Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method

Abstract

To inhibit dew condensation in an exhaust duct of a substrate processing device which processes a substrate with a liquid.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device includes: a processing module for processing a substrate with a liquid; and a gas-liquid separation tank which is connected to an exhaust outlet of the processing module, separates the liquid from exhaust air received from the processing module, and releases the exhaust air into an exhaust duct. The gas-liquid separation tank includes: a tank body; a heat exchanger arranged inside the tank body and configured to cool the exhaust air; and an air nozzle arranged inside the tank body and configured to supply air for cooling the exhaust air.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. In one example, the present application relates to a substrate cleaning apparatus and a substrate cleaning method for performing a cleaning process while supplying a processing liquid to a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The substrate cleaning apparatus and the substrate cleaning method according to one example are applicable not only to the manufacturing process of semiconductor memory elements and logic elements, but also to the manufacturing process of flat panel displays, the manufacturing process of image sensors such as CMOS and CCD, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor elements, various films with different physical properties are formed on a silicon wafer substrate, and fine wirings are formed by performing various processes on these films. For example, in the damascene process, a wiring groove is formed in the film, a metal such as Cu is embedded in the wiring groove, and then excess metal is removed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to form a metal wiring. Since components of the abrasive and abrasive debris remain on the surface of the substrate after the CMP process, it is necessary to remove them with a substrate cleaning apparatus. The substrate cleaning apparatus (substrate cleaning unit) is configured to rub and wash the surface of the rotating substrate with a roll-shaped or pencil-shaped sponge member while supplying a chemical solution to the surface of the substrate, and finally rinse the chemical solution with a rinse solution such as pure water (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

[0003] The substrate cleaning apparatus described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is mainly applied in the wiring process (BEOL: back end of line) where multilayer wiring is formed using materials such as Cu. In recent years, due to the need for higher speed logic elements and lower costs for memory elements, the application of CMP (Chemical Manufacturing) has expanded to the transistor process (FEOL: front end of line) where switching circuits are formed. Compared to BEOL, FEOL has smaller film thickness, wiring width, and spacing between wirings, so it is essential to improve the removal performance against particulate, molecular, and metallic elemental contamination. As a means of achieving this, a cleaning method that utilizes the acceleration of chemical reactions by heating the chemical solution is considered promising. Cleaning apparatus used for such cleaning is equipped with a gas-liquid separator (also called a gas-liquid separator) that separates gas and liquid from the exhaust gas (Patent Documents 3 and 4). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-043267 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-074191 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-124180 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-222791 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In cleaning methods that utilize the acceleration of chemical reactions by heating the chemical solution, steam is generated within the cleaning module when the heated chemical solution is used. When exhausting this steam-containing atmosphere, there is a risk that the steam may not be sufficiently separated from the exhaust by the steam-water separator, causing condensation to occur as the steam cools on the exhaust duct surface. This condensation poses a risk of leakage from exhaust duct joints (for example, the connection between the cleaning module's exhaust duct and the exhaust duct outside the cleaning module, or the connection between the exhaust duct outside the cleaning module and the main exhaust duct of the equipment). It is thought that the steam may also contain chemical components, raising concerns about adverse effects on human health if exposed to the leaked liquid. Furthermore, if liquid accumulates in the exhaust duct due to condensation, the exhaust pressure will decrease, potentially reducing the exhaust volume of the cleaning module and leading to a deterioration in cleaning performance.

[0006] One of the objectives of this invention is to suppress condensation in the exhaust duct of a substrate processing apparatus that processes substrates with a liquid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus is disclosed, comprising: a processing module for processing a substrate with a liquid; and a gas-liquid separation tank connected to the exhaust outlet of the processing module, which separates the liquid from the exhaust received from the processing module and discharges the exhaust into an exhaust duct, wherein the gas-liquid separation tank comprises: a tank body; a heat exchanger disposed within the tank body for cooling the exhaust; and an air nozzle disposed within the tank body for supplying air to cool the exhaust. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic plan view of a substrate processing apparatus equipped with a substrate processing unit according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A] A schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate processing unit according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] A perspective view of a substrate processing unit according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] An example configuration of a gas-liquid separation tank according to one embodiment. [Figure 4A] Example of an air nozzle configuration. [Figure 4B] Example of an air nozzle configuration. [Figure 4C] Example of an air nozzle configuration. [Figure 5] Example configuration of a heat exchanger. [Figure 6] Flowchart for wastewater control in a gas-liquid separation tank. [Figure 7] Flowchart of the cooling sequence for the gas-liquid separation tank. [Figure 8] An example of a process recipe for a circuit board cleaning unit. [Figure 9] Experimental results showing temperature and humidity inside the exhaust duct. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, identical or similar elements are denoted by identical or similar reference numerals, and redundant descriptions of identical or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. Furthermore, the features shown in each embodiment are applicable to other embodiments insofar as they do not contradict each other.

[0010] [Polishing equipment] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a substrate processing apparatus equipped with a substrate processing unit according to one embodiment. Here, a polishing apparatus 1, which is a CMP apparatus, is used as an example of the substrate processing apparatus. Note that the present invention is not limited to polishing apparatuses and can be applied to any substrate processing apparatus.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the polishing apparatus 1 includes a polishing unit 10 and a cleaning unit 20. In the polishing unit 10, a polishing module 11 and a work transfer device 13 for transferring the substrate Wf are arranged. The polishing module 11 has a turntable 12 installed at the center, a polishing head 14 with a top ring 12 attached to one side thereof, and a dressing unit 16 with a dressing tool 15 attached to the other side. Also, the cleaning unit 20 has two transfer robots 23 and 24 that are movable in the Z arrow direction arranged at the center, and a primary substrate cleaning unit 31, a secondary substrate cleaning unit 32, and a spin drying device 33 with a cleaning function arranged in parallel on one side thereof, and two work inverters 21 and 22 for inverting the substrate Wf are arranged on the other side.

[0012] The polishing apparatus 1 also has a control device (controller) 40 configured to control each part of the apparatus. The control device 40 has a memory storing a predetermined program and a CPU that executes the program in the memory. The storage medium constituting the memory can include a non-volatile and / or volatile storage medium. Some or all of the functions of the control device 40 can be configured by hardware such as an AS IC. Some or all of the functions of the control device 40 may be configured by a sequencer. Some or all of the control device 40 can be arranged inside and / or outside the housing of the polishing apparatus 1. Some or all of the control device 40 is communicably connected to each part of the polishing apparatus 1 by wire and / or wirelessly.

[0013] The substrate Wf before polishing is taken out one by one from the cassette 25 storing the substrate Wf by the transfer robot 24 and passed to the work inverter 22 to invert the substrate Wf so that the polishing surface (for example, the circuit pattern formation surface) faces downward. Further, the substrate Wf is passed from the work inverter 22 to the transfer robot 23 and conveyed to the work transfer device 13 of the polishing unit 10.

[0014] The substrate Wf on the workpiece transfer device 13 is held on the lower surface of the top ring 12 of the polishing head 14 and moved onto the turntable 12 as shown by the arrow L. While the top ring 12 and the turntable 12 are rotated, the substrate Wf is brought into contact with the polishing surface 17 (for example, the polishing surface of the polishing pad on the turntable 12) and polished. At this time, a polishing liquid (slurry) is supplied from a polishing liquid supply pipe (not shown) onto the polishing surface 17. After polishing, the substrate Wf is returned to the workpiece transfer device 13 again, passed to the workpiece inverter 21 by the transfer robot 23, inverted while being rinsed with a rinse liquid, and then transferred to the primary substrate cleaning unit 31 by the transfer robot 23.

[0015] In the substrate cleaning unit 31, a rotating roll-type cleaning member is brought into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate Wf rotating by the spindle of the spindle, and a cleaning liquid is sprayed from a cleaning liquid nozzle to remove the particles adhering to the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate Wf and flow them together with the cleaning liquid. The substrate Wf cleaned in the substrate cleaning unit 31 is transferred from the substrate cleaning unit 31 to the substrate cleaning unit 32 by the transfer robot 23.

[0016] In the substrate cleaning unit 32, the outer periphery of the substrate Wf is gripped by the chuck of the rotary chuck mechanism, and the entire rotary chuck mechanism is rotated at high speed in this state. At this time, a pencil-type cleaning member in a rotating state is brought into contact with the upper surface and / or the lower surface of the rotating substrate Wf, a cleaning liquid is supplied from a cleaning liquid nozzle to the upper surface and / or the lower surface of the substrate Wf, and at the same time, the pencil-type cleaning member is swung to perform cleaning.

[0017] The substrate Wf cleaned in the substrate cleaning unit 32 is transferred to a spin drying device 33 (spin rinsing dryer) with a cleaning function by the transfer robot 24. In the spin drying device 33, after cleaning the substrate Wf while rotating it, the substrate Wf is rotated at high speed to perform spin drying. The dried substrate Wf is returned to the cassette 25 by the transfer robot 24.

[0018] [Substrate Cleaning Unit] Figure 2A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate processing unit according to one embodiment. Figure 2B is a perspective view of a substrate processing unit according to one embodiment. Here, a substrate cleaning unit 31 is used as an example of a substrate processing unit in the description. Although the detailed configuration of the cleaning module 200 differs between the substrate cleaning unit 31 and the substrate cleaning unit 32, the method for treating the exhaust gas from the cleaning module 200 is the same. Therefore, the description of the embodiment using the substrate cleaning unit 31 as an example can be easily applied to the substrate cleaning unit 32. It should be noted that the present invention can be applied to any substrate processing unit that processes a substrate using a liquid and exhausts an atmosphere containing liquid vapor, not just substrate cleaning units.

[0019] The substrate cleaning unit 31 comprises a cleaning module 200, a gas-liquid separation tank 100, and an exhaust duct 300. The cleaning module 200 comprises a tank body 201, a rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate Wf within the tank body 201 (for example, a plurality of spindles 220 each equipped with a spool 220A that holds the outer circumference of the substrate Wf), and a processing liquid applied to the upper and / or lower surfaces of the substrate Wf. The unit includes a cleaning nozzle 210 for supplying cleaning fluid (chemical solution, pure water, etc.) and an exhaust outlet 230 for exhausting the atmosphere inside the tank body 201 (including steam from the cleaning fluid). In the case of the substrate cleaning unit 32, the rotation mechanism is a rotary chuck mechanism (described above) that has a chuck that grips the outer circumference of the substrate Wf with the chuck of the rotary chuck mechanism. Line 210A shows the line / piping that supplies heated cleaning fluid and other cleaning fluids to the cleaning nozzle 210. For the sake of explanation, only a part of the configuration of the cleaning module 200 is shown in Figure 2A, and other detailed configurations are omitted.

[0020] The gas-liquid separator 100 is mounted on the bottom surface of the cleaning module 200 so that its upstream side is fluidly connected to the exhaust outlet 230 of the cleaning module 200. The exhaust duct 300 is mounted on the side of the cleaning module 200 so that its downstream side is fluidly connected to its upstream side. Arrow 410 in Figure 2A indicates the flow of exhaust from the cleaning module 200. The downstream side of the exhaust duct 300 is connected to the main exhaust duct of the equipment by, for example, a flexible tube exhaust duct (not shown). Flexible tubes may have curved sections, and if exhaust condensation occurs inside the flexible tube, liquid may accumulate in the locally lowered parts of the flexible tube, blocking the exhaust passage and reducing the exhaust capacity. Furthermore, if condensation occurs inside the flexible tube exhaust duct, liquid leakage may occur at the connection point between the flexible tube exhaust duct and the cleaning module 200 (exhaust duct 300), and at the connection point between the flexible tube and the main exhaust duct of the equipment.

[0021] [Gas-liquid separation tank] Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of a gas-liquid separation tank 100 according to one embodiment. The gas-liquid separation tank 100 comprises a tank body 101, a heat exchanger 130 disposed within the tank body 101, and a cold air supply mechanism 140 (air nozzle 141) provided for the tank body 101. Furthermore, the gas-liquid separation tank 100 is equipped with a baffle plate 150 provided within the tank body 101. In this embodiment, within the gas-liquid separation tank 100, the exhaust gas containing steam is cooled by the cooling air from the heat exchanger 130 and the cold air supply mechanism 140 (air nozzle 141), forcibly condensing the steam to reduce the amount of steam in the exhaust gas and suppress condensation in the exhaust duct (including the exhaust duct 300 and the exhaust duct downstream thereof). The heat exchanger 130, the cold air supply mechanism 140 (air nozzle 141, etc.), and the baffle plate 150 can be made of metal or resin. Furthermore, when the substrate cleaning unit is placed inside a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, it is preferable that the heat exchanger 130, the cold air supply mechanism 140 (air nozzle 141, etc.), and the baffle plate 150 be made of resin (for example, PEEK, CNT-PEEK) from the viewpoint of preventing contamination.

[0022] The tank body 101 has an exhaust inlet 110 and an exhaust outlet 120. The exhaust inlet 110 is fluidically connected to the exhaust outlet 230 of the cleaning module 200. The exhaust outlet 120 is fluidically connected to the exhaust inlet (not shown) of the exhaust module 300. In the gas-liquid separation tank 100, exhaust from the cleaning module 200 enters through the exhaust inlet 110, and after the liquid in the exhaust is separated, it flows out through the exhaust outlet 230 to the exhaust module 300.

[0023] The heat exchanger 130 is located upstream of the exhaust gas within the tank body 101. The heat exchanger 130 is installed so as to obstruct the exhaust gas path and to promote condensation by contacting the exhaust gas. However, the heat exchanger 130 is positioned so as not to completely block the exhaust gas path and reduce the exhaust volume. The heat exchanger 130 can be made of a tube for carrying cooling water, a plate-like body (made of metal or resin) with an internal passage for carrying cooling water, etc. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the heat exchanger 130 can be a tube with a cooling medium inlet 131 and a cooling medium outlet 132. When the heat exchanger 130 is made of a tube, for example, as shown in Figure 3, spirally wound tubes may be laid inside the tank body 101 upstream of the baffle plate 150. The cooling medium flowing through the heat exchanger 130 can be water or any other cooling medium. Since the exhaust temperature is around 30°C, the temperature of the cooling medium can be at room temperature (for example, 25°C).

[0024] Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the heat exchanger 130. As shown in the figure, the heat exchanger 130 can be made of corrugated tubes. By configuring the heat exchanger 130 as corrugated tubes in this way, the surface area of ​​the heat exchanger 130 that comes into contact with the exhaust gas can be increased, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the exhaust gas by the heat exchanger 130. In addition, when the corrugated tubes are arranged in a spiral shape, gaps are formed in the adjacent tubes through which the exhaust gas passes, thus suppressing a decrease in exhaust gas volume.

[0025] In the example shown in Figure 3, the cooling air supply mechanism 140 includes an air nozzle 141 and an air cooler 142. The air nozzle 141 supplies cooled compressed air (cooling air) into the tank body 101. It is preferable to install the air nozzle 141 so as to cool the entire inside of the gas-liquid separation tank 100 with the cooling air. From the viewpoint of exhaust cooling efficiency, it is preferable to direct the cooling air from the air nozzle 141 onto the exhaust, which has become turbulent due to the baffle 150. Therefore, the air nozzle 141 is installed downstream of the baffle 150, for example, as shown in Figure 3. It is preferable that the air nozzle 141 is made of resin (for example, PEEK, CNT-PEEK).

[0026] The air nozzle 141 can be configured as shown in Figures 4A to 4C. In Figure 4A, the air nozzle 141 is a cylindrical body with a plurality of discharge holes 141A on its side. The discharge holes 141A are connected to an internal flow path that extends longitudinally inside the cylindrical body and discharge compressed air supplied to the internal flow path. At the tip of the cylindrical body, the internal flow path is closed. In the example of Figure 4A, the discharge holes 141A are provided around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction over a predetermined length of the cylindrical body. The configuration of Figure 4A is suitable for uniformly cooling the entire inside of the tank body 101 of the gas-liquid separation tank 100.

[0027] In the example shown in Figure 4B, the multiple discharge holes 141A are provided only on a portion of the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body (for example, half a circumference). In the example shown in Figure 4B, the internal flow path is closed at the tip of the cylindrical body. Compressed air can also be efficiently supplied into the tank body 101 by providing multiple holes on a portion of the circumferential direction of the side surface of the cylindrical body, depending on the shape of the space inside the tank body 101 and the exhaust flow.

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 4C, a discharge hole 141B that opens an internal flow path is provided at the tip of the cylindrical body of the air nozzle 141, while a discharge hole 141A on the side of the cylindrical body is not provided.

[0029] The air cooler 142 receives compressed air from line 143 and supplies cooled compressed air to the air nozzle 141. The air cooler 142 can be made of, for example, a vortex tube. A vortex tube allows for a simple configuration to separate the compressed air supplied from line 143 into high-temperature compressed air and low-temperature compressed air, and output the low-temperature / cooled compressed air. Since the exhaust temperature is higher than ambient temperature (around 30°C), the air cooler 142 may be omitted, and ambient temperature air may be discharged from the air nozzle 141. However, from the viewpoint of preventing condensation in the exhaust duct, it is preferable that the air be compressed air with a pressure of 0.4 MPa or higher.

[0030] The air nozzle 141 can be installed in the tank body 101 in a position opposite to the exhaust flow, for example, downstream of the baffle plate 150. The air cooler 142 can be installed outside the tank body 101 and fluidly connected to the air nozzle 141 inside the tank body 101 via a flow path. The air nozzle 141 may also be positioned so that the compressed air flow from it hits the heat exchanger 130. For example, the air nozzle 141 can be positioned downstream of the baffle plate 150. The air nozzle may be placed upstream (on the heat exchanger 130 side) so that the compressed air from the air nozzle 141 efficiently hits the heat exchanger 130. In this way, the cooling efficiency of the exhaust gas in the heat exchanger 130 can be further improved.

[0031] The baffle plate 150 is provided to create vertical flow in the exhaust gas flow, generating turbulence and improving the mixing efficiency between the exhaust gas and the cooling air (compressed air) from the air nozzle 141. The cooling efficiency may be further increased by cooling the baffle plate itself, for example, by passing water through it. Since the exhaust gas from the processing module 200 is warm, it is preferable to install the baffle plate 150 in the upper part of the tank body 101. In order to create vertical flow in the exhaust gas, it is preferable that there are no gaps between the left and right sides of the baffle plate 150 and the tank body 101. In the example in Figure 3, the baffle plate 150 is attached to the ceiling of the tank body 101 between the exhaust inlet 110 and the exhaust outlet 120 (approximately in the middle position). The baffle plate 150 is attached tightly to the side of the tank body 101 so that there are no gaps between the side of the tank body 101 and the side of the tank body 101 in the left and right directions. It is preferable that the baffle plate 150 has a height that blocks about half of the flow path area.

[0032] Multiple baffle plates 150 may be provided. When multiple baffle plates 150 are provided, it is preferable to provide baffle plates 150 attached to the ceiling of the tank body 101 and baffle plates 150 attached to the bottom of the tank body 101, so that the multiple baffle plates 150 are staggered in the vertical direction. This can further promote the stirring of the flow (stirring efficiency).

[0033] The bottom surface of the tank body 101 has an inclined surface 101C. The inclined surface 101C is provided to descend from the upstream side to the downstream side. The bottom surface of the tank body 101 has a horizontal first bottom surface portion 101A (first height) on the upstream side of the inclined surface 101C and a horizontal second bottom surface portion 101B (second height (<first height)) on the downstream side of the inclined surface 101C. In the gas-liquid separation tank 100, the liquid 420 separated from the exhaust by cooling is made more likely to accumulate in the lower second bottom surface portion 101B due to the inclined surface 101C.

[0034] A waste liquid line 160 is connected to the second bottom portion 101B of the tank body 101, and an electromagnetic valve 161 is provided on the waste liquid line 160. The electromagnetic valve 161 may be an on / off valve or a flow control valve. The gas-liquid separation tank 100 is provided with a liquid level sensor 170 for detecting the height of the liquid level 420. Any liquid level sensor such as a laser type or float type can be used for the liquid level sensor 170. In this embodiment, the liquid level sensor 170 detects the height of the liquid level 420, and when the liquid level reaches a predetermined height, the electromagnetic valve 161 is opened to discharge the liquid 420 through the waste liquid line 160. In this way, exhaust is always drawn from the waste liquid line 160 in addition to the exhaust duct 300, which can prevent a decrease in the exhaust volume of the target cleaning module 200.

[0035] A laser-type liquid level sensor can be installed outside the tank body 101 at a predetermined height (a threshold for the liquid level of the liquid 420) and emit a laser beam horizontally into the tank body 101 through the tank body 101 or a transparent part of the tank body 101. When the liquid level of the liquid 420 reaches the height of the laser beam, the intensity of the reflected laser light changes, and it is detected that the liquid level of the liquid 420 has reached a predetermined height (threshold). A float-type liquid level sensor can be installed inside the tank body 101 at a predetermined height (a threshold for the liquid level of the liquid 420), and when the liquid level of the liquid 420 comes into contact with the liquid level sensor, the resistance or capacitance value of the liquid level sensor changes, and it is detected by the liquid level sensor that the liquid level of the liquid 420 has reached a predetermined height (threshold).

[0036] [Flowchart for wastewater control] Figure 6 is a flowchart of the wastewater control in the gas-liquid separation tank. This control is performed by the control device 40.

[0037] In step S11, the polishing device 1 (polishing module 11) starts processing.

[0038] In step S12, the liquid level sensor 170 of the gas-liquid separation tank 100 is activated.

[0039] In step S13, it is determined whether the liquid level of the liquid 420 has reached a predetermined threshold based on the output of the liquid level sensor 170. If the liquid level has not reached the predetermined threshold, the process in step S13 is repeated, and if the liquid level has reached the predetermined threshold, the process proceeds to step S14.

[0040] In step S14, the solenoid valve 161 on the waste liquid line 160 is opened.

[0041] In step S15, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the solenoid valve 161 was opened. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process in step S15 is repeated. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S16.

[0042] In step S16, the solenoid valve 161 is closed.

[0043] In step S17, it is determined whether the polishing device 1 has finished processing. If the polishing device 1 has not finished processing, the process returns to step S13. On the other hand, if the polishing device 1 has finished processing, the process according to this flowchart is terminated.

[0044] [Cooling control flowchart] Figure 7 is a flowchart of the cooling sequence for the gas-liquid separation tank. The air cooler 142 and heat exchanger 130 are activated by a signal from the cleaning module 200, which uses a heated treatment liquid, when the heated treatment liquid (heated chemical solution, heated water) is discharged (air cooler activation: compressed air is introduced; heat exchanger activation: cooling water is circulated). Cooling is performed until the cleaning module 200 stops discharging the heated treatment liquid. The processing status of the polishing device 1 is acquired, and if the polishing device 1 continues processing, the system waits until another trigger is issued. If the polishing device 1 has finished processing, the sequence is terminated.

[0045] In step S21, the polishing device 1 (polishing module 11) starts processing.

[0046] In step S22, it is determined whether or not heated treatment liquid has been discharged from the target cleaning module 200. This determination can be made based on a signal indicating that heated treatment liquid has been discharged from the cleaning module 200. If heated treatment liquid has not been discharged, the process in step S22 is repeated. On the other hand, if heated treatment liquid has been discharged, the air cooler 142 is started (step S23), and the heat exchanger 130 is started (step S24). This allows the exhaust from the cleaning module 200 to be cooled in the gas-liquid separation tank 100 by compressed air from the heat exchanger 130 and the air nozzle 141. Starting the air cooler 142 involves, for example, starting the supply of compressed air to the air cooler 142 and discharging cooled compressed air from the air nozzle 141. However, if ambient temperature air / compressed air is discharged from the air nozzle 141, the air cooler 142 is omitted, so "starting the air cooler" should be read as "starting the air nozzle" (discharging air from the air nozzle). Furthermore, when activating the air nozzle 141, air is discharged from the air nozzle, so regardless of whether or not there is an air cooler, it may be collectively referred to as "air nozzle activation." Activating the heat exchanger 130 involves, for example, starting the flow of cooling water through the bellows tubes of the heat exchanger.

[0047] In step S25, it is determined whether the discharge of the heated treatment liquid from the target cleaning module 200 has been stopped. This determination can be made by monitoring the signal indicating that the heated treatment liquid has been discharged from the cleaning module 200 (for example, by confirming the disappearance of the signal). If the discharge of the heated treatment liquid from the cleaning module 200 has not been stopped, the process in step S25 is repeated. If the discharge of the heated treatment liquid from the cleaning module 200 has been stopped, the air cooler 142 is stopped (step S26), and the heat exchanger 130 is stopped (step S27).

[0048] In step S28, processing information such as the presence or absence of subsequent substrates to be processed by polishing device 1 is acquired, and in step S29, it is determined whether the processing by polishing device 1 has finished. If the processing by polishing device 1 has not finished, the process returns to step S22. On the other hand, if the processing by polishing device 1 has finished, the process of this flowchart is terminated.

[0049] [Example recipe] Figure 8 shows an example of a process recipe in the substrate cleaning unit. In the figure, Step 1 shows the cleaning of the substrate Wf with pure water:DIW (deionized water) in the cleaning module 200. Step 2 shows the cleaning of the substrate Wf with heated chemical solution in the cleaning module 200. Step 3 shows the cleaning of the substrate Wf with DIW in the cleaning module 200. In each step, it is possible to set an item indicating whether the processing liquid is heated or not (Heated Liquid) and an item setting whether to use or not the cooling system (air nozzle, heat exchanger) of the gas-liquid separation tank 100 (Cooling System). If "Heated Liquid" is "N", it means the processing liquid is not heated, and if "Heated Liquid" is "Y", it means the processing liquid is heated. If "Cooling System" is "invalid", it means the cooling system will not be started, and if "Cooling System" is "valid", it means the cooling system will be started. The cooling system is started in Steps where "Cooling System" is "valid". In Figure 7, instead of determining whether or not the heated treatment liquid is discharged from the cleaning module 200 (S22, S25), the startup of the cooling system (air nozzle, heat exchanger) may be controlled based on a recipe as shown in Figure 8.

[0050] [Experimental Results] Figure 9 shows the experimental results illustrating the temperature and humidity inside the exhaust duct. As shown in the figure, without the cooling system (air nozzle, heat exchanger) of the gas-liquid separation tank 100 according to the above embodiment, the temperature inside the exhaust duct 300 was 33° and the humidity was 100%. In contrast, when the cooling system of the gas-liquid separation tank 100 was implemented, the temperature inside the exhaust duct 300 decreased to 19° and the humidity decreased to 94%. Furthermore, the exhaust velocity in the exhaust duct 300 was 5.3 m / s without the cooling system of the gas-liquid separation tank, and 5.4 m / s when the cooling system of the gas-liquid separation tank was implemented. Therefore, it was found that the cooling system of the gas-liquid separation tank 100 according to the above embodiment can reduce the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas inside the exhaust duct 300 while maintaining the exhaust velocity, thereby suppressing or preventing condensation inside the exhaust duct 300.

[0051] (Other embodiments) (1) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a cooling system is provided in the gas-liquid separation tank of the substrate cleaning unit. However, the above embodiment can be applied to any substrate processing unit or substrate processing apparatus that processes substrates with liquid and exhausts the atmosphere in the processing space. For example, since the exhaust of a polishing unit 11 in which heated slurry and / or pad temperature control is used may be hot and humid, the cooling system of the above embodiment (heat exchanger 130, cooling air supply mechanism 140) may be installed in the exhaust path of the polishing unit 11. Alternatively, a tank (which may be a gas-liquid separation tank) may be provided in the exhaust path of the polishing unit 11, and the cooling system may be placed inside the tank. (2) Any substrate processing unit or substrate processing apparatus that processes the substrate with a liquid and exhausts the gas may be placed inside a substrate processing apparatus / system other than a polishing apparatus (e.g., a plating apparatus / system).

[0052] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments described above are for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention and do not limit it. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and of course, equivalents thereof are included in the present invention. Furthermore, any combination or omission of the components described in the claims and specification is possible to the extent that at least some of the above-mentioned problems can be solved or at least some of the effects can be achieved.

[0053] This application discloses a substrate processing apparatus comprising, as one embodiment, a processing module for processing a substrate with a liquid, and a gas-liquid separation tank connected to the exhaust outlet of the processing module, which separates the liquid from the exhaust received from the processing module and discharges the exhaust into an exhaust duct, wherein the gas-liquid separation tank comprises a tank body, a heat exchanger disposed within the tank body for cooling the exhaust, and an air nozzle disposed within the tank body for supplying air to cool the exhaust. The exhaust duct may include an exhaust duct integrally provided with the gas-liquid separation tank and / or an exhaust duct provided separately from the gas-liquid separation tank. According to this embodiment, in the gas-liquid separation tank, the temperature of the exhaust gas can be reduced by a heat exchanger, and the temperature of the exhaust gas can also be reduced by air from an air nozzle, thereby promoting the separation of liquid from the exhaust gas. This effectively reduces the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas in the gas-liquid separation tank, and suppresses or prevents condensation from occurring in the exhaust duct. By suppressing condensation in the exhaust duct, leakage from joints and other parts of the exhaust duct can be reduced, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, by suppressing condensation in the exhaust duct, changes in exhaust volume can be suppressed, and substrate processing performance (e.g., cleaning performance) can be stabilized.

[0054] Furthermore, the present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the processing module processes the substrate using a heated liquid. In a processing module, when a heated liquid is used as the processing fluid (heated processing fluid), the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas become high, making condensation likely to occur in the exhaust duct. In this case, by reducing the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas using a heat exchanger and air from an air nozzle, condensation in the exhaust duct can be effectively suppressed or prevented. Furthermore, even when using a non-heated liquid as the processing fluid, the heat exchanger and compressed air from the air nozzle reduce the temperature and humidity of the exhaust, thereby more reliably suppressing or preventing condensation in the exhaust duct.

[0055] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the heat exchanger has a tube through which a cooled liquid flows. According to this embodiment, the heat exchanger can be easily constructed. Furthermore, by using flexible tubing, the heat exchanger can be easily installed within the limited space of the gas-liquid separation tank body. This improves the flexibility of heat exchanger installation within the gas-liquid separation tank.

[0056] This application discloses a substrate processing apparatus in which, as one embodiment, the tube is a bellows-type tube. According to this embodiment, the surface area of ​​the heat exchanger in contact with the exhaust can be increased, thereby improving the cooling efficiency (heat exchange efficiency) of the exhaust.

[0057] As one embodiment, the present invention further comprises an air cooler connected to the nozzle, and the Akula discloses a substrate processing device that receives an air supply and outputs cooled air to the nozzle. According to this embodiment, the air cooler can adjust the air to a desired temperature, and the exhaust temperature can be reduced more efficiently.

[0058] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the air cooler is a vortex tube. According to this embodiment, the air cooler can be configured in a simple and / or compact manner.

[0059] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the air is compressed air. This configuration effectively suppresses or prevents condensation inside the exhaust duct.

[0060] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the discharge direction of the air from the nozzle is directed toward the heat exchanger. According to this embodiment, the heat exchanger and the exhaust gases surrounding the heat exchanger are cooled by air from an air nozzle, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the exhaust gases by the heat exchanger.

[0061] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the nozzle has a cylindrical body having a side surface provided with a plurality of holes. According to this embodiment, it is easy to supply air throughout the entire body of the gas-liquid separation tank from multiple holes on the side of the cylindrical body. This is suitable for uniformly cooling the entire body of the gas-liquid separation tank.

[0062] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the plurality of holes are provided over the entire circumference or a portion of the circumferential direction of the side surface. According to this embodiment, when multiple holes are provided around the entire circumference of the cylindrical body's side surface, it is suitable for uniformly cooling the entire inside of the tank body by releasing air in all directions: up, down, left, and right. Furthermore, by providing multiple holes in a portion of the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body's side surface, depending on the shape of the space inside the tank body and the exhaust flow, the entire inside of the tank body can be cooled uniformly.

[0063] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the gas-liquid separation tank has a baffle plate that changes the direction of the exhaust flow from the processing module. According to this embodiment, the baffle plate generates a vertical flow in the exhaust gas flow, creating turbulence, which improves the mixing efficiency between the cooling air and the exhaust gas, thereby promoting the separation of liquids in the exhaust gas and the reduction of the exhaust gas temperature and humidity.

[0064] This application discloses a substrate processing apparatus in which, as one embodiment, the heat exchanger is located upstream of the baffle plate within the tank body, and the air nozzle is located downstream of the baffle plate within the tank body. In this configuration, by arranging heat exchangers and air nozzles on each side of the baffle plate, the arrangement of heat exchangers, air nozzles, and related piping and equipment is simplified. Furthermore, by directing cooling air onto the exhaust gas, which has become turbulent due to the baffle plate, the mixing efficiency between the cooling air and the exhaust gas can be further improved.

[0065] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the heat exchanger has a baffle plate provided with a passage for flowing a cooled liquid. According to this embodiment, cooling efficiency can be further improved by cooling the baffle plate itself. Furthermore, by making the baffle plate function as a heat exchanger and eliminating or miniaturizing another heat exchanger, the configuration within the gas-liquid separation tank can be made more space-efficient.

[0066] In one embodiment, the present invention further includes, in addition to the baffle plate, a tube for flowing a cooled liquid. According to this embodiment, the exhaust gas is cooled by both the heat exchanger of the baffle plate and the tubes of the cooling fluid, which further improves the cooling efficiency.

[0067] This application discloses a substrate processing apparatus, as one embodiment, further comprising: a waste liquid line connected to the tank body of the gas-liquid separation tank; a valve provided on the waste liquid line; a liquid level sensor for detecting the height of the liquid level accumulated in the tank body of the gas-liquid separation tank; and a control device that detects when the liquid level reaches a predetermined height based on the output of the liquid level sensor and opens the valve in response to the detection. According to this embodiment, by disposing of the liquid separated from the exhaust after a predetermined amount has accumulated, it is possible to suppress or prevent a decrease in the exhaust volume of the processing module by constantly drawing exhaust from both the exhaust duct and the waste liquid line.

[0068] This application discloses a substrate processing apparatus in which, as one embodiment, the bottom surface of the tank body has a first bottom surface portion of a first height, a second bottom surface portion of a second height located downstream of the exhaust from the first bottom surface portion and lower than the first height, and an inclined surface connecting the first bottom surface portion and the second bottom surface portion, and the waste liquid line is connected to the second bottom surface portion.

[0069] According to this embodiment, the liquid separated from the exhaust can be efficiently collected in the lower second bottom portion by the inclined surface of the bottom of the tank body, and the liquid can be discharged from the gas-liquid separation tank more efficiently.

[0070] This application discloses a substrate processing apparatus, as one embodiment, further comprising an exhaust duct attached to the side of the processing module, and the gas-liquid separation tank being attached to the bottom surface of the processing module so as to be in fluid communication with the processing module and the exhaust duct. According to this embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus including a gas-liquid separation tank can be configured compactly.

[0071] This application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the processing module is a cleaning module and the substrate processing apparatus is a substrate cleaning apparatus. According to this embodiment, when implementing a substrate cleaning method that utilizes the acceleration of chemical reactions by heated processing liquid, condensation inside the exhaust duct of the substrate cleaning apparatus can be effectively suppressed or prevented.

[0072] This application discloses a polishing apparatus equipped with the substrate processing apparatus described above as one embodiment. In recent years, due to the need for higher speed logic elements and lower costs for memory elements, the application of CMP (Chemical Polishing) has expanded to the transistor process (FEOL) for forming switching circuits. Compared to the wiring process (BEOL) for forming multilayer wiring using Cu and the like, FEOL involves much smaller film thickness, wiring width, and inter-wiring spaces, making it essential to improve the removal performance against particulate, molecular, and metallic contamination. As a means of achieving this, a cleaning method that utilizes the acceleration of chemical reactions by heating the processing liquid (chemical solution, pure water) is considered promising. In such a cleaning method, the substrate processing apparatus / substrate cleaning apparatus of the above embodiment can effectively suppress or prevent condensation in the exhaust duct.

[0073] This invention relates to, as one embodiment, processing a substrate with a liquid in a processing module, introducing exhaust gas from the processing module into a gas-liquid separation tank, in the gas-liquid separation tank, bringing the exhaust gas into contact with air from a heat exchanger and an air nozzle to separate the liquid from the exhaust gas and reduce the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas, and the gas-liquid separation tank A substrate processing method (exhaust method for a substrate processing device) is disclosed, which includes discharging the exhaust into an exhaust duct. According to this embodiment, in the gas-liquid separation tank, the temperature of the exhaust gas can be reduced by a heat exchanger, and the temperature of the exhaust gas can also be reduced by air from an air nozzle, thereby promoting the separation of liquid from the exhaust gas. This effectively reduces the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas in the gas-liquid separation tank, and suppresses or prevents condensation from occurring in the exhaust duct. By suppressing condensation in the exhaust duct, leakage from joints and other parts of the exhaust duct can be reduced, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, by suppressing condensation in the exhaust duct, changes in exhaust volume can be suppressed, and substrate processing performance (e.g., cleaning performance) can be stabilized. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 Polishing equipment 10 Polishing section 11 Polishing Modules 12 Turntables 13 Workpiece transfer device 14 Polishing heads 15 Dressing Tools 16 Dressing Units 17 Polished surface 20 Cleaning section 21, 22 Workpiece reversing machine 23, 24 Transport robots 25 cassettes 31, 32 Circuit board cleaning unit 33 Spin Rinse Dryer 40 Control device (controller) 100 Gas-liquid separation tank 101 Tank body 101A 1st bottom part 101B 2nd bottom part 101C Slope 110 Exhaust Inlet 120 Exhaust outlet 130 Heat exchanger 131 Coolant inlet 132 Coolant outlet 140 Cooling air supply mechanism 141 Air Nozzle 141A, 141B outlet 142 Air Cooler 143 lines 160 Wastewater Line 161 Solenoid valve 170 Liquid level sensor 200 cleaning modules 201 Tank body 210 Cleaning Nozzles 220 Rotation Mechanism 220A Komatsu 230 Exhaust outlet 300 Exhaust Duct 410 Exhaust 420 liquid

Claims

1. A processing module that processes the substrate with liquid, A gas-liquid separation tank connected to the exhaust outlet of the processing module separates the liquid from the exhaust received from the processing module and discharges the exhaust into an exhaust duct, Equipped with, The aforementioned gas-liquid separation tank is The tank body and A baffle plate is placed inside the tank body and changes the direction of the exhaust flow from the processing module, A heat exchanger is positioned upstream of the baffle plate within the tank body to cool the exhaust gas, An air nozzle is positioned downstream of the baffle plate within the tank body and supplies air to cool the exhaust gas, Having, Circuit board processing equipment.

2. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The processing module is a substrate processing apparatus that processes the substrate using a heated liquid.

3. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The heat exchanger is a substrate processing apparatus having tubes through which cooled liquid flows.

4. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, The tube is a bellows-type tube in a substrate processing apparatus.

5. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The air cooler is further connected to the aforementioned air nozzle, The air cooler receives the supply of air and outputs the cooled air to the air nozzle. A substrate processing device.

6. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, The aforementioned air cooler is a vortex tube in a substrate processing apparatus.

7. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned air is compressed air, in a substrate processing apparatus.

8. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, A substrate processing apparatus in which the direction of air discharge from the air nozzle is directed toward the heat exchanger.

9. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned air nozzle is a substrate processing apparatus having a cylindrical body with a side surface provided with a plurality of holes.

10. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, A substrate processing apparatus in which the plurality of holes are provided over the entire circumference or a portion of the circumferential direction of the side surface.

11. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The heat exchanger is a substrate processing apparatus having a baffle plate with a passage for flowing cooled liquid.

12. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, The aforementioned heat exchanger further includes, in addition to the baffle plate, a tube for flowing a cooled liquid, in a substrate processing apparatus.

13. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, A waste liquid line connected to the tank body of the gas-liquid separation tank, A valve provided on the aforementioned waste liquid line, A liquid level sensor for detecting the height of the liquid level in the tank body of the gas-liquid separation tank, A control device that detects when the liquid level reaches a predetermined height based on the output of the liquid level sensor and opens the valve in response to the detection, A substrate processing apparatus further equipped with the following features.

14. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, The bottom surface of the tank body has a first bottom surface portion of a first height, a second bottom surface portion of a second height located downstream of the exhaust from the first bottom surface portion and lower than the first height, and an inclined surface connecting the first bottom surface portion and the second bottom surface portion. The waste liquid line is connected to the second bottom portion of the substrate processing apparatus.

15. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The processing module further comprises an exhaust duct attached to its side, A substrate processing apparatus wherein the gas-liquid separation tank is attached to the bottom surface of the processing module so as to be in fluid communication with the processing module and the exhaust duct.

16. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The processing module is a cleaning module, and the substrate processing apparatus is a substrate cleaning apparatus. , substrate processing equipment.

17. A polishing apparatus comprising the substrate processing apparatus described in claim 13.

18. Processing the substrate with a liquid in the processing module. The exhaust gas from the processing module is introduced into a gas-liquid separation tank, wherein the gas-liquid separation tank includes a baffle plate that changes the direction of the exhaust gas flow from the processing module, a heat exchanger positioned upstream of the baffle plate, and an air nozzle positioned downstream of the baffle plate. In the gas-liquid separation tank, the exhaust gas is brought into contact with the heat exchanger and the air from the air nozzle to separate the liquid from the exhaust gas, and to reduce the temperature and humidity of the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas that has passed through the gas-liquid separation tank is discharged into the exhaust duct. A substrate processing method including the following.

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