US 5,958,517 A · System and method for cleaning nozzle delivering spin-on-glass to substrate

Abstract

A system (12) for delivering spin-on-glass (SOG) to a substrate (14) has a spin chuck (16) for spinning a substrate (14), a delivery nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418) having an interior conduit (419), a delivery nozzle-positioning subsystem (62) coupled to the delivery nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418) for selectively positioning the delivery nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418) over the spin chuck (16) for delivery of SOG, a SOG supply line (60, 160, 360) for supplying SOG, a cleaning fluid supply line (22, 122, 322) for supplying a cleaning fluid used to remove dried SOG, and a valve subsystem (20, 120, 320) fluidly coupled to the SOG supply line (60, 160, 360), cleaning-fluid supply line (22, 122, 322), and delivery nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418) for selectively delivering SOG or a cleaning fluid through the interior conduit (419) of the delivery nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418). A cleaning station 466 may be used to clean an exterior (421) of the nozzle (18, 118 218, 318, 418). A method for applying SOG to a substrate (14) through a delivery nozzle (18, 118,218,318,418) and for cleaning the delivery nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418) includes the steps of delivering SOG to the substrate (14) and cleaning the nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418) when cleaning is desirable by among other things delivering a cleaning fluid from a cleaning fluid supply line (22, 122, 322) through the valve subsystem (20, 120, 320) to the interior conduit (419) of the delivery nozzle (18, 118, 218, 318, 418) to remove any SOG from the interior conduit (419).

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for applying spin-on-glass (SOG) to a substrate through a delivery nozzle and for cleaning the delivery nozzle with a cleaning fluid, the method comprising the steps of:

delivering SOG to the substrate, wherein the step of delivering SOG comprises the steps of:
placing a delivery nozzle over a substrate on a chuck,
causing relative circular motion between the delivery nozzle and chuck, and
delivering SOG from a SOG supply line through a valve subsystem to an interior conduit of the delivery nozzle;
and
cleaning the delivery nozzle when cleaning is desirable, wherein the step of cleaning the delivery nozzle comprises the step of:
forming a cleaning station having a nozzle-receiving-cavity having a plurality of angled surfaces positioned on a trajectory path of cleaning fluid delivered through the nozzle so as to reflect a portion of the cleaning fluid onto an exterior portion of the delivery nozzle,
positioning the delivery nozzle over the cleaning station, and
delivering the cleaning fluid from a cleaning fluid supply line through the valve subsystem to the interior conduit of the delivery nozzle to remove any SOG from the interior conduit of the nozzles said delivering of cleaning fluid having sufficient pressure to cause the cleaning fluid to reflect at least in part from the plurality of angled surfaces onto the exterior portion of the delivery nozzle to remove SOG therefrom.

6 more elements

A method for manufacturing a system for delivering spin-on-glass (SOG) to a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a spin chuck for spinning a substrate;
forming a delivery nozzle having an interior conduit;
forming a delivery nozzle-positioning subsystem for selectively positioning the delivery nozzle over the spin chuck for delivery of SOG to a substrate;
coupling the delivery nozzle-positioning subsystem to the delivery nozzle;
forming a SOG supply line for supplying SOG;
forming a cleaning fluid supply line for supplying a cleaning fluid for removal of dried SOG;
forming a valve subsystem for selectively delivering SOG or a cleaning fluid to the interior conduit of the delivery nozzle;
coupling the valve subsystem to the SOG supply line, cleaning-fluid supply line, and the delivery nozzle;
and
forming a nozzle cleaning station, and wherein the step of forming the nozzle cleaning station comprises the steps of:
forming a nozzle-receiving-cavity housing having a cavity for receiving the delivery nozzle during cleaning;
and
delivered through the interior conduit of the delivery nozzle onto an exterior surface of the delivery nozzle.

10 more elements

A system for delivering spin-on-glass (SOG) to a substrate, the system comprising:

a spin chuck for spinning a substrate;
a delivery nozzle having an interior conduit;
a delivery nozzle-positioning subsystem coupled to the delivery nozzle for selectively positioning the delivery nozzle over the spin chuck for delivery of SOG to a substrate;
a SOG supply line for supplying SOG;
a cleaning fluid supply line for supplying a cleaning fluid for removal of dried SOG;
a valve subsystem fluidly coupled to the SOG supply line, cleaning-fluid supply line, and the delivery nozzle, the valve subsystem for selectively delivering SOG or a cleaning fluid to the interior conduit of the delivery nozzle;
and
a nozzle cleaning station including
a nozzle-receiving-cavity housing having a cavity for receiving the receiving nozzle during cleaning;
and
a plurality of angled surfaces coupled to the nozzle-receiving-cavity housing for reflecting a cleaning fluid delivered through the interior conduit of the delivery nozzle onto an exterior surface of the delivery nozzle.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for cleaning nozzle delivering spin-on-glass to substrate

Life of this patent

System and method for cleaning nozzle delivering spin-on-glass to substrate

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22