Substrate water vapor treatment method and substrate water vapor treatment system

Abstract

[Topic] To provide a technique that allows for more stable processing of substrates using water vapor. [Solution] The substrate steam treatment method involves treating a substrate with steam in a processing container. The processing container is connected to a supply section including at least a water storage tank and a vaporizer, and a discharge section including at least a gas-liquid separation section. The substrate steam treatment method includes: a storage process for storing liquid water in a water storage tank; a gas removal process for removing gas from the transport path; a steam generation process for generating steam in the vaporizer; and a steam treatment process for treating the substrate with steam. Furthermore, the substrate steam treatment method includes: a discharge separation process for separating the discharge from the processing container into exhaust gas and drained liquid; and an exhaust gas and drained liquid discharge process for discharging the exhaust gas and drained liquid separately.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to a substrate water vapor treatment method and a substrate water vapor treatment system. [Previous Technology]

[0002] When a substrate is processed by a processing gas containing chlorine, chlorine remains. Therefore, in the substrate processing process, after the substrate is processed by the processing gas, a steam treatment is performed to "expose the substrate to water vapor to remove the chlorine from the substrate".

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for supplying water vapor (substrate water vapor treatment method) that "supplyes water vapor to a loading and locking chamber to remove chlorine from a substrate housed within the loading and locking chamber". [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-86253 [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] [The problem that this invention aims to solve]

[0006] This disclosure provides a technique that allows for more stable processing of substrates using water vapor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a substrate water vapor treatment method is provided, which involves treating a substrate processed by a processing gas in a substrate processing apparatus with water vapor inside a processing container. The substrate water vapor treatment method is characterized in that the processing container is connected to a supply section including at least a water storage tank and a vaporizer, and a discharge section including at least a gas-liquid separator, and includes the following processes: (a) a process of moving the substrate into the processing container; (b) a process of supplying liquid water to the water storage tank and storing the liquid water in the water storage tank; (c) a process of transferring water from the water storage tank to the... (d) A process for removing gas along the transfer path up to the vaporizer; (e) a process for transferring the liquid water from the water storage tank to the vaporizer via the aforementioned transfer path, and generating the aforementioned water vapor in the vaporizer; (f) a process for supplying the aforementioned water vapor generated in the vaporizer to the aforementioned processing container, and performing the aforementioned water vapor treatment on the aforementioned substrate; (g) a process for separating the discharge "discharged from the aforementioned processing container by the aforementioned water vapor treatment" into exhaust gas and discharge liquid by the aforementioned gas-liquid separation unit; and (g) a process for discharging the aforementioned exhaust gas from the exhaust gas path and simultaneously discharging the aforementioned discharge liquid from the discharge liquid path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] Based on a single state sample, substrate processing by water vapor can be performed more stably.

Implementation Method

[0010] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, the form used to implement this disclosure will be explained. In the various drawings, the same symbols are sometimes used for the same constituent parts, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0011] Figure 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of a substrate water vapor treatment system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 is installed in a factory that processes a substrate G to form light-emitting elements, etc., and performs water vapor treatment (hereinafter referred to as water vapor treatment) on the substrate G as one of the processes in forming light-emitting elements, etc., on the substrate G. For example, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 is incorporated into the post-processing stage of a substrate processing apparatus 2 in a substrate processing system 100 that uses a processing gas containing chlorine (Cl) to remove chlorine from the substrate G.

[0012] As an example of a substrate G subjected to steam treatment, a glass substrate used in a flat panel display (FPD) such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) can be cited. In this case, a thin-film transistor is formed on the substrate G. The thin-film transistor is formed by "dry etching a metal film of an insulating layer deposited on the substrate G using a processing gas such as chlorine (Cl2), boron chloride (BCl3), or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)". Therefore, chlorine remains on the substrate G after the electrode is formed.

[0013] The substrate steam treatment system 1 includes: a treatment apparatus body 10, which performs steam treatment on a substrate G as a post-processing step after electrode formation. In the steam treatment, the treatment apparatus body 10 exposes the substrate G to steam, thereby causing residual chlorine or chlorine-based compounds on the substrate G to react with the steam to generate hydrogen chloride (HCl). The generated hydrogen chloride is then separated from the substrate G. This removes chlorine or chlorine-based compounds from the substrate G, suppressing the generation of aluminum hydroxide, a cause of corrosion.

[0014] In order to perform the above-mentioned steam treatment, the substrate steam treatment system 1, in addition to the treatment device body 10, includes: a supply unit 20 for supplying steam to the treatment device body 10; a discharge unit 50 for discharging the discharge from the treatment device body 10; and a control unit 70 for controlling the entire substrate steam treatment system 1. Hereinafter, the configurations of the treatment device body 10, the supply unit 20, and the discharge unit 50 will be described in detail.

[0015] The processing apparatus body 10 includes a processing container 11 (processing chamber) for steam treatment of the substrate G. The processing container 11, for example, has a platform in the processing space for holding the substrate G, and has an inlet / outlet for moving the substrate G between the outside of the processing container 11 and the processing space, and a gate valve for opening and closing the inlet / outlet (both not shown). The substrate G is held by a conveying device (not shown) of the substrate processing system 100, and is moved into the processing container 11 via the inlet / outlet and placed on the platform. Furthermore, after steam treatment, the substrate G is held by the conveying device, moved out of the processing container 11, and transported to another device of the substrate processing system 100 or to the outside of the substrate processing system 100. Alternatively, the processing container 11 may be configured to "accommodate multiple substrates G at once, and perform steam treatment on each substrate G together".

[0016] The processing apparatus body 10 is preferably equipped with a nozzle (water vapor ejection part: not shown) in the processing container 11 that can eject water vapor without leakage to the entire surface of the substrate G. Moreover, the mounting stage can be equipped with a temperature control mechanism (not shown) that can adjust the temperature of the mounted substrate G to the temperature corresponding to the water vapor processing.

[0017] Furthermore, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 includes: a supply path 12 connecting the treatment container 11 and the supply section 20, which supplies water vapor from the supply section 20 to the treatment container 11; and an exhaust path 14 connecting the treatment container 11 and the exhaust section 50, which discharges waste from the treatment container 11 to the exhaust section 50. The treatment apparatus body 10, with the treatment space of the treatment container 11 adjusted to a vacuum atmosphere by the exhaust section 50, performs water vapor treatment on the substrate G housed in the treatment space based on the supply of water vapor from the supply section 20, and then discharges the water vapor from the treatment space or byproducts such as hydrogen chloride generated during treatment to the exhaust section 50. In addition to the components for supplying and discharging water vapor, the treatment container 11 may also be connected to an inert gas section (not shown) for supplying inert gases such as nitrogen (N2).

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the supply section 20 of the substrate water vapor treatment system 1. As shown in Figure 2, the supply section 20 is the upstream part of the substrate water vapor treatment system 1, which generates water vapor from liquid water (hereinafter referred to as liquid water) and supplies the water vapor to the treatment device body 10. The supply section 20 is provided with a factory water supply source 21, a water storage tank 22 and a vaporizer 23 in sequence from the upstream side to the downstream side in the direction of liquid water flow.

[0019] The factory water supply source 21 supplies liquid water from the upstream side of the supply unit 20 to the downstream side in a factory equipped with a substrate water vapor treatment system 1. The factory water supply source 21 can be constructed in various ways to "generate pure liquid water with no or few impurities". For example, the factory water supply source 21 is connected to an external supply source that supplies tap water and has an impurity removal unit (not shown) such as a filter and a pump (not shown) for pumping liquid water. A factory water supply source configured in this way can stably deliver liquid water from the upstream side of the supply unit 20, from which impurities have been removed from tap water, to the downstream side by means of a pump. In addition, the liquid water delivered from the factory water supply source 21 may contain gases such as air in most cases.

[0020] The supply unit 20 connects the factory water supply source 21 and the water storage tank 22 via a liquid water supply path 24. The liquid water supply path 24 is composed of a liquid water supply pipe 25, which has an internal flow path for liquid water. Furthermore, a liquid water supply side valve 26 is installed in the liquid water supply path 24. This liquid water supply side valve 26, controlled by the control unit 70, opens and closes the flow path of the liquid water supply pipe 25. That is, liquid water from the factory water supply source 21 is supplied to the water storage tank 22 when the liquid water supply side valve 26 is open, and the supply is cut off when the liquid water supply side valve 26 is closed. Additionally, normally, under pressurized conditions, since liquid water is supplied from the factory water supply source 21 to the end of the pipe within the factory, the liquid water naturally flows out from the end of the pipe due to the pressure difference with the factory environment. Therefore, it is also possible to supply liquid water to the storage tank 22 by natural flow without installing a pump to pressurize the liquid water.

[0021] The water storage tank 22 has a storage space 22a with a predetermined volume and functions to temporarily store liquid water in the supply unit 20. For example, the water storage tank 22 is formed as a bottomed cylindrical body that extends elongated in the vertical direction, and the storage space 22a is sealed by closing its upper end with a cover. The liquid water supply path 24 is, for example, connected to the cover at the upper end of the water storage tank 22.

[0022] The water storage tank 22 is equipped with a supply-side water level detection unit 27, which detects the water level of the liquid water stored in the storage space 22a and sends the detection result to the control unit 70. For example, the supply-side water level detection unit 27 includes a supply determination sensor 28 for determining the supply and cessation of liquid water supply; and upper and lower limit sensors 29 for detecting the system limit values ​​of the liquid water stored in the water storage tank 22. The supply determination sensor 28 can detect the lower limit value (see L in Figure 2) and the upper limit value (see H in Figure 2). When the control unit 70 detects that the water level has reached the lower limit value, it opens the liquid water supply-side valve 26 to supply liquid water to the water storage tank 22. Conversely, when the control unit 70 detects that the water level has reached the upper limit value, it closes the liquid water supply-side valve 26 to stop the supply of liquid water to the water storage tank 22. For example, if the upper limit of water storage (see HH in Figure 2) or the lower limit of water storage (see LL in Figure 2) is detected by the upper and lower limit sensors 29, it is considered that an abnormality has occurred, and the control unit 70 stops the operation of the substrate water vapor treatment system 1.

[0023] The supply unit 20 includes a pressure regulating unit 30, which supplies and discharges pressurized gas, such as air, to the water storage tank 22 to pressurize the liquid water stored in the water storage tank 22. The pressure regulating unit 30 is connected to the control unit 70, and under the control of the control unit 70, it supplies and discharges pressurized gas to the water storage tank 22.

[0024] Furthermore, the supply unit 20 is connected between the water storage tank 22 and the vaporizer 23 via a transfer path 31. The transfer path 31 includes: an outlet pipe 32 extending between the storage space 22a and the outside of the water storage tank 22; and a transfer pipe 33 connected to the outlet pipe 32, having an internal flow path for liquid water to flow through. The outlet pipe 32 extends vertically within the storage space 22a through a cover at the upper end of the water storage tank 22, with its lower end positioned near the bottom surface of the water storage tank 22 (below the lower limit side of the upper and lower limit sensors 29). Liquid water flows into the outlet pipe 32 through an opening at its lower end, and the liquid water flows through the flow path within the outlet pipe 32 into the flow path of the transfer pipe 33.

[0025] The transfer pipe 33, for example, has: an upper horizontal extension 34 extending laterally (horizontally) from the upper end of the outlet pipe 32; a vertical extension 35 extending vertically downward from the upper horizontal extension 34; and a lower horizontal extension 36 extending laterally from the lower end of the vertical extension 35. The upper horizontal extension 34 is located above the water storage tank 22, and a switch valve 37 is provided at its midpoint. The switch valve 37 is open during normal steam treatment and closed during maintenance or malfunction of the substrate steam treatment system 1, thereby cutting off the transfer of liquid water to the vaporizer 23.

[0026] The longitudinal extension 35 has an upper end connected to the upper transverse extension 34 and a lower end connected to the lower transverse extension 36, and extends linearly to the side outside the water storage tank 22. The upper end of the longitudinal extension 35 is connected to the upper transverse extension 34 via a T-connector 38 together with the piping of the degassing path 40 described later.

[0027] At a midway position of the lower transverse extension 36, a vaporizer front side valve 39 is provided. The vaporizer front side valve 39 can open and close the flow path in the transfer pipe 33, and under the control of the control unit 70, switch the supply of liquid water to the vaporizer 23 and stop the supply.

[0028] Furthermore, the supply unit 20 of this embodiment includes a degassing path 40 (degassing section) for removing gas (air) from the flow path 31. Specifically, the degassing path 40 is connected to the connection point (T-connector 38) between the upper horizontal extension 34 and the vertical extension 35. The degassing path 40 includes a degassing pipe 41 with a flow path through which gas and liquid water can flow; and a waste tank 42 connected to the degassing pipe 41.

[0029] The degassing pipe 41 extends vertically upward from the T-connector 38 for a predetermined length, and then extends laterally via a bend to be connected to the waste tank 42. Furthermore, a degassing side valve 43 is provided midway through the degassing pipe 41. This degassing side valve 43, under the control of the control unit 70, switches the flow path within the degassing pipe 41. The degassing side valve 43 is, for example, provided in the horizontally extending portion of the degassing pipe 41.

[0030] The waste tank 42 is a concave container with an open top, which stores liquid water flowing in through the degassing path 40 while discharging air from the container. Alternatively, the supply unit 20 may extend the degassing path 40 to a suitable drainage location within the factory (e.g., the factory drainage unit 55 described later) and may not have a waste tank 42. Alternatively, the supply unit 20 may be configured to circulate liquid water to the factory water supply source 21 or the storage tank 22 via the degassing path 40. The degassing unit is not limited to the degassing path 40; for example, it may be configured to have an exhaust structure in the transfer path 31 that allows gas to pass through but blocks the passage of liquid water.

[0031] On the other hand, the vaporizer 23 of the supply unit 20 heats the liquid water supplied from the transfer path 31 (lower transverse extension 36) to vaporize it into water vapor, and then allows the water vapor to flow out to the supply path 12. The vaporizer 23 can be configured using known structures. For example, the vaporizer 23 can be configured to include: an internal pump to draw in liquid water; a sealed tank to store the liquid water drawn in by the internal pump; and a temperature adjustment unit to adjust the temperature of the liquid water (all not shown). The liquid water is heated by the temperature adjustment unit. Furthermore, the vaporizer 23 adjusts the amount of water vapor supplied to the processing container 11 by controlling the amount of liquid water introduced or heated by the control unit 70. Alternatively, the internal pump may not be provided, and the liquid water may be guided into the vaporizer 23 by the differential pressure between the evacuated processing container 11 and the transfer path 31.

[0032] The supply path 12 is formed by a supply pipe 13 having a flow path for water vapor to pass through, for example, connected to the upper part of the sealing groove of the vaporizer 23 and extending to the processing device body 10. Herein, the water vapor generated in the sealing groove will naturally flow into the supply path 12. This water vapor flows through the supply path 12 and into the processing container 11. The supply section 20 of the substrate water vapor processing system 1 is basically configured as described above.

[0033] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the discharge section 50 of the substrate water vapor treatment system 1. As shown in Figure 3, the discharge section 50 is the downstream side of the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 that discharges a waste containing water vapor used in the processing device body 10. The waste discharged from the processing device body 10 contains, in addition to water vapor, hydrogen chloride or an inert gas generated from chlorine removed from the substrate G. The discharge section 50 is provided with a dry pump 51, a heat exchanger 52, a discharge side tank 53, a drain pump 54, a factory drain section 55, and a factory exhaust section 56 in sequence from the upstream side to the downstream side in the flow direction of the waste.

[0034] The discharge path 14 connecting the treatment device body 10 and the dry pump 51 is constituted by a discharge pipe 15 having a flow path for the discharge material. Furthermore, a discharge side valve 57 is provided on the discharge pipe 15, which opens and closes the flow path of the discharge pipe 15 based on the control of the control unit 70. That is, the discharge material from the treatment device body 10 is discharged to the discharge section 50 when the discharge side valve 57 is open, and the discharge to the discharge section 50 is cut off when the discharge side valve 57 is closed.

[0035] The dry pump 51 is connected to the processing device body 10 via the discharge pipe 15, thereby having the function of "drawing the processing space of the processing container 11 under the control of the control unit 70". In this way, the dry pump 51 creates a vacuum atmosphere in the processing space of the processing container 11 and causes the discharge to flow from the processing device body 10 to the discharge unit 50. Furthermore, the dry pump 51 also pressurizes the discharge flowing from the processing device body 10 to a downstream side.

[0036] The discharge section 50 is connected between the dry pump 51 and the heat exchanger 52 via a common discharge path 58. The common discharge path 58 is formed by a common discharge pipe 59, which has an internal flow path for the discharge material to flow through.

[0037] The heat exchanger 52 cools the exhaust flowing in from the common exhaust path 58, thereby functioning as a gas-liquid separator to separate the exhaust into exhaust gas (gas) and liquid discharge (liquid). The heat exchanger 52 can utilize known configurations. For example, the heat exchanger 52 can be configured with: a main body disposed around the common exhaust pipe 59 for heat exchange via refrigerant; a quench cooler unit for cooling the refrigerant; and a circulation path with a pump (not shown) for circulating the refrigerant between the main body and the quench cooler unit. Furthermore, the temperature of the exhaust can be adjusted by the control unit 70. Alternatively, the main body can be disposed outside the common exhaust pipe 59, with a direct flow path for the exhaust within the main body, thereby achieving efficient heat exchange. Additionally, the gas-liquid separator is not limited to the heat exchanger 52; various structures for separating the exhaust into exhaust gas and liquid discharge can also be used.

[0038] The discharge side channel 53 is located more vertically downward than the heat exchanger 52 and is connected to a common discharge path 58 through the heat exchanger 52. Like the water storage tank 22, the discharge side channel 53 is formed as a bottomed cylindrical body extending vertically, with a cover at its upper end that seals the internal space 53a. For example, a common discharge pipe 59 is connected to the center of the cover.

[0039] In the discharge side channel 53, the exhaust gas and drained liquid separated from the heat exchanger 52 flow from the cover (upper end) into the internal space 53a of the discharge side channel 53 via the common discharge path 58. The exhaust gas and drained liquid remain separated in the internal space 53a, with the drained liquid accumulating on the bottom side and on the upper end side. The inner surface of the discharge side channel 53 is coated to inhibit corrosion caused by hydrogen chloride. In addition, the portion of the discharge side channel 53 connected to the common discharge pipe 59 may also have various gas-liquid separation structures (such as curved structures) to capture water vapor passing through the heat exchanger 52.

[0040] Furthermore, the discharge side tank 53 is equipped with a discharge side liquid level detection unit 60, which detects the liquid level of the discharged liquid stored in the internal space 53a and sends the detection result to the control unit 70. For example, the discharge side liquid level detection unit 60 includes a discharge determination sensor 61 for determining the discharge and discharge cessation; and a discharge upper limit sensor 62 for detecting the upper limit value of the water storage of the discharged liquid stored in the discharge side tank 53 (see HH in FIG3). The discharge determination sensor 61 can detect the upper limit value (see H in FIG3) and the lower limit value (see L in FIG3). When the water level reaches the upper limit value, the discharge unit 50 discharges the discharged liquid from the discharge side tank 53. Conversely, when the water level reaches the lower limit value, the discharge unit 50 stops discharging the discharged liquid from the discharge side tank 53.

[0041] The discharge section 50 is connected between the discharge side tank 53 and the factory discharge section 55 via a discharge path 64. The discharge path 64 is formed by a discharge pipe 65, which is connected to the bottom near the discharge side tank 53 and has a flow path inside for liquid accumulated in the discharge side tank 53 to flow through. In addition, it is preferable to apply a coating to the inner surface of the discharge pipe 65 that "inhibits corrosion even when water containing hydrogen chloride flows through it".

[0042] Furthermore, a drainage pump 54 is provided in the drainage path 64 to draw the drainage stored in the discharge side tank 53 and send it to the factory drainage section 55. The drainage pump 54 is controlled by the control unit 70 to control its operation, operation stop, drainage volume, etc.

[0043] The factory drainage section 55 is a place or device that continuously receives the drainage from the discharge side tank 53. The factory drainage section 55 may be, for example, a drainage treatment device that is "installed inside or outside the factory and can centrally treat the liquid discharged from other equipment in the factory" or a drainage pipe connected to the outside of the factory.

[0044] Furthermore, the discharge section 50 is connected between the discharge side channel 53 and the factory exhaust section 56 via an exhaust path 67. The exhaust path 67 is composed of an exhaust pipe 68, which is connected to the upper part near the discharge side channel 53 and has an internal flow path for the gas accumulated in the discharge side channel 53 to circulate. Also, a dew point meter 69 is installed in the exhaust path 67 to detect the dew point temperature within the exhaust path 67. The dew point meter 69 is connected to the control unit 70 to detect the dew point temperature of condensation within the exhaust path 67 and sends the detection result to the control unit 70.

[0045] The factory exhaust unit 56 is a place or device that continuously receives the gas discharged from the exhaust side channel 53. The factory exhaust unit 56 is, for example, an exhaust treatment device that is "installed inside or outside the factory and can centrally treat the gas discharged from other equipment in the factory".

[0046] Returning to Figure 1, the control unit 70 of the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 is a control computer having one or more processors 71, memory 72, input / output interfaces (not shown), and electronic circuits. The one or more processors 71 are combinations of one or more CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, circuits composed of a plurality of discrete semiconductors, etc., executing programs stored in the memory 72. The memory 72 includes volatile memory, non-volatile memory (memory media such as computer memory media, floppy disks, optical disks, hard disks, optical discs, memory cards, etc.), stored programs, and recipes.

[0047] The control unit 70 is connected via an input / output interface to the processing device body 10, valves, vaporizer 23, dry pump 51, drain pump 54, etc., of the substrate steam treatment system 1 in a communicative manner. Furthermore, the control unit 70 is connected via an input / output interface to the supply-side water level detection unit 27 (see FIG. 2), the discharge-side liquid level detection unit 60, and the dew point meter 69 (see FIG. 3), etc., in a signal-receiving manner. Moreover, the control unit 70 is connected via an input / output interface to an input / output device (not shown) (touch panel, display, speaker, keyboard, mouse, etc.). Based on the recipe input by the user via the input / output device, the control unit 70 outputs control commands to each component of the substrate steam treatment system 1 to perform steam treatment.

[0048] One embodiment of the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 is basically configured as described above. The operation and effect of the system will be explained below with reference to FIG4. FIG4 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the substrate water vapor treatment method.

[0049] The substrate steam treatment system 1 performs steam treatment on a substrate G that has been dry-etched using a processing gas containing chlorine. In the substrate steam treatment method, the control unit 70 performs a loading process, which loads the substrate G into the processing container 11 of the processing apparatus body 10. Furthermore, the control unit 70 simultaneously performs a supply process, a processing process, and a discharge process, so that steam flows through the supply unit 20, the processing container 11, and the discharge unit 50 in that order.

[0050] Specifically, in the receiving process, the following (a) process is carried out; in the supply process, the following (b) to (d) processes are carried out; in the treatment process, the following (e) process is carried out; and in the discharge process, the following (f) and (g) processes are carried out. (a) Loading and Placement Process: The substrate G is loaded into the processing container 11 and positioned facing each other at the steam discharge section [Step S11] (b) Storage Process: Liquid water is supplied to the water storage tank 22 and stored in the water storage tank 22 [Step S12] (c) Gas Removal Process: Gas (air) is removed from the transport path 31 from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23 [Step S13] (d) Steam Generation Process: Liquid water is transported from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23 via the transport path 31, and steam is generated in the vaporizer 23 [Step S14] (e) Steam Treatment Process: The steam generated in the vaporizer 23 is supplied to the processing container 11 to treat the substrate G with steam [Step S15] (f) Discharge Separation Process: The discharge from the processing container 11 is separated into exhaust gas and discharge liquid using the heat exchanger 52 and the discharge side tank 53 [Step S16] (g) Gas and liquid discharge process: Gas is discharged from gas discharge path 67, and liquid is discharged from liquid discharge path 64 [Step S17]

[0051] The loading process (loading and placement process) is a process performed before the processing process (steam treatment process). For example, as shown in FIG4, the control unit 70 performs this loading process before the supply process, and places the substrate "treated by a processing gas containing chlorine in the substrate processing apparatus 2" into the processing container 11. In addition, if there is a substrate G that has undergone steam treatment in the processing container 11, the control unit 70 loads a new substrate G after removing the treated substrate G. Alternatively, in the substrate steam treatment method, the loading process can also be performed during the supply process (storage process, gas removal process). This can facilitate the shortening of the processing time as a whole process.

[0052] Furthermore, the supply process is related to the operation of the supply unit 20, the processing process is related to the operation of the processing device body 10, and the discharge process is related to the operation of the discharge unit 50. Therefore, the following will describe the operation of the supply unit 20, the operation of the processing device body 10, and the operation of the discharge unit 50 respectively.

[0053] Figure 5 is a timing diagram showing the supply process of the substrate water vapor treatment method. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow state of liquid water in the supply unit 20 during the supply process, (a) showing the storage process, (b) showing the gas removal process, and (c) showing the water vapor generation process. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the control unit 70 controls the opening and closing of each valve in the supply unit 20, thereby implementing the storage process, the gas removal process, and the water vapor generation process.

[0054] Specifically, the control unit 70 opens the liquid water supply side valve 26 when the supply side water level detection unit 27 detects that the water level in the water storage tank 22 is at the lower limit or when the water level has not reached the upper limit at the start of the supply process. This allows liquid water to be supplied from the factory water supply source 21 to the water storage tank 22 via the liquid water supply side valve 26, and the liquid water is stored in the storage space 22a (see 6(a)). The substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can remove air from the water storage tank 22 even if air mixes into the liquid water from the factory water supply source 21 or air exists in the liquid water supply path 24 by temporarily storing the liquid water in the storage space 22a of the water storage tank 22.

[0055] Furthermore, at time point ta in Figure 5, the supply-side water level detection unit 27 detects that the water level in the storage tank 22 has reached its upper limit. Upon receiving the detection signal from the supply-side water level detection unit 27, the control unit 70 closes the liquid water supply-side valve 26, stopping the supply of liquid water to the storage tank 22 (storage process). In this way, the storage space 22a of the storage tank 22 maintains a static water state in which liquid water and air are separated, while storing the amount of liquid water required for the water vapor treatment of the substrate G.

[0056] Furthermore, at time point ta, the control unit 70 determines that the amount of liquid water stored is sufficient to transfer the liquid water from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23. However, in the substrate water vapor treatment method of this embodiment, a gas removal process is performed to remove the gas present in the transfer path 31 before the liquid water is injected from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23.

[0057] When the gas removal process begins, the control unit 70 closes the vaporizer front valve 39 of the transfer path 31 and opens the degassing side valve 43, thereby supplying pressurized gas from the pressure regulating unit 30 to the storage space 22a. Since the liquid water supply side valve 26 is closed due to the cessation of the storage process, when pressurized gas is supplied from the pressure regulating unit 30, the internal pressure of the water tank 22 rises, and the liquid water accumulated in the storage space 22a is pressurized from the outlet pipe 32 to the transfer pipe 33 (see Figure 6(b)). Although the liquid water flowing into the outlet pipe 32 flows in the order of outlet pipe 32 and transfer pipe 33, it is accumulated in the longitudinal extension 35 of the transfer pipe 33 (see Figure 2) due to the closure of the vaporizer front valve 39. At this time, the air present in the transfer path 31 or the air mixed with liquid water is released from the transfer path 31 to the degassing path 40.

[0058] Air pushed from the transfer path 31 to the degassing path 40 is discharged to the waste tank 42 via the degassing path 40. Furthermore, the control unit 70 continues the gas removal process until liquid water fills the transfer path 31. For example, the control unit 70 installs a flow meter (not shown) at the connection between the degassing path 40 and the waste tank 42, and terminates the gas removal process based on the stable flow rate of liquid water as the gas becomes unmixed. In this way, liquid water fills both the transfer path 31 and the degassing path 40, and air is reliably removed from the transfer path 31. Alternatively, the control unit 70 can also remove air from the transfer path 31 by performing the gas removal process for a predetermined period without a flow meter.

[0059] At time tb in Figure 5, the control unit 70 switches from the gas removal process to the water vapor generation process. The control unit 70 opens the vaporizer front side valve 39 of the transfer path 31 while closing the degassing side valve 43, and further activates the vaporizer 23 (see Figure 6(c)). When the vaporizer 23 starts operating, it introduces liquid water from the transfer path 31 by means of the rotation of the internal pump or differential pressure, causing the introduced liquid water to vaporize (water vaporize). By performing the gas removal process first, air is not mixed into the liquid water transferred from the transfer path 31. Therefore, the vaporizer 23 can stably generate water vapor that does not contain air, and send the generated water vapor to the processing device body 10 via the supply path 12.

[0060] The control unit 70 continuously generates steam in the supply unit 20 during the steam treatment process of the processing device body 10. At this time, the control unit 70 monitors the water level of the liquid water stored in the storage tank 22 by means of the supply-side water level detection unit 27. If the water level is below the lower limit value (at time point tc in Figure 5), the steam generation process is stopped and the storage process is repeated. Moreover, after the storage process, the gas removal process and the steam generation process are repeated, thereby ensuring that the supply unit 20 can stably generate steam.

[0061] In addition, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can also simultaneously perform the supply of liquid water to the water storage tank 22 (storage process), the removal of gas in the transfer path 31 (gas removal process), and the transfer of liquid water from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23 (water vapor generation process) during the supply process.

[0062] Furthermore, the substrate steam treatment system 1 removes chlorine from the substrate G by means of steam supplied from the vaporizer 23 to the processing container 11 via the supply path 12 during the processing process (steam treatment process) of the processing apparatus body 10. At this time, air is removed from the liquid water by a gas removal process in the processing space of the processing container 11, thereby ensuring that the supply amount of steam per unit time is fixed and pressure fluctuations are suppressed. Therefore, the processing apparatus body 10 supplies steam in a manner that is uniformly distributed on the surface of the substrate G to be treated, thereby uniformly removing chlorine from the substrate G. In this way, the substrate steam treatment system 1 can keep the amount of chlorine removed from each substrate G fixed. In other words, the processing apparatus body 10 can stably (without process variations) perform steam treatment.

[0063] Figure 7 is a timing diagram of the discharge process of the substrate water vapor treatment method. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram of the flow state of the discharge in the discharge process of the substrate water vapor treatment method, (a) shows the discharge separation process, and (b) shows the exhaust and liquid discharge process.

[0064] The control unit 70 performs a steam treatment process, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, while simultaneously performing a discharge process to "discharge the effluent from the treatment container 11 via the discharge unit 50". During the discharge process, the control unit 70 opens the discharge-side valve 57 and simultaneously drives the dry pump 51, thereby discharging the effluent, which is mainly composed of gas used in the steam treatment, from the treatment container 11 to the discharge unit 50. The effluent, containing steam and hydrogen chloride, flows out from the treatment unit body 10 at a high temperature. This effluent moves from the dry pump 51 to the heat exchanger 52 via a common discharge path 58.

[0065] Furthermore, the control unit 70 drives the heat exchanger 52, thereby cooling the exhaust material moving to the heat exchanger 52. The heat exchanger 52, for example, lowers the temperature of the exhaust section 50 to about room temperature (25°C). Hereby, the exhaust material is separated into exhaust gas and exhaust liquid. The exhaust gas contains water vapor and some hydrogen chloride, while the exhaust liquid contains liquid water and more hydrogen chloride than the exhaust gas. Although the exhaust gas is mainly composed of water vapor, it does not contain liquid water and is thus considered as a mist in the form of microparticles, and therefore can be regarded as a dry gas. The exhaust section 50 allows the separated exhaust gas and exhaust liquid to flow into the exhaust side tank 53 downstream of the heat exchanger 52 (see FIG8(a)).

[0066] The exhaust gas is retained in the upper part of the discharge side channel 53 and flows out to the exhaust path 67 connected to the discharge side channel 53. The exhaust gas flowing out to the exhaust path 67 is discharged to the factory exhaust section 56 through the dew point meter 69. Since this exhaust gas is a gas with low hydrogen chloride content and no liquid content, it will not cause corrosion of the exhaust path 67 and will flow to the factory exhaust section 56. That is, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 does not require corrosion countermeasures for the exhaust path 67 and can reduce the maintenance frequency of the exhaust path 67.

[0067] On the other hand, the control unit 70, based on the detection result of the discharge side liquid level detection unit 60 of the discharge side tank 53, activates the discharge pump 54 to discharge the liquid stored in the discharge side tank 53. Specifically, at time point td in FIG7, when the liquid level of the liquid stored in the discharge side tank 53 reaches the upper limit, the control unit 70 starts to drive the discharge pump 54 to make the liquid in the discharge side tank 53 flow out to the discharge path 64. In the discharge path 64, the liquid is directly sent to the downstream side and discharged to the factory discharge unit 55 when it passes through the discharge pump 54 (see FIG8(b)). As described above, the discharge piping 65 in the discharge path 64 is coated to cope with the corrosion caused by hydrogen chloride. Therefore, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can smoothly discharge the liquid containing hydrogen chloride to the factory discharge unit 55.

[0068] Furthermore, at time point te in Figure 7, when the discharge side liquid level detection unit 60 detects that the amount of drained liquid stored in the discharge side tank 53 has reached the lower limit, the control unit 70 stops driving the drain pump 54. At this time, the control unit 70 performs a residual operation of the drain pump 54 for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds), and stops the drain pump 54 after the residual operation. By implementing this residual operation, the situation of drained liquid remaining in the drain pipe 65 can be reduced, and corrosion of the drain path 64 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0069] Furthermore, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 detects the dew point temperature of the exhaust gas condensation using a dew point meter 69 during the discharge process. The control unit 70 closes the discharge-side valve 57 and simultaneously stops the operation of the dry pump 51 and heat exchanger 52 when the exhaust gas temperature reaches a predetermined dew point temperature value (see time point tf in Figure 7), thereby restricting (prohibiting) the discharge of waste gas from the treatment unit body 10. This suppresses the inflow of exhaust gas into the exhaust path 67, thus preventing condensation in the exhaust path 67. Additionally, the temperature of the structure downstream of the dry pump 51 rises due to the inactivity of the heat exchanger 52, raising the exhaust gas temperature from the predetermined dew point temperature value.

[0070] The following describes the technical ideas and effects of this disclosure as explained in the above embodiments.

[0071] The first aspect of this disclosure is a substrate steam treatment method, which performs steam treatment on a substrate G processed by a processing gas in a substrate processing apparatus 2 inside a processing container 11. The substrate steam treatment method is characterized in that the processing container 11 is connected to a supply section 20 including at least a water storage tank 22 and a vaporizer 23, and a discharge section 50 including at least a gas-liquid separation section (heat exchanger 52), and has the following processes: (a) a process of moving the substrate G into the processing container 11; (b) supplying liquid water to the water storage tank 22, and storing liquid water in the water storage tank 22. (c) A process for storing liquid water; (d) A process for removing gas from the transfer path 31 from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23; (e) A process for transferring liquid water from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23 via the transfer path 31, and generating water vapor in the vaporizer 23; (f) A process for supplying the water vapor generated in the vaporizer 23 to the processing container 11 to perform water vapor treatment on the substrate G; (g) A process for separating the discharge from the processing container 11 into exhaust gas and drained liquid by means of a gas-liquid separation unit; and (g) A process for discharging exhaust gas from the exhaust path 67 and simultaneously discharging drained liquid from the drained liquid path 64.

[0072] According to the above, the substrate steam treatment method can remove the gas in the transfer path 31, transfer the liquid water stored in the water tank 22 to the vaporizer 23, and stabilize the supply of steam from the vaporizer 23 to the processing container 11. Furthermore, the substrate steam treatment method uses a gas-liquid separation unit (heat exchanger 52) to separate the discharge from the processing container 11 into exhaust gas and liquid discharge, thereby suppressing corrosion of the exhaust path 67 and reducing maintenance frequency. Therefore, the substrate steam treatment method can more stably perform the treatment of the substrate G by steam.

[0073] Furthermore, the substrate G subjected to treatment by water vapor refers to a substrate that has been treated by a treatment gas containing chlorine. In this way, the substrate water vapor treatment method can remove chlorine from the substrate G by water vapor treatment.

[0074] Furthermore, a degassing path 40 is connected to the transfer path 31. In process (c), the gas in the transfer path 31 is discharged to the degassing path 40, resulting in the transfer path 31 being filled with liquid water. In process (d) following process (c), liquid water is supplied from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23. In this way, the substrate water vapor treatment method can more reliably discharge the gas present in the transfer path 31.

[0075] Furthermore, a dew point meter 69 is connected to the exhaust path 67. The dew point meter 69 monitors the dew point temperature of the exhaust path 67. When the dew point temperature reaches a predetermined value, the discharge from the processing container 11 is stopped. In this way, the substrate water vapor treatment method can suppress the condensation of exhaust gas in the exhaust path 67, preventing it from becoming liquid. Therefore, corrosion of the exhaust path 67 can be more effectively suppressed, allowing for extended use even with piping that lacks corrosion-preventing coatings.

[0076] Furthermore, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 of the second aspect disclosed herein includes: a treatment container 11, which performs water vapor treatment on the substrate G inside; a supply unit 20 connected to the treatment container 11 to supply water vapor to the treatment container 11; and a discharge unit 50 connected to the treatment container 11 to discharge the discharge from the treatment container 11. The supply unit 20 includes: a water storage tank 22 for storing liquid water; and a vaporizer 23 for generating water from the liquid water. The system includes: a steam transfer path 31 connecting the water storage tank 22 and the vaporizer 23; a degassing section (degassing path 40) connected to the transfer path 31 to remove gas from the transfer path 31; and an exhaust section 50 comprising: a gas-liquid separation section (heat exchanger 52) separating the exhaust into exhaust gas and exhaust liquid; an exhaust path 67 for discharging the exhaust gas separated by the gas-liquid separation section; and an exhaust liquid path 64, separate from the exhaust path 67 for discharging the exhaust liquid separated by the gas-liquid separation section. Thus, the substrate steam treatment system 1 can more stably perform steam treatment of the substrate G.

[0077] Furthermore, the exhaust path 67 is equipped with a dew point meter 69 to monitor the dew point temperature of the exhaust gas separated by the gas-liquid separator (heat exchanger 52). By using the dew point meter 69, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can prevent condensation caused by the exhaust gas from occurring in a timely manner.

[0078] Furthermore, the discharge section 50 includes: a discharge side tank 53 connected to a discharge path 64, which stores the discharged liquid separated by the gas-liquid separator (heat exchanger 52); and a discharge pump 54 disposed in the discharge path 64 to discharge the discharged liquid from the discharge side tank 53. The discharge pump 54 is activated when the water level of the discharged liquid in the discharge side tank 53 reaches a predetermined upper limit value on the discharge side. In this way, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can suppress power consumption and discharge the discharged liquid from the discharge side tank 53 at an appropriate time.

[0079] Furthermore, after the water level of the drained liquid in the discharge side tank 53 reaches a predetermined lower limit value, the drain pump 54 is continuously operated for a predetermined period of time. In this way, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can effectively suppress the corrosion of the drain path 64 caused by the retention of drained liquid in the drain path 64.

[0080] Furthermore, the gas-liquid separation unit is a heat exchanger 52 that cools the exhaust material discharged from the processing container 11. In this way, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 cools the exhaust material discharged as a gas, thereby effectively separating the exhaust gas and the liquid.

[0081] Furthermore, the water storage tank 22 is equipped with a supply-side water level detection unit 27 for detecting the water level of liquid water. Based on the detection by the supply-side water level detection unit 27, when the water level of liquid water is lower than the supply-side lower limit, water supply to the water storage tank 22 begins; when the water level of liquid water exceeds the supply-side upper limit, water supply to the water storage tank 22 stops. In this way, the substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can more stably store liquid water in the water storage tank 22 and transfer liquid water from the water storage tank 22 to the vaporizer 23.

[0082] The substrate water vapor treatment method and substrate water vapor treatment system 1 disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended patent application. The matters described in the aforementioned plurality of embodiments can also be employed in other configurations and combinations without contradiction. For example, the substrate water vapor treatment method and substrate water vapor treatment system 1 are not limited to water vapor treatment for removing chlorine from the substrate G; they can also be used to remove other substances adhering to the substrate G by means of water vapor. Alternatively, the substrate water vapor treatment method and substrate water vapor treatment system 1 can also utilize water vapor to promote chemical reactions or sterilization of substances. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0009] [Figure 1] A block diagram schematically showing the overall structure of a substrate steam treatment system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram showing the supply section of the substrate steam treatment system. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram showing the discharge section of the substrate steam treatment system. [Figure 4] A flowchart showing the processing flow of the substrate steam treatment method. [Figure 5] A timing diagram showing the supply process of the substrate steam treatment method. [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram showing the flow state of liquid water in the supply section during the supply process. [Figure 7] A timing diagram showing the discharge process of the substrate steam treatment method. [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram showing the flow state of the discharged material during the discharge process of the substrate steam treatment method.

Claims

1. A substrate water vapor treatment method, wherein a substrate processed by a processing gas in a substrate processing apparatus is subjected to water vapor treatment inside a processing container, the substrate water vapor treatment method being characterized in that the processing container is connected to a supply section including at least a water storage tank and a vaporizer and a discharge section including at least a gas-liquid separation section, and includes the following processes: (a) a process of moving the substrate into the processing container; (b) a process of supplying liquid water to the water storage tank and storing the liquid water in the water storage tank; (c) a process of removing gas from the transfer path from the water storage tank to the vaporizer; (d) a process of transferring the liquid water from the water storage tank to the vaporizer via the transfer path and generating water vapor in the vaporizer; (e) a process of supplying the water vapor generated in the vaporizer to the processing container and subjecting the substrate to water vapor treatment; (f) The process of separating the discharge from the aforementioned processing container by means of the aforementioned gas-liquid separation unit into exhaust gas and discharge liquid; and (g) The process of discharging the aforementioned exhaust gas from the exhaust gas path and the aforementioned discharge liquid from the discharge liquid path.

2. The substrate water vapor treatment method as described in claim 1, wherein, The substrate that has undergone the aforementioned treatment with water vapor refers to a substrate that has been treated with the aforementioned treatment gas containing chlorine.

3. The substrate water vapor treatment method as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The aforementioned transfer path is connected to a degassing path. In the aforementioned process (c), the aforementioned gas in the aforementioned transfer path is discharged to the aforementioned degassing path, so that the transfer path is filled with the aforementioned liquid water. In the aforementioned process (d) after the aforementioned process (c), the aforementioned liquid water is supplied from the aforementioned water storage tank to the aforementioned vaporizer.

4. The substrate water vapor treatment method as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, A dew point meter is connected to the aforementioned exhaust path. The dew point temperature of the aforementioned exhaust path is monitored by the aforementioned dew point meter. When the aforementioned dew point temperature is detected to be a predetermined dew point temperature value, the discharge of the aforementioned effluent from the aforementioned treatment container is stopped.

5. A substrate water vapor treatment system, characterized in that it comprises: a treatment container for treating a substrate with water vapor inside; a supply unit connected to the treatment container for supplying the water vapor to the treatment container; and a discharge unit connected to the treatment container for discharging discharge from the treatment container, wherein the supply unit includes: a water tank for storing liquid water; a vaporizer for generating water vapor from the liquid water; a transfer path connecting the water tank and the vaporizer; and a degassing unit connected to the transfer path for removing gas from the transfer path; wherein the discharge unit includes: a gas-liquid separation unit for separating the discharge into exhaust gas and drained liquid; an exhaust gas path for discharging the exhaust gas separated by the gas-liquid separation unit; and a drained liquid path, separate from the exhaust gas path, for discharging the drained liquid separated by the gas-liquid separation unit.

6. The substrate water vapor treatment system as described in claim 5, wherein, The aforementioned exhaust path is equipped with a dew point meter to monitor the dew point temperature of the exhaust gas separated by the aforementioned gas-liquid separation unit.

7. The substrate water vapor treatment system as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein, The aforementioned discharge section includes: a discharge side tank connected to the aforementioned discharge path and storing the aforementioned discharge liquid separated by the aforementioned gas-liquid separation section; and a discharge pump disposed in the aforementioned discharge path to discharge the aforementioned discharge liquid from the aforementioned discharge side tank. When the water level of the aforementioned discharge liquid in the aforementioned discharge side tank reaches a predetermined upper limit value on the discharge side, the aforementioned discharge pump is activated.

8. The substrate water vapor treatment system as described in claim 7, wherein, After the water level of the aforementioned discharge side tank reaches the predetermined lower limit of the discharge side, the aforementioned discharge pump will continue to operate for a predetermined period of time.

9. The substrate water vapor treatment system as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein, The aforementioned gas-liquid separation unit is a heat exchanger that cools the aforementioned discharge from the aforementioned processing container.

10. The substrate water vapor treatment system as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein, The aforementioned water storage tank is equipped with a water level detection unit to detect the water level of the aforementioned liquid water. Based on the detection of the aforementioned water level detection unit, when the water level of the aforementioned liquid water is lower than the lower limit value on the supply side, water is supplied to the aforementioned water storage tank. When the water level of the aforementioned liquid water exceeds the upper limit value on the supply side, water is supplied to the aforementioned water storage tank.

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