Filter unit pretreatment method, treatment liquid supply apparatus, filter unit heating apparatus, and treatment liquid supply passage pretreatment method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016236124-A1
Application number	US-201415025045-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, after a new filter unit ( 3 ) is installed in a treatment liquid supply apparatus, there is performed, before a solvent-containing treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit, a step of soaking the filter unit with a solvent for pretreatment and then discharging therefrom the solvent. The solubility of a material, constituting a filter part ( 31 ) of the filter unit, to the solvent is greater than the solubility of the material to the treatment liquid. This step makes it possible to remove a component, which may elute from the filter part into the treatment liquid to produce foreign matters (particles), before treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit.

First claim

1 . A method of pretreating a filter unit, wherein the filter unit is to be provided in a treatment liquid supply passage in order to remove foreign matters included in a solvent-containing treatment liquid for performing a liquid treatment to a treatment object, said method comprising:
a step of soaking a filter part with a solvent for pretreatment, wherein a solubility of a resin, which constitutes the filter part of the filter unit, to the solvent for pretreatment is greater than a solubility of the resin to a solvent used in the treatment liquid.

2 . The filter unit pretreating method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of soaking the filter part with the solvent for pretreatment. includes a step of replacing the solvent for pretreatment present in the filter unit with a new solvent for pretreatment.

3 . The filter unit pretreatment method according to claim 1 , wherein the solvent for pretreatment is a heated solvent.

4 . The filter unit pretreatment method according to claim 3 , further comprising a step of preheating the solvent for pretreatment before the solvent for pretreatment is introduced into the filter unit.

5 . The filter unit pretreatment method according to claim 3 , wherein the heated solvent is a solvent of the same type as a solvent contained in the treatment liquid.

6 . The filter unit pretreatment method according to claim 1 , wherein the solvent for pretreatment is a solvent of a type different from the solvent contained in the treatment liquid.

7 . The filter unit pretreatment method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of applying ultrasonic waves to the solvent for pretreatment.

8 . A treatment liquid supply apparatus that supplies a treatment object with a solvent-containing treatment liquid for performing a liquid treatment to the treatment object, said apparatus comprising:
a treatment liquid supply passage having one end to which a treatment liquid ejecting unit for ejecting the treatment liquid to the treatment object is provided, and having the other end to which a treatment liquid supply source is to be connected; a filter unit provided in the treatment liquid supply passage in order remove foreign matters in the treatment liquid, the filter unit having a filter part made of a resin; and a pretreatment mechanism that establishes a condition in which the filter part is soaked with a solvent for pretreatment, wherein a solubility of a resin, which constitutes the filter part of the filter unit, to the solvent for pretreatment is greater than a solubility of the resin to a solvent used in the treatment liquid.

9 . The treatment liquid supply apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the pretreatment mechanism includes a heating mechanism that heats the filter part.

10 . The treatment liquid supply apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the heating mechanism includes a main body in which the filter unit is received, and a heating unit for heating the main body, and wherein the heating unit includes a first storage part for storing a first reaction substance, a second storage part for storing a second reaction substance, isolated from the first storage part, that causes exothermic reaction upon contact with the first reaction substance, and an isolation releasing part that releases an isolated state of the the first and second reaction substances so as to bring them into contact with each other.

11 . The treatment liquid supply apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the pretreatment mechanism includes a heating mechanism for preheating the solvent for pretreatment before the solvent for pretreatment is introduced into the filter unit.

12 . The treatment liquid supply apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the pretreatment mechanism includes:
a pretreatment solvent supply source that supplies the solvent for pretreatment of a type different from a solvent contained in the treatment liquid; and a flow passage switching mechanism that switches between the the treatment liquid supply passage that supplies the treatment liquid from the treatment liquid supply passage to the filter unit, and a solvent supply passage that supplies the solvent from the pretreatment solvent supply source to the filter unit.

13 . The treatment liquid supply apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the pretreatment mechanism includes an ultrasonic oscillator that applies ultrasonic waves to the filter part.

14 . An apparatus for heating a filter unit, wherein the filter unit is to be provided in a treatment liquid supply passage in order to remove foreign matters included in a solvent-containing treatment liquid for performing a liquid treatment to a treatment object, said apparatus comprising:
a main body for receiving the filter unit therein; and a heating unit for heating the main body, wherein the heating unit includes a first storage part for storing a first reaction substance, a second storage part for storing a second reaction substance, isolated from the first storage part, that causes exothermic reaction upon contact with the first reaction substance, and an isolation releasing part that releases an isolated state of the the first and second reaction substances so as to bring them into contact with each other.

15 . A method of pretreating a treatment liquid supply passage to eliminate foreign matters of organic matters that may be included in a solvent-containing treatment liquid for performing liquid treatment to a treatment object, said pretreatment method comprising:
a step of supplying a solvent for pretreatment to the treatment liquid supply passage; and a step of thereafter discharging the solvent for pretreatment from the treatment liquid supply passage, wherein a solubility of the organic matters to the solvent for pretreatment is greater than the solubility of of the organic matters to the solvent contained the treatment liquid.

16 . The pretreatment method of pretreating the treatment liquid supply passage according to claim 15 , wherein the step of supplying the solvent for pretreatment into the treatment liquid supply passage includes a step of replacing the solvent for pretreatment present in the treatment liquid supply passage with a new solvent for pretreatment.

17 . The pretreatment method of pretreating the treatment liquid supply passage according to claim 15 , wherein the solvent for pretreatment is a heated solvent.

18 . A treatment liquid supply apparatus that supplies a treatment object with a solvent-containing treatment liquid for performing liquid treatment to the treatment object, said apparatus comprising:
a treatment liquid supply passage having one end to which a treatment liquid ejecting unit for ejecting the treatment liquid to the treatment object is provided, and having the other end to which a treatment liquid supply source is to be connected; a pretreatment mechanism that supplies a solvent for pretreatment to an inside of the treatment liquid supply passage; wherein a solubility of organic matters to the solvent for pretreatment is greater than a solubility of the organic matters to the solvent contained in the treatment liquid.

19 . The treatment liquid supply apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the pretreatment mechanism includes a heating mechanism for heating the treatment liquid supply passage.

20 . The treatment liquid supply apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the pretreatment mechanism includes a solvent supply mechanism that supplies a heated solvent to the inside of the treatment liquid supply pas

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshida Yuichi
• Naitou Ryouichirou
• Dauendorffer Arnaud Alain Jean
• Takayanagi Koji
• Miyazaki Shinobu

Classifications

• H10P72/0402 Primary

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

• B01D37/02 Primary

  Precoating the filter medium; Addition of filter aids to the liquid being filtered {(devices for feeding reagents C02F1/685 and sub-groups; filter aids)} · CPC title

• B01D35/18

  Heating or cooling the filters · CPC title

• H10P72/0448

  Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0441

  Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like · CPC title