Patent ID: 7685963
Filing Date: 2010-03-30
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. Photoresist dispensing apparatus for use in coating a substrate with photoresist, the photoresist dispensing apparatus comprising: at least one bottle containing photoresist; a spray nozzle; a supply line connecting the spray nozzle to the at least one bottle so that photoresist can be supplied from the at least one bottle to the spray nozzle; a first filter disposed in the supply line at an end of the supply line proximate the spray nozzle, the first filter being of a type that will remove foreign substances from the photoresist; a dispensing pump connected to the supply line upstream of the first filter to deliver photoresist through the first filter and spray nozzle; a charge pump connected to the supply line upstream of the dispensing pump to coerce photoresist into the supply line from the at least one bottle; a bubble removal filter disposed in the supply line downstream of the charge pump and upstream of the first filter, the bubble removal filter being of a type that will remove air bubbles from the photoresist; and a buffer tank disposed in the supply line between the bubble removal filter and the dispensing pump so as to store a volume of the photoresist, from which the bubbles have been removed by the bubble removal filter, for delivery to the spray nozzle by the dispensing pump.