A vapor drying method and an apparatus

摘要

A vapor drying apparatus comprises a processing chamber 1a adapted to contain semiconductor wafers W; a supply nozzle 2 adapted to supply IPA vapor or N2 gas into the processing chamber 1a; a two-fluid nozzle 3 connected to both of an IPA supply source 8 and an N2 gas supply source 5 and adapted to produce a mixed fluid of IPA and N2 gas; a vapor generating apparatus 10 adapted to produce IPA vapor by heating the mixed fluid produced by the two-fluid nozzle 3; an N2 gas supply line 23 connected to the upstream side of the two-fluid nozzle 3; and a mixed fluid supply line 22 connected to the downstream side of the two-fluid nozzle 3. An open-and-close valve V2 is provided on a branch line 25 connecting the N2 gas supply line 23 and the mixed fluid supply line 22. First, N2 gas is supplied to the two-fluid nozzle 3 while IPA from the IPA supply source 8 is supplied to the two-fluid nozzle 3 so as to produce the mixed fluid, followed by supplying it to the processing chamber 1a so as to perform a first drying step. Subsequently, N2 gas from the N2 gas supply source 5 is supplied to the processing chamber 1a through the two-fluid nozzle 3 and the branch line 25 so as to perform a second drying step.