US 12,090,527 B2
Method and system for processing substrate in semiconductor fabrication
Chun-Syuan Jhuan, Hsinchu County (TW); Ming-Jung Chen, Hsinchu (TW); Shao-Yen Ku, Hsinchu County (TW); and Tsai-Pao Su, Pingtung County (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD, Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/909,023.
Application 16/909,023 is a division of application No. 14/725,258, filed on May 29, 2015, granted, now 10,780,461.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/162,200, filed on May 15, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0316654 A1, Oct. 8, 2020
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01); B08B 3/04 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 3/04 (2013.01) [H01L 21/02057 (2013.01); H01L 21/67017 (2013.01); H01L 21/67051 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for processing a substrate in semiconductor fabrication, comprising:
a chamber configured to receive the substrate, and a nozzle is disposed in the chamber;
a storage module comprising a storage tank configured to store a mixture;
a circulation loop configured to perform a circulation operation by drawing the mixture from the storage module and back into the storage module, wherein both ends of the circulation loop are directly connected to the storage tank;
an inlet conduit configured to supply the mixture from the storage module to the nozzle, wherein the inlet conduit has a first end connected to the circulation loop and a second end connected to the nozzle;
a first sensor, which is a concentration meter, configured to detect a concentration of a substance in the mixture in the inlet conduit, wherein the first sensor is connected to the inlet conduit at a first position which is downstream of the circulation loop and upstream of the nozzle;
a spiking module comprising a supply solution tank and a branch conduit, configured to supply a supply solution including the substance to the chamber when the concentration of the substance in the mixture is less than a desired value;
wherein the supply solution is supplied from the spiking module to the chamber via the inlet conduit, and the supply solution is supplied to the inlet conduit at a second position, wherein the second position is at a portion of the inlet conduit that extends in the chamber, and the first position is aligned with the second position;
wherein the system also comprises a host computer configured to:
analyze a signal transmitted from the first sensor to determine if the concentration of the substance in the mixture in the inlet conduit is less than the desired value; and
control a valve on the branch conduit to supply the supply solution from the spiking module into the inlet conduit if the concentration of the substance is less than the desired value, so that an amount of the substance dispensed on the substrate is maintained at a target value;
wherein the system further comprises a second sensor, which is a concentration meter, connected to the inlet conduit in a position closer to the nozzle than the first position; and
wherein the host computer is configured to analyze the signal from the first sensor and a signal from the second sensor to adjust a volume of the supply solution supplied to the inlet conduit.