Nozzle structure and photoresist processing tank

Abstract

The application discloses a nozzle structure and a photoresist processing tank. The nozzle structure comprises a liquid delivery pipe, a liquid spraying part, a bottom wall, a top wall, a circumferential side wall connected between the bottom wall and the top wall, a containing space formed between the bottom wall, the top wall and the circumferential side wall, a photoresist spraying port and a diluent spraying port arranged on the circumferential side wall, and the liquid delivery pipe is connected to the top wall and communicates with the containing space. A blocking part is rotatably sleeved outside the liquid delivery pipe and the liquid spraying part, and is used for closing the diluent spraying port and opening the photoresist spraying port when being rotated to a first position, and is used for opening the diluent spraying port and closing the photoresist spraying port when being rotated to a second position. According to the nozzle structure and the photoresist processing tank, the photoresist can be fully diluted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, and more specifically to a nozzle structure and a photoresist processing tank. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, nozzle structures used for ejecting photoresist and diluent typically employ only one type of nozzle. Through this nozzle, photoresist and diluent are sequentially injected into the photoresist processing tank from the top, relying on gravity or natural diffusion to dilute the photoresist. However, high-viscosity photoresist is prone to sedimentation and stratification, making it difficult for the diluent to fully dilute it. This necessitates manual intervention, impacting production efficiency.

[0003] Therefore, improvements are needed to at least partially address the aforementioned problems. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model description section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. This utility model description section is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] To at least partially solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a nozzle structure is provided, comprising: IV tubing; The liquid spraying section includes a bottom wall, a top wall, and a circumferential side wall connected between the bottom wall and the top wall. A receiving space is formed between the bottom wall, the top wall, and the circumferential side wall. A photoresist nozzle and a diluent nozzle are provided on the circumferential side wall. The liquid delivery tube is connected to the top wall and communicates with the receiving space. The blocking part is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the infusion tube and the spraying part, and is used to close the diluent nozzle and open the photoresist nozzle when rotated to the first position, and to open the diluent nozzle and close the photoresist nozzle when rotated to the second position.

[0006] For example, the photoresist nozzle includes a single square opening; The diluent nozzle comprises multiple circular openings arranged in an array.

[0007] For example, there are two photoresist nozzles and two diluent nozzles; The two photoresist nozzles are spaced apart on the circumferential sidewall and located on opposite sides of the circumferential sidewall; The two diluent nozzles are located on opposite sides of the circumferential sidewall, and are respectively located between the two photoresist nozzles.

[0008] For example, the circumferential sidewall is a circular sidewall; or, The circumferential sidewall includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall, and a fourth sidewall connected in sequence. The first sidewall is parallel to the third sidewall and perpendicular to the second sidewall, and the second sidewall is parallel to the fourth sidewall.

[0009] For example, the bottom wall is conical or pyramidal.

[0010] For example, the blocking part is provided with a rotating handle.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a photoresist processing tank is provided, which includes a tank body and a nozzle structure as described above; The spray section is located inside the tank and adjacent to the bottom of the tank, and the infusion tube and the blocking section are both partially located inside the tank.

[0012] For example, a heater is provided on the outside of the tank.

[0013] For example, an ultrasonic transducer is provided on the outside of the tank.

[0014] For example, the distance between the spray nozzle and the bottom of the tank is less than half the height of the tank.

[0015] According to the nozzle structure and photoresist processing tank of this utility model, photoresist and diluent can be sprayed out through the photoresist nozzle and the diluent nozzle respectively, so that the two can be better injected. Since the blocking part is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the infusion tube and the spraying part, the blocking part can be rotated to stir the photoresist and diluent, accelerate the mixing of photoresist and diluent, improve the dilution effect of photoresist, avoid the photoresist stratification phenomenon, significantly reduce manual intervention and improve production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The following drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference and are used to understand this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention and their descriptions, thereby explaining the apparatus and principles of the invention. In the drawings, Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a nozzle structure according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the central spray section; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the photoresist nozzle, the diluent nozzle, and their positions on the spray section; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a photoresist processing tank according to an embodiment of this application.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100-Infusion tube, 200-Spraying section, 210-Bottom wall, 220-Top wall, 230-Circumferential side wall, 231-Photoresist nozzle, 232-Diluent nozzle, 300-Blocking section, 400-Rotating handle, 500-Tank body. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The following description provides numerous specific details to offer a more thorough understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described to avoid confusion with this application.

[0019] It should be understood that this application can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, providing these embodiments will make the disclosure thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, for clarity, the dimensions and relative dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated. The same reference numerals denote the same elements throughout.

[0020] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used to describe various elements, components, areas, layers, and / or parts, these elements, components, areas, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, area, layer, or part from another element, component, area, layer, or part. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of this application, the first element, component, area, layer, or part discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, area, layer, or part.

[0021] Spatial relation terms such as "below," "under," "below," "under," "above," and "above" are used here for convenience to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figure and other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, spatial relation terms are intended to also include different orientations of devices in use and operation.

[0022] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. When used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “including,” when used in this specification, identify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups. When used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0023] Embodiments of the utility model are described herein with reference to cross-sectional views that serve as schematic diagrams of preferred embodiments (and intermediate structures) of this application. Thus, variations in the shown shape can be anticipated due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, embodiments of this application should not be limited to the specific shapes shown herein, but include shape deviations due to, for example, manufacturing processes. Consequently, the figures are substantially schematic, and their shapes are not intended to show the actual shape of the device and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0024] See attached document Figures 1-3 An exemplary description of a nozzle structure according to an embodiment of this application will be provided. The nozzle structure includes an infusion tube 100, a spray section 200, and a blocking section 300.

[0025] The infusion tube 100 can be used to deliver photoresist and diluent.

[0026] The spraying section 200 includes a bottom wall 210, a top wall 220, and a circumferential side wall 230 connecting the bottom wall 210 and the top wall 220. A receiving space is formed between the bottom wall 210, the top wall 220, and the circumferential side wall 230. A photoresist nozzle 231 and a diluent nozzle 232 are provided on the circumferential side wall 230. The infusion tube 100 is connected to the top wall 220 and communicates with the receiving space. Photoresist, diluent, etc., coming from the infusion tube 100 first enter the receiving space and then are sprayed out through the corresponding nozzles.

[0027] The blocking part 300 is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the infusion tube 100 and the spraying part 200. When rotated to the first position, it closes the diluent nozzle 232 and opens the photoresist nozzle 231; and when rotated to the second position, it opens the diluent nozzle 232 and closes the photoresist nozzle 231. The photoresist nozzle 231 and the diluent nozzle 232 can be designed to suit the shapes from which the photoresist and diluent are sprayed, to achieve better injection results. Therefore, when the photoresist is delivered through the infusion tube 100, the blocking part 300 can be rotated to the first position so that the photoresist from the infusion tube 100 is ejected through the photoresist nozzle 231; when the diluent is delivered through the infusion tube 100, the blocking part 300 can be rotated to the second position so that the diluent from the infusion tube 100 is ejected through the diluent nozzle 232; after both the photoresist and the diluent are injected, the blocking part 300 can be rotated to stir the injected photoresist and diluent, thereby accelerating the mixing of the two through physical stirring and achieving a better dilution effect.

[0028] According to the nozzle structure of this application embodiment, photoresist and diluent can be sprayed out through the photoresist nozzle 231 and the diluent nozzle 232 respectively, allowing for better injection of both. Since the blocking part 300 is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the infusion tube 100 and the spraying part 200, the blocking part 300 can be rotated to stir the photoresist and diluent, accelerating the mixing of the photoresist and diluent, improving the dilution effect of the photoresist, preventing photoresist stratification, significantly reducing manual intervention, and improving production efficiency. Furthermore, it can effectively reduce the use of diluent and lower costs.

[0029] See appendix Figure 2 In this embodiment, the photoresist nozzle 231 includes a single square opening, which allows for better ejection of high-concentration photoresist. The diluent nozzle 232 includes multiple circular openings arranged in an array. These circular openings allow the diluent to be dispersed into multiple streams under pressure during injection and ejected at a relatively high speed, impacting the injected photoresist and thus promoting better mixing. The area of ​​a single circular opening is much smaller than the area of ​​a single square opening. Exemplarily, the infusion tube 100 can also be used to deliver cleaning fluid to clean the nozzle structure and the container 500 containing the photoresist and diluent. The cleaning fluid can be ejected through the diluent nozzle 232 to achieve a better cleaning effect.

[0030] See appendix Figure 3 In this embodiment, there are two photoresist nozzles 231 and two diluent nozzles 232. The two photoresist nozzles 231 are spaced apart on the circumferential sidewall 230 and located on opposite sides of the circumferential sidewall 230. The two diluent nozzles 232 are located on opposite sides of the circumferential sidewall 230 and are respectively located between the two photoresist nozzles 231. Figure 3In this configuration, two photoresist nozzles 231 are located on either side of the circumferential sidewall 230 in the vertical direction, and two diluent nozzles 232 are located on either side of the circumferential sidewall 230 in the horizontal direction. By arranging the two photoresist nozzles 231 and the two diluent nozzles 232 opposite to each other in different directions, the photoresist and diluent can be sprayed and mixed more uniformly. It should be noted that when the blocking part 300 rotates to the first position, it closes the two diluent nozzles 232 and opens the two photoresist nozzles 231. When the blocking part 300 rotates to the second position, it opens the two diluent nozzles 232 and closes the two photoresist nozzles 231.

[0031] See appendix Figure 2 , 3 In this embodiment, the circumferential sidewall 230 is a circular sidewall, that is, the bottom wall 210 is circular in the top view and the top wall 220 is annular in the top view. For example, the bottom wall 210 can be conical, with the height of its middle part being higher than the height of its surrounding parts, thereby facilitating the flow of photoresist and diluent in the receiving space from the corresponding nozzles and avoiding the retention of photoresist or diluent at the bottom of the receiving space.

[0032] See appendix Figure 1 In this embodiment, the blocking part 300 can cover the bottom wall 210 circumferential side wall 230 and part of the top wall 220 of the spraying part 200. The blocking part 300 is provided with a hollow part corresponding to the position of the photoresist nozzle 231 or the diluent nozzle 232. The hollow part can be rectangular or other suitable shapes. When the blocking part 300 is rotated to the first position, the hollow part is aligned with the position of the photoresist nozzle 231, so that the photoresist nozzle 231 is fully exposed and the photoresist nozzle 231 is opened, and the diluent nozzle 232 is blocked and closed by the blocking part 300. When the blocking part 300 is rotated to the second position, the hollow part is aligned with the position of the diluent nozzle 232, so that the diluent nozzle 232 is fully exposed and the diluent nozzle 232 is opened, and the photoresist nozzle 231 is blocked and closed by the blocking part 300. For example, the central axis of the blocking part 300 is coaxial with the central axis of the nozzle, and the blocking part 300 is rotatably connected to the infusion tube 100 via a bearing. In this embodiment, the blocking part 300 is also provided with a rotating handle 400 for rotating the blocking part 300 by gripping the rotating handle 400. For example, the rotating handle 400 may be cylindrical.

[0033] In some other embodiments, the circumferential sidewall 230 includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall, and a fourth sidewall connected in sequence. The first sidewall is parallel to the third sidewall and perpendicular to the second sidewall, and the second sidewall is parallel to the fourth sidewall. That is, the spray section 200 is generally rectangular, the bottom wall 210 is rectangular in top view, and the top wall 220 is rectangular with a circular hole in the middle in top view. Two photoresist nozzles 231 can be respectively disposed on the first and third sidewalls, and two diluent nozzles 232 can be respectively disposed on the second and fourth sidewalls. For example, the bottom wall 210 can be in the shape of a square pyramid, with the height of its middle part being higher than the height of the surrounding parts, thereby facilitating the flow of photoresist and diluent in the containment space from the corresponding nozzles and avoiding the retention of photoresist or diluent at the bottom of the containment space.

[0034] See attached document Figure 4 An exemplary description will be given of a photoresist processing tank according to an embodiment of the present application. The photoresist processing tank includes a tank body 500 and a nozzle structure as described above. The liquid spraying part 200 is located in the tank body 500 and adjacent to the bottom of the tank body 500. The liquid infusion tube 100 and the blocking part 300 are both partially located in the tank body 500.

[0035] Therefore, photoresist and diluent can be ejected from the photoresist nozzle 231 and diluent nozzle 232 respectively, and injected into the tank 500. Then, the blocking part 300 is rotated to stir the photoresist and diluent, accelerating the mixing of the photoresist and diluent, improving the dilution effect of the photoresist, effectively preventing the photoresist from separating within the tank 500, significantly reducing manual intervention, and improving production efficiency. In addition, it can also effectively reduce the use of diluent and lower costs.

[0036] For example, the distance between the spray section 200 and the bottom of the tank 500 is less than half the height of the tank 500. Preferably, the distance between the spray section 200 and the bottom of the tank 500 is less than one-quarter the height of the tank 500. By positioning the spray section 200 close to the bottom of the tank 500, the photoresist and diluent can be injected from the bottom of the tank 500, improving the mixing effect and avoiding the problem of "clear top and thick bottom" photoresist caused by traditional top injection.

[0037] For example, a heater (not shown in the figure) is provided on the outside of the can 500 to heat the can 500, reduce the viscosity of the photoresist, and improve the dilution efficiency. For example, the heater can be a heating belt that surrounds the side wall of the can 500.

[0038] For example, an ultrasonic transducer (not shown in the figure) is provided on the outside of the tank 500 to convert externally input electrical energy (usually high-frequency alternating current) into mechanical vibrations (ultrasound) above 20kHz. Sound waves in this frequency range can generate "cavitation" (causing the formation and collapse of tiny bubbles in the liquid, generating localized impact force) and "micro-turbulence" (driving high-frequency disturbances in the fluid), effectively breaking down the layered structure of high-viscosity photoresist, accelerating the diffusion and mixing of the diluent, and significantly improving dilution efficiency. For example, the ultrasonic transducer can be a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer or a magnetostrictive ultrasonic transducer, which can be installed on the side wall or bottom wall of the tank 500.

[0039] For example, in this embodiment, multiple liquid level sensors are also provided on the side wall of the tank 500 to detect the liquid level inside the tank 500. A pressurization pipeline, a pressure relief pipeline, and an emptying pipeline are provided at the top of the tank 500. A liquid outlet pipeline is provided at the bottom of the tank 500.

[0040] Although exemplary embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this application as claimed in the appended claims.

[0041] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of this application may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0042] Similarly, it should be understood that, in order to streamline this application and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects of the invention, features of this application may sometimes be grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the description of exemplary embodiments of this application. However, this approach should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed application requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the corresponding claims, the inventive point lies in solving the corresponding technical problem with fewer features than all of those in a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of this application.

[0043] Those skilled in the art will understand that, apart from the mutual exclusion of features, all features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) and all processes or units of any method or apparatus so disclosed can be combined in any combination. Unless otherwise expressly stated, each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by an alternative feature serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose.

[0044] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this application and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0045] It should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of this application and not restrictive of this application, and that those skilled in the art can devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A nozzle structure, characterized in that, include: IV tubing; The liquid spraying section includes a bottom wall, a top wall, and a circumferential side wall connected between the bottom wall and the top wall. A receiving space is formed between the bottom wall, the top wall, and the circumferential side wall. A photoresist nozzle and a diluent nozzle are provided on the circumferential side wall. The liquid delivery tube is connected to the top wall and communicates with the receiving space. The blocking part is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the infusion tube and the spraying part, and is used to close the diluent nozzle and open the photoresist nozzle when rotated to the first position, and to open the diluent nozzle and close the photoresist nozzle when rotated to the second position.

2. The nozzle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The photoresist nozzle includes a single square opening; The diluent nozzle comprises multiple circular openings arranged in an array.

3. The nozzle structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, There are two photoresist nozzles and two diluent nozzles; The two photoresist nozzles are spaced apart on the circumferential sidewall and located on opposite sides of the circumferential sidewall; The two diluent nozzles are located on opposite sides of the circumferential sidewall, and are respectively located between the two photoresist nozzles.

4. The nozzle structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The circumferential sidewall is a circular sidewall; or, The circumferential sidewall includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall, and a fourth sidewall connected in sequence. The first sidewall is parallel to the third sidewall and perpendicular to the second sidewall, and the second sidewall is parallel to the fourth sidewall.

5. The nozzle structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom wall is conical or pyramidal.

6. The nozzle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The blocking part is equipped with a rotating handle.

7. A photoresist processing tank, characterized in that, Includes a tank and a nozzle structure as described in any one of claims 1-6; The spray section is located inside the tank and adjacent to the bottom of the tank, and the infusion tube and the blocking section are both partially located inside the tank.

8. The photoresist processing tank according to claim 7, characterized in that, A heater is installed on the outside of the tank.

9. The photoresist processing tank according to claim 7, characterized in that, An ultrasonic transducer is installed on the outside of the tank.

10. The photoresist processing tank according to claim 7, characterized in that, The distance between the spray nozzle and the bottom of the tank is less than half the height of the tank.

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