Integrated Exhaust and Drain Cup for Liquid Processing Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid processing apparatuses for semiconductor wafers face issues with mist bouncing back onto the substrate due to the design of surrounding cups, leading to defects like water marks and particles, and require separate mechanisms for exhaust gas and drainage, which increases the apparatus' footprint and can cause thermal expansion damage to synthetic resin components.
Innovation Solution
A liquid processing apparatus with a rotary cup and annular drain and exhaust cups that integrate a gas-flow adjusting mechanism to uniformly discharge exhaust gas and prevent mist from returning to the substrate, while allowing independent drainage and exhaust gas collection without additional separation mechanisms, and using a flexible cylindrical portion to absorb thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a process liquid receiving member is used to guide process liquid into a narrow space, then mist bounce back is prevented, but the spacer portion size increases and apparatus footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the exhaust cup and drain cup into a single integrated structure where the drain cup is disposed inside the exhaust cup. This merging eliminates the need for separate exhaust and drain mechanisms, reducing the overall apparatus footprint while maintaining effective mist prevention through the guide portion structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain cup is nested inside the exhaust cup, with the drain cup positioned coaxially within the exhaust cup's interior space. This nesting arrangement allows the exhaust cup to serve as an outer containment structure while the inner drain cup handles liquid drainage, maximizing space utilization and minimizing the overall footprint.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If exhaust cup and drain cup are separately disposed, then exhaust gas and drainage are separated, but apparatus footprint further increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the exhaust and drain functions into a single integrated cup structure. The exhaust cup collects and discharges exhaust gas through its wall, while the nested drain cup inside it receives and discharges process liquid through its bottom. This combined structure achieves functional separation of exhaust and drainage while minimizing footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated cup structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: the exhaust cup wall for gas discharge, the interior space for liquid reception, and the drain cup bottom for liquid discharge. This segmentation allows simultaneous exhaust and drainage functions within a compact unified structure.
3Productivity
If an annular drain cup made of synthetic resin is used to receive process liquid, then drainage is effective, but thermal expansion damages the drain cup
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the drain cup from synthetic resin to a material with high heat resistance capable of withstanding thermal expansion without damage. This material substitution maintains effective drainage functionality while eliminating the thermal expansion damage problem.
4Manufacturing precision
If a rotary cup structure is used to prevent mist bounce back, then substrate quality is improved, but the structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex rotary cup structure that rotates with the substrate, the invention uses a stationary exhaust cup with a guide portion that extends downward. This inverted approach achieves the same mist prevention effect through a simpler stationary structure, reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining substrate quality.
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 solution effectively prevents mist from bouncing back onto the substrate, reduces the apparatus' footprint, and prevents thermal expansion damage to the drain cup, ensuring efficient and reliable liquid processing without the need for additional separation mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
When the drain cup, made of a synthetic resin, receives such a process liquid, the drain cup is thermally expanded to a large extent. Consequently, depending on the mounting manner of the drain cup, the thermal expansion may be insufficiently absorbed, thereby damaging the drain cup.
Implementation Method 2
a gas-flow adjusting mechanism disposed between the exhaust cup and the exhaust port and configured to adjust a gas flow of the gas component to flow toward the exhaust port from essentially all around within the exhaust cup
Implementation Method 3
an apparatus of this kind is arranged to supply a process liquid onto the center of a wafer, and rotate the wafer to spread the process liquid outward, thereby forming a liquid film and throwing off the process liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding member configured to rotate along with a substrate held thereon in a horizontal state; a rotary cup configured to surround the substrate held on the substrate holding member, to rotate along with the substrate, and to receive the process liquid thrown off from the substrate; a rotation mechanism configured to integrally rotate the rotary cup and the substrate holding member; and a liquid supply mechanism configured to supply a process liquid onto the substrate. The apparatus further includes an annular drain cup and an annular exhaust cup with an exhaust port connected thereto to discharge a collected gas component. A gas-flow adjusting mechanism is disposed between the exhaust cup and the exhaust port and configured to adjust a gas flow of the gas component to flow toward the exhaust port from essentially all around within the exhaust cup.