Kinetics formulation for Two-Dimensional Growth Behavior of Water/Ice Interface on Si Substrate

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Semiconductor Manufacturing

Background:

• Sublimation drying is crucial in semiconductor device fabrication.
• The solidification mechanics of sublimation agents on substrates remain poorly understood.
• Nonuniform solidified films can lead to substrate collapse, impacting device yield.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze interface growth during water/ice cooling and solidification on silicon substrates.
• To elucidate the dynamic mechanisms governing liquid film solidification.
• To establish a foundational understanding for optimizing sublimation drying processes.

Main Methods:

• Video recording of water/ice solidification on Si substrates at varying cooling rates.
• Digital image analysis for crystal morphology examination and interface growth rate quantification.
• Application of the least-squares method with kinetic formulas to analyze temperature-interface growth rate relationships.

Main Results:

• Identified and classified four distinct morphologies of interfacial growth.
• Quantified the interface growth rate of water and ice through image analysis.
• Developed a kinetic equation accurately describing the temperature dependence of interface growth rate.

Conclusions:

• The study clarifies the dynamic mechanism of liquid film solidification on Si substrates.
• A novel kinetic equation provides a predictive model for interface growth behavior.
• Findings contribute to optimizing sublimation drying processes in semiconductor manufacturing.