Inline dispense capacitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718082-B2
Application number	US-201514600821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2015
Priority date	Jan 26, 2014
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A fluid dispensing apparatus is disclosed. Systems include an in-line or linear bladder apparatus configured to expand to collect a charge of fluid, and contract to assist with fluid delivery and dispensing. During a dispense-off period process fluid can collect in this bladder after the process fluid is pushed through a fine filter (micro filter). A given filtration rate can be less than a dispense rate and thus the system herein compensates for filter-lag that often accompanies fluid filtering for microfabrication, while providing a generally linear configuration that reduces chances for defect creation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for fluid delivery, the apparatus comprising:
a pressurized fluid housing defining a longitudinal pressure control channel having an inlet opening having an inlet opening diameter and an outlet opening having an outlet opening diameter, the pressurized fluid housing including a pressure control fluid inlet;
a bladder positioned within the longitudinal pressure control channel, the bladder having a process fluid inlet and a process fluid outlet, the process fluid inlet being inserted within the inlet opening of the pressurized fluid housing, and the process fluid outlet being inserted within the outlet opening of the pressurized fluid housing, the bladder defining a longitudinal flow path between the process fluid inlet and the process fluid outlet, the bladder being configured to expand and contract within the longitudinal pressure control channel such that a volume defined by the bladder can be increased and decreased, the bladder having a bladder length that is greater than a bladder cross-sectional height;
the longitudinal pressure control channel configured to contain a pressure control fluid surrounding an exterior surface of the bladder so that the bladder contacts the pressurized fluid housing only at the inlet opening of the pressurized fluid housing and the outlet opening of the pressurized fluid housing, the pressure control fluid inlet being configured such that the pressure control fluid can enter or exit the longitudinal pressure control channel;
a filter connected to the inlet opening via a fluid inlet conduit and positioned to filter the process fluid at a filtration rate before the process fluid enters the bladder; and
a controller configured to activate a pressure-control system that selectively removes pressure control fluid from the longitudinal pressure control channel to increase a volume of the bladder, and that selectively increases pressure control fluid in the longitudinal pressure control channel to decrease a volume of the bladder, wherein the controller is constructed and arranged to expand the bladder to a diameter greater than the inlet opening diameter and the outlet opening diameter such that the process fluid collects in the bladder and thereafter reduce the volume of the bladder to provide a flow rate through the outlet opening that is greater than the filtration rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor that detects a pressure of the pressure control fluid in the longitudinal pressure control channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a dispense nozzle coupled to the outlet opening via a fluid outlet conduit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the dispense nozzle is configured to dispense the process fluid onto a substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bladder has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of circular, oval, and rectangular.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-control system includes a pneumatic system that selectively increases or decreases a gas surrounding the bladder.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the pneumatic system uses a piston to move process control fluid into and out of the longitudinal pressure control channel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-control system includes a hydraulic system that selectively increases or decreases the pressure control fluid.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bladder includes flanges at the process fluid inlet and the process fluid outlet, and wherein the flanges connect with the pressurized fluid housing to form a fluid-sealed connection.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bladder is constructed of a flexible material selected from the group consisting of rubber, synthetic rubber, elastomer, thin-walled metal, stainless steel, and fluoropolymer elastomer.

11. An apparatus for fluid delivery, the apparatus comprising:
a pressurized fluid housing defining a pressure-control chamber having an inlet opening having an inlet opening diameter and an outlet opening having an outlet opening diameter, the pressurized fluid housing configured to contain a pressure control fluid;
a bladder positioned within the pressure-control chamber, the bladder having a process fluid inlet and a process fluid outlet, the process fluid inlet inserted within the inlet opening of the pressure-control chamber, and the process fluid outlet inserted within the outlet opening of the pressure-control chamber, the bladder defining an approximately linear flow path between the process fluid inlet and the process fluid outlet, the bladder being configured to expand and contract within the pressure-control chamber such that a volume defined by the bladder can be increased and decreased, the bladder having a bladder length that is greater than a bladder cross-sectional height;
the pressure-control chamber configured to contain a pressure-control fluid circumferentially surrounding an exterior surface of the bladder so that the bladder contacts the pressurized fluid housing only at the inlet opening of the pressure-control chamber and the outlet opening of the pressure-control chamber, the pressure-control chamber interfaced with a pressure-control mechanism that selectively increases or decreases a fluid pressure of the pressure-control fluid exerted on the exterior surface of the bladder disposed between the inlet opening of the pressure-control chamber and the outlet opening of the pressure-control chamber;
a filter connected to the inlet opening via a fluid inlet conduit and positioned to filter the process fluid at a filtration rate before the process fluid enters the bladder; and
a controller configured to activate the pressure-control mechanism and selectively increase or decrease the fluid pressure of the pressure-control fluid exerted on the exterior surface of the bladder disposed between the inlet opening of the pressure-control chamber and the outlet opening of the pressure-control chamber such that the volume defined by the bladder selectively increases or decreases, wherein the controller is constructed and arranged to expand the bladder to a diameter greater than the inlet opening diameter and the outlet opening diameter such that the process fluid collects in the bladder and thereafter reduce the volume of the bladder to provide a flow rate through the outlet opening that is greater than the filtration rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the pressure-control mechanism includes a pneumatic system that selectively increases or decreases a gas surrounding the bladder.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the pressure-control mechanism includes a hydraulic system that selectively increases or decreases the pressure-control fluid.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus for fluid delivery is a component of a coater-developer system configured to deposit fluids on semiconductor wafers.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to transmit a pressure measurement signal in response to changes in pressure of the pressure control fluid caused by expansion or contraction of the bladder.

16. An apparatus for fluid delivery, the apparatus comprising:
a pressurized fluid housing defining a pressure control chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the pressurized fluid housing including a pressure control fluid inlet;
a bladder positioned within the pressure control chamber, the bladder having a process fluid inlet and a process fluid outlet, the process fluid inlet connected to the inlet opening of

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Devilliers Anton
• Nasman Ronald
• Grootegoed James
• Jacobson Jr Norman A

Classifications

• H10P72/0414 Primary

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

• H10P72/0402 Primary

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

• B05C9/10

  the auxiliary operation being performed before the application (B05C9/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05C11/1013

  responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00) · CPC title

• B05C5/0225 Primary

  characterised by flow controlling means, e.g. valves, located proximate the outlet (B05C5/0258, B05C5/0275 take precedence; supply valves upstream the coating head B05C11/1036) · CPC title