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US 2023/0384680 A1Published application
System and method for supplying and dispensing bubble-free photolithography chemical solutions
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsWen-Zhan Zhou, Heng-Jen Lee, Hsu-Yuan Liu, Yu-Chen Huang, Cheng-Han Wu, Shih-Che Wang, Ho-Yung David Hwang
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Abstract
A method of supplying a chemical solution to a photolithography system. The chemical solution is pumped from a variable-volume buffer tank. The pumped chemical solution is dispensed in a spin-coater. The variable-volume buffer tank is refilled by emptying a storage container filled with the chemical solution into the variable-volume buffer tank.
Claims20
A method of supplying a chemical solution to a photolithography system, comprising:
- pumping the chemical solution from a variable-volume buffer tank;
- dispensing the pumped chemical solution in a spin-coater;
- and
- refilling the variable-volume buffer tank by emptying a storage container filled with the chemical solution into the variable-volume buffer tank.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- providing a buffer tank having a variable-volume, wherein an initial volume of a chemical solution is stored in the buffer tank such that the buffer tank correspondingly has the initial volume;
- pumping the chemical solution from the buffer tank, wherein the pumping removes at least some of the chemical solution from the buffer tank and thereby reduces a volume of the buffer tank from the initial volume to a reduced volume as the chemical solution is removed;
- and
- dispensing the pumped chemical solution onto a wafer.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- providing a buffer tank having a variable-volume, wherein an initial volume of a chemical solution is stored in the buffer tank such that the buffer tank correspondingly has the initial volume;
- pumping the chemical solution from the buffer tank, wherein the pumping removes at least some of the chemical solution from the buffer tank and thereby reduces a volume of the buffer tank from the initial volume to a reduced volume as the chemical solution is removed;
- detecting bubbles in a head space of the buffer tank, and
- based on whether bubbles are detected in the head space of the buffer tank, selectively opening a vent valve connected to the buffer tank until bubbles are no longer detected in the head space of the buffer tank.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.