Liquid processing apparatus, liquid supply mechanism, liquid processing method, and computer storage medium

Abstract

The present application provides a liquid processing apparatus, a liquid supply mechanism, a liquid processing method, and a computer storage medium. A liquid processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate to perform liquid processing on the substrate includes a substrate holding section that holds the substrate; a discharge nozzle that discharges the processing liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding section; a processing liquid supply source that supplies the processing liquid; a processing liquid supply tube that is connected to the processing liquid supply source and has a supply passage through which the processing liquid to be supplied to the discharge nozzle flows; a regulating valve that is provided in the processing liquid supply tube and performs an opening and closing operation of the supply passage; and a control section that controls the regulating valve, the regulating valve having a diaphragm and a valve body, controlling the supply of air to the diaphragm, and causing the valve body to operate via the diaphragm to perform an opening and closing operation of the supply passage between an open state and a fully closed state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a liquid processing apparatus, a liquid supply mechanism, a liquid processing method, and a computer storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid treatment apparatus, which includes a substrate processing section for performing liquid treatment on a substrate and a liquid supply mechanism for supplying processing liquid to the substrate processing section. The liquid supply mechanism has a flow controller for controlling the flow rate of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate processing section. Furthermore, the flow controller includes: a variable orifice that changes the cross-sectional area of ​​the processing liquid; a flow regulating member that adjusts the flow rate by changing the cross-sectional area of ​​the variable orifice; and an actuator that moves the flow regulating member up and down.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-212598 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] The present invention relates to a technique for suppressing particle retention in a regulating valve that adjusts the flow rate or pressure of the processing liquid supplied to a substrate.

[0008] Technical solutions for solving technical problems

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a liquid treatment apparatus for liquid treatment of a substrate by supplying a processing liquid to the substrate, comprising: a substrate holding portion for holding the substrate; a release nozzle for releasing the processing liquid from the substrate held by the substrate holding portion; a processing liquid supply source for supplying the processing liquid; a processing liquid supply pipe connected to the processing liquid supply source and forming a supply passage for the processing liquid to be supplied to the release nozzle; a regulating valve provided in the processing liquid supply pipe for opening and closing the supply passage; and a control portion for controlling the regulating valve, the regulating valve having a diaphragm and a valve body, controlling the air supply to the diaphragm, and actuating the valve body via the diaphragm to open and close the supply passage to an open state and a fully closed state.

[0010] Invention Effects

[0011] According to the present invention, particle retention can be suppressed in a regulating valve that adjusts the flow rate or pressure of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the general structure of the liquid treatment apparatus of this embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the general structure of the liquid treatment apparatus of this embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the outline structure of the liquid supply mechanism in this embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the general structure of the second regulator.

[0016] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram showing that the second regulator is in the closed state.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the junction of the diaphragm and the valve in the second regulator.

[0018] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram showing the experimental results used to illustrate the effects of this embodiment.

[0019] Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram showing the outline structure of the liquid supply mechanism in other embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the photolithography step of semiconductor device manufacturing process, for example, a series of processes are performed sequentially, such as resist coating process, which involves coating a resist solution onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer") to form a resist film, exposure process, which involves exposing the resist film to the desired pattern, and development process, which involves developing the exposed resist film, to form the desired resist pattern on the wafer.

[0021] In an apparatus that supplies processing solutions such as resist and developer to a wafer for liquid processing, for example, the liquid processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used. Furthermore, in the flow controller (regulating valve) of this liquid processing apparatus, a so-called direct-acting regulator is used, which can variably control the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the processing solution using an actuator.

[0022] In addition to direct-acting regulators, pilot-operated regulators are sometimes used in flow controllers. Pilot-operated regulators have a diaphragm that moves up and down using the pressure of driving air and a valve body that changes the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid supply passage. Furthermore, by actuating the valve body via the diaphragm, the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid supply passage changes, thereby controlling the flow rate of the fluid.

[0023] In the case of using a pilot-operated regulator as a flow controller, particles (foreign matter) are easily trapped in its structure, especially at the junction of the diaphragm and the valve. Furthermore, this structure affects the regulator's operability, making modifications difficult. Additionally, in liquid treatment devices, the regulator is located downstream of the particulate filter in the liquid supply path to suppress flow fluctuations; therefore, the cleanliness of the regulator has a high probability of directly affecting the wafer.

[0024] In addition, there are many reasons for the generation of particles. For example, if particles are already present in the initial state of the regulator, then particles may also be present in the treatment solution.

[0025] However, the current method of repeatedly dispensing (releasing) the usual processing liquid when removing particles from inside the pilot regulator is insufficient to completely remove the particles. Furthermore, when particles remain inside the regulator, they may flow out of the regulator into the processing liquid at some point and be supplied to the wafer. Therefore, in existing regulator cleaning methods, the cleanliness of the regulator is inconsistent, and there is room for improvement.

[0026] The technology of the present invention suppresses particle retention in the regulating valve that adjusts the flow rate or pressure of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate. Hereinafter, the liquid processing apparatus and liquid supply method of this embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in this specification and the accompanying drawings, elements having substantially the same functional structure are omitted from repeated description by using the same reference numerals.

[0027] Liquid treatment device

[0028] First, the liquid processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described. In the liquid processing apparatus 1, a processing liquid is supplied to a wafer W, which serves as a substrate, and the wafer W is subjected to liquid processing. Figure 1 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the general structure of the liquid treatment device 1. Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the general structure of the liquid treatment device 1.

[0029] The liquid processing apparatus 1 has a processing container 10 capable of sealing its interior. On the side of the processing container 10, an inlet / outlet 11 for the wafer W is formed, and an opening / closing member 12 is provided at the inlet / outlet 11.

[0030] In the center of the processing container 10, a rotary chuck 20, serving as a substrate holding part, is provided to hold and rotate the wafer W. The rotary chuck 20 has a horizontal upper surface, on which a suction port (not shown) for attracting, for example, the wafer W is provided. By using the suction from this suction port, the wafer W can be adsorbed and held on the rotary chuck 20.

[0031] The rotary chuck 20 has a chuck drive mechanism 21, including, for example, an electric motor, which enables it to rotate at a desired speed. Furthermore, the chuck drive mechanism 21 is equipped with a lifting drive source such as a cylinder, allowing the rotary chuck 20 to move up and down.

[0032] Around the rotary chuck 20, a cup-shaped body 22 is provided to collect and recover liquid that spills or falls from the wafer W. A discharge pipe 23 for discharging the recovered liquid and an exhaust pipe 24 for discharging the atmosphere inside the cup-shaped body 22 are connected to the lower surface of the cup-shaped body 22.

[0033] A guide rail 30 extending along the X-axis is formed on the negative Y-axis side of the cup-shaped body 22. The guide rail 30 extends from the outside of the negative X-axis side of the cup-shaped body 22 to the outside of the positive X-axis side. An arm 31 is mounted on the guide rail 30.

[0034] A release nozzle 32 for releasing processing fluid is supported on an arm 31. The arm 31 moves freely on a guide rail 30 via a nozzle drive 33. Thus, the release nozzle 32 can move from a standby section 34 located outside the cup-shaped body 22 in the positive X-axis direction to above the center of the wafer W within the cup-shaped body 22, and can move radially on the surface of the wafer W. Furthermore, the arm 31 can be freely raised and lowered via the nozzle drive 33, allowing adjustment of the height of the release nozzle 32. The release nozzle 32 is connected to a liquid supply mechanism 40 for supplying processing fluid. The detailed structure of the liquid supply mechanism 40 will be described later.

[0035] In the above liquid treatment device 1, such as Figure 1 A control unit 50 is shown. The control unit 50 is, for example, a computer with a CPU and memory, and has a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores a program for controlling the liquid processing of the chip W in the liquid processing apparatus 1. Alternatively, the program can be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium H and loaded from that storage medium H into the control unit 50.

[0036] <Liquid Treatment Methods>

[0037] Next, a liquid processing method for wafer W using the liquid processing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be explained. In the liquid processing apparatus 1, before wafer W is fed in, the release nozzle 32 is in standby mode 34.

[0038] When wafer W is fed into the liquid treatment apparatus 1, it is held and held on top of the rotating chuck 20. Next, the release nozzle 32 is moved above the center of wafer W, and while wafer W is rotated, processing liquid is released from the release nozzle 32 to the center of wafer W. At this time, processing liquid is supplied to the release nozzle 32 from the liquid supply mechanism 40. Furthermore, the processing liquid on wafer W spreads across the entire surface of the wafer, and wafer W is liquid-treated. The liquid-treated wafer W is then ejected from the liquid treatment apparatus 1.

[0039] <Liquid Supply Organization>

[0040] Next, the structure of the liquid supply mechanism 40 will be described. Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the outline structure of the liquid supply mechanism 40.

[0041] The liquid supply mechanism 40 includes: a liquid supply source 100 that stores the liquid internally and supplies the liquid to the release nozzle 32; and a liquid supply pipe 101 that connects the liquid supply source 100 to the release nozzle 32. Inside the liquid supply pipe 101, a supply passage for the liquid to flow is formed.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a common processing liquid supply source 100 is provided in the liquid supply mechanism 40 of the plurality of liquid processing devices 1. Moreover, a plurality of processing liquid supply pipes 101 are connected to the processing liquid supply source 100, and each processing liquid supply pipe 101 is connected to a release nozzle 32.

[0043] In the treatment fluid supply pipe 101, starting from the upstream side, a first regulator 102, a pressure gauge 103, a filter 104, a second regulator 105 serving as a regulating valve, a flow detection unit 106, and a first on / off valve 107 are sequentially arranged.

[0044] The first regulator 102 regulates the pressure of the processing fluid flowing inside the processing fluid supply pipe 101. The type of the first regulator 102 is not particularly limited; for example, a known regulator can be used.

[0045] Pressure gauge 103 measures the pressure of the treatment fluid after it has been regulated by the first regulator 102.

[0046] Filter 104 collects and removes particles from the treatment liquid. A discharge pipe (not shown) may also be provided at the top of filter 104 to exhaust gas (bubbles) generated in the treatment liquid.

[0047] The second regulator 105 regulates the flow rate of the processing fluid flowing inside the processing fluid supply pipe 101. Detailed information about the structure of the second regulator 105 will be provided later.

[0048] As described later, the second regulator 105 is connected to an air supply pipe 110 that supplies air to the air supply section 133 of the second regulator 105. The air supply pipe 110 is connected to an air supply source 111 that stores air internally. In addition, a valve 112 for controlling the air supply is provided in the air supply pipe 110. The valve 112 opens and closes the air supply passage inside the air supply pipe 110.

[0049] The flow detection unit 106 measures the flow rate of the treatment liquid after the flow rate has been adjusted by the second regulator 105.

[0050] The first on / off valve 107 opens and closes the supply passage of the processing fluid inside the processing fluid supply pipe 101. The first on / off valve 107 is, for example, an air-operated valve.

[0051] A processing liquid discharge pipe 120 is connected to the processing liquid supply pipe 101 between the second regulator 105 and the flow detection unit 106. The processing liquid discharge pipe 120 forms a discharge passage for discharging the processing liquid. The processing liquid discharge pipes 120 of each liquid supply mechanism 40 merge and are connected to a discharge tank (not shown).

[0052] A second on / off valve 121 is provided in the treatment liquid discharge pipe 120 before the confluence. The second on / off valve 121 opens and closes the discharge passage of the treatment liquid inside the treatment liquid discharge pipe 120. The second on / off valve 121 is, for example, a pneumatic valve.

[0053] <Second Regulator>

[0054] Next, the structure of the second regulator 105 will be described. Figure 4 This is a longitudinal section showing the general structure of the second regulator 105.

[0055] The second regulator 105 has a main body 130, two sockets 131 and 132, an air supply unit 133, a diaphragm 134, a valve 135 as a valve body, and a spring 136.

[0056] The main body 130 is connected to the upstream processing fluid supply pipe 101 via the first connection port 131. Additionally, the main body 130 is connected to the downstream processing fluid supply pipe 101 via the second connection port 132. That is, the processing fluid supply pipe 101, the first connection port 131, the main body 130, the second connection port 132, and the processing fluid supply pipe 101 are connected sequentially from the upstream side. Furthermore, the internal connections of the processing fluid supply pipe 101, the first connection port 131, the main body 130, the second connection port 132, and the processing fluid supply pipe 101 form a processing fluid supply passage 140.

[0057] Furthermore, the supply passage 140 inside the main body 130 passes through an opening 141 formed inside the main body 130. In the following description, the upstream side of the opening 141 in the supply passage 140 inside the main body 130 may be referred to as supply passage 140a, and the downstream side as supply passage 140b.

[0058] An air supply unit 133 is disposed above the main body 130. The air supply pipe 110 described above is connected to the air supply unit 133, allowing air from the air supply source 111 to be supplied to the air supply unit 133. The air supply unit 133 is configured to supply air (hereinafter referred to as "drive air") to the diaphragm 134 at a desired pressure. Furthermore, the structure of the air supply unit 133 is arbitrary, and the designer can configure it appropriately.

[0059] The diaphragm 134 is disposed inside the main body 130 above the opening 141 and on the side of the air supply section 133. A supply passage 140 for the processing liquid is formed on the lower surface of the diaphragm 134, and more specifically, a supply passage 140b is formed. Furthermore, the diaphragm 134 is configured to move freely up and down using the driving air supplied from the air supply section 133.

[0060] Valve 135 is disposed inside the main body 130 below the diaphragm 134. Valve 135 extends vertically through opening 141. That is, valve 135 is disposed across the upstream supply passage 140a and the downstream supply passage 140b via opening 141.

[0061] Multiple springs 136 are installed inside the lower part of valve 135. The springs 136 exert an upward force on valve 135.

[0062] A protrusion 135a is formed on the side of the valve 135, protruding from the valve body. The protrusion 135a is located below the opening 141, i.e., on the supply passage 140a side. In addition, the upper surface of the protrusion 135a is inclined in a manner that increases in width from top to bottom when viewed from the side.

[0063] Valve 135 is pushed upward by spring 136. Additionally, diaphragm 134 moves up and down using driving air, and valve 135 moves up and down accordingly. Furthermore, for example... Figure 4 As shown, the protrusion 135a is located below the opening 141. When a gap is created between the opening 141 and the valve 135, the supply passage 140 becomes open, allowing the processing fluid to flow. On the other hand, for example, as... Figure 5 As shown, when there is no gap between the opening 141 and the valve 135, the supply passage 140 is closed, and the flow of the processing fluid is blocked. In this way, the valve 135 performs the opening and closing action of the supply passage 140.

[0064] The opening and closing of the supply passage 140 using valve 135 will be explained in more detail. The opening and closing state of the supply passage 140 in the opening 141 is controlled by the downward pressing pressure P1 of the diaphragm 134 generated by the driving air, the upward pushing pressure P2 of the valve 135 generated by the spring 136, and the pressure P3 of the processing fluid flowing in the supply passage 140. The downward pressing pressure P1 of the driving air is a downward pressure, while the upward pushing pressure P2 of the spring 136 and the pressure P3 of the processing fluid are upward pressures respectively. Furthermore, the opening and closing state of the supply passage 140 is controlled by achieving a balance between these three pressures: the downward pressing pressure P1 of the driving air, the upward pushing pressure P2 of the spring 136, and the pressure P3 of the processing fluid.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown, a recess 134a is formed on the lower surface of the diaphragm 134, and a protrusion 135b is formed on the upper end of the valve 135. Figure 6 As shown, the recess 134a and the protrusion 135b each have suitable shapes, and the protrusion 135b can be inserted into the recess 134a, thereby forming a joint 142 between the diaphragm 134 and the valve 135. By engaging the diaphragm 134 and the valve 135 at the joint 142 in this way, axial offset relative to the diaphragm 134 in the horizontal direction can be suppressed when the valve 135 moves up and down.

[0066] <Cleaning Method for the Second Regulator>

[0067] Next, the cleaning method for the second regulator 105 will be explained.

[0068] In the second regulator 105, the diaphragm 134 and the valve 135 engage at a joint 142 between a recess 134a and a protrusion 135b. These recesses 134a and protrusions 135b are not tightly fitted, but rather have a slight gap. In this case, particles easily become trapped in the gap of the joint 142, and once trapped, they are not easily removed. Furthermore, there are various reasons for particle generation, as described above.

[0069] However, in the prior art, when removing particles from the interior of the second regulator 105, particularly those at the junction 142, the method of repeatedly performing the usual dispensing of the processing liquid (hereinafter referred to as "usual dispensing") is insufficient to completely remove the particles. Furthermore, when particles remain inside the second regulator 105, they may flow out of the second regulator 105 into the processing liquid at some point and potentially be supplied to the wafer W. Therefore, in the prior art cleaning method, the cleanliness of the second regulator 105 is unstable. Additionally, in the prior art cleaning method, restoring the second regulator 105, whose cleanliness has deteriorated, to a normal state requires time.

[0070] Here, "normal distribution" refers to a state where the opening of the treatment fluid supply passage 140 is adjusted using valve 135 of the second regulator 105, and the first on / off valve 107 is in the open state, releasing the treatment fluid from the release nozzle 32. Specifically, the air supply unit 133 supplies driving air to the diaphragm 134 with a certain downward pressure, which actuates valve 135 via the diaphragm 134, thereby adjusting the opening of the supply passage 140. Furthermore, when the treatment fluid is released from the release nozzle 32, the pressure of the treatment fluid decreases, increasing the downward pressure on the diaphragm 134. As a result, the opening of the supply passage 140 increases. However, the pressure variation range of the treatment fluid in normal distribution is small, and the vertical movement (movable range) of the diaphragm 134 and valve 135 is also small. Therefore, particles trapped in the joint 142 are difficult to be discharged, and complete removal of the particles cannot be achieved.

[0071] In the second regulator 105 cleaning (hereinafter also referred to as "regulator cleaning") of this embodiment, the opening and closing of the control valve 112 is used to supply and stop the drive air using the air supply unit 133. At this time, the pressure when supplying the drive air is set according to the flow rate specification of the treatment fluid, for example, 0.15 MPa.

[0072] In this case, because the diaphragm 134 and valve 135 move up and down using driving air, their stroke can be increased. As a result, the movement of the diaphragm 134 and valve 135 towards and away from each other in the joint 142 increases, thus allowing particles trapped in the joint 142 to be properly discharged and removed. Consequently, the cleanliness of the second regulator 105 can be stabilized. Furthermore, the second regulator 105, whose cleanliness has deteriorated, can be restored to its normal state in a short time.

[0073] Furthermore, during regulator cleaning, it is preferable to repeatedly supply and stop the drive air, with no limit to the number of repetitions. Alternatively, the supply and stop of the drive air can be performed only once.

[0074] Next, the effects of implementing the cleaning method of the second regulator 105 according to this embodiment will be explained. The inventors conducted experiments to verify these effects. Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram showing the experimental results.

[0075] In this experiment, regulator cleaning of this embodiment was performed as an example, and normal dispensing was performed as a comparative example. Furthermore, after regulator cleaning and normal dispensing were performed respectively, the number of particles in the treatment liquid released from the discharge nozzle 32, specifically the number of particles with a diameter of 20 nm or more, was measured. Figure 7The horizontal axis represents the number of times valve 135 is driven, and the vertical axis represents the number of particles. The number of times valve 135 is driven during regulator cleaning (full stroke drive of valve 135) is the number of times drive air is supplied and stopped by the air supply unit 133. The number of times valve 135 is driven during normal distribution (normal valve 135 drive) is the number of times the first on / off valve 107 opens and closes.

[0076] Reference Figure 7 Under normal distribution conditions, even if the number of times valve 135 is driven is increased, the number of particles remains at approximately 3600, without any change.

[0077] On the other hand, during the regulator cleaning process, the number of particles increases sharply in the first instance. This indicates that by supplying and stopping the driving air for the first time, the stroke of diaphragm 134 and valve 135 increases, and the particles retained in the second regulator 105 are expelled in one go. In other words, this means that the cause of instability in the cleanliness of the second regulator 105 is eliminated. Furthermore, by repeatedly supplying and stopping the driving air, the number of particles approaches zero.

[0078] Therefore, based on the experimental results, the cleaning method of the second regulator 105 according to this embodiment achieves the effect of stabilizing the cleanliness of the second regulator 105.

[0079] Next, the periodic cleaning method for the second regulator 105 will be described in more detail. This periodic cleaning is performed during periods when the wafer W is not being liquid-treated, that is, when no treatment liquid is being supplied to the wafer W from the release port 32.

[0080] (Step S1: First State)

[0081] Step S1 is the standby state of the release nozzle 32 in the standby section 34. In step S1, the first on / off valve 107 and the second on / off valve 121 are both closed, and the second regulator 105 is open.

[0082] (Step S2: Second State)

[0083] Step S2 involves cleaning the second regulator 105, as described above. In step S2, the first on / off valve 107 is closed, and the second on / off valve 121 is open. Furthermore, the supply and stop of driving air are repeatedly performed as described above, alternating between opening and closing the second regulator 105 to the open and fully closed states. This increases the stroke of the diaphragm 134 and valve 135, resulting in the proper discharge and removal of particles trapped in the joint 142. Therefore, the cleanliness of the second regulator 105 can be stabilized.

[0084] Additionally, in step S2, the treatment liquid containing particles, after being cleaned by the regulator, is discharged from the treatment liquid discharge pipe 120. In this case, the particles do not flow out to a point downstream of the first on / off valve 107, thus the cleaning of that downstream side can be omitted.

[0085] As described above, steps S1 and S2 are performed to complete the periodic cleaning of the second regulator 105.

[0086] Furthermore, step S2 in the periodic cleaning of the second regulator 105 can also be performed at a time set based on the number of wafers W processed. For example, step S2 of regulator cleaning can be performed after multiple wafers W have been liquid-treated in batches. Alternatively, step S2 of regulator cleaning can be performed after each wafer W has been liquid-treated.

[0087] Alternatively, step S2 can be performed at a time set based on the elapsed time since the liquid treatment of wafer W ended. For example, the regulator cleaning in step S2 can be performed after a predetermined time has elapsed since the liquid treatment of the first wafer W was performed.

[0088] <Other Implementation Methods of the Liquid Supply Mechanism>

[0089] Next, the liquid supply mechanism 200 of other embodiments will be described. Figure 8 This is an explanatory diagram showing the outline structure of the liquid supply mechanism 200.

[0090] In the liquid supply mechanism 40 of the above embodiment, the processing liquid discharge pipe 120 and the second on / off valve 121 are omitted from the liquid supply mechanism 200. The other structures of the liquid supply mechanism 200 are the same as those of the liquid supply mechanism 40.

[0091] Next, the method for periodically cleaning the second regulator 105 in the liquid supply mechanism 200 will be described.

[0092] (Step T1: First state)

[0093] Step T1 is the standby state of the release nozzle 32 in the standby section 34. In step T1, the first on / off valve 107 is closed and the second regulator 105 is open.

[0094] (Step T2: Second State)

[0095] Step T2 involves cleaning the second regulator 105, as described above. In step T2, the first on / off valve 107 is opened. Furthermore, the supply and stop of drive air are repeatedly performed as described above, alternating between opening and closing the second regulator 105 to the open and fully closed states. In this case, similar to step S2 in the above embodiment, the stroke of the diaphragm 134 and valve 135 can be increased, resulting in the proper discharge and removal of particles retained at the joint 142.

[0096] Additionally, in step T2, the particulate-containing treatment fluid, after being cleaned by the regulator, is discharged from the release nozzle 32. The release nozzle 32 remains in standby unit 34, where a so-called dummy dispense of the treatment fluid is performed. Furthermore, in standby unit 34, the particulate-containing treatment fluid is recovered and discarded.

[0097] As described above, steps T1 and T2 are performed, and the periodic cleaning of the second regulator 105 is completed.

[0098] Furthermore, step T2 of this embodiment can be performed while the release nozzle 32 is in standby mode in the standby section 34, or it can be performed while the release nozzle 32 is positioned above the wafer W held by the rotating chuck 20. Specifically, step T2 is performed, for example, when the processing liquid is released from the release nozzle 32 to the wafer W. After step T2 is completed, drive air is supplied to the diaphragm 134 in the second regulator 105 with a desired downward pressure, and the second regulator 105 is set to the desired open state. Then, the processing liquid is supplied to the wafer W from the release nozzle 32, and the wafer W is liquid-processed.

[0099] In this case, since the regulator cleaning in step T2 is performed on a single wafer during each liquid treatment of wafer W, the cleanliness of the second regulator 105 can always be maintained.

[0100] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second regulator 105 is used to regulate the flow rate of the processing fluid, but it is not limited to this; the second regulator 105 may also be used to regulate the pressure of the processing fluid (e.g., to suppress pressure fluctuations).

[0101] All embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and should not be construed as restrictive. The above embodiments can be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways as long as they do not depart from the appended claims (the scope of the invention) and its spirit.

[0102] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0103] 1 Liquid treatment device

[0104] 20 Rotary Chuck

[0105] 32 Release Mouth

[0106] 50 Control Department

[0107] 100 Processing fluid supply source

[0108] 101 Processing fluid supply pipe

[0109] 105 Second Regulator

[0110] 134 Diaphragm

[0111] 135 valve

[0112] 140 Supply Channels

[0113] W chip.

Claims

1. A liquid treatment apparatus for supplying a processing solution to a substrate to perform liquid treatment on the substrate, characterized in that, include: Maintain the substrate holding portion of the substrate; A discharge nozzle for releasing the processing liquid from the substrate held by the substrate holding portion; The source of the treatment fluid; A treatment fluid supply pipe connected to the treatment fluid supply source forms a supply passage for the treatment fluid to be supplied to the release nozzle. A regulating valve installed in the treatment fluid supply pipe to open and close the supply passage. and The control unit that controls the regulating valve The regulating valve has a diaphragm and a valve body, controls the air supply to the diaphragm, and actuates the valve body via the diaphragm to open and close the supply passage. The liquid treatment device further includes: A first on / off valve is installed in the treatment fluid supply pipe downstream of the regulating valve to open and close the supply passage. A treatment fluid discharge pipe, which is connected to the treatment fluid supply pipe between the regulating valve and the first on / off valve, forms a discharge passage for discharging the treatment fluid; and A second on / off valve is installed in the discharge pipe of the treated liquid to open and close the discharge passage. The control unit controls the regulating valve, the first on / off valve, and the second on / off valve by switching between a first state and a second state, wherein... The first state is that the first and second on / off valves are closed, and the regulating valve is open. The second state is that the first on / off valve is closed, the second on / off valve is open, and the regulating valve performs opening and closing actions in both open and fully closed states.

2. The liquid treatment apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The treatment liquid discharge pipe merges with the discharge pipe of another device located in a different device from the treatment liquid device.

3. The liquid treatment apparatus as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The control unit controls the release nozzle so that the second state is performed when the release nozzle is in a standby position that is laterally positioned than the substrate holding part.

4. The liquid treatment apparatus as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The control unit controls the regulating valve so that the regulating valve is opened and closed multiple times in the second state.

5. The liquid treatment apparatus as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The control unit controls the process so that the second state is entered at a time set based on the number of substrates processed or the elapsed time since the end of substrate processing.

6. The liquid treatment apparatus as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Includes a filter, which is located upstream of the control valve in the treatment fluid supply pipe to remove foreign matter from the treatment fluid.

7. The liquid treatment apparatus as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A recess is formed in the diaphragm. The valve body has a protrusion with a shape suitable for the recess.

8. A liquid supply mechanism that supplies the processing liquid to a discharge nozzle for discharging processing liquid onto a substrate, the liquid supply mechanism being characterized in that it comprises: The source of the treatment fluid; A treatment fluid supply pipe is connected to the treatment fluid supply source, forming a supply passage for the treatment fluid to be supplied to the release nozzle. A regulating valve installed in the treatment fluid supply pipe for opening and closing the supply passage. and The control unit that controls the regulating valve The regulating valve has a diaphragm and a valve body, controls the air supply to the diaphragm, and actuates the valve body via the diaphragm to open and close the supply passage. The liquid supply mechanism also includes: A first on / off valve is installed in the treatment fluid supply pipe downstream of the regulating valve to open and close the supply passage. A treatment fluid discharge pipe, which is connected to the treatment fluid supply pipe between the regulating valve and the first on / off valve, forms a discharge passage for discharging the treatment fluid; and A second on / off valve is installed in the discharge pipe of the treated liquid to open and close the discharge passage. The control unit controls the regulating valve, the first on / off valve, and the second on / off valve by switching between a first state and a second state, wherein... The first state is that the first and second on / off valves are closed, and the regulating valve is open. The second state is that the first on / off valve is closed, the second on / off valve is open, and the regulating valve performs opening and closing actions in both open and fully closed states.

9. A liquid treatment method comprising supplying a processing liquid to a substrate using a liquid treatment apparatus to perform liquid treatment on the substrate, characterized in that: The liquid treatment device includes: Maintain the substrate holding portion of the substrate; A discharge nozzle for releasing the processing liquid from the substrate held by the substrate holding portion; The source of the treatment fluid; A treatment fluid supply pipe is connected to the treatment fluid supply source, forming a supply passage for the treatment fluid to be supplied to the release nozzle. and A regulating valve, which is installed in the treatment fluid supply pipe, has a diaphragm and a valve body, and performs the opening and closing action of the supply passage. In the liquid treatment method, The air supply to the diaphragm is controlled, and the valve body is actuated via the diaphragm to open and close the supply passage, thus cleaning the regulating valve. The liquid treatment device further includes: A first on / off valve is installed in the treatment fluid supply pipe downstream of the regulating valve to open and close the supply passage. A treatment liquid discharge pipe, connected between the regulating valve and the first on / off valve, forms a discharge passage for discharging the treatment liquid; and A second on / off valve is installed in the discharge pipe of the treated liquid to open and close the discharge passage. The liquid treatment method includes: (a) In step (a), the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve are in the closed state, and the regulating valve is in the open state; (b) In step 1, the first opening and closing valve is in the closed state, the second opening and closing valve is in the open state, and the regulating valve performs opening and closing actions in the open state and the fully closed state.

10. The liquid treatment method as described in claim 9, characterized in that: Step (b) is performed when the release nozzle is in a standby position located to the side of the substrate holding portion.

11. The liquid treatment method as described in claim 9, characterized in that: In step (b), the opening and closing of the regulating valve is performed multiple times.

12. A computer storage medium, characterized in that: The computer storage medium stores a program that runs on a computer in the control unit of the liquid treatment device to cause the liquid treatment device to perform the liquid treatment method according to any one of claims 9 to 11.

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