Tokyo Electron Limited

Nicholas Alan Ryza

Allan Wendell Awtrey

Paul Schilling

Chantal J Arena-Foster

An apparatus for developing a polymeric film without the need for a water rinse step is disclosed. An object having a surface supporting a polymeric film is placed onto a support region within a pressure chamber of the apparatus. A fluid and developer is introduced into the pressure chamber and the object is processed at supercritical conditions to develop the polymeric film such that the polymeric film is not substantially deformed. The pressure chamber is then vented.

Developing photoresist with supercritical fluid and developer

Contaminant removal from a substrate can be performed using a supercritical fluid. An apparatus can be configured to operate at conditions that take advantage of higher solubility of a contaminant in its supercritical state compared to its liquid state. The substrate can be exposed to a supercritical fluid in a chamber to remove at least some of the contaminant. Outside the chamber, the supercritical fluid can be cooled to its corresponding liquid state, in which lower solubility of the contaminant may allow the contaminant to separate into a different phase from the liquid phase of the supercritical fluid. Such contaminant removal can be highly advantageous to substrates that withstand only limited amounts of physical or mechanical stress or heat. The contaminant removal can also be used where geometries virtually prevent removal by physical or mechanical means.

Process and apparatus for removing a contaminant from a substrate

A method for drying an object, having a polymeric film, wherein the object is submerged in a rinse liquid. The object is removed from the rinse liquid and the object is placed in a solvent bath before a sufficient amount of the rinse liquid can evaporate from the object. The density of a solvent in the solvent bath depends on a direction of orientation of the polymeric film with respect to a force. The object is removed from the solvent bath. A drying process is performed.

Drying resist with a solvent bath and supercritical CO2

A method of developing a polymeric film without the need for a water rinse step. An object having a surface supporting a polymeric film is placed onto a support region within a pressure chamber. A fluid and developer is introduced into the pressure chamber and the object is processed at supercritical conditions to develop the polymeric film such that the polymeric film is not substantially deformed. The pressure chamber is then vented.

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Nicholas Alan Ryza