Liquid supply device and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

The invention discloses a liquid supply device and substrate processing equipment. The liquid supply device comprises an input pipeline, an output pipeline, a first branch, a second branch, a water resistance value adjusting part arranged on the first branch and a control part, the control part is used for controlling the water resistance value adjusting part so that first liquid entering the first branch can be adjusted into third liquid with a third water resistance value, and the third water resistance value is smaller than the second water resistance value. And the third liquid is mixed with the first liquid output by the second branch to form second liquid with a second water resistance value. According to the liquid supply device, the input pipeline and the output pipeline are connected through the two branches, the first branch is provided with the water resistance value adjusting part used for adjusting the water resistance value of the liquid, the second branch is not provided with the water resistance value adjusting part used for ensuring the flow speed of the liquid, and therefore the water resistance value and the flow speed after the first branch and the second branch are converged can be adjusted at the same time; therefore, the technical effects that the resistance value of supplied liquid water can be accurately controlled, and the solution supply speed is high are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor cleaning equipment, and further to a liquid supply device and substrate processing equipment. Background Art

[0002] Wet stripping is a semiconductor production process in which a substrate with photoresist is immersed in an appropriate organic solvent (such as organic amine base solvent EKC and N-methylpyrrolidone NMP) to dissolve or decompose the photoresist to remove the photoresist on the substrate surface.

[0003] During the wet stripping process, after the substrate is soaked in the above solvent, the substrate surface becomes alkaline and needs to be cleaned with a weak acid solution in the QDR (quick dump rinse) tank to neutralize the alkaline substances on the wafer surface. While the QDR tank quickly replenishes or discharges the weak acid solution, the weak acid solution quickly flows through the substrate surface. The friction between the weak acid solution and the substrate surface generates static electricity, which can easily cause current to be generated on the substrate surface. If current is generated on the substrate surface, it will not only cause the substrate surface to easily adsorb impurity particles, but may also damage the surface structure of the substrate, which will have a serious impact on the substrate quality.

[0004] U.S. Patent Publication No. US20050133066A1 discloses a substrate processing method and processing equipment, the substrate processing device comprising: a processing tank for storing deionized water and immersing a substrate in the deionized water; a deionized water supply device for supplying deionized water to the processing tank; a drainage device for discharging the deionized water from the processing tank; a processing liquid forming device for forming a processing liquid having deionized water and a substance that reduces the resistivity of the deionized water (such as carbon dioxide); and a processing liquid supply device for supplying the processing liquid formed by the processing liquid forming device to the substrate in the processing tank after the drainage device discharges the deionized water from the processing tank or when the drainage device discharges the deionized water from the processing tank.

[0005] The above-mentioned treatment liquid forming device includes a gas-liquid mixer, which is arranged on the deionized water pipeline supplying the nozzle, and is used to dissolve carbon dioxide in deionized water to form a solution with low water resistance, and the nozzle sprays the above-mentioned solution on the surface of the substrate to prevent the surface of the substrate from being charged during the cleaning of the substrate. However, the above-mentioned patent does not provide a solution for configuring a gas-liquid mixer on the deionized water pipeline supplying the treatment tank, so the water resistance value of the solution in the treatment tank cannot be guaranteed. In addition, the prior art also does not raise the following technical problem: if the gas-liquid mixer is arranged on the deionized water supply pipeline of the treatment tank, the gas-liquid mixer will seriously affect the flow rate of deionized water, thereby reducing the rate at which the treatment tank replenishes deionized water, resulting in the time for the treatment tank to actually complete the replenishment of the liquid cannot meet the process requirements, and the above-mentioned technical problems will also hinder those skilled in the art from proposing the technical solution.

[0006] In summary, the present patent application aims to propose a technical solution that can accurately control the resistance of the supplied liquid water and has a high solution supply rate. Summary of the invention

[0007] In view of the above technical problems, the purpose of the present invention is to propose a technical solution that can accurately control the resistance value of the supplied liquid water and has a high solution supply rate. In order to achieve the above purpose, the present invention provides a liquid supply device and a substrate processing equipment.

[0008] In some embodiments, the liquid supply device includes: an input pipeline having an input end for receiving an input first liquid, the first liquid having a first water resistance value; an output pipeline having an output end for outputting a second liquid, the second liquid having a second water resistance value, and the second water resistance value is smaller than the first water resistance value; a first branch and a second branch, one end of the first branch and the second branch are respectively connected to an end of the input pipeline away from the input end, and the other ends of the first branch and the second branch merge at an end of the output pipeline away from the output end; a water resistance value adjusting unit, arranged in the first branch, for adjusting the water resistance value of the first liquid entering the first branch; and a control unit, communicatively connected to the water resistance value adjusting unit, for controlling the water resistance value adjusting unit, so that the first liquid entering the first branch is adjusted to a third liquid having a third water resistance value, the third water resistance value being smaller than the second water resistance value, and the third liquid is mixed with the first liquid output from the second branch to form the second liquid having the second water resistance value.

[0009] In some embodiments, a substrate processing device includes: the above-mentioned liquid supply device and a process tank, and the liquid supply device is connected to the process tank through the output end.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects: in the present application, the input pipeline and the output pipeline are connected by two branches, the first branch is equipped with a gas-liquid mixer for adjusting the water resistance value of the liquid, and the second branch is not equipped with a gas-liquid mixer for ensuring that the liquid has a higher flow rate, so that after the liquid is mixed in the first branch and the second branch, it has both an accurate water resistance value and a higher flow rate, thereby achieving the technical effect of being able to accurately control the water resistance value of the supply liquid and a higher solution supply rate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The preferred implementation modes will be described below in a clear and understandable manner with reference to the accompanying drawings to further illustrate the above-mentioned characteristics, technical features, advantages and implementation methods of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a liquid supply device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0013] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a liquid supply device and a substrate processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the specific implementation methods of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0015] In order to simplify the drawings, only the parts related to the invention are schematically shown in each figure, and they do not represent the actual structure of the product. In addition, in order to simplify the drawings and facilitate understanding, in some figures, only one of the parts with the same structure or function is schematically drawn or marked. In this article, "one" not only means "only one", but also means "more than one".

[0016] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0017] In addition, in the description of the present application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish the description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0018] like Figure 1 As shown, a liquid supply device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. This embodiment aims to provide a technical solution for supplying a solution with an accurate water resistance value and a high solution supply rate.

[0019] Specifically, the liquid supply device 100 includes an input pipeline 110, an output pipeline 120, a first branch 130, a second branch 140, a water resistance value adjustment unit 190, and a control unit 180. The input pipeline 110 has an input end 111 for receiving an input first liquid, the first liquid having a first water resistance value, and the input end 111 can be connected to a liquid source 400, which can come from a factory public facility or from an independent liquid storage container. The output pipeline 120 has an output end 121 for outputting a second liquid, the second liquid having a second water resistance value, and the second water resistance value is less than the first water resistance value, and the output end 121 of the liquid can be connected to a device having a liquid supply demand, such as the process tank 200 described later.

[0020] The first branch 130 and the second branch 140 are connected between the input pipeline 110 and the output pipeline 120, respectively. The same end of the first branch 130 and the second branch 140 are respectively connected to the end of the input pipeline 110 away from the input end 111, and the other ends of the first branch 130 and the second branch 140 merge at the end of the output pipeline 120 away from the output end 121. The water resistance value adjustment unit 190 is disposed on the first branch 130, and is used to adjust the water resistance value of the first liquid entering the first branch 130. The control unit 180 is in communication connection with the water resistance value adjustment unit 190, and is used to control the water resistance value adjustment unit 190, so that the first liquid entering the first branch 130 is adjusted to a third liquid with a third water resistance value, the third water resistance value is less than the second water resistance value, and the third liquid is mixed with the first liquid output from the second branch 140 to form a second liquid with a second water resistance value.

[0021] The present application does not limit the communication connection method between the control unit 180 and other controlled components. A wired or wireless connection method can be used, and any appropriate communication method in the art can be used to transmit signals.

[0022] Preferably, the flow rate of the third liquid in the first branch 130 is configured to be smaller than the flow rate of the first liquid in the second branch 140 to reduce the effect of the gas-liquid mixer 150 on the supply rate of the liquid supply device 100, so that the liquid supply device 100 has a higher supply rate.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the liquid supply device 100 further includes a water resistance meter 122, which is disposed in the output pipeline 120 and is used to detect the water resistance value of the second liquid. The water resistance value refers to the electrical resistance value of the liquid, and the lower the water resistance value, the higher the conductive efficiency of the liquid; the higher the water resistance value, the lower the conductive efficiency of the liquid.

[0024] Preferably, the water resistance value adjusting unit 190 includes a gas-liquid mixer 150, a gas input pipeline 160, a gas discharge pipeline 170, and a first valve 161 and a second flowmeter 162 arranged on the gas input pipeline 160. One end of the gas input pipeline 160 is connected to the gas source 500, and the other end is connected to the gas-liquid mixer 150, for receiving the acid gas provided by the gas source 500 and inputting the acid gas to the gas-liquid mixer 150, wherein the gas source 500 can come from the factory public facilities or from an independent gas storage container. One end of the gas discharge pipeline 170 is connected to the gas-liquid mixer 150, and the other end is used to discharge the acid gas that is not dissolved in the liquid. The first valve 161 and the second flowmeter 162 are both arranged on the gas input pipeline 160, the first valve 161 is used to adjust the acid gas flow, and the second flowmeter 162 is used to detect the acid gas flow input to the gas-liquid mixer 150. The control unit 180 is respectively connected to the water resistance meter 122, the first valve 161 and the second flow meter 162 for communication, and is used to adjust the opening of the first valve 161 so that the measured value of the second flow meter 162 is a preset value, so that the measured value of the water resistance meter 122 is the above-mentioned second water resistance value. In the above process, the second flow meter 162 plays the function of monitoring the flow of the acid gas in the gas input pipeline 160, and the water resistance meter 122 plays the function of monitoring the water resistance value of the second liquid in the output pipeline 120. Therefore, through the joint monitoring of the second flow meter 162 and the water resistance meter 122, it is ensured that the liquid supply device 100 has two monitoring modes to avoid failure of one of them.

[0025] Taking the case where the acidic gas is carbon dioxide gas and deionized water is inputted into the input end 111 of the input pipeline 110 as an example, the higher the carbon dioxide content dissolved in the deionized water, the lower the water resistance value of the formed carbonated solution. Therefore, the carbon dioxide content dissolved in the deionized water can be adjusted by adjusting the flow rate of carbon dioxide entering the gas-liquid mixer 150, thereby adjusting the carbon dioxide content dissolved in the deionized water, and further adjusting the water resistance value of the carbonated solution.

[0026] In practical applications, the acidic gas includes but is not limited to carbon dioxide gas, chloride gas and hydrogen peroxide gas. Taking the case where the acidic gas is carbon dioxide gas and deionized water (DIW) is input into the input end 111 of the input pipeline 110 as an example, the deionized water supplied by the liquid source 400 flows into the input pipeline 110 via the input end 111, a part of the deionized water enters the first branch 130, and another part of the deionized water enters the second branch 140. The deionized water entering the first branch 130 needs to flow through the gas-liquid mixer 150, in which the carbon dioxide gas is mixed with the deionized water to form a high-concentration carbonate solution, that is, the third liquid with the third water resistance value. Afterwards, the high-concentration carbonate solution is mixed with the deionized water flowing through the second branch 140 to form a carbonate solution with a second water resistance value, and finally supplied to other devices by the output pipeline 120. In the above process, on the one hand, the water resistance value of the original deionized water is changed to form a carbonate solution with a second water resistance value to meet the subsequent process requirements; on the other hand, the deionized water is divided into two branches, the first branch 130 is used to form a high-concentration carbonate solution, and the second branch 140 is used to directly circulate the deionized water, so as to avoid all the deionized water entering the input pipeline 110 flowing through the water resistance value adjustment part 190 (gas-liquid mixer 150), which ultimately affects the supply rate of the output pipeline 120, so that the liquid supply device 100 has a higher solution supply rate.

[0027] Preferably, the liquid supply device 100 further includes a second valve 131. The second valve 131 is disposed on the first branch 130, and the second valve 131 is connected to the controller 180 for communication. The second valve 131 can be a gate valve, which is only used to control the conduction and closing of the first branch 130; or a flow regulating valve can be used to regulate the liquid flow of the first branch 130. In addition, when the second valve 131 is a flow regulating valve, the controller 180 can adjust the opening of the first valve 161 and the second valve 131 respectively according to the measured value of the water resistance meter 122, so that the measured value of the water resistance meter 122 is equal to the above-mentioned second water resistance value. Still taking the acidic gas as carbon dioxide gas, and the input end 111 of the input pipeline 110 inputting deionized water as an example, the higher the content of carbon dioxide dissolved in the deionized water, the lower the water resistance value of the formed carbonated solution. Therefore, the carbon dioxide content dissolved in the deionized water can be adjusted by adjusting the carbon dioxide flow rate entering the gas-liquid mixer 150 or adjusting the liquid flow rate entering the gas-liquid mixer 150, thereby adjusting the water resistance value of the carbonated solution.

[0028] Preferably, the liquid supply device 100 further includes a throttle valve 141, which is disposed in the second branch 140 and is used to reduce the flow area of ​​the second branch 130 and limit the flow rate of the first liquid in the second branch 130 to a preset flow rate.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the liquid supply device 100 further includes a first flow meter 123 and a fourth valve 112. The first flow meter 123 is disposed in the output pipeline 120 to detect the flow rate of the second liquid in the output pipeline 120. The fourth valve 112 is disposed in the input pipeline 110, and can be a gate valve used only to control the conduction and closing of the input pipeline 110; or a flow regulating valve can be used to adjust the opening of the fourth valve 112 so that the measured value of the first flow meter 123 is equal to the preset flow rate.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, a substrate processing device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, including the liquid supply device 100 in any of the above embodiments, and also including a process tank 200, the process tank 200 is connected to the output end 121 of the liquid supply device 100, and is used to accommodate the substrate 20 and the solution required for cleaning the substrate 20. During the cleaning of the substrate 20, a second liquid with a second water resistance value, such as a carbonic acid solution with a water resistance value of 0.01MΩ*cm to 0.2MΩ*cm, is input into the process tank 200 through the liquid supply device 100. So that the substrate 20 can be immersed in the above-mentioned carbonic acid solution to clean and remove the photoresist on the surface. In addition, a process tank discharge pipeline 210 is configured at the bottom of the process tank 200, and a sixth regulating valve 211 is configured on the process tank discharge pipeline 210, so that after completing the above-mentioned substrate 20 cleaning process, the sixth regulating valve 211 is opened to discharge the liquid in the process tank 200.

[0031] Preferably, if Figure 2 As shown in the middle area a and area b, the substrate processing equipment 10 has two sets of liquid supply devices 100 with the same number, so as to further increase the speed of replenishing the solution in the process tank 200. For example, the preset flow rate of each liquid supply device 100 is 30L / min, and the two sets of liquid supply devices 100 are used at the same time, so that the total supply flow rate of the process tank 200 can be 60L / min, thereby meeting the process requirements.

[0032] Preferably, the substrate processing equipment 10 further comprises a total input pipeline 300, which is respectively connected to the input end 111 of each liquid supply device 100, and is used to simultaneously input the first liquid to each liquid supply device 100, and the total input pipeline 300 can be connected to a liquid source 400, and the liquid source 400 can come from a factory public facility or from an independent liquid storage container. The above-mentioned process tank 200 can be applied to processes such as substrate cleaning or substrate etching.

[0033] It should be noted that the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid supply device, characterized in that: include: An input pipeline having an input end for receiving an input first liquid, wherein the first liquid has a first water resistance value; an output pipeline having an output end for outputting a second liquid, wherein the second liquid has a second water resistance value, and the second water resistance value is smaller than the first water resistance value; A first branch and a second branch, wherein one end of the first branch and the second branch are respectively connected to one end of the input pipeline away from the input end, and the other ends of the first branch and the second branch merge at one end of the output pipeline away from the output end; a water resistance value adjusting unit, disposed in the first branch, for adjusting the water resistance value of the first liquid entering the first branch; and A control unit is communicatively connected to the water resistance value adjusting unit, and is used to control the water resistance value adjusting unit so that the first liquid entering the first branch is adjusted to a third liquid with a third water resistance value, wherein the third water resistance value is smaller than the second water resistance value, and the third liquid is mixed with the first liquid output from the second branch to form the second liquid with the second water resistance value.

2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A flow rate of the third liquid in the first branch is smaller than a flow rate of the first liquid in the second branch.

3. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The water resistance meter is arranged in the output pipeline and is used to detect the water resistance value of the second liquid.

4. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The water resistance value adjusting unit comprises: a gas-liquid mixer, disposed in the first branch, for mixing the acidic gas with the first liquid entering the first branch to adjust the water resistance value of the first liquid; A gas input pipeline, one end of which is connected to the gas-liquid mixer, and the other end of which is used to receive the input acid gas; a gas discharge pipeline, one end of which is connected to the gas-liquid mixer and the other end of which is used to discharge the acidic gas that is not dissolved in the first liquid; A first valve, disposed on the gas input pipeline; The second flow meter is arranged in the gas input pipeline and is used to detect the flow rate of the acid gas input into the gas-liquid mixer; wherein, The control unit is respectively connected to the water resistance meter, the first valve and the second flow meter for communicating with each other, and is used to adjust the opening of the first valve so that the measurement value of the second flow meter is a preset value, so that the measurement value of the water resistance meter is the second water resistance value.

5. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: include: The first flow meter is disposed in the output pipeline and is used to detect the flow rate of the second liquid in the output pipeline.

6. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: include: The throttle valve is arranged in the second branch and is used to limit the flow rate of the first liquid in the second branch to a preset flow rate.

7. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: include: A second valve, disposed on the first branch, for opening or closing the first branch; and / or, The fourth valve is disposed in the input pipeline and is used to adjust the flow rate of the first liquid entering the input pipeline.

8. A substrate processing device, characterized in that: It comprises a process tank and a liquid supply device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the liquid supply device is connected to the process tank through the output end.

9. The substrate processing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The process tank is connected to at least two groups of the liquid supply devices.

10. The substrate processing equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that: include: The main input pipeline is connected to the input end of each of the liquid supply devices respectively, and is used to simultaneously input the first liquid to each of the liquid supply devices.

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