Efficient Liquid Recovery in Substrate Processing Systems
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Summary
Problems
Existing substrate liquid processing apparatuses face issues with efficiently recovering and sorting processing liquids, leading to contamination due to incomplete drainage and improper liquid distribution.
Innovation solutions
The apparatus features a substrate holding unit, processing liquid supplying unit, inner and outer cups forming drain paths, an elevating mechanism, and a cover with an exhaust path to independently manage gas exhaust and liquid drainage, ensuring precise sorting and discharge of processing liquids.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If a single recovery cup is used to collect processing liquid, then the structure is simple, but multiple processing liquids cannot be sorted and recovered separately
Why choose this principle:
The single recovery cup is divided into multiple independent recovery cups (first recovery cup, second recovery cup, etc.), each capable of collecting a specific processing liquid. This segmentation enables separate recovery of different processing liquids while maintaining individual cup structures that are relatively simple in design.
Principle concept:
If a single recovery cup is used to collect processing liquid, then the structure is simple, but multiple processing liquids cannot be sorted and recovered separately
Why choose this principle:
Multiple recovery cups are arranged in a nested configuration where they share a common support structure and discharge mechanism. The cups are positioned at different radial positions but share the central rotation axis and discharge port, allowing compact arrangement that reduces overall structural complexity.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
The apparatus features a substrate holding unit, processing liquid supplying unit, inner and outer cups forming drain paths, an elevating mechanism, and a cover with an exhaust path to independently manage gas exhaust and liquid drainage, ensuring precise sorting and discharge of processing liquids.
Abstract
A substrate liquid processing apparatus of the present disclosure supplies a plurality of processing liquids from a processing liquid supplying unit in a switching manner to a substrate held on a substrate holding unit. An elevatable inner cup surrounds the substrate holding unit laterally and forms a first drain path that drains the first processing liquid. An outer cup surrounds the inner cup and forms a second drain path that drains the second processing liquid. A cover covers the outside of the outer cup, includes an eaves portion that extends inwardly from an upper side, and forms an exhaust path between the cover and the outer cup. The exhaust path is connected to the first drain path and the second drain path above inlets of the first drain path and the second drain path.