Substrate Preheating Flow to Reuse Sulfuric Acid Without Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reuse of discharged liquids in substrate processing leads to a decrease in cleanliness, particularly in sulfuric acid-based processing solutions, which affects the efficiency and quality of substrate processing.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus and method that involves preheating a same-type liquid, such as sulfuric acid, to a higher temperature than room temperature and discharging it onto the substrate before the main processing liquid, ensuring it is not reused in generating the processing liquid, thereby maintaining cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If discharged liquid is reused to generate processing liquid, then resource efficiency is improved, but cleanliness of processing liquid deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the liquid discharge and recovery system into distinct functional portions: a first discharge portion for preheating that discharges to a first recovery portion, and a second discharge portion for processing that discharges to a second recovery portion. This segmentation prevents mixing of preheating discharge liquid with processing liquid, thereby maintaining cleanliness while enabling resource efficiency through targeted recovery and reuse of the preheating liquid for subsequent preheating operations.
2Productivity
If preheating process is added before processing, then processing efficiency is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by discharging liquid from the first discharge portion onto the substrate before discharging processing liquid from the second discharge portion. This preheating action prepares the substrate surface in advance, improving subsequent processing efficiency. The system manages this added complexity through automated control that coordinates the sequential discharge operations.
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 approach allows for the reuse of discharged liquids while preventing a decrease in cleanliness, enhancing processing efficiency and reducing the amount of processing liquid required, thus improving the peeling performance and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
The heating portion heats the first same-type liquid stored in the first storage tank
Implementation Method 2
The liquid supplying portion mixes the first same-type liquid and the second same-type liquid, and supplies the mixed liquid to the first discharge portion
Data Source
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AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus (1) discharges a processing liquid obtained by mixing a plurality of types of liquids to a substrate W. The substrate processing apparatus (1) includes a predetermined liquid storage tank (54), a same-type liquid supplying portion (200), a discharge portion (20), and a recovery portion (110). The predetermined liquid storage tank (54) stores a predetermined liquid as one of a plurality of types of liquids used to generate a processing liquid. The same-type liquid supplying portion (200) includes a first storage tank (204) that stores a first same-type liquid which is a liquid of the same type as the predetermined liquid. The discharge portion (20) discharges the first same-type liquid to the substrate W before the processing liquid is discharged to the substrate W. The recovery portion(110) recovers the first same-type liquid discharged to the substrate W and supplies the first same-type liquid to the first storage tank (204). The temperature of the first same-type liquid is higher than room temperature. The first same-type liquid is not used as any liquid among the plurality of types of liquids.