Liquid Processing Exhaust System Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid processing apparatuses face challenges in increasing the number of substrate retainers without increasing the total exhaust amount, leading to higher organic material and power consumption, which is undesirable for reducing CO2 emissions.
Innovation Solution
A liquid processing apparatus with N-number of substrate retainers arranged in parallel, surrounded by cup bodies, features a common chemical liquid nozzle and separate exhaustion passages with controlled intake of external air, allowing the intake amount to be adjusted based on the location of the nozzle, thereby maintaining a constant total exhaust amount even with an increased number of retainers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of substrate retainers is increased to enhance productivity, then the total exhaust amount increases, leading to higher organic material and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust system is segmented into individual exhaust passages for each substrate retainer, allowing independent control of exhaust amounts. Each exhaust passage includes a damper that can be adjusted based on the processing state of the corresponding retainer, enabling precise control over total exhaust volume while maintaining high productivity with multiple retainers.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust amount for each substrate retainer is made dynamic rather than static. The dampers in the exhaust passages can be adjusted in real-time according to the processing state (spin coating, film drying, edge cutting, or drying) of each retainer, allowing the system to optimize total exhaust volume and reduce energy consumption while maintaining high productivity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the exhaust amount is set high for all liquid processing units, then mist is effectively exhausted during spin coating, but external air enters during low exhaust processes, reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Each exhaust passage is configured with local control capabilities through individual dampers, allowing the exhaust amount to be tailored to the specific needs of each substrate retainer and processing stage. This enables high exhaust amounts where needed (spin coating) and low exhaust amounts where sufficient (film drying), optimizing both mist removal and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust amount parameter is dynamically changed based on the processing state of each substrate retainer. During spin coating, high exhaust amounts are applied to remove mist; during film drying and other low-mist processes, exhaust amounts are reduced. This parameter adjustment optimizes both harmful factor removal and processing efficiency.
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
This configuration enables the addition of more substrate retainers without increasing the total exhaust amount, enhancing productivity while preventing organic material and power consumption increases, thus supporting reduced CO2 emissions.
Implementation Method 1
spin coats wafer W, spreading the chemical liquid diametrically using centrifugal force caused by rotating wafer W
Implementation Method 2
the atmosphere of cup body 12 is inhaled and exhausted through exhaustion passage 14
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus capable of increasing the number of arranged substrate retainers without increasing the total exhaust amount of the liquid processing apparatus. A N-number (N is an integer identical to or greater than three) of cup bodies are inhaled and exhausted in total exhaust amount E through a plurality of separate exhaustion passage each having a first damper, and through a common exhaustion passage connected in common downstream of the separate exhaustion passages. The first dampers are configured such that an external air is received from the cup body in a first intake amount of external air E1 for one of the cup bodies where a chemical liquid nozzle is placed at a setting location facing a wafer, and an external air is received from each of the other cup bodies in a second intake amount of external air E2 less than the first amount E1 and the intake amount of external air from both each of the other cup bodies and each of branched passages equals (E−E1)/(n−1).