Single Substrate Processing Head For Particle Removal Using Low Viscosity Fluid

Abstract

A head for dispensing a thin film of a fluid over a substrate is disclosed. The head includes a body assembly that extends between a first and a second end that is at least a width of the substrate. The body includes a main bore that is defined between the first and the second ends, the main bore connected to an upper side of a reservoir through a plurality of feeds that are defined between the main bore and the reservoir. The body also includes a plurality of outlets connected to a lower side of the reservoir and extends to an outlet slot. The plurality of feeds has a larger cross-sectional area than the plurality of outlets and the plurality of feeds are fewer than the plurality of outlets. The fluid is configured to flow through the main bore, through the plurality of feeds along the bore and fill the reservoir up to at least the threshold level before fluid is evenly output as a film out of the outlet slot onto the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus to distribute fluid material to a surface of a substrate, comprising:
 (a) a body extending a length between a first end and a second end, the length being greater than a width of the substrate, the body including,
 (i) a main bore extending between the first end and the second end, the main bore configured to couple to a delivery manifold; 
 (ii) a body channel extending between the first end and the second end, the body channel being substantially parallel to the main bore; and 
 (iii) a plurality of feeds connecting the main bore and the body channel, the body channel extending to a body interface surface of the body; and 
   (b) a face plate having a plate length extending between the first end and the second end of the body, the face plate having a face plate interface surface that is configured to mate with a body interface surface of the body, the face plate including,
 (i) a face plate channel extending between the first end and the second end of the body, the face plate channel substantially parallel to the main bore, the face plate channel defined at the face plate interface surface so that mating the body interface surface and the face plate interface surface defines a reservoir that couples to the feeds; and 
 (ii) a plurality of outlets oriented along the plate length, the plurality of outlets being coupled to an outlet slot that is oriented opposite the face plate interface surface; 
 wherein the fluid material is configured to flow from the delivery manifold to the main bore, to the plurality of feeds, into the reservoir, through the plurality of outlets and onto the surface of the substrate through the outlet slot. 
   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (c) a second body extending a length between a first end and a second end, the length being greater than a width of the substrate, the body including;
 (i) a second main bore extending between the first end and the second end, the main bore configured to couple to a second delivery manifold; 
 (ii) a second body channel extending between the first end and the second end, the second body channel being substantially parallel to the second main bore; 
 (iii) a second plurality of feeds connecting the second main bore and the second body channel, the second body channel extending to a body interface surface of the second body; and 
 (iv) at least one reclaim line; 
   (d) a second face plate having a second plate length extending between the first end and the second end of the second body, the second face plate having a face plate interface surface that is configured to mate with the body interface surface, the second face plate including;
 (i) a second face plate channel extending between the first end and the second end of the second body, the second face plate channel substantially parallel to the second main bore, the second face plate channel defined at the face plate interface surface of the second face plate so that mating the body interface surface and the face plate interface surface defines a fluid resistor that couples to the second plurality of feeds; 
 (ii) a second plurality of outlets oriented along the second plate length, the second plurality of outlets being coupled to a second outlet slot that is oriented opposite the face plate interface surface; and 
 (iii) at least one reclaim basin being connected with the reclaim line. 
   wherein the fluid material is configured to flow from the second delivery manifold to the second main bore, to the second plurality of feeds, into the fluid resistor, through the second plurality of outlets and onto the surface of the substrate through the second outlet slot.   
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein individual feeds within the plurality of feeds have different cross-sectional areas. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein groups of feeds within the plurality of feeds have different cross-sectional areas. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein fluid materials not remaining on the surface of the substrate are contained within the reclaim basin. 
     
     
         6 . An applicator to deliver a fluid to a substrate, comprising:
 (a) a main bore extending between ends of the apparatus;   (b) a reservoir extending between ends of the apparatus, the reservoir substantially parallel to the main bore;   (c) a plurality of feeds connecting the main bore and the reservoir;   (d) a plurality of outlets connecting the reservoir to an exterior of the apparatus;   (e) an outlet slot connecting the plurality of outlets;   wherein the fluid is delivered through the main bore, through the plurality of feeds, to the reservoir, through the plurality of outlets to the outlet slot and onto the substrate as the substrate is moved within a channel adjacent to the outlet slot.   
     
     
         7 . The applicator as described in  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of feeds have different cross-sectional areas. 
     
     
         8 . The applicator as described in  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of outlets and the outlet slot are formed on a faceplate. 
     
     
         9 . The applicator as described in  claim 6 , wherein the main bore and the feeds are formed on a body. 
     
     
         10 . The applicator as described in  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of feeds have cross-sectional areas larger than cross-sectional areas of the plurality of outlets. 
     
     
         11 . The applicator as described in  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of outlets is fewer than the plurality of feeds. 
     
     
         12 . A chamber for processing a substrate, comprising:
 (a) a substrate carrier configured to slide horizontally within the chamber;   (b) a fluid dispense head having a head length, the fluid dispense head oriented below a path of the substrate carrier, the fluid dispense head having an outlet slot that extends at least a width of the substrate when held by the substrate carrier, the fluid dispense head having a recovery area surrounding the outlet slot, the recovery area connected to a recycle conduit,   wherein a fluid emerging from a main delivery nozzle of the fluid dispense head and out through the outlet slot is directed upward toward a direction of an underside of the substrate, when present, so as to deliver a substantially uniform film of the fluid on the substrate and the recovery area recovers fluid not defining the film.   
     
     
         13 . The chamber as described in  claim 12 , wherein the fluid dispense head includes a body and a face plate, the body and face plate secured together along a body/face plate interface surface. 
     
     
         14 . The chamber as described in  claim 13 , wherein the body includes a main bore and a body reservoir extending between ends of the fluid dispense head and a plurality of feeds connecting the main bore and the body reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . The chamber as described in  claim 13 , wherein the face plate includes a face plate reservoir extending between ends of the fluid dispense head, a plurality of outlets connecting to an upper side of the reservoir, and an outlet slot. 
     
     
         16 . The chamber as described in  claim 13 , wherein a fluid resistor is formed along the body/face plate interface surface, the fluid resistor being partially defined within the face plate and partially defined within the body.