# US 2021/0242039 A1 · Substrate processing system and method to reduce a number of external connectors provided on the system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242039 A1 - Document ID: US20210242039A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/166,047 - Filed: 2021-02-03 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-04 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Melvin Verbaas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242039A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0404: {for general liquid treatment, e.g. etching followed by cleaning} - B05C 5/0225: {characterised by flow controlling means, e.g. valves, located proximate the outlet (B05C5/0258, B05C5/0275 take precedence; supply valves upstream the coating head B05C11/1036)} - B05C 11/1026: {Valves (in general F16K; B05C5/0225 takes precedence)} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - B01D 2313/13: Specific connectors - F05B 2250/30: Arrangement of components - H10P 72/0458: {vertical arrangement} - 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) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G ## Abstract Embodiments of substrate processing systems and methods are provided for reducing the number of external connectors provided on a substrate processing system for receiving liquids and gases from external liquid and gas sources. In one embodiment, a substrate processing system includes a plurality of processing units for processing a substrate; a plurality of external connectors for receiving liquids and/or gases from a plurality of sources stored outside of the substrate processing system; and a plurality of internal distribution lines for routing the liquids and/or gases from the external connectors to the processing units. The disclosed substrate processing system reduces the number of external connectors provided on the system by: (a) including only one external connector for each liquid and gas source, and (b) providing a plurality of internal distribution lines within the substrate processing system for routing liquids and gases from the external connectors to the processing units. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate processing system, comprising: a plurality of external connectors provided on the substrate processing system for receiving one or more liquids and/or gases, which are supplied from a plurality of sources to the plurality of external connectors via a plurality of external supply lines, where the plurality of sources are stored outside of the substrate processing system, and wherein only one external connector is provided on the substrate processing system for each of the plurality of sources to reduce installation costs and time and reduce operating and maintenance costs; a plurality of processing units, each coupled to receive at least one of the one or more liquids and/or the gases for processing a substrate; and a plurality of internal distribution lines provided within the substrate processing system for routing the one or more liquids and/or the gases from the plurality of external connectors to the plurality of processing units. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein a separate one of the plurality of internal distribution lines is provided within the substrate processing system for each of the plurality of external connectors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of internal distribution lines are each coupled to route a first liquid or a first gas from one of the plurality of external connectors to one or more of the processing units contained within the substrate processing system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of internal distribution lines are each coupled to route a first liquid or a first gas from one of the plurality of external connectors to only the processing units that utilize the first liquid or the first gas to process the substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The substrate processing system of claim 1, wherein the substrate processing system receives one or more liquids and one or more gases from the plurality of sources stored outside of the substrate processing system, wherein the one or more liquids is one or more of a resist solution, a develop solution, a quench solution, a rinse solution, a deposition solution, or an etch solution, and wherein the one or more gases is one or more of nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, helium, oxygen, ammonia, chlorine, dichlorosilane, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, silicon tetrachloride, or fluorocarbons. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The substrate processing system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of sensors coupled to monitor the one or more liquids and/or gases supplied from the plurality of sources and generate sensor data based on said monitoring; and a centralized controller coupled to receive the sensor data from the plurality of sensors, and configured to use the sensor data to control supply of the one or more liquids and/or gases to the plurality of external connectors and/or to the plurality of processing units. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The substrate processing system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of sensors are coupled to one or more of: the plurality of external supply lines, or the plurality of external connectors, to monitor the one or more liquids and/or gases supplied from the plurality of sources to the plurality of external connectors; and the plurality of internal distribution lines to monitor the one or more liquids and/or gases routed from the plurality of external connectors to the plurality of processing units. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The substrate processing system of claim 6, wherein the centralized controller uses the sensor data to control a flow rate or a pressure of the one or more liquids and/or gases supplied to each processing unit, based on liquid/gas supply needs of the processing unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The substrate processing system of claim 6, wherein the centralized controller uses artificial intelligence to control supply of the one or more liquids and/or gases to the plurality of processing units based on the sensor data received from the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 10 A method to reduce a number of external connectors provided on a substrate processing system having a plurality of processing units, the method comprising: providing the substrate processing system with the plurality of processing units, wherein each of the processing units uses a liquid and/or a gas to process a substrate; and providing a plurality of external connectors on the substrate processing system for receiving one or more liquids and/or gases from a plurality of sources stored outside of the substrate processing system, wherein only one external connector is provided on the substrate processing system for each of the plurality of sources to reduce installation costs and time and reduce operating and maintenance costs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a plurality of internal distribution lines within the substrate processing system for routing the one or more liquids and/or gases from the plurality of external connectors to the plurality of processing units. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said providing the plurality of internal distribution lines comprises providing a separate internal distribution line within the substrate processing system for each external connector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling each of the internal distribution lines to one or more of the processing units contained within the substrate processing system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: providing the substrate processing system with a plurality of sensors and a centralized controller; monitoring the one or more liquids and/or gases supplied from the plurality of sources and generating sensor data based on said monitoring, wherein said monitoring and said generating are performed by the plurality of sensors; and receiving the sensor data from the plurality of sensors and using the sensor data to control supply of the one or more liquids and/or gases to the plurality of external connectors and/or to the plurality of processing units, wherein said receiving the sensor data and said using the sensor data are performed by the centralized controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising using the sensor data to predict and control supply of the one or more liquids and/or gases to the plurality of external connectors over time and/or based liquid/gas supply needs of the plurality of processing units. ### Claim 16 A method to couple a substrate processing system to a plurality of liquid and gas sources, the method comprising: arranging the substrate processing system within a facility, wherein the substrate processing system comprises a plurality of processing units, and wherein each of the processing units uses a liquid and/or a gas to process a substrate; and coupling the plurality of liquid and gas sources to a plurality of external connectors provided on the substrate processing system, wherein the plurality of liquid and gas sources are stored outside of the substrate processing system; and wherein only one external connector is provided on the substrate processing system for each of the plurality of liquid and gas sources to reduce installation costs and time and reduce operating and maintenance costs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said coupling comprises coupling, via an external supply line, each of the plurality of liquid and gas sources to a different one of the plurality of external connectors for supplying a liquid or a gas thereto. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said coupling comprises coupling one or more sensors to the external supply line for monitoring the liquid or the gas supplied to the different one of the plurality of external connectors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a plurality of internal distribution lines within the substrate processing system for routing one or more liquids and gases from the plurality of external connectors to the plurality of processing units. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising coupling one or more sensors to each of the plurality of internal distribution lines for monitoring the one or more liquids and gases routed from the plurality of external connectors to the plurality of processing units.