Fluid supply mechanism and fluid supply method

Abstract

Provided is a fluid supply mechanism 100 that repeatedly supplies and stops supply of a fluid to a chamber CH, the fluid supply mechanism 100 comprising: a fluid supply path L1 that communicates with the chamber 100; a tank T provided to the fluid supply path L1, the fluid being introduced into the tank T; and a downstream-side valve Vd provided on the downstream side of the tank T in the fluid supply path. The internal volume of the tank T changes due to deformation.

Description

Fluid supply mechanism and fluid supply method

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid supply mechanism and a fluid supply method.

[0002] Conventionally, one of the film formation techniques used in semiconductor manufacturing processes is a technique called ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition), which supplies material gases in a pulsed manner, and by using this technique, it is possible to form thin films on a substrate at the atomic level.

[0003] In the ALD method, a tank is filled with a material gas, and a secondary valve provided downstream of the tank is opened and closed at high speed to repeatedly supply and stop the material gas.

[0004] In recent years, there has been a demand for a large flow rate of material gas to be supplied in a pulsed manner, for example, due to an increase in the film formation area. However, with conventional configurations, the amount of material gas supplied depends on the Cv value of the secondary valve, and there is a limit to how much the flow rate can be increased.

[0005] The demand for a large flow rate of the material gas is not limited to the ALD method, but is also common to cases where materials are continuously supplied to a chamber.

[0006] To address this issue, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a piston installed in a tank, and after introducing material gas into the tank, the piston is moved to compress the material gas in the tank, and in this state the secondary valve is opened to increase the flow rate of the material gas supplied.

[0007] However, with such a configuration using a piston, there is a concern that particles may be generated inside the tank, making it difficult to actually adopt this configuration in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

[0008] JP 2010-84156 A

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its main object is to make it possible to supply a large flow rate of fluid while suppressing the generation of particles.

[0010] The fluid supply mechanism of the present invention is a fluid supply mechanism that repeatedly supplies and stops the supply of fluid to a chamber, and is characterized in that it comprises a fluid supply path communicating with the chamber, a tank provided in the fluid supply path and into which the fluid is introduced, and a downstream valve provided downstream of the tank in the fluid supply path, and the internal volume of the tank changes when the tank is deformed.

[0011] With the fluid supply mechanism configured in this manner, fluid is introduced into a tank with a large internal volume, and then the tank is deformed from that state so that its internal volume becomes smaller, making it possible to supply a large flow rate of fluid to the chamber, and since the tank itself deforms, the generation of particles can also be suppressed.

[0012] A more specific embodiment is one in which the tank is deformable between a first configuration in which the internal volume is a first volume and a second configuration in which the internal volume is a second volume smaller than the first volume, and in which the fluid is introduced into the tank when the downstream valve is closed and the tank is in the first configuration, and in which the downstream valve is open and the tank is in the second configuration, the fluid is supplied from the tank to the chamber.

[0013] In the above-described embodiment, there is a concern that the fluid in the tank may flow back upstream when the tank is transformed from the first state to the second state. Therefore, it is preferable that the tank further includes an upstream valve provided upstream of the tank in the fluid supply path, and that the fluid is introduced into the tank in the first state when the upstream valve is open, and the tank transforms from the first state to the second state when the upstream valve is closed. With this configuration, the tank transforms with the upstream valve closed, thereby preventing the fluid from flowing back upstream during the transformation.

[0014] It is preferable that the tank repeatedly transforms from one of the first configuration and the second configuration to the other and from the other configuration to the one at a predetermined transformation timing, and that the downstream valve repeatedly opens and closes at a predetermined opening and closing timing. By controlling the tank transformation and the downstream valve opening and closing over time in this manner, the present invention can be applied without significantly changing an existing program.

[0015] It is preferable to include a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the tank, and a valve control unit that closes the upstream valve when the detected value of the pressure sensor reaches a threshold value. By closing the upstream valve at such a timing, the tank is subsequently transformed from the first state to the second state, thereby maintaining the standby state before supplying the fluid to the chamber in approximately the same state each time.

[0016] If the internal volume of the tank is known, the supply amount of fluid can be determined by monitoring the tank pressure. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the tank and a valve control unit that controls the aperture of the downstream valve based on the value detected by the pressure sensor. With this configuration, the aperture of the valve can be controlled based on the supply amount determined from the value detected by the pressure sensor, making it possible to, for example, maintain a constant supply amount or gradually increase the supply amount.

[0017] Preferably, the plurality of fluid supply paths are connected in parallel with one another, and the tank is provided for each of the plurality of fluid supply paths. With this configuration, for example, by introducing fluid into one tank while supplying fluid to the chamber from another tank, it is possible to supply fluid from the latter tank to the chamber after the supply from the former tank has finished, and thus it is possible to repeatedly start and stop supplying fluid to the chamber at various times.

[0018] If it takes a long time for the tank to return to its original shape after being deformed, it is difficult to quickly repeat the deformation of the tank. Therefore, it is preferable to further include a drive source that outputs a drive force to transform the tank from the first state to the second state or from the second state to the first state, and a biasing member that applies a force to the tank in the opposite direction to the drive force to bias the tank from the second state to the first state or from the first state to the second state. With this configuration, after the tank is deformed by the drive force, the biasing member can return the tank to its original shape, making it possible to quickly repeat the deformation of the tank.

[0019] Another embodiment for quickly and repeatedly transforming the tank may further include a drive source that outputs a drive force to transform the tank from the first form to the second form, and also outputs a drive force to transform the tank from the second form to the first form.

[0020] A fluid supply method according to the present invention is a fluid supply method using a fluid supply mechanism that repeatedly starts and stops supplying a fluid to a chamber, the fluid supply mechanism comprising a fluid supply passage communicating with the chamber, a tank provided in the fluid supply passage and into which the fluid is introduced, and a downstream valve provided downstream of the tank in the supply passage, and the internal volume is changed by deforming the tank. Such a fluid supply method can achieve the same effects as the above-mentioned fluid supply mechanism.

[0021] Furthermore, the fluid supply mechanism according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of fluid supply paths that are in communication with the chamber and connected in parallel to one another, a tank provided in each of the plurality of fluid supply paths and into which the fluid is introduced, and a downstream valve provided in each of the plurality of supply paths downstream of the tank, wherein the internal volume of each of the tanks changes when the tank is deformed. The fluid supply mechanism configured in this manner is capable of supplying a large flow rate of fluid while suppressing the generation of particles, not only in a configuration in which the supply and stop of fluid to the chamber are repeated, but also in a configuration in which the fluid is continuously supplied to the chamber.

[0022] According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to supply a large flow rate of fluid while suppressing the generation of particles.

[0023] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a fluid supply mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; a diagram showing the on / off cycle of a downstream valve of the same embodiment; a schematic diagram showing first and second forms of a tank of the same embodiment; a schematic diagram showing a movable part of the tank of the same embodiment; a schematic diagram showing a biasing member of the same embodiment; a functional block diagram showing the function of a control device of the same embodiment; a schematic diagram showing the operation of the fluid supply mechanism of the same embodiment; a flowchart showing the operation of the control device of the same embodiment; a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a movable part of another embodiment; a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a fluid supply mechanism of another embodiment; a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a fluid supply mechanism of another embodiment.

[0024] A fluid supply mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] <<Apparatus Configuration>> The fluid supply mechanism is used in, for example, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) apparatus to supply a fluid to a chamber in a pulsed (intermittent) manner. More specifically, the ALD apparatus is configured to repeatedly start and stop the supply of a fluid to the chamber, and sequentially introduce at least two reactive precursor species onto at least one substrate housed in the chamber.

[0026] The fluid supplied to the chamber may be, for example, a material gas obtained by vaporizing a liquid material. The material gas is a concept that includes gases necessary for progressing the process in the chamber, such as component gases for film formation and etching gases. The fluid supplied to the chamber by the fluid supply mechanism may be any of a variety of gases or liquids, such as the liquid material itself, a material gas obtained by vaporizing a liquid material, or a mixed gas obtained by mixing a material gas with a carrier gas.

[0027] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the fluid supply mechanism 100 includes at least a fluid supply path L1 communicating with the chamber CH, a tank T provided in the fluid supply path L1, and a downstream valve Vd provided downstream of the tank T in the fluid supply path L1.

[0028] The fluid supply path L1 has an upstream end connected to, for example, a vaporizer (not shown) that vaporizes a liquid material, and a downstream end connected to the chamber CH. Note that the upstream end of the fluid supply path L1 does not necessarily have to be connected to a vaporizer, but may be connected to various fluid sources. Furthermore, a mass flow controller (not shown) may be provided on the fluid supply path L1 upstream of the tank T.

[0029] The tank T functions as a reservoir into which a fluid is introduced and which stores the fluid, and has a known internal volume. The tank T of this embodiment is provided with a pressure sensor P that detects the internal pressure. The tank T and its surroundings have unique features, and their detailed configuration will be described later.

[0030] The downstream valve Vd is provided between the tank T and the chamber CH and serves to supply and stop the supply of fluid from the tank T to the chamber CH. That is, by opening the downstream valve Vd, the fluid is supplied from the tank T to the chamber CH, and by closing the downstream valve Vd, the supply of fluid from the tank T to the chamber CH is stopped.

[0031] 2, the downstream valve Vd in this embodiment is repeatedly opened or fully closed by pulse control in which the valve is repeatedly turned on and off at a predetermined cycle. The pulse width during the on period is set to, for example, the order of 10 msec, and the entire cycle is set to, for example, the order of 100 msec. However, the pulse width is not limited to this and may be changed as appropriate.

[0032] This downstream valve Vd may be any type that can be turned on and off at high speed, and may be, for example, a pneumatic valve with improved responsiveness for the ALD process, a piezo valve using a piezo actuator, or an electromagnetic valve, or any of various other types.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid supply mechanism 100 of this embodiment further includes an upstream valve Vu provided upstream of the tank T in the fluid supply path L1.

[0034] The upstream valve Vu is used to introduce and stop the introduction of fluid into the tank T. That is, by opening the upstream valve Vu, the fluid is introduced into the tank T, and by closing the upstream valve Vu, the introduction of fluid into the tank T is stopped.

[0035] In this embodiment, the upstream valve Vu, like the downstream valve Vd, is repeatedly opened or fully closed by pulse control in which the valve is repeatedly turned on and off at a predetermined cycle. The pulse width during the on period is set to, for example, the order of 10 msec, and the entire cycle is set to, for example, the order of 100 msec. However, the pulse width is not limited to this and may be changed as appropriate.

[0036] This upstream valve Vu may be any type that can be turned on and off at high speed, and may be, for example, a pneumatic valve with improved responsiveness for the ALD process, a piezo valve using a piezo actuator, or an electromagnetic valve, or any of various other types.

[0037] The fluid supply mechanism 100 is characterized in that the tank T described above changes its internal volume by being deformed.

[0038] The tank T has an internal volume that can be changed by its own deformation, and as shown in Figure 3, it is capable of changing between a first form X in which the internal volume is a first volume and a second form Y in which the internal volume is a second volume that is smaller than the first volume. The first volume and the second volume are known.

[0039] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tank T in this embodiment has a cylindrical shape that is, for example, expandable in the axial direction, and has a movable part T1 that is partially or entirely expandable in the axial direction. In this embodiment, this movable part T1 is formed using, for example, a bellows. Note that, for the sake of convenience in explanation, one opening of the tank T is shown open in Figure 4, but this opening is closed during use.

[0040] 3, the fluid supply mechanism 100 of this embodiment includes a drive source 10 that outputs a drive force for transforming the tank T from the first form X to the second form Y, or from the second form Y to the first form X. Note that the power source of this embodiment is for transforming the tank T from the first form X to the second form Y.

[0041] The drive source 10 outputs, for example, a mechanical, electrical, or fluid drive force, and this drive force is applied to, for example, an end face of the tank T that is perpendicular to the axial direction and to which no piping is connected. Specifically, the drive source can be any of a variety of devices configured using a motor, a pneumatic valve, a solenoid, a piezoelectric element, or the like.

[0042] 5, the fluid supply mechanism 100 may further include a biasing member 20 that applies a force to the tank T in the opposite direction to the driving force described above to bias the tank T from the second configuration Y to the first configuration X, or from the first configuration X to the second configuration Y. The biasing member 20 in this embodiment biases the tank T from the second configuration Y to the first configuration X.

[0043] The biasing member 20 biases the tank T's own restoring force when the tank T, which has been deformed from the first form X to the second form Y by the driving force described above, tries to return from the second form Y to the first form X, and is specifically one or more elastic bodies provided outside the tank T. The elastic bodies in this embodiment are provided so as to have, for example, a natural length when the tank T is in the first form X, and to contract from the natural length when the tank T is in the second form Y. Note that the elastic bodies may also be provided so as to have, for example, a natural length when the tank T is in the second form Y, and to expand from the natural length when the tank T is in the first form X, and in this case the elastic bodies bias the tank T from the first form X to the second form Y.

[0044] Specific examples of the elastic body serving as the biasing member 20 include a spring wound around the outer peripheral surface of the tank T as shown in FIG. 5( a), and a spring wound around an axial member 30 attached to the tank T and expanding and contracting together with the tank T as shown in FIG. 5( b).

[0045] In this configuration, the fluid supply mechanism 100 is equipped with a control device C equipped with a memory, a CPU, etc., as shown in Figure 6, and this control device C performs the functions of a valve control unit C1 and a tank control unit C2 by the CPU and its peripheral devices working together in accordance with a program stored in the memory.

[0046] The operation of the control device C will be described below with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. 7 and the flowchart of FIG. 8, which also serves as an explanation of the functions of each section.

[0047] <<Explanation of Operation>> First, before the process is started, the upstream valve Vu and the downstream valve Vd are closed, and the tank T is in the first configuration X.

[0048] When the process starts, the valve control unit C1 opens the upstream valve Vu (S1). At this time, the valve control unit C1 keeps the downstream valve Vd closed, and the tank control unit C2 keeps the tank T in the first configuration X. As a result, as shown in Figure 7(a), with the upstream valve Vu open and the downstream valve Vd closed, the fluid is introduced into the tank T in the first configuration X.

[0049] Next, the valve control unit C1 closes the upstream valve Vu, and the tank control unit C2 controls the drive source 10 to transform the tank T from the first configuration X to the second configuration Y (S2). At this time, the valve control unit C1 keeps the downstream valve Vd closed. As a result, the fluid filled in the tank T is compressed, as shown in FIG. 7(b).

[0050] In S2, in this embodiment, the upstream valve Vu is closed before the tank T is transformed from the first form X to the second form Y. In other words, the tank T is transformed from the first form X to the second form Y while the upstream valve Vu is closed. However, the upstream valve Vu may be closed while the tank T is being transformed from the first form X to the second form Y, or the upstream valve Vu may be closed immediately after the tank T is transformed from the first form X to the second form Y.

[0051] Next, the valve control unit C1 opens the downstream valve Vd (S3). At this time, the valve control unit C1 keeps the upstream valve Vu closed, and the tank control unit C2 keeps the tank T in the second configuration Y. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7C, with the downstream valve Vd open and the tank T in the second configuration Y, fluid is supplied from the tank T to the chamber CH.

[0052] In this embodiment, in steps S2 and S3, the downstream valve Vd is opened after the tank T is transformed from the first form X to the second form Y, but the downstream valve Vd may be opened while the tank T is being transformed from the first form X to the second form Y, or the tank T may be transformed from the first form X to the second form Y immediately after opening the downstream valve Vd. An example of an embodiment in which the downstream valve Vd is opened while the tank T is being transformed from the first form X to the second form Y is to open the downstream valve Vd when the detection value of the pressure sensor P provided in the tank T reaches a threshold value.

[0053] Thereafter, the valve control unit C1 closes the downstream valve Vd, and the tank control unit C2 turns off the driving force from the driving source 10, and the tank T transforms from the second form Y to the first form X by its own restoring force and / or the biasing force of the biasing member 20 (S4).

[0054] In S4, in this embodiment, the downstream valve Vd is closed before the tank T is transformed from the second form Y to the first form X. In other words, the tank T is transformed from the second form Y to the first form X while the downstream valve Vd is closed. However, the downstream valve Vd may be closed while the tank T is being transformed from the second form Y to the first form X, or the downstream valve Vd may be closed after the tank T is transformed from the second form Y to the first form X.

[0055] Then, the valve control unit C1 returns to the operation of S1, opens the upstream valve Vu, and returns to the state shown in FIG. 7(a).

[0056] By repeating the operations of S1 to S4 in this manner, the supply of fluid to the chamber CH and the cessation of the supply are alternately repeated.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 6 , the control device C of this embodiment includes a timer C3. The valve control unit C1 receives a signal from the timer C3 and opens and closes the downstream valve Vd and the upstream valve Vu at predetermined intervals. That is, the downstream valve Vd alternates between an open ON period and a closed OFF period at predetermined intervals, and the upstream valve Vu alternates between an open ON period and a closed OFF period at predetermined intervals. The lengths of the ON and OFF periods may be the same or different, or one or both may be variable. The cycles for opening and closing the upstream valve Vu and the downstream valve Vd may be the same or different.

[0058] As a result, the downstream valve Vd is repeatedly opened and closed at a predetermined first opening and closing timing, and the upstream valve Vu is repeatedly opened and closed at a predetermined second opening and closing timing.

[0059] In addition, the tank control unit C2 of this embodiment acquires a signal from the timer C3 and turns the driving source 10 on and off at predetermined intervals. That is, an on period during which the driving source 10 outputs driving force and an off period during which the output is stopped are repeated at predetermined intervals. The lengths of the on and off periods may be the same or different, or one or both may be variable. The on and off period of the driving source 10 may be the same as or different from the on and off period of the downstream valve Vd or the upstream valve Vu described above.

[0060] As a result, the tank T is repeatedly transformed from one of the first configuration X and the second configuration Y to the other and from the other configuration to the one at a predetermined transformation timing.

[0061] <<Effects of this embodiment>> According to the fluid supply mechanism 100 configured in this manner, fluid is introduced into the tank T in the first form X, which has a large internal volume, and the tank T is then transformed from that state into the second form Y, which has a small internal volume, and the fluid is then supplied from the tank T to the chamber CH. This makes it possible to supply a large flow rate of fluid to the chamber CH, and furthermore, since the tank T itself transforms, the generation of particles can be suppressed.

[0062] Furthermore, since the tank T is transformed from the first configuration X to the second configuration Y when the upstream valve Vu is closed, backflow of the fluid during the transformation can be prevented.

[0063] Furthermore, since the downstream valve Vd is repeatedly opened and closed at a predetermined timing, the present invention can be applied without making major changes to existing programs.

[0064] In addition, since the biasing member 20 biases the tank T's own restoring force, after the tank T is deformed by the driving force, the deformation of the tank T can be quickly repeated.

[0065] <<Other Embodiments>> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0066] For example, in the above embodiment, the upstream valve Vu is provided upstream of the tank T, but this upstream valve Vu may not be provided if the influence of backflow from the tank T is small. Also, the upstream valve Vu may be a check valve that prevents backflow from the tank T while allowing the introduction of fluid into the tank T.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the valve control unit C1 opens and closes the upstream valve Vu at a predetermined opening and closing timing, but may be configured to close the upstream valve Vu when the detection value of the pressure sensor P provided in the tank T reaches a threshold value. With this configuration, by transforming the tank T from the first state to the second state after closing the upstream valve Vu, it is possible to maintain the standby state before supplying the fluid to the chamber CH in approximately the same state each time.

[0068] Furthermore, although the valve control unit C1 opens and closes the downstream valve Vd at a predetermined opening and closing timing in the above embodiment, it may be configured to close the downstream valve Vd when the detection value of the pressure sensor P described above drops to a predetermined pressure value. Even when the downstream valve Vd is opened and closed based on the detection value of the pressure sensor P in this way, by controlling the aperture of the downstream valve Vd, it is possible to adjust the supply time for supplying the fluid to the chamber CH (i.e., the time for which the downstream valve Vd is open) to a desired time, and ultimately to repeat the supply and stop of the fluid supply to the chamber CH at a desired cycle.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the tank control unit C2 repeatedly deforms the tank T at a predetermined deformation timing, but in the operation of deforming the tank T to change the internal volume from the first volume to the second volume, if the detection value of the pressure sensor P reaches a threshold value during the operation, the tank T may be deemed to have reached the second volume, and the driving force applied from the driving source 10 to the tank T may be maintained (adjusted) so that the pressure inside the tank T at that time is maintained. By such control, it is possible to suppress variations in the pressure inside the tank T before supplying the fluid to the chamber CH, and to suppress variations in the amount of fluid supplied to the chamber CH.

[0070] Furthermore, the pressure sensor P may be used to confirm that the tank T has completed transformation from the first form X to the second form Y. That is, the tank control unit C2 may be configured to determine that the tank T has completed transformation to the second form Y when the detection value of the pressure sensor P reaches a target value, and to maintain (adjust) the driving force applied from the drive source 10 to the tank T so as to maintain the tank T in the second form Y. Note that, in the case where the drive source 10 transforms the tank T from the second form Y to the first form X, the pressure sensor P may be used to confirm that the tank T has completed transformation from the second form Y to the first form X. That is, the tank control unit C2 may be configured to determine that the tank T has completed transformation to the first form X when the detection value of the pressure sensor P reaches a target value, and to maintain (adjust) the driving force applied from the drive source 10 to the tank T so as to maintain the tank T in the first form X.

[0071] If the internal volume of the tank T is known, the supply amount of fluid can be determined by monitoring the pressure of the tank T. Therefore, the valve control unit C1 may control the aperture of the downstream valve Vd based on the detection value of a pressure sensor P provided in the tank T. A specific embodiment of this valve control unit C1 may include a configuration in which the valve control unit C1 calculates the actual supply amount supplied from the tank T to the chamber CH based on the internal volume of the tank T and the time rate of change of the detection value of the pressure sensor P, and adjusts the aperture of the downstream valve Vd so that the actual supply amount approaches a preset target supply amount. With this configuration, the valve aperture is controlled based on the detection value of the pressure sensor P, so the supply amount can be maintained constant or gradually increased by, for example, setting the target flow rate to a constant flow rate or a gradually increasing flow rate.

[0072] Furthermore, by monitoring the pressure or concentration inside the chamber CH, the valve control unit may be configured to control the downstream valve Vd based on the pressure or concentration. A specific example of this embodiment is one in which the downstream valve Vd is opened when the pressure or concentration exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

[0073] In the above embodiment, a bellows was used as the movable part T1 of the tank T, but as shown in FIG. 9, an elastic part such as a diaphragm may also be used. In this case, an example of an embodiment is one in which part of the wall surface of the tank T is made up of a diaphragm.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the driving source 10 outputs a driving force that transforms the tank T from the first form X to the second form Y, or from the second form Y to the first form X, but the driving source 10 may output a driving force that transforms the tank T from the first form X to the second form Y and also output a driving force that transforms the tank T from the second form Y to the first form X. In this case, the biasing member 20 may bias the tank T from the first form X to the second form Y, or from the second form Y to the first form X, or the biasing member 20 may not be provided.

[0075] In the above embodiment, one or more springs are used as the biasing member 20, but other elastic bodies such as a diaphragm or rubber may also be used.

[0076] 10, the fluid supply mechanism 100 according to the present invention may have a plurality of fluid supply paths L1 connected in parallel with each other, and a tank T provided for each of the plurality of fluid supply paths L1. With this configuration, for example, by introducing fluid into a certain tank T while supplying fluid to a chamber CH from another tank T, it is possible to supply fluid from the latter tank T to the chamber CH after the supply from the former tank T has finished, and the supply and stop of fluid to the chamber CH can be repeated at various times.

[0077] Furthermore, the fluid supply mechanism 100 according to the present invention is not limited to a mechanism used in an ALD apparatus that repeatedly starts and stops supplying a fluid to a chamber CH. As shown in FIG. 11 , an example of such a fluid supply mechanism 100 includes a plurality of fluid supply paths L1 connected in parallel to the chamber CH, a tank T provided in each of the plurality of fluid supply paths L1 to receive the fluid, and a downstream valve Vd provided downstream of the tank T in each of the plurality of supply paths, wherein the internal volume of each tank T changes as the tank T deforms. In this configuration, the downstream valve Vd does not need to open and close at high speed, and a less expensive opening and closing valve can be used. The fluid supply mechanism 100 configured in this manner can supply a large flow rate of fluid while suppressing particle generation, even in a configuration in which a fluid is continuously supplied to the chamber CH.

[0078] In addition, various modifications and combinations of the embodiments may be made as long as they do not go against the spirit of the present invention.

[0079] According to the present invention, it is possible to supply a large flow rate of fluid while suppressing the generation of particles.

[0080] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100: Fluid supply mechanism CH: Chamber L1: Fluid supply path T: Tank Vd: Downstream valve Vu: Upstream valve P: Pressure sensor X: First configuration Y: Second configuration T1: Movable part 10: Driving source 20: Urging member 30: Shaft member C: Control device C1: Valve control section C2: Tank control section C3: Timer

Claims

1. A fluid supply mechanism that repeatedly supplies and stops supplying a fluid to a chamber, a fluid supply passage communicating with the chamber; a tank provided in the fluid supply path and into which the fluid is introduced; a downstream valve provided in the fluid supply path downstream of the tank, A fluid supply mechanism, wherein the tank changes its internal volume by deformation.

2. the tank is deformable between a first configuration in which an internal volume is a first volume and a second configuration in which an internal volume is a second volume that is smaller than the first volume; the fluid is introduced into the tank with the downstream valve closed and the tank in a first configuration; The fluid supply mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is supplied to the chamber from the tank when the downstream valve is open and the tank is in the second configuration.

3. an upstream valve provided in the fluid supply path upstream of the tank; The fluid is introduced into the tank in the first configuration with the upstream valve open; 3. The fluid supply mechanism of claim 2, wherein the tank is adapted to transform from the first configuration to the second configuration when the upstream valve is closed.

4. the tank is repeatedly transformed from one of the first configuration and the second configuration to the other and from the other configuration to the one at a predetermined transformation timing; The fluid supply mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the downstream valve is repeatedly opened and closed at a predetermined opening and closing timing.

5. a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the tank; The fluid supply mechanism according to claim 3 , further comprising a valve control unit that closes the upstream valve when the detection value of the pressure sensor reaches a threshold value.

6. a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the tank; The fluid supply mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising: a valve control unit that controls an opening degree of the downstream valve based on a detection value of the pressure sensor.

7. A plurality of the fluid supply paths are connected in parallel to each other, The fluid supply mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the tank is provided in each of the plurality of fluid supply paths.

8. a drive source that outputs a drive force for transforming the tank from the first form to the second form, or from the second form to the first form; 4. The fluid supply mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising a biasing member that applies a force to the tank in a direction opposite to the driving force to bias the tank from the second configuration to the first configuration, or from the first configuration to the second configuration.

9. 4. The fluid supply mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising a drive source that outputs a drive force to transform the tank from the first form to the second form and outputs a drive force to transform the tank from the second form to the first form.

10. A fluid supplying method using a fluid supplying mechanism that repeatedly starts and stops supplying a fluid to a chamber, comprising the steps of: The fluid supply mechanism includes: a fluid supply passage communicating with the chamber; a tank provided in the fluid supply path and into which the fluid is introduced; a downstream valve provided in the fluid supply path downstream of the tank, A method of dispensing fluid, the method comprising: deforming the tank to change its internal volume.

11. A plurality of fluid supply paths communicating with the chamber and connected in parallel to each other; a tank provided in each of the plurality of fluid supply paths and into which the fluid is introduced; a downstream valve provided downstream of the tank in each of the plurality of supply flow paths, A fluid supply mechanism, wherein each of the tanks changes its internal volume by deformation.