Abstract: The present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus including: a processing chamber configured to process a substrate; a fluid supply source configured to supply a substrate processing fluid used in processing for the substrate in a predetermined pressure; a constant pressure supplying path configured to supply the substrate processing fluid from the fluid supply source to the processing chamber in a predetermined pressure without boosting the pressure of the substrate processing liquid; a boosted pressure supplying path configured to boost the pressure of the substrate processing fluid from the fluid supply source into a predetermined pressure by a booster mechanism and supply the pressure boosted substrate processing fluid to the processing chamber; and a control unit configured to switch over the constant pressure supplying path and the boosted pressure supplying path.

Abstract: Disclosed is a supercritical processing apparatus and a supercritical processing method for suppressing the pattern collapse or the injection of material constituting a processing liquid into a substrate. A processing chamber receives a substrate subjected to a processing with supercritical fluid, and a liquid supply unit supplies a processing liquid including a fluorine compound to the processing chamber. A liquid discharge unit discharges the supercritical fluid from the processing chamber, a pyrolysis ingredient removing unit removes an ingredient facilitating the pyrolysis of a liquid from the processing chamber or from the liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit, and a to heating unit heats the processing liquid including a fluorine compound of hydrofluoro ether or hydrofluoro carbon.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a supercritical drying method comprises cleaning a semiconductor substrate with a chemical solution, rinsing the semiconductor substrate with pure water after the cleaning, changing a liquid covering a surface of the semiconductor substrate from the pure water to alcohol by supplying the alcohol to the surface after the rinsing, guiding the semiconductor substrate having the surface wetted with the alcohol into a chamber, discharging oxygen from the chamber by supplying an inert gas into the chamber, putting the alcohol into a supercritical state by increasing temperature in the chamber to a critical temperature of the alcohol or higher after the discharge of the oxygen, and discharging the alcohol from the chamber by lowering pressure in the chamber and changing the alcohol from the supercritical state to a gaseous state. The chamber contains SUS. An inner wall face of the chamber is subjected to electrolytic polishing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a supercritical drying method for a semiconductor substrate, comprises introducing the semiconductor substrate into a chamber in a state, a surface of the semiconductor substrate being wet with alcohol, substituting the alcohol on the semiconductor substrate with a supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide by impregnating the semiconductor substrate to the supercritical fluid in the chamber, and discharging the supercritical fluid and the alcohol from the chamber and reducing a pressure inside the chamber. The method further comprises performing a baking treatment by supplying an oxygen gas or an ozone gas to the chamber after the reduction of the pressure inside the chamber.

Abstract: A substrate processing method and apparatus which can remove an anti-drying liquid, which has entered a three-dimensional pattern with recessed portions formed in a substrate, in a relatively short time. The substrate processing method includes the steps of: carrying a substrate, having a three-dimensional pattern formed in a surface, into a processing container, said pattern being covered with an anti-drying liquid that has entered the recessed portions of the pattern; heating the substrate and supplying a pressurizing gas or a fluid in a high-pressure state into the processing container, thereby forming a high-pressure atmosphere in the processing container before the anti-drying liquid vaporizes to such an extent as to cause pattern collapse and bringing the anti-drying liquid into a high-pressure state while keeping the liquid in the recessed portions of the pattern; and thereafter discharging a fluid in a high-pressure state or a gaseous state from the processing container.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a supercritical drying method comprises cleaning a semiconductor substrate with a chemical solution, rinsing the semiconductor substrate with pure water after the cleaning, changing a liquid covering a surface of the semiconductor substrate from the pure water to alcohol by supplying the alcohol to the surface after the rinsing, guiding the semiconductor substrate having the surface wetted with the alcohol into a chamber, discharging oxygen from the chamber by supplying an inert gas into the chamber, putting the alcohol into a supercritical state by increasing temperature in the chamber to a critical temperature of the alcohol or higher after the discharge of the oxygen, and discharging the alcohol from the chamber by lowering pressure in the chamber and changing the alcohol from the supercritical state to a gaseous state. The chamber contains SUS. An inner wall face of the chamber is subjected to electrolytic polishing.

Abstract: The pattern forming method includes forming a catalyst film on a base layer having an uneven surface, wherein the catalyst layer is formed along the uneven surface of the base layer; forming a coating film by coating a fluid material on the catalyst film; forming an insoluble layer which is insoluble in a solvent in the coating film by reacting the coating film along the catalyst film; and maintaining the insoluble layer by removing an unreacted portion of the coating film by using the solvent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a supercritical processing apparatus and a supercritical processing method for suppressing the pattern collapse or the injection of material constituting a processing liquid into a substrate. A processing chamber receives a substrate subjected to a processing with supercritical fluid, and a liquid supply unit supplies a processing liquid including a fluorine compound to the processing chamber. A liquid discharge unit discharges the supercritical fluid from the processing chamber, a pyrolysis ingredient removing unit removes an ingredient facilitating the pyrolysis of a liquid from the processing chamber or from the liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit, and a to heating unit heats the processing liquid including a fluorine compound of hydrofluoro ether or hydrofluoro carbon.

Abstract: The pattern forming method includes forming a catalyst film on a base layer having an uneven surface, wherein the catalyst layer is formed along the uneven surface of the base layer; forming a coating film by coating a fluid material on the catalyst film; forming an insoluble layer which is insoluble in a solvent in the coating film by reacting the coating film along the catalyst film; and maintaining the insoluble layer by removing an unreacted portion of the coating film by using the solvent.

Abstract: A processing method according to the present invention coats a polar liquid film or forms an inorganic film on a surface of an organic film formed on a substrate as a protective film. The processing method comprises a modifying step of curing an organic film by irradiating the organic film with electron beams by means of an electron-beam irradiation device in a rare gas atmosphere, and an applying step of applying a polar liquid to the modified surface of the organic film or a film forming step of forming an inorganic film on the organic film. The organic film is cured and affinity for the polar liquid or the inorganic film is imparted to the organic film.

Abstract: A change rate prediction method according to which there can be eliminated the need for experimentally determining electron beam intensities for making a change rate of a specification value of a predetermined film on a substrate uniform. The distribution of the shrinkage rate of a low-k film on a wafer upon the low-k film being modified is measured while changing the inputted current value inputted to a central electron beam tube of an electron beam irradiating mechanism, the relationship between the inputted current value and the shrinkage rate measured directly below the electron beam tube is calculated, and a dose distribution calculated through simulation is converted into a low-k film shrinkage rate distribution based on the ratio between the inputted current value and the dose and a power curve giving the relationship between the inputted current value and the measured shrinkage rate.

Abstract: An organic material film formed on a surface of an object to be processed is cured by electron beams irradiated thereon through a hydrocarbon radical generating gas. By employing the electron beams and the hydrocarbon radical generating gas, a deterioration of a k value of the organic material film and a reduction of a chemical resistance thereof are suppressed.

Abstract: A change rate prediction method according to which there can be eliminated the need for experimentally determining electron beam intensities for making a change rate of a specification value of a predetermined film on a substrate uniform. The distribution of the shrinkage rate of a low-k film on a wafer upon the low-k film being modified is measured while changing the inputted current value inputted to a central electron beam tube of an electron beam irradiating mechanism, the relationship between the inputted current value and the shrinkage rate measured directly below the electron beam tube is calculated, and a dose distribution calculated through simulation is converted into a low-k film shrinkage rate distribution based on the ratio between the inputted current value and the dose and a power curve giving the relationship between the inputted current value and the measured shrinkage rate.

Abstract: In a thin film processing method and system, a film thickness is regulated by using electron beams irradiated from a plurality of electron beam tubes onto a film of varying thickness formed on an object to be processed, wherein the output powers or beam irradiation times of the electron beam tubes are individually controlled according to a distribution of the thickness. In the method and system, electric charges charged in a film of an object to be processed can be removed also.

Abstract: A surface processing apparatus which enables the electron beam energy to be reduced with a simplified construction. A wafer W as an object to be processed is placed in a processing chamber. The wafer is mounted on a mounting stage inside the processing chamber. An electron beam irradiating device is provided on the processing chamber such as to face the mounting stage and irradiates at least one electron beam toward the wafer. A self-generated electric field generator is provided between the electron beam irradiating device and the mounting stage and generates at least one self-generated electric field.

Abstract: A processing method according to the present invention coats a polar liquid film or forms an inorganic film on a surface of an organic film formed on a substrate as a protective film. The processing method comprises a modifying step of curing an organic film by irradiating the organic film with electron beams by means of an electron-beam irradiation device in a rare gas atmosphere, and an applying step of applying a polar liquid to the modified surface of the organic film or an film forming step of forming an inorganic film on the organic film. The organic film is cured and affinity for the polar liquid or the inorganic film is imparted to the organic film.

Abstract: An organic material film formed on a surface of an object to be processed is cured by electron beams irradiated thereon through a hydrocarbon radical generating gas. By employing the electron beams and the hydrocarbon radical generating gas, a deterioration of a k value of the organic material film and a reduction of a chemical resistance thereof are suppressed.

Abstract: A surface processing apparatus which enables the electron beam energy to be reduced with a simplified construction. A wafer W as an object to be processed is placed in a processing chamber. The wafer is mounted on a mounting stage inside the processing chamber. An electron beam irradiating device is provided on the processing chamber such as to face the mounting stage and irradiates at least one electron beam toward the wafer. A self-generated electric field generator is provided between the electron beam irradiating device and the mounting stage and generates at least one self-generated electric field.

Abstract: In a thin film processing method and system, a film thickness is regulated by using electron beams irradiated from a plurality of electron beam tubes onto a film of varying thickness formed on an object to be processed, wherein the output powers or beam irradiation times of the electron beam tubes are individually controlled according to a distribution of the thickness. In the method and system, electric charges charged in a film of an object to be processed can be removed also.