Nozzle Cleaning Device Overflow Bath Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face challenges with uneven nozzle cleaning and the need for enlarged peripheral devices to maintain effective cleaning performance, particularly due to issues with contaminant scattering and re-attachment during the processing of substrates.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with first and second nozzles, a moving mechanism, and a nozzle cleaning device featuring a cleaning bath and an overflow bath, where the cleaning bath includes a liquid storage portion for storing cleaning liquid and an overflow portion to discharge excess liquid, and the overflow bath receives and discharges the cleaning liquid, facilitating even cleaning and miniaturization by using a swirling flow and shared bath configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a nozzle cleaning device is added to remove contaminants, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and peripheral device size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cleaning bath and overflow bath into a single integrated device. The cleaning bath stores cleaning liquid for nozzle cleaning, while the overflow bath receives and discharges excess cleaning liquid. This merging of functions into one device structure achieves effective nozzle cleaning without requiring separate, enlarged peripheral cleaning devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow bath serves multiple functions: it receives cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning bath during nozzle cleaning, and also receives processing liquid during dummy dispensing operations. This multi-functionality allows the device to maintain effective cleaning performance while avoiding the need for additional specialized components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate baths are provided for cleaning and dummy dispensing, then functional separation is improved, but device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the overflow bath to serve dual purposes: as an overflow receptacle for the cleaning bath during cleaning operations, and as a dummy dispensing bath during dummy dispensing operations. This single bath handles both functions that could have been separated, thereby reducing overall device volume and complexity while maintaining functional adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow bath is designed with universal functionality to receive both cleaning liquid (during cleaning mode) and processing liquid (during dummy dispensing mode). This multi-functional design allows the system to achieve functional separation when needed while avoiding the need for separate dedicated baths, thus preventing device enlargement.
3Reliability
If cleaning liquid is continuously supplied to ensure adequate cleaning, then cleaning performance is improved, but liquid consumption and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a system where cleaning liquid that becomes contaminated during the cleaning process is automatically discharged from the cleaning bath through the overflow portion into the overflow bath. This allows contaminated cleaning liquid to be separated and discarded, while the cleaning bath can be replenished with fresh cleaning liquid as needed, optimizing cleaning performance while managing liquid consumption and waste.
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
Enhances cleaning performance and facilitates miniaturization of the nozzle cleaning device by ensuring thorough and uniform cleaning of nozzles while preventing contaminant re-attachment, thereby improving substrate processing quality and reducing device size.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid storage portion (511) configured to store a cleaning liquid for cleaning at least the second nozzle (135)
Implementation Method 2
an overflow portion (513) configured to discharge the cleaning liquid exceeding a predetermined level from the liquid storage portion (511)
Implementation Method 3
The overflow bath (52) is disposed adjacent to the cleaning bath (51) and configured to receive the cleaning liquid discharged from the overflow portion (513) and discharge the received cleaning liquid to the outside
Implementation Method 4
when performing a dummy dispensing processing to eject the processing liquid from the second nozzle, the processing liquid is ejected from the second nozzle into the overflow bath
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes first and second nozzles that eject a processing liquid to a substrate; a moving mechanism that moves the first and second nozzles; and a nozzle cleaning device that cleans at least the second nozzle. The nozzle cleaning device includes a cleaning bath and an overflow bath. The cleaning bath includes a liquid storage portion that stores a cleaning liquid for cleaning the second nozzle, and an overflow portion that discharges the cleaning liquid exceeding a predetermined level from the liquid storage portion. The overflow bath is disposed adjacent to the cleaning bath and receives the cleaning liquid discharged from the overflow portion and discharge the received cleaning liquid to the outside.