Apparatus and method for rinsing and drying substrate

Claim 1

An apparatus for rinsing and drying a substrate, comprising: a hermetically sealable process chamber; a rinsing bath for containing a rinsing solution; said rinsing bath being in said process chamber, and having a first opening at a lower portion thereof and a second opening at an upper portion thereof; said second opening being proportioned to permit the substrate to pass therethrough; means for supplying rinsing solution into said rinsing bath through said first opening; means for forming an upward flow in said rinsing bath of rinsing solution supplied into said rinsing bath with said upward flow being directed from said first opening to said second opening; means for discharging rinsing solution that overflows from said rinsing bath through said second opening to the outside of said process chamber; means for discharging rinsing solution from said rinsing bath to the outside of said process chamber; means provided in said process chamber for elevating and lowering the substrate through said second opening, between a first position above said rinsing bath and a second position within said rinsing bath; means for supplying a predetermined gas which is ionized and heated into said process chamber; and means for reducing pressure in said process chamber to dry the rinsed substrate; and wherein said predetermined gas is supplied into said process chamber during a step of elevating the substrate to said first position, the substrate is placed in said upward flow while it is kept at said second position by said means for elevating and lowering the substrate, the substrate is elevated from said second position to said first position by said means for elevating and lowering the substrate and is removed form said upward flow of rinsing solution, directly into said predetermined gas which is ionized and heated, and the substrate is placed in a depressurized ambient at said first position.

Claim 2

An apparatus for rinsing and drying a substrate, comprising: a hermetically sealable process chamber; a rinsing bath for containing a rinsing solution; said rinsing bath being in said process chamber, and having a first opening at a lower portion thereof and a second opening at an upper portion thereof; said second opening being proportioned to permit the substrate to pass therethrough; means for supplying rinsing solution into said rinsing bath through said first opening; means for forming an upward flow in said rinsing bath of rinsing solution supplied into said rinsing bath with said upward flow being directed from said first opening to said second opening; means for discharging rinsing solution that overflows from said rinsing bath through said second opening to the outside of said process chamber; means for discharging rinsing solution from said rinsing bath to the outside of said process chamber; means provided in said process chamber for elevating and lowering the substrate through said second opening, between a first position above said rinsing bath and a second position within said rinsing bath; means for supplying a predetermined gas which is ionized and heated into said process chamber; and means for reducing pressure in said process chamber to dry the rinsed substrate; and wherein said predetermined gas is supplied into said process chamber during a step of elevating the substrate to said first position, the substrate is placed in said upward flow while it is kept at said second position by said means for elevating and lowering the substrate, the substrate is elevated from said second position to said first position by said means for elevating and lowering the substrate and is removed form said upward flow of rinsing solution, directly into said predetermined gas which is ionized and heated, and the substrate is placed in a depressurized ambient at said first position.

Claim 13

An apparatus for rinsing and drying a substrate, comprising: a hermetically sealable process chamber; a rinsing bath for containing a rinsing solution; said rinsing bath being in said process chamber, and having a first opening at a lower portion thereof and a second opening at an upper portion thereof; said second opening being proportioned to permit the substrate to pass therethrough; means for supplying rinsing solution into said rinsing bath through said first opening; means for discharging rinsing solution that overflows from said rinsing bath through said second opening to the outside of said process chamber; means for discharging rinsing solution from said rinsing bath to the outside of said process chamber; means provided in said process chamber for elevating and lowering the substrate through said second opening, between a first position above said rinsing bath and a second position within said rinsing bath; means for supplying a predetermined gas which is ionized and heated into said process chamber; and means for reducing pressure in said process chamber to dry the rinsed substrate; said means for discharging the rinsing solution to the outside of said process chamber including means for discharging the rinsing solution from said first opening to the outside of said process chamber; said means for supplying said predetermined gas including means for supplying ionized and heated inactive gas into said process chamber; said process chamber including an opening for introducing said inactive gas into an interior thereof, said means for supplying said inactive gas including a gas flow line having two ends, one of said two ends being connected to said opening of said process chamber, a gas source connected to the other end of said flow line for feeding out said inactive gas to said flow line with a predetermined pressure, means for heating said inactive gas flowing in said flow line, and means for ionizing said inactive gas flowing in said flow line; means for discharging air from said process chamber to the outside of said process chamber; and means for controlling said means for discharging air from said chamber so that humidity in said process chamber is maintained within a predetermined range.

Claim 14

An apparatus for rinsing and drying a substrate, comprising: a hermetically sealable process chamber; a rinsing bath for containing a rinsing solution; said rinsing bath being in said process chamber, and having a first opening at a lower portion thereof and a second opening at an upper portion thereof; said second opening being proportioned to permit the substrate to pass therethrough; means for supplying rinsing solution into said rinsing bath through said first opening; means for discharging rinsing solution that overflows from said rinsing bath through said second opening to the outside of said process chamber; means for discharging rinsing solution from said rinsing bath to the outside of said process chamber; means provided in said process chamber for elevating and lowering the substrate through said second opening, between a first position above said rinsing bath and a second position within said rinsing bath; means for supplying a predetermined gas which is ionized and heated into said process chamber; and means for reducing pressure in said process chamber to dry the rinsed substrate; said means for discharging the rinsing solution to the outside of said process chamber including means for discharging the rinsing solution from said first opening to the outside of said process chamber; said means for supplying said predetermined gas including means for supplying ionized and heated inactive gas into said process chamber; said process chamber including an opening for introducing said inactive gas into an interior thereof, said means for supplying said inactive gas including a gas flow line having two ends, one of said two ends being connected to said opening of said process chamber, a gas source connected to the other end of said flow line for feeding out said inactive gas to said flow line with a predetermined pressure, means for heating said inactive gas flowing in said flow line, and means for ionizing said inactive gas flowing in said flow line; means for discharging air from said process chamber to the outside of said process chamber; and means for controlling said means for discharging air from said chamber so that humidity in said process chamber is maintained within a predetermined range.

Claim 16

An apparatus for rinsing and drying a substrate, comprising: a hermetically sealable process chamber; a rinsing bath for containing a rinsing solution; said rinsing bath being in said process chamber, and having a first opening at a lower portion thereof and a second opening at an upper portion thereof; said second opening being proportioned to permit the substrate to pass therethrough; means for supplying rinsing solution into said rinsing bath through said first opening; means for discharging rinsing solution that overflows from said rinsing bath through said second opening to the outside of said process chamber; means for discharging rinsing solution from said rinsing bath to the outside of said process chamber; means provided in said process chamber for elevating and lowering the substrate through said second opening, between a first position above said rinsing bath and a second position within said rinsing bath; means for supplying a predetermined gas which is ionized and heated into said process chamber; and means for reducing pressure in said process chamber to dry the rinsed substrate; said means for discharging the rinsing solution to the outside of said process chamber including means for discharging the rinsing solution from said first opening to the outside of said process chamber; said means for supplying said predetermined gas including means for supplying ionized and heated inactive gas into said process chamber; said process chamber including an opening for introducing said inactive gas into an interior thereof, said means for supplying said inactive gas including a gas flow line having two ends, one of said two ends being connected to said opening of said process chamber, a gas source connected to the other end of said flow line for feeding out said inactive gas to said flow line with a predetermined pressure, means for heating said inactive gas flowing in said flow line, and means for ionizing said inactive gas flowing in said flow line; means for discharging air from said process chamber to the outside of said process chamber; said process chamber includes a bottom face having an exhaust outlet; a sidewall formed integrally with said bottom face; and an upper face covering the upper portion of said sidewall, and said means for discharging air from said process chamber includes an exhaust flow line having two ends, one of said two ends being connected to said exhaust outlet; and discharging means operatively connected to the other end of said exhaust flow line.

Claim 17

An apparatus for rinsing and drying a substrate, comprising: a hermetically sealable process chamber; a rinsing bath for containing a rinsing solution; said rinsing bath being in said process chamber, and having a first opening at a lower portion thereof and a second opening at an upper portion thereof; said second opening being proportioned to permit the substrate to pass therethrough; means for supplying rinsing solution into said rinsing bath through said first opening; means for discharging rinsing solution that overflows from said rinsing bath through said second opening to the outside of said process chamber; means for discharging rinsing solution from said rinsing bath to the outside of said process chamber; means provided in said process chamber for elevating and lowering the substrate through said second opening, between a first position above said rinsing bath and a second position within said rinsing bath; means for supplying a predetermined gas which is ionized and heated into said process chamber; and means for reducing pressure in said process chamber to dry the rinsed substrate; said means for discharging the rinsing solution to the outside of said process chamber including means for discharging the rinsing solution from said first opening to the outside of said process chamber; said means for supplying said predetermined gas including means for supplying ionized and heated inactive gas into said process chamber; said process chamber including an opening for introducing said inactive gas into an interior thereof, said means for supplying said inactive gas including a gas flow line having two ends, one of said two ends being connected to said opening of said process chamber, a gas source connected to the other end of said flow line for feeding out said inactive gas to said flow line with a predetermined pressure, means for heating said inactive gas flowing in said flow line, and means for ionizing said inactive gas flowing in said flow line; means for discharging air from said process chamber to the outside of said process chamber; said process chamber includes a bottom face having an exhaust outlet; a sidewall formed integrally with said bottom face; and an upper face covering the upper portion of said sidewall, and said means for discharging air from said process chamber includes an exhaust flow line having two ends, one of said two ends being connected to said exhaust outlet; and discharging means operatively connected to the other end of said exhaust flow line.