# US 12,601,973 B2 · System for supplying photoresist and method for managing photoresist

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- Number: US 12,601,973 B2
- Document ID: US12601973B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/060,629
- Filed: 2022-12-01
- Published: 2023-06-08
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2021-12-02
- Assignees: Semes Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Semes Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hae Kyung Kim; Dae Sung Kim; Woo Sin Jung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601973B2

## CPC

- G03F 7/16: Coating processes; Apparatus therefor (applying coatings to base materials in general B05; applying photosensitive compositions to base for photographic purposes G03C1/74)
- H10P 72/0448: {Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like}
- B05C 11/1013: {responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00)}
- B05C 11/1026: {Valves (in general F16K; B05C5/0225 takes precedence)}
- B05C 11/1036: {Means for supplying a selected one of a plurality of liquids or other fluent materials, or several in selected proportions, to the applying apparatus}
- H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)}
- B05C 11/1002: {Means for controlling supply, i.e. flow or pressure, of liquid or other fluent material to the applying apparatus, e.g. valves}
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08)

## Abstract

Provided is a system for supplying a photoresist. In an embodiment, a system for supplying a photoresist includes a pressure adjustment container provided to a supply line connected from a chemical liquid bottle to a first tank, and the pressure adjustment container includes a housing having a space formed therein, a separator separating the space of the housing into a first space and a second space, an inflow port making a photoresist flow in the first space, a discharge port discharging the photoresist from the first space, and a pressurized fluid inflow port supplying a pressurized fluid to the second space, and a volume of the first space varies depending on the supply of the pressurized fluid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for supplying a photoresist, the system comprising:
a pressure adjustment container provided to a supply line connected from a chemical liquid bottle to a first tank,
an opening/closing valve provided on an upstream of the pressure adjustment container, and opening/closing a flow path in which the photoresist flows; and
a controller,
wherein the pressure adjustment container includes
a housing having a space formed therein,
a separator separating the space of the housing into a first space and a second space,
an inflow port making a photoresist flow in the first space,
a discharge port discharging the photoresist from the first space, and
a pressurized fluid inflow port supplying a pressurized fluid to the second space, and
a volume of the first space varies depending on the supply of the pressurized fluid,
wherein the controller when the photoresist is transmitted from the chemical liquid bottle to the first tank,
controls the first space to have a first volume, and
when the transmission of the photoresist from the chemical liquid bottle to the first tank is stopped,
closes the opening/closing valve, and controls the first space to have a second volume by controlling the supply of the pressurized fluid, and
the second volume is larger than the first volume.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first tank is positioned at a higher location than the chemical liquid bottle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the supply line is connected to the higher location than the chemical liquid bottle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein an opening/closing valve opening/closing a flow path is provided on the upstream of the pressure adjustment container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a drain line is connected to the supply line connecting the pressure adjustment container and the chemical liquid bottle in the supply line.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first tank is a trap tank.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1,
wherein the controller controls the pressurized fluid to be supplied to the second space to maintain a flow path formed by the supply line at a positive pressure when the photoresist is transmitted from the chemical liquid bottle to the first tank or the photoresist is not transmitted.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second volume is a volume for maintaining the flow path formed by the supply line at a positive pressure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein an air bubble sensor is provided to the supply line connecting the pressure adjustment container and the chemical liquid bottle in the supply line.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising:
a drain line provided to the supply line connecting the pressure adjustment container and the chemical liquid bottle, and connected to downstream of the air bubble sensor; and
the controller collecting data from the air bubble sensor and opening/closing the drain line,
wherein the controller opens the drain line when an air bubble sensed by the air bubble sensor is equal to or larger than a set value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the drain line is closed when a sensing value of the air bubble sensor is equal to or smaller than the set value.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a bottle receiving container having an internal space formed therein, and having the chemical liquid bottle in the internal space;
a pressurized gas inflow port connected to the internal space of the bottle receiving container and supplying pressurized gas to the internal space; and
a supply pipe extended to an inside of the chemical liquid bottle and connected to the supply line.