IP Library Patent Application 12886427
Patent Application
App. No. 12/886,427

APPARATUS AND METHOD OF TREATING SURFACE OF SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/886,427
Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus of treating a surface of a semiconductor substrate comprises a substrate holding and rotating unit, first to fourth supplying units, and a removing unit. A substrate holding and rotating unit holds a semiconductor substrate, having a convex pattern formed on its surface, and rotates the semiconductor substrate. A first supplying unit supplies a chemical onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to clean the semiconductor substrate. A second supplying unit supplies pure water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate. A third supplying unit supplies a water repellent agent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to form a water repellent protective film onto the surface of the convex pattern. A fourth supplying unit supplies alcohol, which is diluted with pure water, or acid water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate. A removing unit removes the water repellent protective film with the convex pattern being left.

Claims (56)

1 . An apparatus of treating a surface of a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

a substrate holding and rotating unit configured to hold a semiconductor substrate, having a convex pattern formed on its surface, and to rotate the semiconductor substrate;

a first supplying unit configured to supply a chemical onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to clean the semiconductor substrate;

a second supplying unit configured to supply pure water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate;

a third supplying unit configured to supply a water repellent agent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to form a water repellent protective film onto the surface of the convex pattern;

a fourth supplying unit configured to supply alcohol, which is diluted with pure water, to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate; and

a removing unit configured to remove the water repellent protective film with the convex pattern being left.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the removing unit is a ultraviolet ray irradiating unit that irradiates ultraviolet ray to the semiconductor substrate to remove the water repellent protective film.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a fifth supplying unit configured to supply an alcohol to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a fifth supplying unit configured to supply a chemical, containing an oxidant for oxidizing the surface of the convex pattern having silicon, to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the third supplying unit supplies the water repellent agent diluted with cyclohexanone or alcohol.

6 . An apparatus of treating a surface of a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

a substrate holding and rotating unit configured to hold a semiconductor substrate, having a convex pattern formed on its surface, and to rotate the semiconductor substrate;

a first supplying unit configured to supply a chemical onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to clean the semiconductor substrate;

a second supplying unit configured to supply pure water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate;

a third supplying unit configured to supply a water repellent agent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to form a water repellent protective film onto the surface of the convex pattern;

a fourth supplying unit configured to supply acid water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate; and

a removing unit configured to remove the water repellent protective film with the convex pattern being left.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the fourth supplying unit includes:

a first supplying line that supplies pure water;

a second supplying line that supplies carbon dioxide gas;

a carbon dioxide dissolving film to which the pure water is supplied from the first supplying line and the carbon dioxide gas is supplied from the second supplying line, and that discharges carbonated water; and

a nozzle that ejects the carbonated water onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the removing unit is a ultraviolet ray irradiating unit that irradiates ultraviolet ray to the semiconductor substrate to remove the water repellent protective film.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a fifth supplying unit configured to supply an alcohol to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is held by the substrate holding and rotating unit, in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a fifth supplying unit configured to supply a chemical, containing an oxidant for oxidizing the surface of the convex pattern having silicon, to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the third supplying unit supplies the water repellent agent diluted with cyclohexanone or alcohol.

12 . A method of treating a surface of a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

forming plural convex patterns on a semiconductor substrate;

cleaning the surface of the convex patterns with the use of a chemical;

forming a water repellent protective film on the cleaned surface of the convex patterns with the use of a water repellent agent;

rinsing the semiconductor substrate by using acid water or diluted alcohol after the formation of the water repellent protective film;

drying the rinsed semiconductor substrate; and

removing the water repellent protective film with the convex patterns being left after the drying.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein

the convex patterns contain silicon, and

the surface of the convex patterns is oxidized with the use of oxidant before the formation of the water repellent protective film.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein

the water repellent agent is a silane coupling agent.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein

the semiconductor substrate is rinsed by using alcohol after the surface of the convex patterns is cleaned and before the water repellent protective film is formed.

16 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein

the semiconductor substrate is rinsed by using alcohol after the water repellent protective film is formed and before the rinsing with the use of the acid water or the diluted alcohol.

17 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein

ultraviolet ray is irradiated to the semiconductor substrate in removing the water repellent protective film.

18 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein

the acid water is carbonated water, pure water in which nitrogen oxide is dissolved, or mixture solution of hydrochloric acid and pure water.

19 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein

the water repellent protective film is formed by using the water repellent agent that is diluted with cyclohexanone or alcohol.

20 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein

the convex patterns are formed by a side-wall transfer process.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 7, 2010
From: OGAWA, YOSHIHIRO; KOIDE, TATSUHIKO; KIMURA, SHINSUKE; OKUCHI, HISASHI; TOMITA, HIROSHI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
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