Systems and methods for drying a rotating substrate

• US 7,644,512 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akrion Technologies Incorporated (Akrion Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Akrion Incorporated
• Inventors: Kashkoush, Ismail, Lee, Hanjoo, Liu, Zhi (Lewis)
• Primary Examiner(s): Gravini; Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US11/624,445
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 344/45, 344/49, 344/13, 34/77, 34/78, 34/80, 118/65, 118/118
• US Class Current: 34/413
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/20 Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/22 Electronic devices, e.g. PCBs or semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/44 Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67034 for drying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer

Abstract

A method of drying a surface of a substrate is provided. The method includes supporting and rotating a substrate; applying a liquid to the substrate surface at or near a rotational center point via a liquid dispenser (so that a film of the liquid is formed on the surface); applying a drying fluid to the substrate surface at a predetermined distance from the rotational center point via one or more drying fluid dispensers; and manipulating the drying fluid dispenser(s) so that the location at which the drying fluid is applied to the substrate is moved in a direction toward the rotational center point, while at the same time manipulating the liquid dispenser so that the location at which the liquid is applied to the substrate is moved in a direction outward from the rotational center point. The liquid dispenser and drying fluid dispenser(s) noted above can be located on and/or within an assembly. The assembly can include a first dispenser, a second dispenser, and a third dispenser. The first dispenser supplies liquid while the second and third dispensers supply drying fluid, where the second dispenser has a larger opening than the third dispenser. The second and third dispensers are positioned on the assembly next to one another and spaced from the first dispenser. Further, the second dispenser is located between the third dispenser and the first dispenser, such that the first dispenser is capable of linearly leading the second and third dispensers during movement.

Claims

1. A method of drying a surface of a substrate comprising;

a) supporting a substrate;

b) rotating the substrate;

c) applying a liquid to the surface of the substrate at a rotational center point via a liquid dispenser so that a film of the liquid is formed on the surface of the substrate;

d) applying a drying fluid to the surface of the substrate at a distance from the rotational center point via a drying fluid dispenser;

e) manipulating the drying fluid dispenser so that the location at which the drying fluid is applied to the surface of the substrate is moved in a direction toward the rotational center point; and

f) manipulating the liquid dispenser so that the location at which the liquid is applied to the surface of the substrate is moved in a direction outward from the rotational center point while performing step e).

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

g) continuing steps e) and f) until the drying fluid is applied to the surface of the substrate at the rotational center point and the liquid is applied to the surface of the substrate at a distance from the rotational center point;

h) manipulating the drying fluid dispenser so that die location at which the drying fluid is applied to the surface of the substrate moves in a direction outward from the rotational center point; and

i) contemporaneously with step h), manipulating the liquid dispenser so that the location at which the liquid is applied to the surface of the substrate moves in a direction outward from the rotational center point and is always located at a distance that is further away from the rotational center point than the location at which the drying fluid is applied to the surface of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein upon the location at which the liquid is being applied to the surface of the substrate reaching an edge of the substrate, discontinuing application of the liquid.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising performing step h) until the drying fluid is being applied to at or near the edge of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

when the drying fluid dispenser is manipulated so that the drying fluid dispenser reaches an arrangement where the drying fluid is being applied to at or near the edge of the substrate, maintaining the arrangement so that the drying fluid is applied to at or near the edge of the substrate for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid is DI water and the drying fluid is an N₂/IPA vapor.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance from the rotational center point at which die drying fluid is applied to the substrate in step d) is between 3 to 6 millimeters.

8. A method of drying a surface of a substrate comprising:

a) supporting a substrate having a surface in a substantially horizontal orientation;

b) rotating the substrate about a rotational center point while maintaining the substantially horizontal orientation;

c) positioning an assembly having a first dispenser and a second dispenser above the substrate, the first dispenser being positioned substantially above the rotational center point and the second dispenser is positioned above the substrate at a distance from the rotational center point;

d) applying a liquid to the surface of the substrate at the rotational center point via the first dispenser so that a film of the liquid is formed on the entire surface of the substrate;

e) applying a drying fluid to the substrate at a distance from the rotational center point via the second dispenser; and

f) moving the assembly toward an edge of the substrate so that (1) the first dispenser moves from the rotational center point toward an edge of the substrate, and (2) the second dispenser moves toward the rotational center point, passes through the rotational center point, and moves toward the edge of the substrate.

9. A system for drying a surface of a thin flat substrate comprising:

a rotary support for supporting a substrate in a substantially horizontal orientation and rotating the substrate about a rotational center point;

an assembly comprising a first dispenser operably coupled to a source of drying fluid and a second dispenser operably coupled to a source of liquid, the assembly supported above a substrate positioned on the support and movable in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate; and

a controller operably coupled to the assembly for facilitating and controlling movement of the assembly, the controller programmed to (1) position the assembly above the substrate so that the first dispenser is positioned to dispense liquid onto the substrate at the rotational center point and the second dispenser is positioned to dispense drying fluid onto the substrate at a distance from the rotational center point, and (2) move the assembly in a direction toward an edge of the substrate so that the first dispenser moves outward from the rotational center point while the second dispenser moves toward the rotational center point, passes through the rotational center point, and then moves outward from the rotational center point.