Water supply apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

A water supply apparatus and a method thereof have a high capability of peeling-off and removing unnecessary objects such as a resist film, and parameters for setting efficient water supply conditions. The water supply apparatus and the method are designed to supply water for cleaning, peeling-off, or treating a target article. On a surface of the target article to be processed, a nozzle device is provided for spraying a mixture of water vapor and water mist. At least the following parameters are respectively set as water supply conditions to proper values so as to supply water to the target article, and these parameters include (1) a weight ratio of water vapor to water mist on the surface to be processed, (2) a temperature of the surface to be processed, and (3) a distance between a (water) blowing port of the nozzle device and the surface to be processed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Apparatus for supplying water for treating a target article, comprising: 
 a system for converting the water to water vapor and water mist; and    a nozzle having a main port for spraying the water vapor and water mist onto a surface of the target article;    wherein the system is configured to set values of parameters to proper values for optimizing treatment of the target article, the parameters being taken from the group consisting of: 
 a weight ratio of the water vapor to the water mist sprayed onto the surface to be treated,  
 a temperature of the surface to be treated, and  
 a distance between the nozzle and the surface to be treated.  
   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to set a value of the weight ratio of water vapor to water mist, the value is in a range of about 20 to 80 weight %.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to set a value of the temperature of the surface to be treated, the value is in a range of about more than 50 to about less than 150° C.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to set a value of the distance between the nozzle and the surface to be treated, the value is lower than about 30 mm.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the target article is a semiconductor wafer, and the treatment is the removal from the surface of the target article of an unnecessary object in the form of one or more of a resist or a polymer residue, and    the configured system sets the following values for the parameters:    for the weight ratio of water vapor to water mist, values in a range of about 20 to 80 weight %;    for the temperature of the surface, values in a range of about more than 50 to about less than 150° C.; and    for the distance between the nozzle and the surface, values lower than about 30 mm.    
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle consists of two separate nozzles, one of the nozzles being for the water vapor and one of the nozzles being for the water mist, the water vapor nozzle and the water mist nozzle being coaxial and each terminating in a respective water vapor port and water mist port, the water vapor and water mist ports of the respective nozzles being configured to direct the water vapor and the water mist through the main port and downwardly toward the surface.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein; 
 the system consists of a separate annular-shaped heated water conduit configured with a first discharge port and to supply the water as water mist into a space adjacent to the first discharge port, the system further consists of a water vapor supply conduit within the heated water conduit and configured with a second discharge port adjacent to the first discharge port to discharge the water vapor into the space; and    the main port receives the water vapor and the water mist and sprays the water vapor and water mist onto the surface of the article.    
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for removing an unnecessary object from a target article using only water and one or more gases, comprising: 
 a system for converting the water to water vapor and water mist, each of the water vapor and water mist comprising one or more of the gases;    a nozzle having a port for directing a mixture of the water vapor and the water mist onto a surface of the target article on which the unnecessary object is located, wherein there is a weight ratio of the water vapor to the water mist that is directed to the surface to be treated, wherein the surface has a temperature, and wherein the nozzle directs the water vapor and the water mist through a distance from the nozzle to the surface; and    a controller configured to cause the system to set values of one or more parameters to proper values for optimized removal of the unnecessary object from the target article, the parameters being taken from the group consisting of: 
 the weight ratio of the water vapor to the water mist directed to the surface,  
 the temperature of the surface, and  
 the distance from the nozzle to the surface of the unnecessary object.  
   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller causes the system to set a value of the weight ratio of water vapor to water mist directed onto the surface, wherein the value is in a range of about 20 to 80 weight %.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller causes the system to set a value of the temperature of the surface, wherein the value is in a range of about more than 50 to about less than 150° C.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller causes the system to set a value of the distance from the nozzle to the surface, wherein the value is lower than about 30 mm.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the target article is a semiconductor wafer, and the treatment is the removal from the surface of the target article of one or more of a resist or a polymer residue, and    the controller is configured to cause the parameters to be set with the following respective values:    for the weight ratio, values in a range of about 20 to 80 weight %;    for the temperature of the surface, values in a range of about more than 50 to about less than 150° C.; and    for the distance from the nozzle to the surface, values lower than about 30 mm.    
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein a peeling-off time represents a period of time required to remove resist or residue as the unnecessary object to bow removed from the surface, and wherein: 
 the controller is configured to cause the parameters to be set with the following respective values: 
 for the weight ratio, a weight ratio value in the range of about 20 to 80 weight %, the weight ratio value being selected so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected weight ratio value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other weight ratio values;  
 for the temperature of the surface, a temperature value in the range of about more than 50 to about less than 150° C., the temperature value being selected so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected temperature value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other temperature values; and  
 for the distance from the nozzle to the surface, a distance value lower than about 30 mm, the distance value being selected so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected distance value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other distance values.  
   
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for removing resist from a surface of a semiconductor wafer using only water, or only water and one or more gases, the one or more gases being taken from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, and helium, the apparatus comprising: 
 a system for converting the water to water vapor and water mist;    a nozzle having a main port for directing a mixture of the water vapor and the water mist onto the resist on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein there is a weight ratio of the water vapor to the water mist that is directed to the resist, wherein the surface has a temperature, and wherein the nozzle directs the water vapor and the water mist through a distance from the nozzle to the surface; and    a controller configured to cause the system to set values of one or more parameters to proper values for optimized removal of the resist from the semiconductor wafer, the parameters being taken from the group consisting of: 
 the weight ratio of the water vapor to the water mist directed to the resist on the surface,  
 the temperature of the surface, and  
 the distance from the nozzle to the surface of the resist.  
   
     
     
         15 . A method for removing a material from a surface of a target article, comprising the operations of: 
 supplying water for the removing by one of cleaning, peeling-off and working of the target article;    defining parameters for water vapor and water mist to be directed onto the target article, the parameters having proper values for optimizing the removal of the material, the parameters including one or more of: 
 a weight ratio of the water vapor to the water mist directed onto the surface,  
 a temperature of the surface, and  
 a distance between a point from which the directing starts to the surface; and  
   converting the water to a mixture of the water vapor and the water mist, the water vapor and the water mist having the proper values and being directed onto a surface of the target article.    
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the target article is a semiconductor wafer and the material is one of a resist and a polymer, the method further comprising the operation of: 
 causing the parameters to be set with the following respective values:    for the weight ratio, values in a range of about 20 to 80 weight %;    for the temperature of the surface, values in a range of about more than 50 to about less than 150° C.; and    for the distance between the point and the surface, values lower than about 30 mm.    
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein a peeling-off time represents a period of time required to remove the resist or the polymer from the surface, and wherein: 
 the causing operation is effective to select the weight ratio value so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected weight ratio value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other weight ratio values;    the causing operation is effective to select the value of the temperature of the surface so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected temperature value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other temperature values; and    the causing operation is effective to select the value of distance between the nozzle and the surface so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected distance value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other distance values.    
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the converting operation is performed by one of the following: 
 directing a spray material comprising a mixture of water vapor and water mist, or    directly ejecting pressurized hot water from a port to cause boiling due to pressure reduction during the directing to form the water vapor and the water mist.    
     
     
         19 . A method for supplying water to remove a material from a target article, comprising the operations of: 
 defining one or more parameters for water vapor and water mist directed from a nozzle to a surface of the material on the target article, the parameters being selected from: 
 a weight ratio of the water vapor to the water mist directed onto the surface,  
 a temperature of the surface, and  
 a distance between the nozzle and the surface; and  
   supplying the water vapor and the water mist directed onto the surface under the control of one or more of the defined parameters, the value of the one or more of the defined parameters being set to a proper value to optimize the removal of the material from the surface.    
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the supplying operation consists of selecting the following parameters with a respective value in the following ranges: 
 for the weight ratio, a value in a range of about 20 to 80 weight %;    for the temperature of the surface, a value in a range of about more than 50 to about less than 150° C.; and    for the distance between the nozzle and the surface, a value lower than about 30 mm.    
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the material is a resist or a polymer on the surface, and a peeling-off time represents a period of time required to remove the resist or the polymer from the surface, and wherein: 
 the supplying operation under the control of one or more of the defined parameters is performed to select the values of the parameters as follows: 
 the weight ratio value so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected weight ratio value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other weight ratio values;  
 the value of the temperature of the surface so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected temperature value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other temperature values; and  
 the value of the distance between the nozzle and the surface so that the peeling-off time resulting from use of the selected distance value is substantially less than peeling-off times corresponding to use of other distance values.  
   
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , the method further comprising the operation of: 
 determining whether the peeling-off removal is at a desired amount of removal; and    continuing the supplying operation until the peeling-off removal is at the desired amount of removal.