Liquid storage device, semiconductor manufacturing system, and liquid replenishing method

Abstract

The invention provides a liquid storage device, a semiconductor manufacturing system, and a liquid replenishing method, wherein the liquid level of a processing liquid in a container main body can be managed with high precision. The liquid storage device includes: a container main body for storing a processing liquid therein; a liquid level sensor which is provided inside the container main body and detects the liquid level of the stored processing liquid; a replenishment unit for replenishment of a processing liquid into the container main body; and a control unit capable of acquiring and processing detection information of the liquid level sensor. The liquid level sensor includes four or more detectors capable of detecting the liquid level of the processing liquid along the height direction of the container body. The control unit is capable of setting at least three liquid level determination positions corresponding to different ones of the four or more detectors, and controlling the replenishment of the processing liquid from the replenishment unit to the container main body on the basis of detection information of the set at least three liquid level determination positions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid storage device, a semiconductor manufacturing system and a liquid replenishing method. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid storage device (liquid supply device) including a liquid level sensor (detection unit) for detecting the liquid level of liquid stored in a container body (supply tank). The liquid level sensor can detect two liquid levels: a minimum liquid level and a maximum liquid level.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a system that stores a liquid (CVD precursor) in a container body (precursor storage tank), detects the liquid level using a liquid level sensor (level detection unit), and supplies the vapor of the liquid to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The liquid level sensor can also detect the liquid level at two set points (a first set point and a second set point).

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-146397

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-522036 Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0009] The present invention provides a technology capable of managing the liquid level of a treatment liquid stored in a container body with high precision.

[0010] Means for solving technical problems

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a liquid storage device for storing processing liquid for a substrate processing device, characterized in that it includes: a container body, which is capable of storing the processing liquid internally; a liquid level sensor arranged inside the container body, which is used to detect the liquid level of the stored processing liquid; a replenishing part, which is used to replenish the processing liquid into the interior of the container body; and a control part, which is capable of acquiring detection information of the liquid level sensor and processing the information, the liquid level sensor includes more than 4 detectors capable of detecting the liquid level of the processing liquid along the height direction of the container body, the control part is capable of setting at least 3 liquid level judgment positions corresponding to different ones of the 4 or more detectors, and controlling the replenishment of the processing liquid from the replenishing part to the container body based on the detection information of the at least 3 set liquid level judgment positions.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid level of the processing liquid stored in the container body can be managed with high precision. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an example of a semiconductor manufacturing system including the liquid storage device according to the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 (A) is a graph showing the relationship between the volume of the liquid stored in the container body and the output value of the liquid level sensor. Figure 2 (B) is a diagram showing the shift of the liquid level determination position set for each detector.

[0016] Figure 3 (A) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the liquid in the container body has been reduced. Figure 3 (B) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the container body is replenished with liquid.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing an example of functional blocks formed in the controller.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing a method for supplying and replenishing liquid in a semiconductor manufacturing system.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing a position correction method for correcting the liquid level determination position.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an example of a semiconductor manufacturing system 1 including a liquid storage device 10 according to the second embodiment.

[0021] Description of Reference Numerals

[0022] 1 semiconductor manufacturing system, 10 liquid storage device, 11 container body, 15 replenishing unit, 20 liquid level sensor, 21 detector, 50 substrate processing device, 90 controller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same components are sometimes denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0024] [First embodiment]

[0025] Figure 1FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a semiconductor manufacturing system 1 including a liquid storage device 10 according to the first embodiment. Figure 1 As shown, the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 is configured to supply a processing liquid from a liquid storage device 10 to a substrate processing device 50, and to perform substrate processing on a substrate W in the substrate processing device 50 using the processing liquid. The type of substrate processing performed by the substrate processing device 50 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include film formation processing, etching processing, modification processing, stripping processing, washing processing, and cleaning processing.

[0026] The treatment liquid can be appropriately selected according to the content of the substrate treatment and the film type of the substrate W to be treated. For example, when the substrate treatment is a cleaning treatment for cleaning the surface of the substrate W, the treatment liquid can be a liquid for cleaning the substrate W, or pure water for rinsing the surface of the substrate W. As the liquid in this case, SPM obtained by mixing sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, APM obtained by mixing ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, DHF obtained by mixing hydrofluoric acid and pure water, HPM obtained by mixing hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, etc. can be cited. In addition, as pure water, ultrapure water such as DIW (De-ionized Water) with ion components removed can be cited. In the following description, the treatment liquid will also be referred to as liquid.

[0027] In the first embodiment, an example of a semiconductor manufacturing system 1 that performs cleaning as part of substrate processing will be described. Specifically, the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 includes a liquid storage device 10 for storing cleaning liquid; a supply network 30 for supplying liquid from the liquid storage device 10; and a substrate processing device 50 for actually performing substrate processing. The semiconductor manufacturing system 1 also includes a controller 90 for managing the entire system and controlling each component of the system.

[0028] The liquid storage device 10 is configured to temporarily store an appropriate amount of liquid and supply (discharge) the liquid. Specifically, the liquid storage device 10 includes a container body 11; an inlet 12 for allowing liquid to flow into the container body 11; an outlet 13 for allowing liquid to flow out of the container body 11; and an on-off valve 14 provided at the outlet 13 (or at a supply path 31 connected to the outlet 13).

[0029] Furthermore, the liquid storage device 10 has a replenishing portion 15 for replenishing liquid to the container body 11 at a position upstream of the container body 11. The replenishing portion 15 includes, for example, a replenishing source 16 for liquid provided separately from the container body 11, an inflow path 17, and an on-off valve 18. The replenishing source 16 may be a mother tank for liquid provided from another supply source, or a liquid generating device for generating liquid. The liquid generating device may use, for example, various devices such as those for distilling liquid, mixing (adding) appropriate substances into liquid, filtering liquid, and extracting liquid. The on-off valve 18 can open and close the flow path of the inflow path 17 based on the control of the controller 90. When the on-off valve 18 is in the open state, the replenishing portion 15 allows the liquid to flow out from the replenishing source 16 to the inflow path 17, thereby replenishing the container body 11 with liquid via the inlet 12.

[0030] The container body 11 is formed, for example, in the shape of an inverted truncated cone, with the bottom tapering toward the top. A liquid storage space 11s is formed within the container body 11, extending along the shape of the container body 11. The size (volume) of the storage space 11s can be set according to, for example, the amount of liquid required for cleaning. The shape of the container body 11 is not particularly limited and may also be a cylindrical or rectangular tube with a constant vertical cross-sectional area.

[0031] An inlet 12 is provided at the top of the container body 11, and an outlet 13 is provided at the bottom of the container body 11. The inlet 12 is connected to the inflow path 17 of the replenishing section 15 and extends a short distance from the top into the storage space 11s. The inlet 12 is used to allow the liquid in the replenishing section 15 to flow into the storage space 11s from the inlet at the lower end. In addition, in order to suppress turbulence of the liquid in the storage space 11s, the inlet 12 can extend to near the bottom to release the liquid from the inlet at its lower end. On the other hand, the outlet 13 is provided at approximately the center of the bottom of the container body 11. The liquid storage device 10 uses the dead weight (pressure) of the liquid stored in the storage space 11s to cause the liquid to flow out to the supply network 30. However, this structure is not limited to the above structure. The semiconductor manufacturing system 1 may also adopt a structure in which a pump is provided in the supply network 30 to pressurize the liquid in the container body 11.

[0032] In addition, the liquid storage device 10 of the first embodiment has a heating portion 19 for heating the liquid stored in the container body 11. In the example shown in the figure, the heating portion 19 is arranged inside the peripheral wall of the container body 11, but the location of the heating portion 19 is not limited thereto, and it can also be arranged at the bottom, top or outside. The heating portion 19 is connected to the controller 90 via a driver not shown in the figure, and the driver controls the supply of electric power according to the target temperature indicated by the controller 90, thereby heating the liquid in the container body 11 to the target temperature. The liquid storage device 10 can also be provided with a temperature sensor (not shown) in the container body 11 to feedback the actual temperature of the liquid. In addition, the structure of the heating portion 19 is not particularly limited, and for example, a heating wire arranged inside the container body 11, a sheet heater covering the outside of the container body 11, etc. can be used.

[0033] Furthermore, the liquid storage device 10 is provided with a liquid level sensor 20 in order to detect the liquid level of the liquid stored in the storage space 11s of the container body 11. The structure of the liquid level sensor 20 will be described in detail later.

[0034] The supply network 30 includes a liquid supply path 31, a switch valve 32, and a flow controller 33. The supply path 31 of the supply network 30 forms a branch portion and a confluence portion according to the structure of the substrate processing device 50. For example, Figure 1 In the example shown, the substrate processing apparatus 50 includes a plurality of nozzles 52, and the supply path 31 branches into a plurality of branch paths 311 and 312 at an intermediate position to supply appropriate liquid to each nozzle 52. Furthermore, the supply network 30 is provided with an on-off valve 32 and a flow controller 33 in each of the plurality of branch paths 311 and 312.

[0035] Furthermore, the supply network 30 is provided with a gas supply unit 40 in each of the plurality of branch paths 311 and 312 to supply an inert gas such as nitrogen (N2) gas to the substrate processing apparatus 50. The gas supply unit 40 includes a gas supply path 41 connected to each of the branch paths 311 and 312. Furthermore, the gas supply unit 40 is provided with a gas tank 42 for storing inert gas, an on-off valve 43, a flow controller 44, and the like on each of the gas supply paths 41. The gas supply unit 40 supplies inert gas to the substrate processing apparatus 50 via the gas supply path 41 and the branch paths 311 and 312, for example, to purge liquid remaining in the flow paths of the branch paths 311 and 312 and inside the substrate processing apparatus 50.

[0036] In addition, the supply network 30 is not limited to a structure in which liquid is supplied from one liquid storage device 10 to one substrate processing device 50, and may be a structure in which liquid is supplied from a plurality of liquid storage devices 10 to one substrate processing device 50. Figure 1, a configuration is shown in which a first liquid (e.g., SPM) is supplied from a first liquid storage device 10A, and a second liquid (e.g., DIW) is supplied from a second liquid storage device 10B. Alternatively, the supply network 30 may be configured to supply liquid from a single liquid storage device 10 to a plurality of substrate processing devices 50.

[0037] The substrate processing apparatus 50 includes a processing container 51 for storing substrates W, a plurality of nozzles 52 provided inside the processing container 51 , and a substrate support portion 53 for supporting the substrates W inside the processing container 51 .

[0038] Each nozzle 52 has an extension extending in the vertical direction within the processing container 51, and discharges liquid from a discharge port 52o of the extension toward the substrate W. Furthermore, the nozzle 52 can be moved within the processing container 51 by a moving mechanism (not shown). For example, each nozzle 52 can be moved between a discharge position at the center of the substrate support 53 (substrate W) and a standby position radially outward of the substrate support 53 based on control by the controller 90.

[0039] The plurality of nozzles 52 are connected to the branch paths 311 and 312 connected to the first liquid storage device 10A and the supply path 31 connected to the second liquid storage device 10B. Thus, each nozzle 52 can release the liquid supplied from the connected path through the release port 52o onto the surface of the substrate W.

[0040] The substrate support portion 53 can carry the substrate W on the upper surface. In addition, in order to maintain the substrate W placed on the upper surface, the substrate support portion 53 can be provided with a fixing unit such as electrostatic adsorption, suction adsorption, or a mechanical lock. In addition, the substrate support portion 53 can also be configured to be rotatable around the center of the upper surface inside the processing container 51 using a rotating mechanism not shown. For example, the substrate processing device 50 rotates the substrate W using the substrate support portion 53 while supplying liquid from a nozzle 52 arranged at the center and above the substrate W. As a result, the liquid released onto the substrate W is moved in a manner of wetting and spreading radially outward due to the centrifugal force of the substrate W, thereby being able to wet the entire surface of the substrate W.

[0041] The controller 90 of the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 can use a computer including a processor, memory, input / output interfaces, and communication interfaces (not shown). A processor is an electronic circuit that combines one or more of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a circuit composed of multiple discrete semiconductors, and is capable of executing programs stored in memory. Memory includes a main storage device composed of semiconductor memory and auxiliary storage devices composed of magnetic disks, drives, semiconductor memory (flash memory), and the like.

[0042] The controller 90 of the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 is capable of controlling the operation of the liquid storage device 10, the supply network 30, and the substrate processing device 50, and controls the supply of liquid to perform substrate processing on the substrate W. Furthermore, at this time, the controller 90 obtains detection information from the liquid level sensor 20 of the liquid storage device 10, manages the liquid stored in the container body 11, and controls the outflow and inflow (replenishment) of the liquid. Furthermore, in the embodiment, an example is described in which the controller 90 of the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 controls the various components of the liquid storage device 10. However, the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 may also include a dedicated control unit (not shown) for the liquid storage device 10, and the various components of the liquid storage device 10 may be controlled by the control unit receiving instructions from the controller 90.

[0043] The liquid level sensor 20 of the liquid storage device 10 is disposed within the storage space 11s of the container body 11 and extends linearly in the height direction (vertical direction). The liquid level sensor 20 has multiple (25) detectors 21 at different locations along the height direction, and each detector 21 detects the presence or absence of the liquid surface. This liquid level sensor 20 can be a float-type liquid level sensor, in which floats serving as detectors 21 are arranged at equal intervals relative to a frame 22 extending in the height direction. For example, the detectors 21 are composed of magnets, etc., and float upward due to the buoyancy of the liquid. When the liquid is gone, they descend, thereby opening and closing a magnetic switch. This type of liquid level sensor 20 can detect the liquid level within the container body 11 in stages, corresponding to the number of detectors 21. Furthermore, the type of liquid level sensor 20 is not limited to a float-type sensor; for example, optical, capacitance, electrode, or pressure (differential pressure) types may also be used.

[0044] Figure 2(A) is a diagram showing the relationship between the volume of the liquid stored in the container body 11 and the output value of the liquid level sensor 20 . Figure 2 (B) is a diagram showing the offset of the liquid level determination position set for each detector 21. The liquid level sensor 20 can output the following information by arranging the detectors 21 at equal intervals along the height direction. Figure 2 As shown in (A), the output value is proportional to the volume of the liquid in the container body 11 in stages. The controller 90 has information (mapping information, etc.) that associates the output value of the liquid level sensor 20 with the volume (in other words, the amount of liquid). During operation, the controller 90 can identify the volume of the liquid in the container body 11 based on the output value of the liquid level sensor 20.

[0045] The number of detectors 21 in the liquid level sensor 20 is not limited to 25 and may be fewer or more than 25. However, the premise is that, assuming the number of liquid level determination positions described later is n, the liquid level sensor 20 has at least n+1 detectors 21. In the first embodiment, three liquid level determination positions are set. Therefore, the liquid level sensor 20 only needs to have four or more detectors 21 along the height direction of the container body 11.

[0046] The controller 90 can Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in (A) of FIG. 1 , at least three of the plurality (25) detectors 21 of the liquid level sensor 20 are set to liquid level determination positions, and the presence of a liquid surface is detected at the set liquid level determination positions. The three liquid level determination positions are, from vertically upward to vertically downward, an upper limit position HP, a middle position MP, and a lower limit position LP.

[0047] The upper limit position HP is information indicating the storage limit position of the liquid in the container body 11. If the liquid is stored beyond the upper limit position HP, the controller 90 stops the supply of liquid to the container body 11 by issuing an alarm or stopping the system operation.

[0048] The intermediate position MP is information indicating a threshold value for determining whether the liquid is replenished by the replenishing unit 15. Figure 3 (A) and Figure 3 (B) describes the control based on the intermediate position MP as the liquid level determination position. Figure 3 (A) is a diagram showing a state where the liquid level of the liquid in the container body 11 is lower than the middle position MP. Figure 3 (B) is a diagram showing a state where the container body 11 is replenished with liquid from the replenishing portion 15 .

[0049] During substrate processing, the liquid storage device 10 supplies liquid from the container body 11 to the substrate processing apparatus 50, thereby lowering the liquid level in the container body 11. The controller 90 periodically detects the liquid level in the container body 11 using the liquid level sensor 20. When the controller 90 determines that the liquid level is below the intermediate position MP, it begins replenishing the liquid from the replenishing unit 15 to the container body 11. As an example, the liquid storage device 10 repeatedly replenishes a certain amount of liquid from the replenishing unit 15, and when the controller 90 determines that the liquid level has exceeded the intermediate position MP, it stops replenishing the liquid from the replenishing unit 15. Alternatively, the liquid storage device 10 may simultaneously replenish the container body 11 with an amount of liquid (a certain amount) sufficient to raise the liquid level above the intermediate position MP from the replenishing unit 15.

[0050] Furthermore, the lower limit position LP is information indicating the supply limit position of liquid from the container body 11 to the substrate processing apparatus 50. If the liquid falls below the lower limit position LP and flows out, the controller 90 stops the supply of liquid from the container body 11 by, for example, issuing an alarm or shutting down the system. Furthermore, the lower limit position LP is preferably set at a certain distance from the bottom of the container body 11 to ensure the amount of liquid used for a single substrate processing operation. This allows the controller 90 to stop the liquid supply after substrate processing is complete, rather than immediately stopping substrate processing if the liquid falls below the lower limit position LP.

[0051] Furthermore, the controller 90 is not limited to setting three liquid level determination positions, and may also set four or more liquid level determination positions. As an example, the controller 90 may set two positions (a replenishment start position for determining the start of replenishment of the liquid in the replenishment section 15 and a replenishment stop position for determining the stop of replenishment of the liquid in the replenishment section 15) as the intermediate position MP in addition to setting the upper limit position HP and the lower limit position LP.

[0052] Figure 4 90 is a block diagram showing the functional blocks of the controller 90. The controller 90 executes the program stored in the memory through the processor, and can Figure 4 As shown, a functional unit is formed for processing detection information from the liquid level sensor 20 of the liquid storage device 10. For example, the controller 90 can internally include a liquid level determination position setting unit 101, a detection information acquisition unit 102, a liquid level determination unit 103, a control processing unit 104, a liquid state estimation processing unit 105, and the like.

[0053] The liquid level determination position setting unit 101 enables the liquid level determination position of the liquid in the container body 11 to be set automatically in the controller 90 or by a user of the semiconductor manufacturing system 1. For example, the liquid level determination position setting unit 101 displays setting screen information for setting the liquid level on a monitor (not shown) of the controller 90, and allows the user to operate the setting screen information to set each liquid level determination position.

[0054] Alternatively, the liquid level determination position setting unit 101 may adjust the liquid level determination position (e.g., the intermediate position MP) based on the content of the substrate processing performed by the substrate processing apparatus 50. The liquid level determination position setting unit 101 calculates the amount of liquid used in the substrate processing according to a substrate processing recipe stored in a memory, and sets the amount of liquid to be stored in the container body 11 during the substrate processing, in other words, the intermediate position MP, based on the calculated amount. As an example, the liquid level determination position setting unit 101 raises the intermediate position MP when the amount of liquid used is high, and lowers the intermediate position MP when the amount of liquid used is low.

[0055] The detection information acquisition unit 102 acquires detection information of the liquid level sensor 20 periodically or at an appropriate time and stores it in the memory. Preferably, the liquid level information of the liquid level sensor 20 and information such as the time of detection are stored in association in the memory.

[0056] The liquid level determination unit 103 compares the acquired liquid level detection information (the actual liquid level of the liquid stored in the container body 11) with each pre-set liquid level determination position to determine the liquid level status. For example, the liquid level determination unit 103 determines whether the actual liquid level is above or below the midpoint MP.

[0057] The control processing unit 104 controls the operation of the liquid storage device 10 based on the status of substrate processing in the substrate processing apparatus 50, the determination result of the liquid level determination unit 103, and the like. For example, the control processing unit 104 opens the on-off valve 14 upon the start of substrate processing to supply liquid to the substrate processing apparatus 50, and closes the on-off valve 14 upon the completion of substrate processing to stop the supply of liquid to the substrate processing apparatus 50.

[0058] Furthermore, when the actual liquid level falls below the intermediate position MP, the control processing unit 104 controls the processing unit 104 to replenish the liquid from the replenishing unit 15 into the container body 11. The replenishment of liquid from the replenishing unit 15 can be performed immediately during substrate processing or after substrate processing has concluded. For example, if the liquid storage device 10 utilizes the heating unit 19 to regulate the temperature of the liquid, the timing of liquid supply can be adjusted after substrate processing has concluded. This prevents the temperature of the liquid in the container body 11 from changing during substrate processing due to replenishment.

[0059] The liquid state estimation processing unit 105 is a functional unit that automatically adjusts the liquid level determination position, adjusts the amount of liquid replenished by the replenishing unit 15, and requests replacement of the container body 11, etc., in accordance with various conditions of the liquid storage device 10 or the substrate processing device 50. As conditions for adjusting the liquid level determination position, for example, the following conditions (1) and (2) can be cited.

[0060] (1) Liquid expands thermally in response to temperature.

[0061] (2) Sediment accumulates in the container body 11 .

[0062] As an example of the situation (1), the liquid in the container body 11 is heated (the temperature is adjusted to the target temperature) by the heating unit 19. The liquid has an inherent thermal expansion coefficient and expands in accordance with the amount of heat received from the heating unit 19 and the thermal expansion coefficient. Therefore, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 uses the thermal expansion coefficient of the liquid as a coefficient and optimizes (adjusts) the liquid level judgment position in accordance with the target temperature of the container body 11 (heating unit 19). For example, in a case where the liquid in the container body 11 expands and causes the detector 21 corresponding to the middle position MP to be offset, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 performs a process of shifting the middle position MP to another detector 21 in accordance with the expansion of the liquid. At this time, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 can be like Figure 2 As shown in (B) of FIG. 8 , the middle position MP is entirely offset from the upper limit position HP and / or the lower limit position LP.

[0063] As an example of the situation (2), when impurities that are easy to precipitate are mixed into the liquid, a situation occurs in which sediment accumulates in the container body 11 due to multiple substrate processing and repeated replenishment of the liquid to the container body 11. The amount of sediment can be estimated by monitoring the cumulative replenishment amount of the liquid supplied to the container body 11 and / or the cumulative usage amount of the liquid used in the substrate processing. For example, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 continuously stores the cumulative replenishment amount and the cumulative usage amount to estimate the liquid level of the container body 11, and estimates the amount of sediment based on the degree of deviation between the estimated liquid level and the actual liquid level (current liquid level). Alternatively, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 may retain a function or mapping information obtained by establishing a correspondence between the cumulative replenishment amount of the liquid and the amount of sediment through experiments or simulations, and estimate the amount of sediment based on the cumulative replenishment amount.

[0064] The liquid state estimation processing unit 105 can offset each liquid level determination position (upper limit position HP, middle position MP, and lower limit position LP) based on the estimated amount of sediment. For example, if the liquid level rises due to sediment, causing each detector 21 of the liquid level sensor 20 to shift one level from the corresponding position of each liquid level determination position, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 can adjust each liquid level determination position by one level. Alternatively, if the amount of sediment in the container body 11 increases, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 can request the user to replace the container body 11 through a user interface such as the monitor of the controller 90.

[0065] Furthermore, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 can monitor the liquid level using the liquid level sensor 20 when replenishing liquid from the replenishing unit 15, thereby varying the amount of liquid replenished by the replenishing unit 15. Specifically, during replenishment, the current liquid level relative to the target liquid level can be determined using the detection information from the detectors 21 of the liquid level sensor 20, enabling a rough estimation of the liquid replenishment status. Consequently, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 can increase the replenishment amount of liquid from the replenishing unit 15 during the initial replenishment and reduce the replenishment amount as the target liquid level approaches. This shortens the time it takes to replenish liquid, suppresses fluctuations in the liquid level after replenishment, and improves overall efficiency in operations, including substrate processing.

[0066] The liquid storage device 10 and the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 of the embodiment are basically configured as described above. Figure 5 and Figure 6 Explain its actions. Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing a method for supplying and replenishing liquid. Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing a method for correcting the liquid level determination position.

[0067] The controller 90 of the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 controls Figure 5 In steps S101 to S109 shown, substrate processing is performed by the substrate processing apparatus 50 and liquid in the liquid storage apparatus 10 is managed.

[0068] Specifically, before substrate processing begins in the substrate processing apparatus 50, the controller 90 sets the liquid level determination positions (upper limit position HP, middle position MP, lower limit position LP) corresponding to different detectors 21 of the liquid level sensor 20 (step S101). For example, the liquid level determination position setting unit 101 of the controller 90 sets the reference liquid level determination position based on the details of the substrate processing, as described above.

[0069] Furthermore, before substrate processing begins, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 determines whether a correction start condition for performing a correction method to adjust the liquid level determination position has been met (step S102). Examples of correction start conditions include the period or number of substrate processing executions (in other words, the cumulative amount of liquid used) exceeding a predetermined threshold, or the heating of the liquid in the container body 11 in conjunction with substrate processing. If the correction start condition has been met (step S102: Yes), the controller 90 proceeds to a subroutine for the correction method. On the other hand, if the correction start condition has not been met (step S102: No), the correction method for this timing is not performed, and the process proceeds to step S103. Furthermore, the timing for determining the correction start condition is not limited to before substrate processing begins; it may also be any appropriate time, such as after substrate processing ends or when the liquid level in the container body 11 falls below the intermediate position MP. If the controller 90 performs corrections other than before substrate processing begins, it may simply store the corrected liquid level determination position in memory.

[0070] In step S103, the controller 90 controls the temperature of the liquid in the container body 11 (heating of the heating unit 19) and the pressure and temperature of the substrate processing apparatus 50 in accordance with the substrate processing, and then controls the substrate processing apparatus 50 to perform substrate processing. During this substrate processing, the liquid storage device 10 supplies liquid from the container body 11 to the substrate processing apparatus 50 via the supply network 30. As the substrate processing progresses, the liquid level in the container body 11 gradually decreases.

[0071] During substrate processing, the controller 90 obtains liquid level detection information from the liquid level sensor 20, monitors the liquid level in the container body 11, and determines whether the liquid level is above the intermediate position MP (step S104). If the liquid level is above the intermediate position MP (step S104: Yes), the process proceeds to step S105. Then, in step S105, the controller 90 determines whether to terminate substrate processing. If substrate processing is to continue (step S105: No), the process returns to step S103 and repeats the same process. On the other hand, if substrate processing is to be terminated (step S105: Yes), the process terminates in step S106 by stopping the supply of liquid to the liquid storage device 10 and removing the substrate W from the substrate processing device 50, thereby terminating substrate processing.

[0072] On the other hand, if the liquid level is below the intermediate position MP (step S104: No), the controller 90 proceeds to step S107. Then, in step S107, the controller 90 determines whether to terminate substrate processing. If substrate processing is to continue (step S107: No), the controller 90 returns to step S103 and repeats the following similar process. On the other hand, if substrate processing is to be terminated (step S107: Yes), the controller 90 performs termination processes such as stopping the supply of liquid from the liquid storage device 10 and removing the substrate W from the substrate processing device 50 in step S108, thereby terminating substrate processing.

[0073] Then, based on the liquid level falling below the preset midpoint MP, the controller 90 replenishes the liquid from the replenishing unit 15 into the container body 11 (step S109). This replenishes the container body 11 with liquid exceeding the midpoint MP, allowing the liquid storage device 10 to stably supply liquid even during the next substrate processing.

[0074] In addition, if the correction start condition is satisfied in the above-mentioned step S102, the controller 90 performs the following operations: Figure 6 For example, in the correction method, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 of the controller 90 first estimates the amount of sediment accumulated in the container body 11 based on the cumulative replenishment amount, the cumulative usage amount, and the actual liquid level as described above (step S201).

[0075] Next, the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 determines whether the estimated amount of sediment has changed by a certain value or more (step S202). The certain value in this case is, for example, an amount by which the detector 21 of the liquid level sensor 20, whose liquid level determination position is set, should be deflected, and can be pre-determined through experiments or simulations. If the amount of sediment has changed by a certain value or more (step S202: Yes), the liquid state estimation processing unit 105 proceeds to step S203. If the change in the amount of sediment is less than the certain value (step S202: No), the process skips step S203 and proceeds to step S204.

[0076] In step S203, the controller 90 changes the liquid level determination position according to the estimated amount of sediment. For example, if the detector 21 is shifted upward by one amount due to the amount of sediment, the controller 90 shifts the detector 21 corresponding to the set liquid level determination position (upper limit position HP, middle position MP, lower limit position LP) upward by one amount.

[0077] Furthermore, when the temperature of the liquid in the container body 11 changes due to heating by the heating unit 19, the controller 90 determines whether the liquid has significantly expanded thermally (step S204). For example, based on the liquid's thermal expansion coefficient, the target temperature, the volume and cross-sectional area of ​​the container body 11, and other information, the controller 90 calculates the extent of the liquid's expansion when the temperature of the liquid is raised to the target temperature by heating by the heating unit 19. The extent of expansion is an indicator of the change in the height of the liquid in the container body 11; the greater the extent of expansion, the higher the liquid. If the extent of liquid expansion affects the position of the detector 21 of the liquid level sensor 20, the controller 90 determines that the thermal expansion is significant (step S204: Yes) and proceeds to step S205. On the other hand, if the thermal expansion is determined to be minimal (step S204: No), step S205 is not performed. Furthermore, even if the thermal expansion coefficient of the liquid changes due to changes in the liquid stored in the container body 11, the controller 90 can still determine the thermal expansion of the liquid at that time.

[0078] In step S205, the controller 90 changes the liquid level determination position in accordance with the degree of liquid expansion. For example, if the detector 21 is displaced upward by one amount due to thermal expansion of the liquid, the controller 90 shifts the detector 21 corresponding to each of the set liquid level determination positions (upper limit position HP, middle position MP, and lower limit position LP) upward by one amount. Alternatively, the controller 90 can calculate the total amount of liquid level change by adding the change in liquid level position due to the amount of sediment and the change in liquid level position due to thermal expansion to set the offset amount for the detector 21.

[0079] By the above correction method, the liquid storage device 10 and the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 can correct the liquid level determination position of the liquid level sensor 20 of the container body 11 to the appropriate detector 21. After the correction, the controller 90 returns to Figure 5 By performing step S103 , the liquid in the container body 11 can be appropriately managed using the corrected liquid level determination position during substrate processing in the substrate processing apparatus 50 .

[0080] In addition, the liquid storage device 10, semiconductor manufacturing system 1, and correction method of the present invention are not limited to the first embodiment described above, and various modifications can be adopted. For example, the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 can adjust the timing and supply amount (replenishment amount) of liquid replenished from the replenishing section 15 to the container body 11 by identifying the amount of liquid used for each substrate processing. As an example, there is a situation where the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 does not want to replenish the liquid during the continuous execution of substrate processing when there is a possibility that the temperature of the liquid will drop due to replenishment. In this case, the controller 90 can adjust the number of times the liquid is replenished by setting the liquid level before substrate processing to a high level in advance (increasing the amount of liquid replenished from the replenishing section 15) and setting the intermediate position MP to a low level.

[0081] Furthermore, the liquid storage device 10 is not limited to heating the liquid in the container body 11 using the heating unit 19. It may also be configured to lower the temperature of the liquid by circulating a refrigerant through a flow path formed in the container body 11 and a refrigerator. If the liquid level changes due to the decrease in temperature of the liquid, the liquid storage device 10 can appropriately respond to the change in the liquid level by adjusting the liquid level determination position.

[0082] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates a semiconductor manufacturing system 1A according to a second embodiment. The semiconductor manufacturing system 1A according to the second embodiment differs from the aforementioned semiconductor manufacturing system 1 in that a processing gas obtained by vaporizing liquid from a liquid storage device 10 is supplied to a substrate processing device 50 via a supply network 30 to perform substrate processing on substrates W. Examples of such substrate processing include film formation processes using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and molecular layer deposition (MLD). The following describes a semiconductor manufacturing system 1 that performs ALD.

[0083] The semiconductor manufacturing system 1A includes, similarly to the first embodiment, a liquid storage device 10, a supply network 30, a substrate processing device 50, and the like. However, the outflow port 13 of the liquid storage device 10 is mounted on the top of the container body 11, thereby enabling the processing gas obtained by vaporizing the liquid to be delivered to the supply path 31 of the supply network 30. The liquid supplied to the substrate processing device 50 can be an appropriate liquid depending on the content of the substrate processing. For example, as a liquid used in the case of film formation processing to form a silicon nitride film, tris(dimethylamino)silane SiH(N(CH3)2)3, namely 3DMAS, can be cited.

[0084] The supply network 30 may also include a carrier gas supply unit 35 capable of supplying a carrier gas to the storage space 11s of the container body 11. The carrier gas supply unit 35 supplies the carrier gas to the container body 11, thereby transporting the vaporized liquid together with the carrier gas from the container body 11 to the supply network 30. For example, an inert gas such as N2 gas or a rare gas can be used as the carrier gas.

[0085] For example, the carrier gas supply unit 35 includes an introduction path 36 capable of introducing the carrier gas into the container body 11, a carrier gas source 37 provided on the introduction path 36, an on-off valve 38, and a flow controller 39. The controller 90 controls the on-off valve 38 and the flow controller 39 to supply an appropriate amount of carrier gas from the carrier gas source 37 to the container body 11, and uses this carrier gas to transport the process gas obtained by vaporizing the liquid.

[0086] The substrate processing apparatus 50 includes a shower head (not shown) or the like on the upper portion of the processing container 51, and distributes the processing gas supplied from the supply network 30 substantially uniformly and supplies the processing gas to the substrate W. This allows a film based on the supplied processing gas to be formed on the surface of the substrate W. Alternatively, the substrate processing apparatus 50 may be configured to perform plasma processing in which plasma is generated from the processing gas.

[0087] Furthermore, in the semiconductor manufacturing system 1A of the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, a liquid level sensor 20 is used to detect the liquid level of the liquid stored in the liquid storage device 10 to manage the vaporization, supply, and replenishment of the liquid. Specifically, the liquid level sensor 20 includes multiple (four or more) detectors 21, and the controller 90 sets three or more liquid level detection positions for each of these detectors 21, and allows these liquid level detection positions to be adjusted. This allows the semiconductor manufacturing system 1A to stably supply and replenish the liquid (processing gas) to the container body 11.

[0088] The technical ideas and effects of the present invention described in the above-mentioned embodiments are described below.

[0089] A first embodiment of the present invention is a liquid storage device 10, which is used to store processing liquid for a substrate processing device 50, and is characterized in that it includes: a container body 11, which can store processing liquid internally; a liquid level sensor 20 arranged inside the container body 11, which is used to detect the liquid level of the stored processing liquid; a replenishing part 15, which is used to replenish the processing liquid into the interior of the container body 11; and a control part (controller 90), which can obtain the detection information of the liquid level sensor 20 and process it, the liquid level sensor 20 includes more than 4 detectors 21 that can detect the liquid level of the processing liquid along the height direction of the container body 11, the control part can set at least 3 liquid level judgment positions corresponding to different detectors 21 among the more than 4 detectors 21, and control the replenishment of the processing liquid from the replenishing part 15 to the container body 11 based on the detection information of the set at least 3 liquid level judgment positions.

[0090] According to the above, the liquid storage device 10 can manage the liquid level of the processing liquid in the container body 11 with high precision by using the liquid level sensor 20 having more than four detectors 21. That is, the liquid storage device 10 can detect the liquid levels at various height positions in the container body 11 by using more than four detectors 21. Moreover, the liquid storage device 10 can appropriately control the timing of the outflow of the processing liquid from the container body 11 (including the vaporization of the processing liquid), the replenishment of the processing liquid to the container body 11, etc. by making at least three liquid level judgment positions correspond to each detector 21. In addition, the liquid storage device 10 can change at least three liquid level judgment positions relative to the four or more detectors 21, and therefore can set the optimal liquid level judgment position according to the content of the substrate processing and the state of the processing liquid in the container body 11.

[0091] Furthermore, the at least three liquid level determination positions include an intermediate liquid level determination position (intermediate position MP) sandwiched between the uppermost liquid level determination position (upper limit position HP) and the lowermost liquid level determination position (lower limit position LP). The control unit (controller 90) can control the container body 11 to be replenished with treatment liquid from the replenishing unit 15 when the treatment liquid falls below the intermediate liquid level determination position. Thus, the liquid storage device 10 can easily replenish the treatment liquid in the container body 11.

[0092] Furthermore, the control unit (controller 90) can adjust the intermediate liquid level determination position (intermediate position MP) based on substrate processing in the substrate processing apparatus 50. This allows the liquid storage device 10 to stably supply the processing liquid in an amount corresponding to substrate processing.

[0093] Furthermore, when substrate processing is continuously performed, the control unit (controller 90) can lower the intermediate liquid level determination position (intermediate position MP) below a preset position and increase the amount of processing liquid replenished from the replenishing unit 15 to the container body 11. Thus, the liquid storage device 10 can continuously perform substrate processing without interrupting the replenishment of processing liquid to the container body 11, thereby promoting stable substrate processing.

[0094] Furthermore, the liquid storage device 10 includes a heating unit 19 for heating the treatment liquid stored in the container body 11. The control unit (controller 90) can adjust the liquid level determination position based on the target temperature of the treatment liquid and the thermal expansion coefficient of the treatment liquid. Thus, even if the treatment liquid undergoes thermal expansion due to heating by the heating unit 19, the liquid storage device 10 can appropriately manage the amount of treatment liquid in the container body 11 by adjusting the liquid level determination position.

[0095] Furthermore, if the treatment liquid contains sediment, the control unit (controller 90) can estimate the amount of sediment and adjust the liquid level determination position. Thus, even if sediment accumulates in the container body 11, the liquid storage device 10 can appropriately manage the amount of treatment liquid in the container body 11 by changing the liquid level determination position.

[0096] Furthermore, the control unit (controller 90) estimates the amount of sediment based on the cumulative amount of treatment liquid replenished to the container body 11. Thus, the liquid storage device 10 can estimate the amount of sediment accumulated in the container body 11 with high accuracy.

[0097] Furthermore, based on the estimated amount of sediment, the control unit (controller 90) can notify the user of the timing for replacing the container body 11. Thus, the liquid storage device 10 can request the user to replace the container body 11 at an appropriate timing.

[0098] Furthermore, when the processing liquid is replenished from the replenishing section 15 to the container body 11, the control unit (controller 90) can change the replenishment amount of the processing liquid over time based on the detection information of the liquid level sensor 20. By thus changing the replenishment amount of the processing liquid over time, the liquid storage device 10 can replenish the liquid in a short time and easily stabilize the liquid level in the container body 11.

[0099] In addition, a second embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor manufacturing system 1, which includes: a liquid storage device 10 for storing a processing liquid; and a substrate processing device 50 capable of performing substrate processing on a substrate W using the processing liquid. The semiconductor manufacturing system 1 is characterized in that the liquid storage device 10 includes: a container body 11, which is capable of storing a processing liquid internally; a liquid level sensor 20 arranged inside the container body 11, which is used to detect the liquid level of the stored processing liquid; a replenishing part 15, which is used to replenish the processing liquid into the interior of the container body 11; and a control part (controller 90), which is capable of obtaining and processing the detection information of the liquid level sensor 20, the liquid level sensor 20 includes more than 4 detectors 21 capable of detecting the liquid level of the processing liquid along the height direction of the container body 11, the control part is capable of setting at least 3 liquid level judgment positions corresponding to different detectors among the more than 4 detectors 21, and controlling the replenishment of the processing liquid from the replenishing part 15 to the container body 11 based on the set at least 3 liquid level judgment positions. Thus, the semiconductor manufacturing system 1 can manage the liquid level of the processing liquid in the container body 11 with high precision.

[0100] Furthermore, a third embodiment of the present invention is a liquid replenishing method for replenishing a liquid storage device 10 storing a processing liquid for a substrate processing apparatus 50 with the processing liquid. The liquid storage device 10 includes a container body 11 capable of storing the processing liquid therein; a liquid level sensor 20 disposed within the container body 11 for detecting the liquid level of the stored processing liquid; and a replenishing unit 15 for replenishing the processing liquid within the container body 11. The replenishing method is characterized by including the steps of setting at least three liquid level determination positions corresponding to different detectors 21 of at least four detectors 21 disposed along the height of the container body 11 in the liquid level sensor 20 and capable of detecting the liquid level of the processing liquid; and replenishing the container body 11 with the processing liquid from the replenishing unit 15 based on detection information from the at least three set liquid level determination positions. In this case, the replenishing method can also accurately manage the liquid level of the processing liquid within the container body 11.

[0101] The liquid storage device 10, semiconductor manufacturing system 1, and replenishment method disclosed herein are intended in all respects to be illustrative and non-restrictive. The embodiments may be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope of the appended claims and their spirit. The various embodiments described above may be modified and combined to the extent consistent with these principles.

Claims

1. A liquid storage device for storing processing liquid of a substrate processing device, characterized in that: include: a container body capable of storing the treatment liquid therein; a liquid level sensor disposed inside the container body, for detecting the liquid level of the stored treatment liquid; a replenishing portion for replenishing the processing liquid into the interior of the container body; and A control unit capable of acquiring and processing the detection information of the liquid level sensor, The liquid level sensor includes four or more detectors along the height direction of the container body that can detect the liquid level of the treatment liquid. The control unit is capable of setting at least three liquid level judgment positions corresponding to different detectors among the four or more detectors, and controlling the replenishment of the processing liquid from the replenishment unit to the container body based on the detection information of the at least three liquid level judgment positions set.

2. The liquid storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The at least three liquid level determination positions include the middle liquid level determination position sandwiched between the uppermost liquid level determination position and the lowermost liquid level determination position. The control unit can perform control so that the container body is replenished with the processing liquid from the replenishing unit when the processing liquid falls below the intermediate liquid level determination position.

3. The liquid storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control unit can adjust the intermediate liquid level determination position based on substrate processing by the substrate processing apparatus.

4. The liquid storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the substrate processing is continuously performed, the control unit can make the intermediate liquid level determination position lower than a preset position and increase the replenishment amount of the processing liquid replenished from the replenishing unit to the container body.

5. The liquid storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A heating unit for heating the treatment liquid stored in the container body is provided. The control unit can adjust the liquid level determination position based on a target temperature of the processing liquid and a thermal expansion coefficient of the processing liquid.

6. The liquid storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The treatment liquid contains a precipitate, The control unit can estimate the amount of the sediment to adjust the liquid level determination position.

7. The liquid storage device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The control unit estimates the amount of the sediment based on the cumulative amount of the treatment liquid replenished to the container body.

8. The liquid storage device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The control unit may notify the replacement timing of the container body based on the estimated amount of the sediment.

9. The liquid storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: When the processing liquid is replenished from the replenishing portion to the container body, the control unit may change the replenishment amount of the processing liquid over time based on detection information of the liquid level sensor.

10. A semiconductor manufacturing system comprising: a liquid storage device for storing a treatment liquid; and a substrate processing device capable of performing substrate processing on a substrate using the processing liquid, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing system is characterized in that: The liquid storage device comprises: a container body capable of storing the treatment liquid therein; a liquid level sensor disposed inside the container body, for detecting the liquid level of the stored treatment liquid; a replenishing portion for replenishing the processing liquid into the interior of the container body; and A control unit capable of acquiring and processing the detection information of the liquid level sensor, The liquid level sensor includes four or more detectors along the height direction of the container body that can detect the liquid level of the treatment liquid. The control unit is capable of setting at least three liquid level determination positions corresponding to different ones of the four or more detectors, and controlling the replenishment of the processing liquid from the replenishing unit to the container body based on the set at least three liquid level determination positions.

11. A method for replenishing a liquid, wherein the method is used to replenish a liquid storage device storing a processing liquid of a substrate processing device with the processing liquid. The liquid storage device comprises: a container body capable of storing the treatment liquid therein; a liquid level sensor disposed inside the container body, for detecting the liquid level of the stored treatment liquid; and a replenishing portion for replenishing the processing liquid into the interior of the container body, The supplementation method is characterized by comprising: The step of setting at least three liquid level determination positions corresponding to different detectors among four or more detectors of the liquid level sensor that are arranged along the height direction of the container body and are capable of detecting the liquid level of the treatment liquid; and A step of replenishing the processing liquid from the replenishing portion into the container body based on detection information of the at least three liquid level determination positions.

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