Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Apparatus – With means to treat gas or vapor
Reexamination Certificate
2006-06-22
2009-12-29
Gravini, Stephen M. (Department: 3743)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Apparatus
With means to treat gas or vapor
C034S090000, C134S902000, C216S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07637029
ABSTRACT:
A vapor drying apparatus comprises a processing chamber1aadapted to contain semiconductor wafers W; a supply nozzle2adapted to supply IPA vapor or N2 gas into the processing chamber1a; a two-fluid nozzle3connected to both of an IPA supply source8and an N2 gas supply source5and adapted to produce a mixed fluid of IPA and N2 gas; a vapor generating apparatus10adapted to produce IPA vapor by heating the mixed fluid produced by the two-fluid nozzle3; an N2 gas supply line23connected to the upstream side of the two-fluid nozzle3; and a mixed fluid supply line22connected to the downstream side of the two-fluid nozzle3. An open-and-close valve V2is provided on a branch line25connecting the N2 gas supply line23and the mixed fluid supply line22. First, N2 gas is supplied to the two-fluid nozzle3while IPA from the IPA supply source8is supplied to the two-fluid nozzle3so as to produce the mixed fluid, followed by supplying it to the processing chamber1aso as to perform a first drying step. Subsequently, N2 gas from the N2 gas supply source5is supplied to the processing chamber1athrough the two-fluid nozzle3and the branch line25so as to perform a second drying step.
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Kamikawa Yuji
Kobayashi Kazuhiko
Kuroda Nobutaka
Nakashima Mikio
Tsuda Osamu
Gravini Stephen M.
Smith , Gambrell & Russell, LLP
Tokyo Electron Limited
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