System, apparatus, and method for improving photoresist coating operations

Abstract

A coating system comprising a vessel, a flexible container within the vessel, and a coating apparatus. The flexible container including an outlet port, wherein the flexible container is configured to contract in response to an increase in pressure within the vessel. The flexible container is configured to output a coating composition through the outlet port in response to contraction. The coating apparatus is configured to receive the coating composition from the outlet port.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A coating system comprising:
 a vessel;   a flexible container within the vessel, the flexible container including an outlet port, wherein the flexible container is configured to contract in response to an increase in pressure within the vessel, and the flexible container is configured to output a coating composition through the outlet port in response to contraction; and   a coating apparatus for receiving the coating composition from the outlet port.   
     
     
         2 . The coating system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the coating composition is a photoresist.   
     
     
         3 . The coating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an intermediate reservoir containing a first volume of the coating composition, wherein a second volume of the coating composition is applied to a substrate, a ratio between the first volume and the second volume being at least 5:1.   
     
     
         4 . The coating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller for controlling the pressure within the vessel.   
     
     
         5 . The coating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filter between the flexible container and a dispensing nozzle.   
     
     
         6 . The coating system according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a secondary reservoir between the flexible container and the dispensing nozzle, the secondary reservoir being sized to receive a first volume of the coating composition.   
     
     
         7 . The coating system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flexible container comprises
 a reinforced region, the reinforced region having an interior surface area and being connected to a first attachment apparatus. 
   
     
     
         8 . The coating system according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the flexible container comprises:
 a flexible region, the flexible region having a variable interior surface area and being connected to the reinforced region, and 
 wherein the interior surfaces of the reinforced region, the flexible region, and the first attachment apparatus define a variable container volume. 
   
     
     
         9 . The coating system according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first attachment apparatus further comprises an inlet port.   
     
     
         10 . The coating system according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the outlet port has a first configuration operable for establishing a fluidic connection with an outlet line; and   the inlet port has a second configuration operable for preventing the establishment of a fluidic connection to the outlet line.   
     
     
         11 . A method of coating a substrate comprising:
 introducing a pressurized gas into a pressurized volume defined between an exterior surface of a flexible container and an interior surface of a pressure vessel, wherein the pressurized gas forces a coating composition out of the flexible container and through an outlet port; and   applying the coating composition to a substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The method of coating according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 arranging the flexible container within the pressure vessel, wherein the flexible container contains an initial volume of the coating composition; and   engaging a first attachment assembly on the flexible container with a second attachment assembly on the pressure vessel to form a temporary attachment and define an initial pressurized volume.   
     
     
         13 . The method of coating according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 monitoring a pressure (Pv) within the pressurized volume; and   controlling a flowrate at which additional pressurized gas is introduced into the pressurized volume to maintain an operational pressure between a Target Pressure Low (TPL) and a Target Pressure High (TPH).   
     
     
         14 . The method of coating according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 monitoring a first flowrate of photoresist into an intermediate reservoir; and   controlling a second flowrate at which the pressurized gas is introduced into the pressurized volume to maintain the first flowrate between a lower Target Flowrate Low (TFL) and a higher Target Flowrate High (TFH).   
     
     
         15 . The method of coating according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 isolating the first volume of the coating composition within an intermediate reservoir;   reducing the pressure applied to the first volume of the coating composition to a pressure below 1 atm for a treatment period to obtain a degassed coating composition; and   releasing the degassed coating composition from the intermediate reservoir for application to the substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The method of coating according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 preparing a unitary assembly comprising the flexible container and the pressure vessel;   connecting the pressurized gas to a port provided on the pressure vessel; and   connecting the outlet port to an outlet line.   
     
     
         17 . The method of coating according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 isolating the first volume of the coating composition within an intermediate reservoir;   monitoring a temperature Tv of the first volume of the coating composition;   adjusting the temperature Tv of the first volume of the coating composition to obtain a coating composition viscosity within a predetermined viscosity range; and   releasing the adjusted first volume of the coating composition from the intermediate reservoir for application to the substrate, wherein the coating composition is photoresist.   
     
     
         18 . A method of preparing a coating composition comprising:
 maintaining a coating composition under a vacuum for a treatment period to reduce by at least 20% a volume of gas dissolved in the coating composition to obtain a treated coating composition;   introducing a first volume of the treated coating composition into a flexible container.   
     
     
         19 . The method of preparing a coating composition according to  claim 18 , comprising:
 warming the coating composition during the treatment period to a treatment temperature to reduce a gas solubility by at least 20% for at least one gas selected from the group consisting of N2, O2, CO2, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The method of preparing a coating composition according to  claim 18 , comprising:
 evacuating a residual gas from the flexible container; and   introducing a second volume of the treated coating composition into the flexible container to generate a purge stream of the treated coating composition through the outlet port.