Substrate processing apparatus and exhaust pipe cleaning method

Abstract

This invention provides a substrate processing apparatus and a method for cleaning exhaust pipes without prolonged interruption of substrate processing. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a chamber forming a processing space for processing a substrate; an exhaust pipe connected to the chamber for discharging ambient gas from the processing space to the outside of the chamber; an upstream switching valve disposed within the exhaust pipe; a cleaning fluid pipe connected to a connection point downstream of the upstream switching valve in the exhaust pipe for introducing cleaning fluid into the exhaust pipe; a drain pipe connected to a branch point downstream of the connection point in the exhaust pipe for draining liquid from the exhaust pipe; and a downstream switching valve disposed downstream of the branch point in the exhaust pipe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus for processing substrates. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method for cleaning an exhaust pipe used to exhaust air from a processing chamber within a substrate processing unit. Examples of substrates to be processed include substrates for FPD (Flat Panel Display) devices such as semiconductor wafers, liquid crystal display devices, and organic EL (Electroluminescence) display devices; substrates for optical discs; substrates for magnetic disks; substrates for magneto-optical disks; substrates for photomasks; ceramic substrates; and substrates for solar cells. Prior Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a heat treatment unit that introduces ozone gas into a heat treatment chamber housing a heating plate and supplies ozone gas to a substrate being heated by the heating plate. The heat treatment chamber is configured to be connected to an exhaust device via an exhaust pipe, preventing ozone gas leakage. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-187165 Summary of the Invention

[0004] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The exhaust equipment for self-heating treatment chambers is preferably an ozone decomposition machine that renders (decomposes) the ozone in the exhaust gas harmless. For example, the ozone decomposition machine passes the exhaust gas through a catalyst, decomposing the ozone into oxygen and rendering it harmless.

[0005] Depending on the processing conditions within the heat treatment chamber, there is a possibility that sublimates and byproducts contained in the exhaust gas may solidify and precipitate in the exhaust piping, potentially causing exhaust gas abnormalities. Furthermore, if the exhaust gas flows backward from the exhaust piping into the heat treatment chamber, there is a risk of substrate contamination. Moreover, if the precipitates adhere to the catalyst or other components of the ozone generator, there is a risk of reduced ozone removal performance.

[0006] These problems can be avoided or improved by regularly removing and cleaning the exhaust pipes, or by regularly replacing the exhaust pipes. However, this requires a long interruption of the substrate processing, which will impair productivity.

[0007] Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus and a method for cleaning exhaust pipes without requiring prolonged interruption of substrate processing. [Technical Means for Solving the Problem]

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus and an exhaust pipe cleaning method having the features illustrated below.

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a chamber forming a processing space for processing a substrate; an exhaust pipe connected to the chamber for discharging ambient gas from the processing space to the outside of the chamber; an upstream switching valve disposed within the exhaust pipe; a cleaning fluid pipe connected in the exhaust pipe to a connection point downstream of the upstream switching valve for introducing cleaning fluid into the exhaust pipe; a drain pipe connected in the exhaust pipe to a branch point downstream of the connection point for draining liquid from the exhaust pipe; and a downstream switching valve disposed in the exhaust pipe downstream of the branch point.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe is connected to the ozone removal machine downstream of the downstream switch valve.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe has a downstream connection extending upward from the branch point, and the downstream switch valve is disposed in the downstream connection.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe has an upstream connection portion extending upward from the connection point, and the upstream switch valve is disposed in the upstream connection portion.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the branch point is located below the connection point.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drainage pipe has a connecting portion extending downward from the branch point.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a downstream gas-liquid separation unit, which is connected to the exhaust pipe at the branch point to separate the gas and liquid in the exhaust pipe and to allow the separated liquid to flow out into the drain pipe.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a downstream retention container, which is disposed at the branch point and connected to the exhaust pipe, and has: an exhaust inlet connected to the exhaust pipe on the upstream side of the branch point; an exhaust outlet connected to the exhaust pipe on the downstream side of the branch point; and a drain outlet disposed at a position lower than the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet for connection to the drain pipe.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe has a downstream connection extending upward from the exhaust outlet, and the downstream switch valve is disposed in the downstream connection.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes an upstream retention container, which is disposed at the connection point and connected to the exhaust pipe, and has: an exhaust inlet connected to the exhaust pipe upstream of the connection point; a cleaning fluid inlet connected to the cleaning fluid pipe; and an exhaust outlet disposed at a position lower than the exhaust inlet and the cleaning fluid inlet and connected to the exhaust pipe downstream of the connection point.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe has an upstream connection portion extending upward from the exhaust inlet, and the upstream switch valve is disposed in the upstream connection portion.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the connection point and the branch point are arranged such that a section is included in the middle, in which substances in the exhaust gas are precipitated and adhere to the inner wall of the exhaust pipe by cooling the exhaust gas discharged from the processing space of the chamber.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes an upstream heater for heating the exhaust pipe upstream of the connection point.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a narrow-path heater for heating a narrow section of the exhaust pipe. A narrow-path section refers to a flow path section in the exhaust pipe where the cross-sectional area is locally reduced. Typically, a flow path section for forming fluid components such as valves is a narrow-path section. The narrow-path heater can also be a heater for heating fluid components such as valves mounted in the exhaust pipe.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes an exhaust cooler for cooling the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a controller for performing an exhaust pipe cleaning process to clean the exhaust pipe. The exhaust pipe cleaning process includes: a preparation step, which involves closing the upstream and downstream switching valves; a cleaning fluid introduction step, which involves keeping the upstream and downstream switching valves closed and introducing cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid pipeline into the exhaust pipe; a drainage step, which involves keeping the upstream and downstream switching valves closed and draining the cleaning fluid in the exhaust pipe through the drainage pipeline; and a recovery step, which involves opening the upstream and downstream switching valves after the cleaning fluid has been drained from the exhaust pipe.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning fluid introduction step involves filling the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point with the cleaning fluid.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust pipe cleaning process includes a drying step between the draining step and the recovery step. The drying step involves introducing drying gas into the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point to dry the exhaust pipe.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drying step involves opening the upstream switch valve and closing the downstream switch valve, while introducing the drying gas into the exhaust pipe upstream of the upstream switch valve.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met, the controller performs the exhaust pipe cleaning process. The exhaust pipe cleaning conditions include operating condition conditions related to the operating status of the chamber.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a contamination sensor for detecting the degree of contamination inside the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point. If a predetermined exhaust pipe cleaning condition is met, the controller performs the exhaust pipe cleaning process, wherein the exhaust pipe cleaning condition includes a contamination level condition in which the degree of contamination detected by the contamination sensor has reached a predetermined threshold.

[0030] One embodiment of the present invention provides an exhaust pipe cleaning method for cleaning an exhaust pipe connected to a chamber forming a processing space for processing a substrate, thereby discharging ambient gas from the processing space to the outside of the chamber. The method includes: a preparation step, which involves closing the upstream and downstream switching valves of the exhaust pipe; a cleaning fluid introduction step, which involves keeping the upstream and downstream switching valves closed and introducing cleaning fluid from a cleaning fluid pipeline into the exhaust pipe, wherein the cleaning fluid pipeline is connected in the exhaust pipe to a connection point downstream of the upstream switching valve and upstream of the downstream switching valve; a drainage step, which involves keeping the upstream and downstream switching valves closed and draining the cleaning fluid in the exhaust pipe through a drainage pipeline, wherein the drainage pipeline is connected in the exhaust pipe to a branch point downstream of the connection point and upstream of the downstream switching valve; and a recovery step, which involves opening the upstream and downstream switching valves after the cleaning fluid has been drained from the exhaust pipe.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, regarding the exhaust pipe cleaning method as described in item 22, the cleaning fluid introduction step involves filling the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point with the cleaning fluid.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes a drying step between the drainage step and the recovery step, wherein the drying step involves introducing drying gas into the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point to dry the exhaust pipe.

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drying step involves opening the upstream switch valve and closing the downstream switch valve, while introducing the drying gas into the exhaust pipe upstream of the upstream switch valve.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, regarding the above method, if the specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met, the above exhaust pipe cleaning method is performed. The exhaust pipe cleaning conditions include operating condition conditions related to the operating condition of the above chamber.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present invention, a pollution sensor for detecting the internal contamination level of the exhaust pipe is provided between the connection point and the branch point. If the specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met, the exhaust pipe cleaning method is executed. The exhaust pipe cleaning conditions include a contamination level condition in which the contamination level detected by the pollution sensor has reached a specified threshold. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0036] Figure 1 is a schematic top view showing the layout of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a wet processing unit. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of a dry processing unit. Figure 4 is a system diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a gas supply system and an exhaust system relative to a heat treatment unit. Figure 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an upstream interception container. Figure 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a downstream interception container. Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration related to the control of the substrate processing apparatus. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing of a controller related to the cleaning of exhaust pipes. Figure 8A is a diagram showing the state of the exhaust system during the substrate processing process. Figure 8B is a diagram showing the state of the exhaust system during the preparation step of cleaning the exhaust pipes. Figure 8C is a diagram showing the state of the exhaust system at the initial stage of the cleaning fluid introduction step. Figure 8D is a diagram showing the state of the exhaust system during the middle stage of the cleaning fluid introduction step. Figure 8E shows the state of the exhaust system when the exhaust pipe is filled with cleaning fluid at the end of the cleaning fluid introduction step. Figure 8F shows the state of the exhaust system during the drainage step. Figure 9A is a conceptual diagram of an example of a structure used to detect the contamination level of the exhaust pipe. Figure 9B is a conceptual diagram of an example of a structure used to detect the contamination level of the exhaust pipe. Figure 10 is a conceptual diagram of an example of an exhaust cooler used to cool the exhaust pipe. Implementation

[0037] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0038] Figure 1 is a schematic top view showing the layout of a substrate processing apparatus 1 (substrate processing system) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] The substrate processing apparatus 1 is a monolithic device that processes substrates W one by one. The substrate W is, for example, a semiconductor wafer. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes: a plurality of loading and unloading ports LP, which respectively hold a plurality of carriers C that hold the substrates W; and a plurality of processing units 2, which process the substrates W transported from the plurality of loading and unloading ports LP by means of processing fluids such as processing liquids or processing gases.

[0040] The substrate processing apparatus 1 further includes a transport unit (IR, SH, CR) for transporting the substrate W, and a controller (control device) 3 for controlling the substrate processing apparatus 1. The controller 3 is typically a computer, including a memory 3m for storing information such as programs, and a processor 3p for controlling the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the information stored in the memory 3m.

[0041] The transfer unit (IR, SH, CR) includes a transfer robot IR, a shuttle SH, and a central robot CR, all configured along a transfer path extending from multiple loading / unloading ports LP to multiple processing units 2. The transfer robot IR transfers substrate W between the multiple loading / unloading ports LP and the shuttle SH. The shuttle SH moves back and forth between the transfer robot IR and the central robot CR to transfer substrate W. The central robot CR transfers substrate W between the shuttle SH and the multiple processing units 2. The central robot CR then transfers substrate W between the multiple processing units 2. The thick arrows in Figure 1 indicate the movement directions of the transfer robot IR and the shuttle SH.

[0042] A plurality of processing units 2 form four towers respectively arranged in four horizontally separated positions. Each tower contains a plurality of processing units 2 stacked in a vertical direction. Two towers are arranged on each side of the transport path. The plurality of processing units 2 include a plurality of wet processing units 2W (liquid processing units) that process the substrate W with a processing liquid, and a plurality of dry processing units 2D (gas processing units) that process the substrate W with a processing gas. The two towers on the loading / unloading port LP side are formed by a plurality of dry processing units 2D, and the remaining two towers are formed by a plurality of wet processing units 2W.

[0043] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the wet processing unit 2W. The wet processing unit 2W is a monolithic liquid processing unit that processes substrates W one by one. The wet processing unit 2W includes: a box-shaped wet chamber 9 (refer to Figure 1), which divides the internal space; a rotating chuck 70 (substrate holding mechanism, substrate holder), which holds a substrate W in a horizontal position in the wet chamber 9 and rotates the substrate W about a vertical rotation axis A1 passing through the center of the substrate W; a processing liquid supply unit 80, which supplies processing liquid to the substrate W held in the rotating chuck 70; and a cylindrical cup 73, which surrounds the rotating chuck 70. As shown in Figure 1, the wet chamber 9 has an inlet / outlet 9a for the substrate W to pass through, and is equipped with a baffle 10 for opening or closing the inlet / outlet 9a. The wet chamber 9 is an example of a liquid processing chamber in which processing liquid is used to process substrates inside.

[0044] The rotary chuck 70 includes: a circular rotating base 74 held in a horizontal position; a plurality of chuck pins 75 holding the substrate W in a horizontal position above the rotating base 74; a rotating shaft 76 extending downward from the center of the rotating base 74; and a rotary motor 77 that rotates the rotating shaft 76 to rotate the substrate W and the rotating base 74 about a rotation axis A1. The rotary chuck 70 is not limited to a clamping chuck in which the plurality of chuck pins 75 contact the peripheral end faces of the substrate W, but can also be a vacuum chuck that holds the substrate W horizontally by adsorbing the back side (lower surface) of the substrate W, which is a non-component forming surface, onto the upper surface of the rotating base 74.

[0045] The cup 73 is positioned on the outer side of the substrate W held on the rotating chuck 70 (away from the axis of rotation A1). The cup 73 surrounds the rotating substrate 74. When processing liquid is supplied to the substrate W while the rotating chuck 70 is rotating it, the cup 73 catches the processing liquid discharged around the substrate W. The processing liquid caught by the cup 73 is sent to a recovery device or discharge device (not shown).

[0046] In this example, the processing liquid supply unit 80 is configured to supply a plurality of processing liquids to the surface of the substrate W held in the rotating chuck 70. Specifically, the processing liquid supply unit 80 includes a drug supply unit 81, a rinsing liquid supply unit 82, an organic solvent supply unit 83, and a water-repellent agent supply unit 84. The drug supply unit 81 includes a drug nozzle 81n that sprays drug liquid onto the surface of the substrate W, a drug pipe 81p that guides the drug liquid from the drug supply source to the drug nozzle 81n, and a drug valve 81v that is installed in the drug pipe 81p and serves as a switching valve. The rinsing liquid supply unit 82 includes a rinsing liquid nozzle 82n that sprays rinsing liquid onto the surface of the substrate W, a rinsing liquid pipe 82p that guides the rinsing liquid from the rinsing liquid supply source to the rinsing liquid nozzle 82n, and a rinsing liquid valve 82v that is installed in the rinsing liquid pipe 82p and serves as a switching valve. The organic solvent supply unit 83 includes an organic solvent nozzle 83n for spraying organic solvent onto the surface of the substrate W, an organic solvent pipe 83p for guiding organic solvent from an organic solvent supply source to the organic solvent nozzle 83n, and an organic solvent valve 83v disposed in the organic solvent pipe 83p and serving as a switching valve. The water-repellent supply unit 84 includes a water-repellent nozzle 84n for spraying water-repellent onto the surface of the substrate W, a water-repellent pipe 84p for guiding water-repellent from a water-repellent supply source to the water-repellent nozzle 84n, and a water-repellent valve 84v disposed in the water-repellent pipe 84p and serving as a switching valve.

[0047] The liquid supplied from the liquid supply source is, for example, hydrofluoric acid (hydrogen fluoride water: HF). Of course, the liquid is not limited to hydrofluoric acid; it can also be a liquid containing at least one of sulfuric acid, acetic acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF), dilute hydrofluoric acid (DHF), ammonia water, hydrogen peroxide water, an organic base (e.g., TMAH: tetramethylammonium hydroxide), a surfactant, and a preservative. Examples of liquids composed of these mixtures include SPM (sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide water mixture), SC1 (ammonia-hydrogen peroxide water mixture), and SC2 (hydrochloric acid-hydrogen peroxide water mixture).

[0048] The rinsing fluid supplied by the rinsing fluid supply source is, for example, DIW. Of course, the rinsing fluid is not limited to DIW, and can also be carbonated water, electrolyzed ionized water, ozone water, ammonia water, hydrochloric acid water with a dilution concentration (e.g., about 10 ppm to 100 ppm), or reduced water (hydrogen water).

[0049] The organic solvent supplied from the organic solvent supply source is, for example, IPA (isopropanol). Of course, the organic solvent is not limited to IPA, and may also be any organic solvent other than IPA that does not chemically react with the pattern (not shown) formed on the substrate W (lacking reactivity). More specifically, the organic solvent may also be an organic solvent containing at least one of IPA, HFE (hydrofluoroether), methanol, ethanol, acetone, and trans-1,2-dichloroethylene.

[0050] The water-repellent supplied from the self-water-repellent supply source may be, for example, a silicon-based water-repellent that hydrophobizes silicon itself and silicon-containing compounds, or a metal-based water-repellent that hydrophobizes the metal itself and metal-containing compounds. Metal-based water-repellents may include, for example, at least one of an amine having a hydrophobic group and an organosilicon compound. Silicon-based water-repellents may be, for example, silane coupling agents. Silane coupling agents may include, for example, at least one of HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane), TMS (tetramethylsilane), fluorinated alkylchlorosilanes, alkyldisilazanes, and non-chlorinated water-repellent agents. Non-chlorine-based water-repellent agents include, for example, at least one of dimethylsilyldimethylamine, dimethylsilyldiethylamine, hexamethyldisilazane, tetramethyldisilazane, bis(dimethylamino)dimethylsilane, N,N-dimethylaminotrimethylsilane, N-(trimethylsilyl)dimethylamine, and organosilane compounds.

[0051] In the substrate processing performed by the wet processing unit 2W, for example, chemical treatment, rinsing treatment, first organic solvent treatment, water-repellent treatment, second organic solvent treatment and drying treatment are performed in sequence.

[0052] Specifically, the substrate W is moved from the carrier C to the wet processing unit 2W by the transfer robot IR, the shuttle SH, and the central robot CR, and then handed over to the rotary chuck 70 (substrate loading). Afterwards, the substrate W is held horizontally by the chuck pin 75 until it is removed by the central robot CR (substrate holding process).

[0053] Then, the rotary motor 77 rotates the rotating substrate 74. This causes the substrate W, held horizontally in the rotary chuck 70, to rotate around the rotation axis A1 at a liquid processing rotation speed (e.g., 50 rpm to 1200 rpm) (substrate rotation process). In this state, the liquid valve 81v opens, and liquid processing begins. That is, liquid (e.g., hydrofluoric acid) sprayed from the liquid nozzle 81n is supplied to the surface of the rotating substrate W, and the upper surface of the substrate W is subjected to etching or other processing.

[0054] After a certain period of chemical treatment, the chemical valve 81v closes, and in its place, the rinsing valve 82v opens to perform the rinsing process. The rinsing fluid (e.g., DIW) sprayed from the rinsing nozzle 82n is supplied to the surface of the rotating substrate W, and the chemical on the surface of the substrate W is replaced by the rinsing fluid.

[0055] After a certain period of rinsing, the rinsing fluid valve 82v is closed, and in its place, the organic solvent valve 83v is opened to perform the first organic solvent treatment. In the first organic solvent treatment, organic solvent (e.g., IPA) sprayed from the organic solvent nozzle 83n is supplied to the surface of the rotating substrate W, and the rinsing fluid on the substrate W is replaced by the organic solvent.

[0056] After the first organic solvent treatment for a certain period of time, the organic solvent valve 83v is closed, and in its place, the water-repellent valve 84v is opened to perform the water-repellent treatment. During the water-repellent treatment, the water-repellent sprayed from the water-repellent nozzle 84n is supplied to the surface of the rotating substrate W, and the organic solvent on the substrate W is replaced by the water-repellent.

[0057] After a certain period of water-repellent treatment, the water-repellent valve 84v is closed, and in its place, the organic solvent valve 83v is opened to perform the second organic solvent treatment. In the second organic solvent treatment, organic solvent (e.g., IPA) sprayed from the organic solvent nozzle 83n is supplied to the surface of the rotating substrate W, and the water-repellent on the substrate W is replaced by the organic solvent.

[0058] After a second organic solvent treatment for a certain period of time, a drying process is performed, that is, the liquid components on the surface of the substrate W are removed by centrifugal force. Specifically, after the organic solvent valve 83v is closed, the substrate W is rotated at a high speed of drying rotation (e.g., 2000 rpm). After a certain period of time, the rotary motor 77 stops the rotation of the substrate W.

[0059] Subsequently, the central robot CR enters the wet processing unit 2W, picks up the processed substrate W from the rotating chuck 70, and moves it out of the wet processing unit 2W. This substrate W will, for example, be moved into the dry processing unit 2D.

[0060] After the water-repellent agent is supplied to the surface of the substrate W for water-repellent treatment, the water-repellent agent is rinsed off by an organic solvent with a lower surface tension than water. Then, the liquid is shaken off the substrate W by high-speed rotation, which can both prevent the pattern on the substrate W from collapsing and dry the substrate W.

[0061] However, sometimes the water-repellent agent cannot be completely removed during rinsing with organic solvents, resulting in water-repellent agent residue on the surface of the substrate W. In particular, when the water-repellent agent contains organic matter, the residual water-repellent agent can cause organic contamination, so it is better to remove it before the next process.

[0062] Therefore, in this embodiment, a substrate treatment is performed in the dry processing unit 2D to remove organic contaminants (residual water-repellent agent).

[0063] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of the dry processing unit 2D. The dry processing unit 2D includes: a dry chamber 4 with an inlet / outlet 4a through which a substrate W passes; a baffle 5 that opens or closes the inlet / outlet 4a of the dry chamber 4; a heat treatment unit 8 that heats the substrate W within the dry chamber 4 and supplies processing gas to the substrate W; a cooling unit 7 that cools the substrate W heated by the heat treatment unit 8 within the dry chamber 4; and an internal conveying mechanism 6 that conveys the substrate W within the dry chamber 4. A central robot CR (refer to Figure 1) inserts or removes the substrate W relative to the dry chamber 4 via the inlet / outlet 4a. The cooling unit 7 is disposed within the dry chamber 4 near the inlet / outlet 4a.

[0064] The cooling unit 7 includes a cooling plate 20, a lifting pin 22 that moves vertically through the cooling plate 20, and a pin lifting drive mechanism 23 that moves the lifting pin 22 vertically. The cooling plate 20 has a cooling surface 20a for mounting the substrate W. A refrigerant path (not shown) for circulating refrigerant (typically cooling water) is formed inside the cooling plate 20. The lifting pin 22 moves vertically between an upper position and a lower position. The upper position refers to the position where the lifting pin 22 supports the substrate W above the cooling surface 20a, and the lower position refers to the position where the front end of the lifting pin 22 is submerged below the cooling surface 20a.

[0065] The heat treatment unit 8 includes a heating plate 30, a heat treatment chamber 34 for housing the heating plate 30, a lifting pin 38 that moves up and down through the heating plate 30, and a pin lifting drive mechanism 39 for moving the lifting pin 38 up and down. The heating plate 30 has a heating surface 30a for placing the substrate W, and has a built-in heater 33.

[0066] The heater 33 is configured to heat the substrate W placed on the heating surface 30a at a temperature higher than room temperature, for example, it can be configured to heat the substrate W to 250°C. The heating surface 30a has a planar shape similar to that of the substrate W, but larger than the substrate W. Specifically, if the substrate W is circular, the heating surface 30a is formed as a circle that is larger than the substrate W.

[0067] The heat treatment chamber 34 includes a chamber body 35 and a cover 36 that moves up and down above the chamber body 35. The heat treatment unit 8 includes a cover lifting drive mechanism 37 that raises and lowers the cover 36. The chamber body 35 has an opening 35a that opens upwards, and the cover 36 opens or closes the opening 35a. The cover 36 moves up and down between a closed position (lower position) and an upper position. The closed position refers to the position where the cover 36 covers the opening 35a of the chamber body 35, forming a sealed processing space inside the heat treatment chamber 34. The upper position refers to the position where the cover 36 retracts upwards to open the opening 35a. The lifting pin 38 moves up and down between an upper position and a lower position. The upper position refers to the position where the lifting pin 38 supports the substrate W above the heating surface 30a. The lower position refers to the position where the front end of the lifting pin 38 is inserted below the heating surface 30a.

[0068] An exhaust port 41 is formed at the bottom of the chamber body 35. The exhaust ports 41 are preferably arranged in a plurality of locations (e.g., 3 locations) at circumferential intervals. The exhaust ports 41 are connected to an exhaust device via an exhaust pipe 42.

[0069] The cover 36 includes a flat plate portion 45 extending parallel to the heating surface 30a, and a cylindrical portion 46 extending downward from the periphery of the flat plate portion 45. The flat plate portion 45 is generally circular, and the cylindrical portion 46 has a cylindrical shape. The lower end of the cylindrical portion 46 faces the upper end of the chamber body 35. Thus, by moving the cover 36 up and down, the opening 35a of the chamber body 35 can be opened or closed.

[0070] A gas nozzle 50 is provided on the cover 36 to introduce gas into the heat treatment chamber 34. A gas pipe 51 is connected to the gas nozzle 50. An inert gas (e.g., nitrogen) and / or ozone gas is supplied to the gas pipe 51. A shower plate 49 is disposed between the gas nozzle 50 and the substrate W on the heating plate 30. The gas ejected from the gas nozzle 50 diffuses in the space between the shower plate 49 and the cover 36, and passes through a plurality of holes penetrating the shower plate 49. In this way, the gas is uniformly supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W on the heating plate 30. The gas supply system toward the gas nozzle 50 will be described below.

[0071] The indoor transport mechanism 6 transports substrate W within the dry chamber 4. More specifically, the indoor transport mechanism 6 includes an indoor transporter 6H for transporting substrate W between the cooling unit 7 and the heat treatment unit 8. The indoor transporter 6H is configured to exchange substrate W with the lifting pin 22 of the cooling unit 7 and with the lifting pin 38 of the heat treatment unit 8. Thus, the indoor transporter 6H can operate by receiving substrate W from the lifting pin 22 of the cooling unit 7 and delivering substrate W to the lifting pin 38 of the heat treatment unit 8. Furthermore, the indoor transporter 6H can operate by receiving substrate W from the lifting pin 38 of the heat treatment unit 8 and delivering substrate W to the lifting pin 22 of the cooling unit 7.

[0072] The typical operation of a 2D dry processing unit is outlined below.

[0073] When the central robot CR moves the substrate W into the dry chamber 4, the baffle 5 is controlled to be in the open position, opening the loading / unloading outlet 4a. In this state, the hand H of the central robot CR enters the dry chamber 4 and places the substrate W above the cooling plate 20. Then, the lifting pin 22 rises to the upper position and retrieves the substrate W from the hand H of the central robot CR. Afterward, the hand H of the central robot CR moves backward out of the dry chamber 4. Next, the indoor transport hand 6H of the indoor transport mechanism 6 retrieves the substrate W from the lifting pin 22 and transports the substrate W to the lifting pin 38 of the heat treatment unit 8. At this time, the cover 36 is in the open position (upper position), and the lifting pin 38 supports the retrieved substrate W in the upper position. After the indoor transport hand 6H retracts from the heat treatment chamber 34, the lifting pin 38 descends to the lower position and places the substrate W on the heating surface 30a. On the other hand, the cover 36 descends to the closed position (lower position), forming a sealed processing space containing the heating plate 30. In this state, a processing gas (inert gas and / or ozone gas) is introduced through the gas nozzle 50 while the substrate W is subjected to heat treatment. For example, by heat treatment performed while supplying ozone gas, unwanted substances on the substrate W can be decomposed and removed. One example of the objects to be removed is organic matter on the substrate W, and more specifically, it can also be components of residual water-repellent agent on the substrate W.

[0074] After the heat treatment is completed, the cover 36 rises to the open position (upper position), opening the heat treatment chamber 34. Then, the lifting pin 38 rises to the upper position, lifting the substrate W above the heating surface 30a. In this state, the indoor transport mechanism 6's indoor transport hand 6H retrieves the substrate W from the lifting pin 38 and transports it to the lifting pin 22 of the cooling unit 7. The lifting pin 22 supports the retrieved substrate W in the upper position. After the indoor transport hand 6H retracts, the lifting pin 22 descends to the lower position, thereby placing the substrate W on the cooling surface 20a of the cooling plate 20. Thus, the substrate W is cooled.

[0075] After the substrate W has cooled, the lifting pin 22 rises to an upward position, thereby lifting the substrate W above the cooling surface 20a. In this state, the baffle 5 opens, and the hand H of the central robot CR (see Figure 1) enters the dry chamber 4 and is positioned below the substrate W supported by the lifting pin 22 (see Figure 3) in its upper position. In this state, the lifting pin 22 descends, thereby handing the substrate W to the hand H of the central robot CR. The hand H holding the substrate W retracts out of the dry chamber 4, and then the baffle 5 closes the loading / unloading outlet 4a.

[0076] Figure 4 is a system diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the gas supply system and exhaust system relative to the heat treatment unit 8.

[0077] An ozone gas pipe 52 and an inert gas pipe 56 are connected to a gas pipe 51 connected to a gas nozzle 50. The ozone gas pipe 52 is connected to an ozone gas generator 53 (ozone gas supply source). An ozone gas valve 54 for opening or closing the flow path and an ozone gas filter 55 for removing foreign matter from the ozone gas are installed in the ozone gas pipe 52. The inert gas pipe 56 is connected to an inert gas supply source 57 that supplies inert gas (e.g., nitrogen). An inert gas valve 58 for opening or closing the flow path and an inert gas filter 59 for removing foreign matter from the inert gas are installed in the inert gas pipe 56. The ozone gas pipe 52 and ozone gas valve 54 constitute one example of an ozone gas supply unit. Similarly, the inert gas pipe 56 and inert gas valve 58 constitute one example of an inert gas supply unit.

[0078] Ozone gas generator 53 produces ozone and supplies a gas containing the ozone (hereinafter also referred to as "ozone gas") to gas pipe 51 via ozone gas pipe 52. At the time of supply to gas pipe 51, the temperature of the ozone gas is, for example, below 150°C, preferably below 100°C, typically around room temperature. If necessary, a flow control device (mass flow controller) may also be installed in ozone gas pipe 52.

[0079] The inert gas supply source 57 may be, for example, an inert gas supplied at room temperature. The inert gas is a chemically inert gas such as nitrogen or argon. If necessary, a flow regulating valve for adjusting the flow rate of the inert gas or a flow meter for measuring the flow rate of the inert gas may also be installed on the inert gas piping 56.

[0080] The heat treatment chamber 34 forms a processing space for processing the substrate W. An exhaust pipe 42 is connected to the exhaust port 41 of the heat treatment chamber 34. The exhaust pipe 42 is a pipe that forms an exhaust duct for discharging the ambient gas in the processing space of the heat treatment chamber 34 to the outside of the heat treatment chamber 34, extending from the exhaust port 41 to the exhaust device 95. The exhaust pipe 42 is connected to the exhaust device 95 via an ozone generator 94. An injector 43 is installed along the exhaust pipe 42. By activating the injector 43, the ambient gas in the processing space of the heat treatment chamber 34 can be forcefully drawn in and discharged.

[0081] An upstream switching valve 61 is installed in the exhaust pipe 42. A cleaning fluid pipe 62 for introducing cleaning fluid into the exhaust pipe 42 is connected at a connection point 60 downstream of the upstream switching valve 61 in the exhaust pipe 42. In this example, the connection point 60 is located upstream of the injector 43 in the exhaust pipe 42. The other end of the cleaning fluid pipe 62 is connected to a cleaning fluid tank 63. A cleaning fluid valve 64 (switching valve) is installed in the cleaning fluid pipe 62. Furthermore, a drain pipe 92 for draining liquid (mainly cleaning fluid) from the exhaust pipe 42 is connected at a branch point 90 downstream of the connection point 60 in the exhaust pipe 42. In this example, the branch point 90 is located downstream of the injector 43 in the exhaust pipe 42. A downstream switching valve 91 is installed downstream of the branch point 90 in the exhaust pipe 42. The exhaust pipe 42 is downstream of the downstream switch valve 91 and connected to the ozone removal machine 94.

[0082] The branch point 90 is located below the connection point 60. Furthermore, the drain pipe 92 has a connection portion 92a extending downward from the branch point 90. Herein, the cleaning fluid introduced into the exhaust pipe 42 from the connection point 60 flows towards the branch point 90 by gravity and is then discharged through the drain pipe 92. A drain valve 93 (on / off valve) is installed in the drain pipe 92.

[0083] At connection point 60, an upstream interceptor container 100 is installed in the exhaust pipe 42. Also, at branch point 90, a downstream interceptor container 110 is installed in the exhaust pipe 42. The downstream interceptor container 110 functions as a downstream gas-liquid separator, that is, at branch point 90, it separates the gas and liquid in the exhaust pipe 42 and allows the separated liquid to flow out into the drain pipe 92.

[0084] The connection point 60 and the branch point 90 are configured such that the area between the connection point 60 and the branch point 90 includes a region where substances in the exhaust gas, which is discharged from the processing space of the heat treatment chamber 34, are cooled during its flow within the exhaust pipe 42, causing them to precipitate and adhere to the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 42. The precipitated substances are mainly sublimates and byproducts generated within the heat treatment chamber 34 that solidify upon cooling. For example, organic matter in a water-repellent agent retained on the surface of the substrate W may solidify and precipitate. The ozone generator 94, for example, has a structure that uses a catalyst to decompose ozone, and therefore it is preferable to suppress or prevent the precipitated substances from reaching the ozone generator 94.

[0085] The substrate processing apparatus 1 may also have a fluid tank 65 outside the heat treatment chamber 34 (more specifically, outside the dry chamber 4) to house piping and valves. There is a risk that substances in the exhaust gas may begin to solidify and precipitate on the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 42 within the section passing through the fluid tank 65. Therefore, the connection point 60 and branch point 90 are preferably arranged to include at least a portion of the section passing through the fluid tank 65. In the illustrated example, a connection point 60 is located near the inlet of the exhaust pipe 42 into the fluid tank 65 (in this example, inside the fluid tank 65), and an upstream switching valve 61 is located close to the connection point 60. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, a branch point 90 is located downstream of the outlet of the fluid tank 65 (i.e., outside the fluid tank 65), and a downstream switching valve 91 is located close to the branch point 90.

[0086] The cleaning fluid introduced from the cleaning fluid tank 63 to the exhaust pipe 42 via the cleaning fluid pipe 62 is a cleaning treatment fluid capable of flushing away precipitates that have solidified and formed inside the exhaust pipe 42. For example, the cleaning fluid is preferably a liquid containing substances capable of dissolving the precipitates. More specifically, when removing unwanted substances (substances to be removed) from the substrate W by decomposition within the heat treatment chamber 34, a solvent containing a treatment fluid that produces the unwanted substances (e.g., a treatment fluid containing a water-repellent agent) can be used as the cleaning fluid. For example, when the substance to be removed is organic, an organic solvent (such as IPA) is suitable as the cleaning fluid.

[0087] Figure 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the upstream interception container 100. The upstream interception container 100 has a box-shaped (e.g., cuboid or cylindrical) sealed container 101, which is connected to the exhaust pipe 42 at the connection point 60. The upstream interception container 100 has an exhaust inlet 102 connected to the exhaust pipe 42 upstream of the connection point 60, a cleaning fluid inlet 103 connected to the cleaning fluid pipe 62, and an exhaust outlet 104 connected to the exhaust pipe 42 downstream of the connection point 60. The exhaust outlet 104 is located below the exhaust inlet 102 and the cleaning fluid inlet 103. In this example, the exhaust inlet 102 and the cleaning fluid inlet 103 are located on the top wall of the sealed container 101. Moreover, the exhaust outlet 104 is located at the bottom of the sealed container 101.

[0088] The exhaust pipe 42 has an upstream connection 42a extending upward from the exhaust inlet 102 (i.e., extending upward from the connection point 60). An upstream switching valve 61 is disposed in the upstream connection 42a. Thus, a downward (in this example, vertically downward) flow path is formed in the section of the exhaust pipe 42 from the upstream switching valve 61 to the space inside the sealed container 101.

[0089] In the upstream containment container 100, at a position above the exhaust outlet 104, specifically on the top wall of the sealed container 101, a degassing pipe 105 is connected to communicate the space inside the sealed container 101 with the atmospheric pressure space. A degassing valve 106 (on / off valve) is installed in the degassing pipe 105.

[0090] To detect the liquid level inside the sealed container 101, a liquid level sensor 107, which is composed of a photosensitive sensor, is provided, for example. The liquid level sensor 107 detects whether the liquid level has reached a predetermined liquid level 108 (liquid level height) and outputs a detection signal. The predetermined liquid level 108 is set as the height between the top wall and the bottom of the sealed container 101, that is, between the exhaust inlet 102 and the exhaust outlet 104. In this example, it is set near the top wall of the sealed container 101.

[0091] Figure 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the downstream interception container 110. The downstream interception container 110 has a box-shaped (e.g., cuboid or cylindrical) sealed container 111, which is connected to the exhaust pipe 42 at the branch point 90. The downstream interception container 110 has an exhaust inlet 112 connected to the exhaust pipe 42 on the upstream side of the branch point 90, an exhaust outlet 113 connected to the exhaust pipe 42 on the downstream side of the branch point 90, and a drain port 114 for connecting to the drain pipe 92. The drain port 114 is located below the exhaust inlet 112 and the exhaust outlet 113. In this example, the exhaust inlet 112 and the exhaust outlet 113 are located on the top wall of the sealed container 111. Moreover, the drain port 114 is located at the bottom of the sealed container 111. The drain pipe 92 has a connection portion 92a extending downward from the bottom of the sealed container 111 (i.e., extending downward from the branch point 90). As described above, a drain valve 93 is installed in the drain pipe 92.

[0092] The exhaust pipe 42 has a downstream connection 42b extending upward from the exhaust outlet 113 (i.e., extending upward from the branch point 90). A downstream switching valve 91 is disposed in this downstream connection 42b. Thus, an upward (vertically upward in this example) flow path is formed within the exhaust pipe 42 from the sealed container 111 to the downstream switching valve 91.

[0093] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example related to the control of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The controller 3 is, for example, a microcomputer. The controller 3 includes a memory 3m storing information such as programs, and a processor 3p (CPU) that controls the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the information stored in the memory 3m. The processing sequence and processing steps of the substrate W are stored in the memory 3m. The controller 3 is programmed to control the substrate processing apparatus 1 based on the recipe stored in the memory 3m, thereby performing processing on the substrate W. An input device 11 for receiving operator input is connected to the controller 3, enabling the setting of actions or the input of various commands. Furthermore, the controller 3 can also communicate with a host computer (not shown) to receive commands from the host computer and execute processing.

[0094] The specific objects controlled by controller 3 include the transfer robot IR, shuttle SH, central robot CR, rotary motor 77, medicine valve 81v, flushing fluid valve 82v, organic solvent valve 83v, water-repellent valve 84v, indoor conveying mechanism 6, pin lifting drive mechanisms 23 and 39, heater 33, cover lifting drive mechanism 37, ozone gas generator 53, ozone gas valve 54, inert gas valve 58, etc. The objects controlled by controller 3 further include upstream switching valve 61, downstream switching valve 91, cleaning fluid valve 64, degassing valve 106, drain valve 93, injector 43, etc. Additionally, the output signal of liquid level sensor 107 is input to controller 3.

[0095] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of the controller 3 related to the cleaning of the exhaust pipe 42. Figures 8A to 8F are diagrams showing multiple states of the exhaust system. In Figures 8A to 8F, valves in the open state are indicated by valve symbols that are fully colored, and valves in the closed state are indicated by valve symbols that are not colored.

[0096] Figure 8A shows the state during normal operation of the substrate W being processed in the heat treatment chamber 34. The controller 3 controls the upstream switching valve 61 and the downstream switching valve 91 to the open state, and controls the cleaning fluid valve 64, the degassing valve 106, and the drain valve 93 to the closed state. Furthermore, the controller 3 controls the injector 43 (not shown in Figures 8A-8F) to be activated. Thus, the ambient gas in the processing space of the heat treatment chamber 34 is drawn into the exhaust pipe 42 and guided to the ozone generator 94, where it undergoes ozone removal treatment before being guided to the exhaust equipment 95. Sublimations and byproducts contained in the exhaust gas passing through the exhaust pipe 42 continuously cool and solidify during the process, precipitating out and adhering to the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 42.

[0097] If the specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met (step S1: Yes), then the controller 3 performs exhaust pipe cleaning during the period when the heat treatment chamber 34 is not used for the processing of substrate W (step S2: Yes). The period when the heat treatment chamber 34 is not used can be the period between processing each batch of substrate W (e.g., 1 batch contains 25 substrates W).

[0098] The exhaust pipe cleaning conditions may include operating conditions related to the operating status of the heat treatment chamber 34. Operating conditions may include that the cumulative processing time of the heat treatment chamber 34 for substrate processing has reached a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, operating conditions may include that the cumulative number of substrates W processed within the heat treatment chamber 34 has reached a predetermined threshold. Additionally, operating conditions may also include that the cumulative number of batches of substrates W processed by the substrate processing apparatus 1 has been reached.

[0099] Furthermore, the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions may not include operating conditions, or may include not only operating conditions, but also contamination conditions related to the contamination level of the exhaust pipe 42. For example, as shown in FIG4, a contamination sensor 96 for detecting the contamination level inside the exhaust pipe 42 is provided between the connection point 60 and the branch point 90. More specifically, as shown in FIG9A, a transparent pipe section 42T can be provided along the exhaust pipe 42, and a light sensor with a light-emitting part 961 and a light-receiving part 962 disposed in the transparent pipe section 42T is used as the contamination sensor 96. As shown in FIG9B, if the pollutants in the exhaust solidify and adhering to the inner wall of the transparent pipe section 42T as pollutant precipitates 420, the amount of light received by the light-receiving part 962 decreases. Thus, the contamination level of the exhaust pipe 42 can be monitored by using the controller 3 to monitor the output signal of the light-receiving part 962 (the detection signal of the contamination sensor 96). Therefore, the pollution level condition can be defined as the condition that the pollution level detected by the pollution sensor 96 has reached a specified threshold.

[0100] When the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions include both operating conditions and contamination conditions, the controller 3 can determine that the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met if only one of them is met (OR condition), or it can determine that the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met if both of them are met (AND condition).

[0101] If the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met (step S1: Yes), the controller 3 performs exhaust pipe cleaning processing, for example, between batches (step S2: Yes). When no substrate processing is performed in the heat treatment chamber 34, the controller 3 closes the ozone gas valve 54 (see Figure 4). This prevents ozone gas from being supplied to the heat treatment chamber 34, thus the controller 3 stops the injector 43.

[0102] During exhaust pipe cleaning, as shown in Figure 8B, controller 3 closes both upstream switch valve 61 and downstream switch valve 91 (step S3: preparation step). This prevents cleaning fluid from flowing into the heat treatment chamber 34 and the ozone generator 94. Furthermore, controller 3 closes drain valve 93 to store cleaning fluid in the cleaning area between connection point 60 and branch point 90. Finally, controller 3 opens degassing valve 106 to allow cleaning fluid to be introduced into the cleaning area.

[0103] Next, as shown in Figure 8C, the controller 3 opens the cleaning fluid valve 64, introducing cleaning fluid into the exhaust pipe 42 of the cleaning target area (step S4: cleaning fluid introduction step). At this time, the controller 3 keeps the upstream switch valve 61 and the downstream switch valve 91 closed. Furthermore, the controller 3 controls the drain valve 93 to be closed and the degassing valve 106 to be open. In this way, cleaning fluid is introduced into the cleaning area between the connection point 60 and the branch point 90. Moreover, the exhaust pipe 42 between the connection point 60 and the branch point 90 is filled with cleaning fluid.

[0104] More specifically, the cleaning fluid flows from the cleaning fluid pipe 62 into the upstream interceptor container 100. The cleaning fluid then flows out from the exhaust outlet 104 and, via the exhaust pipe 42, is introduced into the downstream interceptor container 110 through the exhaust inlet 112. The cleaning fluid then begins to accumulate in the downstream interceptor container 110. When the downstream interceptor container 110 is full of cleaning fluid, as shown in Figure 8D, the cleaning fluid begins to accumulate in the exhaust pipe 42 between the upstream and downstream interceptor containers 100. After the accumulation in this section is complete, the cleaning fluid begins to accumulate in the upstream interceptor container 100. Then, when the level of the cleaning fluid in the upstream interceptor container 100 reaches the specified level 108, the level sensor 107 detects the level and notifies the controller 3 that the cleaning fluid accumulation is complete.

[0105] As shown in Figure 8E, upon receiving the notification that the cleaning fluid storage is complete (step S5: Yes), the controller 3 closes the cleaning fluid valve 64, stopping the supply of cleaning fluid (step S6). Afterwards, the controller 3 discharges the cleaning fluid (step S7: discharge step). During the period from the completion of cleaning fluid storage to the start of discharge, the controller 3 may also wait a sufficient amount of time for cleaning with the cleaning fluid. The controller 3 keeps the upstream switch valve 61 and the downstream switch valve 91 closed while opening the discharge valve 93. To facilitate discharge, the controller 3 also keeps the degassing valve 106 open. With the opening of the discharge valve 93, the cleaning fluid in the downstream retention container 110 flows to the discharge pipe 92 by gravity and is discharged. Then, the cleaning fluid in the exhaust pipe 42 on the upstream side of the downstream retention container 110 flows into the downstream retention container 110 and is guided to the exhaust pipe 42. In this way, the cleaning fluid in the upstream interception container 100 is also guided to the downstream interception container 110 through the exhaust pipe 42 and discharged from the drain pipe 92.

[0106] The controller 3 directs all cleaning fluid to the exhaust pipe 42 downstream of the drain valve 93 and waits for the specified time required for the cleaning fluid to be discharged from the exhaust pipe 42. Then, as shown in Figure 8F, the controller 3 executes the drying step (step S8), that is, it introduces drying gas into the exhaust pipe 42 between the connection point 60 and the branch point 90 to dry the exhaust pipe 42. Specifically, the controller 3 opens the upstream switch valve 61 and closes the downstream switch valve 91, and introduces drying gas into the exhaust pipe 42 upstream of the upstream switch valve 61.

[0107] More specifically, controller 3 opens inert gas valve 58 (see Figure 4) to introduce inert gas, used as a drying gas, into heat treatment chamber 34. This inert gas flows from heat treatment chamber 34 into exhaust pipe 42. Controller 3 controls cleaning fluid valve 64 and degassing valve 106 to be closed, and controls drain valve 93 to be open. Hereby, inert gas flows from exhaust inlet 102 into upstream retention container 100 and flows from exhaust outlet 104 into exhaust pipe 42. Then, inert gas through exhaust pipe 42 flows from exhaust inlet 112 into downstream retention container 110 and flows out into drain pipe 92. In this way, liquid in downstream retention container 110 and the upstream exhaust path can be drained. The liquid in the exhaust pipe 42 from the exhaust outlet 113 of the downstream retention container 110 to the downstream switch valve 91 is removed by gravity as it falls into the downstream retention container 110, and is also removed by evaporation in the inert gas (dry gas) introduced into the downstream retention container 110. After the above-mentioned exhaust pipe drying process has been performed for a specified time, the controller 3 closes the inert gas valve 58, ending the drying process.

[0108] Subsequently, controller 3 opens upstream switch valve 61 and downstream switch valve 91, restoring exhaust pipe 42 to its normal state (see Figure 8A) (step S9: restoration step). Controller 3 then closes drain valve 93, and consequently also closes cleaning fluid valve 64 and degassing valve 106.

[0109] Furthermore, this example demonstrates that exhaust pipe cleaning is performed automatically if the conditions for exhaust pipe cleaning are met. However, the operator can also input an exhaust pipe cleaning command to the controller 3 via the input device 11, and the controller 3 will perform the exhaust pipe cleaning process according to the input command.

[0110] As described above, according to this embodiment, closing the upstream switch valve 61 prevents the cleaning fluid from flowing into the heat treatment chamber 34, and closing the downstream switch valve 91 prevents the cleaning fluid from flowing into the ozone sterilizer 94. Furthermore, cleaning fluid can be introduced from the connection point 60 between the upstream switch valve 61 and the downstream switch valve 91 into the exhaust pipe 42, thereby removing the precipitates adhering to the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 42. After use, the cleaning fluid can flow away from the branch point 90 between the connection point 60 and the downstream switch valve 91 into the drain pipe 92. Thus, the exhaust pipe 42 can be cleaned without removing it, and therefore, the exhaust pipe 42 can be cleaned without prolonged interruption of the substrate processing.

[0111] The exhaust pipe 42 has a downstream connection 42b extending upward from the downstream interceptor container 110 located at the branch point 90, and a downstream switch valve 91 is disposed at the downstream connection 42b, thereby effectively preventing the cleaning fluid from flowing into the ozone sterilizer 94 by bypassing the downstream switch valve 91. Furthermore, the exhaust pipe 42 has an upstream connection 42a extending upward from the upstream interceptor container 100 located at the connection point 60, and an upstream switch valve 61 is disposed at the upstream connection 42a, thereby effectively preventing the cleaning fluid from flowing into the heat treatment chamber 34 by bypassing the upstream switch valve 61.

[0112] Furthermore, the branch point 90 for connecting the drain pipe 92 is positioned lower than the connection point 60, allowing gravity to be used when draining the cleaning fluid introduced into the drain pipe 92. Also, the drain pipe 92 has a connection portion 92a extending downward from the downstream retention container 110 located at the branch point 90, allowing gravity to be used also for draining the cleaning fluid into the drain pipe 92. Thus, draining can be performed efficiently, thereby preventing cleaning fluid residue from remaining in the exhaust pipe 42.

[0113] The downstream interceptor container 110, located at branch point 90, functions as a gas-liquid separator, separating the gas and liquid in the exhaust pipe 42 and allowing the separated liquid (cleaning fluid) to flow out through the drain pipe 92. More specifically, the drain port 114 is positioned below the exhaust inlet 112 and exhaust outlet 113, thereby preventing the cleaning fluid from flowing to the exhaust outlet 113. This effectively prevents the cleaning fluid from flowing into the ozone generator 94 and allows it to be discharged.

[0114] During exhaust pipe cleaning, both upstream switch valve 61 and downstream switch valve 91 are closed, and cleaning fluid is introduced into the exhaust pipe 42 between connection point 60 and branch point 90 for storage. The stored cleaning fluid is then discharged through drain pipe 92. This allows the exhaust pipe 42 to be cleaned while preventing cleaning fluid from flowing into the heat treatment chamber 34 and the ozone generator 94. Furthermore, with downstream switch valve 91 closed, upstream switch valve 61 is opened, introducing inert gas (specifically, from the heat treatment chamber 34) into the exhaust pipe 42 as a drying gas, thereby drying the exhaust pipe 42. Consequently, when downstream switch valve 91 is subsequently opened, almost no liquid remains in the exhaust pipe 42, thus preventing liquid that could impair the function of the ozone generator 94 from reaching it.

[0115] Furthermore, the exhaust pipe cleaning system automatically plans and executes the process once the specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met, thus saving or reducing the manual operation plan required for maintaining the exhaust pipe 42. By including the operating conditions and / or contamination levels described above in the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions, the exhaust pipe 42 can be automatically cleaned at appropriate times.

[0116] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but as illustrated below, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways.

[0117] For example, as shown in Figure 4, an upstream heater 97 for the heated exhaust pipe 42 can also be provided upstream of the connection point 60. This prevents sublimation and byproducts in the exhaust from cooling inside the exhaust pipe 42 upstream of the connection point 60, thereby inhibiting the adhesion of solids to the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 42.

[0118] Furthermore, the valves and injectors 43 installed along the exhaust pipe 42 form narrow sections with locally reduced cross-sectional areas in the exhaust flow path, and their complex flow path structure makes them difficult to clean with cleaning fluid. Therefore, a narrow section heater 98 can be installed to heat the aforementioned narrow sections (more specifically, the fluid devices). This can suppress the solidification and precipitation of sublimation products and byproducts in the narrow sections.

[0119] Alternatively, an exhaust cooler 99 for cooling the exhaust pipe 42 can be provided between the connection point 60 and the branch point 90, as shown in Figure 4, and more preferably between the connection point 60 and the injector 43. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the exhaust cooler 99 can also be constructed by winding the exhaust pipe 42 around a cooling water pipe 99C for cooling water flow. For example, by constructing the exhaust pipe 42 and the cooling water pipe 99C with a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., SUS (Steel Use Stainless Steel) or other metal materials), cooling efficiency can be improved. In the area cooled by the exhaust cooler 99, the exhaust gas in the exhaust pipe 42 is cooled, and the solidification and precipitation of sublimation and by-products in the exhaust gas are promoted. In this way, sublimation and the like can be actively precipitated and captured between the connection point 60 and the branch point 90, and more preferably between the branch point 90 and the injector 43. The captured precipitates can be removed by cleaning the exhaust pipe. In this way, the precipitates of sublimation products and byproducts can be effectively suppressed or prevented from reaching the ozone deodorizer 94.

[0120] The above embodiment shows a configuration in which the upstream interception container 100 is disposed at the connection point 60 and the downstream interception container 110 is disposed at the branch point 90. However, the upstream interception container 100, the downstream interception container 110, or both may be omitted.

[0121] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the exhaust system of the heat treatment chamber 34, which performs the process of removing organic matter using ozone gas, was described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to the exhaust system of the processing chamber for other substrate processing (especially substrate processing using processing gases such as dry etching or vapor phase etching).

[0122] Furthermore, various design changes may be implemented within the scope of the matters set forth in the patent application.

[0123] 1: Substrate processing device 2: Processing Unit 2D: Dry Processing Unit 2W: Wet treatment unit 3: Controller 3m: Memory 3p: Processor 4: Dry chamber 4a: Move-in and move-out exit 5: baffle 6: Indoor transport mechanism 6H: Indoor moving hand 7: Cooling Unit 8: Heat Treatment Unit 9: Wet chamber 9a: Moving in and out 10: Baffle 11: Input device 20: Cooling plate 20a: Cooling surface 22: Top-lifting pin 23: Pin lifting drive mechanism 30: Heating plate 30a: Heating surface 33: Heater 34: Heat treatment chamber 35: Chamber body 35a: Opening 36: Cover 37: Lid lifting drive mechanism 38: Top-lifting pin 39: Pin lifting drive mechanism 41: Exhaust port 42: Exhaust piping 42T: Transparent Tube Section 42a: Upstream connection section 42b: Downstream connection part 43: Injector 45: Flat plate section 46: Cylindrical section 49: Air Distribution Plate 50: Gas nozzle 51: Gas piping 52: Ozone gas piping 53: Ozone gas generator 54: Ozone gas valve 55: Ozone gas filter 56: Inert gas piping 57: Inert gas supply source 58: Inert gas valve 59: Inert gas filter 60: Connection point 61: Upstream switch valve 62: Cleaning fluid piping 63: Cleaning fluid tank 64: Cleaning fluid valve 65: Fluid Box 70: Rotary chuck 73: Cup 74: Rotational base 75: Chuck pin 76: Rotation axis 77: Rotary Motor 80: Processing fluid supply unit 81: Medicine Supply Unit 81n: Liquid spray nozzle 81p: Drug solution piping 81v: Liquid valve 82: Fluid supply unit 82n: Flushing fluid nozzle 82p: Flushing fluid piping 82v: Flushing fluid valve 83: Organic solvent supply unit 83n: Organic solvent nozzle 83p: Organic solvent piping 83V: Organic solvent valve 84: Water-repellent supply unit 84n: Water-repellent nozzle 84p: Water-repellent piping 84V: Water-repellent valve 90: Branch point 91: Downstream on / off valve 92: Drainage piping 92a: Connecting part 93: Drain valve 94: Ozone Pest Control Machine 95: Exhaust equipment 96: Pollution Sensor 97: Upstream heater 98: Narrow-path heater 99: Exhaust Cooler 99C: Cooling water piping 100: Upstream interception container 101: Closed container 102: Exhaust Inlet 103: Cleaning fluid inlet 104: Exhaust outlet 105: Degassing piping 106: Degassing valve 107: Liquid level sensor 108: Liquid level 110: Downstream interception container 111: Closed container 112: Exhaust Inlet 113: Exhaust outlet 114: Drainage port 420: Precipitates 961: Light-emitting part 962: Light-receiving part A1: Axis of rotation C: Vehicle CR: Central Robotics H: Hand IR: Transfer and Conveying Robot LP: Loading / unloading port S1~S9: Steps SH: Shuttle W: substrate

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a chamber forming a processing space for processing a substrate; an exhaust pipe connected to the chamber for discharging ambient gas from the processing space to the outside of the chamber; an upstream switching valve disposed within the exhaust pipe; a cleaning fluid pipe connected in the exhaust pipe to a connection point downstream of the upstream switching valve for introducing cleaning fluid into the exhaust pipe; a drain pipe connected in the exhaust pipe to a branch point downstream of the connection point for draining liquid from the exhaust pipe; and a downstream switching valve disposed in the exhaust pipe downstream of the branch point.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust pipe is downstream of the downstream switch valve and connected to the ozone removal machine.

3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust pipe has a downstream connection extending upward from the branch point, and the downstream switching valve is disposed in the downstream connection.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust pipe has an upstream connection portion extending upward from the connection point, and the upstream switching valve is disposed in the upstream connection portion.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the branch point is disposed at a position lower than the connection point.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drain pipe has a connecting portion extending downward from the branch point.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 further includes a downstream gas-liquid separation unit, which is connected to the exhaust pipe at the branch point to separate the gas and liquid in the exhaust pipe and to allow the separated liquid to flow out into the drain pipe.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a downstream retention container, which is disposed at the branch point and connected to the exhaust pipe, and having: an exhaust inlet connected to the exhaust pipe on the upstream side of the branch point; an exhaust outlet connected to the exhaust pipe on the downstream side of the branch point; and a drain outlet disposed below the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet for connection to the drain pipe.

9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the exhaust pipe has a downstream connection extending upward from the exhaust outlet, and the downstream switching valve is disposed in the downstream connection.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an upstream shunting container, the upstream shunting container being disposed at the connection point and connected to the exhaust pipe, and having: an exhaust inlet connected to the exhaust pipe upstream of the connection point; a cleaning fluid inlet connected to the cleaning fluid pipe; and an exhaust outlet disposed at a position lower than the exhaust inlet and the cleaning fluid inlet, and connected to the exhaust pipe downstream of the connection point.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the exhaust pipe has an upstream connection extending upward from the exhaust inlet, and the upstream switching valve is disposed in the upstream connection.

12. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection point and the branch point are arranged such that a section is included in the middle, in which substances in the exhaust gas are precipitated and adhered to the inner wall of the exhaust pipe by cooling the exhaust gas discharged from the processing space of the chamber.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein an upstream heater for heating the exhaust pipe is further included upstream of the connection point.

14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a narrow passage heater for heating the narrow passage portion of the exhaust pipe.

15. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein an exhaust cooler for cooling the exhaust pipe is further included between the connection point and the branch point.

16. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller for performing an exhaust pipe cleaning process for cleaning the exhaust pipe, wherein the exhaust pipe cleaning process comprises: a preparation step, which closes the upstream switch valve and the downstream switch valve; a cleaning fluid introduction step, which keeps the upstream switch valve and the downstream switch valve closed and introduces cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid pipeline into the exhaust pipe; a drainage step, which keeps the upstream switch valve and the downstream switch valve closed and drains the cleaning fluid in the exhaust pipe through the drainage pipeline; and a recovery step, which opens the upstream switch valve and the downstream switch valve after the cleaning fluid has been drained from the exhaust pipe.

17. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cleaning fluid introduction step involves filling the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point with the cleaning fluid.

18. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the exhaust pipe cleaning process further includes a drying step between the draining step and the recovery step, the drying step being a step of introducing a drying gas into the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point to dry the exhaust pipe.

19. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the drying step involves opening the upstream switch valve and closing the downstream switch valve, and introducing the drying gas into the exhaust pipe upstream of the upstream switch valve.

20. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein if specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met, the controller performs the exhaust pipe cleaning process, wherein the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions include operating condition conditions related to the operating condition of the chamber.

21. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein a contamination sensor for detecting the contamination level inside the exhaust pipe is further included between the connection point and the branch point, and if a specified exhaust pipe cleaning condition is met, the controller performs the exhaust pipe cleaning process, wherein the exhaust pipe cleaning condition includes a contamination level condition that specifies the contamination level detected by the contamination sensor has reached a specified threshold.

22. A method for cleaning an exhaust pipe, the exhaust pipe being connected to a chamber forming a processing space for processing a substrate, for discharging ambient gas from the processing space to the outside of the chamber, and the method comprising: a preparation step of closing an upstream switch valve and a downstream switch valve disposed in the exhaust pipe; and a cleaning fluid introduction step of maintaining the upstream switch valve and the downstream switch valve in the closed state and introducing cleaning fluid from a cleaning fluid pipe into the exhaust pipe, the cleaning fluid pipe being connected in the exhaust pipe to a connection point downstream of the upstream switch valve and upstream of the downstream switch valve; The draining step involves keeping the upstream and downstream switching valves closed and draining the cleaning fluid in the exhaust pipe through the drain pipe, which is connected downstream of the connection point and upstream of the downstream switching valve in the exhaust pipe; and the restoration step involves opening the upstream and downstream switching valves after the cleaning fluid has been drained from the exhaust pipe.

23. The exhaust pipe cleaning method of claim 22, wherein the cleaning fluid introduction step is to fill the exhaust pipe between the connection point and the branch point with the cleaning fluid.

24. The exhaust pipe cleaning method of claim 22, wherein a drying step is further included between the above-mentioned drainage step and the above-mentioned recovery step, the drying step being to introduce dry gas into the exhaust pipe between the above-mentioned connection point and the above-mentioned branch point, thereby drying the exhaust pipe.

25. The exhaust pipe cleaning method of claim 24, wherein the drying step involves opening the upstream switch valve and closing the downstream switch valve, and introducing the drying gas into the exhaust pipe from the upstream side of the upstream switch valve.

26. The exhaust pipe cleaning method of claim 22, wherein if the specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met, the exhaust pipe cleaning method is performed, wherein the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions include operating condition conditions related to the operating condition of the chamber.

27. The exhaust pipe cleaning method of claim 22, wherein a pollution sensor for detecting the internal contamination level of the exhaust pipe is provided between the connection point and the branch point, and the exhaust pipe cleaning method is performed if specified exhaust pipe cleaning conditions are met, wherein the exhaust pipe cleaning conditions include a contamination level condition in which the contamination level detected by the pollution sensor has reached a specified threshold.

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