Photography – Fluid-treating apparatus – Fluid application to one side only of photographic medium
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-30
2001-05-29
Rutledge, D. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Fluid-treating apparatus
Fluid application to one side only of photographic medium
C396S611000, C396S626000, C118S052000, C427S240000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238109
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-189008, filed Jul. 2, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a semiconductor processing apparatus, more specifically, to a processing solution supply apparatus for supplying a processing solution onto a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer or the like.
Conventionally, in a processing solution supply apparatus for supplying a processing solution onto a substrate to be processed, a container storing the processing solution and a nozzle placed near the substrate to be processed are connected with each other by a supply pipe, so that the processing solution stored in the container is sent to the nozzle by a pump which is provided at a midpoint in the supply pipe.
FIG. 14
is a schematic diagram of a processing solution supply system used in a conventional-type processing solution supply apparatus.
As shown in
FIG. 14
, in a processing solution supply system
214
, a processing solution tank
201
, a liquid end sensor
203
, a supply pump
204
, a filter
205
, a discharge pump
206
, and a nozzle
202
are stacked in this order, and these adjoining components are connected with each other by a supply pipe
207
. To the filter
205
attached is a vent pipe
208
leading to a waste solution tank (not shown).
A purge pipe
209
is attached to the discharge pump
206
on the downstream side in a direction of movement of the processing solution. This purge pipe
209
is connected to a T-shape branch pipe
213
which is attached to a supply pipe
207
b
between the processing solution tank
201
and the liquid end sensor
203
so as to allow the processing solution which has passed through the purge pipe
209
to join the supply pipe
207
b.
By the way, in the processing solution supply system
214
having a configuration in which the processing solution tank
201
and the nozzle
202
are linked together by the long supply pipe
207
as shown in
FIG. 14
, bubbles often form in the supply pipe
207
, and if the bubbles are left as they are, the amount of the processing solution discharged from the nozzle
202
onto the substrate to be processed, such as a wafer, varies, resulting in a danger of reducing quality of the wafer. Therefore, the processing solution supply system
214
shown in
FIG. 14
includes a bubble-removing mechanism.
More specifically, in the case where air enters in the supply pipe
207
such as the case where a processing solution is newly poured into the processing solution tank
201
and the case where a filter module in the filter
205
is exchanged for another and the processing solution is newly allowed to flow, the supply pump
204
is operated in the state where a vent valve
211
of the vent pipe
208
is opened at the time of start of the supply of the processing solution to send the processing solution which is pumped up from the processing solution tank
201
to the filter
205
. Into the filter
205
, a processing solution containing a large amount of bubbles is first sent, the amount of bubbles gradually decreasing, and finally a processing solution without bubbles is supplied. For this reason, the processing solution containing bubbles is disposed of to a waste solution tank (not shown) through the vent pipe
208
.
Here, there is a disadvantage that the processing solution is all disposed of when the supply pump
204
is started with the vent valve
211
being opened, resulting in a big waste of the processing solution.
Further, bubbles often form in the supply pipe
207
also during the normal operation of discharging the processing solution from the nozzle
202
onto the wafer W, and in that case, a purge valve
212
of the purge pipe
209
which is connected to the discharge side of the discharge pump
206
is opened to send the processing solution containing bubbles to the purge pipe
209
side.
However, since the purge pipe
209
is connected to the T-shape branch pipe
213
provided at the supply pipe
207
b
between the processing solution tank
201
and the liquid end sensor
203
, there is a disadvantage that the processing solution containing bubbles recirculates in the supply pipe
207
, thereby interfering the supply of an accurate amount of the processing solution.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing solution supply apparatus capable of eliminating waste of a processing solution.
Moreover, it is another object of the present invention to provide a processing solution supply apparatus capable of effectively remove bubbles.
To solve the above disadvantages, a processing solution supply apparatus of the present invention comprises a discharge unit configured to discharge a processing solution onto a substrate to be processed, a processing solution supply source configured to store the processing solution, a supply pipe configured to link the discharge means and the processing solution supply source, a pump provided at the supply pipe, a control unit configured to control operation of the pump, a branch pipe provided at a pipe between the processing solution supply source and the pump, a by-pass pipe configured to link the branch pipe and the pump, a three-way valve provided at the by-pass pipe and configured to allow the pump to communicate with the branch pipe or a waste solution pipe, and a switch unit configured to switch the three-way valve.
In the aforesaid processing solution supply apparatus, the discharge unit is a nozzle for discharging the processing solution onto, for example, a wafer W. The processing solution supply source is, for example, a processing solution tank configured to store the processing solution. The supply pipe is a pipe configured to supply the processing solution from the processing solution supply source to the discharge unit, and a pipe configured to link various kinds components such as a liquid end sensor, a supply pump, a filter, and a discharge pump which are provided at a midpoint therein. The pump is, for example, one or both of a supply pump and a discharge pump. The control unit for controlling operation of the pump is a controller which controls operation of, for example, the supply pump and the discharge pump. The branch pipe is, for example, a T-shape branch pipe for connecting the supply pipe and a purge pipe, or a cross branch pipe for connecting the supply pipe, and the purge pipe and a vent pipe. The by-pass pipe is a pipe except for the supply pipe and, for example, one or both of the purge pipe and the vent pipe.
The three-way valve is, for example, a valve provided with one input side and two output sides and capable of switching a connection between one of the two output sides and one input side. The switch unit for switching the three-way valve is, for example, a switch for switching the three-way valve by a mechanical or electrical method such as a solenoid.
In the processing solution supply apparatus of the present invention, it is suitable that the vent pipe and the supply pipe are configured to communicate together via a T-shape branch pipe or a cross branch pipe and a three-way valve is provided at a midpoint in the vent pipe to switch the vent pipe to communicate with a waste solution tank or the supply pipe.
Moreover, in the processing solution supply apparatus of the present invention, it is suitable that the purge pipe and the supply pipe are configured to communicate together via a T-shape branch pipe or a cross branch pipe and a three-way valve is provided at a midpoint in the purge pipe to switch the purge pipe to communicate with a waste solution tank or the supply pipe.
Furthermore, the vent pipe, the purge pipe, and the supply pipe are configured to communicate together via the cross branch pipe as described above, three-way valves are provided at the vent pipe and the purge pipe respectively to dispose of a processing solution containing bubbles to
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Rutledge D.
Tokyo Electron Limited
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