily by their edges in spaced apart relationship generally parallel to each other, such that the planar surfaces of the substrates are inclined from the vertical at an angle of approximately 30°
, and said chamber being equipped with fluid inlet valves, fluid drainage valves and vacuum aspiration valves for controlling the introduction of fluids into and drainage and vacuum aspiration of fluids out of said chamber, respectively;closing the chamber in a fluid tight seal; filling the chamber with rinsing solution through said fluid inlet valve while maintaining vacuum aspiration through the aspiration valve; degassing the rinsing solution by vacuum aspiration while maintaining the chamber filled with rinsing solution; draining the rinsing solution through the drainage valve, while continuing vacuum aspiration and introducing inert gas over the rinsing solution, said draining of the rinsing solution, vacuum aspiration and introduction of inert gas all controlled to allow the substrate to emerge dry as the rinsing solution drains away; discontinuing the flow of inert gas while continuing vacuum aspiration after draining the chamber; and
repressurizing the chamber and releasing the fluid tight seal;
such that the substrates are maintained in an essentially static condition throughout the drying process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A process for drying substrates comprising:
- positioning the substrates in a chamber with a fluid tight seal;
surrounding and intimately contacting substrates in the chamber with a rinsing solution in the presence of vacuum aspiration; continuing vacuum aspiration to degas the rinsing solution; draining the rinsing solution from the chamber in a controlled manner while continuing vacuum aspiration and introducing inert gas over the rinsing solution to cause the surface of the substrate to emerge dry as the rinsing solution drains away; continuing vacuum aspiration after the rinsing solution has drained to remove all vapor; and maintaining the substrates throughout the process in an essentially static condition with the planar surface of the substrates at an angle inclined from the vertical of approximately 30°
. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- positioning the substrates in a chamber with a fluid tight seal;
Specification