Chemical dispense system with reduced contamination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161545-B2
Application number	US-201615286368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2016
Priority date	Feb 11, 2013
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus includes a production tool and a pipe connected to the production tool. The pipe includes an inner pipe formed of a metal-free material, an outer pipe encircling the inner pipe, and an inlet connected to a channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe. The apparatus further includes a chemical supply system connected to the pipe. The chemical supply system is configured to supply a chemical through a channel encircled by the inner pipe to the production tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chemical dispensing system comprising:
a pipe configured to be connected between a chemical supply system and a production tool of semiconductor manufacturing, wherein the pipe comprises:
an inner pipe with a first channel therein, wherein the inner pipe is formed of a first dielectric material;
a first conductive layer on an outer surface of the inner pipe;
an outer pipe formed of a second dielectric material, the outer pipe encircling the inner pipe;
a second conductive layer on an inner surface of the outer pipe, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are electrically grounded; and
a second channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

2. The chemical dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the pipe further comprises a conductive line placed in the second channel and electrically grounded.

3. The chemical dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the second channel is a continuous conduit extending from a first end of the outer pipe to a second end of the outer pipe.

4. The chemical dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a conductive fluid in the second channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

5. The chemical dispensing system of claim 4 , wherein the conductive fluid comprises ionized water or wet nitrogen comprising water vapor and nitrogen gas.

6. The chemical dispensing system of claim 4 , wherein the conductive fluid is electrically grounded.

7. The chemical dispensing system of claim 4 , wherein the pipe further comprises a first port and a second port connected to the second channel, wherein a first one of the first port and the second port is configured to inject the conductive fluid into the second channel, and a second one of the first port and the second port is configured to retrieve the conductive fluid from the second channel.

8. The chemical dispensing system of claim 7 , further comprising the chemical supply system connected to the pipe, wherein the chemical supply system is configured to supply a chemical through the first channel while the conductive fluid is in the second channel.

9. The chemical dispensing system of claim 8 , wherein the conductive fluid is configured to flow in the second channel from the first one of the first port and the second port to the second one of the first port and the second port while the chemical flows in the first channel from the chemical supply system to the production tool.

10. The chemical dispensing system of claim 8 , wherein the conductive fluid does not flow while the chemical flows in the first channel from the chemical supply system to the production tool.

11. A method comprising:
flowing a chemical in a pipe to a production tool, wherein the production tool is configured to manufacture integrated circuits, and wherein the pipe comprises:
an outer pipe formed of a first dielectric material; and
an inner pipe inside the outer pipe and formed of a second dielectric material,
wherein an inner surface of the outer pipe is coated with a first conductive material, and an outer surface of the inner pipe is coated with a second conductive material, wherein the first conductive material and the second conductive material are electrically grounded, and wherein the chemical flows in the inner pipe; and

dispensing a conductive fluid into a channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
placing a metal line in the channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe; and
electrically grounding the metal line.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising dissolving, by the conductive fluid, a leaked chemical, wherein the leaked chemical is leaked from the inner pipe to the channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dispensing comprises:
injecting the conductive fluid into the channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe through an inlet of the pipe; and
retrieving the conductive fluid from the channel between the inner pipe and the outer pipe through an outlet of the pipe.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the conductive fluid flows during the flowing the chemical.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising electrically grounding the conductive fluid.

17. A method comprising:
supplying, via a first pipe, a chemical to a production tool configured to manufacture semiconductor devices, wherein the first pipe comprises a first dielectric material, and an outer surface of the first pipe is coated by a first conductive layer that is electrically grounded;
injecting, via an inlet, a conductive fluid into a channel between the first pipe and a second pipe, wherein the first pipe is inside and spaced apart from the second pipe, wherein the second pipe comprise a second dielectric material, and an inner surface of the second pipe is coated by a second conductive layer that is electrically grounded.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the supplying comprising flowing the chemical in the first pipe along a first direction, and wherein the injecting comprising flowing the conductive fluid in the second pipe along a second direction.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
retrieving, via an outlet, the conductive fluid from the channel between the first pipe and the second pipe.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising electrically grounding the conductive fluid.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Pan Rong-Shyan
• Chen Yung-Long
• Tzeng Heng-Yi
• Ku Shao-Yen
• Tseng Chih-Chiang

Classifications

• Y10T137/87153

  Plural noncommunicating flow paths · CPC title

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• F16L9/18 Primary

  Double-walled pipes; Multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies · CPC title

• F16L9/19 Primary

  Multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies · CPC title

• F16L11/127

  electrically conducting · CPC title