Fluid supply system, wafer processing system, and method of supplying fluid to wafer processing equipment
AssigneeTaiwna Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChing-Jung HSU, Yung-Ti HUNG, Chun-Feng HSU, Nan-Peng CHENG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid supply system includes a pressure tank configured to contain a pressurized gas and a fluid, a delivery point configured to be connected to a point of use, a recirculation piping connecting the pressure tank to the delivery point, and a return pump connected to the recirculation piping. The recirculation piping defines a circulation path for the fluid from the pressure tank through the delivery point and back to the pressure tank. The return pump is downstream of the delivery point and upstream of the pressure tank in the circulation path.
Claims20
A fluid supply system, comprising:
- a pressure tank configured to contain a pressurized gas and a fluid;
- a delivery point configured to be connected to a point of use;
- a recirculation piping connecting the pressure tank to the delivery point, the recirculation piping defining a circulation path for the fluid from the pressure tank through the delivery point and back to the pressure tank;
- and
- a return pump connected to the recirculation piping, the return pump downstream of the delivery point and upstream of the pressure tank in the circulation path.
A wafer processing system, comprising:
- a pressure tank containing a pressurized gas and a fluid;
- a delivery point;
- a supply piping connected between the pressure tank and the delivery point, wherein a pressure of the pressurized gas in the pressure tank is sufficient to move the fluid from the pressure tank via the supply piping to the delivery point;
- wafer processing equipment connected to the delivery point, the wafer processing equipment configured to process semiconductor wafers with the fluid supplied to the delivery point from the pressure tank;
- a return piping connected between the pressure tank and the delivery point;
- and
- a return pump connected to the return piping, the return pump configured to move the fluid from the delivery point back to the pressure tank.
A method of supplying a fluid to wafer processing equipment, the method comprising:
- delivering the fluid from a pressure tank via a supply piping to a delivery point, the delivery point connected to the wafer processing equipment, the pressure tank containing the fluid and a pressurized gas of a pressure sufficient to move the fluid from the pressure tank via the supply piping to the delivery point;
- and
- returning the fluid from the delivery point via a return piping back to the pressure tank by a return pump connected to the return piping.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.