Nozzle for substrate treatment apparatus

Abstract

Provided are a nozzle and a related substrate treatment apparatus. The substrate treatment apparatus includes a process chamber, a supporting member disposed in the process chamber to support substrates, and a nozzle disposed in the process chamber to supply treatment fluid. The nozzle includes an outer tube along which a plurality of spraying holes are formed and which has a first end that is closed and an inner tube inserted into the outer tube through a hole formed on a second end of the outer tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. In the drawings, certain dimensions and geometric regions may have been exaggerated for clarity of illustration. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view a conventional nozzle of a substrate cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a substrate treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a supporting member depicted in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a nozzle depicted in FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a flow path of cleaning solution supplied to the nozzle depicted in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views illustrating an operational difference between the nozzle depicted in FIG. 1 and the nozzle depicted in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views of modified examples of the nozzle depicted in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of another modified example of the nozzle depicted in FIG. 5.

Claims

1. A substrate treatment apparatus comprising: a process chamber;a supporting member disposed in the process chamber and adapted to support wafers forming substrates; anda nozzle disposed in the process chamber and adapted to supply treatment solution, wherein the nozzle comprises: an outer tube comprising a plurality of spraying holes and a closed first end and an opposing second end; andan inner tube adapted to receive a flow of treatment solution and inserted into the outer tube through the second end of the outer tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer tubes are arranged such that the treatment solution passing from the inner tube collides with the first end of the outer tube and back-flows along a space between the inner and outer tubes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the density of the plurality of spraying holes varies along the length of the outer tube.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a relatively less dense arrangement of spraying holes is disposed at ends of the outer tube as compared with a middle portion of the outer tube.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein opening sizes for holes in the plurality of holes varies along the length of the outer tube.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein opening sizes for holes in the plurality of holes disposed at ends of the outer tube are smaller than opening sizes for holes in the plurality of holes at a middle portion of the outer tube.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the treatment solution is cleaning liquid adapted to clean the substrates.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wafers are racked on the supporting member in parallel and the nozzle is arranged in relation to a direction in which the substrates are racked.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the nozzle is disposed below the supporting member.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inner and outer tubes each have a tubular rod shape.

11. A nozzle comprising: an inner tube adapted to receive a flow of treatment solution at a proximate end and pass the treatment solution in a first direction from an open distal end; andan outer tube having a closed first end facing and proximate to the distal end of the inner tube, the outer tube enclosing the inner tube and being provided with a plurality of spraying holes formed along the length of the outer tube,wherein treatment solution passing from the inner tube collides with the first end of the outer tube and back-flows into a space between the inner and outer tubes in a second direction opposite the first direction.

12. The nozzle of claim 11, wherein the density of the plurality of spraying holes varies along the length of the outer tube.

13. The nozzle of claim 12, wherein a relatively less dense arrangement of spraying holes is disposed at ends of the outer tube as compared with a middle portion of the outer tube.

14. The nozzle of claim 11, wherein opening sizes for holes in the plurality of holes varies along the length of the outer tube.

15. The nozzle of claim 5, wherein opening sizes for holes in the plurality of holes disposed at ends of the outer tube are smaller than opening sizes for holes in the plurality of holes at a middle portion of the outer tube.

16. The nozzle of claim 11, wherein the treatment solution is cleaning liquid adapted to clean the substrates.

17. A nozzle comprising: a plurality of tubes, wherein a treatment solution is introduced through an inner most tube among the plurality of tubes, the treatment solution passes from the innermost tube to collide with a sidewall of an intermediate tube enclosing the innermost tube to cause back-flowing of the treatment solution through a space between the innermost tube and the intermediate tube, and an outermost tube comprises a plurality of spraying holes adapted to spray the treatment solution at a substantially uniform discharge flows.

18. The nozzle of claim 17, wherein the nozzle comprises three tubes.