Fluid mixing system, fluid mixing method, and method for producing treatment liquid

Abstract

To lower the specific resistance value of a treating liquid without using a carbon dioxide gas cylinder.SOLUTION: The fluid mixing system 1 is connected to an air supply source 2 for supplying air 3, and is connected to a separation means 10 for separating the air 3 supplied from the air supply source 2 into nitrogen 4 and a residual part 5 other than the nitrogen 4, and a pure water supply source 6. The substrate processing apparatus includes a fluid mixing part 20 for mixing the residual part 5 separated by the separation means 10 with pure water 7 supplied from a pure water supply source 6, and a processing liquid supply pipe 24 for supplying the pure water 7 mixed with the residual part 5 through the fluid mixing part 20 to a processing device 100,200 as a processing liquid 8 to be used when performing predetermined processing to an object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid mixing system, a fluid mixing method, and a method for producing a treatment liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] When dicing, cleaning, polishing, and other processes are performed on objects such as semiconductor wafers and LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes), the objects can become electrically charged, which can lead to problems such as particle adhesion and electrostatic damage to devices.

[0003] In order to prevent the occurrence of such problems, a process is carried out to reduce the resistivity of the processing liquid supplied to the processing point.

[0004] This processing liquid is produced by a mixing means (also called a CO2 bubbler) that mixes pure water with carbon dioxide gas, and is supplied from this mixing means to a plurality of dicers and the like through piping (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-130201 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Here, the carbon dioxide gas mixed with the pure water is stored in a cylinder, which requires the storage, management, and replacement of the cylinder, which is an unbearable hassle.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to make it possible to reduce the resistivity of a treatment liquid without using a carbon dioxide gas cylinder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the fluid mixing system of the present invention is characterized by having a separation means connected to an air supply source that supplies air and separates the air supplied from the air supply source into nitrogen and a remaining portion other than nitrogen, a fluid mixing section connected to a pure water supply source that mixes the remaining portion separated by the separation means with pure water supplied from the pure water supply source, and a treatment liquid supply line that supplies the pure water that has passed through the fluid mixing section and has mixed with the remaining portion to a treatment device as a treatment liquid to be used when performing a predetermined treatment on an object.

[0009] In the fluid mixing system, the pure water supply source includes a waste liquid storage tank that stores processing waste liquid generated after the target object is processed in the processing device, a filtration unit that filters the processing waste liquid stored in the waste liquid storage tank to purify it into clean water, a fresh water storage tank that stores the clean water purified by the filtration unit, and an ion exchange resin that purifies the clean water stored in the clean water storage tank into pure water, and nitrogen separated by the separation means may be supplied to at least one of the waste liquid storage tank and the clean water storage tank.

[0010] The fluid mixing method of the present invention is characterized by comprising a separation step of separating air into nitrogen and a remaining portion other than nitrogen, and a fluid mixing step of mixing the remaining portion separated in the separation step with pure water.

[0011] The method for producing a processing liquid of the present invention is characterized by comprising a separation step of separating air into nitrogen and a remaining portion other than nitrogen, a fluid mixing step of mixing the remaining portion separated in the separation step with pure water, and a processing liquid supply step of supplying the pure water mixed with the remaining portion in the fluid mixing step to a processing device as a processing liquid to be used when performing a predetermined processing on an object. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The present invention has the effect of being able to reduce the resistivity of the treatment liquid without using a carbon dioxide gas cylinder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a fluid mixing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of a processing apparatus to which a processing liquid is supplied by the fluid mixing system shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing another example of a processing apparatus to which a processing liquid is supplied by the fluid mixing system shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the separating means of the fluid mixing system shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the fluid mixing section of the fluid mixing system shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view that schematically shows an example of the configuration of a pure water recycling device of the fluid mixing system shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an exploded schematic configuration example of the pure water recycling apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a fluid mixing system according to a modified example of the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Modes (embodiments) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components described below include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the configuration can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0015] [Embodiment 1] A fluid mixing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the fluid mixing system according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a processing apparatus to which a processing liquid is supplied by the fluid mixing system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing another example of a processing apparatus to which a processing liquid is supplied by the fluid mixing system shown in Fig. 1.

[0016] The fluid mixing system 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a system that supplies a processing liquid 8 to a processing device 100 shown in FIG. 2 or a processing device 200 shown in FIG.

[0017] (Processing device) The processing apparatuses 100 and 200 shown in Figures 2 and 3 are processing apparatuses that perform predetermined processing on an object 300. The object 300 to be processed by the processing apparatuses 100 and 200 is a wafer such as a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer, with a substrate made of silicon, gallium arsenide, SiC (silicon carbide), sapphire, or the like. As shown in Figure 2, the object 300 has devices 303 formed in areas partitioned in a grid pattern by a plurality of planned dividing lines 302 formed in a grid pattern on a surface 301.

[0018] The device 303 is, for example, an integrated circuit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an image sensor such as an LED (Light-Emitting Diode), a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), or various types of memory (semiconductor memory device).

[0019] Furthermore, the object 300 of the present invention may be a so-called TAIKO (registered trademark) wafer that is thinned in the center and has a thick portion formed on the periphery, or, in addition to a wafer, may be a resin package substrate such as a rectangular QFN (Quad Flat No leaded) package substrate having multiple devices sealed with resin, a ceramic substrate, a ferrite substrate, a substrate containing at least one of nickel and iron, a glass substrate, or the like.

[0020] The processing device 100 shown in Fig. 2 is a cutting device that performs a predetermined process, that is, cutting, on the object 300, which has a disk-shaped tape 305 with a larger diameter than the object 300 attached to its back surface 304 and a ring-shaped frame 306 attached to the outer edge of the tape 305. The processing device 100 shown in Fig. 2 holds the object 300 on a holding table 110 and cuts along planned division lines 302 with a cutting blade 121 to divide the object 300 into individual devices 303.

[0021] 2, the processing device 100 includes a holding table 110 that holds the object 300 by suction on a holding surface 111, a cutting unit 120 (corresponding to a processing unit) that cuts the object 300 held on the holding table 110 with a cutting blade 121, an imaging unit 130 that images the object 300 held on the holding table 110, and a control unit (not shown). As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 100 is equipped with two cutting units 120, i.e., a two-spindle dicer, a so-called facing dual type cutting device.

[0022] 2, the processing device 100 also includes a moving unit 140 that moves the holding table 110 and the cutting unit 120 relative to one another. The moving unit 140 includes at least an X-axis moving unit 141, which is a processing feed unit that processes and feeds the holding table 110 in an X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction, a Y-axis moving unit 142, which is an indexing feed unit that indexes and feeds the cutting unit 120 in a Y-axis direction that is parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the X-axis direction, a Z-axis moving unit 143, which is a cutting feed unit that cuts and feeds the cutting unit 120 in a Z-axis direction that is parallel to the vertical direction and perpendicular to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and a rotational moving unit 144 that rotates the holding table 110 around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0023] The holding table 110 is disk-shaped, and a holding surface 111 that holds the target object 300 is formed from porous ceramic or the like. The holding table 110 is provided so as to be movable in the X-axis direction by an X-axis movement unit 141 between a processing area below the cutting unit 120 and a carry-in / out area that is spaced from below the cutting unit 120 and where the target object 300 is carried in and out, and is also provided so as to be rotatable around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction by a rotation movement unit 144.

[0024] The holding table 110 has a holding surface 111 connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown), and is sucked by the vacuum suction source to hold the object 300 placed on the holding surface 111. In the first embodiment, the holding table 110 sucks and holds the back surface 304 of the object 300 via tape 305. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of clamps 112 for clamping a frame 306 are provided around the periphery of the holding table 110.

[0025] The cutting unit 120 is a processing unit to which a cutting blade 121 that cuts the object 300 held by the holding table 110 is detachably attached. The cutting units 120 are each provided so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis movement unit 142 and so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction by a Z-axis movement unit 143 relative to the object 300 held by the holding table 110. The cutting unit 120 can position the cutting blade 121 at any position on the holding surface 111 of the holding table 110 by the Y-axis movement unit 142 and the Z-axis movement unit 143.

[0026] The cutting unit 120 includes a cutting blade 121, a spindle housing 122 that is movable in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction by a Y-axis moving unit 142 and a Z-axis moving unit 143, a spindle (not shown) that serves as a rotating shaft that is rotatable around its axis on the spindle housing 122, a spindle motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle around its axis, and a cutting water supply nozzle 123 that supplies processing liquid 8 to the cutting blade 121.

[0027] The cutting blade 121 is an extremely thin cutting stone having a substantially ring shape for cutting the object 300. In the first embodiment, the cutting blade 121 is a so-called hub blade having an annular cutting edge for cutting the object 300 and an annular base on whose outer edge the cutting edge is provided. The cutting edge is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) and a bonding material such as metal or resin, and is formed to a predetermined thickness. In the present invention, the cutting blade 121 may also be a so-called washer blade consisting of only the cutting edge.

[0028] The spindle housing 122 accommodates the spindle except for its tip, a spindle motor (not shown), and other components, and supports the spindle so that it can rotate about its axis. The cutting blade 121 is detachably fixed to the tip of the spindle. The axes of the spindle of the cutting unit 120 and the cutting blade 121 are parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0029] The imaging unit 130 captures an image of the object 300 held by the holding table 110 and acquires the captured image. The imaging unit 130 is fixed to the cutting unit 120 so as to move integrally with the cutting unit 120. The imaging unit 130 is equipped with an imaging element that captures an image of the area to be cut of the object 300 held on the holding table 110 before cutting. The imaging element is, for example, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) imaging element or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) imaging element. The imaging unit 130 captures an image of the object 300 held on the holding table and acquires an image for performing alignment between the object 300 and the cutting blade 121, and outputs the acquired image to the control unit.

[0030] The processing device 100 also includes an X-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the holding table 110 in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the cutting unit 120 in the Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis position detection unit for detecting the position of the cutting unit 120 in the Z-axis direction. The X-axis position detection unit and the Y-axis position detection unit can be configured with a linear scale parallel to the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction and a read head. The Z-axis position detection unit detects the position of the cutting unit 120 in the Z-axis direction using motor pulses.

[0031] The X-axis position detection unit, Y-axis position detection unit, and Z-axis position detection unit output the position of the holding table 110 in the X-axis direction and the position of the cutting unit 120 in the Y-axis direction or the Z-axis direction to the control unit. The angle detection unit outputs the angle from a reference position around the axis of the holding table 110 to the control unit. In the first embodiment, the position of each component of the processing apparatus 100 in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction is determined based on a predetermined reference position (not shown).

[0032] The processing device 100 also includes a cassette elevator 150 on which a cassette 106 containing the object 300 before and after cutting is placed and which moves the cassette 106 in the Z-axis direction, a cleaning unit 160 which cleans the object 300 after cutting, and a transport unit (not shown) which transports the object 300 between the cassette 106, the holding table 110, and the cleaning unit 160.

[0033] The control unit also controls each component of the processing device 100 and causes the processing device 100 to perform a processing operation on the target object 300. The control unit is a computer having an arithmetic processing device with a microprocessor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a storage device with memory such as a read only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing device of the control unit performs arithmetic processing in accordance with a computer program stored in the storage device, and outputs control signals for controlling the processing device 100 to each component of the processing device 100 via the input / output interface device.

[0034] The control unit is connected to a display unit such as a liquid crystal display device that displays the status of the machining operation and captured images, an input unit that the operator uses to register machining conditions, and an alarm unit (not shown). The input unit includes a touch panel provided on the display unit. The alarm unit emits at least one of sound and light to notify the operator.

[0035] The processing device 200 shown in Fig. 3 is a grinding device that performs a predetermined process, grinding, on the back surface 304 of the object 300 to thin the object 300 to a predetermined finish thickness. As shown in Fig. 3, the processing device 200 includes an apparatus base (not shown), a holding table 210, an X-axis movement unit that moves the holding table 210 in the X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction, a grinding unit 220, a grinding feed unit (not shown), and a control unit (not shown).

[0036] The upper surface of the holding table 210 is made of a porous material such as porous ceramics, and is a holding surface 211 that adsorbs and holds the object 300. That is, the holding table 210 has the holding surface 211. The holding surface 211 of the holding table 210 is connected to a suction source (not shown), and when the holding surface 211 is sucked by the suction source, the object 300 placed on the holding surface 211 is adsorbed and held on the holding surface 211 with the back surface 304 exposed.

[0037] During grinding, the holding table 210 is rotated by a rotation mechanism around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction. The holding table 210 is moved by an X-axis movement unit between a carry-in / out area where the target object 300 is carried in or out and a processing area located below the grinding unit 220.

[0038] The grinding unit 220 is disposed above the holding table 210 positioned in the grinding region, and is a processing unit that performs a predetermined process, namely grinding, on the object 300 held on the holding table 210. The grinding unit 220 is equipped with a grinding wheel 221 having annularly arranged grinding stones 225 that grind the back surface 304 of the object 300 held by the holding table 210, and grinds the back surface 304 of the object 300 held on the holding surface 211 of the holding table 210 in the grinding region.

[0039] The grinding unit 220 includes a spindle 222 disposed to extend along the Z-axis direction, a spindle motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 222 about its axis, a spindle housing 223 that supports the spindle 222 rotatably about its axis, and a grinding wheel 221. The spindle housing 223 is formed in a cylindrical shape and accommodates the spindle 222 therein so that it can rotate freely about its axis, with the lower end of the spindle 222 exposed.

[0040] The grinding wheel 221 is fixed to the lower end of the spindle 222. The grinding wheel 221 includes a wheel base 224 formed in an annular shape and fixed to the lower end of the spindle, and a plurality of grinding stones 225 arranged in an annular shape on the underside of the wheel base 224. The grinding stones 225 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the wheel base 224, and a plurality of grinding stones 225 are fixed to the underside of the wheel base 224.

[0041] The grinding wheel 225 is configured as a so-called segment grinding wheel formed into a single mass by mixing abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) with a bonding material (also called a bond material) made of metal, ceramic, resin, etc. The grinding wheel 225 grinds the back surface 304 of the object 300.

[0042] The grinding unit 220 grinds the back surface 304 of the object 300 by rotating the spindle 222 and the grinding wheel 221 around the axis using a spindle motor and supplying processing liquid 8 to the back surface 304 of the object 300 held on the holding table 210 in the grinding area, while the grinding feed unit moves the grinding wheel 225 closer to the holding table 210 at a predetermined feed speed.

[0043] The grinding feed unit moves the grinding unit 220 in the Z-axis direction, and moves the grinding unit 220 and the holding table 210 relatively closer to or farther apart from each other.

[0044] The control unit also controls each component of the processing device 200 and causes the processing device 200 to perform a processing operation on the object 300. The control unit is a computer having an arithmetic processing device with a microprocessor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a storage device with memory such as a read only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing device of the control unit performs arithmetic processing in accordance with a computer program stored in the storage device, and outputs control signals for controlling the processing device 200 to each component of the processing device 200 via the input / output interface device.

[0045] The control unit is connected to a display unit such as a liquid crystal display device that displays the status of the machining operation and captured images, an input unit that the operator uses to register machining conditions, and an alarm unit (not shown). The input unit includes a touch panel provided on the display unit. The alarm unit emits at least one of sound and light to notify the operator.

[0046] The processing apparatus 100, 200 having the above-described configuration performs a predetermined process on the object 300 while supplying the processing liquid 8 to the object 300. After performing the predetermined process on the object 300, the processing apparatus 100, 200 generates a processing waste liquid 9 consisting of processing waste and the processing liquid 8.

[0047] (Fluid Mixing System) Next, the fluid mixing system 1 will be described. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the separation means of the fluid mixing system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the fluid mixing section of the fluid mixing system shown in Fig. 1.

[0048] 1, the fluid mixing system 1 includes a separation means 10, a fluid mixing section 20, a treatment liquid supply pipe 24 which is a treatment liquid supply line, and a pure water recycling device 30. The separation means 10 is connected to an air supply source 2 which supplies air 3, which is a factory facility, via a supply pipe 11, and separates the air 3 supplied from the air supply source 2 into nitrogen 4 and a remaining portion 5 other than the nitrogen 4.

[0049] The separation means 10 is a well-known nitrogen separation device, and as shown in FIG. 4, membranes are bundled into hollow fibers 12 and housed in a tube 13, with a supply pipe 11 connected to one end of the tube 13. The separation means 10 flows air 3 from an air supply source 2 into the tube 13, filters nitrogen 4 through the membrane of the hollow fibers 12, extracts nitrogen 4 from the air 3, and separates the air 3 into nitrogen 4 and a remainder 5. The remainder 5 contains oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc. In the first embodiment, the flow rate of the air 3 supplied to the separation means 10 is, for example, 60 L / min.

[0050] A remainder pipe 14 connected to a fluid mixing section 20 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the separation means 10, and the remainder 5 is supplied to the fluid mixing section 20 through the remainder pipe 14. A nitrogen pipe 15 connected to a pure water recycling device 30 is connected to the other end of the separation means 10, and the nitrogen 4 is supplied to the pure water recycling device 30 through the nitrogen pipe 15.

[0051] The fluid mixing section 20 is connected to a pure water supply source 6 that supplies pure water 7, which is a factory facility, via a supply pipe 21, and mixes the remaining portion 5 separated by the separation means 10 with the pure water 7 supplied from the pure water supply source 6.

[0052] 5, the fluid mixing section 20 is a well-known CO2 bubbler, and as shown in FIG. 5, a bundle of fine hollow fiber membranes 22 is housed in a tube 23, a supply pipe 21 is connected to one end of the tube 23, a treatment liquid supply pipe 24 is connected to the other end of the tube 23, and a residual portion piping 14 is connected to the outer circumferential surface of the tube 23. In the fluid mixing section 20, pure water 7 supplied from the supply pipe 21 from one end to the other of the tube 23 is caused to flow through the hollow fiber membranes 22, and a residual portion 5 is supplied between the inner circumferential surface of the tube 23 and the hollow fiber membranes 22.

[0053] In the fluid mixing section 20, the residual portion 5 supplied between the inner circumferential surface of the tube 23 and the hollow fiber membrane 22 dissolves in the pure water 7 from the outside of the hollow fiber membrane 22, and the dissolved residual portion 5 ionizes in the pure water 7, imparting electrical conductivity to the pure water 7. The fluid mixing section 20 supplies the pure water 7 with the dissolved residual portion 5 as the treatment liquid 8 to the treatment devices 100, 200 through the treatment liquid supply pipe 24.

[0054] In the first embodiment, for example, the resistivity of the pure water 7 supplied to the fluid mixing section 20 is about 17 MΩ, and the resistivity of the pure water 7 mixed with the remaining portion 5 is about 0.5 MΩ. In the first embodiment, the flow rate of the pure water 7 supplied to the fluid mixing section 20 is, for example, 6 L / min. In the first embodiment, for example, an air supply module (EF-010-A30) manufactured by DIC Corporation is used as the fluid mixing section 20.

[0055] The processing liquid supply pipe 24 is a pipe that supplies the pure water 7 that has passed through the fluid mixing section 20 and mixed with the remaining portion 5 to the processing equipment 100, 200 as the processing liquid 8 used when performing a predetermined processing on the object 300.

[0056] Next, the pure water recycling device 30 will be described. The pure water recycling device 30 is also a pure water supply source that supplies pure water 7 to the fluid mixing section 20. Fig. 6 is a perspective view that schematically shows an example of the configuration of a pure water recycling device of the fluid mixing system shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a perspective view that schematically shows an exploded configuration example of the pure water recycling device shown in Fig. 6.

[0057] The pure water recycling apparatus 30 purifies processing waste liquid 9, which is composed of processing scraps and processing liquid 8 from the processing apparatus 100, 200, into pure water 7 and reuses the purified water in the processing apparatus 100, 200 via a fluid mixing section 20. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the pure water recycling apparatus 30 includes an apparatus housing 31 (shown only in Figure 6), processing waste liquid storage means 32, a filtration section 40, a fresh water storage tank 45, pure water purification means 46, pure water temperature adjustment means 60, and a control unit (not shown).

[0058] The processing waste liquid storage means 32 stores the processing waste liquid 9 generated by the processing devices 100, 200. The processing waste liquid storage means 32 includes a waste liquid storage tank 33 that stores the processing waste liquid 9 generated after the object 300 is processed in the processing devices 100, 200, and a processing waste liquid supply pump 34 that supplies the processing waste liquid 9 in the waste liquid storage tank 33. The waste liquid storage tank 33 is connected to a processing waste liquid piping 35 that is connected to the processing devices 100, 200, and the processing waste liquid 9 is supplied from the processing devices 100, 200 through the processing waste liquid piping 35.

[0059] The filtration section 40 filters the processing waste liquid 9 stored in the processing waste liquid storage means 32 to produce clean water. The filtration section 40 includes a first filter 41 to which the processing waste liquid 9 supplied from the processing waste liquid storage means 32 is introduced via piping 36, a second filter 42 to which the processing waste liquid 9 is introduced via piping 36, and a clean water receiving pan 43 to which the first filter 41 and the second filter 42 are detachably mounted.

[0060] Electromagnetic on-off valves 37 and 38 are provided in the pipe 36 connecting the processing waste liquid supply pump 34 with the first filter 41 and the second filter 42. When the electromagnetic on-off valves 37 and 38 are opened, the processing waste liquid 9 is introduced into the first filter 41 and the second filter 42. In addition, a pressure detection means 39 for detecting the pressure of the processing waste liquid 9 is attached to the pipe 36.

[0061] The first filter 41 and the second filter 42 filter the introduced processing waste liquid 9, capture processing debris in the processing waste liquid 9, and purify the waste liquid into clean water. The first filter 41 and the second filter 42 cause the purified clean water to flow out onto a clean water receiving pan 43. The clean water receiving pan 43 sends the clean water to a clean water storage tank 45 through piping 44, which is made up of a flexible hose or the like.

[0062] The fresh water storage tank 45 stores the fresh water purified by the filtration unit 40 .

[0063] The pure water purification means 46 purifies fresh water into pure water 7. The pure water purification means 46 includes a discharge pump 47, an ultraviolet irradiation means 48, a first ion exchange means 49, a second ion exchange means 50, a suction pump 51, and a precision filter 52. The discharge pump 47 supplies fresh water in the fresh water storage tank 45 to the ultraviolet irradiation means 48 through a pipe 53.

[0064] The ultraviolet irradiation means 48 sterilizes the supplied clean water by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet irradiation means 48 is connected to the first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 through a pipe 54. The ultraviolet irradiation means 48 supplies the clean water irradiated with ultraviolet rays to the first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 through the pipe 54.

[0065] Electromagnetic on-off valves 55 and 56 are provided on a pipe 54 connecting the ultraviolet irradiation means 48 with the first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50. When the electromagnetic on-off valves 55 and 56 are opened, fresh water is introduced into the first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50.

[0066] The first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 perform ion exchange to purify the fresh water into pure water 7. The first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 contain ion exchange resins that purify the fresh water stored in the fresh water storage tank 45 into pure water 7. That is, the pure water recycling device 30 is equipped with ion exchange resins that purify the fresh water stored in the fresh water storage tank 45 into pure water 7. As the ion exchange resin, at least one of an anion exchange resin and a cation exchange resin is used.

[0067] The first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 perform ion exchange with ion exchange resin on the clean water supplied from the ultraviolet irradiation means 48 to purify it into pure water 7, and supply the produced pure water 7 to the suction pump 51 through a pipe 57. In addition, pressure detection means 58 and 59 for detecting the pressure of the pure water from the first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 are attached to the pipe 57 connecting the first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 to the suction pump 51.

[0068] The suction pump 51 sends the pure water 7, which has been purified by the first ion exchange means 49 and the second ion exchange means 50 in the piping 57, at a predetermined water pressure toward the precision filter 52 and the pure water temperature adjustment means 60. The precision filter 52 captures fine substances such as resin debris from ion exchange resins. The pure water temperature adjustment means 60 adjusts the temperature of the pure water 7 to a predetermined temperature and sends it through a circulation piping 61 connected to the supply pipe 21 and via the fluid mixing section 20 to the processing equipment 100, 200. The circulation piping 61 is provided with an on-off valve 62.

[0069] The control unit controls each of the above-mentioned components constituting the pure water recycling apparatus 30, causing the pure water recycling apparatus 30 to purify the processing waste liquid 9 into pure water 7. The control unit is a computer having an arithmetic processing device with a microprocessor such as a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device with memory such as a ROM (read only memory) or RAM (random access memory), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing device of the control unit performs arithmetic processing in accordance with a computer program stored in the storage device, and outputs control signals for controlling the pure water recycling apparatus 30 to each component of the pure water recycling apparatus 30 via the input / output interface device.

[0070] In the pure water recycling apparatus 30 configured as described above, the processing waste liquid 9 supplied to the waste liquid storage tank 33 is filtered in the filtration section 40 to be purified into clean water, the resulting clean water is ion-exchanged with the ion exchange resin of the ion exchange means 49, 50 to be purified into pure water 7, and the purified pure water 7 is sent to the fluid mixing section 20 through the circulation piping 61. In addition, in the pure water recycling apparatus 30, the waste liquid storage tank 33 and the clean water storage tank 45 are connected by nitrogen piping 15, and the nitrogen 4 separated from the air 3 by the separation means 10 is supplied to the waste liquid storage tank 33 and the clean water storage tank 45.

[0071] In the present invention, it is sufficient that the nitrogen 4 separated from the air 3 by the separation means 10 is supplied to at least one of the waste liquid storage tank 33 and the fresh water storage tank 45. Thus, in the present invention, the pure water recycling device 30 supplies the nitrogen 4 separated by the separation means 10 to at least one of the waste liquid storage tank and the fresh water storage tank.

[0072] (Fluid mixing method) Next, a fluid mixing method according to embodiment 1 will be described. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the fluid mixing method according to embodiment 1. The fluid mixing method is a method in which pure water 7 is mixed with the remaining portion 5 to produce a processing liquid 8 and supplied to processing equipment 100, 200, and processing waste liquid 9 produced in processing equipment 100, 200 is purified into pure water 7, which is again mixed with the remaining portion 5 and supplied to processing equipment 100, 200 as the processing liquid 8.

[0073] The fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment is carried out when the processing apparatuses 100 and 200 perform a predetermined process on the target object 300. As shown in Fig. 8, the fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment includes a separation step 1001, a fluid mixing step 1002, a processing liquid supply step 1003, a processing step 1004, and a recycling step 1005.

[0074] The fluid mixing step 1002 is a step of separating air 3 into nitrogen 4 and a non-nitrogen remainder 5. In embodiment 1, in the separation step 1001, the fluid mixing system 1 supplies air 3 from the air supply source 2 to the separation means 10. In the separation step 1001, the fluid mixing system 1 separates the supplied air 3 into nitrogen 4 and the remainder 5 by the separation means 10, supplies the nitrogen 4 to the pure water recycling device 30, and supplies the remainder 5 to the fluid mixing section 20.

[0075] The fluid mixing step 1002 is a step of mixing the residual portion 5 separated in the separation step 1001 with pure water 7. In the first embodiment, in the fluid mixing step 1002, the fluid mixing system 1 supplies the pure water 7 to the fluid mixing section 20 from at least one of the pure water supply source 6 and the pure water recycling device 30. In the first embodiment, in the fluid mixing step 1002, the fluid mixing system 1 mixes the residual portion 5 supplied from the separation means 10 with the pure water 7 supplied to the fluid mixing section 20.

[0076] The processing liquid supply step 1003 is a step of supplying the pure water 7 mixed with the remaining portion 5 in the fluid mixing step 1002 to the processing equipment 100, 200 as the processing liquid 8 to be used when performing a predetermined process on the target object 300. In the first embodiment, in the processing liquid supply step 1003, the fluid mixing system 1 supplies the pure water 7 mixed with the remaining portion 5 as the processing liquid 8 to the processing equipment 100, 200 from the fluid mixing section 20 through the processing liquid supply pipe 24. The above-described separation step 1001, fluid mixing step 1002, and processing liquid supply step 1003 constitute a processing liquid production method of the present invention.

[0077] The processing step 1004 is a step in which the processing device 100, 200 performs a predetermined process on the object 300. In the first embodiment, in the processing step 1004, the processing device 100, 200 performs a predetermined process on the object 300 and supplies the processing waste liquid 9 to the pure water recycling device 30.

[0078] The recycling step 1005 is a step in which the processing waste liquid 9 is purified into pure water 7 and supplied again to the fluid mixing section 20. In the first embodiment, in the recycling step 1005, the fluid mixing system 1 has the pure water recycling device 30 purify the processing waste liquid 9 supplied from the processing devices 100, 200 into pure water 7 and supply it to the fluid mixing section 20.

[0079] In the fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment, when the processing apparatus 100, 200 described above performs a predetermined process on the target object 300, a separation step 1001, a fluid mixing step 1002, a processing liquid supply step 1003, a processing step 1004, and a recycling step 1005 are repeatedly performed.

[0080] As described above, the fluid mixing system 1 and fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment separate the air 3 supplied from the air supply source 2, which is a factory facility, into nitrogen 4 and the remaining portion 5 using the separation means 10, and mix the remaining portion 5 of the air 3 from which the nitrogen 4 has been separated with pure water 7 in the fluid mixing section 20, thereby reducing the resistivity of the pure water 7.

[0081] As a result, the fluid mixing system 1 and the fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment have the effect of being able to reduce the resistivity of the treatment liquid 8 without using a carbon dioxide gas cylinder.

[0082] Furthermore, the fluid mixing system 1 and fluid mixing method according to embodiment 1 separate air 3 supplied from an air supply source 2, which is a factory facility, into nitrogen 4 and a remaining portion 5 using a separation means 10, and mixes the remaining portion 5 with pure water 7 in a fluid mixing section 20, thereby reducing the resistivity of the pure water 7, thereby achieving the effect of reducing carbon dioxide emissions more than when a carbon dioxide gas cylinder is used.

[0083] Furthermore, the fluid mixing system 1 and fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment can suppress a decrease in resistivity when the treatment liquid 8 comes into contact with air by supplying the separated nitrogen 4 to the tanks 33, 45 of the pure water recycling apparatus 30 and filling the tanks 33, 45 with nitrogen 4. Furthermore, the fluid mixing system 1 and fluid mixing method according to the first embodiment can suppress the mixing of ions other than nitrogen 4 into the ion exchange means 49, 50 by supplying the separated nitrogen 4 to the tanks 33, 45 of the pure water recycling apparatus 30 and filling the tanks 33, 45 with nitrogen 4.

[0084] As a result, the fluid mixing system 1 and fluid mixing method according to embodiment 1 make it possible to reduce contamination of the ion exchange resin when regenerating pure water by passing the processing waste liquid 9 through the ion exchange resin in the ion exchange means 49, 50 in the pure water recycling device 30.

[0085] [Modification] A fluid mixing system according to a modified example of embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a fluid mixing system according to a modified example of embodiment 1. In Fig. 9, the same parts as those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 9, the fluid mixing system 1 according to the modified example is the same as the first embodiment except that the nitrogen piping 15 is not connected to the pure water recycling device 30 and is open to the atmosphere.

[0087] As in the first embodiment, the fluid mixing system 1 and fluid mixing method according to the modified example separate air 3 supplied from an air supply source 2, which is a factory facility, into nitrogen 4 and a remaining portion 5 using a separation means 10, and then mix the remaining portion 5 with pure water 7 in a fluid mixing section 20, thereby reducing the resistivity of the pure water 7, thereby achieving the effect of reducing the resistivity of the treatment liquid 8 without using a carbon dioxide gas cylinder.

[0088] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1 Fluid Mixing System 2 Air supply source 3. Air 4. Nitrogen 5 Remaining part 6 Pure water source 7 Pure water 8 Processing liquid 9. Processed wastewater 10 Separation means 20 Fluid mixing section 30 Pure water recycling equipment (pure water supply source) 33 Waste liquid storage tank 40 Filtration section 45 Fresh water storage tank 100 Processing equipment 200 Processing Equipment 300 Objects 1001 Separation Step 1002 Fluid Mixing Step 1003 Processing liquid supply step

Claims

1. a separating means connected to an air supply source that supplies air and that separates the air supplied from the air supply source into nitrogen and a remaining portion other than nitrogen; a fluid mixing unit connected to a pure water supply source and mixing the remaining portion separated by the separating means with pure water supplied from the pure water supply source; a processing liquid supply line that supplies the pure water that has passed through the fluid mixing section and mixed with the remaining portion to a processing device as a processing liquid to be used when performing a predetermined processing on an object; A fluid mixing system comprising:

2. The pure water source comprises: a waste liquid storage tank for storing waste liquid generated after the object is processed by the processing device; a filtration unit that filters the processing wastewater stored in the wastewater storage tank to purify it into clean water; a fresh water storage tank for storing the fresh water purified by the filtration unit; an ion exchange resin for purifying the fresh water stored in the fresh water storage tank into pure water; Including, 2. The fluid mixing system according to claim 1, wherein the nitrogen separated by the separation means is supplied to at least one of the waste liquid storage tank and the fresh water storage tank.

3. a separation step of separating the air into nitrogen and a non-nitrogen remainder; a fluid mixing step of mixing the remaining portion separated in the separation step with pure water; A fluid mixing method comprising:

4. a separation step of separating the air into nitrogen and a non-nitrogen remainder; a fluid mixing step of mixing the remaining portion separated in the separation step with pure water; a processing liquid supply step of supplying the pure water mixed with the remaining portion in the fluid mixing step to a processing device as a processing liquid to be used when performing a predetermined processing on an object; A method for producing a treatment liquid, comprising:

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