Horizontal Liquid Processing System Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid processing systems for semiconductor wafers face challenges in minimizing occupied space and ensuring uniform processing across multiple stacked processing units due to complex and space-intensive piping layouts, which complicates the supply and drainage of process liquids and exhaust gases.
Innovation Solution
A liquid processing system with horizontally arranged processing units, a common casing for the process liquid storing section, piping unit, and supply pipes that extend horizontally along the array direction of the units, reducing vertical piping and allowing for a more compact layout, with a recycling mechanism for process liquids and separate exhaust pipes for gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If processing units are stacked vertically to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but the piping layout becomes complex and occupies large space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical stacking to horizontal arrangement of processing units within a single chamber. This dimensional change eliminates the need for complex vertical piping, allowing all processing units to access process liquids and exhaust gases through horizontal connections to common supply and exhaust lines, thereby reducing the footprint while maintaining high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a common exhaust/drain system that serves all processing units simultaneously. The single exhaust/drain line collects process liquids and exhaust gases from multiple horizontal processing units, eliminating the need for separate vertical piping for each unit and reducing overall system complexity and space occupation
2Productivity
If processing units are stacked vertically, then productivity is improved, but uniform process performance across units becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions all processing units at the same horizontal level within a single chamber, ensuring they are at equal potential relative to the process liquid supply and exhaust/drain systems. This eliminates gravitational variations and pressure differences that would affect process uniformity, allowing consistent process performance across all units
Solution Approach 2:
The common exhaust/drain system provides uniform collection capabilities for all processing units. By using a shared system with consistent flow paths and collection points, the patent ensures that process liquids and exhaust gases are handled uniformly across all units, eliminating variations caused by different vertical distances to separate exhaust systems
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid processing system includes a liquid processing section including liquid processing units horizontally disposed therein and each configured to perform a liquid process while supplying a process liquid onto a substrate; a process liquid storing section that stores the process liquid to be supplied to the liquid processing units of the liquid processing section; and a piping unit including a supply pipe configured to guide the process liquid from the process liquid storing section to the liquid processing units. The process liquid storing section, the piping unit, and the liquid processing section are disposed inside a common casing in this order from below. The supply pipe of the piping unit has a horizontal pipe portion horizontally extending along an array direction of the liquid processing units, such that the process liquid is supplied from the horizontal pipe portion to the liquid processing units individually.