WO2006116428A2 - Apparatus and process for storage and dispensing of chemical reagents and compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid storage and dispensing package, including a rigid overpack defining an interior volume, a liner disposed in the interior volume of the overpack to hold liquid medium, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner when holding liquid medium, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner. Such package, and associated packaging method, preferably involves zero-headspace containment of the liquid or liquid-containing material, and is particularly advantageous in application to storage and dispensing of film-forming colloidal silica-based chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) compositions, with respect to suppressing the presence of microbubbles and unwanted particles.

Description

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR STORAGE AND DISPENSING OF CHEMICAL

REAGENTS AND COMPOSITIONS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/674,577 filed on April 25, 2005 in the names of Weihua Wang, David Bernhard, Thomas H. Baum, Greg Mlynar and Minna Hovinen for "APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR STORAGE AND DISPENSING OF CHEMICAL REAGENTS AND COMPOSITIONS," U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/674,579 filed April 25, 2005 in the names of Minna Hovinen, John Kingery, Glenn M. Tom, Kevin O'Dougherty, Kirk Mikkelsen, Donald Ware and Peter Van Buskirk for "LINER-BASED LIQUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEMS WITH EMPTY DETECTION CAPABILITY." U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/674,578 filed April 25, 2005 in the names of Glenn M. Tom, John Kingery, Kevin O'Dougherty, Kirk Mikkelsen and Michelle Alberg for "ZERO HEAD SPACE/MINIMAL HEAD SPACE LINER-BASED LIQUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEMS ADAPTED FOR PRESSURE DISPENSING," and U.S. Provisional Application 60/761,608 filed on January 24, 2006 in the names of Glenn M. Tom, et al. for "MATERIAL STORAGE AND DISPENSING PACKAGES AND METHODS." The disclosures of such related provisional applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to apparatus and process for storage and dispensing of chemical reagents and compositions, e.g., high purity liquid reagents and chemical mechanical polishing compositions used in the manufacture of semiconductor products.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0003] In many industrial applications, chemical reagents and compositions are required to be supplied in a high purity state, and specialized packaging has been developed to ensure that the supplied material is maintained in a pure and suitable form, throughout the package fill, storage, transport, and ultimate dispensing operations.

[0004] In the field of semiconductor manufacturing, the need for suitable packaging is particularly compelling for a wide variety of liquids and liquid-containing compositions, since any formation of microbubbles or particles in the packaged material, or ingress of environmental contaminants to the contained material in the package, can adversely affect the semiconductor products that are manufactured with such liquids or liquid-containing compositions, rendering the semiconductor products deficient or even useless for their intended use.

[0005] As a result of these considerations, many types of high-purity packaging have been developed for liquids and liquid-containing compositions used in semiconductor manufacturing, such as photoresists, etchants, chemical vapor deposition reagents, solvents, wafer and tool cleaning formulations, chemical mechanical polishing compositions, etc. [0006] One type of high-purity packaging that has come into such usage includes a rigid outer pack containing a liquid or liquid-based composition, i.e., a liquid medium, in a flexible liner or bag that is secured in position in the rigid outer pack by retaining structure such as a lid or cover. The rigid outer pack may for example be formed of a high-density polyethylene or other polymer or metal, and the liner may be provided as a pre-cleaned, sterile collapsible bag of a polymeric film material, such as polytetrafiuoroethylene (PTFE), polypropylene, low- density polyethylene, PTFE-based multilaminates, polyurethane, or the like, selected to be inert to the contained liquid or liquid-based material to be contained in the liner. Packaging of such type is commercially available under the trademark NOWPAK from ATMI, Inc. (Danbury, CT, USA).

[0007] In the use of such liner packaging of liquid media, the incidence of microbubbles and particles in the contained material, such as may be formed in situ in the liquid, or otherwise as may be introduced from the liner (e.g., by particle shedding from the liner film, or by degassing of the liner film to release microbubbles) or from the ambient environment of the liner, constitutes a significant issue in high-purity applications such as semiconductor manufacturing.

[0008] The technology of liner-based packaging of high-purity liquids and liquid-based compositions would therefore be significantly advanced by packaging having a low susceptibility to microbubble and particle contamination of the liquid media contained in the liner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention relates to liner-based packaging apparatus and process for the storage and dispensing of liquid media.

[0010] In one aspect, the invention relates to a fluid storage and dispensing package, comprising a rigid overpack defining an interior volume, a liner disposed in the interior volume of the overpack to hold liquid medium, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner when holding liquid medium, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner. [0011] In a further aspect, the invention relates to a bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of liquid, comprising a substantially rigid overpack having an interior volume, and a 3-dimensional, closed liner of a flexible film material, disposed in said interior volume to hold liquid medium, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner when holding liquid medium, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner.

[0012] A still further aspect of the invention relates to a bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of high-purity liquid medium, comprising a substantially rigid overpack having an interior volume, and a 3-dimensional, closed liner of a flexible film material, disposed in said interior volume to hold liquid medium, wherein the overpack comprises a substantially rigid receptacle portion including opposedly facing front and back walls and opposedly facing side walls, and a floor member, wherein the front, back and side walls are downwardly tapered and the overpack includes an upper portion that is removable or otherwise configured to allow nested vertical stacking of at least the substantially rigid receptacle portion of the container in a vertically stacked array of corresponding containers, wherein such receptacle portion of the container has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped conformation, said liner is formed of a virgin polymeric film material having a thickness in a range of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.030 inch, and such liner has a zero headspace conformation when filled with liquid, the liner having at least one port accommodating coupling of the liner with a connector for transfer of liquid medium into or out of the liner, and a cap coupled with said port, with the receptacle portion being formed of a substantially rigid polymeric material, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner when holding liquid medium, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner.

[0013] Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of combating microbubble and particle formation in a liquid medium during storage and transport thereof prior to dispensing, said method comprising packaging the liquid medium in a package including a rigid overpack defining an interior volume, a liner disposed in the interior volume of the overpack and holding the liquid medium, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner holding the liquid or liquid-containing composition, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner.

[0014] Another aspect of the invention relates to a system , for manufacturing microelectronic devices including one or more of the containers of the invention and one or more subsystems for applying materials contained in such containers to such microelectronic devices. [0015] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of making a product containing a microelectronic device comprising applying one or more materials from one or more of the containers to the microelectronic device and incorporating such device into such product.

[0016] Yet another aspect of the invention relates to improved microelectronic devices made using the containers of the invention and having reduced defects.

[0017] The invention in another aspect relates to a liner-based material storage and dispensing package, comprising: a vessel defining an enclosed interior volume and including a dispensing port; a liner disposed in the interior volume and adapted to hold a material for dispensing through said dispensing port; at least one bladder within the vessel, wherein each such bladder is inflatable by addition of inflation medium thereinto, and each such bladder is deflatable by egress of inflation medium therefrom, wherein such at least one bladder includes a bladder positioned between the liner and the vessel; and an inflation medium supply and removal assembly adapted to supply inflation medium to such at least one bladder and to remove inflation medium therefrom, so as to apply a pressure on the liner during transport of the package that stabilizes the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

[0018] A further aspect of the invention relates to a liner-based material storage and dispensing package, comprising: a vessel defining an enclosed interior volume and including a dispensing port; a liner disposed in the interior volume and adapted to hold a material for dispensing through said dispensing port; at least one bladder within the vessel, wherein each said bladder is selectively inflatable and deflatable; and an inflation and deflation control assembly coupled with said at least one bladder and adapted to apply a force on the liner by pressure and/or vacuum to stabilize the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

[0019] In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method of material storage comprising use of the package to contain the material.

[0020] Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of stabilizing a liner in a liner-based package against pinholing and particle generation, said method comprising selectively applying force to said liner by at least one bladder including a bladder disposed in contact with the liner that is selectively inflated to a pressure effective to stabilize the liner against pinholing and particle generation. [0021] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of material handling, comprising packaging of said material in a liner-based material storage and dispensing package as described herein, and transporting the package to a locus of use.

[0022] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of material handling, comprising packaging of said material in a liner-based material storage and dispensing package as described herein, and transporting the package to a locus of use.

[0023] Other aspects, features and embodiments of the invention will be more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative liner-based fluid storage and dispensing package to which the liner restraint approaches schematically illustrated in FIGS. 3-

5 are variously applicable.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional liner usefully employed in the liner-based fluid storage and dispensing package of FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a fluid storage and dispensing package, e.g., of a type as more fully shown in FIG. 1, in which the liner is positionally restrained in the outer pack by a pressurized bladder article, which is not in contact with the liquid medium in the fluid storage and dispensing package.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a fluid storage and dispensing package, e.g., of a type as more fully shown in FIG. 1, in which the liner is positionally restrained in the outer pack by semi-rigid packing foam insert(s).

[0028] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a fluid storage and dispensing package, e.g., of a type as more fully shown in FIG. 1, in which the liner is positionally restrained in the outer pack by a biasing spring array.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a liquid medium-supplied manufacturing system, according to a further aspect of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 7 is a Y-hat surface plot of pinholes, outside liner support and transportation variables.

[0031] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a liner-based material storage and dispensing package 300 according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0032] FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation view of a liner-based material storage and dispensing package 400 according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0033] FIG. 10 is an elevation view of a lower portion of a material storage and dispensing package 500 according to another embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION. AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

[0034] The disclosure of US Patent Application Publication US 2003/0205285, is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0035] The present invention relates to liner-based liquid containment systems for storage and dispensing of chemical reagents and compositions of widely varied character. Although the invention is hereafter described primarily with reference to storage and dispensing of liquid or liquid-containing compositions for use in the manufacture of microelectronic device products, it will be appreciated that the utility of the invention is not thus limited, but rather the invention extends to and encompasses a wide variety of other applications and contained materials.

[0036] Although the invention is discussed hereinafter with reference to specific embodiments including various liner-based packages and containers, it will be appreciated that various of such embodiments, e.g., as directed to pressure-dispense arrangements or other features of the invention, may be practiced in liner-less package and container systems.

[0037] The term "microelectronic device" as used herein refers to resist-coated semiconductor substrates, flat-panel displays, thin-film recording heads, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and other advanced microelectronic components.

The microelectronic device may include patterned and/or blanketed silicon wafers, flat-panel display substrates or fluoropolymer substrates. Further, the microelectronic device may include mesoporous or microporous inorganic solids.

[0038] In liner packaging of liquids and liquid-containing compositions (hereafter referred to as liquid media), it is desirable to minimize the head space of the liquid medium in the liner.

The head space is the volume of gas overlying the liquid medium in the liner.

[0039] The liner-based liquid media containment systems of the present invention have particular utility in application to liquid media used in the manufacture of microelectronic device products. Additionally, such systems have utility in numerous other applications, including medical and pharmaceutical products, building and construction materials, food products, etc., where liquid media or liquid materials require packaging.

[0040] As used herein, the term "zero head space" in reference to fluid in a liner means that the liner is totally filled with liquid medium, and that there is no volume of gas overlying liquid medium in the liner.

[0041] Correspondingly, the term "near zero head space" as used herein in reference to fluid in a liner means that the liner is substantially completely filled with liquid medium except for a very small volume of gas overlying liquid medium in the liner, e.g., the volume of gas is less than 5% of the total volume of fluid in the liner, preferably being less than 3% of the total volume of fluid, more preferably less than 2% of the total volume of fluid and most preferably, being less than 1% of the total volume of fluid (or, expressed another way, the volume of liquid in the liner is greater than 95% of the total volume of the liner, preferably being more than 97% of such total volume, more preferably more than 98% of such total volume, even more preferably more than 99% of such total volume, and most preferably more than 99.9% of such total volume).

[0042] The greater the volume of the head space, the greater the likelihood that the overlying gas will become entrained and/or solubilized in the liquid medium, since the liquid medium will be subjected to sloshing, splashing and translation in the liner, as well-as impact of the liner against the rigid surrounding container during transportation of the package. This circumstance will in turn result in the formation of bubbles, microbubbles, and particulates in the liquid medium, which degrade the liquid medium, and render it potentially unsuitable for its intended purpose. For this reason, head space is desired to be minimized and preferably eliminated (Le., in a zero or near-zero head space conformation) with complete filling of the interior volume of the liner with liquid medium.

[0043] The present invention is based on the discovery that the incidence of microbubbles and particles in liner-based packaging systems can be substantially reduced by approaches in which force is externally exerted on the liner within the rigid outer pack to positionally fix the liner, and preferably to achieve reduced headspace (headspace here referring to volume within the liner that is occupied by gas, e.g., air and/or vapor of the liquid contained in the liner). [0044] In a specific aspect, the invention reflects the ancillary discovery that positional fixation of the liner in a liner-based packaging system, preferably with reduced, e.g., zero or near-zero, headspace within the liner, is particularly effective in application to the storage and dispensing of colloidal silica chemical mechanical polishing compositions, in ensuring the effectiveness and suitability of such compositions, e.g., for polishing of wafers in semiconductor manufacturing.

[0045] The positional fixation of the liner in the practice of the present invention involves a fixation structure that is not in direct contact with the liquid medium in the liner. In this manner, the fixation structure differentiates from that disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2003/0205285, wherein an inert bladder is located in the headspace, as shown in Figure 2OB of such reference. The arrangement shown in this U.S. Patent Application Publication involves contact of the inert bladder with the liquid, which may result in translation of the bladder in the liquid, due to buoyancy effects, and jarring, impact and translation of the liner container during transport, storage and installation. These motion effects can actually exacerbate particle generation in the liquid medium contained in the liner. [0046] The invention in one aspect provides a liner-based material storage and dispensing package, comprising: a vessel defining an enclosed interior volume and including a dispensing port; a liner disposed in the interior volume and adapted to hold a material for dispensing through said dispensing port; at least one bladder within the vessel, wherein each such bladder is inflatable by addition of inflation medium thereinto, and each such bladder is deflatable by egress of inflation medium therefrom, wherein such at least one bladder includes a bladder positioned between the liner and the vessel; and an inflation medium supply and removal assembly adapted to supply inflation medium to such at least one bladder and to remove inflation medium therefrom, so as to apply a pressure on the liner during transport of the package that stabilizes the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

[0047] The liner can be formed of a polymeric film material, e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polyvinylalcohol, etc. The liner can be suspended from the dispensing port of the vessel, and the bladder positioned between the liner and the vessel can be reposed in a pocket in a floor of the vessel.

[0048] In one embodiment, the package includes an inflation feed line coupled to the bladder positioned between the liner and the vessel, e.g., extending exteriorly of the vessel, and optionally joined to a pressure monitor, such as a pressure gauge or a pressure transducer. The inflation line exteriorly of the vessel can be joined to a flow control and isolation valve, which in turn is coupled with an inflation medium source.

[0049] The inflation medium source can variously include a compressed gas cylinder, a pump, compressor, or a combination selected from among such components. The package may be adapted for venting of inflation medium from the inflation feed line, as well as for pressure- dispensing of material from the liner through the dispensing port. The dispensing port may be coupled with a suitable dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly can take any of a variety of forms, e.g., an assembly including a dip tube that contacts material in the liner and through which material is dispensed from the vessel.

[0050] The dispensing assembly in one embodiment is adapted for coupling with flow circuitry, e.g., flow circuitry of a microelectronic device manufacturing facility using a chemical reagent supplied in the liner of the package. The semiconductor manufacturing reagent may be a photoresist or other high-purity chemical reagent.

[0051] In the liner-based package in use, at least one bladder may be inflated or otherwise utilized to reduce headspace in the liner, relative to a liner lacking such at least one inflated bladder. The package may be constructed so that the vessel further includes upper and lower chime portions, at least one of which is adapted to vibrationally damp the vessel. For example, at least one of the chimes may include a corrugated damping section, or a lower one of the chime portions can include a spring-loaded floor. The at least one bladder in the package can include a bladder fabricated of a same material of construction as the liner.

[0052] The package in a specific embodiment uses an inflation feed line that includes a pressure relief mechanism, such as a removable plug on the inflation feed line, e.g., wherein the removable plug is coupled to a cap engageable with the dispensing port. The package can further include a pressure measuring device adapted for endpoint monitoring of the package.

The pressure measuring device may be arranged to provide an output indicative of the pressure exerted on the liner by the at least one bladder, with a processor adapted to provide an identification of the amount of the material in the liner in response to the output from the pressure measuring device.

[0053] The package can be a large-scale package, wherein the liner has a capacity in a range of from 20 to 2000 or more liters of material.

[0054] In another embodiment, the invention provides a liner-based material storage and dispensing package, comprising: a vessel defining an enclosed interior volume and including a dispensing port; a liner disposed in the interior volume and adapted to hold a material for dispensing through the dispensing port; at least one bladder within the vessel, wherein each such bladder is selectively inflatable and deflatable; and an inflation and deflation control assembly coupled with the at least one bladder and adapted to apply a force on the liner by pressure and/or vacuum to stabilize the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

[0055] Such at least one bladder may include a bladder in exterior contact with the liner and/or a bladder inside the liner.

[0056] The inflation and deflation control assembly can include a pressurized gas source, such as a pump, a compressed gas tank, a vacuum source, a vacuum pump, a vacuum tank, etc.

The inflation and deflation control assembly can be positioned in an interior chime area of the vessel, or otherwise positioned remotely from the vessel such as in a pallet-mounted assembly.

The inflation and deflation control assembly can comprise a disposable pump or a reusable pump, hi one embodiment, the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a pump and a power supply. The power supply may comprise a battery. In one embodiment, the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises at least one of a pump and a tank.

[0057] In another embodiment, the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a tank, e.g., a tank adapted for pressurized gas containment or a tank adapted for vacuum containment. The inflation and deflation control assembly can also comprise a pressure monitoring device adapted to monitor pressure related to stabilization of the liner. The inflation and deflation control assembly in one embodiment is adapted to adjust the pressure related to stabilization of the liner, in response to pressure monitored by the pressure monitoring device, e.g., a pressure transducer.

[0058] The inflation and deflation control assembly in still another embodiment comprises a charge medium for inflation and deflation of the at least one bladder. The charge medium can for example comprise a gas such as air, nitrogen, argon, CO₂, or He. A propellant charge can additionally, or alternatively, be employed.

[0059] In one embodiment, the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a pump and battery module and a control feedback device adapted to monitor the condition of a pressure or vacuum in the package related to stabilization of the liner, and to responsively actuate a pump in the pump and battery module to increase or decrease pumping rate of the pump to adjust the pressure or vacuum to a desired set point value or range. [0060] The above-described packages may be employed to store and transport a wide variety of materials, e.g., for containment of photoresists, and other specialty chemicals. [0061] The invention contemplates a method of stabilizing a liner, e.g., a large-scale liner, in a liner-based package against pinholing and particle generation, including selectively applying force to the liner by at least one bladder including a bladder disposed in contact with the liner that is selectively inflated to a pressure effective to stabilize the liner against pinholing and particle generation. Multiple bladders may be provided, including a bladder disposed inside the liner and/or a bladder disposed outside the liner.

[0062] The method may include monitoring a pressure condition in the package affecting the stabilization of the liner against pinholing and particle generation, and adjusting an inflation pressure in at least one bladder in response to the pressure condition. Such method may be conducted during the transport of the liner-based package.

[0063] The invention also contemplates a method of material handling, including packaging of the material in a liner-based material storage and dispensing package as described above, and transporting the package to a locus of use, such as a microelectronic product manufacturing facility, e.g., for manufacturing flat panel displays.

[0064] The invention further contemplates a method of material handling, including packaging of the material in a liner-based material storage and dispensing package of a type as described hereinabove, and transporting the package to a locus of use.

[0065] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative liner- based fluid storage and dispensing container 10 to which the liner restraint approaches schematically illustrated in FIGS. 3-4, described hereinafter, are variously applicable. [0066] The container 10 includes a flexible, resilient liner 12 capable of holding liquid, e.g., a high purity liquid (having a purity of >99.99% by weight) in a generally rigid housing 14. [0067] The liner 12 is desirably formed from tubular stock material. By the use of a tubular stock, e.g., a blown tubular polymeric film material, heat seals and welded seams along the sides of the liner are avoided. The absence of side welded seams is advantageous, since the liner is better able to withstand forces and pressures that tend to stress the liner and that not infrequently cause failure of seams in liners formed of flat panels that are superimposed and heat-sealed at their perimeter..

[0068] The liner most preferably is a single-use, thin membrane liner, whereby the liner 12 can be removed after each use (e.g., when the container is depleted of the liquid contained therein) and replaced with a new, pre-cleaned liner to enable the reuse of the overall container 10.

[0069] The liner film is preferably free of components such as plasticizers, antioxidants, uv stabilizers, fillers, etc. that may be or become a source of contaminants, e.g., by leaching into the liquid contained in the liner, or by decomposing to yield degradation products that have greater diffusivity in the liner film and that migrate to the surface and solubilize or otherwise become contaminants of the liquid in the liner.

[0070] Preferably, a substantially pure film is utilized for the liner, such as virgin (additive-free) polyethylene film, virgin polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film, or other suitable virgin polymeric material such as polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylchloride, polyacetal, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, polybutylene, etc. The thickness of the liner film material can be any suitable thickness, e.g., in a range from about 1 mils (0.001 inch) to about 30 mils (0.030 inch). In one embodiment, the liner has a thickness of 20 mils (0.020 inch).

[0071] The liner can be formed in any suitable manner, but preferably is manufactured using tubular blow molding of the liner with formation of an integral fill opening at an upper end of the vessel, which may, as shown in FIG. 1, be joined to a port or cap structure 28. The liner thus may have an opening for coupling of the liner to a suitable connector for fill or dispense operations involving respective introduction or discharge of fluid. The cap joined to the liner port may be manually removable and may be variously configured, as regards the specific structure of the liner port and cap. The cap also may be arranged to couple with a dip tube for introduction or dispensing of fluid.

[0072] The liner 12 includes 2 ports in the top portion thereof, as shown in FIG. 1, although single port liners, or alternatively liners having more than two ports, can be usefully employed in the broad practice of the present invention. The liner is disposed in a substantially rigid housing or overpack 14, which can be of a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape as illustrated, including a lower receptacle portion 16 for containing the liner 12 therein, and an upper stacking and transport handling section 18. The stacking and transport handling section 18 includes opposedly facing front and rear walls 2OA and 2OC, respectively, and opposedly facing side walls 2OB and 2OD. The opposedly facing side walls 2OB and 2OD have respective manual handling openings 22 and 24, respectively, to enable the container to be manually grasped, and physically lifted or otherwise transported in use of the container. Alternatively, the overpack can be of a cylindrical form, or of any other suitable shape or conformation. [0073] The lower receptacle portion 16 of the housing 14 is as shown slightly tapered. All of the four walls of the lower receptacle portion 16 are downwardly inwardly tapered, to enable the stacking of the containers for storage and transport, when a multiplicity of such containers are stored and transported. In one embodiment, the lower portion 16 of housing 14 may have tapered walls whose taper angle is less than 15°, e.g., an angle between about 2° and 12°. [0074] The generally rigid housing 14 also includes an overpack lid 26, which is leak- tightly joined to the walls of the housing 14, to bound an interior space in the housing 14 containing the liner 12, as shown.

[0075] The liner has two rigid ports, including a main top port coupling to the cap 28 and arranged to accommodate passage therethrough of the dip tube 36 for dispensing of liquid. The dip tube 36 is part of the dispensing assembly including the dip tube, dispensing head 34, coupling 38 and liquid dispensing tube 40. The dispensing assembly also includes a gas fill tube 44 joined to dispensing head 34 by coupling 42 and communicating with a passage 43 in the dispensing head. Passage 43 in turn is adapted to be leak-tightly coupled to the interior volume port 30 in the overpack lid 26, to accommodate introduction of a gas for exerting pressure against liner 12 in the dispensing operation, so that liquid contained in liner 12 is forced from the liner through the interior passage of the hollow dip tube 36 and through the dispensing assembly to the liquid dispensing tube 40.

[0076] The liner 12 advantageously is formed of a film material of appropriate thickness to be flexible and collapsible in character. In one embodiment, the liner is compressible to about 10% or less of the rated fill volume, i.e., the volume of liquid able to be contained in the liner when same is fully filled in the housing 14. In various embodiments, the liner may be compressible to about 0.25% or less of rated fill volume, e.g., less than 10 millliliters in a 4000 milliliter package. Preferred liner materials are sufficiently pliable to allow for folding or compressing of the liner during shipment as a replacement unit. The liner preferably is of a composition and character that is resistant to particle and microbubble formation when liquid is contained in the liner, and that is effective to maintain purity for the specific end use application in which the liquid is to be employed, e.g., in semiconductor manufacturing or other high purity-critical liquid supply application.

[0077] For semiconductor manufacturing applications, the liquid contained in the liner 12 of the container 10 should have less than 75 particles/milliliter of particles having a diameter of 0.25 microns, at the point of fill of the liner, and the liner should have less than 30 parts per billion total organic components (TOC) in the liquid, with less than 10 parts per trillion metal extractable levels per critical elements, such as calcium, cobalt, copper, chromium, iron, molybdenum, manganese, sodium, nickel, and tungsten, and with less than 150 parts per trillion iron and copper extractable levels per element for liner containment of hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide, consistent with the specifications set out in the Semiconductor Industry Association, International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (SIA, ITRS) 1999 Edition.

[0078] The liner 12 of the FIG. 1 container contains in its interior space a metal pellet 45, as illustrated, to aid in non-invasive magnetic stirring of the liquid contents, as an optional feature. The magnetic stirring pellet 45 may be of a conventional type as used in laboratory operations, and can be utilized with an appropriate magnetic field-exerting table, so that the container is able, when reposed on the table with the liner filled with liquid, to be stirred, to render the liquid homogeneous and resistant to settling. Such magnetic stirring capability may be employed to resolubilize components of the liquid subsequent to transit of the liquid under conditions promoting precipitation or phase separation of the liquid contents. The stirring element being remotely actuatable in such manner has the advantage that no invasive introduction of a mixer to the interior of the sealed liner is necessary.

[0079] The liner 12 is suitably constructed so that when filled with liquid, there is a zero- headspace in the interior volume of the liner. By eliminating a gas/liquid (e.g., air/liquid) interface within the liner, particle generation is correspondingly suppressed; additionally, such zero-head space liner conformation enables full filling of the liner interior volume with liquid, thereby maximizing the capacity of the liner and associated container.

[0080] The port 30 in deck 26 of the housing 14 can be coupled with a rigid port on the liner, so that the liner is fabricated with two ports, or alternatively the liner can be fabricated so that it is ventable using a single port configuration.

[0081] Deck 26 of the housing 14 may be formed of a same generally rigid material as the remaining structural components of the housing, such as polyethylene, polytetrafiuoroethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylchloride, polyacetal, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, and polybutylene.

[0082] As a further optional modification of the container 10, a radio frequency identification tag 32 may be provided on the liner, for the purpose of providing information relating to the contained liquid and/or its intended usage. The radio frequency identification tag can be arranged to provide information via a radio frequency transponder and receiver to a user or technician who can thereby ascertain the condition of the liquid in the container, its identity, source, age, intended use location and process, etc. In lieu of a radio frequency identification device, other information storage may be employed which is readable, and/or transmittable, by remote sensor, such as a hand-held scanner, computer equipped with a receiver, etc. [0083] In the FIG. 1 container the liner 12 allows the liquid to expand and contract due to temperature changes.

[0084] In the dispensing operation involving the container 10 shown in FIG. 1, air or other gas (nitrogen, argon, etc.) may be introduced into tube 44 and through port 30 of lid 26, to exert pressure on the exterior surface of the liner, causing it to contract and thereby forcing liquid through the dip tube 36 and dispensing assembly to the liquid dispensing tube 40. [0085] Correspondingly, air may be displaced from the interior volume of housing 14 through port 30, for flow through the passage 43 in dispensing head 34 to tube 44 during the filling operation, so that air is displaced as the liner expands during liquid filling thereof. [0086] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional, closed-head liner 60 of a type usefully employed in the liner-type package shown in FIG. 1. The liner 60 includes a main bag body 62 formed of a blown tubular film material, such as polyethylene film. At its upper end, the main bag body 62 is joined to the head member 64 in a leak-tight fashion to provide the bag structure of the liner. The head member 64 has a central port opening 66 in the embodiment shown, in which may be disposed a cap or closure member, and a dip tube for liquid dispensing from the liner when the liner is mounted in the overpack and arranged for liquid dispensing operation.

[0087] FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation schematic representation of a fluid storage and dispensing package, e.g., of a type as more fully shown in FIG. 1, in which the liner is positionally restrained in the outer pack by a pressurized bladder article that is interposed between the liner and the rigid overpack, and not in any way in contact with the liquid in the liner.

[0088] The fluid storage and dispensing package 100 is shown as including a rigid overpack 102 with a cylindrical side wall 104 and a floor 106, which together with the lid 108 defines an enclosed interior volume 110 of the overpack. Disposed in the interior volume 110 is a liner 112 defining an enclosed interior volume 114 for holding liquid or liquid-containing composition such as a CMP slurry formulation. Joined to the upper end of the liner is a fill/dispense tube 116, into which the liquid or liquid-containing composition may be fed to fill the interior volume 114 of the liner 112, and from which liquid may be withdrawn from the liner in the dispensing operation.

[0089] In order to positionally fix the liner in the interior volume 110 of the overpack 102, there is provided a pressurized bladder article 118, 118', which may be constituted by an annular-shaped bladder, which in the cross-sectional view shown includes the respective cross- sections 118 and 118'. For example, the bladder article may be in the form of a pressurizable tube, such as of a type used as an inner tube for vehicular tires, with an inflation fitting (valve) permitting the tube to be selectively inflated or deflated. The bladder article, as shown, is disposed between the liner top surface, and the lid 108 of the overpack, and is not in contact with the liquid in the liner. The bladder article in such arrangement is able to positionally restrain movement of the liner without contamination of the liquid within the liner.

[0090] Alternatively, the cross-sections 118 and 118' may be of separate and distinct bladder articles, it being appreciated that the positional fixing may be effected by one or multiple bladder articles, such as may be filled to pressurize same with an inert gas, such as helium, argon, nitrogen, etc. The bladder articles may be formed as balloon articles that are inflated and inserted into the interior volume of the overpack, on top of the liner, before the lid is secured to the upper edge region of the overpack sidewall.

[0091] Regardless of its specific form, the pressurized bladder article(s) will positionally retain the liner in a fixed position in the overpack, without contact of the liquid, so that the effects of impact, vibration, compression forces, temperature change, etc. are minimized, and so that particle and microbubble generation are correspondingly minimized.

[0092] It will be appreciated that since the pressurized bladder article(s) exert a bearing force on the liner holding liquid, any expansion of the liquid or contraction of the liquid will be readily accommodated by the bladder article(s), which are likewise deformable/expandable in character, so that the liner is positionally retained even in wide changes of temperature, or in other environmental conditions that in the absence of the bladder article(s) would subject the liner and its liquid contents to translational, torsional, impact, compressive, shear, and/or tensile forces productive of particles and microbubbles, as well as potential damage to the liner itself.

The bladder article is wholly exterior to the liner, in bearing contact with the liner, and is not coupled or secured to the liner in any way.

[0093] FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation schematic representation of a fluid storage and dispensing package, e.g., of a type as more fully shown in FIG. 1, in which the liner is positionally restrained in the overpack by semi-rigid packing foam insert(s).

[0094] The fluid storage and dispensing package 120 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a rigid overpack 122 having a side wall 124 that forms with the floor 126 and the lid 128 an enclosed interior volume in which is disposed the liner 132, which in turn encloses an interior liner volume 134.

[0095] The upper portion of the liner 132 has affixed thereto a fluid feed/dispensing tube

136, for ingress and egress of liquid or liquid-containing composition. The tube 136 may for example be ultrasonically welded to the liner by means of a port structure on the liner wall, to which the tube is joined and bonded in closed flow communication with the interior volume of the liner.

[0096] The liner 132 is positionally retained in the rigid overpack 122 by semi-rigid packing foam insert 138, 138', which may be constituted by an annular-shaped (ring-shaped) unitary insert, which in the cross-sectional view shown includes the respective cross-sections

138 and 138'. [0097] Alternatively, the cross-sections 138 and 138' may be of separate and distinct semi-rigid packing foam insert articles, it being appreciated that the positional fixing may be effected by one or multiple semi-rigid packing foam insert articles. The semi-rigid packing foam insert articles may be formed as blocks, bricks, or other shape articles that are inserted into the interior volume of the overpack, on top of the liner, before the lid is secured to the upper edge region of the overpack sidewall.

[0098] The foam material of construction of the semi-rigid packing foam insert can be of any suitable type, e.g., expanded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinylchloride foam, etc.

[0099] Other materials of construction can be used to form similar flexible resilient articles for the same purpose, including cellulosic materials, low density woods such as balsa wood, rubber and elastomeric materials, woven and non-woven articles such as felt articles, compressible mats, etc.

[00100] As another variant of the use of foam materials for liner positional fixation, the foam fixation medium shown in FIG. 4 may be injected into the space between the liner and the overpack while the liner is being inflated and filled. The flexible foam material would then encase the liner in a rigidified coat to positionally fixate the liner, so that adverse microbubble and particle generation is suppressed. The flexible foam material for such purpose desirably has a low permeation to the pressurizing gas, but has sufficient flexibility to accommodate pressure exerted on the liner to dispense liquid or liquid-containing material from the liner during the dispensing operation. More than one type of foam material could be applied. [00101] The foam fixation article, like other fixation articles of the invention, is a discrete structure that is not coupled or attached in any way to the liner.

[00102] The foam material employed for the injection into the space between the overpack and the liner can be of any suitable type, including foams formed of polyurethane, nylon, polypropylene, polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) blends, isoprene, silicones, polyethylene, polyvinylacetate, and acetal polymers and copolymers, or any other suitable materials. One type of dampening foam that is usefully employed in the general practice of the invention is a foam that is commercially available under the trademark ETHAFOAM from Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI, USA.

[00103] Such injected foam materials afford advantages including improved rigidity of the inflated liner shape during the chemical filling and dispensing process, improved dispensability of liquid or liquid-containing material from the liner due to the mechanical support afforded by the injected foam, and enhanced structural integrity of the overall package, and ability to maintain minimum headspace conditions in the package. [00104] FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation schematic representation of a fluid storage and dispensing package, e.g., of a type as more fully shown in FIG. 1, in which the liner is positional!/ restrained in the outer pack by a biasing spring array.

[00105] In the FIG. 5 package 140, the overpack 142 includes cylindrical side wall 144 and floor 146, which together with the lid 148 defines an enclosed interior volume 150, in which is disposed the liner 152, defining an interior liner volume 154.

[00106] The liner at its upper end portion has affixed thereto a fluid feed/dispensing tube

156, leak-tightly secured to the liner so as to afford fluid flow communication with the liner interior volume 154.

[00107] The lid 148 of the package 140 may be secured to the upper edge portion of the cylindrical side wall 142 in any suitable manner, such as for example by a mechanical fastener arrangement, complementary coupling structure, etc.

[00108] In the interior volume 150 of the package 140, disposed between the undersurface of the lid 148 and the top surface of the liner 152 is an array of biasing springs 160, 162, 164 and 166, which are secured to the liner undersurface and exert a compressive bearing force on the top surface of the liner. The springs for such purpose may be joined to a pressure plate, e.g., a disk-shaped member that spreads the compressive force over the entire top surface of the liner and is in bearing contact with the top surface of the liner. Alternatively, the springs may have flange elements at their lower ends that bear on and exert downward pressure on the liner, to keep it positionally fixed. As a still further alternative, the springs may be part of a biasing array including any suitable type of pressure distribution elements or structural members.

[00109] It will be apparent from the foregoing that a wide variety of specific structures and arrangements may be employed to exert a bearing force on the liner as reposed in the rigid overpack, so as to retain the liner in a fixed position.

[00110] The positional fixation of the liner in a liner-based packaging system, preferably with reduced, e.g., zero or near-zero headspace within the liner, is particularly effective in application to the storage and dispensing of colloidal silica chemical mechanical polishing compositions, to ensure their effectiveness and suitability for such uses as polishing of wafers in semiconductor manufacturing.

[00111] Many chemical mechanical polishing compositions used in semiconductor manufacturing are based on colloidal silica as a primary or otherwise active ingredient.

Vibration and agitation of the CMP colloidal silica formulation during shipping and transport can cause significant agglomeration of the colloidal silica, resulting in a changed particle size distribution of the colloidal silica that dramatically adversely affects the performance of the

CMP formulation in subsequent use.

[00112] CMP colloidal silica formulations have been developed that form a film in situ on the wafer surface, such that the film protects the sub-micron recesses of the wafer while upper, exposed areas of the wafer topography are polished. A CMP colloidal silica formulation of such type is commercially available from ATMI, Inc. (Danbury, CT, USA) under the trademark OS-50A, which requires a prescribed particle size distribution to achieve a planarizing film that protects low areas on the wafer while the high areas are polished. Because of the in situ film formation ability of such formulations, they have been considered highly stable in character, but it has been found that movement involved in transport of containers of such material, e.g., involving vibration, jarring forces, mild impact events, and the like, can compromise the film- forming ability and performance characteristics of the formulation.

[00113] Such degradation effects have been found to be overcome by the provision of a fixation structure in the liner-based package, when the film-forming formulation is contained in a liner. By suppressing movement of the liner, which otherwise would result in agglomeration and degradation of the formulation, the formulation is maintained in a condition providing superior film formation and performance properties in use, subsequent to dispensing of the formulation from the package.

[00114] The positional fixation of the liner by approaches such as those illustratively described hereinabove enables the vibrational and agitative forces on the liner to be damped, with the result that the particle size distribution is stabilized in a more agglomeration-resistant manner by the positionally fixed liner. In consequence, the colloidal silica CMP formulation is able to better retain its performance characteristics including low-recess film formation for the achievement of highly planar polished substrates.

[00115] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a liquid medium-supplied manufacturing system, according to a further aspect of the invention

[00116] The FIG. 6 system 200 includes a container 202 holding liquid medium. The container 202 may be a liner-based container, including a liner holding the liquid medium in a rigid overpack or vessel, or the container may alternatively be a liner-less container, in which the liquid is held in the vessel, in contact with the vessel interior surfaces. [00117] The container 202 is capped with a cap 204 that in the embodiment shown mates with a dispense head 206 and may include a dip tube for immersion in the liquid, or the container alternatively can be arranged for dispensing in some other manner. The container may be equipped with passage or coupling structure for connection to a gas source for pressure- mediated dispensing of liquid medium from the container. The dispense head 206 is connected to a dispense line 210 that may flow to a valve assembly 208 including an actuator that is selectively actuatable to initiate the liquid dispensing operation.

[00118] From the valve assembly 208, the liquid medium is flowed in discharge line 214 optionally having flow monitoring and control devices, represented schematically at 216, therein. The flow monitoring and control devices can be of any suitable type or types, and may for example include mass flow controllers, temperature sensors, pressure transducers, flow rate monitors, impurity detectors, component analyzers, restricted flow orifices, fluid pressure regulators, etc. From the fluid medium discharge line 214, the fluid medium is flowed into the fluid medium-utilizing tool 220.

[00119] The tool can be of any suitable type, e.g., a microelectronic device manufacturing tool, such as a photoresist application tool, chemical vapor deposition chamber, ion implantation unit, etching chamber, plasma generator, or other apparatus appropriate to the manufacturing tool.

[00120] The manufacturing system 200 can optionally be equipped with automatic control subsystems, for controlling the liquid dispensing and tool operation process. Accordingly, the system can employ a CPU 222, which is linked by signal transmission lines to the system components, including signal transmission line 228 to valve assembly 208, signal transmission line 226 to flow monitoring and control devices 216, and signal transmission line 224 to the tool 220. The signal transmission lines may be constructed and arranged to transmit sensed or generated signals from the system components to the CPU 222, and/or to send control signals from the CPU 222 to the controlled components of the system. The CPU can be of any suitable type, e.g., a microcontroller, programmable logic controller, microprocessor, CPU of a programmable general purpose computer, etc.

[00121] The manufacturing system illustratively shown in FIG. 6 can utilize any of the various liquid medium packages and dispensing systems described herein, or in the related applications co-filed herewith and identified hereinabove, for the manufacture of products of the process carried out in the manufacturing system using the dispensed liquid medium. [00122] Another aspect of the invention relates to liner-based packages having reduced susceptibility to pin hole formation and having lower particle counts (due to particle shedding) for the liner due to particle shedding therefrom. The approach of the invention overcomes the recurrent problem associated with such packages, e.g., bag-in-drum (BID) and bag-in-container (BIC) material packages, of high susceptibility to pin holing when such material storage and dispensing packages are exposed to vibration, impact and other movement during transport. [00123] To evaluate these problems of pinholing and particle shedding, a design of experiments (DOE) was carried out with variables including (i) minimal versus normal headspace, (ii) liner support versus no support, and (iii) higher and lower vibration energy. It was found that minimization of pin holes and liner particle count were achieved with minimal headspace, liner support, and lower vibration energies. An example of an output surface plot is shown in FIG. 7, as a Y-hat surface plot of pinholes, outside liner support and transportation variables. In this graph, the surface regions A-M had the following pinholes/liner values: A (7- 7.5); B (6.5-7); C (6-6.5); D (5.5-6); E (5-5.5); F (4.5-5), G (4-4.5), H (3.5-4), I (3-3.5), J (2.5- 3), K (2-2.5), L (1.5-2); and M (1-1.5). [00124] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a liner-based material storage and dispensing package 300 according to one embodiment of the invention. The package 300 includes a vessel 302 including a circumscribing side wall 304, a top wall 308, and a bottom wall 319, which together define an enclosed interior volume in which is disposed a liner 306. The liner is formed of a polymeric thin film material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyvinylalcohol, etc., as appropriate to the specific material to be contained in the liner, and the particular process for which the contained material is to be employed.

[00125] The liner 306 has a neck portion that is disposed in the neck 310 of the vessel to present an opening 312 at the mouth of the vessel neck, for introduction of material into the liner, and dispensing of material from the liner, when the vessel is coupled with a suitable dispensing assembly (not shown in FIG. 8).

[00126] The vessel 302 as illustrated has a cap shown in exploded relationship to the neck of the vessel, and engageable therewith, e.g., by complementary threading on the outer surface of the vessel neck and the interior surface of the cap.

[00127] The package shown in FIG. 8 has a bladder 322 disposed between the vessel floor 319 and the bottom surface of the liner 306. The liner is suspended from the vessel neck 310 and thus is shown in spaced relation to the upper surface of the bladder. The bladder may be formed of any suitable material of construction, such as an elastomeric material of appropriate strength and elongation character, with appropriate modulus, thickness, etc. so that the bladder in use will accommodate the stresses and pressures involved.

[00128] The bladder 322 is shown in a pocket in the floor 319 of the vessel, to retain the bladder in a predetermined position for subsequent inflation in use. The bladder 322 is joined in fluid flow communication with an inflation feed line 324, with the inflation feed line extending upwardly in the interior volume of the vessel, along the side wall 304 thereof, and exiting the vessel through an opening in the top wall 308 thereof as illustrated. [00129] Thus, the inflation feed line 324 extends exteriorly of the vessel, and is connected by sensor line 328 to a pressure monitor 326. The pressure monitor 326 can be of any suitable type, e.g., a pressure gauge of conventional character, to provide a visually discernable indication of the pressure in the inflation feed line. Alternatively, the pressure monitor 326 can include a pressure transducer that is coupleable by suitable signal transmission line (not shown) to a central monitor (also not shown) for continuous monitoring of the pressure in the line indicative of the pressure in the bladder 322.

[00130] The inflation feed line 324 at its outer extremity is joined to a flow control and isolation valve 330, with such valve also being coupled to inflation medium supply line 332, which in turn is coupled with the inflation medium source 334. The source 334 may for example include a compressed gas cylinder, compressor, pump, or other fluid source by which inflation medium can be flowed through the inflation medium supply line 322, through valve 330, and through inflation feed line 324 to the bladder 322 for inflation thereof. [00131] The source 334 or valve 330 can be arranged for venting of inflation medium from the inflation medium supply line. For example, the source may include a vent line for exhausting inflation medium so that the bladder 322 can be selectively deflated. Additionally, or alternatively, the valve 330 may comprise a three-way valve, including a setting in which the valve exhausts the inflation medium feed line to the atmosphere or ambient environment (e.g., when the inflation medium is air or other atmospheric gas).

[00132] By the arrangement shown in FIG. 8, the bladder 322 can be selectively inflated or deflated in use, to a predetermined extent that will support and buffer the liner against shocks, vibration, and movement, such as would otherwise deleteriously cause the liner to shed particles, and resultantly contaminate the material contained in the liner, and/or develop pinholes that could result in contamination of the material contained in the liner, or loss of material from the liner.

[00133] The package shown in FIG. 8 can be arranged so that the inflation medium source 334 is adjusted to inflate or deflate the bladder 322 to a desired extent to compensate for varying temperature and/or pressure conditions. For example, the pressure monitor 326 can be arranged in a specific embodiment to control the inflation medium source 334 so that a predetermined pressure is exerted by the bladder against the liner to positionally stabilize the liner and minimize the incidence of pinholing and particle shedding.

[00134] It will be recognized that the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 may be configured to allow ingress into the vessel, between the vessel wall and the liner, of a pressurizing gas for pressure-assisted dispensing of material from the liner. In the dispensing operation, the pressurizing gas is introduced in sufficient amount and at sufficient rate to progressively compact the liner and exert compressive force on the liner contents so that they are dispensed from the vessel in a responsive manner.

[00135] For such purpose, the neck of the vessel may be coupled with a dispensing assembly, e.g., including a probe that incorporates a dip tube that is inserted into the material in the liner, to achieve the egress of the dispensed material through the dip tube and the dispensing assembly flow passages to flow circuitry coupled with the dispensing assembly. The flow circuitry then conducts the dispensed material to a downstream dispensed material utilization facility, such as a semiconductor manufacturing tool, or other industrial tool or process. [00136] Thus, the invention in one embodiment contemplates a material storage and dispensing package including a liner in a drum, with an inflatable bladder placed in the bottom of the drum. In such embodiment, a pneumatic line is fed through the top of the drum, and equipped with an isolation device such as a valve, and optionally with a pressure measuring device. [00137] In use, the liner is placed in the drum and inflated. After liquid, e.g., a photoresist or other semiconductor manufacturing reagent, is introduced into the liner, the inflatable bladder is pressurized. As the bladder is inflated, it will compress the contents of the liner. The headspace gases will thereby be displaced from the top of the liner achieving a minimal headspace state, which is likewise desirable from the standpoint of minimizing particle generation and pinholing effects. An outlet isolation device (e.g., a cap or a cap with a valve) is closed when the headspace is removed. The compression of the liner will be uniform across the top of the liner as the liner presses upwardly against the inside top wall surface of the drum. When the liner is pressed firmly to the top of the drum, it will be immobilized on all sides, and the liner is then in a "supported" state, as desired to minimize particle generation and pinholing effects.

[00138] In preferred practice, the bladder is constructed to be slightly compressible, so as to provide some amount of vibration damping to the system, so as to minimize vibrational effects on the liner and material contained therein. The amount of vibration suppression can be further augmented by additional damping in the chime area of the drum, as for example by fabricating the chime with a corrugated damping section, spring-loaded floor, or other structure and/or arrangement that will cause the chime to damp any incident or ambient vibration. [00139] The pressure that the bladder has to support is very small, e.g., only in a 1 psig regime in a specific embodiment in which the material in the drum is on the order of about 500 lbs, while the amount of surface area provided by the bladder is in the vicinity of 450 in². Bladders capable of accommodating this level of pressure can be readily fabricated or commercially obtained.

[00140] The bladder can be formed of any suitable material of construction, as indicated hereinabove. In one embodiment, the bladder is formed of a same material of construction as the liner, so that there are no compatibility or contamination issues associated with materials selection. In this respect, the material(s) of construction of the liner and the bladder may be selected to provide optimal damping action. For example, a more elastic liner material typically provides better vibration damping than a less elastic liner material. [00141] In order to avoid chemical spillage when the cap is removed from the vessel, it is desirable to provide a pressure relief mechanism for the bladder. For example, a removable plug on the inflation line could be employed for such purpose. In such arrangement, the plug would be coupled to the cap, so that removal of the cap would extract the plug and release the pressure in the bladder, to relax the pressure on the material in the liner. [00142] The pressure measuring device can be used, as mentioned, to monitor the pressure being exerted by the bladder on the liner. Measurement of the pressure during transport also provides a measure of the damping in the package system. [00143] The pressure measuring device can also be used to estimate the amount of material remaining in the drum, to thereby provide an endpoint monitoring arrangement for the drum. [00144] Such inventory monitoring and endpointing function can be provided by a pressure measuring device being arranged to provide an output indicative of the pressure exerted on the liner by the bladder, which then can algorithmically or otherwise deterministically be processed, e.g., by signal processor(s) in a central processing unit, to provide an identification of the amount of the material in the liner, e.g., a liquid, or a liquid-containing medium. The contained material can be a material that is contained in a manner in the liner to provide an ultra-pure source of material for semiconductor process utilization or other end use application requiring ultra-high material purity of the dispensed material from the package. [00145] In another aspect, the invention provides liner support that is usefully employed in large-scale liner-based material packages, "large-scale" here being used to denote packages wherein the liner capacity is greater than 20 liters, e.g., wherein the liner can hold 20-2000 liters of material, or more. Liner fragility and pinholing are disproportionately greater concerns in large-scale liner-based packages than in small-scale liner-based packages. [00146] Regardless of size, liner support is desirable to minimize pinholing and liner particle count issues.

[00147] The invention in a specific aspect utilizes pressure and/or vacuum for supporting the liner in the vessel in which it is deployed. Such pressure/vacuum approach may be employed in addition to other mechanism and techniques for support, and thus can be implemented concurrently with any other independent support solutions. [00148] In liner-based packages, there are generally two differentiated regions for utilization of liner support structures and approaches. These regions are (i) inside the liner, and (ii) outside the liner but inside the vessel (such containment vessel sometimes in the trade being referred to as an "overpack"). Each of these regions (i) and (ii) can use direct gas pressure or vacuum (negative) pressure, or indirect pressure or vacuum exerted from a bladder or local containment structure for gas/vacuum support of the liner. Support of the liner can also be conducted from both sides of the liner simultaneously. In one embodiment, a liner is held in the overpack and a vacuum is applied between the liner and the overpack. The vacuum holds the liner from moving, thereby improving its pinhole performance and reducing the potential of the liner to create particles. The vacuum can be applied through a separate opening/valve provided in the overpack. Such valve permits access to the space between the liner and the overpack, both for application of vacuum, and subsequently for releasing vacuum so that the liner can collapse during dispense if and to the extent necessary for effective dispense operation. The application of vacuum can be utilized in combination with other features for producing zero or near-zero head space in the liner, to provide superior performance of the liner-based package. [00149] In use, the foregoing approaches can be implemented in a method of operation involving filling of chemical into the liner with standard atmospheric filling techniques, following which the isolation and the control and monitoring would be enabled. This ensures standard filling with rated capacity without overflows and special equipment. [00150] In a specific embodiment, the liner support technique is carried out after chemical fill, in which gas, e.g., nitrogen or air, is either added or removed, by use of a pressurized gas source to allow superatmospheric pressure support, or by a vacuum pump allowing subatmospheric pressure support. In each case, there exists a limited amount of volume that can be used as a support owing to the physical size limits of the package and the package specifications.

[00151] Also in each case, there is a certain number of seals that is required to contain the support volume for the liner. With an isolated approach, redundant sealing is provided in the form of the isolation bladder and the process liner or overpack. Generally, having a secondary support containment, and a larger support volume, provides for more design robustness as a function of decay and leaks.

[00152] In liner support arrangements according to various embodiments of the present invention, a source of support replenishment and control is provided in the package outside of the overpack, e.g., positioned in the interior chime area of the vessel. Remote sources could also be provided, wherein the source of support replenishment and control is located in a separate assembly from the material storage and dispensing package, e.g., a pallet-mounted assembly serving four or more packages simultaneously.

[00153] The source of support replenishment and control, as a support assembly, may be configured and operated in any of various suitable ways. For example, the source of support replenishment and control may include a reserve gas tank or a reserve vacuum tank, e.g., with a disposable or reusable pump that may be a positive pressure pump for fill or a negative pressure pump for vacuum. The pump may be powered by a battery or other power supply. [00154] In a specific embodiment, the source of support replenishment and control includes an outside drum chime-mounted or pallet-mounted tank, and/or a battery-operated, low cost, positive or negative pump, or both. The support assembly associated with the material storage and dispensing package thus can include only a tank, only a pump, or both a tank and a pump. [00155] After filling the liner with chemical as described above, a tank, if present, and/or a pump, can be actuated to generate an initial support charge, wherein the charge is a positive pressure charge or a negative pressure charge with respect to ambient or atmospheric pressure, and the source tank, if present, is charged to its full capacity, to maintain a ready reserve of pressure or vacuum, as needed, for liner support.

[00156] The support charge is advantageously monitored, e.g., by a pressure transducer or other monitoring device or system, and boosted if the level of liner support is decayed or declining. A simple or proportional booster may be employed for such purpose. The support charge can be monitored and steady charge leak rates can be normalized, so that the support charge is maintained at a predetermined level under changing conditions, e.g., under changing temperature conditions.

[00157] The support assembly, when the package is coupled with dispensing equipment and flow circuitry for dispensing, is adapted to disengage the support charge, to enable pressure dispensing or vacuum dispensing of material from the liner to take place.

[00158] The support charge may be provided by any suitable charge medium, e.g., air, nitrogen, argon, CO₂, He, etc., and a propellant charge may be employed to charge the liner support, such as a bladder. Such support charge gases could be isolated by barrier liners, bladders, etc. to protect against permeation of the charge gas, if the charge gas could in any way be deleterious in exposure to the material that is to be stored in and dispensed from the liner.

[00159] FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation view of a liner-based material storage and dispensing package 400 according to one embodiment of the invention. The package 400 includes a vessel having a circumscribing side wall 402, a top wall 404, and a bottom wall 406, which cooperatively define an enclosed interior vessel volume 412 in the vessel.

[00160] The vessel has a top chime section 408 and a bottom chime section 410 each defining an enclosed interior chime volume.

[00161] In the interior vessel volume 412 is disposed a liner 414 formed of a suitable material of construction such as a polymeric film, which may be single-ply or multi-laminate in character. The liner 414 in this embodiment is suspended from a closure assembly 430 joined to the charge support assembly 438. The closure assembly 430 and the charge support assembly

438 in this arrangement may be secured to the chime wall or otherwise configured for mounting on the package. Alternatively, the charge support assembly may be provided at a location other than on or directly attached to the package. The closure assembly functions to maintain a seal at the mouth of the liner, against atmospheric or environmental contaminants that could otherwise compromise the purity or quality of the contained material in the liner.

[00162] The charge support assembly 438 includes a pump and battery module 440, wherein a battery serves as a power supply for the pump. The pump can be a positive pressure pump or a vacuum pump. Alternatively, the pump can be powered by a remote power supply or source of electrical energy, or the pump alternatively may be a pneumatic pump powered by a pressurized air line or the like, or the pump may be of any other suitable type.

[00163] The pump and battery module 440 is coupled to a support charge boost tank 442, wherein the tank may be maintained at a predetermined pressure by the pump, e.g., a superatmospheric pressure tank, or at a vacuum pressure, as a vacuum tank. The charge support assembly 438 further includes a flow control valve 444 coupled to the tank 442 by line

434.

[00164] A control feedback device 446 may be provided to monitor the condition of pressure or vacuum in line 434 and to responsively actuate the pump in pump and battery module 440 to increase or decrease the pumping rate to adjust the pressure/vacuum condition in line 434 to a desired set point value or range.

[00165] The pressure or vacuum line 434 has various fluid flow branch lines connected thereto, including (i) branch line 436 connected to bladder 418 as disposed in the interior vessel volume 412 outside the liner, (ii) branch line 428 connected to bladder 422 disposed inside the liner, and (iii) branch line 432 connected to bladder 420 disposed in the upper and mouth region of the liner interior volume.

[00166] Also shown in FIG. 9 is a bladder 424 disposed beneath the liner 414, and connected to a fluid line 426, through which fluid may be flowed to inflate the bladder 424, or through which fluid may be withdrawn by vacuum pumping to deflate the bladder 424. The fluid line 426 may be connected to the pressure or vacuum line 434 for fluid supply or withdrawal controlled by the charge support assembly 438.

[00167] Alternatively, the fluid line 426 may pass through the bottom wall 406 of the vessel, and be supplied with pressurizing gas or vacuum suction from the support assembly 450 in the lower chime of the vessel.

[00168] The lower chime support assembly 450 can be constructed analogously to the charge support assembly 438, with a pump and battery module, a pressure/vacuum tank, flow control and feedback devices, etc.

[00169] The assembly shown in FIG. 9 has a multiplicity of bladders illustrating the various approaches possible in the practice of the invention, for selectively applying pressure or vacuum to various bladders to expand or contract same and thereby exert corresponding compressive or expansive force on bladder surfaces, so that the liner is supported in the vessel interior volume by the expanded or contracted bladders, as appropriate . The bladders may be inside or outside of the liner, to selectively exert force on the liner and material therein, to minimize pinholing of the liner and particle generation within the liner.

[00170] The liner support system described hereinabove, as will be apparent from the preceding disclosure, allows for initial support of the liner, as well as the capability to monitor the pressure on the liner contents during shipment and to selectively compensate same by boosting or releasing force exerted on the liner and its contents, so that liner contents in the package are able to be shipped without adverse effect and with retention of initial purity and quality levels.

[00171] FIG. 10 is an elevation view of a lower portion of a material storage and dispensing package 500 according to another embodiment of the invention. [00172] As illustrated, the package 500 includes a lower chime portion 504 having a crimped or bellows-type damper section 502, which is adapted to damp vibration, impact shock, and the like.

[00173] It will be appreciated that the storage and dispensing package of the invention can be fabricated in a variety of useful ways, in which damping or shock-absorbing features are integrated or otherwise employed in the package structure, to ameliorate the effects of sudden movement, impact, vibration and the like, on the package and material contained therein.

[00174] From the foregoing, it will be recognized that the liquid medium dispensing systems and processes herein described may be practiced in widely variant embodiments, and that specific features of certain embodiments may be utilized in combination with various features of other embodiments. Further, it is to be recognized that specific features and aspects of embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced in combination with features and aspects of embodiments of the related U.S. provisional application no. 60/674,579 filed April 25, 2005 in the names of Minna Hovinen, John Kingery, Glenn M. Tom, Kevin O'Dougherty, Kirk Mikkelsen, Donald Ware and Peter Van Buskirk for "LINER-BASED LIQUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEMS WITH EMPTY DETECTION CAPABILITY," and related U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/674,578 filed April 25, 2005 in the names of Glenn M. Tom, John Kingery, Kevin O'Dougherty, Kirk Mikkelsen and Michelle Alberg for "ZERO HEAD SPACE/MINIMAL HEAD SPACE LINER-BASED LIQUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEMS ADAPTED FOR PRESSURE DISPENSING." [00175] Thus, while the invention has been described herein in reference to specific aspects, features and illustrative embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that the utility of the invention is not thus limited, but rather extends to and encompasses numerous other variations, modifications and alternative embodiments, as will suggest themselves to those of ordinary skill in the field of the present invention, based on the disclosure herein. Correspondingly, the invention as hereinafter claimed is intended to be broadly construed and interpreted, as including all such variations, modifications and alternative embodiments, within its spirit and scope.

Claims

THE CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A fluid storage and dispensing package, comprising a rigid overpack defining an interior volume, a liner disposed in the interior volume of the overpack to hold liquid medium, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner when holding liquid medium, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the positional fixation structure comprises a structure, disposed in the interior volume of the overpack and external of the liner, selected from the group consisting of: (i) bladders; (ii) flexible, resilient articles; (iii) flexible resilient media; and (iv) mechanical bearing structures arranged to bear compressively on the liner.

3. The package of claim 1, wherein the positional fixation structure comprises a bladder that is wholly exterior to the liner.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the bladder is inflated with gas.

5. The package of claim 1, wherein the positional fixation structure comprises at least one flexible resilient article.

6. The package of claim 5, wherein said at least one flexible resilient article comprises a ring- shaped article arranged to abut an upper portion of the liner when holding liquid or liquid- containing material.

7. The package of claim 5, wherein said at least one flexible resilient article is formed of a material of construction including material selected from the group consisting of foams, low- density woods, cellulosic materials, elastomeric materials, woven materials and non-woven materials.

8. The package of claim 1, wherein the positional fixation structure comprises at least one foam article formed of material including at least one polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, nylon, polypropylene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene- styrene (ABS) polymers, polyisoprene, silicones, polyethylene, polyvinylacetate, polyvinylchloride, acetal polymers, and copolymers of the foregoing.

9. The package of claim 1, wherein the positional fixation structure comprises a flexible resilient medium.

10. The package of claim 9, wherein the flexible resilient medium comprises a foam material.

11. The package of claim 10, wherein the foam material includes at least one polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, nylon, polypropylene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) polymers, polyisoprene, silicones, polyethylene, polyvinylacetate, polyvinylchloride, acetal polymers, and copolymers of the foregoing.

12. The package of claim 10, wherein the foam material encases at least a portion of the liner in the overpack.

13. The package of claim 1, wherein the positional fixation structure comprises at least one mechanical bearing structure arranged to bear compressively on the liner.

14. The package of claim 13, wherein the mechanical bearing structure comprises a spring.

15. The package of claim 13, wherein the mechanical bearing structure comprises a spring array.

16. The package of claim 13, wherein the mechanical bearing structure comprises a bearing plate.

17. The package of claim 1, wherein the liner is formed of material including a polymeric material.

18. The package of claim 17, wherein the polymeric material includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylchloride, polyacetal, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, and polybutylene.

19. The package of claim 17, wherein the polymeric material is a virgin polymeric material.

20. The package of claim 1, wherein the liner is a three-dimensional liner.

21. The package of claim 1, wherein the liner holds a semiconductor manufacturing liquid.

22. The package of claim 21, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing liquid comprises a liquid reagent selected from the group consisting of photoresists, etchants, chemical vapor deposition reagents, solvents, wafer cleaning formulations, and tool cleaning formulations.

23. The package of claim 1, wherein the liner holds a chemical mechanical polishing composition.

24. The package of claim 23, wherein the chemical mechanical polishing composition contains colloidal silica.

25. The package of claim 24, wherein the chemical mechanical polishing composition in application to a semiconductor substrate forms a protective film on low surface regions of the substrate.

26. A bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of liquid medium, comprising a substantially rigid overpack having an interior volume, and a 3 -dimensional, closed liner of a flexible film material, disposed in said interior volume to hold liquid medium, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner when holding liquid medium, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner.

27. The container of claim 26, wherein the overpack has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped conformation.

28. The container of claim 26, wherein said flexible film material is polyethylene.

29. The container of claim 26, wherein the liner has a zero headspace conformation when filled with liquid or liquid-containing material.

30. The container of claim 26, wherein the flexible film has a thickness in a range of from about 0.001 inch to about 0.030 inch.

31. The container of claim 26, further comprising a liquid medium in the liner.

32. The container of claim 26, further comprising a lid, and said positional fixation structure is disposed between the lid and the liner.

33. The container of claim 26, wherein the positional fixation structure comprises a structure, disposed in the interior volume of the overpack and external of the liner, selected from the group consisting of: (i) bladders; (ii) flexible, resilient articles; (iii) flexible resilient media; and (iv) mechanical bearing structures arranged to bear compressively on the liner.

34. A bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of high-purity liquid or high-purity liquid-containing material, comprising a substantially rigid overpack having an interior volume, and a 3-dimensional, closed liner of a flexible film material, disposed in said interior volume to hold liquid or liquid-containing material, wherein the overpack comprises a substantially rigid receptacle portion including opposedly facing front and back walls and opposedly facing side walls, and a floor member, wherein the front, back and side walls are downwardly tapered and the overpack includes an upper portion that is removable or otherwise configured to allow nested vertical stacking of at least the substantially rigid receptacle portion of the container in a vertically stacked array of corresponding containers, wherein said receptacle portion of the container has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped conformation, said liner is formed of a virgin polymeric film material having a thickness in a range of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.030 inch, and said liner has a zero headspace conformation when filled with liquid, the liner having at least one port accommodating coupling of the liner with a connector for transfer of fluid into or out of the liner, and a cap coupled with said port, with the receptacle portion being formed of a substantially rigid polymeric material, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner when holding liquid medium, wherein the positional fixation structure is not in contact with liquid medium when liquid medium is contained in the liner.

35. The container of claim 34, wherein the liner contains a semiconductor manufacturing liquid reagent.

36. The container of claim 34, wherein the liner contains a chemical mechanical planarization composition.

37. A method of combating microbubble and particle formation in a liquid medium during storage and transport thereof prior to dispensing, said method comprising packaging the liquid medium in a package including a rigid overpack defining an interior volume, a liner disposed in the interior volume of the overpack and holding the liquid medium, and a positional fixation structure arranged to restrain movement of the liner holding the liquid medium.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said packaging comprises filling the liner with the liquid medium to provide a zero headspace conformation of the liner.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the liquid medium includes material selected from the group consisting of photoresists, etchants, chemical vapor deposition reagents, solvents, wafer cleaning formulations, tool cleaning formulations and chemical mechanical polishing compositions.

40. A method of packaging a chemical mechanical polishing composition comprising a colloidal silica formulation that forms a film in situ when applied to a wafer surface, said method comprising disposing said chemical mechanical polishing composition in a liner of a liner-based package wherein said liner is positionally restrained in a fixed position in said liner- based package.

41. A liquid medium-supplied manufacturing system, comprising: a manufacturing tool adapted to utilize a liquid medium; and a liquid medium source joined in flow communication with the manufacturing tool, to dispense the liquid medium thereto; wherein the liquid medium source comprises a source selected from the group consisting of:

(A) a fluid storage and dispensing package as claimed in claim 1 ;

(B) a bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of liquid medium as claimed in claim 26; and

(C) a bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of high purity liquid medium as claimed in claim 34.

42. A method of manufacturing a product by a process involving utilization of a liquid medium, said method comprising supplying said liquid medium to said process from a liquid medium source, wherein said liquid medium sources selected from the group consisting of:

(A) a fluid storage and dispensing package as claimed in claim 1 ;

(B) a bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of liquid medium as claimed in claim 26; and

(C) a bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of high purity liquid medium as claimed in claim 34.

43. A liner-based material storage and dispensing package, comprising: a vessel defining an enclosed interior volume and including a dispensing port; a liner disposed in the interior volume and adapted to hold a material for dispensing through said dispensing port; at least one bladder within the vessel, wherein each said bladder is inflatable by addition of inflation medium thereinto, and each said bladder is deflatable by egress of inflation medium therefrom, wherein said at least one bladder includes a bladder positioned between the liner and said vessel; and an inflation medium supply and removal assembly adapted to supply inflation medium to said at least one bladder and to remove inflation medium therefrom, so as to apply a pressure on the liner during transport of the package that stabilizes the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

44. The package of claim 43, wherein the liner is formed of a polymeric film material.

45. The package of claim 43, wherein the polymeric film material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, and polyvinylalcohol.

46. The package of claim 43, wherein the liner is suspended from said dispensing port.

47. The package of claim 43, wherein the bladder positioned between the liner and said vessel is reposed in a pocket in a floor of the vessel.

48. The package of claim 43, wherein the inflation medium supply and removal assembly includes an inflation feed line coupled to the bladder positioned between the liner and said vessel.

49. The package of claim 48, wherein the inflation feed line extends exteriorly of the vessel.

50. The package of claim 49, wherein the inflation line exteriorly of the vessel is joined to a pressure monitor.

51. The package of claim 50, wherein the pressure monitor comprises a pressure gauge.

52. The package of claim 50, wherein the pressure monitor comprises a pressure transducer.

53. The package of claim 49, wherein the inflation line exteriorly of the vessel is joined to a flow control and isolation valve.

54. The package of claim 53, wherein the flow control and isolation valve is coupled with an inflation medium source.

55. The package of claim 54, wherein the inflation medium source includes a compressed gas cylinder.

56. The package of claim 54, wherein the inflation medium source includes a pump.

57. The package of claim 54, wherein the inflation medium source includes a compressor.

58. The package of claim 49, as adapted for venting of inflation medium from the inflation feed line.

59. The package of claim 43, as adapted for pressure-dispensing of material from the liner through the dispensing port.

60. The package of claim 59, further comprising a dispensing assembly connected to the dispensing port.

61. The package of claim 60, wherein the dispensing assembly includes a dip tube that contacts material in said liner and through which material is dispensed from the vessel..

62. The package of claim 60, wherein the dispensing assembly is adapted for coupling with flow circuitry.

63. The package of claim 60, wherein the liner contains a semiconductor manufacturing reagent.

64. The package of claim 63, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing reagent comprises a photoresist.

65. The package of claim 43, wherein the at least one bladder is inflated to reduce headspace in the liner, relative to a liner lacking said at least one inflated bladder.

66. The package of claim 43, wherein the vessel further includes upper and lower chime portions.

67. The package of claim 66, wherein at least one of the chime portions is adapted to vibrationally damp the vessel.

68. The package of claim 67, wherein at least one of the chime portions includes a corrugated damping section.

69. The package of claim 67, wherein a lower one of the chime portions includes a spring- loaded floor.

70. The package of claim 43, wherein the at least one bladder includes a bladder fabricated of a same material of construction as said liner.

71. The package of claim 58, wherein the inflation feed line includes a pressure relief mechanism.

72. The package of claim 71, wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes a removable plug on the inflation feed line.

73. The package of claim 72, wherein the removable plug is coupled to a cap engageable with the dispensing port.

74. The package of claim 43, further comprising a pressure measuring device adapted for endpoint monitoring of the package.

75. The package of claim 74, wherein the pressure measuring device is arranged to provide an output indicative of the pressure exerted on the liner by the at least one bladder, and a processor adapted to provide an identification of the amount of the material in the liner in response to said output from the pressure measuring device.

76. The package of claim 75, wherein the liner contains a semiconductor manufacturing reagent.

77. The package of claim 75, wherein the liner contains a photoresist.

78. The package of claim 43, wherein the package is a large-scale package.

79. The package of claim 78, wherein the liner has a capacity in a range of from 20 to 2000 liters of material.

80. A liner-based material storage and dispensing package, comprising: a vessel defining an enclosed interior volume and including a dispensing port; a liner disposed in the interior volume and adapted to hold a material for dispensing through said dispensing port; at least one bladder within the vessel, wherein each said bladder is selectively inflatable and deflatable; and an inflation and deflation control assembly coupled with said at least one bladder and adapted to apply a force on the liner by pressure and/or vacuum to stabilize the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

81. The package of claim 80, wherein said at least one bladder includes a bladder in exterior contact with the liner.

82. The package of claim 80, wherein said at least one bladder includes a bladder inside the liner.

83. The package of claim 81, wherein said at least one bladder further includes a bladder inside the liner.

84. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a pressurized gas source.

85. The package of claim 84, wherein the pressurized gas source comprises a pump.

86. The package of claim 84, wherein the pressurized gas source comprises a compressed gas tank.

87. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a vacuum source.

88. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a vacuum pump.

89. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a vacuum tank.

90. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly is positioned in an interior chime area of the vessel.

91. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly is positioned remotely from the vessel.

92. The package of claim 91, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a pallet-mounted assembly.

93. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a disposable pump.

94. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a reusable pump.

95. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a pump and a power supply.

96. The package of claim 95, wherein the power supply comprises a battery.

97. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a tank.

98. The package of claim 97, wherein the tank is adapted for pressurized gas containment.

99. The package of claim 97, wherein the tank is adapted for vacuum containment.

100. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises at least one of a pump and a tank.

101. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a pressure monitoring device adapted to monitor pressure related to stabilization of the liner.

102. The package of claim 101, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly is adapted to adjust said pressure related to stabilization of the liner, in response to pressure monitored by said pressure monitoring device.

103. The package of claim 101, wherein the pressure monitoring device comprises a pressure transducer.

104. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a charge medium for inflation and deflation of said at least one bladder.

105. The package of claim 104, wherein said charge medium comprises a gas selected from the group of gases consisting of air, nitrogen, argon, CO₂, and He.

106. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a propellant charge.

107. The package of claim 80, wherein the inflation and deflation control assembly comprises a pump and battery module and a control feedback device adapted to monitor the condition of a pressure or vacuum in the package related to stabilization of the liner, and to responsively actuate a pump in the pump and battery module to increase or decrease pumping rate of said pump to adjust said pressure or vacuum to a desired set point value or range.

108. A method of material storage comprising use of the package of claim 43 to contain the material.

109. The method of claim 108, wherein the material comprises a photoresist.

110. A method of material storage comprising use of the package of claim 80 to contain the material.

111. A method of stabilizing a liner in a liner-based package against pinholing and particle generation, said method comprising selectively applying force to said liner by at least one bladder including a bladder disposed in contact with the liner that is selectively inflated to a pressure effective to stabilize the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the liner comprises a large-scale liner.

113. The method of claim 112, wherein the liner has a capacity in a range of from 20 to 2000 liters of material.

114. The method of claim 111, wherein multiple bladders are provided.

115. The method of claim 111, wherein said at least one bladder includes a bladder disposed inside said liner.

116. The method of claim 115, further comprising a bladder disposed outside said liner.

117. The method of claim 111, further comprising monitoring a pressure condition in the package affecting the stabilization of the liner against pinholing and particle generation.

118. The method of claim 117, further comprising adjusting an inflation pressure in at least one of said at least one bladder in response to said pressure condition.

119. The method of claim 111, as conducted during transport of said liner-based package.

120. A method of transporting a chemical reagent in a liner-based package, comprising performance of the method of claim 111 during said transporting.

121. The method of claim 120, wherein said chemical reagent comprises a photoresist.

122. A method of material handling, comprising packaging of said material in a liner-based material storage and dispensing package as claimed in claim 43, and transporting the package to a locus of use.

123. The method of claim 122, wherein the locus of use is a microelectronic product manufacturing facility.

124. The method of claim 123, wherein the microelectronic product is a flat panel display.

125. A method of material handling, comprising packaging of said material in a liner-based material storage and dispensing package as claimed in claim 80, and transporting the package to a locus of use.

126. The method of claim 125, wherein the locus of use is a microelectronic product manufacturing facility.

127. The method of claim 125, wherein the microelectronic product is a flat panel display.

128. A material storage and dispensing package, comprising: a vessel enclosing an interior volume; a liner disposed in said interior volume and adapted to hold a material for dispensing; a dispense assembly adapted to receive said material from the liner and discharge same from the package during dispensing; and a vacuum source adapted for coupling with the interior volume of the vessel to impose vacuum thereon.

129. A method of securing a liner in an interior volume of a vessel of a material storage and dispensing package wherein material is held in the liner for dispensing from the package, said method comprising imposing vacuum on the interior volume to positionally stabilize the liner against movement in the interior volume.