Apparatus and method for supplying liquid and apparatus for processing substrate
First Claim
1. A liquid supply apparatus for supplying a liquid, comprising:
- a pump mechanism for pumping out a liquid to a conduit by applying pressure to a flexible chamber to reduce a volume of said flexible chamber;
a flowmeter placed in a downstream side of said pump mechanism for measuring a flowrate of said liquid flowing through said conduit; and
a controller for sending an electrical signal to said pump mechanism, said electrical signal controlling pressure applied to said flexible chamber so that said flowrate of said liquid flowing through said conduit is adjusted to a predetermined flowrate on the basis of a flowrate of said liquid obtained by said flowmeter.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid supply apparatus comprises a pump mechanism for pumping out a liquid to a conduit, a flowmeter for measuring a flowrate of the liquid flowing through the conduit, and a controller for controlling these mechanisms. The pump mechanism comprises a flexible chamber made of resin, a pressure chamber housing the flexible chamber, and an electro-pneumatic regulator for adjusting pressure in a space between the pressure chamber and the flexible chamber. The flexible chamber comprises a bellows. In the liquid supply apparatus, while pressure is applied to the flexible chamber of the pump mechanism and the liquid in the flexible chamber is pumped out to the conduit, the pressure applied to the flexible chamber is controlled by the controller on the basis of a flowrate of the liquid measured by the flowmeter. This makes it possible to supply the liquid of a small flowrate while controlling the flowrate accurately.
14 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A liquid supply apparatus for supplying a liquid, comprising:
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a pump mechanism for pumping out a liquid to a conduit by applying pressure to a flexible chamber to reduce a volume of said flexible chamber;
a flowmeter placed in a downstream side of said pump mechanism for measuring a flowrate of said liquid flowing through said conduit; and
a controller for sending an electrical signal to said pump mechanism, said electrical signal controlling pressure applied to said flexible chamber so that said flowrate of said liquid flowing through said conduit is adjusted to a predetermined flowrate on the basis of a flowrate of said liquid obtained by said flowmeter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
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a first conduit through which a first liquid flows;
a second conduit through which a second liquid flows, said second conduit connected to said first conduit;
a liquid supply apparatus installed on an upstream side of said second conduit for supplying said second liquid; and
a process bath, located in a downstream side of a connected point of said first conduit and said second conduit, for storing a processing liquid which is a mixture of said first liquid and said second liquid, in which a substrate being dipped, wherein said liquid supply apparatus comprises a pump mechanism for pumping out said second liquid to a conduit connected to said second conduit by applying pressure to a flexible chamber to reduce a volume of said flexible chamber;
a flowmeter placed in a downstream side of said pump mechanism for measuring a flowrate of said second liquid flowing through said conduit; and
a controller for sending an electrical signal to said pump mechanism, said electrical signal controlling pressure applied to said flexible chamber so that said flowrate of said second liquid flowing through said conduit is adjusted to a predetermined flowrate on the basis of a flowrate of said second liquid obtained by said flowmeter. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
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a substrate holding part for holding a substrate;
a first conduit through which a first liquid flows;
a second conduit through which a second liquid flows, said second conduit connected to said first conduit;
a liquid supply apparatus installed on an upstream side of said second conduit for supplying said second liquid; and
a processing liquid supply part, located in a downstream side of a connected point of said first conduit and said second conduit, for supplying a processing liquid which is a mixture of said first liquid and said second liquid to said substrate, wherein said liquid supply apparatus comprises a pump mechanism for pumping out said second liquid to a conduit connected to said second conduit by applying pressure to a flexible chamber to reduce a volume of said flexible chamber;
a flowmeter placed in a downstream side of said pump mechanism for measuring a flowrate of said second liquid flowing through said conduit; and
a controller for sending an electrical signal to said pump mechanism, said electrical signal controlling pressure applied to said flexible chamber so that said flowrate of said second liquid flowing through said conduit is adjusted to a predetermined flowrate on the basis of a flowrate of said second liquid obtained by said flowmeter. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A liquid supply method for supplying a liquid, comprising the steps of:
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a) storing a liquid supplied from a liquid supply source in a flexible chamber by expanding said flexible chamber to increase a volume of said flexible chamber in a pump mechanism; and
b) pumping out said liquid to a conduit by applying pressure to said flexible chamber to reduce said volume of said flexible chamber, wherein said step b) comprises b1) measuring a flowrate of said liquid flowing through said conduit in a downstream side of said pump mechanism; and
b2) controlling pressure applied to said flexible chamber so that said flowrate of said liquid flowing through said conduit is adjusted to a predetermined flowrate on the basis of said flowrate measured in said step b1). - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification