IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,649,164
Granted Patent B2
US 12,649,164 · App. 18/097,408 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Buffer chamber, substrate treating apparatus and substrate treating method

Inventors: Jun Young Choi (Cheongju-si, KR); Gui Su Park (Cheonan-si, KR); Young Hun Lee (Cheonan-si, KR); Young Jin Jang (Cheonan-si, KR); Jun Hyun Lim (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
B05C3/10B08B3/041B08B3/08B08B3/10
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,649,164
App. No.
18/097,408
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The inventive concept provides a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus includes a batch-type treating bath for treating a substrate in a batch-type manner; a single-type treating chamber for treating the substrate in a single-type manner; and a buffer chamber positioned on a transfer path of the substrate transferred between the batch-type treating bath and the single-type treating chamber, and supplying a liquid for maintaining a wetting state of the substrate.

Claims (39)

1 . A substrate treating apparatus comprising:

a batch-type treating bath for treating a substrate in a batch-type manner;

a single-type treating chamber for treating the substrate in a single-type manner; and

a buffer chamber positioned at a transfer path of the substrate transferred between the batch-type treating bath and the single-type treating chamber, and configured to supply a liquid to the substrate for maintaining a wetting state of the substrate,

wherein the buffer chamber includes:

a chuck for supporting and rotating the substrate; and

a liquid supply unit for supplying the liquid to the substrate supported and rotated on the chuck.

2 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the liquid supply unit includes:

a first liquid supply unit configured to supply a first liquid to a top surface of the substrate supported on the chuck; and

a second liquid supply unit configured to supply a second liquid to a bottom surface of the substrate supported on the chuck.

3 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 2 ,

wherein the second liquid supply unit is configured to supply the second liquid which has a higher volatility than the first liquid supplied by the first liquid supply unit.

4 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein the second liquid supply unit is configured to supply the second liquid which is an isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

5 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 4 ,

wherein the first liquid supply unit is configured to supply the first liquid which is a water.

6 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:

a controller configured to control the buffer chamber and configured to control the buffer chamber such that a rotation speed of the chuck is selected from a range of 300 RPM to 500 RPM during a time when the liquid is supplied from the liquid supply unit.

7 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:

a controller configured to control the buffer chamber and the single-type treating chamber such that a treating time of the substrate in the buffer chamber is shorter than a treating time of the substrate in the single-type treating chamber.

8 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a posture change treating bath positioned between the batch-type treating bath and the buffer chamber,

wherein a liquid stored in the posture change treating bath is a liquid which is the same as a liquid supplied by the liquid supply unit.

9 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a transfer robot for transferring the substrate in the single-type treating chamber,

wherein the single-type treating chamber includes:

a single-type liquid treating chamber for treating the substrate by supplying a treating liquid to the substrate; and

a single-type drying chamber for dry treating the substrate, and

wherein the transfer robot transfers the substrate among the single-type liquid treating chamber, the single-type drying chamber, and the buffer chamber.

10 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 9 ,

wherein the transfer robot includes:

a first hand;

a second hand installed at a height lower than the first hand; and

a third hand installed at a height lower than the second hand.

11 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:

a controller configured to control the transfer robot such that the first hand is used while transferring the substrate which is dry treated at the single-type drying chamber, the third hand is used while transferring the substrate which is wetted at the buffer chamber, and the second hand is used while transferring the substrate from the single-type liquid treating chamber to the single-type drying chamber.

12 . The substrate treating apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:

a controller configured to control the buffer chamber such that a supply of the first liquid is started from the first liquid supply unit, and after a set time passes, a supply of the second liquid is started from the second liquid supply unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2023
From: CHOI, JUN YOUNG; PARK, GUI SU; LEE, YOUNG HUN; JANG, YOUNG JIN; LIM, JUN HYUN
To: SEMES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062384/0638 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0077421 · Jun 24, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230415191A1 · Dec 28, 2023
References Cited (51)
US 5826601A · Muraoka · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 8027017B2 · Ryu · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 8652268B2 · Hayashi · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9437464B2 · Hayashi · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9460944B2 · Fujiwara · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 10276406B2 · Hayashi · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10395916B2 · Wu · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10406566B2 · Matsushita · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10460923B2 · Kim · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10541161B2 · Jung · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10586720B2 · Weaver · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10682674B2 · Jung · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10758875B2 · Bang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10969700B2 · Park · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11097320B2 · Park · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11149234B2 · Park · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11621159B2 · Kim · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11684956B2 · Jeong · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11721565B2 · Choi · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11868057B2 · Shibasaki · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 11923219B2 · Choi · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12154796B2 · Park · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12237180B2 · Choi · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12266561B2 · Lee · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20030053893A1 · Matsunaga · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20040112410A1 · Araki · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20050115671A1 · Araki · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20060156979A1 · Thakur · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20080060681A1 · Choo · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20080230101A1 · Hayashi · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20100173495A1 · Thakur · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20120210937A1 · Thakur · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20160351385A1 · Kim · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20180090340A1 · Sugioka · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190385838A1 · Wu · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200027761A1 · Park · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210202271A1 · Choi · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220013393A1 · Jung · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220088644A1 · Oh · 2022 [cited by examiner]
JP 2022016347 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022057884 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022087065 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022178486 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020010112512 · 2001 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020080051079 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020090097377 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020110120709 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020150097390 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020160147162 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020180039200 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020220076279 · 2022 [cited by applicant]