Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Ryoden Semiconductor System Engineering Corporation

Ryoden Semiconductor System Emgineering Corporation

Akinori Matsumoto

Cozy Ban

Naoki Yokoi

Toko Konishi

Takeshi Kuroda

When an IPA is fed to a nozzle, a flow of the IPA passing through holes is generated. The flow becomes film-shaped and goes downward along an inner surface of a side wall of a processing vessel. Then, the flow is collected by a liquid receiving section formed in a lower portion of the processing vessel and discharged to an outside. The inner surface of the side wall of the processing vessel is covered with the flow of the IPA. Therefore, an IPA vapor can be prevented from condensing uselessly on the inner surface. As a result, the IPA vapor is effectively utilized for condensation on a surface of the object to be processed which is mounted on a pan. Thus, the defective dryness of the object can be prevented.

Drying apparatus and method using IPA of a semiconductor wafer

A nozzle and an exhaust member are provided opposite to each other with an upward opening of a processing vessel interposed therebetween. A side wall of the processing vessel is smoothly curved inward as the opening is approached upward. The nozzle spouts a nitrogen gas fed from a nitrogen gas feeder as a jet for covering the opening toward an exhaust port of the exhaust member. The jet can effectively function as a curtain because the side wall of the processing vessel is curved. Therefore, a cooling coil necessary for a conventional apparatus is not required. Consequently, instability of the state of the IPA vapor caused by the cooling coil can be eliminated so that defective dryness is relieved or eliminated.

Drying apparatus and method

A drying apparatus for processing a surface of a substrate wherein, when a nitrogen gas is fed to a nozzle, a jet of the nitrogen gas spouted through a jet hole is generated. The jet becomes film-shaped and is projected upwardly along an inner surface of a side wall of a processing vessel. Then, the jet is collected into an outside through a suction port formed in an upper portion of the processing vessel. The inner surface of the side wall of the processing vessel is covered with the jet. Therefore, an IPA vapor can be prevented from condensing uselessly on the inner surface. As a result, the IPA vapor is effectively utilized for condensation on a surface of the object to be processed which is mounted on a pan. Thus, defective dryness of the object can be prevented.

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Hyogo, Japan

Akinori Matsumoto