Flow Resistance Unit for Bent-Pipe Supercritical Fluid Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The flow imbalance of supercritical fluid in pipes with bent sections leads to non-uniform drying of substrates during the semiconductor manufacturing process, causing particle convergence issues.
Innovation Solution
A flow resistance generating unit is installed in the supply pipe to stabilize airflow by generating resistance, which is designed as an orifice, multi-pipe, or buffer tank structure, and is positioned between bent pipes and fluid supply modules to control fluid flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If bent pipes are used in the supply pipe for supplying supercritical fluid, then the fluid can be supplied to the vessel, but flow imbalance occurs in the pipe and at the discharge unit
Solution Approach 1:
A flow resistance generating unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the bent pipe and the discharge unit. This unit generates controlled flow resistance to compensate for the flow imbalance caused by the bent pipe configuration, thereby stabilizing the flow distribution at the discharge unit without changing the pipe layout.
2Ease of manufacture
If bent pipes are used in the supply pipe, then fluid supply is enabled, but non-uniform drying of the substrate occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The flow resistance generating unit acts as a mediator between the bent pipe system and the substrate drying process. By controlling the flow resistance, it ensures uniform fluid distribution across the discharge unit, which directly improves the uniformity of substrate drying while maintaining the existing bent pipe configuration.
3Ease of manufacture
If bent pipes are used in the supply pipe, then fluid supply is enabled, but particle convergence is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The flow resistance generating unit serves as a mediator that eliminates particle convergence by stabilizing the flow field. It converts the unstable, imbalanced flow from the bent pipe into a uniform flow pattern, preventing particle convergence without requiring changes to the pipe configuration.
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 flow resistance generating unit stabilizes the flow of supercritical fluid, ensuring uniform drying of substrates and preventing particle convergence, thereby improving the quality of the semiconductor manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
a flow resistance generating unit installed in the supply pipe and for generating a flow resistance with respect to the fluid passing through the supply pipe
Implementation Method 2
the drying of the developer applied to the substrate in the vessel is non-uniformly dried due to the unbalanced flow field
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a flow resistance generating unit that generates a flow resistance in a pipe to solve a flow imbalance problem due to a bent pipe and stabilizes an internal airflow, and a substrate treating apparatus including the same. The substrate treating apparatus comprises a fluid supply unit for supplying fluid for treating a substrate and including an upper fluid supply module for supplying the fluid to an upper portion of the substrate, a lower fluid supply module for supplying the fluid to a lower portion of the substrate, and a supply pipe connected to at least one of the upper fluid supply module and the lower fluid supply module, and a flow resistance generating unit installed in the supply pipe and for generating a flow resistance with respect to the fluid passing through the supply pipe.