Substrate Liquid Supply Monitoring for Splash Defect Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses lack precision in identifying abnormalities related to the supply of processing liquids, particularly in the ejection and flow state of liquids during the substrate processing, leading to defects such as splashes and roughness.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus equipped with a nozzle for ejecting processing liquids, an image capturing unit to monitor the substrate periphery, and sensors to observe the flowing state of the processing liquid supply path, allowing for detailed analysis of abnormality factors through image analysis and sensor data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple observation units and image capturing units are installed to monitor processing liquid flow and substrate periphery, then abnormality factor specification precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the monitoring function into multiple specialized observation units positioned at different locations in the processing liquid supply path. Each observation unit monitors specific segments of the liquid flow path, and each image capturing unit captures specific regions of the substrate periphery. This segmentation enables precise localization of abnormalities while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device acts as an intermediary that receives data from multiple observation units and image capturing units, processes this information, and specifies abnormality factors. This central intermediary coordinates the complex data from various sensors and cameras, transforming raw data into meaningful abnormality specifications without requiring direct complex interconnections between all monitoring components.
2Reliability
If observation units are installed in the processing liquid supply path to monitor flowing state, then supply abnormality detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Observation units are installed in advance within the processing liquid supply path to monitor the flowing state before abnormalities affect the substrate. This preliminary monitoring enables early detection of flow issues such as droplet formation, air bubbles, or flow rate deviations, allowing the system to identify supply abnormalities before they cause defects on the substrate.
3Manufacturing precision
If image capturing unit captures detailed images of substrate periphery and observation units monitor liquid flow, then defect detection precision is improved, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device receives feedback data from image capturing units that detect defects such as splashes and roughness on the substrate periphery, and from observation units that monitor processing liquid flow state. By correlating feedback from both sources, the system can precisely identify defect locations and characteristics while simplifying the detection process through automated image analysis and data integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual inspection methods with automated image capturing units and observation units that use optical and sensing technologies to detect defects and monitor liquid flow. This substitution of mechanical/manual detection with automated sensing systems improves precision while managing the complexity of detection through standardized sensor interfaces and automated analysis algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle that ejects a processing liquid to a periphery of a substrate; a processing liquid supply path that allows the processing liquid to flow between a supply source of the processing liquid and the nozzle; an image capturing unit that captures an image of the periphery of the substrate; an observation unit that is installed in the processing liquid supply path and observes a flowing state of the processing liquid in the processing liquid supply path; and an analysis unit that specifies an abnormality factor related to a supply of the processing liquid to the substrate based on the image captured by the image capturing unit and an observation result obtained by the observation unit.