METHOD OF PRIMING AND DRYING SUBSTRATES

1 . A method of priming substrates having high-aspect ratio trenches for further processing, the method comprising:

a) supporting at least one substrate having high-aspect ratio trenches in a process chamber having a gaseous atmosphere;

b) sealing the process chamber;

c) vacuuming the process chamber to achieve a first sub-atmospheric pressure within the process chamber;

d) introducing a wetting solution into the process chamber while maintaining the process chamber at a second sub-atmospheric pressure until the substrate is immersed in the wetting solution;

e) restoring the process chamber to atmospheric pressure while the substrate remains immersed in the wetting solution; and

f) removing the substrate from the wetting solution.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the high aspect ratio trenches of the substrate have a depth to width ratio that is greater than 3:1.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the depth to width ratio is greater than 5:1.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein trace amounts of the wetting solution are retained within the high-aspect ratio trenches of the substrate via surface tension.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first sub-atmospheric pressure is less than 10 Torr.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the first sub-atmospheric pressure is between 1 Torr to 7 Torr.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the wetting solution is selected from the group consisting of DIW, SC1, SC2, HF, ozonated water and combinations thereof.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the wetting solution is heated during its introduction in step d).

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first sub-atmospheric pressure is substantially equal to the second sub-atmospheric pressure.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the second sub-atmospheric pressure is between the first sub-atmospheric pressure and atmospheric pressure.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein step d) comprises introducing the wetting solution into the process chamber at a substantially constant flow rate.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein step d) comprises varying a flow rate of the wetting solution being introduced into the process chamber during said introduction.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein step d) comprises increasing the flow rate of the wetting solution being introduced into the process chamber during said introduction.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein upon completion of step f), amounts of the wetting solution remain in the high-aspect ratio trenches of the substrate.

15 . A method of drying substrates having high-aspect ratio trenches comprising:

a) supporting at least one substrate having high-aspect ratio trenches in a process chamber having a gaseous atmosphere;

b) sealing the process chamber;

c) vacuuming the process chamber to achieve a first sub-atmospheric pressure within the process chamber, the first sub-atmospheric pressure being equal to or less than 10 Torr; and

d) introducing a heated gas into the process chamber while maintaining the process chamber at a second sub-atmospheric pressure.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein step d) comprises varying a flow rate of the heated gas being introduced into the process chamber during said introduction.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein step d) comprises increasing the flow rate of the heated gas being introduced into the process chamber during said introduction.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein step d) comprises the heated gas carrying a polar organic compound that facilitates drying of moisture from the high-aspect ratio trenches of the substrate.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the polar organic compound is isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

20 . The method of claim 15 further comprising removing bulk moisture from the substrate using a surface-tension gradient drying technique prior to step a).

21 . A method of processing substrates having high aspect ratio trenches, the method comprising:

a) supporting at least one substrate having high-aspect ratio trenches in a first process chamber having a gaseous atmosphere;

b) sealing the first process chamber;

c) vacuuming the first process chamber to achieve a first sub-atmospheric pressure within the first process chamber;

d) introducing a wetting solution into the process chamber while maintaining the first process chamber at a second sub-atmospheric pressure until the substrate is immersed in the wetting solution;

e) restoring the process chamber to atmospheric pressure while the substrate remains immersed in the wetting solution;

f) removing the substrate from the wetting solution;

g) performing at least one process sequence to the substrate;

h) removing bulk moisture from the substrate;

i) supporting the substrate in a second process chamber having a gaseous atmosphere;

j) sealing the second process chamber;

k) vacuuming the second process chamber to achieve a third sub-atmospheric pressure within the second process chamber; and

l) introducing a heated gas into the process chamber while maintaining the process chamber at a fourth sub-atmospheric pressure, thereby removing residual moisture from the high aspect ratio trenches of the substrate.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein step h) comprises removing the bulk moisture from the substrate using a surface-tension gradient drying technique.

23 . The method of claim 21 wherein step l) comprises the heated gas carrying a polar organic compound that facilitates removal of the residual moisture from the high-aspect ratio trenches of the substrate.

24 . The method of claim 23 wherein the polar organic compound is isopropyl alcohol (IPA).