Exhaust module for wafer baking apparatus and wafer processing system having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11779871-B2
Application number	US-201916661957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Oct 10, 2023
Grant date	Oct 10, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an exhaust module for exhausting an exhaust from at least one wafer baking apparatus having an exhaust port. The exhaust module includes at least one pipeline, a heating unit, a solvent dispensing unit, and a filtering unit. The at least one pipeline is connected to the exhaust port of the wafer baking apparatus and configured to exhaust the exhaust gas from the wafer baking apparatus. The heating unit is connected to the pipeline and configured to heat the exhaust gas. The solvent dispensing unit is connected to the heating unit and configured to dispense a solvent to cool and dissolve the exhaust gas. The filtering unit is connected to the solvent dispensing unit and configured to filter the solvent.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An exhaust module for exhausting an exhaust gas from at least one wafer baking apparatus, comprising:
at least one pipeline connected to an exhaust port of the at least one wafer baking apparatus and configured to exhaust the exhaust gas from the at least one wafer baking apparatus;
a heating unit connected to the at least one pipeline and configured to heat the exhaust gas;
a solvent dispensing unit connected to the heating unit and configured to dispense a solvent to cool and be dissolved in the exhaust gas; and
a filtering unit connected to the solvent dispensing unit and configured to filter the solvent dissolved in the exhaust gas;
wherein the heating unit comprises a heating pipe and a heat insulation film surrounding the heating pipe, and the solvent dispensing unit comprises a solvent dispensing pipe connected to the heating pipe of the heating unit and a nozzle configured to dispense the solvent into the solvent dispensing pipe.

2. The exhaust module of claim 1 , wherein the heating unit has an operating temperature within a range of 50 to 100 degrees Celsius.

3. The exhaust module of claim 1 , wherein the solvent dispensed from the solvent dispensing unit has a temperature within a range of 15 to 25 degrees Celsius.

4. The exhaust module of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling water unit coupled to the filtering unit and configured to cool the filtering unit.

5. The exhaust module of claim 4 , wherein the cooling water unit comprises an inlet configured to introduce a cooling water into the cooling water unit and an outlet configured to discharge the cooling water.

6. The exhaust module of claim 5 , wherein the cooling water introduced into the inlet of the cooling water unit has a temperature within a range of 16 to 18 degrees Celsius.

7. The exhaust module of claim 1 , wherein the heat insulation film of the heating unit is a flexible polyimide film.

8. The exhaust module of claim 1 , wherein the heating pipe of the heating unit is horizontally disposed.

9. The exhaust module of claim 1 , wherein the solvent dispensing pipe of the solvent dispensing unit is vertically disposed.

10. The exhaust module of claim 1 , further comprising a controller coupled to the heating unit and configured to control an operating temperature of the heating unit.

11. A wafer processing system comprising:
at least one wafer baking apparatus configured to bake a wafer, comprising:
a chamber for accommodating the wafer having an exhaust port; and
a baking plate disposed in the chamber for baking the wafer; and
an exhaust module for exhausting an exhaust gas from the at least one wafer baking apparatus, comprising:
at least one pipeline connected to the exhaust port of the chamber of the at least one wafer baking apparatus and configured to exhaust the exhaust gas from the at least one wafer baking apparatus;
a heating unit connected to the at least one pipeline and configured to heat the exhaust gas;
a solvent dispensing unit connected to the heating unit and configured to dispense a solvent to cool and be dissolved in the exhaust gas; and
a filtering unit connected to the solvent dispensing unit and configured to filter the solvent dissolved in the exhaust gas;
wherein the heating unit of the exhaust module comprises a heating pipe and a heat insulation film surrounding the heating pipe, the solvent dispensing unit of the exhaust module comprises a solvent dispensing pipe connected to the heating pipe of the heating unit and a nozzle configured to dispense the solvent into the solvent dispensing pipe, the heating pipe of the heating unit is horizontally disposed, and the solvent dispensing pipe of the solvent dispensing unit is vertically disposed.

12. The wafer processing system of claim 11 , wherein the heating unit of the exhaust module has an operating temperature within a range of 50 to 100 degrees Celsius.

13. The wafer processing system of claim 11 , wherein the solvent dispensed from the solvent dispensing unit of the exhaust module has a temperature within a range of 15 to 25 degrees Celsius.

14. The wafer processing system of claim 11 , wherein the exhaust module further comprising a cooling water unit coupled to the filtering unit and configured to cool the filtering unit.

15. A method for exhausting an exhaust gas from at least one wafer baking apparatus, comprising:
connecting an exhaust module to an exhaust port of the at least one wafer baking apparatus, wherein the exhaust module comprises at least one pipeline, a heating unit, a solvent dispensing unit, and a filtering unit;
exhausting the exhaust gas from the exhaust port of the at least one wafer baking apparatus through the at least one pipeline of the exhaust module;
heating the exhaust gas in the heating unit of the exhaust module;
dispensing a solvent to cool and be dissolved in the exhaust gas by the solvent dispensing unit; and
filtering the solvent by the filtering unit;
wherein the heating unit comprises a heating pipe and a heat insulation film surrounding the heating pipe, and the solvent dispensing unit comprises a solvent dispensing pipe connected to the heating pipe of the heating unit and a nozzle configured to dispense the solvent into the solvent dispensing pipe.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the exhaust gas is heated in the heating unit of the exhaust module at a temperature within a range of 50 to 100 degrees Celsius.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the solvent dispensed by the solvent dispensing unit of the exhaust module has a temperature with a range of 15 to 25 degrees Celsius.

Assignees

• Xia Tai Xin Semiconductor Qing Dao Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Byung-In
• Lim Jong-Kill
• Jang Sungkun

Classifications

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01D46/4263 Primary

  Means for active heating or cooling · CPC title

• G03F7/40

  Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking · CPC title

• B01D2279/00

  Filters adapted for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours specially modified for specific uses · CPC title