Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method are provided, which can improve the efficiency of substrate processing and reduce the environmental burden by reducing the amount of organic solvent waste. A substrate processing apparatus for processing the patterned surface of a substrate includes: a separation unit for recovering an effluent containing organic solvent and water discharged after substrate processing and removing at least a portion of the water from the recovered effluent; a plurality of separation liquid storage units for independently storing separation liquids containing different concentrations of organic solvent in the separation liquids generated by removing at least a portion of the water from the effluent through the separation unit; and a supply unit for supplying a processing liquid containing at least one of the separation liquids independently stored in the plurality of separation liquid storage units to the patterned surface of the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method, which can recover and reuse the processing liquid used in substrate processing. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates for LCD devices are treated with a processing solution. Specifically, a chemical solution is supplied to the main surface of the substrate, and after the substrate is treated with the chemical solution, a rinsing process is performed. This rinsing process involves supplying water such as deionized water (DIW) to the main surface of the substrate that has already been treated with the chemical solution to rinse away the chemical solution on the substrate. Furthermore, after the rinsing process, a drying process is performed to remove any residual water on the substrate, thereby drying the substrate.

[0003] In recent years, with the miniaturization of patterns formed on substrates such as semiconductor substrates, the aspect ratio (the ratio of the height to the width of the raised portion of the pattern) has gradually increased. Therefore, a problem known as pattern collapse occurs during the drying process. Pattern collapse refers to the phenomenon where the surface tension at the interface between water entering the recesses of the pattern and the gas in contact with the water pulls adjacent raised portions of the pattern closer together, causing them to collapse. To address this pattern collapse problem, a technique has been proposed (e.g., Patent Document 1) to replace water on the substrate with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to dry the substrate.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-38595. Summary of the Invention

[0007] [The problem that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, due to the low compatibility between water and IPA, it takes a considerable amount of time to replace the water present on the patterning surface of the substrate with IPA. Therefore, the time required to spray IPA onto the patterning surface of the substrate becomes longer, resulting in poor productivity. Furthermore, if drying is performed without completely replacing the water with IPA, pattern collapse or the collapse can worsen.

[0009] The present invention addresses the problems described above and aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can improve the efficiency of substrate processing and reduce the environmental burden by reducing the amount of organic solvent waste.

[0010] [Methods used to solve problems]

[0011] To address the issues described above, the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus for processing the patterned surface of a substrate. The apparatus comprises: a separation unit that recovers an effluent containing organic solvent and water discharged after substrate processing and removes at least a portion of the water from the recovered effluent; a plurality of separation liquid storage units that independently store the separation liquid containing different concentrations of the organic solvent in the separation liquid generated by removing at least a portion of the water from the effluent through the separation unit; and a supply unit that supplies a processing liquid containing at least one of the separation liquids independently stored in the plurality of separation liquid storage units to the patterned surface of the substrate.

[0012] In the configuration described above, it is preferable that the plurality of separation liquid storage sections are provided with a separation liquid circulation path to export the stored separation liquid and return it to each of the separation liquid storage sections; and a filter is provided in the middle of the separation liquid circulation path to remove impurities contained in the separation liquid.

[0013] Furthermore, in the configuration described above, it is preferable that the separation unit comprises: a discharge liquid retention unit for storing the recovered discharge liquid; a separation membrane unit for separating and removing at least a portion of the water from the discharge liquid discharged from the discharge liquid retention unit; a circulation path for supplying the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid retention unit to the separation membrane unit and returning the separated liquid generated in the separation membrane unit to the discharge liquid retention unit; and a water discharge pipe connected to the separation membrane unit for discharging the water separated by the separation membrane unit.

[0014] Furthermore, in the configuration described above, it is preferable that the supply unit includes a multi-way valve that selectively supplies the processing liquid, comprising at least one of the separation liquids supplied from the plurality of separation liquid storage units, to the pattern forming surface.

[0015] Furthermore, in the configuration described above, it is preferable that the supply unit further comprises: an organic solvent supply unit for supplying unused organic solvent; and a water supply unit for supplying unused water; the multi-way valve mixes the organic solvent supplied from the organic solvent supply unit and / or the water supplied from the water supply unit with the separation liquid supplied from at least one of the plurality of separation liquid storage units to generate the processing liquid.

[0016] To address the issues described above, the present invention provides a substrate processing method for processing the patterned surface of a substrate, comprising: a separation step of recovering an effluent containing organic solvent and water discharged after the substrate processing, and removing at least a portion of the water from the recovered effluent; a storage step of independently storing the separation liquid containing different concentrations of the organic solvent in the separation liquid generated by removing at least a portion of the water from the effluent through the separation step; and a supply step of supplying a processing liquid containing at least one of the independently stored separation liquids to the patterned surface of the substrate.

[0017] In the configuration described above, preferably, the storage step involves exporting the separately stored separation liquid, removing impurities contained in the exported separation liquid, and then returning and recycling the separation liquid.

[0018] Furthermore, in the configuration described above, it is preferred that the separation step includes the following steps: storing the recovered effluent; separating and removing at least a portion of the water contained in the effluent while circulating the stored effluent; and discharging the water separated from the effluent.

[0019] Furthermore, in the configuration described above, it is preferable that the supply step selectively supplies the processing liquid comprising at least one of the separation liquids, respectively, to the pattern forming surface.

[0020] Furthermore, in the configuration described above, it is preferable that the supply step mixes unused organic solvent and / or unused water with at least one of the separated liquids stored in the storage step, thereby generating the treatment liquid.

[0021] [Invention Effects]

[0022] According to the present invention, effluent containing organic solvents and water generated during substrate processing is recovered, and at least a portion of the water is removed from the recovered effluent to generate a separation liquid. Furthermore, the processing liquid containing the separation liquid is used for new substrate processing. Here, the separation liquid is stored separately according to the concentration of the organic solvent and then contained in the processing liquid. Therefore, the processing liquid can be reused for new substrate processing while adjusting the concentration of the organic solvent. For example, the processing liquid with a lower concentration of organic solvent has better compatibility with water than the processing liquid with a higher concentration of organic solvent. Therefore, in the case of removing water remaining on the patterning surface of the substrate, the processing liquid with a lower concentration of organic solvent is supplied first, followed by the processing liquid with a higher concentration of organic solvent in stages. This allows water to be replaced with the processing liquid composed of organic solvent in a shorter time compared to the case where the processing liquid composed of organic solvent is supplied from the beginning. As a result, the efficiency of substrate processing can be improved compared to the past, and the organic solvent contained in the effluent can be reused, thereby reducing the waste liquid of organic solvent and thus reducing the environmental burden. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 A top view showing the schematic configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 The illustration shows the substrate processing unit and the recycling unit of the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 The illustration shows the substrate processing unit and the recycling unit of the substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 The illustration shows the substrate processing unit and the recycling unit of the substrate processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] [First Implementation Method]

[0028] The first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, parts that do not need to be described are omitted, and parts are shown in enlarged or reduced form for ease of explanation.

[0029] In this specification, the term "substrate" refers to various substrates such as semiconductor substrates, photomask glass substrates, liquid crystal display glass substrates, plasma display glass substrates, FED (Field Emission Display) substrates, optical disc substrates, magnetic disk substrates, and optical disc substrates. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "pattern forming surface" refers to a surface in the substrate where a raised or recessed pattern is formed in any area, regardless of whether it is planar, curved, or uneven. Furthermore, this specification will use a substrate in which a circuit pattern (hereinafter referred to as "pattern") is formed only on one of its main surfaces as an example. Here, the pattern forming surface (main surface) on which the pattern is formed is referred to as a "surface".

[0030] [Substrate Processing Apparatus]

[0031] [Overall Structure of the Substrate Processing Device]

[0032] The following is for reference Figure 1 This embodiment describes the substrate processing apparatus. Figure 1 This is a top view showing the general configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment is a single-sheet substrate processing apparatus and is used for various substrate processing processes such as rinsing processes using rinse liquid and replacement processes based on the processing liquid after rinsing.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes: a substrate processing unit 110 for performing various processing on the substrate W; an indexer unit 120; and a control unit 130 for controlling the substrate processing apparatus 100.

[0034] The indexing unit 120 has the following functions: supplying substrates W to the substrate processing unit 110, or recovering substrates W from the substrate processing unit 110. Specifically, the indexing unit 120 has four container holding units 121, and each container holding unit 121 is further provided with a container C. Examples of containers C include, for example, front-opening unified pods (FOUPs), standard mechanical interface (SMIF) boxes, and open cassettes (OCs) for accommodating multiple substrates W in a sealed state. Furthermore, although this embodiment uses four container holding units 121 as an example, the present invention is not limited to this. Multiple container holding units 121 are acceptable.

[0035] In addition, the indexing unit 120 also includes a first transport unit 122 for transporting the substrate W. The first transport unit 122 is disposed between the container holding unit 121 and the substrate processing unit 110. The first transport unit 122 includes a base 122a fixed to the device housing; a multi-joint arm 122b disposed on the base 122a in a manner that allows it to rotate about a vertical axis; and a hand 122c mounted on the front end of the multi-joint arm 122b. The hand 122c is configured to place the substrate W on its upper surface and hold the substrate W. The first transport unit 122 accesses the container C held by the container holding unit 121, thereby removing the unprocessed substrate W from the container C or storing the processed substrate W in the container C.

[0036] The substrate processing unit 110 applies the following to the substrate W: a rinsing process using a rinsing solution composed of water; and a displacement process, replacing the rinsing solution remaining on the surface Wf of the substrate W with a processing solution containing an organic solvent. The substrate processing unit 110 includes: a second transport unit 111, positioned approximately at the center when viewed from above; four substrate processing units 1 arranged around the second transport unit 111; and a recycling unit 2 for recovering and reusing the discharge liquid from the substrate processing units 1. Detailed descriptions of the substrate processing units 1 and the recycling unit 2 will be provided later.

[0037] As the second transport unit 111, a substrate transport robot can be used, for example. The second transport unit 111 randomly enters and exits each substrate processing unit 1 and transfers substrates W. The substrate processing unit 110 has a plurality of substrate processing units 1 and a plurality of recycling units 2, thereby enabling the parallel processing of a plurality of substrates W.

[0038] The control unit 130 is electrically connected to each part of the substrate processing apparatus 100 and controls the operation of each part. The control unit 130 is, for example, configured as a computer having an arithmetic processing unit and memory. The arithmetic processing unit uses a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to perform various arithmetic operations. Furthermore, the memory includes: ROM (Read-Only Memory), a dedicated read-out memory used to store substrate processing programs; RAM (Random Access Memory), a read-write memory used to store various information; and a disk, which pre-stores control software and data. The disk pre-stores substrate processing condition information (processing recipe) corresponding to the substrate W and control condition information for controlling the substrate processing apparatus 100. The CPU reads the substrate processing condition information and control condition information into the RAM, and the CPU controls each part of the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the contents of the substrate processing condition information and control condition information.

[0039] [Substrate Processing Unit]

[0040] Next, refer to the following Figure 2 The structure of the substrate processing unit 1 in the substrate processing section 100 will be explained. Figure 2 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the substrate processing unit 1 and the recycling unit 2 of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Furthermore, in Figure 2 In order to clearly express the directional relationships shown in the diagram, the XYZ orthogonal coordinate axes are appropriately displayed. In the same diagram, the XY plane represents the horizontal plane, and the +Z direction represents the vertical direction.

[0041] The substrate processing unit 1 includes at least: a chamber 11, which is a container for holding a substrate W; a substrate holding section 12, which holds the substrate W; a supply section 13, which supplies processing liquid to the substrate W held by the substrate holding section 12; and a spill prevention cup 14, which catches rinsing liquid and processing liquid supplied to the substrate W held by the substrate holding section 12 and discharged to the outer periphery of the substrate W.

[0042] The substrate holding portion 12 includes a rotation drive portion 12a, a spin base 12b, and chuck pins 12c. The spin base 12b has a planar dimension slightly larger than that of the substrate W. A plurality of chuck pins 12c are erected near the periphery of the spin base 12b to hold the periphery of the substrate W. The number of chuck pins 12c is not particularly limited, but to reliably hold the circular substrate W, it is preferable to provide at least three. In this embodiment, three are arranged at equal intervals along the periphery of the spin base 12b. Each chuck pin 12c includes a substrate support pin that supports the periphery of the substrate W from below, and a substrate holding pin that presses against the outer peripheral end face of the substrate W supported by the substrate support pin and holds the substrate W.

[0043] The rotating base 12b is connected to the rotating drive unit 12a. The rotating drive unit 12a rotates about axis A in the Z direction according to the operation command of the control unit 130. The rotating drive unit 12a is constructed by a belt, a motor and a rotating shaft. When the rotating drive unit 12a rotates about axis A, the substrate W held by the chuck pin 12c above the rotating base 12b rotates together with the rotating base 12b about a rotation axis parallel to the direction perpendicular to the surface Wf of the substrate W, that is, about axis A.

[0044] Next, the supply unit 13 will be described. The supply unit 13 is a unit for supplying a processing liquid to replace DIW and the like remaining on the patterning surface of the substrate W. Examples of processing liquids include liquids composed of organic solvents such as IPA and mixtures containing organic solvents and water such as DIW. In the case where the processing liquid is a mixture, the concentration of the organic solvent contained in the mixture is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the supply unit 13 includes at least a nozzle 13a, a multi-way valve 13b, a supply pipe 13c, an organic solvent supply unit 13d, and a water supply unit 13e.

[0046] Nozzle 13a is pipe-connected to supply pipe 13c, which is supplied with processing liquid, and can supply processing liquid to the surface Wf of substrate W. Nozzle 13a is mounted on the front end of a horizontally extending arm (not shown). The arm can be rotated under the control of control unit 130, and nozzle 13a moves along with the rotation of the arm. When not spraying processing liquid, nozzle 13a is positioned in a retracted position, which is further outward than the periphery of substrate W and further outward than the splash prevention cup 14. Furthermore, when spraying processing liquid, the arm rotates under the action command of control unit 130, thereby positioning nozzle 13a above the rotating base 12b, that is, above the center of surface Wf of substrate W (or near axis A).

[0047] The multi-way valve 13b can selectively supply a processing liquid, including at least one of the separation liquids supplied from a plurality of separation liquid reservoirs, to the surface Wf of the substrate W (details of the separation liquid reservoirs and the separation liquids will be described later). The multi-way valve 13b includes a connection portion 131, a valve 132, a first valve 133, a second valve 134, and a third valve 135.

[0048] Valve 132 is located midway through the path of supply pipe 13c, which is pipe-connected to the downstream side of connector 131. Valve 132 is electrically connected to control unit 130 and is normally closed. The opening and closing of valve 132 is controlled by operation commands from control unit 130. When valve 132 is opened by operation commands from control unit 130, processing fluid is supplied from nozzle 13a to surface Wf of substrate W through supply pipe 13c.

[0049] A first valve 133 is located midway through the path of a first separating liquid supply pipe 32e, which is pipe-connected to the upstream side of a connecting portion 131. A second valve 134 is located midway through the path of a second separating liquid supply pipe 33e, which is pipe-connected to the upstream side of a connecting portion 131. A third valve 135 is located midway through the path of a third separating liquid supply pipe 34e, which is pipe-connected to the upstream side of a connecting portion 131. The first valve 133, the second valve 134, and the third valve 135 are electrically connected to a control unit 130 and are normally closed. The opening and closing of these valves are independently controlled by the operation commands of the control unit 130. Furthermore, a detailed description of the first separating liquid supply pipe 32e, the second separating liquid supply pipe 33e, and the third separating liquid supply pipe 34e will be provided later.

[0050] The organic solvent supply unit 13d supplies unused organic solvent to the multi-way valve 13b. The organic solvent supply unit 13d includes a supply pipe 136 and an organic solvent storage unit 138. The organic solvent storage unit 138 is connected upstream of the supply pipe 136, and a connection unit 131 is connected downstream of the supply pipe 136. Furthermore, a pump 144, a flow regulating valve 145, and a valve 137 are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream along the path of the supply pipe 136. The organic solvent storage unit 138 stores unused organic solvent. The pump 144 is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130 and can deliver the unused organic solvent stored in the organic solvent storage unit 138 to the connection unit 131. Furthermore, the flow regulating valve 145 can adjust the flow rate of unused organic solvent supplied from the organic solvent storage unit 138 according to the operation of the pump 144. The valve 137 is electrically connected to the control unit 130 and is normally closed. The opening and closing of valve 137 is controlled by the operation command of control unit 130. When valve 137 is opened by the operation command of control unit 130, unused organic solvent is supplied to connection part 131 through supply pipe 136. In addition, there is no particular limitation on the unused organic solvent, and examples such as IPA can be cited.

[0051] The water supply unit 13e supplies unused water to the multi-way valve 13b. The water supply unit 13e includes a supply pipe 139 and a water storage section 141. The water storage section 141 is connected upstream of the supply pipe 139, and a connection section 131 is connected downstream of the supply pipe 139. Furthermore, a pump 146, a flow regulating valve 147, and a valve 140 are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream along the path of the supply pipe 139. The water storage section 141 stores unused water. The pump 146 is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130 and can deliver the unused water stored in the water storage section 141 to the connection section 131. Furthermore, the flow regulating valve 147 can adjust the flow rate of unused water supplied from the water storage section 141 according to the operation of the pump 146. The valve 140 is electrically connected to the control unit 130 and is normally closed. The opening and closing of the valve 140 is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130. When valve 140 is opened by the operation command of control unit 130, unused organic solvent is supplied to connection unit 131 through supply pipe 139. In addition, unused water is not particularly limited, and examples include DIW.

[0052] The anti-splash cup 14 is configured to surround the rotating base 12b. The anti-splash cup 14 is connected to a lifting drive mechanism (not shown) and is capable of moving towards... Figure 2 The Z-direction lifting mechanism is shown. When supplying rinsing or processing fluid to the surface Wf of the substrate W, the anti-scattering cup 14 is positioned by the lifting drive mechanism. Figure 2The substrate W is positioned as shown and is held from the side by the chuck pin 12c. This allows for the collection of liquids such as rinsing fluid and processing fluid that have spilled from the substrate W and the rotating base 12b.

[0053] [Recycling and Reuse Unit]

[0054] Next, refer to the following Figure 2 The structure of the recycling unit 2 in the substrate processing section 110 will be explained.

[0055] The recycling unit 2 recycles the treatment liquid used to remove water residue from the surface Wf of the substrate W, and separates and removes the water from the recycled treatment liquid to make it reusable. Specifically, as follows... Figure 2 As shown, the recycling unit 2 includes at least a separation section 20 and a separation liquid storage section 30.

[0056] The separation unit 20 can recover the effluent consisting of the processing liquid already used in substrate processing, and remove at least a portion of the water from the recovered effluent. The substrate processing referred to here means the process of supplying processing liquid to the surface Wf of the substrate W, thereby replacing the water remaining on the surface Wf of the substrate W with processing liquid. The separation unit 20 includes at least a recovery pipe 21, an intermediate effluent storage unit 22, an effluent discharge pipe 23, an effluent storage unit 24, a separation membrane unit 25, a circulation path 26, a separation liquid discharge pipe 27, and a water discharge pipe 28.

[0057] The recovery pipe 21 supplies the discharge liquid from the anti-spray cup 14 to the intermediate discharge liquid reservoir 22. One end of the recovery pipe 21 is connected to the anti-spray cup 14, and the other end is connected to the intermediate discharge liquid reservoir 22. A valve 21a is provided midway through the path of the recovery pipe 21. The valve 21a is electrically connected to the control unit 130 and is normally closed. The opening and closing of the valve 21a is controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130. When the valve 21a is opened by the operation command of the control unit 130, the discharge liquid captured by the anti-spray cup 14 is supplied to the intermediate discharge liquid reservoir 22 through the recovery pipe 21.

[0058] Intermediate discharge liquid storage section 22 is connected to discharge liquid storage section 24 via discharge liquid discharge pipe 23. Intermediate discharge liquid storage section 22 can temporarily store the recovered discharge liquid. A pump 23b and a valve 23a are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream along the path of discharge liquid discharge pipe 23. Pump 23b is controlled by an operation command from control unit 130, thereby enabling the discharge liquid stored in intermediate discharge liquid storage section 22 to be discharged to discharge liquid storage section 24. Valve 23a is electrically connected to control unit 130 and is normally closed. The opening and closing of valve 23a is controlled by an operation command from control unit 130.

[0059] The discharge liquid storage section 24 can store the discharge liquid supplied from the intermediate discharge liquid storage section 22 via the discharge liquid discharge pipe 23. A circulation path 26 is connected to the discharge liquid storage section 24. A separation membrane section 25 is provided midway through the circulation path 26. Thus, the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24 can be discharged and supplied to the separation membrane section 25, and then the separated liquid obtained by separating at least a portion of the water contained in the discharge liquid in the separation membrane section 25 can be returned to the discharge liquid storage section 24.

[0060] Furthermore, a discharge liquid temperature adjustment unit 24a is provided in the discharge liquid storage section 24. The discharge liquid temperature adjustment unit 24a can adjust the temperature of the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24. The discharge liquid temperature adjustment unit 24a is electrically connected to the control unit 130 and adjusts the temperature of the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid temperature adjustment unit 24a according to the operation command from the control unit 130. As a result, when a zeolite membrane is used as the separation membrane in the separation membrane section 25 described later, the separation performance of the zeolite membrane can be improved. In this case, for example, when the IPA and water in the waste liquid are separated without vaporizing them, the temperature of the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24 is preferably in the range of 25°C (RT (room temperature)) to 80°C, more preferably in the range of 50°C to 80°C, and even more preferably in the range of 70°C to 80°C. The discharge liquid temperature adjustment unit 24a is not particularly limited, and can use known temperature adjustment mechanisms, such as Peltier components, piping through which temperature-adjusted water has already flowed.

[0061] The separation membrane section 25 can separate and remove at least a portion of the water contained in the discharged liquid stored in the discharged liquid reservoir section 24. Examples of separation membranes used in the separation membrane section 25 include dehydration membranes that allow water to pass through but prevent organic solvents such as IPA from passing through. Furthermore, the separation membrane can also be a polymer membrane made of polymeric materials, an inorganic membrane made of inorganic materials, a polymer membrane, or a membrane other than an inorganic membrane. Specific examples of separation membranes, as explained above, include zeolite membranes formed from zeolites.

[0062] As explained above, since a separation membrane section 25 is provided in the circulation path 26, at least a portion of the water contained in the effluent can be separated, and the resulting separated liquid is returned to the effluent storage section 24. Furthermore, a pump 26a is provided downstream of the effluent storage section 24 and upstream of the separation membrane section 25 in the middle of the circulation path 26. The pump 26a is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130, thereby enabling the effluent stored in the effluent storage section 24 to circulate in the circulation path 26. In addition, a concentration meter 26b is provided downstream of the separation membrane section 25 to measure the concentration of organic solvents such as IPA in the separated liquid. The concentration value of the organic solvents in the separated liquid measured by the concentration meter 26b is input to the control unit 130.

[0063] One end of the separation liquid discharge pipe 27 is connected to the discharge liquid reservoir 24, and the other end of the separation liquid discharge pipe 27 is connected to the separation liquid reservoir 30. Furthermore, a filter 27a is connected midway through the path of the separation liquid discharge pipe 27. The filter 27a can remove solids such as particles and impurities such as metal ions contained in the separation liquid. In the case of removing metal ions, an ion exchange resin, for example, can be used as the filter 27a.

[0064] The water discharge pipe 28 is connected to the separation membrane section 25 and discharges the water separated from the discharge liquid (or separation liquid) through the separation membrane section 25.

[0065] The separation liquid storage section 30 can independently store the separation liquid containing each concentration of organic solvent in the separation liquid generated by the separation section 20. In this embodiment, the separation liquid storage section 30 includes at least a concentration meter 31, a first separation liquid storage section 32, a second separation liquid storage section 33, and a third separation liquid storage section 34. The first separation liquid storage section 32 stores the separation liquid with the lowest concentration of organic solvent (for example, the concentration of organic solvent is 25% by mass relative to the total mass of the separation liquid, hereinafter referred to as "first separation liquid"). The third separation liquid storage section 34 stores the separation liquid with the highest concentration of organic solvent (for example, the concentration of organic solvent is 75% by mass relative to the total mass of the separation liquid, hereinafter referred to as "third separation liquid"). The second separation liquid storage section 33 stores the separation liquid with a concentration of organic solvent that is higher than that of the first separation liquid but lower than that of the third separation liquid (for example, the concentration of organic solvent is 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the separation liquid, hereinafter referred to as "second separation liquid").

[0066] The concentration meter 31 can measure the concentration of organic solvents such as IPA in the separation liquid supplied from the discharge liquid storage section 24. The measured value of the concentration of organic solvents in the separation liquid measured by the concentration meter 31 is input to the control section 130.

[0067] The first separation liquid storage section 32 includes at least a first supply pipe 32a, a first valve 32b, a first separation liquid storage tank 32c, a first separation liquid circulation path 32d, and a first separation liquid supply pipe 32e.

[0068] The first supply pipe 32a branches off from the separation liquid discharge pipe 27 downstream of the concentration meter 31 and is pipedly connected to the first separation liquid storage tank 32c. A first valve 32b is provided midway through the path of the first supply pipe 32a. The first valve 32b is electrically connected to the control unit 130. Based on the measured value of the concentration of the organic solvent measured by the concentration meter 31, the opening and closing of the first valve 32b is controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130.

[0069] A first separation liquid circulation path 32d is connected to the first separation liquid storage tank 32c to circulate the first separation liquid stored in the first separation liquid storage tank 32c. Furthermore, a first pump 32f and a first filter 32g are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream along the first separation liquid circulation path 32d. The first pump 32f is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130, thereby enabling the first separation liquid stored in the first separation liquid storage tank 32c to circulate in the first separation liquid circulation path 32d. The first filter 32g has the function of removing solids such as particles and impurities such as metal ions contained in the first separation liquid. In the case of removing metal ions, an ion exchange resin, for example, can be used as the first filter 32g.

[0070] The first separation liquid supply pipe 32e is pipe-connected to the first separation liquid storage tank 32c and the connection portion 131 of the multi-way valve 13b. This allows the first separation liquid stored in the first separation liquid storage tank 32c to be supplied to the connection portion 131 of the multi-way valve 13b. Furthermore, a pump 142 and a flow regulating valve 143 are installed midway along the path of the first separation liquid supply pipe 32e from the upstream side to the downstream side. The pump 142 is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130, thereby enabling the first separation liquid stored in the first separation liquid storage tank 32c to be delivered to the connection portion 131. Additionally, the flow regulating valve 143 can adjust the flow rate of the first separation liquid supplied from the first separation liquid storage tank 32c.

[0071] The second separation liquid storage section 33 includes at least a second supply pipe 33a, a second valve 33b, a second separation liquid storage tank 33c, a second separation liquid circulation path 33d, and a second separation liquid supply pipe 33e.

[0072] The second supply pipe 33a branches downstream of the branch point where the first supply pipe 32a branches from the separation liquid discharge pipe 27, and is pipe-connected to the second separation liquid storage tank 33c. A second valve 33b is provided midway through the path of the second supply pipe 33a. The second valve 33b is electrically connected to the control unit 130. Based on the measured value of the concentration of the organic solvent measured by the concentration meter 31, the opening and closing of the second valve 33b is controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130.

[0073] A second separation liquid circulation path 33d is connected to the second separation liquid storage tank 33c to circulate the second separation liquid stored in the second separation liquid storage tank 33c. Furthermore, a second pump 33f and a second filter 33g are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream along the path 33d. The second pump 33f is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130, thereby enabling the second separation liquid stored in the second separation liquid storage tank 33c to circulate in the second separation liquid circulation path 33d. The second filter 33g has the function of removing solids such as particles and impurities such as metal ions contained in the second separation liquid. In the case of removing metal ions, an ion exchange resin, for example, can be used as the second filter 33g.

[0074] The second separated liquid supply pipe 33e is pipe-connected to the second separated liquid storage tank 33c and the connection portion 131 of the multi-way valve 13b. This allows the second separated liquid stored in the second separated liquid storage tank 33c to be supplied to the connection portion 131 of the multi-way valve 13b. Furthermore, a pump 142 and a flow regulating valve 143 are installed midway along the path of the second separated liquid supply pipe 33e from the upstream side to the downstream side. Activating the pump 142 allows the second separated liquid stored in the second separated liquid storage tank 33c to be supplied to the connection portion 131. Additionally, the flow regulating valve 143 can adjust the flow rate of the second separated liquid supplied from the second separated liquid storage tank 33c.

[0075] The third separation liquid storage section 34 includes at least a third supply pipe 34a, a third valve 34b, a third separation liquid storage tank 34c, a third separation liquid circulation path 34d, and a third separation liquid supply pipe 34e.

[0076] The third supply pipe 34a is connected downstream of the branch point where the second supply pipe 33a branches off from the separation liquid discharge pipe 27, and is pipe-connected to the third separation liquid storage tank 34c. A third valve 34b is provided midway along the path of the third supply pipe 34a. The third valve 34b is electrically connected to the control unit 130. Based on the measured value of the concentration of the organic solvent measured by the concentration meter 31, the opening and closing of the third valve 34b is controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130.

[0077] A third separation liquid circulation path 34d is connected to the third separation liquid storage tank 34c to circulate the third separation liquid stored in the third separation liquid storage tank 34c. Furthermore, a third pump 34f and a third filter 34g are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream along the path 34d. The third pump 34f is controlled by an operation command from the control unit 130, thereby enabling the third separation liquid stored in the third separation liquid storage tank 34c to circulate in the third separation liquid circulation path 34d. The third filter 34g has the function of removing solids such as particles and impurities such as metal ions contained in the third separation liquid. In the case of removing metal ions, an ion exchange resin, for example, can be used as the third filter 34g.

[0078] The third separation liquid supply pipe 34e is pipe-connected to the third separation liquid storage tank 34c and the connection portion 131 of the multi-way valve 13b. This allows the third separation liquid stored in the third separation liquid storage tank 34c to be supplied to the connection portion 131 of the multi-way valve 13b. Furthermore, a pump 142 and a flow regulating valve 143 are installed midway along the path of the third separation liquid supply pipe 34e from the upstream side to the downstream side. Activating the pump 142 allows the third separation liquid stored in the third separation liquid storage tank 34c to be supplied to the connection portion 131. Additionally, the flow regulating valve 143 can adjust the flow rate of the third separation liquid supplied from the third separation liquid storage tank 34c.

[0079] [Substrate Processing Method]

[0080] Next, the substrate processing method using the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be described.

[0081] The substrate processing method of this embodiment, for example, can recover a processing liquid containing organic solvents, such as DIW residues on the surface Wf of the substrate W, made of water, and can separate, remove, and reuse water from the recovered processing liquid. Therefore, in this embodiment, the amount of organic solvent waste can be reduced, thereby reducing the environmental burden. More specifically, the substrate processing method of this embodiment includes the following steps for recovering and reusing the processing liquid after substrate processing: a discharge step, discharging the processing liquid after substrate processing; a separation step, recovering the discharge liquid and removing at least a portion of the water from the recovered discharge liquid; a storage step, independently storing the separation liquid for different concentrations of organic solvents contained in the separation liquid composed of the discharge liquid from which at least a portion of the water has been removed in the separation step; and a supply step, supplying the processing liquid containing at least one of the separation liquids independently stored in the storage step to the surface Wf of the substrate W.

[0082] The discharge step is as follows: the substrate processing liquid that has been used to treat the surface Wf of the substrate W is discharged from the substrate processing unit 1. When the valve 21a is opened by the operation command of the control unit 130, the processing liquid captured by the anti-spray cup 14 is discharged as discharge liquid through the recovery pipe 21 connected to the anti-spray cup 14. The discharge liquid discharged through the recovery pipe 21 is stored in the intermediate discharge liquid storage unit 22.

[0083] The separation step is as follows: At least a portion of the water in the recovered and stored intermediate discharge liquid reservoir 22 is separated and removed to generate a separated liquid. When valve 23a is opened by an operation command from control unit 130, the discharge liquid stored in intermediate discharge liquid reservoir 22 is supplied to discharge liquid reservoir 24 through discharge liquid discharge pipe 23 by the operation of pump 23b. When a predetermined amount of discharge liquid is stored in discharge liquid reservoir 24, control unit 130 issues an operation command to close valve 23a.

[0084] The discharge liquid temperature adjustment unit 24a heats the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage unit 24 to a predetermined temperature via an operation command from the control unit 130. Furthermore, the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage unit 24 is discharged by the operation of the pump 26a and circulated in the circulation path 26. The discharge liquid flowing in the circulation path 26 is separated in the separation membrane unit 25 located midway through the circulation path 26, and at least a portion of the water contained in the discharge liquid is removed. Since the discharge liquid is heated by the discharge liquid temperature adjustment unit 24a, separation performance can be improved when a zeolite membrane is used in the separation membrane unit 25. The discharge liquid, for which at least a portion of the water has been removed by the separation membrane unit 25, is discharged as the separated liquid. Additionally, the water separated by the separation membrane unit 25 is discharged from the water discharge pipe 28. The concentration of organic solvents contained in the separated liquid discharged from the separation membrane unit 25 is measured by the concentration meter 26b. When the measured concentration of the organic solvent is input to the control unit 130 and is determined not to have reached the predetermined value, the circulation of the separated liquid in the circulation path 26 continues until the measured concentration of the organic solvent in the concentration meter 26b reaches the predetermined value. Thus, the separated liquid in the discharge liquid storage unit 24 is stored with the organic solvent concentration having reached the predetermined value. Furthermore, when the concentration meter 26b determines that the measured concentration of the organic solvent in the separated liquid has reached the predetermined value, the separated liquid is discharged from the separated liquid discharge pipe 27.

[0085] Here, a filter 27a is installed midway through the path of the separation liquid discharge pipe 27, which is used to discharge the separation liquid from the discharge liquid reservoir 24. Therefore, in the separation step, for the separation liquid where the concentration of the organic solvent has reached a predetermined value, impurities such as particulate matter and metal ions can be further separated and removed by the filter 27a. Furthermore, it is preferable that during the separation step, the first valve 32b of the first separation liquid reservoir 32, the second valve 33b of the second separation liquid reservoir 33, and the third valve 34b of the third separation liquid reservoir 34 are closed by an operation command from the control unit 130.

[0086] The storage step is as follows: The separated liquid is stored independently for each organic solvent concentration in the separated liquid generated in the separation step. The storage step is performed after the separated liquid, whose organic solvent concentration has reached a predetermined value, is stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24. In the storage step, firstly, the concentration of organic solvent in the separated liquid flowing in the separated liquid discharge pipe 27 is measured in the concentration meter 31. Then, the measured value of the organic solvent concentration is input to the control unit 130. Based on the input measured value of the organic solvent concentration, the control unit 130 issues the following operation command: opening any one of the first valve 32b, the second valve 33b, and the third valve 34b, and closing the other valves. For example, in the case of the separated liquid with the lowest organic solvent concentration, the control unit 130 issues the following operation command: opening the first valve 32b and closing the second valve 33b and the third valve 34b. Thus, the separation liquid with the lowest concentration of organic solvent is stored as the first separation liquid in the first separation liquid storage tank 32c via the first supply pipe 32a. In this way, during the storage step, the separation liquid can be stored in any one of the first separation liquid storage tank 32c, the second separation liquid storage tank 33c, or the third separation liquid storage tank 34c, depending on the concentration of different organic solvents.

[0087] Furthermore, in the storage step, while the first separated liquid stored in the first separated liquid storage tank 32c is circulated in the first separated liquid circulation path 32d, impurities in the first separated liquid are separated and removed by the first filter 32g. The circulation of the first separated liquid in the first separated liquid circulation path 32d is carried out by activating the first pump 32f. In the storage step, for the second separated liquid and the third separated liquid stored in the second separated liquid storage tank 33c and the third separated liquid storage tank 34c respectively, impurities are removed by using the second filter 33g and the third filter 34g in the second separated liquid circulation path 33d or the third separated liquid circulation path 34d respectively.

[0088] The supply step comprises the following steps: generating a treatment liquid containing at least one of the first to third separation liquids that were independently stored in the storage step, and supplying it to the surface Wf of the substrate W. In the supply step, in order to remove water that is used as a rinsing liquid and remains on the surface Wf of the substrate W, the treatment liquid can be supplied to the surface Wf of the substrate W and the water can be replaced by the treatment liquid.

[0089] Here, the surface Wf of the substrate W has the most water remaining immediately after substrate processing. Therefore, even if a processing solution composed solely of organic solvents is supplied to the surface Wf of the substrate W to replace the water and remove it, the replacement of water with organic solvents requires a considerable amount of time since organic solvents are inherently less miscible with water. However, by replacing the water with a processing solution of lower organic solvent concentration, and then sequentially supplying a processing solution of higher organic solvent concentration in stages, the water can be replaced with a processing solution of organic solvent and the water removed in a shorter time compared to the case where a processing solution composed entirely of organic solvents is supplied from the beginning. Therefore, in the supply step, firstly, the first valve 133 is opened and the second valve 134 and the third valve 135 are closed by the operation command of the control unit 130, and the first separation liquid with the lowest organic solvent concentration is supplied from the first separation liquid storage tank 32c to the connection part 131 via the first separation liquid supply pipe 32e. Furthermore, the valve 132 is opened by the operation command of the control unit 130, thereby supplying the processing liquid composed of the first separation liquid to the surface Wf of the substrate W via the supply pipe 13c and the nozzle 31a. As a result, the water remaining on the surface Wf of the substrate W can be replaced with a processing liquid with the lowest concentration of organic solvent.

[0090] Next, in order to replace the processing liquid composed of the first separation liquid remaining on the surface Wf of the substrate W with a processing liquid composed of a second separation liquid with a higher concentration of organic solvent than the first separation liquid, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to open the second valve 134 and valve 132 and close the first valve 133 and the third valve 135. Next, in order to replace the processing liquid composed of the second separation liquid remaining on the surface Wf of the substrate W with a processing liquid composed of a third separation liquid with a higher concentration of organic solvent than the second separation liquid, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to open the third valve 135 and valve 132 and close the first valve 133 and the second valve 134. Finally, in order to replace the processing liquid composed of the third separation liquid remaining on the surface Wf of the substrate W with a processing liquid composed only of organic solvent, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to open valve 137 and close the first valve 133, the second valve 134, and the third valve 135. In this way, the control unit 130 can sequentially and in stages supply a processing solution with a higher concentration of organic solvent, and finally supply a processing solution composed only of organic solvent, thereby replacing and removing the water remaining on the surface Wf of the substrate W with the processing solution in a shorter time than before.

[0091] Furthermore, the concentration of the organic solvent contained in the processing liquid supplied to the substrate W can also be adjusted by appropriately mixing the first to third separation liquids supplied from the separation liquid storage unit 30, the unused organic solvent supplied from the organic solvent supply unit 13d, and the unused water supplied from the water supply unit 13e. In this case, the control unit 130 issues an operation command in the following manner: while adjusting the flow rate through the flow adjustment valve 143, it independently opens and closes the first valve 133, the second valve 134, and the third valve 135 respectively. In addition, the control unit 130 also issues an operation command for the organic solvent supply unit 13d: while adjusting the flow rate through the flow adjustment valve 145, it opens and closes valve 137; the control unit 130 also issues an operation command for the water supply unit 13e: while adjusting the flow rate through the flow adjustment valve 147, it opens and closes valve 140.

[0092] [Second Implementation]

[0093] The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0094] [Substrate Processing Apparatus]

[0095] [Overall structure of the substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing unit]

[0096] The substrate processing apparatus of the second embodiment has essentially the same configuration as the substrate processing apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, except for the recycling unit of the substrate processing section 110 (see reference). Figure 1Therefore, the detailed descriptions of the indexer unit 120, the control unit 130, and the substrate processing unit 110 are accompanied by the same reference numerals and the descriptions are omitted.

[0097] [Recycling and Reuse Unit]

[0098] Next, refer to the following Figure 3 The structure of the recycling unit in the substrate processing section 110 will be explained. Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the substrate processing unit 1 and the recycling unit 2' of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Furthermore, in Figure 3 In order to clearly express the directional relationships shown in the diagram, the XYZ orthogonal coordinate axes are appropriately displayed. In the same diagram, the XY plane represents the horizontal plane, and the +Z direction represents the vertical direction.

[0099] like Figure 3 As shown, the main difference between the recycling unit 2' of this embodiment and the recycling unit 2' of the first embodiment is that the intermediate discharge liquid storage section 22 is omitted in the separation section 20'. Furthermore, there is also the following difference: in the separation section 20', the separation liquid discharge pipe 27' branches off from the circulation path 26, and the separation liquid discharge pipe 27' is used to supply separation liquid to the separation liquid storage section 30. More specifically, the separation section 20' includes at least a recovery pipe 21, a discharge liquid storage section 24, a separation membrane section 25, a circulation path 26, a separation liquid discharge pipe 27', and a water discharge pipe 28.

[0100] The recovery pipe 21 directly supplies the effluent discharged from the anti-spray cup 14 to the effluent reservoir 24. One end of the recovery pipe 21 is connected to the anti-spray cup 14, and the other end is connected to the effluent reservoir 24. A concentration meter 21b and a valve 21a are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream along the path of the recovery pipe 21. The valve 21a is electrically connected to the control unit 130 and is normally closed. The opening and closing of the valve 21a is controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130. Furthermore, the concentration meter 21b measures the concentration of organic solvents in the effluent discharged from the anti-spray cup 14. The measured value of the concentration of organic solvents in the effluent measured by the concentration meter 21b is input to the control unit 130. The control unit 130 issues an operation command to open and close the valve 21a based on the input measured value of the concentration of organic solvents in the effluent.

[0101] A pump 26a, a separation membrane section 25, and a concentration meter 26b are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream in the circulation path 26. Furthermore, a three-way valve 41 is provided at the branch point where the separation liquid discharge pipe 27' branches off from the circulation path 26. By placing the three-way valve 41 at the branch point, the flow path of the separation liquid flowing in the circulation path 26 can be changed to the separation liquid discharge pipe 27'. The three-way valve 41 is electrically connected to the control unit 130, and the change in the flow path of the three-way valve 41 is controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130.

[0102] The separation liquid discharge pipe 27' branches off from the circulation path 26 and connects to the separation liquid storage section 30. Furthermore, a filter 27a is provided midway along the path of the separation liquid discharge pipe 27', upstream of the branch point where it branches off from the first supply pipe 32a of the first separation liquid storage section 32. The filter 27a removes solids such as particles and impurities such as metal ions contained in the separation liquid. In removing metal ions, an ion exchange resin, for example, can be used as the filter 27a.

[0103] [Substrate Processing Method]

[0104] Next, the substrate processing method using the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be described below. Similar to the first embodiment, the substrate processing method of this embodiment includes: a discharge step, discharging a processing liquid after substrate processing; a separation step, recovering the discharged liquid and removing at least a portion of the water from the recovered discharged liquid; a retention step, independently retaining the separation liquid for different concentrations of organic solvent contained in the separation liquid generated by the separation step; and a supply step, supplying the processing liquid containing at least one of the separation liquids independently retained in the retention step to the surface Wf of the substrate W. Furthermore, since the supply step is the same as in the first embodiment, its description will be omitted below.

[0105] During the discharge step, when the treated liquid captured by the anti-spray cup 14 is discharged as discharge liquid via the recovery pipe 21, the concentration of the organic solvent in the discharge liquid is measured by a concentration meter 21b located midway along the path of the recovery pipe 21. Furthermore, the measured concentration of the organic solvent is input to the control unit 130. If the measured value is determined to be a predetermined value, the control unit 130 issues an actuation command to the valve 21a to open the valve 21a. Thus, discharge liquid with a predetermined organic solvent concentration is supplied to the discharge liquid storage unit 24. When a predetermined amount of discharge liquid is stored in the discharge liquid storage unit 24, the control unit 130 issues an actuation command to the valve 21a to close the valve 21a.

[0106] Next, in the separation step, at least a portion of the water contained in the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24 is removed. That is, the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24 is circulated in the circulation path 26 by the operation of the pump 26a. The discharge liquid flowing in the circulation path 26 is separated in the separation membrane section 25 located in the middle of the circulation path 26, and at least a portion of the water contained in the discharge liquid is removed. The discharge liquid with at least a portion of the water removed is discharged from the separation membrane section 25 as the separated liquid. In addition, the water separated by the separation membrane section 25 is discharged from the water discharge pipe 28. Furthermore, the concentration of organic solvent contained in the separated liquid discharged from the separation membrane section 25 is measured by the concentration meter 26b. The measured value of the concentration of organic solvent is input to the control unit 130. When it is determined that the measured value has reached a predetermined value, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to the three-way valve 41 to change the flow path of the three-way valve 41 to the separated liquid discharge pipe 27'. Therefore, the separated liquid is sent to the separated liquid storage section 30 via the separated liquid discharge pipe 27'. On the other hand, if the measured value of the concentration of the organic solvent does not reach the predetermined value, no operation command is issued to change the flow path of the three-way valve 41, and the separated liquid returns to the discharge liquid storage section 24 via the circulation path 26. The circulation of the separated liquid in the circulation path 26 continues until the measured value of the concentration of the organic solvent measured by the concentration meter 26b becomes the predetermined value. Therefore, the discharge liquid storage section 24 stores the separated liquid in which the concentration of the organic solvent has become the predetermined value. In addition, since a filter 27a is provided in the middle of the path of the separated liquid discharge pipe 27, impurities such as particles are removed from the separated liquid flowing through the separated liquid discharge pipe 27. Furthermore, during the separation step, it is preferable to close the first valve 32b of the first separated liquid storage section 32, the second valve 33b of the second separated liquid storage section 33, and the third valve 34b of the third separated liquid storage section 34 via the operation command of the control unit 130.

[0107] During the storage step, the control unit 130, based on the measured concentration of the organic solvent in the separation liquid in the concentration meter 26b of the separation unit 20', issues an operation command to open one of the first valve 32b, the second valve 33b, and the third valve 34b while closing the others. For example, in the case of the separation liquid with the lowest organic solvent concentration, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to open the first valve 32b and close the second valve 33b and the third valve 34b. Thus, the separation liquid with the lower organic solvent concentration is stored in the first separation liquid storage tank 32c via the first supply pipe 32a. In this way, during the storage step, the separation liquid can be stored in any one of the first separation liquid storage tank 32c, the second separation liquid storage tank 33c, or the third separation liquid storage tank 34c for each concentration of different organic solvents. In the storage step, the first to third separation liquids, which are independently stored in any one of the first separation liquid storage section, the second separation liquid storage section, or the third separation liquid storage section, are reused as processing liquids in the supply step, just as in the case of the first embodiment.

[0108] [Third Implementation Method]

[0109] The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0110] [Substrate Processing Apparatus]

[0111] [Overall structure of the substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing unit]

[0112] The substrate processing apparatus of the third embodiment, except for the recycling unit of the substrate processing section 110, has essentially the same configuration as the substrate processing apparatus 100 of the first and second embodiments (see reference). Figure 1 Therefore, the detailed descriptions of the indexer unit 120, the control unit 130, and the substrate processing unit 110 are accompanied by the same reference numerals and the descriptions are omitted.

[0113] [Recycling and Reuse Unit]

[0114] Next, refer to the following Figure 4 The structure of the recycling unit in the substrate processing section 110 will be explained. Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the substrate processing unit 1 and the recycling unit 2 of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Furthermore, in... Figure 4 In order to clearly express the directional relationships shown in the diagram, the XYZ orthogonal coordinate axes are appropriately displayed. In the same diagram, the XY plane represents the horizontal plane, and the +Z direction represents the vertical direction.

[0115] like Figure 4As shown, the main difference between the recycling unit 2” of this embodiment and the recycling unit 2' of the second embodiment is that the separation unit 20”, which has two first separation membrane sections 25a and a second separation membrane section 25b, can change the flow path of the discharge liquid (or the separated liquid), thereby changing the separation performance. More specifically, the separation unit 20” has at least a recovery pipe 21, a discharge liquid storage section 24, a first separation membrane section 25a, a second separation membrane section 25b, a circulation path 26, a separated liquid discharge pipe 27”, a first water discharge pipe 28a, a second water discharge pipe 28b, and a detour path 29.

[0116] A pump 26a, a first separation membrane section 25a, a first concentration meter 42a, a second separation membrane section 25b, and a second concentration meter 42b are sequentially arranged from upstream to downstream in the circulation path 26. Furthermore, a bypass path 29 is provided in the circulation path 26 to bypass the second separation membrane section 25b. Thus, in this embodiment, a first path and a second path can be formed. The first path allows the discharge liquid (or separated liquid) to flow only in the circulation path 26, while the second path allows the discharge liquid (or separated liquid) to flow in a portion of the circulation path 26 and the bypass path 29. In the first path, since more water can be separated and removed from the discharge liquid (or separated liquid) using both the first and second separation membrane sections 25a and 25b, a separated liquid with a higher concentration of organic solvents can be generated. On the other hand, in the second path, since water is separated and removed from the discharge liquid (or separated liquid) only through the first separation membrane section 25a, a separated liquid with a lower concentration of organic solvents can be generated.

[0117] The first separation membrane section 25a can separate and remove at least a portion of the water contained in the discharged liquid stored in the discharged liquid reservoir 24. Furthermore, the second separation membrane section 25b can separate and remove at least a portion of the water contained in the separation liquid that has been discharged from the first separation membrane section 25a. The same separation membranes used in the first separation membrane section 25a and the second separation membrane section 25b can be used as the separation membranes in the separation membrane section 25 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the water separated in the first separation membrane section 25a is discharged from the first water discharge pipe 28a, and the water separated in the second separation membrane section 25b is discharged from the second water discharge pipe 28b.

[0118] As explained above, since the first separation membrane section 25a and the second separation membrane section 25b are provided in the circulation path 26, the separated liquid obtained by separating at least a portion of the water contained in the discharge liquid through the first separation membrane section 25a and the second separation membrane section 25b can be returned to the discharge liquid storage section 24. Furthermore, a pump 26a is provided midway through the circulation path 26, downstream of the discharge liquid storage section 24 and upstream of the first separation membrane section 25a. Moreover, a first concentration meter 42a is provided downstream of the first separation membrane section 25a to measure the concentration of organic solvents such as IPA in the separated liquid generated by the first separation membrane section 25a. Similarly, a second concentration meter 42b is provided downstream of the second separation membrane section 25b to measure the concentration of organic solvents such as IPA in the separated liquid generated by the second separation membrane section 25b. The concentration values ​​of the organic solvent in the separation liquid, measured by the first concentration meter 42a and the second concentration meter 42b respectively, are input to the control unit 130.

[0119] The detour path 29 is configured such that the separated liquid generated in the first separation membrane section 25a bypasses the second separation membrane section 25b and flows there. More specifically, the detour path 29 is configured such that it branches downstream of the first concentration meter 42a in the circulation path 26 and merges back into the circulation path 26 downstream of the second concentration meter 42b. Furthermore, a first three-way valve 44 is provided at the branch point where the detour path 29 branches from the circulation path 26, and a second three-way valve 45 is provided at the confluence point where the liquid merges back into the circulation path 26. By providing the first three-way valve 44 at the branch point, the flow path of the separated liquid flowing in the circulation path 26 can be changed to the detour path 29. Furthermore, by providing the second three-way valve 45 at the confluence point, the flow path of the separated liquid flowing in the detour path 29 can be changed back to the circulation path 26. The first three-way valve 44 and the second three-way valve 45 are electrically connected to the control unit 130 and are connected independently. The flow path changes of the first three-way valve 44 and the second three-way valve 45 are controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130.

[0120] Furthermore, a first filter 43a and a second filter 43b are sequentially installed from the upstream side to the downstream side along the meandering path 29. Moreover, a separation liquid discharge pipe 27” is piped between the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b in the meandering path 29. The first filter 43a and the second filter 43b can remove solids such as particles and impurities such as metal ions contained in the separation liquid. In the case of removing metal ions, ion exchange resins can be used as the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b, for example.

[0121] The separated liquid discharge pipe 27” branches off from the detour path 29 and connects to the separated liquid storage section 30. A three-way valve 43c is provided at the branch point where the separated liquid discharge pipe 27” branches off from the detour path 29. By providing the three-way valve 43c at the branch point, the flow path of the separated liquid flowing in the detour path 29 can be changed to the separated liquid discharge pipe 27”. The three-way valve 43c is electrically connected to the control unit 130, and the change of the flow path of the three-way valve 43c is controlled by the operation command of the control unit 130.

[0122] [Substrate Processing Method]

[0123] Next, the substrate processing method using the substrate processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be described below. Similar to the first and second embodiments, the substrate processing method of this embodiment includes: a discharge step, discharging a processing liquid after substrate processing; a separation step, recovering the discharged liquid and removing at least a portion of the water from the recovered discharged liquid; a retention step, independently retaining the separation liquid for different concentrations of organic solvent contained in the separation liquid generated by the separation step; and a supply step, supplying a processing liquid containing at least one of the separation liquids independently retained in the retention step to the surface Wf of the substrate W. Furthermore, since the discharge step is the same as in the second embodiment and the supply step is the same as in the first embodiment, the description of the discharge step and the supply step will be omitted below.

[0124] The separation step removes at least a portion of the water contained in the effluent stored in the effluent reservoir 24. In the case of water removal from the effluent in the first path, the effluent stored in the effluent reservoir 24 is circulated in the circulation path 26 by the operation of pump 26a. The effluent flowing in the circulation path 26 is separated in the first separation membrane section 25a located midway through the circulation path 26, and at least a portion of the water contained in the effluent is removed. The effluent with at least a portion of the water removed is discharged from the first separation membrane section 25a as the separated liquid. Furthermore, the water separated by the first separation membrane section 25a is discharged from the first water discharge pipe 28a. Moreover, the concentration of the organic solvent contained in the separated liquid discharged from the first separation membrane section 25a is measured by a first concentration meter 42a. The measured concentration of the organic solvent is input to the control unit 130. If it is determined that the measured value has not reached the predetermined value, no flow path change is initiated on the first three-way valve 44, and the separated liquid is supplied to the second separation membrane section 25b. Furthermore, at least a portion of the water contained in the separated liquid is removed in the second separation membrane section 25b. The water separated from the second separation membrane section 25b is discharged from the second water discharge pipe 28b. In addition, the control unit 130 initiates an operation command on the second three-way valve 45 in a manner that the circulation path 26 and the detour path 29 are not connected. As a result, the separated liquid, which has been further dewatered in the second separation membrane section 25b, flows directly in the circulation path 26 and returns to the discharge liquid storage section 24. The circulation of the separated liquid in the circulation path 26 continues until the measured concentration of the organic solvent in the second concentration meter 42b reaches the predetermined value. As a result, more water is removed, thereby obtaining a separated liquid with a higher concentration of organic solvent, which is stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24.

[0125] On the other hand, in the case where water is removed from the discharge liquid in the second path, the discharge liquid stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24 is circulated in the circulation path 26 and supplied to the first separation membrane section 25a by the operation of pump 26a. After at least a portion of the water in the discharge liquid is removed in the first separation membrane section 25a, the concentration of organic solvent contained in the resulting separated liquid is measured by the first concentration meter 42a. The measured value of the concentration of organic solvent is input to the control unit 130. When it is determined that the measured value has reached a predetermined value, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to the first three-way valve 44 in such a way that the flow path is changed from the circulation path 26 to the detour path 29. As a result, the separated liquid is sent out to the detour path 29. Here, when the separated liquid is supplied to the separated liquid storage section 30, the control unit 130 also issues an operation command to the three-way valve 43c in such a way that the flow path is changed from the detour path 29 to the separated liquid discharge pipe 27”. As a result, the separated liquid flowing in the detour path 29 is sent to the separated liquid storage section 30 through the separated liquid discharge pipe 27”. On the other hand, when the separated liquid is stored in the discharge liquid storage section 24, the control unit 130 does not issue an operation command to the three-way valve 43c to change the flow path from the detour path 29 to the separated liquid discharge pipe 27. Furthermore, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to the second three-way valve 45 to change the flow path from the detour path 29 to the downstream side of the circulation path 26. Thus, the separated liquid flowing in the detour path 29 flows back to the circulation path 26 and then returns to the discharge liquid storage section 24. In addition, a first filter 43a and a second filter 43b are provided midway along the path of the detour path 29. Therefore, impurities such as particulates are removed from the separated liquid supplied to the discharge liquid storage section 24 and / or the separated liquid storage section 30. Furthermore, it is preferable to close the first valve 32b of the first separated liquid storage section 32, the second valve 33b of the second separated liquid storage section 33, and the third valve 34b of the third separated liquid storage section 34 via an operation command from the control unit 130 during the separation step.

[0126] During the storage step, the control unit 130, based on the measured concentrations of the organic solvent in the separation liquid in the first concentration meter 42a and the second concentration meter 42b of the separation unit 20", issues an operation command to open one of the first valve 32b, the second valve 33b, and the third valve 34b while closing the others. For example, in the case where the concentration of the organic solvent in the separation liquid is minimal, the control unit 130 issues an operation command to open the first valve 32b and close the second valve 33b and the third valve 34b. Thus, the separation liquid with a lower concentration of organic solvent passes through the first... A supply pipe 32a is stored in a first separation liquid storage tank 32c. Thus, during the storage step, the separation liquid can be stored in any one of the first separation liquid storage tank 32c, the second separation liquid storage tank 33c, or the third separation liquid storage tank 34c for each concentration of different organic solvents. During the storage step, the first to third separation liquids, which are independently stored in any one of the first, second, or third separation liquid storage sections, are reused as processing liquids in the supply step, similar to the cases in the first and second embodiments.

[0127] [Other matters]

[0128] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical concept substantially the same as that described in the claims of the present invention.

[0129] For example, in the first to third embodiments, the case where a first separation liquid reservoir, a second separation liquid reservoir, and a third separation liquid reservoir are used as examples for description. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, as long as at least two or more separation liquid reservoirs are provided. In this case, the configuration of the supply unit can also be appropriately changed depending on the number of separation liquid reservoirs. More specifically, the number of separation liquid supply pipes used to supply separation liquid to the multi-way valve and the number of valves, pumps, and flow regulating valves provided along the path of the separation liquid supply pipes can be appropriately changed depending on the number of separation liquid reservoirs.

[0130] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the example described is the case where water that has been separated from the discharge liquid (or separation liquid) in the separation membrane section is discarded through a water discharge pipe. However, the present invention is not limited to this method, and the separated water can also be reused. In this case, for example, the water discharge pipe for waste water can be connected to the water storage section of the water supply section for supplying unused water. Thus, the water separated in the separation membrane section can replace the unused water in the treatment liquid and be reused.

[0131] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0132] 1: Substrate processing unit

[0133] 2, 2', 2”: Recycling and reuse unit

[0134] 13: Supply Department

[0135] 13a: Nozzle

[0136] 13b: Multi-way valve

[0137] 13c: Supply pipe

[0138] 13d: Organic Solvent Supply Department

[0139] 13e: Water Supply Department

[0140] 14: Prevents bra cups from scattering

[0141] 20, 20', 20”: Separation section

[0142] 21: Recycling pipe

[0143] 21a: Valve

[0144] 21b: Concentration meter

[0145] 22: Intermediate discharge liquid storage section

[0146] 23: Drainage liquid discharge pipe

[0147] 23a: Valve

[0148] 23b: Pump

[0149] 24: Drainage liquid storage section

[0150] 24a: Discharge liquid temperature adjustment section

[0151] 25: Membrane Separation Section

[0152] 25a: First separation membrane section

[0153] 25b: Second separation membrane section

[0154] 26: Loop Path

[0155] 26a: Pump

[0156] 26b: Concentration meter

[0157] 27, 27', 27”: Separation liquid discharge pipe

[0158] 27a: Filter

[0159] 28: Water drain pipe

[0160] 28a: First water discharge pipe

[0161] 28b: Second water discharge pipe

[0162] 29: Detour Path

[0163] 30: Separation liquid storage section

[0164] 31: Concentration meter

[0165] 31a: Nozzle

[0166] 32: First Separated Liquid Storage Section

[0167] 32a: First supply pipe

[0168] 32b: First valve

[0169] 32c: First Separated Liquid Storage Tank

[0170] 32d: First separation liquid circulation path

[0171] 32e: First separation liquid supply pipe

[0172] 32f: First pump

[0173] 32g: First filter

[0174] 33: Second Separation Liquid Storage Section

[0175] 33a: Second supply pipe

[0176] 33b: Second valve

[0177] 33c: Second Separation Liquid Storage Tank

[0178] 33d: Second separation liquid circulation path

[0179] 33e: Second separation liquid supply pipe

[0180] 33f: Second pump

[0181] 33g: Second filter

[0182] 34: Third Separator Retention Section

[0183] 34a: Third Supply Pipe

[0184] 34b: Third valve

[0185] 34c: Third Separation Liquid Storage Tank

[0186] 34d: Third Separator Circulation Path

[0187] 34e: Third separation liquid supply pipe

[0188] 34f: Third pump

[0189] 34g: Third filter

[0190] 41: Three-way valve

[0191] 42a: First Concentration Meter

[0192] 42b: Second Concentration Meter

[0193] 43a: First filter

[0194] 43b: Second filter

[0195] 43c: Three-way valve

[0196] 44: First three-way valve

[0197] 45: Second three-way valve

[0198] 130: Control Department

[0199] 131: Connecting part

[0200] 132: Valve

[0201] 133: First valve

[0202] 134: Second valve

[0203] 135: Third valve

[0204] 136: Supply Management

[0205] 137: Valve

[0206] 138: Organic solvent storage section

[0207] 139: Supply Management

[0208] 141: Water Storage Department

[0209] W: substrate

[0210] Wf: Surface

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing the patterned surface of a substrate, wherein, have: The separation section recovers the effluent containing organic solvents and water discharged after the substrate processing, and removes at least a portion of the water from the recovered effluent. A plurality of separation liquid storage sections independently store the separation liquid for different concentrations of the organic solvent contained in the separation liquid generated by removing at least a portion of the water from the discharge liquid through the separation section; as well as The supply unit supplies a processing liquid, comprising at least one of the separation liquids that are independently stored in a plurality of separation liquid storage units, to the pattern forming surface of the substrate.

2. The substrate processing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein, The plurality of separation liquid storage sections are provided with a separation liquid circulation path to export the stored separation liquid and return it to each of the separation liquid storage sections; A filter is installed midway through the separation liquid circulation path to remove impurities contained in the separation liquid.

3. The substrate processing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein, The separating section includes: The effluent storage section stores the recovered effluent; The separation membrane section separates and removes at least a portion of the water from the effluent discharged from the effluent reservoir. A circulation path supplies the effluent stored in the effluent reservoir to the separation membrane section, and returns the separated liquid generated in the separation membrane section to the effluent reservoir; and A water discharge pipe is connected to the separation membrane section and discharges the water separated by the separation membrane section.

4. The substrate processing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein, The supply unit includes a multi-way valve that selectively supplies the processing liquid, comprising at least one of the separation liquids supplied from a plurality of separation liquid storage units, to the pattern forming surface.

5. The substrate processing apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein, The supply department also has: The organic solvent supply department supplies unused organic solvents; and The water supply department supplies unused water. The multi-way valve mixes the organic solvent supplied from the organic solvent supply unit and / or the water supplied from the water supply unit with the separation liquid supplied from at least one of the plurality of separation liquid storage units to generate the treatment liquid.

6. A substrate processing method for processing the patterned surface of a substrate, wherein, Include: The separation step involves recovering the effluent containing organic solvents and water discharged after the substrate treatment, and removing at least a portion of the water from the recovered effluent. The storage step involves independently storing the separated liquid for different concentrations of the organic solvent contained in the separated liquid generated by removing at least a portion of the water from the effluent through the separation step. as well as The supply step involves supplying a processing liquid containing at least one of the separation liquids, which are stored separately, to the patterning surface of the substrate.

7. The substrate processing method as described in claim 6, wherein, The storage step involves exporting the stored separation liquid, removing impurities from the exported separation liquid, and then returning and recycling the separation liquid.

8. The substrate processing method as described in claim 6, wherein, The separation step includes the following steps: The recovered effluent is stored; While circulating the stored effluent, at least a portion of the water contained in the effluent is separated and removed; and The water separated from the effluent is discharged.

9. The substrate processing method as described in claim 6, wherein, The supply step selectively supplies the processing liquid, comprising at least one of the separation liquids respectively supplied, to the pattern forming surface.

10. The substrate processing method as described in claim 9, wherein, The supply step mixes unused organic solvent and / or unused water with at least one of the separation liquids stored in the storage step to generate the treatment liquid.

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