KR20090030051A - Method for supplying chemical - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for supplying chemical is provided to supply mixed solution continuously in changing a mixing tank by monitoring the density of a mixed solution. A first mixed solution is manufactured by supplying at least more than two kind of solution to a first mixing tank(S100). The concentration of the first mixed solution is checked by using the densitometer connected to a mixed solution supply tube(S110). The first mixed solution is supplied to a liquid agent processing equipment(S120). The second mixed solution is manufactured by supplying at least more than two kinds of the solution to a second mixing tank(S130). The concentration of the second mixed solution stored in the second blending tank is checked by a certain cycle by utilizing the densitometer(S150).

Description

Chemical supply method {METHOD FOR SUPPLYING CHEMICAL}

The present invention relates to a chemical liquid supply method, and more particularly, to a chemical liquid supply method capable of supplying a mixture of two or more chemical liquids in real time according to the mixing ratio in the thin film manufacturing process.

In the semiconductor manufacturing process or the flat panel display device manufacturing process, the etching and cleaning process are becoming more important as the device is highly integrated. In particular, the current trend is that particle management standards become more stringent and optimization of the cleaning process against fine contamination such as organic, inorganic and metal contamination is urgently required. Currently, various chemical solutions (chemical solutions) used in etching and cleaning processes are used, and various chemical solutions are mixed and used for an efficient and optimized process.

Therefore, manufacturing facilities such as semiconductors or flat panel displays require specific conditions and management according to the supply of respective chemical liquids. In particular, in the chemical liquid supply and supply method of mixing and supplying various chemical liquids, each chemical liquid has a predetermined ratio. Precise control of the mixing, the concentration relationship and the feeding amount according to the mixing is required.

Recently, in order to increase the efficiency of chemical liquid supply, a chemical liquid supply device having two or more mixing tanks for mixing two or more chemical liquids has been used. In this chemical liquid mixing apparatus, while mixing the chemical liquids mixed in the first mixing tank to the chemical processing equipment, the chemical liquids are mixed in the second mixing tank and then awaited. Supply to the chemical processing equipment.

However, since a concentration meter for measuring the concentration of the mixed liquid supplied to the chemical liquid treatment facility is provided in the supply line, it is difficult to measure the concentration of the mixed liquid stored in the second mixed tank during the supply of the mixed liquid of the first mixed tank. Accordingly, when the mixing tank is changed, the concentration information of the second mixing tank is not known, and thus, if there is a problem in the concentration of the mixed liquid stored in the second mixing tank, the chemical liquid processing equipment may not be operated while preparing the normal mixed liquid. A problem arises.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the present invention provides a chemical liquid supplying method capable of continuously supplying chemical liquids without inactivation of the chemical liquid treatment facility when the mixing tank is changed.

According to a chemical liquid supply method according to an aspect of the present invention, by supplying at least two or more kinds of chemical liquids to the first mixing tank to prepare a first mixed liquid, and after checking the concentration of the first mixed liquid, the first mixed liquid is a chemical liquid Supply to processing equipment. After the preparation of the first liquid mixture, the at least two kinds of chemical liquids are supplied to a second mixing tank to prepare a second liquid mixture. Thereafter, the concentration of the second liquid mixture is checked at regular intervals while the first liquid mixture is supplied to the chemical liquid treatment facility. Thereafter, after the supply of the first liquid mixture is completed, the second liquid mixture is then supplied to the chemical liquid treatment facility.

On the other hand, when the density | concentration of the said 2nd liquid mixture is out of specification as a result of checking the density | concentration of a 2nd liquid mixture, after discharging the said 2nd liquid mixture from the said 2nd mixing tank, the said at least 2 types of chemical liquid to the said 2nd mixing tank. The new feed mixture was prepared to prepare a new second mixed solution.

According to the chemical liquid supply method as described above, the concentration of the mixed liquid of the second mixed tank is checked at regular intervals when the mixed liquid is supplied to the first mixed tank, so that the mixed liquid can be continuously supplied without inactivation of the chemical liquid treatment facility when the mixed tank is changed.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As the inventive concept allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific disclosed form, it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. In describing the drawings, similar reference numerals are used for similar components. In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of the structures are shown in an enlarged scale than actual for clarity of the invention.

Terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" or "having" are intended to indicate that there is a feature, number, step, action, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and that one or more other features It should be understood that it does not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of numbers, steps, actions, components, parts or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms such as those defined in the commonly used dictionaries should be construed as having meanings consistent with the meanings in the context of the related art and shall not be construed in ideal or excessively formal meanings unless expressly defined in this application. Do not.

1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a chemical liquid supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a flow chart showing a chemical liquid supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the chemical liquid supply apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first mixing tank 110, a second mixing tank 120, and a densitometer 130.

At least two or more kinds of chemical liquids are supplied to the first mixing tank 110 and the second mixing tank 120, and they are mixed at a predetermined ratio. For example, chemical liquids such as sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ultrapure water, and hydrofluoric acid may be supplied to the first mixing tank 110.

The chemical liquids are supplied to the first mixing tank 110 and the second mixing tank 120 through the chemical liquid supply pipes 143 and 144 connected to the respective chemical liquid supply units 141 and 142, respectively. Although only two chemical liquid supply parts 141 and 142 are shown in FIG. 1, this is only one example, and the chemical liquid supply device 100 may include three or more chemical liquid supply parts for mixing three or more chemical liquids. have. Flow rate control of the chemical liquids supplied to the first mixing tank 110 and the second mixing tank 120 is a flow control valve (not shown) and a flow meter (not shown) installed in each of the chemical liquid supply pipe (143, 144) It can be done through.

The first mixed liquid prepared in the first mixing tank 110 and the second mixed liquid prepared in the second mixing tank 120 are supplied to the chemical liquid processing facility 200 through the mixed liquid supply pipe 122. Specifically, while the first mixing tank 110 supplies the first mixed liquid to the chemical liquid treatment facility 200, the second mixed tank 120 maintains the standby state, and the second mixed tank 120 maintains the second mixed liquid. The first mixing tank 110 maintains the standby state while supplying the to the chemical liquid treatment facility 200.

The concentration of the first mixed liquid prepared in the first mixing tank 110 and the second mixed liquid prepared in the second mixing tank 120 is measured by the densitometer 130 connected to the mixed liquid supply pipe 122. That is, the first mixed liquid and the second mixed liquid are supplied to the chemical liquid processing facility 200 only after the concentration is checked by the densitometer 130 before being supplied to the chemical liquid processing facility 200, and meets a predetermined specification.

Hereinafter, a chemical solution supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, at least two or more kinds of chemical liquids are supplied to the first mixing tank 110 to prepare a first mixed liquid in which chemical liquids are mixed at a constant ratio (S100). The chemical liquids are supplied to the first mixing tank 110 through the chemical liquid supply pipes 143 and 144 connected to the respective chemical liquid supply parts 141 and 142, respectively.

Next, the concentration of the first mixed liquid is checked through the densitometer 130 connected to the mixed liquid supply pipe 122 before the first mixed liquid is supplied to the chemical liquid treatment facility 200 (S110). As a result of checking the concentration of the first mixed liquid, when the concentration matches the predetermined specification, the first mixed liquid is supplied to the chemical liquid processing facility 200 (S120). On the other hand, when the concentration of the first mixed liquid is checked, if the deviation is a predetermined specification, the first mixed liquid is discharged from the first mixed tank 110, and then new chemical liquids are newly supplied to the first mixed tank 110 to provide a new first mixed liquid. To prepare.

On the other hand, when the manufacturing of the first mixed liquid is completed in the first mixing tank 110, at least two or more kinds of chemical liquids are supplied to the second mixing tank 120 to prepare a second mixed liquid (S130). The chemical liquids are supplied to the second mixing tank 120 through the chemical liquid supply pipes 143 and 144 connected to the respective chemical liquid supply parts 141 and 142, respectively. The second mixing tank 120 in which the preparation of the second mixed liquid is completed maintains the standby state while the first mixed tank 110 supplies the first mixed liquid to the chemical liquid processing facility 200 (S140).

In the present invention, the concentration of the second mixed liquid stored in the second mixed tank 120 is used as the concentration meter 130 while the first mixed liquid of the first mixed tank 110 is supplied to the chemical liquid processing facility 200. Check at regular intervals (S150). As a result of checking the concentration of the second mixed liquid stored in the second mixing tank 120, the second mixing tank 120 maintains the standby state if it matches the predetermined specification. On the other hand, as a result of checking the concentration of the second mixed liquid stored in the second mixing tank 120, if it is inconsistent with the predetermined specification, after discharging the second mixed liquid from the second mixing tank 120 (S160), New chemicals are supplied to the mixing tank 120 to prepare a new second mixed liquid.

After the supply of the first mixed liquid through the first mixing tank 110 is completed, the second mixed liquid of the second mixed tank 120 is immediately supplied to the chemical liquid treatment facility 200. Specifically, when the supply of the first mixed liquid through the first mixing tank 110 is completed, the available tank is changed to the second mixing tank 120 (S170).

Next, before supplying the second mixed liquid to the chemical liquid treatment facility 200, the concentration of the second mixed liquid is checked through the densitometer 130 connected to the mixed liquid supply pipe 122 (S180). As a result of checking the concentration of the second mixed liquid, the second mixed liquid is supplied to the chemical liquid treatment facility 200 when it matches the predetermined specification (S190).

Since the concentration of the second mixed liquid stored in the second mixed tank 120 was checked at regular intervals during the supply of the first mixed liquid, even if the available tank was changed from the first mixed tank 110 to the second mixed tank 120. Continuous supply of the mixed liquid can be performed without stopping the chemical liquid treatment facility 200.

According to the present invention, in supplying the chemical liquid mixed to the chemical liquid treatment facility using the chemical liquid supply device having the first and second mixing tank, the concentration of the mixed liquid of the second mixing tank at the time of supplying the mixed liquid of the first mixing tank By checking at regular intervals, it is possible to continuously supply the mixed liquid without stopping the chemical liquid treatment facility when changing the mixing tank, thereby improving the reliability and productivity of the facility.

In the detailed description of the present invention described above with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art or those skilled in the art having ordinary knowledge in the scope of the invention described in the claims to be described later It will be understood that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a chemical liquid supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart showing a chemical liquid supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: chemical liquid supply device 110: first mixing tank

120: second mixing tank 130: densitometer

200: chemical processing equipment

Claims (2)

Supplying at least two kinds of chemical liquids to the first mixing tank to prepare a first mixed liquid; Checking the concentration of the first mixed solution; Supplying the first mixed liquid to the chemical liquid processing facility; After preparing the first mixed liquid, supplying the at least two kinds of chemical liquids to a second mixing tank to prepare a second mixed liquid; Checking the concentration of the second mixed liquid at regular intervals while supplying the first mixed liquid to the chemical liquid processing facility; And And after the supply of the first mixed liquid is completed, subsequently supplying the second mixed liquid to the chemical processing facility. The method of claim 1, When the concentration of the second mixed liquid is out of specification as a result of checking the concentration of the second mixed liquid, after discharging the second mixed liquid from the second mixed tank, the at least two kinds of chemical liquids are placed in the second mixed tank. Supplying a new chemical liquid supply method characterized in that to prepare a new second liquid mixture.

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