Process liquid supply apparatus operating method, process liquid supply apparatus and non-transitory storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9508574-B2
Application number	US-201313956507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 3, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a process liquid supply apparatus operating method is provided. The method includes filling a filter unit with a process liquid from an upstream side of the filter unit to a downstream side of the filter unit after newly mounting or replacing the filter unit and repeating a depressurization filtering process and a pressurization filtering process for a predetermined number of times. The depressurization filtering process depressurizes the process liquid in the downstream side of the filter unit and thereby allows the process liquid to permeate through the filter unit. The pressurization filtering process pressurizes the process liquid from the upstream side of the filter unit and thereby allows the process liquid to permeate through the filter unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process liquid supply apparatus, comprising:
a process liquid supply source;
a filter unit that filters a process liquid supplied from the process liquid supply source, the filter unit being connected to the process liquid supply source via a first pipe and a first valve provided in the first pipe;
a trap that stores the process liquid ejected from the filter unit, the trap being connected to the filter unit via a second pipe;
a discharge outlet that discharges a gas in the process liquid from the filter unit and the trap, the discharge outlet being connected to the filter unit via a third pipe and a second valve provided in the third pipe and to the trap via a fourth pipe and a third valve provided in the fourth pipe;
a liquid sending unit that supplies the process liquid from the trap to target objects through a nozzle, the liquid sending unit being connected to the trap via a fifth pipe and a fourth valve provided in the fifth pipe;
a pressurizing gas supply source that supplies a pressurizing gas to pressurize an upstream side of the filter unit; and
a controller configured to control operations of the process liquid supply source, the filter unit, the trap, the discharge outlet, the liquid sending unit and the pressuring gas supply source,
wherein the controller is configured to open the first and second valves and closes the third and fourth valves while controlling the pressurizing gas supply source to pressurize the upstream side of the filter unit, so that the filter unit is filled with the process liquid from the upstream side of the filter unit to a downstream side of the filter unit, and
wherein the controller is configured to perform a control to repeat a depressurization filtering process and a pressurization filtering process for a predetermined number of times by:
in the depressurization filtering process, opening the first and fourth valve and closing the second and third valves while controlling the liquid sending unit to perform a suction action, so that the process liquid is depressurized in the downstream side of the filter unit and permeates through the filter unit; and
in the pressurization filtering process, opening the first and third valves and closing the second and fourth valves while controlling the pressurizing gas supply source to pressurize the upstream side of the filter unit, so that the process liquid is pressurized from the upstream side of the filter unit and permeates through the filter unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller performs the pressurization filtering process before performing repeating the depressurization filtering process and the pressurization filtering process.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bypass passage having an upstream end connected to an upstream side of the first valve and a downstream end connected to the trap, a fifth valve being provided in the bypass passage,
wherein in the depressurization filtering process, the controller opens the fourth and fifth valves and closes the first to third valves while controlling the pressurizing gas supply source to stop supply of the pressurizing gas and controlling the liquid sending unit to perform a compression action, so that the process liquid is depressurized in the downstream side of the filter unit and the process liquid is reversely sent through the bypass passage by the liquid sending unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the pressurization filtering process, the controller opens the discharge outlet, and
wherein the process liquid is discharged from the filer unit and the trap by pressure through the discharge outlet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a liquid particle counter provided in the second pipe,
wherein the controller controls the liquid particle counter to monitor bubbles in the process liquid while the process liquid is discharged from the filter unit and the trap through the discharge outlet.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Marumoto Hiroshi
• Takayanagi Koji
• Adachi Kenji

Classifications

• H10P72/0402 Primary

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

• H10P72/0448 Primary

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

• B01D19/0036

  Flash degasification (the other groups take precedence) · CPC title

• B01D36/001

  Filters in combination with devices for the removal of gas, air purge systems · CPC title

• B01D19/0031

  by filtration · CPC title