Substrate processing device and substrate processing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of controlling the ozone concentration of recovered ozone water with high precision. The substrate processing apparatus comprises: an ozone water generator that generates ozone water using ozone gas; a first concentration meter that measures the ozone concentration of the generated ozone water; a substrate processing unit; a recovery unit that recovers the ozone water and supplies it to the ozone water generator; and a control unit that controls the operation of the ozone water generator. The recovery unit comprises a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the ozone water; and a second concentration meter that measures the ozone concentration. The control unit controls the supply of ozone gas to the ozone water generator based on the ozone concentration measured by the second concentration meter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. Substrates to be processed include, for example, semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for liquid crystal displays (LCDs), substrates for flat panel displays (FPDs) such as organic EL (electroluminescence) displays, substrates for optical disks, magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, glass substrates for photomasks, ceramic substrates, substrates for field emission displays (FEDs), and substrates for solar cells. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, ozone water produced by dissolving a specific gas such as ozone in pure water or ultrapure water has been used as a cleaning liquid for cleaning the upper surface of a substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-325981

[0004] The ozone water takes a long time to reach a predetermined ozone concentration, and to maintain the ozone concentration, the ozone water must be continuously generated. Therefore, even when substrates are not being processed, ozone water must be continuously discharged, which increases the consumption of ozone water.

[0005] Therefore, it is conceivable to collect the generated ozone water for reuse. However, since the state of the collected ozone water is not constant, it is sometimes difficult to control the concentration with high precision in order to reuse the ozone water. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technology disclosed in the specification of the present application has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is a technology for controlling the ozone concentration of recovered ozone water with high precision.

[0007] A first embodiment of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application is associated with a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: an ozone water generating unit for generating ozone water using ozone gas; a first concentration meter for measuring the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit; a substrate processing unit for supplying the ozone water to a substrate to process the substrate; a recovery unit for recovering the ozone water and supplying it to the ozone water generating unit; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the ozone water generating unit, the recovery unit comprising: a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the recovered ozone water; and a second concentration meter for measuring the ozone concentration of the recovered ozone water, the control unit controlling the supply amount of the ozone gas in the ozone water generating unit based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter.

[0008] The second mode of the technology disclosed in the specification of this application is related to the first mode. When the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter is above a threshold value, the control unit does not supply the ozone gas to the ozone water generating unit to generate the ozone water. When the ozone concentration is less than the threshold value, the control unit supplies the ozone gas to the ozone water generating unit to generate the ozone water.

[0009] A third aspect of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application is related to the first aspect or the second aspect, and the ozone water generating unit includes: a first path, provided with an ozone dissolving unit for supplying the ozone gas to the ozone water; and a second path, branched from the first path, in which the ozone dissolving unit is not provided. When the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter is above a threshold value, the control unit generates the ozone water in the ozone water generating unit via the second path; and when the ozone concentration is less than the threshold value, the control unit generates the ozone water in the ozone water generating unit via the first path.

[0010] The fourth mode of the technology disclosed in the specification of this application is related to any one of the first to third modes, and further includes a dilution unit for adding pure water to the ozone water to dilute the ozone water, and the control unit controls the operation of the dilution unit based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter.

[0011] A fifth aspect of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application is related to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the recovery unit recovers the ozone water after being used for the substrate processing in the substrate processing unit.

[0012] A sixth aspect of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application is related to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the recovery unit recovers the ozone water used in the substrate processing unit before processing the substrate.

[0013] The seventh mode of the technology disclosed in the specification of this application is associated with any one of the first to sixth modes, and the recovery unit also has a circulation path, which is used to circulate the recovered ozone water, and the control unit selects whether to circulate the recovered ozone water in the circulation path or to supply it to the ozone water generation unit.

[0014] An eighth aspect of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application is related to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the recovery unit further includes a filter for removing particles in the recovered ozone water.

[0015] A ninth mode of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application is associated with a substrate processing method, including a process of generating ozone water using ozone gas in an ozone water generating section; a process of measuring the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating section; a process of supplying the ozone water to a substrate to treat the substrate; a process of recovering the ozone water and supplying it to the ozone water generating section; and a process of controlling the operation of the ozone water generating section, wherein the process of recovering the ozone water and supplying it to the ozone water generating section includes: a process of controlling the temperature of the recovered ozone water; and a process of measuring the ozone concentration of the recovered ozone water, and the process of controlling the operation of the ozone water generating section is a process of controlling the supply amount of the ozone gas in the ozone water generating section based on the measured ozone concentration of the ozone water.

[0016] According to at least the first and ninth aspects of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application, the temperature of the recovered ozone water is kept constant, and therefore the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit can be controlled with high precision.

[0017] Furthermore, the objectives, features, aspects, advantages, etc. of the technology disclosed in the specification of the present application will become more apparent from the detailed description and drawings shown below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a plan view schematically showing an example of the structure of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 2 It is conceptually expressed Figure 1 A diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a control unit.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a diagram conceptually showing an example of the structure of a substrate processing apparatus, particularly a structure related to a supply path of a cleaning liquid.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a diagram conceptually showing an example of a processing unit and related configurations in a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0022] The description of the accompanying drawings is as follows:

[0023] 1: Substrate processing equipment

[0024] 12: Ozone water storage tank

[0025] 14: Pump

[0026] 16, 16A: Temperature control unit

[0027] 18, 24: Filter

[0028] 20, 28, 34: Concentration meter

[0029] 22, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 36, 37, 44, 46, 48, 52, 54, 66A, 66B, 66C, 66D: valve

[0030] 30: Ozone water generation unit

[0031] 33: Ozone dissolution unit

[0032] 35, 35A: Pure water supply source

[0033] 42: Ozone gas supply source

[0034] 51A, 51B, 51C, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109: piping

[0035] 51D: Pipe for draining liquid

[0036] 60: Flushing fluid nozzle

[0037] 64: Cleaning fluid nozzle

[0038] 80: Chamber

[0039] 90: Control Department

[0040] 91: CPU

[0041] 92: ROM

[0042] 93: RAM

[0043] 94: Storage device

[0044] 94P: Processing Procedure

[0045] 95: Bus

[0046] 96: Input

[0047] 97: Display unit

[0048] 98: Ministry of Communications

[0049] 250A: Wall

[0050] 250B: Opening

[0051] 250C: Gate

[0052] 251: Rotating chuck

[0053] 251A: Rotating base

[0054] 251B: Chuck pin

[0055] 251C: Rotating axis

[0056] 251D: Rotary motor

[0057] 252: Liquid Nozzle

[0058] 511: Processing Cup

[0059] 513: Drain port

[0060] 515: Exhaust port

[0061] 600: Processing unit

[0062] 601: Loading port

[0063] 602: Indexer robot

[0064] 603: Central manipulator

[0065] 604: Substrate mounting part DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] Below, with reference to the attached Figure 1 While detailed features and the like are shown in the following embodiments for explaining the technology, these are merely examples, and not all features are necessarily essential for implementing the embodiments.

[0067] The drawings are schematic representations of the contents, and for ease of explanation, structures may be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Furthermore, the relationships between the sizes and positions of structures shown in different drawings may not necessarily be accurate and may be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, in drawings such as top views, which are not cross-sectional views, shading may be added to facilitate understanding of the embodiments.

[0068] In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and their names and functions are assumed to be the same, and therefore, detailed description thereof may be omitted in order to avoid redundancy.

[0069] In the following description, when “including,” “comprising,” or “having” a certain component is described, it does not mean an exclusive expression excluding the presence of other components unless otherwise specified.

[0070] In the following description, even if ordinal numbers such as “first” or “second” are used, these terms are used to facilitate understanding of the contents of the embodiments and are not limited to the order derived from these ordinal numbers.

[0071] In addition, in the descriptions recorded below, expressions indicating an equal state, such as "same", "equal", "uniform" or "homogeneous", etc., unless otherwise specified, include cases indicating a strictly equal state, as well as cases where a tolerance or difference occurs within the range of obtaining the same degree of function.

[0072] <Implementation Method>

[0073] Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method according to this embodiment will be described.

[0074] <About the Structure of the Substrate Processing Apparatus>

[0075] Figure 1 1 is a top view schematically showing an example of the structure of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a loading port 601, an indexer robot 602, a central robot 603, a control unit 90, and at least one processing unit 600 ( Figure 1 There are four processing units in it).

[0076] The processing unit 600 is a single-sheet device capable of processing substrates. Specifically, it removes organic matter adhering to the substrate W. The organic matter adhering to the substrate W is, for example, a used resist film. This resist film is used, for example, as an implantation mask in an ion implantation process.

[0077] Furthermore, the processing unit 600 may include a chamber 80. In this case, the control unit 90 controls the atmosphere in the chamber 80, and the processing unit 600 can perform substrate processing in a desired atmosphere.

[0078] The control unit 90 is capable of controlling the operation of various components within the substrate processing apparatus 1 (e.g., the pump 14, temperature control unit 16, valves, and the rotary motor 251D of the rotary chuck 251, which will be described later). The storage racks C are containers for storing substrates W. Furthermore, the loading port 601 is a container holding mechanism that holds multiple storage racks C. The indexer robot 602 is capable of transporting substrates W between the loading port 601 and the substrate loading unit 604. The central robot 603 is capable of transporting substrates W between the substrate loading unit 604 and the processing unit 600.

[0079] According to the above configuration, the indexer robot 602 , the substrate placement unit 604 , and the center robot 603 function as a transfer mechanism for transferring the substrates W between the respective processing units 600 and the load port 601 .

[0080] The unprocessed substrate W is taken out from the storage rack C by the indexer robot 602 . Then, the unprocessed substrate W is delivered to the central robot 603 via the substrate placement portion 604 .

[0081] The central robot 603 carries the unprocessed substrate W into the processing unit 600. Then, the processing unit 600 processes the substrate W.

[0082] After processing in the processing unit 600, the central robot 603 removes the substrate W from the processing unit 600. The processed substrate W then passes through other processing units 600 as needed, and is then transferred to the indexer robot 602 via the substrate loading unit 604. The indexer robot 602 loads the processed substrate W into the storage rack C. The substrate W is processed in this manner.

[0083] Figure 2 It is conceptually expressed Figure 1 This figure shows an example of the structure of the control unit 90. The control unit 90 can be composed of a general computer having circuits. Specifically, the control unit 90 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 91, a read-only memory (ROM) 92, a random access memory (RAM) 93, a storage device 94, an input unit 96, a display unit 97, a communication unit 98, and a bus 95 that interconnects these.

[0084] ROM 92 stores basic programs. RAM 93 serves as a work area for CPU 91 when performing predetermined processing. Storage device 94 comprises a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive. Input unit 96 comprises various switches or a touch panel, and receives input and setting instructions such as processing procedures from the operator. Display unit 97 comprises, for example, a liquid crystal display device and a lamp, and displays various information under the control of CPU 91. Communication unit 98 has a data communication function via a local area network (LAN), etc.

[0085] The storage device 94 is pre-set with respect to Figure 1 The CPU 91 executes a processing program 94P, which selects one of the aforementioned modes and controls the various components in the substrate processing apparatus 1. The processing program 94P may be stored on a storage medium. Using this storage medium, the processing program 94P can be installed in the control unit 90. Furthermore, some or all of the functions performed by the control unit 90 do not necessarily need to be implemented by software; they may also be implemented by hardware such as dedicated logic circuits.

[0086] Figure 3 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a structure related to a supply path of a cleaning liquid, in particular, in the structure of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Figure 3 In this example, it is assumed that ozone water is used as the cleaning fluid.

[0087] like Figure 3 As shown in the example of FIG, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes: an ozone water storage tank 12; a pipe 100 for supplying ozone water from the ozone water storage tank 12; a pipe 102 connected to the pipe 100 and returning to the ozone water storage tank 12; a pipe 101 connected to the pipe 100 and connected to the ozone water generating unit 30; a pipe 105 connected to the ozone water generating unit 30 and connected to each processing unit 600; a pipe 107 through which ozone water used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 flows; a pipe 108 connected to the pipe 107 and returning to the ozone water storage tank 12; and a pipe 106 connected to the pipe 105 and connected to the pipe 108.

[0088] The ozone water storage tank 12 stores the ozone water recovered via the pipe 108 , and supplies the stored ozone water to the ozone water generating unit 30 and each processing unit 600 via the pipe 100 .

[0089] The piping 100 is provided with: a pump 14; a temperature control unit 16 for controlling the temperature of the ozone water flowing in the piping 100; a filter 18, such as a resin having numerous fine pores, for removing particles and the like from the ozone water flowing in the piping 100; a concentration meter 20 for measuring the ozone concentration of the ozone water flowing in the piping 100; and a valve 22 for switching the supply and stop of the ozone water flowing in the piping 100.

[0090] The pipe 101 is provided with a valve 27 that switches whether the ozone water flowing in the pipe 100 is supplied from the pipe 100 to the ozone water generating unit 30 downstream through the pipe 101 .

[0091] The pipe 102 is provided with: a filter 24 made of a resin having numerous fine pores, etc., for removing particles and the like in the ozone water flowing in the pipe 102; and a valve 26 for switching whether the ozone water flowing in the pipe 100 is returned from the pipe 100 through the pipe 102 to the ozone water storage tank 12.

[0092] One end of the pipe 109 is connected to the pure water supply source 35A, and the other end is connected to the ozone water storage tank 12. Furthermore, pure water (ultrapure water) can be supplied to the ozone water storage tank 12 by opening and closing a valve 25 provided on the pipe 109. Furthermore, a temperature control unit 16A, such as a heater, provided on the pipe 109 can control the temperature of the pure water supplied to the ozone water storage tank 12.

[0093] The ozone water generating unit 30 includes: a pipe 103 connected to the pipe 101; a pipe 104 connected to the pipe 101; a valve 32 provided on the pipe 103 and switching whether to allow the ozone water to flow from the pipe 101 to the pipe 103; an ozone dissolving unit 33 provided on the pipe 103 and dissolving ozone gas in the supplied ozone water to generate ozone water; a concentration meter 34 provided on the pipe 103 and measuring the concentration of ozone downstream of the ozone dissolving unit 33. The ozone concentration of the ozone water flowing in the piping 103; the valve 37 switches the supply and stop of the ozone water flowing in the piping 103 downstream of the concentration meter 34; the valve 31 is set on the piping 104, and switches whether the ozone water is allowed to flow from the piping 101 to the piping 104; the valve 36 adds pure water (ultrapure water) from the external pure water supply source 35 to the ozone water flowing in the piping 105 where the piping 103 and the piping 104 converge, through the opening and closing action.

[0094] Ozone gas is supplied to the ozone dissolving section 33 from the ozone gas supply source 42 by the opening and closing operation of the valve 44 .

[0095] The piping 105 is provided with: a concentration meter 28 for measuring the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating section 30 and flowing in the piping 105; a valve 46 for switching the supply and stop of the ozone water flowing in the piping 105; and valves 66A, 66B, 66C and 66D for switching the supply and stop of the ozone water supplied to each treatment unit 600 downstream of the valve 46.

[0096] The pipe 106 is provided with a valve 54 that switches between supply and stop of ozone water flowing from the pipe 105 to the pipe 108 via the pipe 106 .

[0097] The pipe 107 is provided with a valve 48 that switches whether or not to discharge the ozone water used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 .

[0098] The pipe 108 is provided with a valve 52 that switches whether or not the ozone water used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 is returned from the pipe 107 through the pipe 108 to the ozone water storage tank 12 .

[0099] Figure 4 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a processing unit 600 and related structures in a substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Figure 4 In Figure 3 The example of the structure of the processing unit 600 arranged downstream of the valve 66A in FIG. 1 is also the same as the structure of the processing unit 600 arranged downstream of the other valves 66B, 66C or 66D. Figure 4 The same is true for the example in .

[0100] like Figure 4 As shown in the example, the processing unit 600 includes: a box-shaped chamber 80 having an internal space; a rotating chuck 251, which holds a substrate W in a horizontal position in the chamber 80 and rotates the substrate W around a vertical rotation axis Z1 passing through the center of the substrate W; and a cylindrical processing cup 511, which surrounds the rotating chuck 251 around the rotation axis Z1 of the substrate W.

[0101] The chamber 80 is surrounded by a box-shaped wall 250A. An opening 250B for loading and unloading substrates W into and out of the chamber 80 is formed in the wall 250A.

[0102] The opening 250B is opened and closed by the gate 250C. The gate 250C is moved to a closed position ( Figure 4 ) and the open position of the opening portion 250B ( Figure 4 The solid line indicates the rise and fall between them.

[0103] like Figure 4 As shown in the example, the rotary chuck 251 includes: a circular plate-shaped rotary base 251A, which is arranged opposite to the horizontal substrate W; a plurality of chuck pins 251B, which protrude upward from the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the rotary base 251A and clamp the peripheral portion of the substrate W; a rotating shaft 251C, which extends downward from the central portion of the rotary base 251A; and a rotary motor 251D, which rotates the substrate W adsorbed on the rotary base 251A by rotating the rotating shaft 251C.

[0104] In addition, the rotary chuck 251 is not limited to Figure 4 In the case of the clamping type chuck shown in the example, for example, a vacuum adsorption type chuck including a spin base for vacuum adsorbing the lower surface of the substrate W may be used.

[0105] like Figure 4 As shown in the example, a plurality of pipes are connected to the processing unit 600. A chemical liquid nozzle 252 is connected to the tip of the pipe 51C connected to the processing unit 600. The chemical liquid nozzle 252 sprays a chemical liquid toward the upper surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck 251. For example, an organic solvent such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol) or an inorganic solvent such as hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, or ammonia can be used as the chemical liquid.

[0106] In addition, if Figure 4 As shown in the example, a rinse liquid nozzle 60 is connected to the tip of a pipe 51B connected to the processing unit 600 . The rinse liquid nozzle 60 discharges the rinse liquid toward the upper surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck 251 .

[0107] A rinse liquid supply source (not shown) is connected to the end of the pipe 51B on the opposite side from the rinse liquid nozzle 60. As the rinse liquid, DIW (deionized water) or the like can be used.

[0108] By supplying the rinse liquid from the rinse liquid nozzle 60 to the substrate W, deposits and the like attached to the substrate W can be rinsed off.

[0109] In addition, if Figure 4 As shown in the example, a cleaning liquid nozzle 64 is connected to the tip of the pipe 51A connected to the processing unit 600. The cleaning liquid nozzle 64 sprays the cleaning liquid toward a predetermined portion inside the chamber 80 (for example, the spin base 251A).

[0110] A cleaning liquid supply source is connected to the end of pipe 51A opposite to cleaning liquid nozzle 64. Pipe 51A is also provided with a valve 66A that switches the supply of cleaning liquid from pipe 51A to cleaning liquid nozzle 64 on and off. Ozone water or the like is used as the cleaning liquid.

[0111] The cleaning liquid nozzle 64 is attached to, for example, the inner wall of the chamber 80. While the spin chuck 251 holds the substrate W, the spin base 251A is rotated, and cleaning liquid is ejected from the cleaning liquid nozzle 64. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid nozzle 64 may be, for example, a scanning nozzle that is movable in the radial direction of the substrate W. Furthermore, cleaning liquid (ozone water) and rinse liquid may be supplied to the lower surface of the substrate W.

[0112] The processing cup 511 is disposed so as to surround the spin chuck 251 and is vertically elevated by a lifting mechanism (not shown) (e.g., a motor or a cylinder). The upper end of the processing cup 511 is elevated between an upper position above the substrate W held by the spin base 251A and a lower position below the substrate W.

[0113] The processing liquid that splashes outward from the upper surface of the substrate W is received by the inner side surface of the processing cup 511. The processing liquid received by the processing cup 511 is then discharged to the outside of the chamber 80 through a drain port 513 provided at the bottom of the chamber 80 and inside the processing cup 511, and further through a drain pipe 51D. Furthermore, the atmosphere in the processing cup 511 is exhausted by a cup exhaust mechanism (not shown).

[0114] Furthermore, an exhaust port 515 is provided on a side of the chamber 80. The exhaust port 515 allows the atmosphere in the chamber 80 to be appropriately exhausted to the outside of the chamber 80.

[0115] <About Operation of Substrate Processing Apparatus>

[0116] Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus will be described. The substrate processing method using the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment includes the steps of subjecting a substrate W transported to the processing unit 600 to a chemical liquid treatment, cleaning the chemical liquid treated substrate W, drying the cleaned substrate W, and unloading the dried substrate W from the processing unit 600.

[0117] Hereinafter, regarding the cleaning process included in the operation of the above-mentioned substrate processing apparatus, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The following operations are performed by the control unit 90 controlling the operations of the various components of the substrate processing apparatus 1 (the pump 14 , the temperature control unit 16 , the valves, the rotation motor 251D of the spin chuck 251 , etc.).

[0118] First, with valves 22 and 26 opened and valve 27 closed under the control of the controller 90, the ozone water stored in the ozone water storage tank 12 is sucked by the pump 14, passes through the temperature controller 16, the filter 18, and the concentration meter 20, and then returns to the ozone water storage tank 12 for circulation.

[0119] By the above operation, ozone water recovered via pipe 108 described later is sufficiently free of particles and its temperature is kept constant in the circulation path formed by pipes 100 and 102. The ozone concentration of the circulating ozone water is measured by a concentration meter 20.

[0120] Furthermore, the ozone water can be kept clean by temperature control, and the decomposition rate of ozone in the ozone water can be kept constant. Therefore, when ozone gas is dissolved in the circulating ozone water in a subsequent step to control the ozone concentration, the ozone concentration can be controlled with high precision.

[0121] In addition, when the ozone water stored in the ozone water storage tank 12 is sufficiently clean and maintained at an appropriate temperature, the above-mentioned circulation of the ozone water may not be performed.

[0122] Next, under the control of the controller 90, valves 22 and 27 are opened. While valve 26 is closed, ozone water stored in the ozone water storage tank 12 is pumped by pump 14 and supplied to the pipe 101 and the ozone water generator 30. This operation also supplies circulating ozone water to the processing unit 600. The timing of this operation is determined by the controller 90 based on the timing of substrate processing in the processing unit 600 (and further, the temperature of the circulating ozone water, etc.). Furthermore, even during the circulation of ozone water, valve 27 can be opened under the control of the controller 90 to supply ozone water to the ozone water generator 30.

[0123] Then, the control unit 90 controls the opening and closing operations of the valves 31 and 32 based on the ozone concentration of the circulating ozone water measured by the concentration meter 20 .

[0124] Specifically, when the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the concentration meter 20 is above a threshold value (e.g., 30 ppm), valve 31 is opened, and valve 32 is closed. Alternatively, when the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the concentration meter 20 is below the threshold value, valve 31 is closed, and valve 32 is opened. Alternatively, the conditions for opening and closing valves 31 and 32 may be such that valve 32 is opened when the ozone concentration is above the threshold value, and valve 31 is opened when the ozone concentration is below the threshold value.

[0125] When the valve 31 is opened by the control of the controller 90 , the ozone water supplied from the ozone water storage tank 12 flows directly into the pipe 105 via the pipe 104 .

[0126] On the other hand, when the valve 32 is opened by the control of the controller 90 , the ozone water supplied from the ozone water storage tank 12 is supplied to the ozone dissolving unit 33 via the pipe 103 .

[0127] Next, in the ozone dissolving section 33, ozone gas supplied from the ozone gas supply source 42 is dissolved in the ozone water. The amount of ozone gas supplied from the ozone gas supply source 42 is adjusted by controlling the opening and closing of the valve 44 by the control section 90. The opening and closing of the valve 44 is controlled based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the concentration meter 20 to achieve an ozone concentration higher than a desired ozone concentration (e.g., 60 ppm to 100 ppm), so that the ozone water in the ozone dissolving section 33 has the desired ozone concentration (e.g., 30 ppm to 50 ppm) when used in the treatment unit 600 in the subsequent process.

[0128] In addition, since the ozone in the ozone water decomposes at a prescribed decomposition rate, the ozone concentration of the ozone water at the time of supply to the ozone dissolution section 33 is lower than the ozone concentration measured by the concentration meter 20. However, the temperature of the circulating ozone water is maintained constant by the temperature control section 16, which reduces the change in the decomposition rate of the ozone. Therefore, the ozone concentration of the ozone water at the time of supply to the ozone dissolution section 33 can be predicted with high accuracy.

[0129] Next, the ozone concentration of the ozone water after the ozone gas is dissolved in the ozone dissolving unit 33 is measured by the concentration meter 34. It is then confirmed whether the ozone concentration is the desired value when the ozone water is used in the treatment unit 600. Furthermore, the control unit 90 may also perform feedback control, as needed, in which the amount of ozone gas supplied from the ozone gas supply source 42 is increased or decreased based on the ozone concentration measured by the concentration meter 34.

[0130] Next, the valve 37 is opened under the control of the controller 90 , and the ozone water in which the ozone gas is dissolved in the ozone dissolving section 33 flows into the pipe 105 .

[0131] Next, the valve 36 is opened under the control of the control unit 90 , and pure water (ultrapure water) is supplied from the pure water supply source 35 to the ozone water supplied through the pipe 104 or the ozone water supplied through the pipe 103 .

[0132] Here, the amount of pure water supplied from pure water supply source 35 is adjusted by controlling the opening and closing of valve 36 by control unit 90. The opening and closing of valve 36 is controlled based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water supplied via pipe 104 measured by concentration meter 20, and based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water supplied via pipe 103 measured by concentration meter 34. This ensures that the ozone water in pipe 105 has the desired ozone concentration when used in treatment unit 600 in a subsequent process. Furthermore, if the ozone concentration of the ozone water in pipe 105 is already the desired concentration and there is no need to supply the ozone water, control unit 90 can also control valve 36 to close, preventing the supply of pure water.

[0133] Next, the concentration meter 28 measures the ozone concentration of the ozone water after the pure water is supplied from the pure water supply source 35. It is then confirmed whether the ozone concentration is the desired value when the ozone water is used in the treatment unit 600. Furthermore, the control unit 90 may also perform feedback control, as needed, in which the amount of pure water supplied from the pure water supply source 35 is increased or decreased based on the ozone concentration measured by the concentration meter 34.

[0134] Next, when cleaning is performed in each processing unit 600, the valve 46 and the valves corresponding to each processing unit 600 (valve 66A, valve 66B, valve 66C, and valve 66D) are opened under the control of the control unit 90, and the valve 54 is closed, and the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit 30 is supplied to each processing unit 600. Then, the ozone water (cleaning liquid) is sprayed from the cleaning liquid nozzle 64 of the corresponding processing unit 600. The spray rate of the ozone water is, for example, 2 L / min.

[0135] On the one hand, when cleaning treatment is not performed in each treatment unit 600, or when the ozone water in the piping 105 does not have the desired ozone concentration, the valve 54 is opened by the control of the control unit 90, and the valve 46 is closed, and the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit 30 flows to the piping 108 via the piping 106.

[0136] The amount of ozone water discharged can be reduced by recovering unused ozone water through the pipe 106. Furthermore, since the unused ozone water has an adjusted concentration, even when it is returned to the ozone water storage tank 12, the amount of ozone newly dissolved therein to adjust the ozone concentration can be reduced compared to the case of ozone water recovered after use, thereby reducing the energy used to dissolve ozone.

[0137] Next, when the ozone water used for cleaning in each treatment unit 600 flows into the pipe 107 , the controller 90 closes the valve 48 and opens the valve 52 , thereby allowing the ozone water in the pipe 107 to flow into the pipe 108 .

[0138] Here, when the ozone water used in each treatment unit 600 is not suitable for recovery (eg, excessive contamination), the controller 90 opens the valve 48 and closes the valve 52. Thus, the ozone water in the pipe 107 is discharged.

[0139] The ozone water recovered from each treatment unit 600 and flowing into the pipe 108 is returned to the ozone water storage tank 12 together with the ozone water merged from the pipe 106 .

[0140] In addition, Figure 3 In the embodiment, the ozone water used in each treatment unit 600 converges in the pipe 107 , but a piping structure may be adopted in which it is determined whether the ozone water used in each treatment unit 600 is recovered independently in the pipe 108 .

[0141] According to the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, at least one of the ozone water before use in each processing unit 600 and the ozone water after use in each processing unit 600 can be appropriately recovered and reused.

[0142] Furthermore, by maintaining the temperature of the recovered and circulated ozone water constant through the temperature control unit 16, the decomposition rate of ozone in the ozone water can be kept constant. Therefore, the ozone concentration of the ozone water can be predicted with high accuracy in subsequent steps, resulting in improved adjustment accuracy when dissolving ozone gas to control the ozone concentration.

[0143] Furthermore, since the ozone concentration of the circulating ozone water can be measured by the concentration meter 20, the ozone concentration of the ozone water supplied to the ozone dissolving unit 33 can be accurately grasped. This improves the adjustment accuracy of the ozone dissolving unit 33 in subsequent steps.

[0144] Furthermore, since the ozone concentration of the ozone water after the ozone gas has dissolved in the ozone dissolving unit 33 can be measured by the concentration meter 34, the ozone concentration of the ozone water, which has increased due to the ozone gas dissolution, can be accurately determined. This improves the accuracy of adjusting the ozone concentration of the pure water supply source 35 (and the accuracy of adjusting the pure water supply amount) in subsequent steps.

[0145] Furthermore, since the ozone concentration of the ozone water can be measured by the concentration meter 28 after pure water is supplied from the pure water supply source 35 (including when no pure water is supplied), the ozone concentration of the ozone water supplied to each treatment unit 600 can be accurately determined. Therefore, ozone water having an ozone concentration suitable for each treatment unit 600 can be supplied.

[0146] <Effects of the above-described embodiment>

[0147] Next, examples of the effects produced by the above-described embodiments are described. In addition, in the following description, the effects are described based on the specific structures shown in the examples in the above-described embodiments, but other specific structures shown in the examples in the specification of this application may also be substituted within the scope of producing the same effects.

[0148] According to the embodiment described above, the substrate processing apparatus includes an ozone water generator 30, a first concentration meter, a substrate processing unit, a recovery unit, and a control unit 90. The first concentration meter corresponds to, for example, the concentration meter 28. Furthermore, the substrate processing unit corresponds to, for example, the processing unit 600. The ozone water generator 30 uses ozone gas to generate ozone water. The concentration meter 28 measures the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generator 30. The processing unit 600 supplies ozone water to substrates for substrate treatment. The recovery unit recovers ozone water and supplies it to the ozone water generator 30. The control unit 90 controls the operation of the ozone water generator 30. The recovery unit includes a temperature control unit 16 for controlling the temperature of the ozone water recovered in the ozone water storage tank 12 and flowing through the pipe 100; and a second concentration meter for measuring the ozone concentration of the ozone water recovered in the ozone water storage tank 12 and flowing through the pipe 100. The second concentration meter corresponds to, for example, the concentration meter 20. Furthermore, the control unit 90 controls the supply amount of the ozone gas in the ozone water generating unit 30 based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the concentration meter 20 .

[0149] According to this structure, since the recovered ozone water is maintained at a constant temperature by the temperature control unit 16, the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit 30 can be controlled with high precision. By temperature control, the decomposition rate of ozone can be kept constant. Therefore, the ozone concentration of the ozone water in the ozone water generating unit 30 can be predicted with high precision. When the ozone concentration of the ozone water is too high, surface oxidation, especially of metal layers, etc., sometimes occurs during substrate processing including cleaning processing. On the other hand, when the ozone concentration of the ozone water is too low, a sufficient cleaning effect cannot be obtained. In addition, since the ozone concentration and temperature of the recovered ozone water vary greatly depending on whether it has been used for substrate processing or the length of the piping path, it is preferred to perform temperature control of the recovered ozone water and high-precision ozone concentration control.

[0150] Furthermore, when other structures exemplified in the present specification are appropriately added to the above-mentioned structures, that is, when other structures in the present specification that are not mentioned as the above-mentioned structures are appropriately added, the same effects can be produced.

[0151] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, when the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the concentration meter 20 is above a threshold value, the control unit 90 does not supply ozone gas to the ozone water generating unit 30 to generate ozone water. When the ozone concentration is below the threshold value, the control unit 90 supplies ozone gas to the ozone water generating unit 30 to generate ozone water. With this configuration, ozone water supplied from the ozone water storage tank 12 at a high ozone concentration flows directly to the pipe 105 via the pipe 104, while ozone water supplied from the ozone water storage tank 12 at a low ozone concentration flows to the pipe 105 after the ozone gas is dissolved in the ozone dissolving unit 33. This allows ozone water with different ozone concentrations, including ozone water that is not supplied to the treatment unit 600 and circulated, and ozone water used for cleaning in the treatment unit 600, to be adjusted to an appropriate ozone concentration before being supplied to the treatment unit 600.

[0152] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a dilution unit that adds pure water to the ozone water to dilute the ozone water. Here, the dilution unit is, for example, a structure corresponding to a structure including a pure water supply source 35. The control unit 90 controls the operation of the valve 36 that switches the supply of pure water from the pure water supply source 35 and stops the supply based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the concentration meter 20. With this structure, the ozone water generated at a higher ozone concentration than the desired ozone concentration when used in the processing unit 600 is adjusted in ozone concentration and supplied immediately before being used in the processing unit 600, taking into account the decomposition of ozone in the ozone water.

[0153] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the recovery unit recovers ozone water after substrate treatment in processing unit 600. This configuration allows the ozone water used for cleaning in processing unit 600 to be recovered and reused, thereby reducing the amount of ozone water discharged. Furthermore, since the recovered ozone water is kept at a constant temperature in temperature control unit 16, even ozone water that has undergone significant temperature fluctuations in processing unit 600 can still be reused for cleaning, etc., with its ozone concentration precisely controlled.

[0154] In addition, according to the embodiment described above, the recovery unit further includes a circulation path for circulating the recovered ozone water. Here, the circulation path is, for example, a structure corresponding to the path formed by the pipe 100 and the pipe 102. Moreover, the control unit 90 selects whether to circulate the recovered ozone water in the circulation path or to supply it to the ozone water generating unit 30. According to this structure, by controlling the temperature of the recovered ozone water and circulating it in the circulation path formed by the pipe 100 and the pipe 102, the ozone water can be supplied to the ozone water generating unit 30 while maintaining a constant temperature when substrate processing is performed. Therefore, the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit 30 can be controlled with high precision.

[0155] The amount of ozone water discharged can be reduced by recovering unused ozone water through the pipe 106. Furthermore, since the unused ozone water is concentration-adjusted ozone water, even when it is returned to the ozone water storage tank 12, the amount of ozone newly dissolved therein for adjusting the ozone concentration can be reduced compared to the case of ozone water recovered after use. Furthermore, the energy used for dissolving ozone can be reduced.

[0156] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the recovery unit further includes a filter 18 (or filter 24) for removing particles from the recovered ozone water. This configuration allows for sufficient removal of particles from the ozone water, thereby maintaining the cleanliness of the ozone water, including the circulating ozone water.

[0157] According to the embodiment described above, ozone water is generated using ozone gas in the ozone water generating unit 30. The ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit 30 is then measured. The ozone water is then supplied to a substrate for treatment. The ozone water is then recovered and fed back to the ozone water generating unit 30. The operation of the ozone water generating unit 30 is then controlled. The recovered ozone water is then fed back to the ozone water generating unit 30. The temperature of the recovered ozone water is then controlled. The ozone concentration of the recovered ozone water is then measured. Here, the process of controlling the operation of the ozone water generating unit 30 is a process of controlling the amount of ozone gas supplied to the ozone water generating unit 30 based on the measured ozone concentration of the ozone water.

[0158] According to such a configuration, since the recovered ozone water is maintained at a constant temperature, the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit 30 can be controlled with high accuracy.

[0159] Furthermore, the order in which each process is performed may be changed unless otherwise specified.

[0160] Furthermore, when other structures exemplified in the present specification are appropriately added to the above-mentioned structures, that is, when other structures in the present specification that are not mentioned as the above-mentioned structures are appropriately added, the same effects can be produced.

[0161] <Regarding Modifications of the Embodiments Described Above>

[0162] In the embodiments described above, there are also records about the material, material, size, shape, relative configuration relationship or implementation conditions of each structural component, but these are only examples of all aspects and are not limited to the contents described in this application specification.

[0163] Therefore, numerous modifications and equivalents not shown in the examples are possible within the technical scope disclosed in this specification, including, for example, modifications, additions, or omissions of at least one structural member.

[0164] In the above-described embodiments, when a material name or the like is described without particular designation, the material is assumed to contain other additives, such as an alloy, unless there is any inconsistency.

Claims

1. A substrate processing device, wherein: have: an ozone water generating unit, for generating ozone water using ozone gas; a first concentration meter for measuring the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit; a substrate processing unit, configured to supply the ozone water to a substrate to process the substrate; a recovery unit configured to recover the ozone water and supply the recovered ozone water to the ozone water generating unit; and A control unit for controlling the operation of the ozone water generating unit, The recovery unit includes: a temperature control unit, configured to control the temperature of the recovered ozone water; and A second concentration meter is used to measure the ozone concentration of the recovered ozone water. The control unit controls the supply amount of the ozone gas in the ozone water generating unit based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter after the ozone water is recovered by the recovery unit and before the ozone water is supplied to the ozone water generating unit. The ozone water generating unit comprises: A first path is provided with an ozone dissolving portion for supplying the ozone gas to the ozone water; as well as The second path branches off from the first path and does not include the ozone dissolving unit. When the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter is greater than a threshold value, the control unit generates the ozone water in the ozone water generating unit via the second path; and when the ozone concentration is less than the threshold value, the control unit generates the ozone water in the ozone water generating unit via the first path.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: When the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter is above a threshold value, the control unit does not supply the ozone gas but directly generates the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter as the ozone water in the ozone water generating unit. When the ozone concentration is lower than the threshold value, the control unit supplies the ozone gas to the ozone water generating unit to generate the ozone water.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: It also includes a dilution unit for adding pure water to the ozone water to dilute the ozone water. The control unit controls the operation of the dilution unit based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The recovery unit recovers the ozone water after being used for the substrate processing in the substrate processing unit.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The recovery unit recovers the ozone water before being used for processing the substrate in the substrate processing unit.

6. A substrate processing device, wherein: have: an ozone water generating unit, for generating ozone water using ozone gas; a substrate processing unit, configured to supply the ozone water to a substrate to process the substrate; a recovery unit configured to recover the ozone water and supply the recovered ozone water to the ozone water generating unit located downstream; and A control unit for controlling the operation of the ozone water generating unit, The recovery unit includes: a temperature control unit, configured to control the temperature of the recovered ozone water; and A second concentration meter is used to measure the ozone concentration of the recovered ozone water. The control unit controls the supply amount of the ozone gas in the ozone water generating unit based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured by the second concentration meter after the ozone water is recovered by the recovery unit and before the ozone water is supplied to the ozone water generating unit. The recovery unit further includes a circulation path for circulating the recovered ozone water. The control unit selects whether to circulate the recovered ozone water in the circulation path or to supply it to the ozone water generating unit.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The recovery unit further includes a filter for removing particles from the recovered ozone water.

8. A substrate processing method, wherein: have: A process for generating ozone water using ozone gas in an ozone water generating unit; a step of measuring the ozone concentration of the ozone water generated in the ozone water generating unit; supplying the ozone water to a substrate to treat the substrate; a step of recovering the ozone water and supplying the recovered ozone water to the ozone water generating unit located downstream; and a step of controlling the operation of the ozone water generating unit, The step of recovering the ozone water and supplying it to the ozone water generating unit located downstream includes: a step of controlling the temperature of the recovered ozone water; and a step of measuring the ozone concentration of the recovered ozone water, The step of controlling the operation of the ozone water generating unit is a step of controlling the supply amount of the ozone gas in the ozone water generating unit based on the ozone concentration of the ozone water measured for the recovered ozone water before supplying the ozone water to the ozone water generating unit. The step of collecting the ozone water and supplying it to the ozone water generating unit located downstream further includes a step of circulating the collected ozone water in a circulation path. The step of controlling the operation of the ozone water generating unit is a step of selecting whether the recovered ozone water is to be circulated in the circulation path or to be supplied to the ozone water generating unit.

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