Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12211708-B2
Application number	US-202318523474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2023
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

First and second concentration measurement parts ( 415, 425 ) are provided in first and second supply liquid lines ( 412, 422 ) in which first and second supply liquids flow, respectively. A dissolved concentration of gas in the second supply liquid is lower than that in the first supply liquid. In the first and second supply liquid lines, respective one ends of first and second branch lines ( 51, 52 ) are connected to respective positions on the upstream side of the concentration measurement parts. The other ends of the first and second branch lines are connected to a mixing part ( 57 ), and by mixing the first and second supply liquids, a processing liquid is generated. Respective flow rate adjustment parts ( 58 ) of the first and second branch lines are controlled on the basis of respective measured values of the first and second concentration measurement parts so that the dissolved concentration of the gas in the processing liquid can become a set value. It is thereby possible to prevent the supply liquid containing particles or the like caused by the concentration measurement part from being contained into the processing liquid to be supplied to a substrate and also to adjust the dissolved concentration of the gas in the processing liquid to the set value with high accuracy.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid, comprising:
a first supply liquid line in which a first supply liquid continuously flows, said first supply liquid line forming a first circulation flow path;
a first concentration measurement part provided in said first supply liquid line, for measuring a dissolved concentration of a predetermined gas in said first supply liquid;
a first supply liquid tank for storing said first supply liquid, in which said first supply liquid is exposed to said gas;
a first filter provided in said first supply liquid line of said first circulation flow path;
a second supply liquid line in which a second supply liquid continuously flows, said second supply liquid line forming a second circulation flow path, wherein the second supply liquid has a dissolved concentration of said gas which is lower than that of said first supply liquid;
a second concentration measurement part provided in said second supply liquid line, for measuring a dissolved concentration of said gas in said second supply liquid;
a second supply liquid tank for storing said second supply liquid and removing said gas from said second supply liquid;
a second filter provided in said second supply liquid line of said second circulation flow path;
a first processing liquid adjustment part for mixing said first supply liquid and said second supply liquid, to thereby generate a first processing liquid in which a dissolved concentration of said gas is adjusted;
a first substrate processing part for processing a first substrate by supplying said first substrate with said first processing liquid; and
a control part,
wherein said first supply liquid line together with said first supply liquid tank forms said first circulation flow path by taking in said first supply liquid from said first supply liquid tank and returning said first supply liquid to said first supply liquid tank, and
said second supply liquid line together with said second supply liquid tank forms said second circulation flow path by taking in said second supply liquid from said second supply liquid tank and returning said second supply liquid to said second supply liquid tank,
wherein said first processing liquid adjustment part comprises:
a first branch line branched from said first circulation flow path so that said first supply liquid flows in said first branch line, wherein the first branch line comprises a first end that is directly connected to said first supply liquid line;
a second branch line branched from said second circulation flow path so that said second supply liquid flows in said second branch line, wherein the second branch line comprises a first end that is directly connected to said second supply liquid line;
a first flow rate adjustment part provided in said first branch line or said second branch line; and
a mixing part to which a second end of said first branch line and a second end of said second branch line are connected, for mixing said first supply liquid and said second supply liquid, to generate said first processing liquid, and
said control part controls said first flow rate adjustment part on a basis of a measured value of said first concentration measurement part and a measured value of said second concentration measurement part so that a dissolved concentration of said gas in said first processing liquid becomes a set value.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in said first circulation flow path, said first filter is provided between said first concentration measurement part and a first connection position in a flow direction of said first supply liquid, wherein said first end of said first branch line is connected to said first connection position,
in said second circulation flow path, said second filter is provided between said second concentration measurement part and a second connection position in a flow direction of said second supply liquid, wherein said first end of said second branch line is connected to said second connection position.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said first processing liquid adjustment part further comprises a second flow rate adjustment part,
said first flow rate adjustment part adjusts a flow rate of said first supply liquid flowing in said first branch line, and
said second flow rate adjustment part adjusts a flow rate of said second supply liquid flowing in said second branch line.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said first substrate processing part comprises:
a substrate holding part for holding the first substrate in a horizontal position; and
a first nozzle for discharging said first processing liquid toward said first substrate.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according claim 4 , wherein
said first substrate processing part further comprises a second nozzle,
said substrate processing apparatus further comprising:
a second processing liquid adjustment part for said second nozzle, which mixes said first supply liquid and said second supply liquid, to thereby generate a second processing liquid for said second nozzle,
wherein said second processing liquid adjustment part for said second nozzle comprises a third branch line, a forth branch line, a second flow rate adjustment part, and a mixing part,
said control part controls said second flow rate adjustment part of said second processing liquid adjustment part so that a dissolved concentration of said gas in said second processing liquid for said second nozzle becomes a set value for said second nozzle,
said first nozzle discharges said first processing liquid generated by said first processing liquid adjustment part toward one surface of said first substrate, and
said second nozzle discharges said second processing liquid toward a second surface of said first substrate.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second substrate processing part for processing a second substrate; and
a second processing liquid adjustment part for said second substrate processing part, which mixes said first supply liquid and said second supply liquid, to thereby generate a second processing liquid for said second substrate processing part,
wherein said second processing liquid adjustment part comprises a third branch line, a fourth branch line, a second flow rate adjustment part, and a mixing part, and
said control part controls said second flow rate adjustment part of said second processing liquid adjustment part so that a dissolved concentration of said gas in said second processing liquid becomes a set value for said second substrate processing part.

7. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid, comprising:
a first supply liquid line in which a first supply liquid continuously flows, said first supply liquid line forming a first circulation flow path;
a first concentration measurement part provided in said first supply liquid line, for measuring a dissolved concentration of a predetermined gas in said first supply liquid;
a first filter provided in said first supply liquid line of said first circulation flow path;
a second supply liquid line in which a second supply liquid continuously flows, said second supply liquid line forming a second circulation flow path, wherein the second supply liquid has a dissolved concentration of said gas which is lower than that of said first supply liquid;
a second concentration measurement part provided in said second supply liquid line, for measuring a dissolved concentration of said gas in said second supply liquid;
a second filter provided in said second supply liquid l

Assignees

• Screen Holdings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yasuda Shuichi
• Kobayashi Kenji

Classifications

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0424

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• H10P72/0408

  for drying · CPC title

• H10P72/0402 Primary

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title