Heat exchange – Flexible envelope or cover type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-09
2002-08-13
Bennett, Henry (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Flexible envelope or cover type
C165S154000, C138S038000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431258
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process solution supplying mechanism for supplying a process solution such as a resist solution, a developing solution, etc. to an object to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer, an LCD substrate, etc., for example, and a liquid discharging device.
2. Discussion of the Background
In the fabrication of the semiconductor device and the liquid crystal display device, circuit patterns are formed by a so-called photolithography technique in which photoresist is coated on the semiconductor wafer or the LCD substrate as a object to be processed, then exposed to correspond to the circuit patterns, and then developed.
In such a coating/developing process, the resist solution, the developing solution, etc. are used as the process solution. In the existing circumstances, these liquids are supplied to the object to be processed from a process solution tank via pipes by virtue of a pump. For this reason, valves for controlling a discharge of the process solution, for example, an air operation valve, a suck-back valve, etc. in addition to the pump are inserted in these pipes, and also joints required to fit the valves are inserted in these pipes. Also, in the event that such a process solution is contained in a vessel such as a gallon bottle and then is gas-supplied by supplying directly a pressure gas into the vessel, the process solution must be filtered by a filter. Hence, in the prior art, the filter is fitted to the pipes. In this case, two joints are also needed to fit the filter to the pipes.
Meanwhile, in such coating/developing processes, a gasified liquid HMDS as well as the process solution such as the above resist solution, the developing solution, etc. is employed in a adhesion process.
From a viewpoint of safety of the process, etc., these process solutions and the gas are temperature-controlled by using a heat exchanger when they are transferred via the pipes. As the heat exchanger, for example, such a heat exchanger is employed that a temperature regulating water is circulated around the passage while flowing the chemicals and the gas through the internal honeycomb passage. Normally, the heat exchanger is fitted by two joints in the middle of the pipes.
However, if these valves, joints, etc. are inserted in the pipes, change in the pressure of the solution is caused because of orifices formed by joints, etc., so that fine vapors are generated in the process solution correspondingly. If especially a photoresist to be exposed i-ray, etc. which is used to correspond to the request of miniaturization of the device is employed, such fine vapors are largely affected. Hence, there is a possibility that high precision wiring patterns cannot be formed because of the presence of such fine vapors.
In addition, because of the presence of the valve and the joints in the pipes, stagnation of the process solution occurs in the pipes and then change in components of the process solution is caused after a long time has elapsed. As a result, sometimes the deteriorated process solution is discharged from the pipes. For instance, in the case of the resist solution, photosensitive material is destroyed due to a long time stagnation to thus lower the function of the resist.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process solution supplying apparatus and a liquid discharging device, which are capable of preventing generation of fine vapor in the solution passing through pipes and generation of degradation of the solution.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process solution supplying apparatus which is capable of filtering the process solution without providing a joint in the middle of the pipes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a temperature adjusting device which is capable of fitting the pipes without the intervention of the joint and adjusting effectively a temperature of the fluid passing through the pipes.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process solution supplying apparatus for supplying a process solution to a substrate to be processed, comprising:
a process solution source for containing the process solution;
a pipe for introducing the process solution from the process solution source to the substrate;
a process solution supply driving system for supplying the process solution from the process solution source to the pipe; and
a process solution supplying/stopping mechanism for carrying out supply and stop of the process solution;
wherein the pipe and the process solution supply driving system are provided separately, and
the process solution supplying/stopping mechanism is provided to a portion other than the process solution pipe.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process solution supplying apparatus for supplying a process solution to a substrate to be processed, comprising:
a process solution source for containing the process solution;
a first pipe for introducing the process solution from the process solution source to the substrate to be processed;
a pressure applying gas source for supplying a gas to apply the pressure to the process solution contained in the process solution source;
a second pipe for introducing the gas in the pressure applying gas source to the process solution source; and
a gas pressure stopping valve provided in the second pipe, for carrying out apply and stop of the gas pressure;
wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are provided separately,
the process solution can be supplied to the substrate to be processed via the first pipe by applying the pressure to the process solution contained in the process solution source from the pressure applying gas source via the second pipe in a situation that the gas pressure applying/stopping valve is opened, and
supply of the process solution can be stopped by closing the gas pressure applying/stopping valve.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid discharging device comprising:
a liquid source for containing a liquid which is applied to an object to be processed;
a liquid discharging pipe communicated with the liquid source, having a nozzle for discharging the liquid;
a liquid discharge driving system for providing a driving force to the liquid so as to discharge the liquid from the nozzle; and
a liquid discharging/stopping mechanism for carrying out discharge and stop of the liquid;
wherein the liquid discharging pipe and the liquid discharge driving system are provided separately, and
the liquid discharging/stopping mechanism is provided to a portion other than the liquid discharging pipe.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process solution supplying apparatus comprising:
a process solution containing vessel for containing a process solution;
a pipe for supplying the process solution from the process solution containing vessel;
a process solution supply driving system for applying a driving force to supply the process solution from the process solution containing vessel via the pipe; and;
a filter provided in the process solution containing vessel, for filtering the process solution.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid discharging device comprising:
a liquid containing vessel for containing a liquid which is applied an object to be processed;
a pipe for supplying the liquid from the liquid containing vessel;
a liquid discharge driving system for applying a driving force to discharge the liquid from the liquid containing vessel via the pipe; and
a filter provided in the liquid containing vessel, for filtering the liquid.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a temperature adjusting device for adjusting a temperature of a process fluid passing through a pipe, comprising:
cylindrical main bodies provided around the pipe at a distance;
a film-like member having flexibility and heat conductivit
Hirose Keizo
Konishi Nobuo
Bennett Henry
McKinnon Terrell
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Tokyo Electron Limited
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