Apparatus and method for drying semiconductor substrates

Abstract

A drying apparatus and method of drying a wafer including supplying a drying material for drying a wafer and controlling a flow of the drying material to uniformly or substantially uniformly dry the wafer. The flow of the drying material may be controlled by a vent unit including at least one part for controlling the flow of the drying material to uniformly or substantially uniformly dry the wafer.

1 .- 32 . (canceled) 
   
   
       33 . A vent unit, comprising:
 at least one part for controlling a flow of a drying material to uniformly or substantially uniformly dry the wafer.   
   
   
       34 . The vent unit of  claim 33 , the at least one part including a plurality of vent holes, which determine a flow amount and flow pattern of the drying material through the vent unit. 
   
   
       35 . The vent unit of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one part controls the flow of the drying material so more drying material flows over a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       36 . The vent unit of  claim 34 , wherein more of the plurality of vent holes are located in a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       37 . The vent unit of  claim 34 , wherein larger vent holes are located in a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       38 . The vent unit of  claim 34 , wherein more of the plurality of vent holes and larger vent holes are located in a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       39 . The vent unit of  claim 34 , the vent unit including at least two parts which interact to alter a flow of the drying material through the plurality of vent holes. 
   
   
       40 . The vent unit of  claim 34 , the vent unit including at least two parts and at least two auxiliary parts which interact to alter flow of the drying material through the plurality of vent holes. 
   
   
       41 . A method of drying a wafer comprising:
 supplying a drying material for drying the wafer; and   controlling a flow of the drying material to uniformly or substantially uniformly dry the wafer.   
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the flow of the drying material is controlled by providing a vent unit including at least one part having a plurality of vent holes, which determine a flow amount and flow pattern of the drying material through the vent unit. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the flow of the drying material is controlled so more drying material flows over a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the flow of the drying material is controlled by providing more of the plurality of vent holes in a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the flow of the drying material is controlled by providing larger vent holes in a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the flow of the drying material is controlled by providing more of the plurality of vent holes and larger vent holes in a central region of the at least one part than an edge region of the at least one part. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the flow of the drying material is controlled by providing at least two parts which interact to alter flow of the drying material through the plurality of vent holes. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the flow of the drying material is controlled by providing at least two parts and at least two auxiliary parts which interact to alter flow of the drying material through the plurality of vent holes. 
   
   
       49 . A drying apparatus comprising:
 a drying chamber for supplying a drying material for drying a wafer; and   means for controlling a flow of the drying material to uniformly or substantially uniformly dry the wafer.   
   
   
       50 . The vent unit of claim  1 , wherein the at least one part includes, a first exhausting unit having a plurality of first vent holes for ventilating the drying chamber, and
 a second exhausting unit having a plurality of second vent holes for ventilating a drying chamber, the first exhausting unit and the second exhausting unit being movable into a first position separating the drying chamber into two chambers.   
   
   
       51 . The vent unit of  claim 50 , wherein the first exhausting unit is movable through a first slit of the drying chamber, and the second exhausting unit is movable through a second slit of the drying chamber. 
   
   
       52 . The vent unit of  claim 50 , wherein each of the first and second exhausting units further include a horizontal ventilation outlet, and wherein
 when the first and second exhausting units are in a first position, the vent unit vents drying gas through the plurality of first vent holes and the plurality of second vent holes, and then the horizontal ventilation outlets.