Substrate Processing Nozzle Droplet Removal via Gas Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Substrate processing systems using two-fluid nozzles often experience unintended dripping of processing liquids, leading to water marks on substrates due to droplets curling up and sticking to the nozzle and surrounding areas, exacerbated by the closer positioning of nozzles and substrates in modern systems.

Innovation Solution

A substrate processing system with a movable arm for the processing nozzle that moves between processing and waiting positions, utilizing a gas-blowing nozzle to remove droplets from the processing nozzle and incorporating a receiver to collect and exhaust any falling droplets, along with an enclosure to contain and direct the gas flow and prevent scattering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a two-fluid nozzle is used to jet a mixture of processing liquid and gas, then cleaning effect is improved, but unintended dripping and water marks occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectVSAvoidunintended dripping

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A gas flow is supplied to the processing nozzle from the gas supply nozzle before the arm moves to the waiting position to remove droplets that have adhered to the processing nozzle. This preliminary cleaning action prevents dripping when the nozzle is repositioned, resolving the contradiction between achieving good cleaning effect and preventing unintended dripping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The gas supply nozzle acts as an intermediary between the processing system and the processing nozzle. It introduces a gas flow that removes adhered droplets without directly contacting the substrate, thereby preventing water marks while maintaining the cleaning effectiveness of the two-fluid nozzle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If processing nozzle and substrate are positioned closer to reduce system size, then system compactness is improved, but droplet adhesion to nozzle increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem sizeVSAvoiddroplet adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The gas supply nozzle performs preliminary removal of droplets from the processing nozzle before the arm moves to the waiting position. This ensures that even when the nozzle and substrate are positioned closely, droplets do not adhere to the nozzle and cause unintended dripping, thus resolving the contradiction between system compactness and droplet adhesion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If processing liquid is supplied from above the substrate, then processing effectiveness is improved, but dripping from nozzle occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing effectivenessVSAvoiddripping from nozzle

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The gas supply nozzle acts as an intermediary that removes droplets from the processing nozzle without interfering with the primary processing function. This intermediary gas flow prevents dripping while maintaining the effectiveness of the processing liquid application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Effectively prevents unintended dripping and water marks by removing droplets from the processing nozzle and containing them within the system, ensuring efficient processing and maintaining system integrity.

Implementation Method 1

a gas-blowing nozzle to blow gas to the processing nozzle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas flow:

Data Source

PatentUS8439051B2Method of substrate processing, substrate processing system, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2013.05.14 TOKYO ELECTRON LTD

AI summary

The present invention provides a substrate processing system in which a processing liquid is supplied to a substrate W from a processing nozzle 50a situated above the substrate W so as to process the substrate W, and which makes it possible to prevent unintended dripping of the processing liquid from the processing nozzle. A substrate processing system 20 comprises a processing nozzle 50a capable of supplying a processing liquid to a substrate to be processed, an arm 54 supporting the processing nozzle, and droplet removing nozzles 60, 62 capable of blowing a gas to the processing nozzle. The arm is movable between a processing position and a waiting position, the processing nozzle being above a substrate when the arm is in the waiting position and being outside a substrate when the arm is in the processing position. The droplet removing nozzles are so situated that they are in the vicinity of the processing nozzle when the arm is in the waiting position.