US 11,862,485 B2
Nozzle standby device, liquid processing apparatus and operation method of liquid processing apparatus
Satoshi Shimmura, Koshi (JP); Kohei Kawakami, Koshi (JP); Hiroichi Inada, Koshi (JP); and Koji Takayanagi, Koshi (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Sep. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/471,457.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-152741 (JP), filed on Sep. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0084844 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67051 (2013.01) [H01L 21/02307 (2013.01); H01L 21/6715 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nozzle standby device configured to allow a nozzle configured to discharge a processing liquid, which is to be solidified by being dried, to stand by therein, the nozzle standby device comprising:
a nozzle accommodation unit, having an inner circumferential surface formed to surround a leading end portion of the nozzle, provided with a drain opening facing a discharge opening of the nozzle; and
a solvent discharge opening formed within a height range of the inner circumferential surface of the nozzle accommodation unit, and formed such that a discharged solvent is guided along the inner circumferential surface of the nozzle accommodation unit to be drained from the drain opening,
wherein the nozzle accommodation unit has, in a region above the drain opening where the solvent discharged from the solvent discharge opening falls down as a swirling flow, a diameter reducing portion having a first inner circumferential surface and a second inner circumferential surface as the inner circumferential surface such that an inner diameter of the diameter reducing portion becomes smaller toward the drain opening, the first inner circumferential surface and the second inner circumferential surface having different angles with respect to a center line of the nozzle accommodation unit, and
an intersection point of two straight lines extending along two opposite portions of the first inner circumferential surface is located, on a cross section cut along the center line of the nozzle accommodation unit to include the center line, above the discharge opening of the nozzle when the leading end portion of the nozzle is placed in the diameter reducing portion,
wherein the solvent discharge opening is formed above the diameter reducing portion or within a height range of the first inner circumferential surface.