Substrate Processing Liquid Distribution Temperature Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In substrate processing apparatuses, variations in processing temperature occur due to thermal influences, leading to inconsistent processing rates when high-temperature processing liquids are reused after a long period, causing variations in substrate processing outcomes.

Innovation Solution

A substrate processing apparatus with a temperature changing unit that maintains the inner wall surface of the processing liquid distributing member at a thermal equilibrium temperature, even when no high-temperature processing liquid is supplied, by heating or cooling the outer wall surface, ensuring consistent temperature discharge over multiple substrate processing steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If high-temperature processing liquid is supplied to the processing liquid piping and nozzle, then the processing temperature is improved, but the pipe wall and nozzle wall temperatures rise causing heat exchange that cools the processing liquid when discharge is stopped

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing liquid temperatureVSAvoidprocessing temperature consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature changing unit performs preliminary heating of the processing liquid piping and nozzle before supplying the high-temperature processing liquid. This preliminary action ensures that the pipe walls and nozzle walls are already at the required temperature, preventing heat exchange that would cool the processing liquid when discharge is stopped or restarted, thereby maintaining consistent processing temperature across multiple substrates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature changing unit acts as an intermediary device between the processing liquid supply system and the substrate processing system. It independently controls the temperature of the piping and nozzle components, mediating the thermal interaction between the processing liquid and the surrounding structures to ensure stable temperature delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If processing is consecutively performed on multiple substrates, then productivity is improved, but thermal influence causes variations in processing temperature between substrates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing throughputVSAvoidprocessing temperature uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature changing unit continuously maintains the processing liquid piping and nozzle at the required temperature throughout the consecutive substrate processing operations. This continuous thermal maintenance ensures that each substrate receives processing liquid at the same temperature, eliminating variations caused by thermal cooling between sequential processing steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 configuration reduces or prevents variations in processing between substrates by maintaining uniform processing liquid temperatures, enhancing processing consistency and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a temperature changing unit arranged to heat or cool the outer wall surface of the processing liquid distributing member from the outside to change a temperature of the processing liquid distributing member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

an equilibrium temperature maintaining step of maintaining the inner wall surface of the processing liquid distributing member at a thermal equilibrium temperature by controlling the temperature changing unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal equilibrium:

Data Source

PatentUS10395952B2Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Publication Date: 2019.08.27 SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD

AI summary

A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing liquid distributing member that partitions, by an inner wall surface, at least part of a processing liquid distribution passage communicating with a discharge port, a processing liquid supplying unit that supplies the high-temperature processing liquid having a higher temperature than a room temperature to the processing liquid distribution passage, a temperature changing unit arranged to heat or cool an outer wall surface of the processing liquid distributing member from the outside to change a temperature of the processing liquid distributing member, and a controller that executes an equilibrium temperature maintaining step of maintaining the inner wall surface of the processing liquid distributing member at a thermal equilibrium temperature by controlling the temperature changing unit in a state where no processing liquid is supplied from the processing liquid supplying unit to the processing liquid distribution passage.