Liquid Processing Apparatus Exhaust Path Capillary Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, particularly during photoresist processes, solid components precipitated from high-viscosity coating liquids often adhere to the interior of processing apparatuses and exhaust paths, leading to contamination, fluctuation in exhaust pressure, and obstruction of drainage, necessitating efficient removal techniques.
Innovation Solution
A liquid processing apparatus is designed with a substrate holding and rotating mechanism, a solvent supply system, and liquid diffusion parts with a concavo-convex pattern on the inner surfaces of the cup body and exhaust paths, utilizing capillary phenomena to spread and prolong the solvent's contact with adhered solid components, enhancing removal efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a solvent is supplied into the cup body to remove adhered substance, then the adhered substance can be dissolved, but the solvent may not be sufficiently supplied to all areas, making it difficult to completely remove the adhered substance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a porous member inside the exhaust path that absorbs and stores solvent. This porous structure allows the solvent to be distributed throughout its volume and released gradually, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the cup body interior surfaces including hard-to-reach areas, thereby solving the problem of insufficient solvent supply coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous member acts as an intermediary between the supplied solvent and the adhered substance. Instead of directly applying solvent to all surfaces, the porous member absorbs the solvent first and then releases it gradually, mediating the distribution process to achieve uniform coverage without requiring direct contact between the solvent source and all target surfaces.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the atmosphere in the cup body is exhausted, then mist contamination can be suppressed, but adhered substance may be wound up by exhaust gas and enter the exhaust path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of exhaust gas flow into a beneficial cleaning mechanism. By placing a porous member in the exhaust path, the solvent stored in the porous member is released into the exhaust flow, allowing the exhaust gas that would normally carry adhered substance to instead carry solvent that dissolves and removes the adhered substance from the exhaust path walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous member serves as an intermediary that captures solvent and releases it into the exhaust path. This intermediary mechanism ensures that solvent is available exactly where needed (in the exhaust path) to counteract the harmful effect of exhaust gas carrying adhered substance, without interfering with the necessary exhaust function.
3Reliability
If high viscosity resist liquid is used to increase etching resistance, then thick resist film can be formed, but solid component precipitation increases requiring high frequency maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service cleaning system where the apparatus cleans itself during normal operation. The solvent storage and release mechanism automatically supplies solvent to dissolve adhered solid components without requiring manual intervention, allowing the system to maintain itself continuously and reduce maintenance frequency while preserving the use of high-viscosity resist liquids.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous member continuously releases solvent into the cup body and exhaust path throughout operation, providing ongoing cleaning action. This continuous useful action prevents solid component accumulation rather than merely addressing it periodically, thereby reducing maintenance frequency while enabling continuous use of high-viscosity resist liquids for improved etching resistance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively dissolves and removes adhered solid components from both the cup body and exhaust paths, improving maintenance efficiency and reducing contamination risks by prolonging solvent contact time and expanding the solvent's flow area, thus preventing re-deposition and maintaining stable exhaust pressures.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid diffusion part having a concavo-convex pattern and provided on an inner surface of an exhaust path so that the solvent supplied from the solvent supply part is spread by a capillary phenomenon inside the exhaust path
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a processing liquid supply part configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate, a cup body provided to surround the substrate and configured to drain the processing liquid scattered by the rotation of the substrate, a solvent supply part configured to supply a solvent for dissolving a solid component generated from the processing liquid, an exhaust path member having an exhaust port opened inside the cup body, and configured to exhaust an atmosphere around the substrate, and a liquid diffusion part having a concavo-convex pattern and provided on an inner surface of an exhaust path so that the solvent is spread by a capillary phenomenon inside the exhaust path through which the atmosphere is exhausted. The exhaust path is formed inside the cup body and the exhaust path member.