Slurry dilution system with an ultrasonic vibrator capable of in-situ adjustment of slurry concentration

• US 6,604,849 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsai, Meng-Feng, Jang, Rong Jye, Huang, Kung-Teng, Lin, Bih-Tiao
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooley, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US09/854,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20020048214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 366/51, 366/108, 366/114, 366/127, 366/134, 366/154.2, 366/160.1, 366/160.2, 366/162.1, 366/181.5, 366/182.1, 137/828, 137/896
• US Class Current: 366/154.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/023 Preventing sedimentation, conglomeration or agglomeration of solid ingredients during or after mixing by maintaining mixed ingredients in movement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/471 using a very viscous liquid and a liquid of low viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/433 Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4331 Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/60 Pump mixers, i.e. mixing within a pump
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/00 Mixers with rotary stirring devices in fixed receptacles magnetic mixers B01F33/45; Kneaders
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/84 for material continuously moving through a tube, e.g. by deforming the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/821 with consecutive receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2111 Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 1/04 subjecting the grinding or polishing tools, the abrading or polishing medium or work to vibration, e.g. grinding with ultrasonic frequency polishing or abrading surfaces on work by means of tumbling apparatus B24B31/00, involving oscillating or vibrating containers B24B31/06; superfinishing surfaces on work, e.g. by means of abrading blocks reciprocating with high frequency, B24B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/04 designed for working plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 57/02 for feeding of fluid, sprayed, pulverised, or liquefied grinding, polishing or lapping agents

Abstract

A slurry dilution system with an ultrasonic vibrator capable of diluting slurry in-situ to any desired level of concentration is proposed. Raw slurry and the de-ionized water fed into the slurry dilution system is mixed and homogenized by an ultrasonic vibrator and a mixer. The well-mixed slurry solution is then delivered to a chemical-mechanical polishing station. When the chemical-mechanical station requires slurry of a different concentration, the raw slurry can be diluted to the desired level simply by changing the rate of flow of de-ionized water into the dilution system.

Claims

1. A slurry dilution system capable of diluting slurry in-situ to any desired level of concentration, the slurry dilution system comprising:

a first pipeline having an inlet for feeding raw slurry into the slurry dilution system;

a second pipeline having an inlet for feeding de-ionized water into the slurry dilution system;

a first flow meter installed somewhere along the first pipeline for measuring a rate of flow for raw slurry;

a second flow meter installed somewhere along the second pipeline for measuring a rate of flow for de-ionized water;

a delivery pipeline having an inlet, wherein the delivery pipeline inlet is connected to both an outlet of the first pipeline and an outlet of the second pipeline, and a delivery pipeline outlet is connected to a chemical-mechanical polishing station;

an ultrasonic vibrator installed near a first terminal of the delivery pipeline for mixing and homogenizing the raw slurry and the de-ionized water and preventing slurry particles from sticking on pipe walls and from clustering so that mixing efficiency is improved; and

a mixer installed near a second terminal of the delivery pipeline for preventing the slurry particles from settling, wherein

the delivery pipeline includes at least one turning region between the ultrasonic vibrator and the mixer, and a U-shape region at the first terminal directly connecting with the outlet of the first pipeline and the outlet of the second pipeline.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic vibrator is installed next to the inlet of the delivery pipeline while the mixer is installed between the ultrasonic vibrator and the delivery pipeline outlet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixer is installed next to the inlet of the delivery pipeline while the ultrasonic vibrator is installed between the mixer and the delivery pipeline outlet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixer is rotary-type mixer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixer is a diaphragm pump-type mixer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixer is a turbulent-type mixer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a volume of the mixer ranges from 0.8 liter to 10 liter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a length of a portion of the delivery pipeline between the ultrasonic vibrator and the mixer ranges from 20 centimeter to 200 centimeter.

9. A slurry dilution system capable of in-situ dilution of slurry to any desired level of concentration, the slurry dilution system comprising:

a first pipeline having an inlet for feeding raw slurry into the slurry dilution system;

a second pipeline having an inlet for feeding de-ionized water into the slurry dilution system;

a first flow meter installed somewhere along the first pipeline for measuring a rate of flow for raw slurry;

a second flow meter installed somewhere along the second pipeline for measuring a rate of flow for de-ionized water;

a U-shaped delivery pipeline having an inlet, wherein the inlet is connected to both an outlet of the first pipeline and an outlet of the second pipeline, and a delivery pipeline outlet connected to a chemical-mechanical polishing station;

an ultrasonic vibrator installed next to the inlet of the U-shaped delivery pipeline for mixing and homogenizing the raw slurry and the de-ionized water and for preventing slurry particles from sticking on pipe walls and from clustering so that mixing efficiency is improved; and

a mixer installed between the ultrasonic vibrator and the delivery pipeline outlet for preventing the slurry particles from settling.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mixer is a rotary-type mixer.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the mixer is a diaphragm pump-type mixer.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the mixer is a turbulent-type mixer.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein a volume of the mixer ranges from 0.8 liter to 10 liter.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein a length of a portion of the delivery pipeline between the ultrasonic vibrator and the mixer ranges from 20 centimeter to 200 centimeter.

15. A slurry dilution system capable of diluting slurry in-situ to any desired level of concentration, the slurry dilution system comprising:

a first pipeline having an inlet for feeding raw slurry into the slurry dilution system;

a second pipeline having an inlet for feeding de-ionized water into the slurry dilution system;

a first flow meter installed somewhere along the first pipeline for measuring a rate of flow for raw slurry;

a second flow meter installed somewhere along the second pipeline for measuring a rate of flow for de-ionized water;

a delivery pipeline having an inlet, wherein the delivery pipeline inlet is connected to both an outlet of the first pipeline and an outlet of the second pipeline, and a delivery pipeline outlet is connected to a chemical-mechanical polishing station;

an ultrasonic vibrator installed next to the inlet of the delivery pipeline for mixing and homogenizing the raw slurry and the de-ionized water and preventing slurry particles from sticking on pipe walls and from clustering so that mixing efficiency is improved; and

a mixer installed between the ultrasonic vibrator and the delivery pipeline outlet for preventing the slurry particles from settling;

wherein the delivery pipeline includes at least one turning region between the ultrasonic vibrator and the mixer.