Vacuum Assisted Filtration
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorCorey Lemley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a chemical filter fluidly coupled between a source for a processing solution and a nozzle to dispense the processing solution. The chemical filter is configured to filter the processing solution from the source. The apparatus may include a vacuum pump that is configured to apply a vacuum to the chemical filter. The apparatus may include a valve system configured to operate in a first operating state and a second operating state, where in the first operating state the valve system is configured to couple the source to the chemical filter and block the vacuum to the chemical filter, and where in the second operating state the valve system is configured to couple the vacuum to the chemical filter and block the source to the chemical filter.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a chemical filter fluidly coupled between a source for a processing solution and a nozzle to dispense the processing solution, the chemical filter configured to filter the processing solution from the source;
- a vacuum pump configured to apply a vacuum to the chemical filter;
- and
- a valve system configured to operate in a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein in the first operating state the valve system is configured to couple the source to the chemical filter and block the vacuum to the chemical filter, and wherein in the second operating state the valve system is configured to couple the vacuum to the chemical filter and block the source to the chemical filter.
A method of supplying a processing solution, the method comprising:
- shutting off a feed line supplying the processing solution to a chemical filter;
- installing a dry chemical filter in a filter housing of the chemical filter;
- closing an output line from the filter housing to a nozzle configured to dispense the processing solution;
- applying vacuum to the filter housing;
- and
- opening the feed line while locking in the vacuum within the filter housing.
A device comprising:
- a memory storing a program to be executed in a processor, the program comprising instructions to
- shut off a feed line supplying a processing solution to a chemical filter;
- after installing a chemical filter in a filter housing of the chemical filter, close an output line from the filter housing to a nozzle configured to dispense the processing solution;
- apply vacuum to the filter housing;
- and
- open the feed line while locking in the vacuum within the filter housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.