Anti-stratification-solution delivery system for spin-on dielectrics
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsJun Zhao, Rick J. Roberts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An anti-stratification-delivery system comprises a multi-zone-refrigeration unit having at least first and second zone temperature controllers, the first and second zone temperature controllers are capable of being set at different temperatures to establish a temperature gradient in a liquid, the temperature gradient being sufficient to cause natural-thermal convention within the liquid to stir a colloid suspended in the liquid to an approximately uniform-colloidal suspension; and a delivery system configured to dispense the approximately uniform-colloidal suspension.
Claims41
An anti-stratification-delivery system comprising:
- a multi-zone-refrigeration unit having at least first and second zone temperature controllers, the first and second zone temperature controllers are capable of being set at different temperatures to establish a temperature gradient in a liquid, the temperature gradient being sufficient to cause natural thermal convection within the liquid to stir a colloid suspended in the liquid to an approximately uniform colloidal suspension;
- and
- a delivery system configured to dispense the approximately uniform colloidal suspension.
A method of dispensing a colloid in liquid, the method comprising:
- establishing a temperature gradient in the liquid and the colloid, including:
- setting a first temperature in a region of the liquid;
- and
- setting a second temperature, which is different from the first temperature, in another region of the liquid;
- mixing the liquid and the colloid by natural thermal convection to an approximately uniform colloidal suspension;
- and
- dispensing through a dispensing system the approximately uniform colloidal suspension.
An apparatus for storing, mixing, and dispensing a liquid solution for a semiconductor processing tool, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising a thermally conductive material, the housing having at least first and second sections that combine to form a cavity, the first and second sections being configured to be set at different temperatures;
- a thermal insulator comprising a low thermal conductive material, the thermal insulator separating the first and second sections of the housing;
- a lid attached to the housing that is removable to allow insertion and removal of a bottle from the cavity, the lid comprising an opening to allow for the insertion of a draw tube into a bottle;
- and
- an insulating casing that at least partially surrounds the housing.
A method for forming an integrated circuit comprising:
- mixing a spin-on-dielectric (SOD) formulation by natural thermal convection including
- exposing a first portion of the SOD formulation to a first temperature, and
- exposing a second portion of the SOD formulation to a second temperature, the difference between the first and second temperatures is sufficient to mix the SOD formulation to an approximately uniform colloidal suspension;
- dispensing the SOD formulation onto a substrate;
- and
- forming a low-k dielectric layer from the SOD formulation.
A method of dispensing a colloid in liquid, the method comprising:
- establishing a temperature gradient in the liquid and the colloid;
- setting a maximum temperature of the temperature gradient below an upper colloid-chemical-breakdown temperature;
- mixing the liquid and the colloid by natural thermal convection to an approximately uniform colloidal suspension;
- and
- dispensing through a dispensing system the approximately uniform colloidal suspension.
An anti-stratification-delivery system comprising:
- a temperature-control unit having a fluid reservoir and having at least first and second temperature controllers that are configured to be set at different temperatures to establish a temperature gradient in a fluid that is disposed in the fluid reservoir, wherein the temperature gradient is sufficient to cause natural thermal convection within the fluid to stir a colloid suspended in the fluid to an approximately uniform colloidal suspension.
A fluid delivery system comprising:
- a fluid reservoir having at least first and second temperature controllers that are configured to be set at different temperatures to establish a temperature gradient in a fluid that is disposed in the fluid reservoir, wherein the temperature gradient is sufficient to cause natural thermal convection within the fluid to stir a colloid suspended in the fluid to an approximately uniform colloidal suspension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.