Method and apparatus for reuse of abrasive fluid used in the manufacture of semiconductors
AssigneeFujitsu Limited
InventorsHiroshi Osuda, Toru Matoba, Masataka Fukuizumi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method recycles the abrasive fluid or slurry effluent used in the polishing step in the manufacture of semiconductors. Agglomerations of abrasive grains built up in the slurry effluent are crushed using a mill, ultrasonic oscillation, or pressurized circulation. The slurry effluent is then regenerated and reused.
Claims42
An apparatus for reusing a slurry effluent containing agglomerations of abrasive grains which has been used in a polishing step in the manufacture of a semiconductor, comprising:
- a crusher for crushing the agglomerations of abrasive grains contained in the slurry effluent;
- and
- a regeneration unit for regenerating an abrasive fluid using the slurry effluent containing the crushed abrasive grains.
A crusher for crushing agglomerations of abrasive grains contained in a slurry effluent which has been used in the manufacture of a semiconductor comprising:
- a tank for storing the slurry effluent;
- and
- at least one of a mill, an ultrasonic oscillator and a pressurizing circulation unit attached to the tank.
An apparatus for concentrating a slurry effluent, comprising:
- a concentrating unit including a concentrating membrane for separating the slurry effluent into a concentrate fluid and a permeate fluid;
- a temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of the slurry effluent;
- and
- a concentration controller for controlling the temperature regulator to control the concentration of the concentrate fluid.
An apparatus for regulating the quality of a slurry effluent including abrasive grains, comprising:
- a tank for storing the slurry effluent;
- and
- a specific gravity adjusting unit for adjusting the concentration of the abrasive grains in the slurry effluent.
An apparatus for regulating the quality of a slurry effluent including abrasive grains, comprising:
- a tank for storing the slurry effluent;
- and
- a pH adjusting unit for adjusting the pH of the slurry effluent.
An apparatus for cleansing a concentrating membrane used in a concentrating a slurry effluent, a concentrate fluid and a permeate fluid generated by concentrating the slurry effluent, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber for temporarily storing the permeate fluid;
- and
- a back washing unit for cleansing the concentrating membrane using the permeate fluid stored in the chamber.
A method of reuse of a slurry effluent containing agglomerations of abrasive grains which has been used in a polishing step in the manufacture of a semiconductor, comprising the steps of:
- crushing the agglomerations of abrasive grains contained in the slurry effluent using at least one process selected from the group consisting of a mill process and an ultrasonic oscillation process;
- and
- regenerating an abrasive fluid using the slurry effluent containing the crushed abrasive grains.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.