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US 12,594,571 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for reducing solvent consumption
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChun-Wei Liao, Tung-Hung Feng, Hui-Chun Lee, Shih-Che Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solution dispense system for a semiconductor manufacturing process includes a longer circulation loop in order to minimize the idle section from resist pump to dispense nozzle. A t-valve and control valve are disposed close to the nozzle in order to decrease the idle section and reduce material consumption.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a tank that supplies a solution for a semiconductor manufacturing process;
- a pump that receives the solution from the tank;
- a first valve having a first outlet, a second outlet, and an inlet that receives the solution from the pump;
- an air-operated medical/chemical (AMC) control valve that selectively distributes the solution from the first outlet;
- a nozzle that receives the solution from the control valve and dispenses the solution for the semiconductor manufacturing process;
- and
- a circulation conduit that re-circulates unused solution from the second outlet to the tank,
- wherein the AMC control valve is arranged between the first valve and the nozzle, and
- the AMC control valve and the first valve are connected to each other by a conduit having a length of from 5 to 30 cm.
6 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a tank that supplies a solution for a semiconductor manufacturing process;
- a pump that receives the solution from the tank, the pump having a fluid circulator for circulating the solution around a first recirculation loop, the pump further having a pump outlet for circulating the solution to the semiconductor manufacturing process;
- a first valve having an inlet that receives the solution from the pump outlet, the first valve further having a first outlet and a second outlet, wherein the solution is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing process from the first outlet;
- a control valve that selectively distributes the solution from the first outlet to the semiconductor manufacturing process;
- a circulation conduit that re-circulates the solution from the second outlet back to the tank along a second recirculation loop, and
- a directional drain valve arranged in the circulation conduit between the tank and the second outlet, the directional drain valve configured to drain the solution from the apparatus,
- wherein the control valve is connected to the first valve by a conduit having a length of from 5 to 30 cm.
4 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a pump;
- a first valve;
- a circulation conduit;
- a tank configured to supply a solution to the pump,
- wherein the pump is configured to:
- receive the solution from the tank;
- circulate the solution around a first recirculation loop;
- and
- supply the solution to the first valve,
- wherein the first valve has an inlet configured to receive the solution from the pump, a first outlet configured to supply the solution to a photolithography apparatus, and a second outlet configured to supply the solution to the circulation conduit configured to re-circulate the solution from the second outlet back to the tank along a second recirculation loop;
- a control valve configured to selectively distribute the solution from the first outlet to the photolithography apparatus;
- a controller configured to control the first valve, the control valve, and the pump, and
- a directional drain valve arranged in the circulation conduit between the tank and the second outlet, the directional drain valve configured to drain the solution from the apparatus,
- wherein a conduit connecting the control valve to the first valve has a length of 5 cm to 30 cm.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.