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US 12,629,617 B2Granted
Chemical solution supply system and chemical solution supply method
AssigneeKioxia Corporation
InventorsYuichi Kuroda, Toshiyuki Muranaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chemical solution supply system including: a first tank that stores a first chemical solution; a first pipe that is connected to the first tank and conveys the first chemical solution; a first filter unit that is connected to the first pipe and has a first filter through which the first chemical solution is filtered; a first valve that is provided in the first pipe between the first tank and the first filter unit; a second tank that stores a second chemical solution; and a second pipe that is connected to the second tank and the first pipe between the first filter unit and the first valve.
Claims14
A chemical solution supply system comprising:
- a first tank arranged to store a first chemical solution;
- a first pipe connected to the first tank, the first pipe being arranged to convey the first chemical solution;
- a first filter connected to the first pipe, the first filter being configured to filter the first chemical solution;
- a first valve configured to control flow in the first pipe between the first tank and the first filter;
- a second tank arranged to store a second chemical solution;
- a second pipe connected to the second tank and the first pipe between the first filter and the first valve;
- a third tank arranged to store a third chemical solution that neutralizes the first chemical solution;
- a third pipe connected to the third tank and the first pipe between the first filter and the first valve;
- a monitor connected to the first filter, the monitor being configured to monitor a state of a liquid in the first filter;
- and
- a controller configured to determine a state of the first filter based on the monitoring by the monitor,
- wherein the controller is configured to neutralize the first chemical solution by (i) closing the first valve and opening the second pipe to supply the second chemical solution into the first filter until a concentration threshold is satisfied;
- (ii) opening the third pipe to supply the third chemical solution into the first filter until a pH threshold is satisfied, wherein a neutralizing salt is generated by neutralization of the first chemical solution and the third chemical solution;
- (iii) opening the second pipe to supply the second chemical solution into the first filter until an ion-concentration threshold for the neutralizing salt is satisfied;
- and then (iv) replacing the first filter.
12 more elements
A chemical solution supply method comprising:
- supplying a first chemical solution from a first tank, via a first pipe, to a first filter that filters the first chemical solution;
- closing a first valve that is disposed in the first pipe between the first tank and the first filter;
- supplying a second chemical solution from a second tank to the first filter, via a second pipe connected to the second tank and the first pipe between the first filter and the first valve, and the first pipe;
- supplying a third chemical solution from a third tank to the first filter, via a third pipe connected to the third tank and the first pipe between the first filter and the first valve, and the first pipe, wherein the third chemical solution neutralizes the first chemical solution;
- monitoring, by a monitor connected to the first filter, a state of a liquid in the first filter;
- determining, by a controller, a state of the first filter based on the monitoring by the monitor;
- and
- neutralizing the first chemical solution by (i) closing the first valve and opening the second pipe to supply the second chemical solution into the first filter until a concentration threshold is satisfied;
- (ii) opening the third pipe to supply the third chemical solution into the first filter until a pH threshold is satisfied, wherein a neutralizing salt is generated by neutralization of the first chemical solution and the third chemical solution;
- (iii) opening the second pipe to supply the second chemical solution into the first filter until an ion-concentration threshold for the neutralizing salt is satisfied;
- and then (iv) replacing the first filter.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.