Nozzle assembly and substrate processing device

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a nozzle assembly and a substrate processing device. The nozzle assembly comprises: a connector, a first through hole being provided inside the connector, a first snap-fit slot being provided on the outer side of the connector, and the connector being used for connecting a processing liquid storage mechanism; a nozzle body, a second through hole being provided inside the nozzle body, a second snap-fit slot being provided on the outer side of the nozzle body, and the nozzle body being used for spraying a processing liquid to a substrate; and a snap fastener, the snap fastener being configured to cooperate with the first snap-fit slot and the second snap-fit slot, wherein in an assembled state, the connector is connected to the nozzle body along the same axis, the snap fastener is connected to the first snap-fit slot and the second snap-fit slot, and a pre-tightening force along the axis is applied to opposite sides of the nozzle body and the connector, so that the first through hole and the second through hole are sealedly connected. The present application achieves the technical effect of improving the assembling or replacement efficiency of the nozzle assembly.

Description

Nozzle assembly and substrate processing device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411753675.3, filed on November 29, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment, and further to a nozzle assembly and substrate processing apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] Currently, the inline setup for photolithography consists of a coating and developing machine and an exposure machine. The general process of photolithography is as follows: after the substrate is coated in the coating module of the coating and developing machine, it is sent to the exposure machine for exposure. After exposure, the substrate returns to the coating and developing machine, where the developing module completes the development process.

[0004] Existing coating modules typically include a process chamber and, inside the process chamber, a substrate carrier mechanism, a coating nozzle, a nozzle moving mechanism, and a back-side cleaning nozzle. The substrate carrier mechanism holds the substrate, the coating nozzle sprays resist onto the substrate surface, the nozzle moving mechanism drives the coating nozzle, and the back-side cleaning nozzle cleans resist splashed onto the back of the substrate. The coating process includes: a robot arm outside the process chamber loads the substrate onto the substrate carrier mechanism; the nozzle moving mechanism moves the coating nozzle to above the center of the substrate, and the coating nozzle supplies a predetermined amount of resist to the center of the substrate. Then, the substrate carrier mechanism rotates the substrate, evenly distributing the resist across its entire surface. Additionally, the back-side cleaning nozzle sprays cleaning fluid during substrate rotation to remove resist splashed onto the back of the substrate.

[0005] US Patent Application No. US07357279 discloses a coating apparatus and method for coating a liquid onto a semiconductor wafer. As shown in Figure 7, the nozzle structure 30 of the coating apparatus consists of a nozzle head 31, a sealing ring 32, and a nut 33.

[0006] The nozzle head 31 has a first end 311 for spraying resist onto the substrate. The second end 312 of the nozzle head 31 has a first conical surface 313 on its end face, and an external thread 314 on its outer circumferential surface. The nut 33 has a second conical surface 332 on its inner side of the first end 331, and an internal thread 334 on its inner surface of the second end 333 that mates with the external thread 314. In the assembled state, the external thread 314 of the second end 312 of the nozzle head 31 engages with the internal thread 334 of the second end 333 of the nut 33. A sealing ring 32 is positioned between the first conical surface 313 and the second conical surface 332, and its inner surface is pressed against the outer circumferential wall of the liquid supply pipe 34, thereby sealing the gap between the nut 33 and the liquid supply pipe 34.

[0007] However, a gap 315 exists in the processing liquid passage of the nozzle structure 30 (the connection between the end of the liquid supply pipe 34 and the nozzle head 31). After the nozzle structure 30 sprays the resist, a small amount of resist residue will remain in the gap 315. This residue will dry and produce particulate matter, contaminating the resist and affecting the substrate coating effect. Furthermore, during substrate coating, the vertical distance between the nozzle head 31 and the substrate is strictly controlled to ensure the coating effect. If the depth of the nozzle head 31 inserted into the nut 33 is inconsistent before or after nozzle assembly or replacement, it will result in a deviation in the vertical distance from the first end 311 of the nozzle head 31 to the substrate, and the nozzle head 31 will not be securely fixed to the nut 33. Therefore, the depth of the nozzle head 31 inserted into the nut 33 needs to be checked after each nozzle assembly or replacement, leading to low nozzle assembly or replacement efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this application is to improve the assembly or replacement efficiency of nozzles.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a nozzle assembly and a substrate processing apparatus.

[0010] In some embodiments, the nozzle assembly is used to connect to a processing liquid storage mechanism and spray processing liquid onto a substrate. The nozzle assembly includes: a connector with a first through hole inside and a first slot outside, the connector being used to connect to the processing liquid storage mechanism; a nozzle body with a second through hole inside and a second slot outside, the nozzle body being used to spray processing liquid onto the substrate; and a latch configured to engage with the first and second slots. In the assembled state, the connector and the nozzle body are aligned along the same axis, the latch is connected to the first and second slots, and a preload force along the axis is applied to the opposing sides of the connector and the nozzle body to seal the first and second through holes.

[0011] In some embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus includes: a cavity; a substrate support mechanism disposed within the cavity for supporting a substrate; a processing liquid storage mechanism for storing processing liquid; and a nozzle assembly, wherein the nozzle assembly is disposed within the cavity and connected to the processing liquid storage mechanism for spraying processing liquid onto the substrate.

[0012] In this application, the connector is used to connect with the treatment fluid storage mechanism, and the snap fastener is used to connect the nozzle body and the connector. During the assembly or replacement of the nozzle assembly, only the nozzle body needs to be removed from or installed on the connector, without replacing the connector. Furthermore, the snap fastener connection between the nozzle body and the connector avoids the problems of inconsistent nozzle head insertion depth into the nut and loose fixing between the nozzle head and the nut in the prior art shown in Figure 7, thereby improving the assembly or replacement efficiency of the nozzle assembly.

[0013] Overview of the attached figures

[0014] The features and performance of this application are further described by the following embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nozzle assembly according to an embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of Figure 1;

[0017] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a snap-fit ​​according to one embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a nozzle assembly according to another embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 4 along plane a;

[0020] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application; and

[0021] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an existing nozzle structure.

[0022] Preferred embodiments of the present invention

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the specific implementation methods of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] To keep the drawings concise, each drawing only schematically shows the parts relevant to this application, and they do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some drawings, only one of the components with the same structure or function is schematically shown, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one."

[0025] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] As shown in FIG1, this application discloses a nozzle assembly 100 for connecting a processing liquid storage mechanism 13 (refer to FIG6) and spraying processing liquid onto a substrate 20. The nozzle assembly 100 includes a connector 110, a nozzle body 120, and a snap-fit ​​130.

[0028] Referring to Figures 2 and 6, the connector 110 has a first through hole 111 inside and a first slot 114 outside. The connector 110 is used to connect to the processing liquid storage mechanism 13. In one embodiment of this application, the nozzle assembly 100 includes a delivery tube 150, which connects the processing liquid storage mechanism 13 to the connector 110. The connector 110 is fixedly connected to the delivery tube 150 (e.g., by welding or integral molding). The nozzle body 120 has a second through hole 121 inside and a second slot 124 outside. The nozzle body 120 is used to spray processing liquid (e.g., photoresist or developer) onto the substrate 20. The latch 130 is configured to cooperate with the first slot 114 and the second slot 124. In the assembled state, the connector 110 and the nozzle body 120 are connected to each other along the same axis m, the buckle 130 is connected to the first slot 114 and the second slot 124, and a pre-tightening force along the axis m is applied to the opposite side of the connector 110 and the nozzle body 120 to make the first through hole 111 and the second through hole 121 sealed together.

[0029] In this embodiment, connector 110 is used to connect to the processing liquid storage mechanism 13, nozzle body 120 is used to spray processing liquid onto substrate 20, and snap fastener 130 is used to connect nozzle body 120 and connector 110. During the assembly or replacement of nozzle assembly 100, only nozzle body 120 needs to be removed from or installed on connector 110, without replacing connector 110. Furthermore, the snap fastener 130 connects nozzle body 120 and connector 110, avoiding the problems of inconsistent depth of nozzle head 31 into nut 33 and loose fixing between nozzle head 31 and nut 33 in the prior art shown in FIG7, thereby improving the assembly or replacement efficiency of nozzle assembly 100.

[0030] In one embodiment of this application, as shown in FIG3, the buckle 130 includes: a buckle body 131, a first limiting part 132, and a second limiting part 133. The first limiting part 132 is fixedly connected to the buckle body 131 and is configured to cooperate with a first slot 114. The second limiting part 133 is fixedly connected to the buckle body 131 and is configured to cooperate with a second slot 124. The second limiting part 133 corresponds to the first limiting part 132 and has a preset distance c. The preset distance c is configured such that, in the assembled state, the preset distance c cooperates with the distance between the first slot 114 and the second slot 124 along the axis m, so that the first through hole 111 and the second through hole 121 are sealed together.

[0031] In one embodiment of this application, the first slot 114 includes a first annular groove 1141, the first limiting part 132 includes a first U-shaped groove 1321, the first U-shaped groove 1321 cooperates with the first annular groove 1141, and / or the second slot 124 includes a second annular groove 1241, the second limiting part 133 includes a second U-shaped groove 1331, the second U-shaped groove 1331 cooperates with the second annular groove 1241. In another embodiment of this application, the entrances of the first U-shaped groove 1321 and the second U-shaped groove 1331 are chamfered to make it easier for the first U-shaped groove 1321 to engage with the first annular groove 1141 and for the second U-shaped groove 1331 to engage with the second annular groove 1241, thereby facilitating the installation of the buckle 130. Furthermore, a handle 134 is provided on the side of the buckle body 131 away from the entrances of the first U-shaped groove 1321 and the second U-shaped groove 1331 for manual handling or installation of the buckle 130.

[0032] Referring again to Figure 2, in one embodiment of this application, the nozzle assembly 100 includes a gasket 140. In the assembled state, the gasket 140 is disposed between the nozzle body 120 and the connector 110, and the first through hole 111 and the second through hole 121 are connected through the inner hole of the gasket 140 to increase the sealing effect of the nozzle assembly 100. In other embodiments of this application, the gasket 140 may be constructed as an integral structure with the nozzle body 120 or the connector 110.

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in one embodiment of this application, the nozzle assembly 100 includes a temperature regulating mechanism 160. An infusion tube 150 connects the treatment fluid storage mechanism 13 and the connector 110. The temperature regulating mechanism 160 has an internal cavity 161, and its surface is provided with a temperature regulating fluid inlet 162, a temperature regulating fluid outlet 163, several first interfaces 164, and several second interfaces 165 communicating with the cavity 161. The temperature regulating fluid inlet 162 replenishes the cavity 161 with a preset temperature regulating fluid, and the temperature regulating fluid outlet 163 discharges the temperature regulating fluid from the cavity 161. The first interfaces 164 and the second interfaces 165 correspond one-to-one, and the first interfaces 164 and the corresponding second interfaces 165 are configured such that the infusion tube 150 passes through the interior of the cavity 161 to regulate the temperature of the treatment fluid.

[0034] In one embodiment of this application, the inner wall of the second interface 165 mates with the outer wall of the connector 110 to fix the connector 110. In this embodiment, each second interface 165 can be fitted with one connector 110, and each connector 110 can be connected to the corresponding nozzle body 120 through a corresponding snap-fit ​​130 so that each nozzle body 120 is at the same horizontal height.

[0035] Referring again to FIG2, in one embodiment of this application, the adjacent ends of the first through hole 111 and the second through hole 121 are configured to have the same inner diameter. Furthermore, in another embodiment of this application, the adjacent ends of the first through hole 111 and the second through hole 121, as well as the inner diameter of the gasket 140, are configured to have the same inner diameter to avoid gaps in the processing liquid passage of the nozzle assembly 100, thereby improving the coating effect of the substrate 20.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6, this application also discloses a substrate processing apparatus 10, including: a cavity 11, a substrate carrying mechanism 12 (e.g., a vacuum chuck), a processing liquid storage mechanism 13, and a nozzle assembly 100. The substrate carrying mechanism 12 is disposed within the cavity 11 and is used to carry a substrate 20. The processing liquid storage mechanism 13 is used to store processing liquid, and the nozzle assembly 100 is disposed within the cavity 11 and connected to the processing liquid storage mechanism 13 for spraying processing liquid (e.g., photoresist or developer) onto the substrate 20.

[0037] In one embodiment of this application, the substrate processing apparatus 10 further includes: a nozzle moving mechanism 14, a rotation driving component 15, and a cover 16. The nozzle moving mechanism 14 is tractively connected to the nozzle drive assembly 100, and is used to drive the nozzle assembly 100 to move above the center of the substrate 20 during the coating process, and to drive the nozzle assembly 100 to move away from directly above the substrate 20 after the coating process is completed. The rotation driving component 15 is tractively connected to the substrate support mechanism 12, and is used to drive the substrate support mechanism 12 and the substrate 20 to rotate during the coating process. The cover 16 is disposed outside the substrate support mechanism 12, and a drain port 17 is provided at the bottom of the cover 16, which is used to collect and recover excess processing liquid during the coating process.

[0038] It should be noted that the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A nozzle assembly, characterized in that, The nozzle assembly is used to connect to the processing liquid storage mechanism and to spray the processing liquid onto the substrate. The nozzle assembly includes: The connector has a first through hole inside and a first slot on the outside, and is used to connect to the processing liquid storage mechanism. The nozzle body has a second through hole inside and a second slot on the outside. The nozzle body is used to spray a treatment liquid onto the substrate. A latch, wherein the latch is configured to engage with the first slot and the second slot; wherein, In the assembled state, the connector and the nozzle body are aligned along the same axis, the buckle is connected to the first slot and the second slot, and a preload force along the axis is applied to the opposite side of the connector and the nozzle body to seal the first through hole and the second through hole.

2. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buckle includes: Buckle body; The first limiting part is fixedly connected to the buckle body, and the first limiting part is configured to cooperate with the first slot; The second limiting part is fixedly connected to the buckle body. The second limiting part is configured to cooperate with the second slot. The second limiting part corresponds to the first limiting part and has a preset distance. The preset distance is configured such that, in the assembled state, the preset distance cooperates with the distance between the first slot and the second slot along the axis.

3. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: In the assembled state, the washer is disposed between the connector and the nozzle body, and the first through hole and the second through hole are connected through the inner hole of the washer.

4. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An infusion tube is used to connect the treatment fluid storage mechanism and the connector, and the infusion tube is fixedly connected to the connector.

5. The nozzle assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: A temperature regulating mechanism, wherein an internal cavity is provided, and the surface of the temperature regulating mechanism is provided with a temperature regulating liquid inlet, a temperature regulating liquid outlet, a plurality of first interfaces, and a plurality of second interfaces communicating with the cavity; wherein... The temperature-regulating liquid inlet is used to replenish the cavity with a preset temperature-regulating liquid, and the temperature-regulating liquid outlet is used to discharge the temperature-regulating liquid from the cavity. The first interface and the second interface correspond one-to-one, and the first interface and the corresponding second interface are configured to allow the infusion tube to pass through the interior of the cavity so that the temperature-regulating liquid inside the cavity can regulate the temperature of the treatment liquid.

6. The nozzle assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inner wall of the second interface mates with the outer wall of the connector to fix the connector.

7. The nozzle assembly according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The adjacent ends of the first through hole and the second through hole are configured to have the same inner diameter.

8. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: cavity; A substrate support mechanism is disposed within the cavity for supporting the substrate; Processing fluid storage mechanism for storing processing fluid; The nozzle assembly according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the nozzle assembly is disposed in the cavity and connected to the processing liquid storage mechanism, for spraying processing liquid onto the substrate.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The processing solution is a photoresist or a developer.

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