A processing system includes a processing unit that processes the flexographic printing plate with a processing liquid. The processing unit includes a hollow tube having a length extending across a cross-track dimension of the flexographic printing plate. A processing liquid supply system supplies pressurized processing liquid into an interior of the hollow tube. A plurality of pressure-compensating emitters is distributed along the length of the tube which deliver processing liquid onto a surface of the flexographic printing plate, wherein processing liquid flows from the interior of the hollow tube through the pressure-compensating emitters at a controlled flow rate.

A system for lithography patterning includes a first supply pipe for supplying a first solution, a second supply pipe for supplying a second solution, and a third supply pipe coupled to the first and second supply pipes for receiving the first and second solutions respectively and mixing the first and second solutions into a mixture. The third supply pipe couples to the first and second supply pipe at a junction. At the junction the first solution in the first supply pipe flows in a direction opposite to that of the second solution in the second supply pipe. The system further includes a first control unit coupled to the first supply pipe and configured to control a flow rate of the first solution, and a second control unit coupled to the second supply pipe and configured to control a flow rate of the second solution.

A system is for processing a photosensitive flexographic printing plate having a latent image formed by image-wise exposure of an aqueous-processable photopolymer. The system can use a first aqueous processing solution with the latent image for cleaning and then washing a resulting relief image with a second aqueous processing solution, where the second aqueous processing solution is devoid of the photopolymer. A processing solution tank is configured to combine the first used aqueous processing solution with the second used aqueous processing solution to form a combined used aqueous processing solution. A processing solution removal can include: a holding tank configured for receiving the combined used aqueous processing solution; and a conduit from the processing solution tank to the holding tank. The processing solution tank includes the combined used aqueous processing solution at less than a predefined maximum volume and having the photopolymer at less than a predefined maximum concentration.

Various embodiments of systems and methods for drain line monitoring are disclosed herein. More specifically, a liquid dispense unit for a coating/developing processing system is provided herein for applying one or more liquid solutions to a substrate disposed within the liquid dispense unit. In the disclosed embodiments, a pH sensor and/or a line particle counter (LPC) is coupled to a drain line of the liquid dispense unit to monitor various parameters of the liquid waste, which is ejected from the substrate and disposed of through the drain line. In some embodiments, measurements obtained from the pH sensor may be used to optimize a develop process by detecting an endpoint of the develop process, avoiding pH shock and/or detecting excursions in the develop process. In some embodiments, measurements obtained from the LPC may additionally or alternatively be used to optimize the develop process.

A developing apparatus includes a developing mechanism and a heating mechanism, and the heating mechanism includes a plurality of heating units. The plurality of heating units are provided above or below the developing mechanism, and each heating unit of the plurality of heating units is disposed independently.

A processing system and a device manufacturing method that can perform manufacturing of an electronic device without stopping the entire manufacturing system, even when the processing state actually implemented on a sheet substrate by a processing device differs from the target processing state. A processing system for sequentially conveying a long, flexible sheet substrate along a length direction to each of a first through a third processing device to form a predetermined pattern on the sheet substrate, wherein the first through the third processing devices implement a predetermined process relating to the sheet substrate according to setting conditions set to each processing device, and when at least one from among the states of the actual processing implemented on the sheet substrate by each of the first through the third processing devices exhibits a processing error relative to a target processing state, changes other setting conditions, separate from the setting conditions exhibiting the processing error, according to the processing error.

A system is for processing a photosensitive flexographic printing plate having a latent image formed by image-wise exposure of an aqueous-processable photopolymer. The system can use a first aqueous processing solution with the latent image for cleaning and then washing a resulting relief image with a second aqueous processing solution, where the second aqueous processing solution is devoid of the photopolymer. A processing solution tank is configured to combine the first used aqueous processing solution with the second used aqueous processing solution to form a combined used aqueous processing solution. A processing solution removal can include: a holding tank configured for receiving the combined used aqueous processing solution; and a conduit from the processing solution tank to the holding tank. The processing solution tank includes the combined used aqueous processing solution at less than a predefined maximum volume and having the photopolymer at less than a predefined maximum concentration.

A processing system and a device manufacturing method that can perform manufacturing of an electronic device without stopping the entire manufacturing system, even when the processing state actually implemented on a sheet substrate by a processing device differs from the target processing state. A processing system for sequentially conveying a long, flexible sheet substrate along a length direction to each of a first through a third processing device to form a predetermined pattern on the sheet substrate, wherein the first through the third processing devices implement a predetermined process relating to the sheet substrate according to setting conditions set to each processing device, and when at least one from among the states of the actual processing implemented on the sheet substrate by each of the first through the third processing devices exhibits a processing error relative to a target processing state, changes other setting conditions, separate from the setting conditions exhibiting the processing error, according to the processing error.

A system for lithography patterning includes a first supply pipe for supplying a first solution, a second supply pipe for supplying a second solution, and a third supply pipe coupled to the first and second supply pipes for receiving the first and second solutions respectively and mixing the first and second solutions into a mixture. The third supply pipe couples to the first and second supply pipe at a junction. At the junction the first solution in the first supply pipe flows in a direction opposite to that of the second solution in the second supply pipe. The system further includes a first control unit coupled to the first supply pipe and configured to control a flow rate of the first solution, and a second control unit coupled to the second supply pipe and configured to control a flow rate of the second solution.

A method for processing a photosensitive flexographic printing plate having an aqueous-processable photopolymer. A main processing unit is used to develop a relief image by removing unexposed photopolymer using an aqueous processing solution including a first dispersing agent while the photosensitive flexographic printing plate is being subjected to mechanical cleaning. Used aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is returned back into a processing solution tank. A secondary processing unit is used to wash the developed relief image with secondary aqueous processing solution including a second dispersing agent to remove debris from the developed relief image. Used secondary aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is directed into the processing solution tank. A portion of the aqueous processing solution from the processing solution tank is removed to keep a volume of aqueous processing solution in the processing solution tank below a predefined maximum volume.