Patent ID: 7107701
Filing Date: 2006-09-19
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A substrate drying apparatus comprising: a drying chamber including an isopropyl alcohol supply device for supplying air or an inert gas, and gaseous or droplet-like isopropyl alcohol, into a space above a liquid level of the pure water when in said upper pure water tank-section; a mechanism for draining pure water from said upper pure water tank-section while preventing turbulence in the pure water, said mechanism including a control unit for controlling operation of said plate elevator and said pure water supply unit such that the pure water is supplied into said lower pure water tank-section in the amount corresponding to the increase in volume of said lower pure water tank-section due to the raising of said plate so as to prevent turbulence in the pure water in said upper pure water tank-section due to inflow/outflow of pure water through said gap, such that when the pure water and the substrates are raised relative to said drying chamber by raising said plate via said plate elevator, while preventing turbulence in the pure water in said upper pure water tank-section by supplying pure water into said lower pure water tank-section via said pure water supply unit, the pure water at the liquid level is drained, the substrates are exposed from the pure water above the liquid level in said upper pure water tank-section, and, at the same time, the pure water held on exposed surfaces of the substrates is replaced by the gaseous or droplet-like isopropyl alcohol supplied by the isopropyl alcohol supply device, and then the substrates can be dried by evaporating the isopropyl alcohol from the exposed surfaces of the substrates.