Nozzle Bath Circulation and Sealing for Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses generate significant waste of processing liquids due to inefficient circulation and gas interference, leading to component changes and processing defects.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a nozzle bath and first restraint part that accommodates the nozzle during standby, allowing for the circulation of processing liquid back to the nozzle without passing through the storage tank, and includes a sealing mechanism to prevent gas flow and vapor leakage, thereby reducing waste and maintaining liquid integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the processing liquid is discharged from the nozzle to the nozzle bath and then circulated back through the storage tank, then the processing liquid can be reused, but the circulation path is long and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation system is segmented into two paths: a short direct circulation path from the nozzle bath back to the nozzle for continuous reuse, and a separate path through the storage tank for bulk liquid management. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both liquid reuse and manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle bath acts as an intermediary component between the nozzle and the storage tank. It receives the discharged processing liquid and facilitates its return to the nozzle, serving as a buffer that simplifies the overall circulation architecture while enabling continuous liquid reuse.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the nozzle is exposed to the outside environment during standby, then gas can enter the processing liquid causing component changes, but the nozzle cannot be easily accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle accommodation function is merged with the nozzle bath structure. The nozzle bath serves dual purposes: it collects the discharged processing liquid and simultaneously accommodates the nozzle during standby to protect the liquid from gas contamination. This merging eliminates the need for separate protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle bath performs self-service by automatically accommodating the nozzle when the processing liquid is discharged. The structure is designed such that the nozzle naturally enters the accommodation chamber during the discharge operation, providing protection without requiring additional active control mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the processing liquid is circulated without a sealing mechanism, then gas flows between the outside and processing liquid causing vapor leakage, but adding sealing increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible sealing film is used to prevent gas flow between the outside environment and the processing liquid in the nozzle bath. The flexible film conformally seals the accommodation chamber, effectively blocking vapor leakage while maintaining a relatively simple structure compared to rigid sealing mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber in which a substrate is processed with a processing liquid; a nozzle having a discharge port from which the processing liquid is discharged, the discharge port being formed in a distal end portion of the nozzle; a nozzle bath including an accommodation chamber formed therein, wherein the distal end portion of the nozzle is accommodated in the accommodation chamber at a standby time at which the processing liquid is not supplied to the substrate; a circulation line configured to return the processing liquid, which is discharged from the nozzle to the nozzle bath, to the nozzle; and a first restraint part configured to restrain a gas from flowing between an outside of the nozzle bath and the processing liquid present inside the nozzle bath when the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle to the nozzle bath is circulated to the nozzle.