Chemical liquid supply apparatus, and substrate treating apparatus having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025105032-A1
Application number	US-202418442548-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 15, 2024
Priority date	Sep 26, 2023
Publication date	Mar 27, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A chemical liquid supply apparatus is provided and includes an additive supply, a chemical liquid supply, and a controller that controls the additive supply and the chemical liquid supply. The additive supply includes a first tank that receives an additive from an additive container, and a first circulating pipe connected to the first tank. The chemical liquid supply includes an auxiliary tank that receives an etching liquid from another container and receives the additive, and a second circulating pipe connected to the auxiliary tank. The controller provides control so as to: circulate the additive in the first tank; heat the etching liquid in the auxiliary tank using a heater such that a temperature of the etching liquid is increased to a first temperature; supply the additive to the auxiliary tank; and produce a chemical liquid by circulating the etching liquid and the additive at the first temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A chemical liquid supply apparatus comprising:
an additive supply comprising:
a first tank configured to receive an additive from an additive container; and
a first circulating pipe connected to the first tank;
a chemical liquid supply comprising:
an auxiliary tank configured to receive a raw etching liquid from a raw etching liquid container and receive the additive from the additive supply; and
a second circulating pipe connected to the auxiliary tank; and
a controller configured to control the additive supply and the chemical liquid supply, wherein the controller is configured to control the additive supply and the chemical liquid supply so as to:
circulate the additive in the first tank for a first time using the first circulating pipe;
heat the raw etching liquid in the auxiliary tank using a heater such that a temperature of the raw etching liquid is increased from room temperature to a first temperature;
based on the temperature of the raw etching liquid reaching the first temperature, supply the additive to the auxiliary tank; and
produce a chemical liquid by circulating the raw etching liquid and the additive at the first temperature for a second time using the second circulating pipe.

2 . The chemical liquid supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chemical liquid supply further comprises a main tank that is configured to receive the chemical liquid from the auxiliary tank and store the chemical liquid.

3 . The chemical liquid supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises water and silica,
wherein the first time is a time duration elapsed until a concentration of the silica in the additive becomes constant, wherein the first temperature is in a range of 160° C. to 170° C., wherein the second time is a time duration required for dissolving the additive in the raw etching liquid.

4 . The chemical liquid supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the additive supply further comprises:
a liquid particle counter connected to the first circulating pipe and configured to count particles of the additive; a first supply pipe configured to supply the additive from the additive supply to an auxiliary tank; and a flow meter connected to the first supply pipe.

5 . The chemical liquid supply apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the additive comprises water and silica,
wherein the additive supply further comprises a filter connected to the first supply pipe and configured to filter the silica.

6 . The chemical liquid supply apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the additive supply further comprises a valve connected to the first supply pipe.

7 . The chemical liquid supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chemical liquid supply further comprises a discharge pipe connected to the second circulating pipe and located within the auxiliary tank.

8 . The chemical liquid supply apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the auxiliary tank comprises a first area and a second area, below the first area,
wherein the discharge pipe comprises a plurality of holes that are located in the first area of the auxiliary tank.

9 . A substrate treating apparatus comprising:
an additive supply comprising:
a first tank configured to receive an additive from an additive container; and
a first circulating pipe connected to the first tank;
a chemical liquid supply comprising:
an auxiliary tank for receiving a raw etching liquid from a raw etching liquid container and receiving the additive from the additive supply;
a second circulating pipe connected to the auxiliary tank; and
a main tank configured to receive and store a chemical liquid from the auxiliary tank;
a processing unit comprising a process chamber, a substrate, and a substrate support, the processing unit configured to receive the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid supply; and a controller configured to control the additive supply and the chemical liquid supply, wherein the controller is configured to control the additive supply and the chemical liquid supply so as to:
circulate the additive in the first tank for a first time using the first circulating pipe;
heat the raw etching liquid in the auxiliary tank using a heating device such that a temperature of the raw etching liquid is increased from room temperature to a first temperature;
based on the raw etching liquid reaching the first temperature, supply the additive to the auxiliary tank;
produce the chemical liquid by circulating the raw etching liquid and the additive at the first temperature for a second time using the second circulating pipe; and
supply the chemical liquid to the processing unit.

10 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a wet etching process on the substrate using the chemical liquid, and
wherein the substrate treating apparatus further comprises:
a collection tank configured to collect the chemical liquid remaining after the wet etching process;
a recycling tank configured to receive and store the chemical liquid from the collection tank; and
a third circulating pipe connected to the recycling tank.

11 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to circulate the chemical liquid in the recycling tank at the first temperature for a third time using the third circulating pipe.

12 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the additive comprises water and silica,
wherein the first time is a time duration elapsed until a concentration of the silica in the additive becomes constant, wherein the first temperature is in a range of 160° C. to 170° C., wherein the second time is a time duration required for dissolving the additive in the raw etching liquid, wherein the third time is a time duration required for dissolving the additive in the chemical liquid that is collected.

13 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 9 , the chemical liquid supply further comprises a discharge pipe connected to the second circulating pipe and located in the auxiliary tank.

14 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the auxiliary tank comprises a first area and a second area, below the first area,
wherein the discharge pipe comprises a plurality of holes that are located in the first area of the auxiliary tank.

15 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 9 , the additive supply further comprises:
a liquid particle counter connected to the first circulating pipe and configured to count particles of the additive; a first supply pipe configured to supply the additive from the additive supply to the auxiliary tank; and a flow meter connected to the first supply pipe.

16 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the additive supply further comprises a valve connected to the first supply pipe.

17 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the chemical liquid supply further comprises:
a concentration meter connected to the second circulating pipe; and a water container configured to supply water to the auxiliary tank.

18 . A chemical liquid supply apparatus comprising:
an additive container containing an additive; a first tank configured to receive the additive from the additive container and store the additive; a first circulating pipe connected to the first tank and configured to circulate the additive in the first tank; a first supply pipe connected to the first circulating pipe and configured to supply the additive, wherein the first supply pipe comprises a fil

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Sung Hyun
• Kang Min Suk
• Kim Young-Hoo
• You Jin Seon
• Kim Tae-Hong
• Shim Woo Gwan

Classifications

• H10P72/0422 Primary

  for wet etching · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

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

• H10P72/0424 Primary

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/0426

  with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels · CPC title

• H01L21/67075 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic