A diluted solution production method of the present invention is a diluted solution production method of producing a diluted solution of a second liquid by adding the second liquid to a first liquid, the method including feeding the first liquid to a first pipe; and controlling pressure in a tank that stores the second liquid to add, through the second pipe that connects the tank to the first pipe, the second liquid to the first liquid in the first pipe. Adding the second liquid includes measuring a flow rate of the first liquid or the diluted solution that flows through the first pipe; measuring a component concentration of the diluted solution; and controlling the pressure in the tank, based on the measured values of the flow rate and the component concentration, so as to adjust the component concentration of the diluted solution to a specified value.

This invention provides apparatuses and methods to supply a steady volume of liquid with low pressure fluctuation that can be used to form a liquid blend or to supply other equipment or tools. The invention uses a flow controller that controls the flow rate for liquid that is fed to a liquid supply pipe from a recirculation loop that is connected thereto, the recirculation loop has a dip tube for insertion into a liquid supply container, pump, and liquid backpressure control device.

Dilute chemical solution production device has a plunger pump and a chemical solution supply pipe that supply a chemical solution from a chemical solution reservoir. The end of the chemical solution supply pipe serves as an injection point for the chemical solution. The chemical solution supply pipe is inserted to an approximately central position in the radial direction of an ultrapure water passage, which is a first pipe, via a bore-through joint. Conductivity meter as a conductivity measuring means is provided on the downstream side of the bore-through joint, which serves as the injection point, and is connected to the previously described control means so that the plunger pump can be controlled in accordance with the measured value of the conductivity meter. The dilute chemical solution production device is capable of producing, with a simple structure, a dilute chemical solution having an extremely low concentration of acid/alkali or the like.

A cleaning chemical liquid supply device includes: first and second mixers respectively mixing first chemical liquid with dilution water and respectively supplying to first and second nozzles respectively supplying the first chemical liquid adjusted to desired flow rates and concentrations to a first position and a second, different position of the substrate in the cleaning device; a first dilution water control box controlling flow rates of the dilution water supplied to the first and second mixers; third and fourth mixers respectively mixing second, different chemical liquid with the dilution water and respectively supplying to third and fourth nozzles for respectively supplying the second chemical liquid adjusted to desired flow rates and concentrations to a third position and a fourth, different position of the substrate in the cleaning device; and a second dilution water control box controlling flow rates of the dilution water supplied to the third and fourth mixers.

A mixing apparatus includes a phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply, an additive supply, a tank, a phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply path and an additive supply path. The phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply is configured to supply a phosphoric acid aqueous solution. The additive supply is configured to supply an additive configured to suppress precipitation of a silicon oxide. The phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply path is configured to connect the phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply with the tank. The additive supply path is configured to connect the additive supply with the tank. The additive is supplied while fluidity is imparted to the phosphoric acid aqueous solution supplied from the phosphoric acid aqueous solution supply into the tank.

This in-line active and reverse calculating mass balance blending system can maintain a chemical at desired control points, such as with respect to concentration, temperature, and/or pressure, while the output flow rate is changing dynamically to a point of use. A blending unit is configured to receive and blend at least two species and deliver a mixture at selected concentrations to points of use. A controller can be configured to determine a mass balance to maintain the concentrations in the mixture using information from metrology systems and a flow in an output to the at least one point of use. The controller also can be configured to maintain a concentrations in the mixture within a concentration range by controlling flow rates to the blending unit.

A paddle for agitating a plating solution by reciprocating parallel to a surface of a substrate is disclosed. The paddle includes a plurality of vertically-extending agitation rods. Each agitation rod includes: a planar portion perpendicular to a reciprocating direction of the paddle; two slope surfaces extending from side ends of the planar portion in directions closer to each other, the two slope surfaces being symmetric with respect to a center line of the agitation rod, the center line being perpendicular to the planar portion; and a tip portion connected with the two slope surfaces.

Apparatuses for controlling fluid flow are important components for delivering process fluids for semiconductor fabrication. These apparatuses for controlling fluid flow are formed with a variety of fluid flow components, including fluid flow components for mixing fluid flows. Fluid flow components for mixing flows utilize mixing elements configured to receive flows of two or more process fluid flows via fluid inlets, mix the fluid flow within the mixing element, and deliver mixed fluid to a down-stream fluid flow component or an outlet of an apparatus for controlling fluid flow.

An ultrafine bubble generating apparatus and an ultrafine bubble generating method capable of efficiently generating an ultrafine bubble-containing liquid with high purity are provided. In order to this, a heating element provided in a liquid is caused to generate heat, and film boiling is made on an interface between the liquid and the heating element. A film boiling bubble is generated by the film boiling, and ultrafine bubbles are thus generated near the film boiling bubble.

Exemplary modular gas blocks may include a body having inlet and outlet ends. The body may define a portion of a first gas path along a length of the body and may define a second gas path along a width of the body. The first gas path may include channel segments defined within the body. The inlet end may define a gas inlet that is coupled with the first gas path. The body may define first fluid ports that are coupled with the first gas path. A fluid port of the first fluid ports may be coupled with the gas inlet. The first fluid ports may be coupled with one another via a respective channel segment. An upper surface may define a lateral fluid port that is spaced apart from a first fluid port along the width and is coupled with the first fluid port via the second gas path.