IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,991,111
Granted Patent B2
US 9,991,111 · App. 15/827,427 · Granted Jun 5, 2018

Apparatus and method of treating surface of semiconductor substrate

Inventors: Yoshihiro Ogawa (Yokkaichi, JP); Tatsuhiko Koide (Yokkaichi, JP); Shinsuke Kimura (Yokkaichi, JP); Hisashi Okuchi (Yokohama, JP); Hiroshi Tomita (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
H01L21/0206H01L21/02043H01L21/02211H01L21/31116H01L21/32135H01L21/67028
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,991,111
App. No.
15/827,427
Granted
Jun 5, 2018
Kind
B2
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 (76)

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 in order to clean the semiconductor substrate;

a second supplying unit configured to supply pure water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate 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 in order to form a water repellent protective film onto the surface of the convex pattern;

a fourth supplying unit configured to supply a rinsing agent containing alcohol to the surface of the semiconductor substrate having the water repellent protective film in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate;

a fifth supplying unit configured to supply non-diluted alcohol to the surface of the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate, wherein

the fifth, second, third and first supplying units are arranged in this order from a position corresponding to a rotation center of the semiconductor substrate to a position corresponding to an outer edge thereof, and

the fourth supplying unit is arranged at an opposing side of the rotation center to the fifth supplying unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a sixth 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.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

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

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the fourth supplying unit includes:

a buffer tank storing the alcohol diluted with pure water;

a first supplying line supplying alcohol to the buffer tank;

a first flowmeter provided to the first supplying line;

a first valve provided to the first supplying line;

a second supplying line supplying pure water to the buffer tank;

a second flowmeter provided to the second supplying line;

a second valve provided to the second supplying line;

a concentration sensor provided to the buffer tank to detect a concentration of the alcohol diluted with pure water,

a third supplying line supplying the alcohol diluted with pure water to the semiconductor substrate;

a pump provided to the third supplying line;

a filter provided to the third supplying line;

a third valve provided to the third supplying line; and

a nozzle provided to the third supplying line.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

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

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the third supplying unit supplies a silane coupling agent as the water repellent agent.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the rotating unit is configured to rotate the semiconductor substrate at a first rotating speed during the fourth supplying unit supplying the rinsing agent containing alcohol to the surface of the semiconductor substrate and rotate the semiconductor substrate at a second rotating speed after rotating the semiconductor substrate at the first rotating speed, wherein the second rotating speed is faster than the first rotating speed.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the rinsing agent is blown away from the surface of the semiconductor substrate by rotating the semiconductor substrate after the fourth supplying unit supplies the rinsing agent containing alcohol to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

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

10. 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 in order to clean the semiconductor substrate;

a second supplying unit configured to supply pure water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate 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 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 having the water repellent protective film in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate; and

a fifth supplying unit configured to supply non-diluted alcohol to the surface of the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate, wherein

the fifth, second, third and first supplying units are arranged in this order from a position corresponding to a rotation center of the semiconductor substrate to a position corresponding to an outer edge thereof, and

the fourth supplying unit is arranged at an opposing side of the rotation center to the fifth supplying unit.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , 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.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a sixth 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.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

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

14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the fourth supplying unit includes:

a carbon dioxide dissolving film;

a first supplying line supplying pure water to the carbon dioxide dissolving film;

a first flowmeter provided to the first supplying line;

a second supplying line supplying carbon dioxide gas to the carbon dioxide dissolving film;

a second flowmeter provided to the second supplying line;

a third supplying line supplying carbonated water as the acid water to the semiconductor substrate;

a filter provided to the third supplying line;

a valve provided to the third supplying line; and

a nozzle provided to the third supplying line.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:

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

16. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the third supplying unit supplies a silane coupling agent as the water repellent agent.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the rotating unit is configured to rotate the semiconductor substrate at a first rotating speed during the fourth supplying unit supplying acid water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate and rotate the semiconductor substrate at a second rotating speed after rotating the semiconductor substrate at the first rotating speed, wherein the second rotating speed is faster than the first rotating speed.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the acid water is blown away from the surface of the semiconductor substrate by rotating the semiconductor substrate after the fourth supplying unit supplies the acid water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein

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

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-281346 · Dec 11, 2009 · national
Continuity (3)
Division 14925805 · Oct 28, 2015
Division 12886427 · Sep 20, 2010
Related Publication 20180082832A1 · Mar 22, 2018