Substrate processing method, substrate processing apparatus, and program storage medium

• US 20080060214A1
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Nishimura, Hideki, Nakashima, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/350
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02052 Wet cleaning only H01L21/02085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67034 for drying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring

Abstract

A substrate processing method which can reduce the number of particles to be left on each substrate is provided. In the substrate processing method, substrates W to be processed are dried, by using a fluid heated by a heating apparatus having one or more heating mechanisms. The substrate processing method comprises a first step of supplying a mixed fluid containing a gas and a processing liquid and heated by the heating apparatus, into a processing chamber in which the substrates to be processed are placed, and a second step of supplying the heated gas into the processing chamber. The output of at least one of the heating mechanisms is kept at a preset constant value for a period of time during which a predetermined time passes after the start of the first step. In the second step, the output of the heating mechanism is determined under a feed back control.

Claims

1. A substrate processing method for drying a substrate, by using a fluid heated by a heating apparatus including an inlet, an outlet, and one or more heating mechanisms for heating the fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet, the method comprising:

a first step of supplying a gas and a processing liquid, into the heating apparatus, from the inlet, heating a mixed fluid containing the gas and the processing liquid, in the heating apparatus, as well as supplying the heated mixed fluid discharged from the outlet of the heating apparatus, into a processing chamber in which the substrate is placed; and

a second step of supplying a gas, into the heating apparatus, from the inlet, heating the gas, in the heating apparatus, as well as supplying the heated gas discharged from the outlet of the heating apparatus, into the processing chamber,

wherein, in the first step, an output of at least one of the one or more heating mechanisms of the heating apparatus is kept at a preset constant value for a period of time during which a predetermined time passes after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus, and

wherein, in the second step, outputs of the one or more heating mechanisms of the heating apparatus are determined, under a feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the gas, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.

2. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the heating apparatus includes a plurality of heating mechanisms arranged in succession from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein, in the first step, an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the inlet is kept at the preset constant value for the period of time during which the predetermined time passes.

3. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the first step, an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the outlet is determined, under the feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the mixed fluid, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.

4. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the first step, the output of the at least one heating mechanism is kept at the constant value for a period of time during which the processing liquid is supplied into the heating apparatus.

5. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the first step, the output of the at least one heating mechanism is determined, under the feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the mixed fluid, during or after the heating process, at a preset value, for at least a period of time after the predetermined time has passed after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus.

6. A substrate processing method for drying a substrate, by using a fluid heated by a heating apparatus including an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of heating mechanisms for heating the fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a substrate in a processing chamber; and

supplying a gas and a processing liquid, into the heating apparatus, from the inlet, heating a mixed fluid containing the gas and the processing liquid, in the heating apparatus, as well as supplying the heated mixed fluid discharged from the outlet of the heating apparatus, into the processing chamber in which the substrate is placed,

wherein, in the step of supplying the mixed fluid into the processing chamber, an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the inlet of the heating apparatus is kept at a preset constant value for a period of time during which a predetermined time passes after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus, while an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the outlet is determined, under a feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the mixed fluid, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.

7. The substrate processing method according to claim 6, wherein, in the step of supplying the mixed fluid into the processing chamber, the output of the heating mechanism located nearest to the inlet is kept at the constant value for a period of time during which the processing liquid is supplied into the heating apparatus.

8. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a heating apparatus including an inlet, an outlet, a fluid passage extending from the inlet to the outlet, and one or more heating mechanisms that heat the fluid passage;

a processing chamber connected with the outlet of the heating apparatus and configured to dry up a substrate placed therein, by using a fluid heated by the heating apparatus and supplied into the processing chamber; and

a control device that controls an output of the one or more heating mechanisms,

wherein the control device is configured to perform a substrate drying process including a first step of supplying a mixed fluid containing a gas and a processing liquid and heated by the heating apparatus, into the processing chamber, and a second step of supplying a gas heated by the heating apparatus, into the processing chamber,

wherein, in the first step, the control device keeps an output of at least one of the one or more heating mechanisms of the heating apparatus at a preset constant value for a period of time during which a predetermined time passes after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus, and

wherein, in the second step, the control device determines outputs of the one or more heating mechanisms of the heating apparatus, under a feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the gas, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the heating apparatus includes a plurality of heating mechanisms arranged in succession from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein, in the first step of the drying process, the control device keeps an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the inlet at the preset constant value for the period of time during which the predetermined time passes.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, in the first step of the drying process, the control device determines an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the outlet, under the feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the mixed fluid, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, in the first step of the drying process, the control device keeps the output of the at least one heating mechanism at the constant value for a period of time during which the processing liquid is supplied into the heating apparatus.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, in the first step of the drying process, the control device determines the output of the at least one heating mechanism, under the feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the mixed fluid, during or after the heating process, at a preset value, for at least a period of time after the predetermined time has passed after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus.

13. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a heating apparatus including an inlet, an outlet, a fluid passage extending from the inlet to the outlet, and a plurality of heating mechanisms that heat the fluid passage;

a processing chamber connected with the outlet of the heating apparatus and configured to dry up a substrate placed therein, by using a fluid heated by the heating apparatus and supplied into the processing chamber; and

a control device that controls each output of the plurality of heating mechanisms,

wherein the control device is configured to perform a substrate drying process including a step of supplying a mixed fluid containing a gas and a processing liquid and heated by the heating apparatus, into the processing chamber,

wherein, the control device keeps an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the inlet of the heating apparatus at a preset constant value for a period of time during which a predetermined time passes after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus, and

wherein, the control device determines an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the outlet, under a feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the mixed fluid, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the control device keeps the output of the heating mechanism located nearest to the inlet for a period of time during which the processing liquid is supplied into the heating apparatus.

15. A storage medium for storing a program to be executed by a control device that controls a substrate processing apparatus including a heating apparatus having an inlet, an outlet, and one or more heating mechanisms that heat a fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the program is configured to perform a substrate processing method by using a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate processing method being for drying up a substrate, by using the fluid heated by the heating apparatus, and the method comprising:

a first step of supplying a gas and a processing liquid, into the heating apparatus, from the inlet, heating a mixed fluid containing the gas and the processing liquid, in the heating apparatus, as well as supplying the heated mixed fluid discharged from the outlet of the heating apparatus, into a processing chamber in which the substrate is placed; and

a second step of supplying a gas, into the heating apparatus, from the inlet, heating the gas, in the heating apparatus, as well as supplying the heated gas discharged from the outlet of the heating apparatus, into the processing chamber,

wherein, in the first step, an output of at least one of the one or more heating mechanisms of the heating apparatus is kept at a preset constant value for a period of time during which a predetermined time passes after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus, and

wherein, in the second step, outputs of the one or more heating mechanisms of the heating apparatus are determined, under a feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the gas, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.

16. A storage medium for storing a program to be executed by a control device that controls a substrate processing apparatus including a heating apparatus having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of heating mechanisms that heat a fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the program is configured to perform a substrate processing method by using a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate drying method being for drying up a substrate, by using the fluid heated by the heating apparatus, and the method comprising the steps of:

placing the substrate in a processing chamber; and

supplying a gas and a processing liquid, into the heating apparatus, from the inlet, heating a mixed fluid containing the gas and the processing liquid, in the heating apparatus, as well as supplying the heated mixed fluid discharged from the outlet of the heating apparatus, into the processing chamber in which the substrate is placed,

wherein, in the step of supplying the mixed fluid into the processing chamber, an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the inlet of the heating apparatus is kept at a preset constant value for a period of time during which a predetermined time passes after the start of supplying the processing liquid into the heating apparatus, while an output of one of the plurality of heating mechanisms located nearest to the outlet is determined, under a feed back control, in order to set the temperature of the mixed fluid, during or after the heating process, at a preset value.