KR100749335B1 - Apparatus for automatically venting photoresist - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is connected to each of a plurality of nitrogen supply lines, a plurality of nitrogen supply valves that are opened and closed for nitrogen supply and a plurality of air supply valves, which are connected to each of a plurality of air supply lines, and opened and closed for air supply A control module having a; And, connected to the control module and the cable, and a switch for opening and closing of the plurality of nitrogen supply valves and the plurality of air supply valve; relates to a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device.

Semiconductor, Wafer, Photoresist, Coating, Bottle, Buffer Tank, Empty Sensor

Description

Photoresist Automatic Exhaust System {APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY VENTING PHOTORESIST}

1 is a view for explaining the prior art Patent Publication No. 2004-0062279,

2 and 3 are views for explaining the prior art Patent Publication No. 10-0505493,

4 is a view showing an example of a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device according to the present invention,

5 is a view showing an example of a control module according to the present invention;

6 is a view showing an example of a mounting structure on the back of the control module plate of FIG.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photoresist automatic exhaust device, and more particularly, to a photoresist automatic exhaust device having a control module and a switch module independent of a workplace environment.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a prior art Patent Publication No. 2004-0062279. In Publication No. 10-2004-0062279, a lot of time is required to replace a bottle, and a drain method and a time for each worker are required. Inconsistent due to inconsistency, and if the worker blocks the discharge pipe late, the expensive photosensitive liquid is continuously exhausted through the discharge pipe so that the consumption of the photosensitive liquid is increased. Valves (640, 640 ') which are connected by') and conduits (540, 540 ') and open and close the buffer tanks (200, 200') receiving photoresist from the bottles (100, 100 ') and the discharge pipes (560, 560') connected to the buffer tanks (200, 200 '). ), The gas reservoir 400, the bottle 100, 100 ′ and the gas reservoir 400, in which the gas provided into the bottle 100, 100 ′ is stored to move the photoresist from the bottle 100, 100 ′ to the buffer tanks 200, 200 ′. Gas ball connecting And a valve 620 for opening and closing the pipes 520 and 520 ', wherein the valves 640 and 640' and the valve 620 open and close the discharge pipes 560 and 560 'and the gas supply pipes 520 and 520' by electrical signals. A photosensitive liquid supply system is presented.

The photosensitive liquid supply system pressurizes nitrogen to the bottle 100 through the gas storage unit 400 when the photosensitive liquid is supplied from the replaced bottle 100 to the buffer tank 200 after the used bottle 100 is replaced. At the same time, by opening the valve 640 of the buffer tank 200 in the conventional system employing a method in which the photosensitive liquid is supplied from the bottle 100 to the buffer tank 200 and the gas remaining in the buffer tank 200 is exhausted. Thus, one system for automatically opening and closing the valve 640 and the valve 620, which has been manually opened and closed by an operator by controlling the valve 640 and the valve 620 used therein with an electrical signal. By implementing the), it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience of manual operation, and to reduce the amount of photoresist exhausted through the valve 620.

2 and 3 are views illustrating the prior art Patent Publication No. 10-0505493, and Patent Publication No. 10-0505493 is connected to the bottle (1020, 1030), the bottle (1020, 1030) containing the photosensitive liquid A device for automatically evacuating a photoresist comprising a buffer tank (1022, 1032) and an empty sensor (1023, 1033) for checking the photoresist in the buffer tank (1022, 1032), the device is a bottle 1020 And a photoresist automatic exhaust unit (1080, 1090) for supplying a photoresist to the buffer tanks (1022, 1032) and exhausting a portion of the photoresist to remove the gas remaining in the buffer tanks (1022, 1032). The photosensitive liquid auto exhaust unit 1080, 1090 is a nitrogen valve 1081 which is opened to pressurize the bottles 1020, 1030 with nitrogen when the photosensitive liquid is supplied from the bottles 1020, 1030 to the buffer tanks 1022, 1032. And photoresist from the bottles 1020 and 1030 to the buffer tanks 1022 and 1032. A 2-way chemical actuating valve 1085 that opens to draw out the photoresist from the bottles 1020 and 1030 to the buffer tanks 1022 and 1032 and also to exhaust a portion of the photoresist to remove the gas remaining in the buffer tanks 1022 and 1032. Wherein the apparatus includes a 2-way chemical actuation valve actuating unit 1086 and a photosensitive liquid exhaust vent 1080 including control valves 1087, 1097 for opening the 2-way chemical actuation valve 1085 by supplying air. A photosensitive liquid self-exhaust device is provided, which includes a control unit 1010 for automatically controlling 1090 and control valves 1087 and 1097.

However, by using the above conventional technique, although the opening and closing operation of the bottle pressurizing valves 620 and 1081 and the buffer tank exhaust valves 640 and 640 'and 1085, which have been conventionally made manually, can be performed automatically, There are still some things that need to be improved.

In other words, the semiconductor processing operation of applying the photoresist to the wafer is generally performed in a limited space, in which the air source, the air supply line, and the air supply control valves, which are means for evacuating the buffer tank, are dizzyingly placed and also the bottle Nitrogen sources for pressurization, nitrogen supply lines, valves for pressurizing air nitrogen are dizzying, limiting the operator's activity.

Furthermore, the control unit for controlling these valves is located separately, and the operator has to move the messy and confined space to the place where the control unit is located after replacing the bottle, and then operate the switch for operating the valves. there was.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, by converting the operation valves, sensors, and control means that were previously dependent on the workplace environment into a component independent of the workplace environment, It is an object of the present invention to provide a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device which can operate a valve for a buffer tank by simply connecting a line.

The present invention also converts actuation valves and sensors and controls, previously dependent on the workplace environment, into components independent of the workplace environment, while operating these actuation valves and sensors where the bottle is replaced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device that can be made.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an automatic photosensitive liquid exhaust device which can immediately know which bottle has an abnormality where the bottle is replaced.

To this end, the present invention is a bottle containing a photoresist; A buffer tank connected to the bottle; A photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device comprising a plurality of photosensitive liquid supply parts connected to the buffer tank and having a buffer tank valve which is opened when the photosensitive liquid is supplied from the bottle to the buffer tank after replacement of the bottle. A plurality of nitrogen supply lines connected to the plurality of nitrogen supply lines; A plurality of air supply lines connected to the valves for the buffer tanks of the plurality of photosensitive liquid supply units; A plurality of nitrogen supply valves connected to each of the plurality of nitrogen supply lines and opened and closed to supply nitrogen; And a plurality of air supply valves connected to each of the plurality of air supply lines and opened and closed for air supply. And a switch module connected to a control module and a cable, the switch module including a plurality of nitrogen supply valves and a switch for opening and closing the plurality of air supply valves.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device, characterized in that the control module includes a plurality of ports to which a plurality of nitrogen supply lines and a plurality of air supply lines are connected.

The present invention also provides a control module for detecting a pressure of the nitrogen pressure of the plurality of nitrogen supply line; And a relief valve for releasing nitrogen when the nitrogen pressure of the plurality of nitrogen supply lines is greater than or equal to a set pressure. It provides a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device, characterized in that it further comprises at least one of.

The present invention also provides a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device, characterized in that the switch of the switch module has a lamp function.

The present invention also provides a control module housing; Plate located in the housing; provides a photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device characterized in that the housing is provided with a plurality of ports.

The present invention also provides a control module housing; And a plate positioned in the housing, wherein the plate is provided with at least one of a pressure sensor and a relief valve.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a photoresist automatic exhaust device characterized in that the control module further comprises a control board for controlling the operation of the control module and a power supply for supplying power for the operation of the control module.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

4 is a view showing an example of the automatic photosensitive liquid exhaust apparatus according to the present invention, 10 is a photosensitive liquid supply unit, the photosensitive liquid supply unit 10 is a bottle 11, a buffer tank 12, and a buffer tank valve 13 It is provided. The bottle 11 is a container containing a photosensitive liquid, and the buffer tank 12 is a buffer which receives a photosensitive liquid from the bottle 11 and supplies it onto a semiconductor wafer (not shown). Preferably, the buffer tank 12 has an empty sensor 14, and the empty sensor 14 serves to detect when the photosensitive liquid therein is lowered below a predetermined amount. The buffer tank valve 13 mainly consists of a 2-way chemical actuating valve, and after the bottle 11 is replaced, a valve for supplying nitrogen, which will be described later, for supplying a photosensitive liquid from the bottle 11 to the buffer tank 12 is provided. When opened, they are opened together to guide the photoresist to the buffer tank 12 and to discharge any gas remaining in the buffer tank 12.

It is a 20 degree photosensitive liquid supply part and is provided with the bottle 21, the buffer tank 22, and the buffer tank valve 23 similarly to the photosensitive liquid supply part 10, and the buffer tank 22 carries the empty sensor 24. Equipped. One semiconductor wafer manufacturing apparatus is provided with a plurality of photosensitive liquid supply parts for supplying the photosensitive liquid onto the wafer without using the other bottle 11 even if the photosensitive liquid is exhausted in one bottle 21. Although FIG. 4 shows two photoresist supplies 10, 20, this is for illustrative purposes and more photoresist supplies may be provided. In addition, various modifications are possible in the configuration of the photosensitive liquid supply unit, for example, two buffer tanks may be provided in one bottle.

30 is a nitrogen supply line for supplying nitrogen to the photosensitive liquid supply parts 10 and 20, and 40 is an air supply line for supplying air to the photosensitive liquid supply parts 10 and 20. In order to supply nitrogen and air to each photosensitive liquid supply part, a nitrogen supply line 31 is connected to the bottle 11 and an air supply line 41 is connected to the valve 13 for a buffer tank. Similarly, the nitrogen supply line 32 is connected to the bottle 21, and the air supply line 42 is connected to the valve 23 for the buffer tank. Nitrogen supply line 30 is provided with a means 35 for the smooth supply of nitrogen, such means 35 may include a regulator, a check valve and a gas filter.

50 is a control module according to the present invention, the control module 50 is a port 50A through which the nitrogen supply line 30 is connected to introduce nitrogen, and a port through which the air supply line 40 is connected to the air ( 50B), the port 51a is connected to the nitrogen supply line 31 and nitrogen flows out to pressurize the bottle 11, and the nitrogen supply line 32 is connected to pressurize the bottle 21. A port (52a) having an outlet port, connected to the air supply line (41), and a port (51b) through which air flows out so as to open the valve for the buffer tank (13), and a buffer tank connected to the air supply line (42). A port 52b through which air flows out to open the valve 23 is provided.

60 is a switch module according to the present invention, the switch module 60 is connected to the control module 50 through a cable 70, and provided with a switch 61, nitrogen and air to the photosensitive liquid supply unit (10, 20) Instructs the control module 50 to be supplied.

5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control module according to the present invention, and includes a port 50A through which nitrogen is introduced into the housing 80 and a port 50B through which air is introduced, and further includes a bottle 11. A port 51a through which nitrogen flows out to pressurize and a port 52a through which nitrogen flows out to pressurize the bottle 21 are provided, and a port 51b through which air flows out to open the valve 13 for the buffer tank. And a port 52b through which air flows out so as to open the valve 23 for the buffer tank.

The plate 81 in the housing 80 is provided with an air supply valve 90 for controlling the port 51b and the port 52b, and for supplying nitrogen for controlling the port 51a and the port 52a. The valve 100 is provided, and preferably, the air supply valve 90 and the nitrogen supply valve 100 are solenoid valves. Reference numeral 90a denotes an air supply valve 90a connected to the port 51b, and 100a indicates a nitrogen supply valve connected to the port 51a.

An additional flow path 101 is formed between the ports 51a and 52a and the nitrogen supply valve 100, and a pressure sensor 102 provided in the housing 80 is connected to the additional flow path 101. In this way, the nitrogen pressure in the nitrogen supply lines 31 and 32 can be measured, preferably displayed externally, and designed to generate an alarm if excessive pressure occurs in the nitrogen supply lines 31 and 32.

In addition, a relief valve 103 (relief valve) is provided on the plate 81, and is connected to an additional flow path 101, and is a safety device that releases nitrogen when the pressure of nitrogen has a value higher than or equal to a set pressure. 103 may be in the form of a pressure can be adjusted or in the form of a check valve fixed a set pressure.

6 is a view showing an example of the mounting structure of the back surface of the control module plate of FIG. The control board 104 for controlling the operation of the) is provided, and one side is provided with a power supply unit 105 for supplying the power required for the operation of the control module 50. In addition, the control board 104 of the control module 50 is configured to receive a signal from the empty sensors (14, 24), it is configured to give an operation signal to the three-way operation valve to be described later.

Referring to FIG. 4 again, reference numeral 110 is a 3-way operating valve, which serves to selectively open the lines 15 and 25 connected to the buffer tanks 12 and 22. 120 is an application means for receiving the photosensitive liquid from the buffer tanks 12 and 22 and applying the same to the semiconductor wafer. The application means 120 may include a photoresist filter, a pump, a suck-back valve, a nozzle, and the like.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described.

1. Application of Photosensitive Liquid to Semiconductor Wafer

The process of coating the semiconductor wafer with the photosensitive liquid is performed by attracting the photosensitive liquid from the buffer tank 12 through the line 15 by the operation of the pump of the coating means 120 while the buffer tank 12 is filled. The 3-way operation valve 110 blocks the line 25 and keeps the line 15 open according to the instruction of the control module 50.

2. Depletion of Photosensitive Liquid in Bottle 11

When the photoresist in the bottle 11 is exhausted, since the photoresist is not supplied from the bottle 11, the level of the photoresist in the buffer tank 12 is also lowered. When the water level is reached, the empty sensor 14 is turned off. This off signal is known to the control module 50, which instructs the 3-way actuation valve 110 to shut off the line 15 and open the line 25, An alarm is generated for replacement, informing the operator that the bottle 11 is exhausted.

3. Replacement of the bottle 11

The operator who hears the alarm of the control module 50 replaces the exhausted bottle 11.

4. Filling and Exhaust of Buffer Tank 12

The operator who completed the replacement of the bottle 11 does not need to move to the place where the air supply valve 90a and the nitrogen supply valve 100a are located, or the control part thereof, and has the switch module 60 carried. The switch 61 of the controller 61 transmits this signal to the control module 50, and the control module 50 which receives the signal opens the air supply valve 90a and the nitrogen supply valve 100a. .

When the air supply valve 90a and the nitrogen supply valve 100a are opened, nitrogen is supplied to the bottle 11 through the port 51a and the nitrogen supply line 31 so that the photoresist in the bottle 11 is buffered ( 12 and at the same time, air is supplied to the buffer tank valve 13 through the port 51b and the air supply line 41 to open the buffer tank valve 13 to open the buffer tank from the bottle 11. While the photoresist is attracted to 12, the gas remaining in the buffer tank 12 is discharged to fill the buffer tank 12 with the photoresist.

At this time, in order to completely exhaust the gas remaining in the buffer tank 12, a part of the photosensitive liquid flowing into the buffer tank 12 may be exhausted. This is because if the photoresist is applied to the semiconductor wafer while the gas remains in the buffer tank 12, the result is bad. The control module 50 may minimize the amount of the photosensitive liquid that is exhausted along with the exhaust of the gas by adjusting the opening times of the air supply valve 90a and the nitrogen supply valve 100a.

In the process of filling and exhausting the buffer tank 12, the pressure of nitrogen is checked by the pressure sensor 102, and when a pressure value below the set pressure is detected, the control module 50 generates an alarm.

In addition, when the pressure of the nitrogen is excessive in the process of filling and exhausting the buffer tank 12 to have a pressure value higher than the pressure set in the relief valve 103, the nitrogen is automatically discharged to automate the risk that may arise from excessive pressure. And can be solved.

In addition, the switch 61 of the switch module 60 may have a lamp function so as to know exactly what bottle 11 or 21 a problem has occurred and to cope with it more quickly when a problem occurs. Of course, such a lamp function may be provided in the control module 50.

5. Complete filling and exhausting of the buffer tank 12

The control module 50 shuts off the air supply valve 90a and the nitrogen supply valve 100a when the set time elapses from the pressure sensor 102 without generating an abnormal signal.

As a result, the bottle 11 and the buffer tank 12 are placed in a state where the photoresist can be applied to the semiconductor wafer again. When the bottle 21 is exhausted and the empty sensor 24 is turned off, the 3-way operation valve 110 is applied. Blocks line 25 and opens line 15.

According to the present invention, the operation valves, sensors, and control means, which have previously been dependent on the workplace environment, are provided with a control module and a switch module to convert into a component independent of the workplace environment. And the valve for the buffer tank can be operated by simply connecting a line.

In addition, according to the present invention, the operation valves, sensors, and control means, which were previously dependent on the workplace environment, are provided with a switch module that is cabled to the control module, thereby converting the bottle to a component independent of the workplace environment, while the bottle is replaced. It is then possible to operate these actuating valves and sensors right where they are.

In addition, according to the present invention, by providing a switch function of the switch of the switch module, it is possible to immediately know which bottle occurred in the place where the bottle is replaced.

Claims (7)

A bottle containing photoresist; A buffer tank connected to the bottle; In the photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device comprising a plurality of photosensitive liquid supply unit which is connected to the buffer tank, and having a buffer tank valve which is opened when the photosensitive liquid is supplied to the buffer tank from the bottle after replacement of the bottle, A plurality of nitrogen supply lines connected to the bottles of each of the plurality of photosensitive liquid supply units; A plurality of air supply lines connected to the valves for the buffer tanks of the plurality of photosensitive liquid supply units; And, A plurality of nitrogen supply valves connected to each of the plurality of nitrogen supply lines and opened and closed to supply nitrogen; And a plurality of air supply valves connected to each of the plurality of air supply lines and opened and closed for air supply. And, And a switch module connected to a control module and a cable, the switch module including a plurality of nitrogen supply valves and a switch for opening and closing the plurality of air supply valves. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a plurality of ports to which a plurality of nitrogen supply lines and a plurality of air supply lines are connected. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises: a pressure sensor for detecting nitrogen pressure in the plurality of nitrogen supply lines; And a relief valve for releasing nitrogen when the nitrogen pressure of the plurality of nitrogen supply lines is greater than or equal to a set pressure. It further comprises at least one of the photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust device. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch of the switch module has a lamp function. The system of claim 2, wherein the control module comprises: a housing; And a plate positioned in the housing, wherein the plurality of ports are provided in the housing. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control module comprises: a housing; And a plate positioned in the housing, wherein the plate is provided with at least one of a pressure sensor and a relief valve. 7. The photosensitive liquid automatic exhaust according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control module further comprises a control board for controlling the operation of the control module and a power supply for supplying power for the operation of the control module. Device.

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