Agitating – By vibration – Vibrator attached to mixing chamber wall or platform
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-09
2004-07-20
Cooley, Charles E. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
By vibration
Vibrator attached to mixing chamber wall or platform
C366S152400, C366S160200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06764212
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chemical supply pump, a chemical supply apparatus, and a chemical supply system (a chemical supply method) for accurately supplying a desired quantity of a liquid chemical, in particular, it is suitable for applying to a substrate cleaning apparatus (a substrate cleaning method) for cleaning semiconductor wafers or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally in a semiconductor wet process, used is a substrate cleaning apparatus for performing a process such as cleaning with a cleaning liquid of ultrapure water and a liquid chemical. As such a substrate cleaning apparatus, remarked is a substrate single wafer spin cleaning apparatus in which substrates are loaded one by one and a cleaning liquid is supplied with rotating the substrate in a circumferential direction.
In a conventional substrate cleaning apparatus, it was indispensable to provide a plurality of large-sized cleaning liquid storage tanks for preparing various liquid chemicals at desired concentrations necessary for cleaning. Accordingly, the whole system becomes a very large scale and complex inevitably in this case.
Besides, due to the necessity of providing a plurality of cleaning liquid storage tanks according to the necessary kinds of cleaning liquids as described above, particles are easy to mix in when a cleaning liquid is compounded. Further, generation of particles and (metal) contamination from various liquid-contact portion caused by complication of the substrate cleaning apparatus is in question.
In this manner, at present, it is difficult to avoid increases in scale and complication of the whole apparatus attendant upon an increase in cleaning speed of substrate cleaning apparatus. It is the present state that establishment of a technique of preventing particle-mixing or the like in a cleaning liquid, is eagerly desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a chemical supply pump, a chemical supply apparatus, a chemical supply system, a substrate cleaning apparatus, a chemical supply method, and a substrate cleaning method, wherein remarkable miniaturization/simplification of a cleaning liquid supply system including chemical reservoirs (chemical storage tanks) is intended, it becomes possible easily and rapidly to compound and supply a cleaning liquid at an accurate chemical concentration when it is required in cleaning, and it is realized to suppress particles or the like being generated and mixing in a cleaning liquid, to the extremity.
In order to attain the above object, a chemical supply pump of the present invention is a chemical supply pump in which a flow passage for passing a predetermined liquid chemical is formed, a suction valve which is closed by pressure rise of said liquid chemical is provided at a flowing-in port of said flow passage, and a discharge valve which is closed by pressure fall of said liquid chemical is provided at a flowing-out port of said flow passage, wherein at least part of a liquid contact surface in said flow passage is made of a compact member with non-permeability and a high anti-corrosion property to said liquid chemical, and part of said compact member is made into a movable wall, and a shaker connected to said movable wall is provided, and said movable wall is oscillated in a direction substantially perpendicular to its wall surface by drive of said shaker to change the volume of said flow passage periodically.
A chemical supply apparatus of the present invention comprises a chemical supply pump, and a connecting flow passage connecting a supply flow passage that is a passage for a solvent with which said liquid chemical is mixed, and said chemical supply pump, wherein a tubule member directly connecting said supply flow passage is provided in said connecting flow passage. In said chemical supply pump, a flow passage for passing a predetermined liquid chemical is formed, a suction valve which is closed by pressure rise of said liquid chemical is provided at a flowing-in port of said flow passage, and a discharge valve which is closed by pressure fall of said liquid chemical is provided at a flowing-out port of said flow passage, at least part of a liquid contact surface in said flow passage is made of a compact member with non-permeability and a high anti-corrosion property to said liquid chemical, and part of said compact member is made into a movable wall, and a shaker connected to said movable wall is provided, and said movable wall is oscillated in a direction substantially perpendicular to its wall surface by drive of said shaker to change the volume of said flow passage periodically. Said chemical supply apparatus discharges said liquid chemical from said tubule member into said solvent passing through said supply flow passage by drive of said chemical supply pump to compound a mixture solution at a desired concentration.
A chemical supply system of the present invention is a chemical supply system comprising at least one kind of chemical reservoir easy to move, a chemical supply apparatus connected in correspondence to said chemical reservoir, and said supply flow passage. Said chemical supply apparatus comprises a chemical supply pump, and a connecting flow passage connecting the supply flow passage that is a passage for a solvent with which said liquid chemical is mixed, and said chemical supply pump, wherein a tubule member directly connected to said supply flow passage is provided in said connecting flow passage. In said chemical supply pump, a flow passage for passing a predetermined liquid chemical is formed, a suction valve which is closed by pressure rise of said liquid chemical is provided at a flowing-in port of said flow passage, and a discharge valve which is closed by pressure fall of said liquid chemical is provided at a flowing-out port of said flow passage, at least part of a liquid contact surface in said flow passage is made of a compact member with non-permeability and a high anti-corrosion property to said liquid chemical, and part of said compact member is made into a movable wall, and a shaker connected to said movable wall is provided, and said movable wall is oscillated in a direction substantially perpendicular to its wall surface by drive of said shaker to change the volume of said flow passage periodically. Said chemical supply apparatus discharges said liquid chemical from said tubule member into said solvent passing through said supply flow passage by drive of said chemical supply pump to compound a mixture solution at a desired concentration. Said chemical supply system discharges said mixture solution made into the predetermined concentration from a discharge portion provided at an end portion of said supply flow passage, by drive of said chemical supply pump of said chemical supply apparatus.
A substrate cleaning apparatus of the present invention is a substrate cleaning apparatus in which a cleaning liquid is supplied to a set substrate to clean, and comprises a chemical supply system. Said chemical supply system comprises at least one kind of chemical reservoir easy to move, a chemical supply apparatus connected in correspondence to said chemical reservoir, and a supply flow passage. Said chemical supply apparatus discharges said liquid chemical from said tubule member into said solvent passing through said supply flow passage by drive of said chemical supply pump to compound a mixture solution at a desired concentration, and comprises a chemical supply pump, and a connecting flow passage connecting the supply flow passage that is a passage for a solvent with which said liquid chemical is mixed, and said chemical supply pump, wherein a tubule member directly connected to said supply flow passage is provided in said connecting flow passage. In said chemical supply pump, a flow passage for passing a predetermined liquid chemical is formed, a suction valve which is closed by pressure rise of said liquid chemical is provided at a flowing-in port of said flow passage, and a discharge
Miki Nobuhiro
Nitta Takahisa
Yamaguchi Yoshiaki
Connolly Bove & Lodge & Hutz LLP
Cooley Charles E.
Sipec Corporation
LandOfFree
Chemical supply system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Chemical supply system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Chemical supply system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3237596