Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

To provide a technology for separating a mixed vapor of IPA vapor and water vapor.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus related to the technology disclosed in the present specification includes a processing chamber that contains a processing tank in which pure water is stored and that processes substrates by immersing them in the pure water, an organic solvent vapor supply unit that supplies organic solvent vapor into the processing chamber, a lifter that, when removing the substrate immersed in pure water from the processing tank, lifts the substrate while bringing the organic solvent vapor into contact with the substrate, an intake unit that draws in mixed vapor generated in the processing chamber from inside the processing chamber, and a separation membrane that separates pure water vapor and organic solvent vapor in the mixed vapor drawn in by the intake unit, the mixed vapor containing pure water vapor and organic solvent vapor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a technology for extracting an organic solvent from a vapor mixture of pure water and an organic solvent discharged during substrate processing. Substrates to be processed include, for example, semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, substrates for flat panel displays (FPDs) such as organic electroluminescence (EL) displays, substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, substrates for magneto-optical disks, glass substrates for photomasks, ceramic substrates, substrates for field emission displays (FEDs), and substrates for solar cells. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a substrate manufacturing process, an immersion type substrate processing apparatus is known that processes a substrate by immersing the substrate in a processing liquid such as deionized water (DIW) or a chemical liquid.

[0003] An immersion type substrate processing apparatus includes a processing tank for storing a processing liquid used for processing the substrates, and the substrates are subjected to cleaning and other processes in the processing tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-85943 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for concentrating an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) liquid from a mixture of IPA liquid and pure water, but does not disclose anything about concentrating a mixture of IPA vapor and water vapor.

[0006] The technology disclosed in the present specification has been developed in consideration of the problems described above, and is a technology that focuses on separating a mixed vapor of organic solvent vapor (IPA vapor) and water vapor, which has not been solved by the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A substrate processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification includes a processing chamber that contains a processing tank containing pure water and processes a substrate by immersing the substrate in the pure water, an organic solvent vapor supply unit that supplies organic solvent vapor into the processing chamber, a lifter that, when removing the substrate immersed in the pure water from the processing tank, lifts the substrate while bringing the organic solvent vapor into contact with the substrate, an intake unit that draws mixed vapor generated in the processing chamber out of the processing chamber, and a separation membrane that separates the pure water vapor and the organic solvent vapor in the mixed vapor drawn in by the intake unit, wherein the mixed vapor contains the pure water vapor and the organic solvent vapor. A substrate processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification is related to the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect, and includes a separation membrane housed within a housing, and an intake unit including a pipe directly connecting the processing chamber to the housing, an intake port attached to the connection between the processing chamber and the pipe, a pump that draws in the mixed vapor from within the processing chamber through the intake port, and a valve that adjusts the amount of mixed vapor drawn in by the pump. A substrate processing apparatus according to a third aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification relates to the substrate processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, in which the separation membrane is a zeolite membrane. A substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification is related to any one of the first to third aspects of the substrate processing apparatus, and further includes a heater that heats the mixed vapor inhaled by the intake section, and the separation membrane separates the mixed vapor heated by the heater into the pure water vapor and the organic solvent vapor. A substrate processing apparatus that is a fifth aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification is related to any one of the substrate processing apparatuses that are the first to fourth aspects, and further includes a cooler that cools the organic solvent vapor separated by the separation membrane. A substrate processing apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification is related to the substrate processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, and further includes a first tank for storing the organic solvent separated by the separation membrane. A substrate processing apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification is related to the substrate processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, and further includes a second tank for storing the pure water separated by the separation membrane. The substrate processing apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the technology disclosed in the present specification is related to the substrate processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, and the separation membrane is permeable to the vapor of the pure water but not to the vapor of the organic solvent. A substrate processing method according to a ninth aspect of the technology disclosed herein includes a substrate immersion step of immersing a substrate in a processing tank accommodated in a processing chamber and storing pure water; an organic solvent vapor introduction step of supplying vapor of an organic solvent into the processing chamber together with the substrate immersion step; a lifting step of lifting the substrate immersed in the pure water from the processing tank; an organic solvent vapor substitution step of supplying vapor of the organic solvent into the processing chamber together with the lifting step to replace the pure water adhering to the substrate with the vapor of the organic solvent; and an organic solvent separation step of bringing a mixed vapor generated in the processing chamber by the organic solvent vapor substitution step into contact with at least a part of a separation membrane to separate the vapor of the organic solvent from the mixed vapor, wherein the organic solvent vapor substitution step and the organic solvent separation step are performed in parallel, and the mixed vapor contains vapor of the pure water and vapor of the organic solvent. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to at least the first aspect of the technique disclosed in the present specification, it is possible to separate a mixed vapor of IPA vapor and water vapor.

[0009] Furthermore, objects, features, aspects, and advantages associated with the technology disclosed herein will become more apparent from the detailed description and accompanying drawings set forth below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 2 is a diagram specifically illustrating an example of the configuration of a dehydration unit in the configuration shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control target of a control unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the experimental results of the relationship between the change in IPA concentration and the temperature in a mixed liquid of IPA liquid and pure water, in which the proportion of IPA liquid is 70 wt %. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, detailed features are shown for the purpose of explaining the technology, but these are merely examples and are not necessarily essential features for enabling the embodiments to be implemented.

[0012] The drawings are schematic, and for the sake of convenience, components may be omitted or simplified as appropriate. The relative sizes and positions of components shown in different drawings are not necessarily accurately depicted and may be changed as appropriate. Hatching may also be used in drawings such as plan views that are not cross-sectional views to facilitate understanding of the embodiments.

[0013] In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them may be omitted to avoid duplication.

[0014] Furthermore, in the description given in this specification, when a certain component is described as "comprising," "including," or "having," unless otherwise specified, this is not an exclusive expression that excludes the presence of other components.

[0015] Furthermore, although ordinal numbers such as "first" or "second" may be used in the descriptions in this specification, these terms are used for convenience to facilitate understanding of the contents of the embodiments, and the contents of the embodiments are not limited to the order that may result from these ordinal numbers.

[0016] <Embodiment> The substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described below.

[0017] <Configuration of the substrate processing apparatus> Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. In Fig. 1, a plurality of substrates 12 are arranged parallel to the plane of the paper. Note that a plurality of similarly arranged substrates 12 may be arranged in the y-axis direction in Fig. 1.

[0018] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a substrate processing section 18 having a processing tank 14, an IPA vaporization section 16, a dehydration section 20, and a control section 22.

[0019] The substrate processing unit 18 includes a processing chamber 18A that houses the processing tank 14. In the substrate processing unit 18, the substrates 12 are processed by immersing them in the processing liquid in the processing tank 14. The substrates 12 are lowered while being held in an upright position by a lifter 14C, and, for example, a plurality of substrates are immersed in the processing liquid at one time for processing.

[0020] After the processing, the substrate 12 is lifted vertically upward by the lifter 14C and removed from the processing bath 14.

[0021] The processing tank 14 is a container that stores a processing liquid 30 for processing the substrate 12. The substrate 12 is immersed in the processing liquid 30 stored in the processing tank 14, thereby performing a cleaning process on the substrate 12. The processing liquid 30 is, for example, pure water or phosphoric acid, which is an etching liquid.

[0022] A processing liquid discharge unit 14A and a drain pipe 14B connected to the processing liquid discharge unit 14A are provided at the bottom of the processing tank 14. The processing liquid discharge unit 14A quickly discharges the processing liquid in the processing tank 14 through the drain pipe 14B during QDR (quick dump rinse) processing. QDR is repeatedly performed, for example, three times, on a set of multiple substrates.

[0023] 1, the substrate processing unit 18 is connected to a supply pipe 42, a branch pipe 44, a branch pipe 46, and a branch pipe 48. IPA (isopropyl alcohol) vapor and nitrogen (N2) can be supplied to the substrate processing unit 18 from a pipe 40 and a nitrogen supply pipe 50, respectively.

[0024] Furthermore, the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 is directly connected to an exhaust pipe 54. An intake port 18B is attached to the connection between the processing chamber 18A and the exhaust pipe 54. The substrate processing unit 18 exhausts gas from the processing chamber 18A through the exhaust pipe 54. That is, the gas from the processing chamber 18A is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 54.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 22 appropriately controls the operation of the substrate processing unit 18 (e.g., the processing liquid discharge unit 14A, the lifter 14C), the IPA vaporization unit 16 (e.g., the heater 16A), the dehydration unit 20 (e.g., the heater 24 and the cooler 26 described below), and the valves and pumps 54A provided in the respective piping.

[0026] The control unit 22 is configured, for example, by a general-purpose computer having electrical circuits. As an example, the control unit 22 is configured to include a CPU (Central Processor Unit) as a central processing unit that performs various arithmetic processing (data processing), a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores basic programs and the like, a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work area when the CPU performs predetermined processing (data processing), a storage device configured by a nonvolatile storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive, and a bus line connecting these components to each other. The storage device or RAM may store a program that defines the processing to be performed by the control unit 22. In this case, for example, the CPU may execute the program to control each unit of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and the processing defined by the program may be performed in the substrate processing apparatus 1. In other words, the CPU may execute the program to implement a circuit in the control unit 22 that performs the processing defined by the program. However, part or all of the control performed by the control unit 22 (part or all of the circuitry implemented by the control unit 22) may be executed (implemented) by hardware such as a dedicated logic circuit.

[0027] In FIG. 1 , the nitrogen supply source 2 supplies nitrogen via a nitrogen supply pipe 50. The nitrogen supply pipe 50 is provided with a filter 50A that removes particles and the like from the supplied nitrogen, a valve 50B that adjusts the flow rate of the supplied nitrogen under the control of the control unit 22, and a heater 50C that heats the supplied nitrogen under the control of the control unit 22. The set temperature of the heater 50C is, for example, 60°C. The nitrogen supply pipe 50 is connected to a supply pipe 42, and the nitrogen flowing through the nitrogen supply pipe 50 further flows to the supply pipe 42. The nitrogen is further supplied to the substrate processing unit 18 via branch pipes 44 and 46 that branch off from the supply pipe 42. The supply pipe 42 is provided with a heater 42B that heats the gas flowing through the supply pipe 42 under the control of the control unit 22, and a valve 42A that adjusts the flow rate of the gas flowing through the supply pipe 42 under the control of the control unit 22. The set temperature of the heater 42B is, for example, 80°C. The branch pipe 44 is provided with a valve 44A that adjusts the flow rate of the gas that flows into the branch pipe 44 after branching from the supply pipe 42 under the control of the control unit 22. The branch pipe 46 is provided with a valve 46A that adjusts the flow rate of the gas that flows into the branch pipe 46 after branching from the supply pipe 42 under the control of the control unit 22, and a heater 46B that heats the gas flowing through the branch pipe 46 under the control of the control unit 22. The set temperature of the heater 46B is, for example, 80°C. Furthermore, a branch pipe 48 branches off from the branch pipe 46, and nitrogen flowing through the branch pipe 48 is supplied to the substrate processing unit 18. The branch pipe 48 is provided with a valve 48A that adjusts the flow rate of the gas that flows into the branch pipe 48 after branching from the branch pipe 46 under the control of the control unit 22.

[0028] The IPA supply source 4 supplies IPA (liquid) via an IPA supply pipe 38. The IPA supply pipe 38 is provided with a valve 38A that adjusts the flow rate of the supplied IPA liquid under the control of the control unit 22, and a filter 38B that removes particles and the like from the supplied IPA liquid.

[0029] The IPA vaporizer 16 includes a heater 16A, a tank 16B, a valve 38A, a filter 38B, and a valve 40A. It vaporizes liquid IPA supplied from the IPA supply source 4 via an IPA supply pipe 38, and supplies the IPA vapor to the processing chamber 18A via a pipe 40. The IPA vaporizer 16 is connected to a heater 16A, and in the IPA vaporizer 16, the heater 16A heats and vaporizes the liquid IPA. The set temperature of the heater 16A is, for example, 70°C.

[0030] The IPA vapor vaporized in the IPA vaporizer 16 flows from pipe 40 to supply pipe 42, and is then supplied to the substrate processing unit 18 via branch pipes 44 and 46 that branch off from supply pipe 42. Branch pipe 48 branches off from branch pipe 46, and the IPA vapor flowing through branch pipe 48 is supplied to processing chamber 18A. The organic solvent vapor supply unit includes the IPA vaporizer 16, pipe 40, supply pipe 42, branch pipe 44, and branch pipe 46.

[0031] The IPA vapor supplied to processing chamber 18A mixes with water vapor to form mixed vapor, which is then sucked into spinning unit 20 via intake port 18B and exhaust piping 54. Exhaust piping 54 is provided with pump 54A that draws in the mixed vapor from processing chamber 18A and flows it to spinning unit 20, and valve 54B that adjusts the flow rate of the mixed vapor flowing through exhaust piping 54 under the control of control unit 22. The exhaust piping 54, intake port 18B, pump 54A, and valve 54B constitute intake unit 1005. Intake unit 1005 sucks in the mixed vapor from processing chamber 18A. The reason why water vapor is generated in processing chamber 18A will be described later.

[0032] The dehydration unit 20 dehydrates the mixed vapor of water vapor and IPA vapor taken in through the exhaust pipe 54, ultimately separating it into pure water and IPA. The separated pure water (water vapor) is then exhausted through the exhaust pipe 58, and the separated IPA vapor is recovered into the recovery tank 1000 through the recovery pipe 56. Alternatively, the concentrated IPA may be discharged from the recovery tank 1000 through a drain pipe (not shown) without being reused for substrate processing. Alternatively, the concentrated IPA recovered in the recovery tank 1000 may be reused for substrate processing as needed. Specifically, when the concentrated IPA is reused for substrate processing, it is resupplied as the IPA liquid for substrate processing through a connection pipe 1000A connecting the recovery tank 1000 and the IPA supply source 4, with the supply amount of IPA (liquid) controlled by the control unit 22 using a valve 1000B provided on the connection pipe 1000A. The pure water (water vapor) separated from the mixed vapor in the dehydration unit 20 is exhausted to the exhaust tank 1002 through the exhaust pipe 58. The recovery pipe 56 is provided with a valve 56A that adjusts the flow rate of IPA vapor flowing through the recovery pipe 56 under the control of the control unit 22. The exhaust pipe 58 is provided with a valve 58A that adjusts the flow rate of water vapor flowing through the exhaust pipe 58 under the control of the control unit 22. The valves 56A and 58A can be switched between open and closed states. By switching, for example, by opening the valve 56A only when a gas mixture containing IPA vapor is dehydrated in the dehydration unit 20, it is possible to control the recovery of only IPA (liquid) in the recovery tank 1000.

[0033] Fig. 2 is a diagram specifically illustrating an example of the configuration of the dehydration unit 20 in the configuration shown in Fig. 1. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the dehydration unit 20 mainly includes a heater 24 that heats the mixed steam supplied via an exhaust pipe 54, a separation membrane 23 that separates pure water (water vapor) and IPA (vapor) from the mixed steam heated by the heater 24, and a cooler 26 that cools the IPA vapor separated by the separation membrane 23. In addition, a branch pipe 1004 branching off from the exhaust pipe 54 within the dehydration unit 20 is connected to the upstream side of the heater 24 and the downstream side of the separation membrane 23, and serves as a detour for the gas supplied from the exhaust pipe 54 to be exhausted without passing through the separation membrane 23. A valve 54C is provided in the discharge pipe 54, and a valve 1004A is provided in the branch pipe 1004, downstream of the point where the discharge pipe 54 and the branch pipe 1004 are connected. The control unit 22 controls the opening and closing of these valves, making it possible to select a path that passes through the separation membrane 23 or a path that does not pass through the separation membrane 23. The heater 24, the separation membrane 23, and the cooler 26 are housed in a housing 20A. The housing 20A is directly connected to the discharge pipe 54. The pure water (water vapor) separated by the separation membrane 23 is exhausted via an exhaust pipe 58. The IPA liquid cooled and liquefied in the cooler 26 is recovered in the recovery tank 1000 via a recovery pipe 56.

[0034] The separation membrane 23 is, for example, a zeolite membrane formed of zeolite. The separation membrane 23 is permeable to water vapor but not to IPA vapor. Zeolite is, for example, a zeolite membrane made of a tetrahedral structure of basic units (e.g., (SiO4) 4- and (AlO4) 5- The zeolite membrane has a crystalline structure in which water molecules and IPA molecules (basic units containing at least one of the above) are interconnected. The IPA concentration compatible with zeolite membranes is 50 wt% to 99 wt%. Separation membrane 23 separates water molecules from IPA molecules by utilizing the difference in size between the two (allowing only water molecules to pass through), and is expected to be used when the IPA concentration (reference concentration) in the liquid is 50 wt% or higher. Separation performance of separation membrane 23 improves as the temperature of the liquid or gas passing through it increases. In this embodiment, the higher the temperature of the mixed vapor passing through separation membrane 23, the more easily water molecules in the mixed vapor are adsorbed to the holes (crystal gaps) of separation membrane 23.

[0035] The separation membrane 23 is not limited to a zeolite membrane. For example, the separation membrane 23 may be an organic separation membrane. The organic separation membrane is an organic membrane formed, for example, of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyimide, or the like. The IPA concentration compatible with the organic separation membrane is 70 wt% to 99 wt%. The separation membrane 23 may also be a CNT (carbon nanotube) separation membrane. The CNT separation membrane is obtained, for example, by adding carbon nanotubes to a membrane such as polyamide. The IPA concentration compatible with the CNT separation membrane is 5 wt% to 10 wt%. The separation membrane 23 may also be formed from a two-dimensional material. The two-dimensional material is a material composed of one atomic layer, specifically, molybdenum sulfide (MoS2), a composite atomic layer compound of an early transition metal (titanium, vanadium, etc.) and a light element (carbon or nitrogen), etc. The IPA concentration compatible with a separation membrane made of a two-dimensional material is 70 wt% to 99 wt%. Separation membrane 23 may be formed from a MOF (Metal Organic Frameworks) material or a carbon material (e.g., graphene, graphene oxide, etc.). The IPA concentration compatible with separation membranes made of MOF material is 5 wt% to 99 wt%. The IPA concentration compatible with separation membranes made of carbon material is 70 wt% to 99 wt%. The type of separation membrane 23 can be determined depending on the IPA concentration of the mixed vapor.

[0036] <Operation of the substrate processing apparatus> Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 9. Here, Fig. 3 to Fig. 8 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Also, Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Note that this operation is executed by the control unit 22.

[0037] First, a substrate immersion step is performed in which a plurality of substrates 12 after chemical processing are immersed in pure water in the processing bath 14 of the substrate processing unit 18 to perform cleaning processing.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, while multiple substrates 12 are immersed in the processing solution, nitrogen is supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 while the pressure inside the processing chamber 18A is reduced by pump 54A via exhaust pipe 54 (step ST1 in FIG. 9). In FIG. 3, nitrogen is supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 from nitrogen supply source 2 via nitrogen supply pipe 50, supply pipe 42, branch pipe 44, and branch pipe 46 (a path in which valves 50B, 44A, and 46A are open). However, nitrogen may be supplied into the processing chamber 18A via another path, for example, a path that does not branch from supply pipe 42 or that is supplied via branch pipe 48 (a path in which valves 42A and 48A are open). The gas inside the processing chamber 18A exhausted from exhaust pipe 54 is exhausted from exhaust pipe 58 via branch pipe 1004 in dehydration unit 20 (a path in which valves 54B, 1004A, and 58A are open). This process fills the processing chamber 18A with nitrogen. Step ST1 is performed for, for example, 40 to 45 seconds.

[0039] 4, while the plurality of substrates 12 remain immersed in the processing solution, an organic solvent vapor introduction step is performed in which IPA vapor is supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 while the pressure inside the processing chamber 18A is reduced by a pump 54A via an exhaust pipe 54. In FIG. 4, IPA previously supplied from the IPA supply source 4 to the IPA vaporizer 16 is heated by a heater 16A to be vaporized, and then supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 via a route that passes through pipe 40, supply pipe 42, branch pipe 44, and branch pipe 46 (a route in which valves 40A, 44A, and 46A are open). However, IPA vapor may also be supplied into the processing chamber 18A via other routes, such as a route that does not branch from the supply pipe 42 or that is supplied via a branch pipe 48 (a route in which valves 42A and 48A are open). The gas (nitrogen) inside processing chamber 18A that has been exhausted from exhaust pipe 54 is exhausted from exhaust pipe 58 via branch pipe 1004 in dehydration unit 20 (path in which valves 54B, 1004A, and 58A are open). By this step (step ST2 in FIG. 9), the nitrogen inside processing chamber 18A is replaced with high-temperature IPA vapor.

[0040] Next, as shown in an example in Fig. 5, IPA vapor is supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 while exhaust from the processing chamber 18A is stopped (step ST3 in Fig. 9). In Fig. 5, IPA in the IPA vaporizer 16 is heated by the heater 16A to be vaporized, and then supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 via a route that passes through the pipe 40, the supply pipe 42, the branch pipe 44, and the branch pipe 46. However, IPA vapor may also be supplied into the processing chamber 18A via another route, for example, a route that does not branch from the supply pipe 42 or that is supplied via the branch pipe 48. This step fills the processing chamber 18A with IPA vapor.

[0041] Next, as shown in FIG. 6 , a lifting step is performed to lift the substrates 12 from the processing bath 14 in the processing chamber 18A, and an organic solvent vapor replacement step is performed to supply IPA vapor into the processing chamber 18A (step ST4 in FIG. 9 ). In FIG. 6 , IPA in the IPA vaporizer 16 is heated and vaporized by the heater 16A, and then supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 via a route that includes the pipe 40, the supply pipe 42, the branch pipe 44, and the branch pipe 46. However, the IPA vapor may also be supplied into the processing chamber 18A via another route, for example, a route that does not branch from the supply pipe 42 or that is supplied via the branch pipe 48. In the organic solvent vapor replacement step, the pure water adhering to the substrates 12 lifted from the processing bath 14 is replaced with IPA vapor. In this process, the high-temperature IPA vapor comes into contact with the pure water in the processing chamber 18A, heating and evaporating the pure water adhering to the substrates, generating a mixed vapor of IPA vapor and water vapor. The organic solvent vapor replacement step continues for a predetermined replacement time (for example, 10 to 50 seconds).

[0042] In this embodiment, in parallel with the organic solvent vapor replacement step, an intake step is performed in which the pressure inside processing chamber 18A of substrate processing unit 18 is reduced by pump 54A via exhaust piping 54, while valve 54B is opened, and a mixed vapor of IPA vapor and water vapor inside processing chamber 18A is sucked (exhausted) from intake port 18B into exhaust piping 54 (step ST5 in FIG. 9 ). The mixed vapor sucked in from intake port 18B is sent to spinning unit 20 via exhaust piping 54.

[0043] The mixed vapor of IPA vapor and water vapor in the processing chamber 18A, which is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 54 (air is drawn in from the intake port 18B) by opening the valve 54C, is sent to the dehydration unit 20, where a heating step is performed in which the mixed vapor is heated in the heater 24 (step ST6 in FIG. 9 ). The mixed vapor heated in step ST6 is brought into contact with at least a portion of the separation membrane 23, thereby separating (extracting) the organic solvent (IPA) vapor (step ST7 in FIG. 9 ). That is, an organic solvent separation step is performed in which the mixed vapor is brought into contact with at least a portion of the separation membrane 23, thereby separating (extracting) the organic solvent vapor from the mixed vapor. The separated water vapor is then exhausted via the exhaust pipe 58 (a path in which the valves 54B, 54C, and 58A are open). The separated IPA vapor is then liquefied by a cooling step in which it is cooled in the cooler 26, and is then recovered as IPA liquid in the recovery tank 1000 via the recovery pipe 56 (valve 56A is open) (step ST8 in FIG. 9 ).

[0044] Note that step ST4 and steps ST5 to ST8 are performed in parallel. Therefore, in this embodiment, the mixed vapor generated in processing chamber 18A in the organic solvent vapor substitution step (step ST4) is separated into IPA vapor and water vapor, the IPA vapor is liquefied and stored as IPA liquid, and the water vapor is exhausted.

[0045] In the organic solvent vapor replacement step, when the replacement time has elapsed, the operation of supplying IPA vapor into the processing chamber 18A is stopped.

[0046] Next, while the substrate is still lifted, the process chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 is depressurized by pump 54A via exhaust pipe 54, and nitrogen is supplied into the process chamber 18A to replace the IPA vapor in the process chamber 18A with nitrogen, thereby performing an IPA vapor removal process (step ST9 in FIG. 9 ). Nitrogen is supplied from nitrogen source 2 to the process chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 via nitrogen supply pipe 50, supply pipe 42, branch pipe 44, and branch pipe 46 (a route in which valves 50B, 44A, and 46A are open). However, nitrogen may also be supplied to the process chamber 18A via another route, for example, a route that does not branch from supply pipe 42 or that is supplied via branch pipe 48 (a route in which valves 42A and 48A are open). This process fills the process chamber 18A with nitrogen. Step ST9 is performed for, for example, 90 seconds.

[0047] Next, as shown in FIG. 8, a drying step is performed in which nitrogen is supplied into the processing chamber 18A while the exhaust of gas (nitrogen) from the exhaust pipe 54 is stopped. This step is performed for a predetermined drying time, for example, 5 to 40 seconds. By performing this drying step, the plurality of substrates 12 are dried. In FIG. 8, nitrogen is supplied into the processing chamber 18A of the substrate processing unit 18 from the nitrogen supply source 2 through a route that passes through the nitrogen supply pipe 50, the supply pipe 42, the branch pipe 44, the branch pipe 46, and the branch pipe 48 (the route in which the valves 50B, 44A, 46A, 42A, and 48A are open). After this step, the plurality of substrates 12 are removed from the processing chamber 18A, and the nitrogen is exhausted to complete the process.

[0048] Here, it is believed that the degree to which separation membrane 23 separates water vapor from mixed vapor (separation performance) increases as the temperature of the mixed vapor increases. FIG. 11 shows experimental results of the relationship between the change in IPA concentration and temperature for a mixture of IPA liquid and pure water, where the IPA liquid ratio is 70 wt %. In FIG. 11, the vertical axis represents the change in IPA concentration [wt %], and the horizontal axis represents the temperature [degC] of the mixed liquid. FIG. 11 shows the change in IPA concentration at each temperature when the mixed liquid is circulated for one hour through a specified circulation pipe, with the volume of the mixed liquid being 1000 ml. Separation membrane 23 is assumed to be a zeolite membrane, and IPA liquid in the mixed liquid comes into contact with separation membrane 23.

[0049] 11, the higher the temperature of the circulating mixed liquid, the greater the change in IPA concentration. Based on the experimental results, it is presumed that, similar to the IPA liquid, the higher the temperature of the mixed vapor in the IPA vapor, the higher the separation performance of the separation membrane 23.

[0050] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 1 in this embodiment includes the processing tank 14, the lifter 14C, the IPA vaporizer 16, the processing chamber 18A, the dehydrator 20, and the air intake unit 1005. According to this substrate processing apparatus 1, after a plurality of substrates 12 are immersed in pure water in the processing tank 14, the plurality of substrates 12 are lifted up by the lifter 14C in a state in which the processing chamber 18A is filled with IPA vapor sent from the IPA vaporizer 16. Through this lifting process, the pure water adhering to the plurality of substrates 12 is replaced with IPA vapor, and at this time, a mixed vapor of the IPA vapor and the pure water vapor is generated.

[0051] This mixed vapor is sucked in by the intake unit 1005 and sent to the dehydration unit 20. This dehydration unit 20 is provided with a separation membrane 23, and can separate the mixed vapor into IPA vapor and water vapor.

[0052] Furthermore, the dehydration section 20 is provided with a cooler 26, which can liquefy the IPA vapor by cooling.

[0053] <Modifications of the above-described embodiments> In the embodiments described above, the material, composition, dimensions, shape, relative positional relationship, or implementation conditions of each component may also be described, but these are merely examples in all aspects and are not limiting.

[0054] Therefore, numerous variations and equivalents not shown in the examples are contemplated within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present specification. For example, the number of substrates to be processed may be one, instead of multiple.

[0055] Furthermore, in at least one of the embodiments described above, when a material name or the like is stated without being specifically specified, unless a contradiction arises, it is assumed that the material in question includes other additives, such as alloys. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1. Substrate processing equipment 12 PCB 14 Treatment tank 14C Lifter 16 IPA vaporization section 18 Substrate processing section 18A Processing Chamber 20A housing 22 Control Unit 23 Separation membrane 1005 Intake section

Claims

1. a processing chamber that accommodates a processing tank in which pure water is stored and that processes a substrate by immersing the substrate in the pure water; an organic solvent vapor supply unit that supplies organic solvent vapor into the processing chamber; a lifter that, when removing the substrate immersed in the pure water from the treatment tank, lifts up the substrate while bringing the substrate into contact with the vapor of the organic solvent; an intake unit that draws the mixed vapor generated in the processing chamber from inside the processing chamber; a separation membrane that separates the pure water vapor and the organic solvent vapor in the mixed vapor taken in by the intake part, the mixed vapor contains the pure water vapor and the organic solvent vapor, Substrate processing equipment.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The separation membrane is housed in a housing, The intake section a pipe directly connecting the processing chamber and the housing; an intake port attached to a connection between the processing chamber and the piping; a pump that draws the mixed vapor into the processing chamber through the intake port; a valve for adjusting the amount of intake of the mixed vapor by the pump; Substrate processing equipment.

3. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The separation membrane is a zeolite membrane. Substrate processing equipment.

4. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The mixed vapor is further provided with a heater for heating the mixed vapor taken in by the intake section. the separation membrane separates the mixed vapor heated by the heater into the pure water vapor and the organic solvent vapor. Substrate processing equipment.

5. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, Further provided is a cooler that cools the organic solvent vapor separated by the separation membrane. Substrate processing equipment.

6. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The apparatus further includes a first tank configured to store the organic solvent separated by the separation membrane. Substrate processing equipment.

7. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, Further provided is a second tank for storing the pure water separated by the separation membrane. Substrate processing equipment.

8. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, the separation membrane is permeable to the vapor of the pure water but impermeable to the vapor of the organic solvent; Substrate processing equipment.

9. a substrate immersion step of immersing the substrate in a processing tank accommodated in a processing chamber and storing pure water; an organic solvent vapor introduction step of supplying vapor of an organic solvent into the processing chamber together with the substrate immersion step; a lifting step of lifting the substrate immersed in the pure water from the treatment bath; an organic solvent vapor replacement step of replacing the pure water adhering to the substrate with the organic solvent vapor by supplying the organic solvent vapor into the processing chamber simultaneously with the pulling-up step; an organic solvent separation step of bringing the mixed vapor generated in the processing chamber by the organic solvent vapor substitution step into contact with at least a part of a separation membrane to separate the organic solvent vapor from the mixed vapor, the organic solvent vapor replacement step and the organic solvent separation step are carried out in parallel, the mixed vapor contains the pure water vapor and the organic solvent vapor, Substrate processing method.

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