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US 12,062,553 B2Granted
Method of manufacturing semiconductors using fluid delivery system
AssigneeIchor Systems, Inc.
InventorsChris Melcer, Phillip Ryan Barros, Haruyuki Kubota, Randolph Treur, Todd Mark Cushman
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Abstract
A method of processing semiconductors using a fluid delivery system is disclosed in which seal inserts are utilized to fluidly connect an active component that bridges two substrate blocks.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:
- a) operably coupling a liquid chemical delivery system to a source of liquid chemical, the liquid chemical delivery system comprising:
- a three layer arrangement comprising a top layer of active components, a middle layer of substrate blocks which serve to form fluid connections between the active components, and a bottom layer formed by a back plane serving as a support structure for the top and middle layers;
- the middle layer of substrate blocks comprising first and second substrate blocks, each of the first and second substrate blocks comprising:
- an upper surface;
- a substrate inlet port in the upper surface;
- a substrate outlet port in the upper surface;
- a substrate fluid passageway extending between the substrate inlet port and the substrate outlet port;
- and each of the substrate outlet port and the substrate inlet port surrounded by a substrate ring and a substrate channel surrounding the substrate ring;
- the active components comprising a first active component comprising:
- a lower surface;
- a component inlet port in the lower surface;
- a component outlet port in the lower surface;
- a component fluid passageway extending from the component inlet port to the component outlet port;
- each of the component inlet port and the component outlet port surrounded by a component ring and a component channel surrounding the component ring;
- first and second seal inserts, each of the first and second seal inserts comprising:
- an interior sleeve defining a sleeve fluid passageway about an axis;
- an outer ring connected to and surrounding the interior sleeve so that:
- (1) an annular upper groove is formed between an upper portion of the outer ring and an upper portion of the interior sleeve;
- and (2) an annular lower groove is formed between a lower portion of the outer ring and a lower portion of the interior sleeve;
- the first active component bridging the first and second substrate blocks so that:
- (1) the substrate outlet port of the first substrate block and the component inlet port are aligned;
- and (2) the substrate inlet port of the second substrate block and the component outlet port are aligned;
- and
- the first seal insert fluidly sealing the substrate outlet port of the first substrate block and the component inlet port together to form a first fluid connection and the second seal insert fluidly sealing the substrate inlet port of the second substrate block and the component outlet port together to form a second fluid connection, thereby forming a portion of a flow pathway through the liquid chemical delivery system;
- and
- b) delivering the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid supply through the flow pathway of the liquid chemical delivery system to a process site to process semiconductor wafers;
- wherein the first active component is spaced and isolated from the back plane.
24 more elements
A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:
- a) operably coupling a liquid chemical delivery system to a source of liquid chemical, the liquid chemical delivery system comprising:
- a three layer arrangement comprising a top layer of active components, a middle layer of substrate blocks which serve to form fluid connections between the active components, and a bottom layer formed by a back plane serving as a support structure for the top and middle layers;
- the middle layer of substrate blocks comprising first and second substrate blocks, each of the first and second substrate blocks comprising:
- an upper surface;
- a substrate inlet port in the upper surface;
- a substrate outlet port in the upper surface;
- a substrate fluid passageway extending between the substrate inlet port and the substrate outlet port;
- each of the substrate outlet port and the substrate inlet port surrounded by a substrate ring and a substrate channel surrounding the substrate ring;
- and the substrate fluid passageway intersecting the substrate inlet port and the substrate outlet port at an angle;
- the active components comprising a first active component comprising:
- a lower surface;
- a component inlet port in the lower surface;
- a component outlet port in the lower surface;
- a component fluid passageway extending from the component inlet port to the component outlet port;
- each of the component inlet port and the component outlet port surrounded by a component ring and a component channel surrounding the component ring;
- first and second seal inserts, each of the first and second seal inserts comprising:
- an interior sleeve defining a sleeve fluid passageway about an axis;
- an outer ring connected to and surrounding the interior sleeve so that:
- (1) an annular upper groove is formed between an upper portion of the outer ring and an upper portion of the interior sleeve;
- and (2) an annular lower groove is formed between a lower portion of the outer ring and a lower portion of the interior sleeve;
- the first active component bridging the first and second substrate blocks so that:
- (1) the substrate outlet port of the first substrate block and the component inlet port are aligned;
- and (2) the substrate inlet port of the second substrate block and the component outlet port are aligned;
- and
- the first seal insert fluidly sealing the substrate outlet port of the first substrate block and the component inlet port together to form a first fluid connection and the second seal insert fluidly sealing the substrate inlet port of the second substrate block and the component outlet port together to form a second fluid connection, thereby forming a portion of a flow pathway through the liquid chemical delivery system;
- and
- b) delivering the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid supply through the flow pathway of the liquid chemical delivery system to a process site to process semiconductor wafers;
- wherein the first active component is spaced and isolated from the back plane.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.