Apparatus for and method of processing substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9812331-B2
Application number	US-201514709775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2015
Priority date	May 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

Provided are an apparatus for and a method of processing a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing unit to process a substrate using a processing solution containing a mixture of first and second sources; a source supplying part to supply the first and second sources to the substrate processing unit; at least one analyzer to measure a concentration of the second source in the processing solution or a pH value of the processing solution and adjust a measurement reference value of the second source in the processing solution using a standard solution, in which the first and second sources are mixed to have a predetermined concentration or pH value; and a standard solution supplying part to prepare the standard solution using the first and second sources to be supplied from the source supplying part and to supply the standard solution to the at least one analyzer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a substrate processing unit to process a substrate using a processing solution containing a mixture of first and second sources;
a source supplying part directly connected into the substrate processing unit to supply the first and second sources to the substrate processing unit;
at least one analyzer connected into the substrate processing unit to measure a concentration of the second source in the processing solution or a pH value of the processing solution and adjust a measurement reference value of the second source in the processing solution using a standard solution, in which the first and second sources are mixed to have a predetermined concentration or pH value; and
a standard solution supplying part connected between the source supplying part and the at least one analyzer to prepare, on demand, the standard solution using the first and second sources supplied from the source supplying part, and to supply the standard solution to the at least one analyzer when the at least one analyzer requires calibration.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the standard solution supplying part includes:
a standard solution bath containing the standard solution; and
a plurality of standard solution supplying lines connecting the standard solution bath to the source supplying part.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the standard solution supplying part further includes standard mass flow controllers on the standard solution supplying lines respectively to control flow rates of the first and second sources to be supplied to the standard solution bath.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the source supplying part includes:
a first source supplying part to supply the first source to each of the substrate processing unit and the standard solution supplying part; and
a second source supplying part to supply the second source to each of the substrate processing unit and the standard solution supplying part,
wherein the standard solution supplying lines include:
standard source supplying lines connected to the first and second source supplying parts, respectively; and
a standard source mixing line connecting the standard source supplying lines to the standard solution bath and mixing the first and second sources with each other.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the standard source supplying lines include:
a first standard source line connecting the first source supplying part to the standard source mixing line; and
a second standard source line connecting the second source supplying part to the standard source mixing line.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the standard mass flow controllers include:
a first standard mass flow controller on the first standard source line to control the flow rate of the first source; and
a second standard mass flow controller on the second standard source line to control the flow rate of the second source,
wherein the first and second sources in the standard solution have a predetermined mixing ratio in the standard solution bath.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first source supplying part includes:
a first source tank containing the first source;
a first source supplying line connecting the first source tank and the substrate processing unit; and
a first source process mass flow controller on the first source supplying line to control the flow rate of the first source,
wherein the first source tank is connected to the first standard source line.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second source supplying part includes:
a second source tank containing the second source;
a second source line connecting the second source tank and the substrate processing unit; and
a second source process mass flow controller on the second source line to control the flow rate of the second source,
wherein the second source tank is connected to the second standard source line.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the standard solution supplying lines include standard solution dispensing lines between the standard solution bath and the at least one analyzer.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one analyzer includes:
an optical analyzer optically measuring a concentration of the second source in the standard solution; and
an electrical analyzer electrically measuring the concentration of the second source in the standard solution,
wherein the standard solution dispensing lines connect the standard solution bath to the optical and electrical analyzers, respectively.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising a processing solution collecting line connecting the substrate processing unit to the optical and electrical analyzers to supply the processing solution in the substrate processing unit to the optical and electrical analyzers.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the optical analyzer includes:
a degasser to remove an air bubble from the processing solution or the standard solution;
a column extending from the degasser and through which at least one of the processing solution and the standard solution flows; and
a photodetector sensing the second source in the at least one of the processing solution and the standard solution flowing through the column,
wherein the degasser is connected to the standard solution dispensing lines and the processing solution collecting line.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the electrical analyzer includes:
a chemical solution bath containing the processing or standard solution;
electrodes dipped in the processing or standard solution of the chemical solution bath; and
an ammeter measuring an electric current flowing between the electrodes,
wherein the chemical solution bath is connected to the processing solution collecting line and the standard solution dispensing lines.

14. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a substrate processing unit to process a substrate using a processing solution containing a mixture of first and second sources;
a source supplying part connected into the substrate processing unit
at least one analyzer connected into the substrate processing unit to measure a concentration of the second source in the processing solution or a pH value of the processing solution and adjust a measurement reference value of the second source in the processing solution using a standard solution, in which the first and second sources are mixed to have a predetermined concentration or pH value; and
a standard solution supplying part connected between the source supplying part and the at least one analyzer to prepare, on demand, the standard solution using the first and second sources to be supplied from the source supplying part, and to supply the standard solution to the at least one analyzer when the at least one analyzer requires calibration,
wherein the source supplying part includes:
a first and second tanks; and
a first and second source lines connecting the first and second tanks into the substrate processing unit,

wherein the standard solution part includes:
a standard solution bath containing the standard solution; and
supplying lines including first and second standard solution supplying lines which are connected into the first and second tanks, and a standard solution mixing line which connects the first and second standard solution supplying lines into the standard solution bath.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Uihyoung
• Lee Donghyun
• Kim Jinhyoung
• Won Jaihyung
• Lee Sanghyun
• Choi Jinho

Classifications

• H10P74/238

  comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement · CPC title

• H10P72/0604

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

• H10P72/0426

  with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels · CPC title

• H10P50/642

  Chemical etching · CPC title

• H10P50/613

  of Group IV materials · CPC title