Collection device and collection method

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are collection devices for collecting precursors from exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus using a precursor, and may include a first collector having a cooling section through which a first refrigerant passes so that the exhaust gas can be cooled and recovered, and an internal space connected to the process apparatus that can be adjusted to a vacuum pressure. Therefore, according to embodiments of the present invention, precursors can be effectively collected from exhaust gas discharged from process equipment. In other words, the collection efficiency of precursors collected from exhaust gas can be improved. As a result, the amount of discarded precursors can be reduced. Furthermore, by reusing the collected precursors in the process equipment, costs associated with precursors can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a collection device and a collection method, and more particularly to a collection device and a collection method for collecting a precursor from exhaust gas discharged from a process device using the precursor.

Background Art

[0002] A vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate uses a precursor as a source gas. That is, when the injection part of the vapor deposition apparatus injects the precursor gas into the chamber, a thin film is deposited on the substrate. A pump is connected to the chamber of the vapor deposition apparatus, and the pump evacuates the inside of the chamber.

[0003] On the other hand, among the precursors injected into the chamber, the precursors that did not completely react inside the chamber or the precursors that could not be deposited on the substrate are exhausted outside the chamber during evacuation. Then, the exhausted expensive precursors are discarded. Furthermore, during the next vapor deposition process, a new precursor is supplied to the vapor deposition apparatus, and the vapor deposition apparatus performs vapor deposition of the thin film using the newly supplied precursor. Therefore, there is a problem that the cost of preparing the precursor increases.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a collection device and a collection method capable of effectively collecting a precursor from exhaust gas discharged from a process device using the precursor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention include a collection device for collecting a precursor from exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus using a precursor, which may include a first collector having a cooling section through which a first refrigerant passes so that the exhaust gas can be cooled and recovered, and an internal space connected to the process apparatus that can be adjusted to a vacuum pressure.

[0007] The collection device may also include a second collector, which is located on one side of the first collector and is equipped with an injection member capable of injecting a second refrigerant into the exhaust gas.

[0008] The first collector is disposed between one end of the pump connected to the process apparatus and the process apparatus, and the second collector may be connected to the other end of the pump.

[0009] The cooling unit includes a body and a flow path provided inside the body through which the first refrigerant can pass, and the body may include a first body extending in the vertical direction and a plurality of second bodies separated in the vertical direction on the outer surface of the first body.

[0010] Multiple second fuselages, which are arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction, may also be arranged alternately in the horizontal direction.

[0011] The second fuselage may be provided in a sloping manner such that its height decreases as it moves away from the first fuselage.

[0012] The first collector may include a housing portion in which the cooling portion is disposed inside, a storage portion connected to the lower part of the housing portion so as to be able to accommodate the precursor recovered in the housing portion, and an opening / closing portion disposed in the housing portion so as to be located between the cooling portion and the storage portion.

[0013] The storage unit comprises a main body connected to the lower part of the housing unit, and a container having an internal space capable of accommodating the recovered precursor and capable of being disposed inside the main body. The first collector may also comprise a measuring unit capable of sensing the precursor contained inside the container, and a determination unit that determines whether or not the container needs to be replaced based on the measured value obtained by the measuring unit.

[0014] The housing portion comprises a first housing connected to the process apparatus and a second housing connected to the first housing horizontally so as to be able to communicate with the first housing, the second housing connecting the first housing and the pump, and the cooling unit may be disposed in the first housing and the second housing, respectively.

[0015] The housing portion includes a connecting housing that connects the first housing and the second housing, and the first collector is provided with a flow path through which the first refrigerant flows, and may include a partition wall portion disposed inside the connecting housing so as to be able to shield a part of the inside of the connecting housing.

[0016] The partition wall portion may be provided in multiple units, and the multiple partition wall portions may be arranged at different positions within the connecting housing.

[0017] The second collector has an internal space capable of accommodating the second refrigerant injected from the injection member, and may comprise a main body on which the injection member is disposed, and a container positioned below the injection member so as to be capable of accommodating the precursor and the second refrigerant recovered from the exhaust gas inside the main body.

[0018] The second collector may include a measuring unit capable of sensing the precursor and the second refrigerant contained inside the container, and a determination unit that determines whether or not it is necessary to discharge the precursor and the second refrigerant contained inside the container based on the measured value obtained by the measuring unit.

[0019] At the end of the main body, an exhaust port is provided to communicate with a dust collector so that exhaust gas can be discharged. The second collector may include a blocking member disposed inside the main body facing the exhaust port so as to block the discharge of the second refrigerant injected into the main body through the exhaust port.

[0020] The blocking member is disposed between the injection member and the exhaust port, and the blocking member may be disposed in an inclined shape such that the height decreases as it advances from the exhaust port side toward the injection member.

[0021] A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a chamber having an internal space, a support portion for supporting a substrate inside the chamber, a supply portion for supplying a gas containing a precursor inside the chamber, and a cooling portion through which a first refrigerant passes so as to recover the precursor contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the chamber, and a first collector connected to the chamber and having an internal space adjustable to a vacuum pressure.

[0022] The substrate processing apparatus may include an injection member capable of injecting a second refrigerant into the exhaust gas, and a second collector disposed on one side of the first collector.

[0023] The substrate processing apparatus may include a pump disposed between the first collector and the second collector and capable of adjusting the chamber and the first collector to a vacuum pressure.

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention is a collection method for collecting a precursor from exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus using a precursor, which may include a primary collection step of passing the exhaust gas through a first passage provided with a cooling portion through which a first refrigerant passes to recover the precursor.

[0025] The collection method may include a secondary collection step of passing the exhaust gas discharged from the first passage through a second passage in which a second refrigerant is injected to recover the precursor.

[0026] The temperature of the first refrigerant may be 10°C or lower.

[0027] The primary collection step may include a step of collecting the recovered precursor in a container.

[0028] The collection method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of detecting the precursor collected inside the container, a step of determining whether the container needs to be replaced based on the detection result, and a step of replacing the container when it is determined that the container needs to be replaced. The step of replacing the container may be performed while the operation of the process device is stopped and primary collection is not performed.

[0029] The step of determining whether the container needs to be replaced may include a step of comparing the detection result with a preset reference value.

[0030] The secondary collection step may include a step of collecting the precursor recovered in the second passage and the second refrigerant injected into the second passage inside the container.

[0031] The collection method may include a step of detecting the precursor and the second refrigerant collected inside the container, and comparing the detection result value with a preset reference value to determine whether the precursor and the second refrigerant collected inside the container are to be discharged.

Advantages of the Invention

[0032] According to embodiments of the present invention, precursors can be effectively collected from exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus. In other words, the collection efficiency of precursors collected from exhaust gas can be improved. As a result, the amount of discarded precursors can be reduced. Furthermore, by reusing the collected precursors in the process apparatus, costs associated with precursors can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0033] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram showing a dust collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, arranged between a process apparatus and a dust collector. [Figure 2] This figure shows a collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows a first collector of a collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows a first collector according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising a first cooling section, a second cooling section, a first partition wall section, a second partition wall section, which are components through which the refrigerant circulates, and a refrigerant transport line connected to the first cooling section, the second cooling section, the first partition wall section, and the second partition wall section. [Figure 5] This figure shows a second collector according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited in any way to the embodiments disclosed below and should be embodied in a variety of different forms. The embodiments of the present invention are provided merely to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform those who are ordinary skill in the art of the scope of the invention. The drawings may be exaggerated in order to illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and the same reference numerals in the drawings refer to the same elements.

[0035] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a dust collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, arranged between a process apparatus and a dust collector.

[0036] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a collection device for collecting exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a collection device capable of collecting exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus after cooling. Here, the exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus may be a precursor, which is a raw material for depositing a thin film onto a substrate. The precursor may be a material containing a noble metal. The noble metal may be at least one of ruthenium (Ru), silver (Ag), gold (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os), and it goes without saying that the noble metal is not limited to the above materials.

[0037] In the following explanation, we will use a ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor, i.e., a ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor, as an example. Therefore, the exhaust gas may be a gas containing ruthenium (Ru) or a gas containing ruthenium (Ru).

[0038] First, the process apparatus 10 will be described based on Figure 1. The process apparatus 10 may be a deposition apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate S. Alternatively, the process apparatus 10 may be a deposition apparatus capable of depositing a thin film containing ruthenium (Ru) on a substrate S. More specifically, the process apparatus 10 may be an apparatus for depositing a ruthenium (Ru) thin film on a substrate S by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Here, the thin film containing ruthenium (Ru) may be at least one of the following: a ruthenium (Ru) metal thin film, a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) thin film, a ruthenium nitride (RuN) thin film, and a ruthenium oxynitride (RuON) thin film.

[0039] The process apparatus 10 may include a chamber 11 having an internal space, a support portion 13 disposed inside the chamber 11 so as to support a substrate S on one side, a supply portion 12 for supplying gas for the deposition process and positioned inside the chamber 11 facing the support portion 13, and an exhaust portion 14 connected to the chamber 11. The process apparatus 10 may also include a power supply portion 15 for supplying power for plasma generation, and the power supply portion 15 may be connected to, for example, either the supply portion 12 or the support portion 13.

[0040] The exhaust section 14 is connected to a pump 20 located outside the chamber 11. The pump 20 may be a device capable of generating suction force, such as a vacuum pump. Therefore, when the pump 20 operates and generates suction force, the gas (or other gaseous substance) inside the chamber 11 is discharged or exhausted to the outside. That is, the gas inside the chamber 11 is discharged to the pump 20 side via the exhaust section 14.

[0041] The operation of the process apparatus 10 will be described below. This will include the operation of depositing a thin film containing ruthenium (Ru) onto the substrate S using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. Furthermore, the deposition of a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) thin film onto the substrate S will be used as an example.

[0042] First, a ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor is supplied to the substrate S using the supply unit 12. That is, a ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor is supplied to the inside of the chamber 11. Here, the ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor may be in gaseous form and may be a raw material or source for thin film deposition. For this reason, the step of supplying the ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor can be described as a "raw material gas supply step" or a "source gas supply step". The ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor may be, for example, ethylcyclopentadienylruthenium ((EtCp)2Ru) (Bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium). Therefore, when the ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor is supplied to the substrate S, the ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursor is adsorbed or deposited onto the substrate S to form a ruthenium (Ru) thin film. That is, a ruthenium (Ru) metal thin film is formed. Once the supply of the precursor is complete, a purge gas, such as argon (Ar) gas, is supplied into the chamber 11 using the supply unit 12 to perform a primary purge (primary purge step). Next, a reaction gas containing oxygen is supplied to the substrate S on which the ruthenium (Ru) metal thin film is formed using the supply unit 12 (reaction gas supply step). Here, the reaction gas may be oxygen (O2) gas. As a result, the ruthenium (Ru) metal thin film reacts with oxygen (O2), and the ruthenium (Ru) metal thin film is oxidized, thereby forming a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) thin film. Once the supply of the reaction gas is complete, a purge gas, such as argon (Ar) gas, is supplied into the chamber 11 using the supply unit 12 to perform a secondary purge (secondary purge step).

[0043] The process cycle for forming a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) thin film may include the above-described "raw material gas supply step - primary purge step - reaction gas supply step - secondary purge step". The process cycle can then be repeated multiple times to form a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) thin film of the target thickness.

[0044] While forming a ruthenium oxide (RuO2) thin film on the substrate S using the process cycle described above, the pump 20 is operated to adjust the pressure inside the chamber 11. That is, while the process cycle is being carried out, the pump 20 is operated to exhaust the gas (or gaseous substance) inside the chamber 11, thereby adjusting the pressure inside the chamber 11. At this time, the gas discharged to the outside of the chamber 11 may contain ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursors that could not be adsorbed on the substrate S. More specifically, the exhaust gas may contain ruthenium (Ru). When the ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursors that could not be adsorbed on the substrate S are discharged to the outside of the chamber 11, the precursors that are most abundant in the primary purge step, which is performed after the raw material gas supply step in the "raw material gas supply step - primary purge step - reaction gas supply step - secondary purge step" sequence, can be exhausted. The exhaust gas discharged from the chamber 11 is then transported to a scrubber 30, and after the dust is removed from the scrubber 30, it is discarded.

[0045] Thus, the exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus 10 contains ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursors that could not be adsorbed onto the substrate S. However, these ruthenium (Ru)-containing precursors are being discarded without being collected. In other words, expensive ruthenium (Ru) is being discarded without being collected.

[0046] Therefore, in the present invention, a collection device 1000 is installed between the process apparatus 10 and the dust collector 30 to collect ruthenium (Ru) from the exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus 10. At this time, the ruthenium-containing precursor (Ru) or ruthenium (Ru) contained in the exhaust gas may exist, for example, in a gaseous state. The collection device 1000 according to the embodiment cools the exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus 10 to collect the ruthenium (Ru) contained in the exhaust gas. That is, ruthenium (Ru) is collected by cooling the exhaust gas to cool the ruthenium (Ru) contained in the exhaust gas. Here, "collecting ruthenium (Ru)" may mean cooling the gaseous ruthenium (Ru) contained in the exhaust gas to change it into solid particles or into a powder state. And cooling the gaseous ruthenium (Ru) contained in the exhaust gas to make a powder in this way may mean recovering the gaseous ruthenium (Ru) contained in the exhaust gas as a powder.

[0047] In the following, ruthenium in powder form produced by cooling exhaust gas, or ruthenium recovered in powder form, will be denoted by the drawing reference numeral "P".

[0048] The powder-like precursor collected by the method according to the embodiment of the present invention can be reused as a raw material, i.e., a precursor, for depositing a thin film onto a substrate S after subsequent processing.

[0049] Figure 2 shows a collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 shows a first collector of the collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 shows a first cooling section, a second cooling section, a first partition section, a second partition section, which are components through which the first refrigerant circulates, and a refrigerant transport line connected to the first cooling section, the second cooling section, the first partition section, and the second partition section, in the first collector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 shows a second collector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] The following description of a collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be based on Figures 1 to 4.

[0051] Referring to Figure 1, the collection device 1000 includes a first collection unit 1100 which has a first passage A1 through which exhaust gas G discharged from the process apparatus 10 passes, and a cooling unit 1120 disposed inside the first passage A1, with a flow path through which a first refrigerant can pass. The collection device 1000 may also include a second collection unit 1200 which has a second passage A2 through which exhaust gas G transported from the first collection unit 1100 can pass, and an injection member capable of supplying a second refrigerant to the exhaust gas G passing inside the second passage A2.

[0052] The first collector 1100 may be disposed between the exhaust section 14 of the process apparatus 10 and the pump 20, and the second collector 1200 may be disposed or positioned on one side of the first collector 1100. More specifically, the second collector 1200 may be disposed between the pump 20 and the dust collector 30 on one side of the first collector 1100. Thus, the collection device 1000 can include a first transport section 1310 connecting the first collector 1100 and the pump 20, a second transport section 1320 connecting the pump 20 and the second collector 1200, and a third transport section 1330 connecting the second collector 1200 and the dust collector 30.

[0053] The first collector 1100 cools the exhaust gas G discharged from the process apparatus 10 to recover the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G by changing it into solid particles or powder. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, such a first collector 1100 comprises a housing portion 1110 having an internal space through which the exhaust gas G can pass, a cooling portion 1120 disposed inside the housing portion 1110 with a flow path through which a first coolant can pass, and capable of cooling the exhaust gas G passing inside the housing portion 1110, and a storage portion 1130 connected to the lower part of the housing portion 1110 to receive and store the powdered ruthenium P generated when the exhaust gas G is cooled. Here, the inside or internal space of the housing portion 1110 is the first passage A1.

[0054] Furthermore, the first collector 1100 may also include an opening / closing section 1140:1140a, 1140b disposed in the housing section 1110 so as to be able to adjust the communication between the housing section 1110 and the containment section 1130, a refrigerant supply section 1160 for supplying the first refrigerant to the cooling section 1120, a refrigerant recovery section 1180 for recovering the first refrigerant that has passed through the cooling section 1120, and pressure adjustment sections 1190:1190a, 1190b for adjusting the pressure in the containment section 1130.

[0055] The housing portion 1110 is a means for passing exhaust gas G through, and is provided with a first passage A1 through which the gas can pass. The housing portion 1110 is disposed between the exhaust portion 14 and the pump 20 so as to connect the exhaust portion 14 and the pump 20 of the process apparatus 10. That is, one end of the housing portion 1110 is connected to the exhaust portion 14 of the process apparatus 10, and the other end is connected to the pump 20. Furthermore, one end of the housing portion 1110 is open to communicate with the exhaust portion 14, and the other end is open to communicate with the pump 20. Here, the opening provided at one end of the housing portion 1110 is an inlet through which the exhaust gas G flows into the first passage A1, and the opening provided at the other end of the housing portion 1110 is an outlet through which the exhaust gas from the first passage A1 is discharged to the outside.

[0056] The first passage A1 of the housing section 1110 may not be a straight line, but rather be bent two or more times. That is, the first passage A1 of the housing section 1110 is provided such that the path from the inlet to the outlet is not a straight line, but is bent multiple times. For this purpose, the housing section 1110 may be composed of multiple housings. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the housing section 1110 may include a first housing 1111 connected to the exhaust section 14 of the process apparatus 10, a second housing 1112 connected to the pump 20, and a connecting housing 1113 connecting the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112.

[0057] Each of the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 is provided with a passage through which exhaust gas G can pass, and the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 are connected to each other so as to communicate with one another. For this reason, the first passage A1 of the housing section 1110 can be described as comprising the passage of the first housing 1111, the passage of the connecting housing 1113, and the passage of the second housing 1112. The exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus 10 is then transported to the second collector 1200 via the passage of the first housing 1111, the passage of the connecting housing 1113, and the passage of the second housing 1112.

[0058] The first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 may be arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. That is, the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112 may be arranged so as to be separated from each other in the horizontal direction, with the connecting housing 1113 disposed between the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112.

[0059] Thus, when the housing section 1110 is composed of a first housing 1111, a connecting housing 1113, and a second housing 1112, the cooling section 1120, the opening / closing sections 1140:1140a, 1140b, and the pressure adjustment sections 1190:1190a, 1190b may each be provided in multiple units. In other words, the first collector 1100 may include a first cooling unit 1120a disposed inside the first housing 1111, a second cooling unit 1120b disposed inside the second housing 1112, a first opening / closing unit 1140a disposed in the first housing 1111 so as to be able to adjust the communication between the first housing 1111 and the housing unit 1130, a second opening / closing unit 1140b disposed in the second housing 1112 so as to be able to adjust the communication between the second housing 1112 and the housing unit 1130, a first pressure adjustment unit 1190a that adjusts the pressure of the housing unit 1130 using the pressure of the first housing 1111, and a second pressure adjustment unit 1190b that adjusts the pressure of the housing unit 1130 using the pressure of the second housing 1112.

[0060] Furthermore, the first collector 1100 may also include a plurality of partition sections 1150a, 1150b, which are disposed inside the connecting housing 1113 and have flow paths through which the first refrigerant flows.

[0061] The first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112, which constitute the housing section 1110, will be described in more detail below.

[0062] The first housing 1111 has a passage through which exhaust gas G can pass. The first housing 1111 is configured to communicate with the exhaust section 14, the connecting housing 1113, and the accommodating section 1130 of the process apparatus 10. For this purpose, openings may be provided in the upper, lower, and side portions of the first housing 1111. The upper opening of the first housing 1111 may communicate with the exhaust section 14, the lower opening may communicate with the accommodating section 1130, and the side opening may communicate with the connecting housing 1113.

[0063] The connecting housing 1113 is located between the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112. Therefore, the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112 are in communication with each other through the connecting housing 1113.

[0064] The second housing 1112 is provided with a passage through which exhaust gas G can pass. The second housing 1112 is configured to communicate with the connecting housing 1113, the accommodating section 1130, and the first transport section 1310. For this purpose, openings may be provided on the sides, top, and bottom of the second housing 1112. The openings on the sides of the second housing 1112 communicate with the connecting housing, the opening at the bottom communicates with the accommodating section 1130, and the opening at the top communicates with the first transport section 1310.

[0065] Each of the first and second housings 1111 and 1112 may have a shape in which the vertical length is longer than the width (horizontal length), and the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112 may be provided to have the same width and length. Furthermore, the connecting housing 1113 may have a vertical length that is even shorter than that of the first and second housings 1111 and 1112. In addition, it is preferable that the connecting housing 1113 is positioned at the center of the first and second housings 1111 and 1112 with respect to the vertical direction.

[0066] Thus, because the housing portion 1110 is composed of the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 as described above, the first passage A1 of the housing portion 1110 is not a straight line, but rather a shape that is bent multiple times. In other words, the first passage A1 that forms the path from the upper opening (inlet) of the first housing 1111 to the upper opening (outlet) of the second housing 1112 is not a straight line, but rather a shape that is bent multiple times.

[0067] The process by which the exhaust gas G passes through the first passage A1 of the housing 1110 is as follows. When the exhaust gas passes through the opening (inlet) at the top of the first housing 1111, the exhaust gas G flows into the interior of the first housing 1111 and is then transported to the connecting housing 1113. The exhaust gas transported to the connecting housing 1113 then flows into the second housing 1112 and is discharged through the opening (outlet) at the top of the second housing 1112. In this way, the exhaust gas G is cooled as it flows through the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 in this order. At this time, the exhaust gas G is cooled by the cooling unit described later, and as a result, the ruthenium, one of the components contained in the exhaust gas G, is cooled and turned into powder. In other words, ruthenium is recovered from the exhaust gas G. The recovered ruthenium P then passes through the openings at the bottom of the first and second housings 1111 and 1112 and is collected in the storage section 1130 located below them.

[0068] In this way, by providing the first passage A1 of the housing portion 1110 in a shape that is bent multiple times, the time that the exhaust gas remains in the first passage A1 can be extended. That is, the retention time, which is the time it takes for the exhaust gas G that flows into the first passage A1 of the housing portion 1110 to be discharged outside the housing portion 1110, can be extended. As a result, the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G can be sufficiently cooled, thereby improving the collection efficiency of ruthenium P.

[0069] The first collector 1100 is connected between the process apparatus 10 and the pump 20, as shown in Figure 1. The pressure inside the chamber 11 of the process apparatus 10 can be adjusted to a vacuum by the operation of the pump 20. That is, when the substrate processing process is performed in the process apparatus 10, the pressure inside the chamber 11 can be adjusted to a vacuum. At this time, the first collector 1100 is connected between the chamber 11 and the pump 20. That is, the housing portion 1110 is connected between the chamber 11 and the pump 20. Therefore, the first collector 1100 can be in a vacuum state. That is, the housing portion 1110 can be in a vacuum state. More specifically, when the substrate processing process is performed in the process apparatus 10, the pressure inside the chamber 11 can be a vacuum pressure, and therefore, the housing portion 1110 can be adjusted to a vacuum state.

[0070] The first cooling unit 1120a is disposed inside the first housing 1111 and cools the exhaust gas G passing through the inside of the first housing 1111. Such a first cooling unit 1120a includes a body 1121 and a flow path 1122 provided inside the body 1121 through which the first refrigerant can pass.

[0071] The fuselage 1121 may comprise a first fuselage 1121-1 extending in the vertical direction and a plurality of second fuselages 1121-2 separated in the vertical direction from the outer surface of the first fuselage 1121-1.

[0072] The first fuselage 1121-1 may be provided in a cylindrical shape extending vertically. Needless to say, the shape of the first fuselage 1121-1 is not limited in any way to the example described above, and may be a wide variety of shapes that extend in the direction of extension of the first housing 1111 and can be attached so that multiple second fuselages 1121-2 are spaced apart from each other.

[0073] The second fuselage 1121-2 may be plate-shaped and extend in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the first fuselage 1121-1. For example, the second fuselage 1121-2 may be plate-shaped and extend in a direction circumferential to the first fuselage 1121-1. The second fuselage 1121-2 may be connected to the outer surface of the first fuselage 1121-1. The second fuselage 1121-2 may also be provided in a sloping manner such that its height decreases as it moves away from the first fuselage 1121-1. To explain this in more detail, the tip of the second fuselage 1121-2 that is connected to the outer surface of the first fuselage 1121-1 will be referred to as one end, and the tip opposite to the one end, which is on the opposite side from the first fuselage 1121-1, will be referred to as the other end. To reiterate this, the second fuselage 1121-2 is positioned at an angle such that the height of the other end is even lower than the height of the other end. In other words, the second fuselage 1121-2 is positioned so that it slopes as it progresses from one end to the other. To put it another way, the second fuselage 1121-2 is positioned such that the angle it makes with the first fuselage 1121-1 is not vertical (90°), but a predetermined angle.

[0074] Multiple second fuselages 1121-2 are provided, each being mounted on the first fuselage 1121-1. In this case, the multiple second fuselages 1121-2 are arranged so as to be separated from each other in the vertical direction. Furthermore, multiple second fuselages 1121-2 arranged to be adjacent in the vertical direction are arranged alternately so as to be at different horizontal positions. For example, two second fuselages 1121-2 arranged to be adjacent in the vertical direction may be arranged facing each other with the first fuselage 1121-1 in between.

[0075] As shown in Figure 4, a flow path 1122 through which the first refrigerant can pass is provided inside the body 1121 as described above. In this case, the flow path 1122 may extend to pass through the entire interior of the body 1121. In other words, the flow path 1122 extends along the shape of the body. That is, a flow path 1122 is provided inside the first body 1121-1 and the multiple second body 1121-2 of the body 1121, and the flow paths 1122 provided in the first body 1121-1 and the multiple second body 1121-2 are in communication with or connected to each other. One end of the flow path 1122 extended in this way can be connected to the refrigerant supply unit 1160, and the other end can be connected to the first refrigerant transport line 1171, which will be described later. Here, one end of the flow path 1122 connected to the refrigerant supply unit 1160 and the other end of the flow path 1122 connected to the first refrigerant transport line 1171 may be located in the lower part inside the first body 1121-1, as shown in Figure 4.

[0076] The refrigerant supply unit 1160 supplies the first refrigerant to the flow path 1122 of the first cooling unit 1120a. That is, it supplies the first refrigerant to the flow path 1122 provided in the fuselage 1121. When the first refrigerant is supplied to the flow path 1122 provided inside the fuselage 1121, the first refrigerant moves along the flow path 1122 inside the fuselage 1121. As a result, the first cooling unit 1120a is cooled. In addition, the first refrigerant discharged from the first cooling unit 1120a is supplied to the flow path 1122 of the second cooling unit 1120b, which will be described later, and as a result, the second cooling unit 1120b is cooled.

[0077] Thus, the refrigerant supply unit 1160 supplies the first refrigerant to the first and second cooling units 1120a and 1120b to cool the first and second cooling units 1120a and 1120b. At this time, the first and second cooling units 1120a and 1120b need to be cooled to a temperature at which ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G can be powdered or recovered. That is, it is preferable that the first and second cooling units 1120a and 1120b are cooled to a temperature of 10°C or lower so that ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G can be recovered. For this reason, the first refrigerant may be adjusted to a temperature at which ruthenium can be recovered. That is, the first refrigerant may be at a temperature of 10°C or lower.

[0078] When exhaust gas G flows into the first housing 1111, the incoming exhaust gas G is cooled by the first cooling unit 1120a. That is, the exhaust gas G passing in contact with the outer surface of the first cooling unit 1120a or the exhaust gas G passing around the first cooling unit 1120a is cooled to a temperature of 10°C or lower. At this time, the exhaust gas G contains ruthenium, which is a component that becomes solid or powder under temperature conditions of 10°C or lower. Therefore, when the exhaust gas G is cooled to a temperature of 10°C or lower, ruthenium powder is generated. In other words, ruthenium is recovered from the exhaust gas G.

[0079] As described above, the multiple second bodies 1121-2 of the first cooling unit 1120a are arranged to be separated vertically, and two second bodies 1121-2 that are arranged to be adjacent vertically are arranged to be staggered horizontally. This extends the time that the exhaust gas remains inside the first housing 1111 and allows the exhaust gas passing through the inside of the first housing 1111 to be cooled uniformly. Therefore, the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G can be sufficiently cooled, and the ruthenium collection efficiency can be improved.

[0080] Furthermore, the second fuselage 1121-2 is angled so that its height decreases as it moves away from the first fuselage 1121-1. This allows the recovered ruthenium P to easily move downward along the slope of the second fuselage 1121-2.

[0081] The second cooling unit 1120b is disposed inside the second housing 1112 and is a means for cooling the exhaust gas G passing through the inside of the second housing 1112. Such a second cooling unit 1120b differs from the first cooling unit 1120a only in its location and may be provided with the same configuration and shape. That is, the second cooling unit 1120b comprises a body 1121 disposed inside the second housing 1112 and a flow path 1122 provided inside the body 1121 so that the first refrigerant can pass through. The body 1121 may comprise a first body 1121-1 extending in the vertical direction and a plurality of second body 1121-2 separated in the vertical direction on the outer surface of the first body 1121-1. In the flow path provided inside the body 1121 of the second cooling unit 1120b, the first refrigerant flows into one end and is discharged at the other end. Here, the first body 1121-1 and the second body 1121-2 of the second cooling unit 1120b are the same as the first body 1121-1 and the second body 1121-2 of the second cooling unit 1120b. For this reason, the explanation of the first body 1121-1 and the second body 1121-2 of the second cooling unit 1120b is omitted.

[0082] The process by which the exhaust gas G is cooled by this second cooling unit 1120b and the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G is powdered or recovered is the same as the process described in the first cooling unit 1120a. This will be briefly explained below.

[0083] Exhaust gas G containing ruthenium that could not be recovered while passing through the first housing 1111 can flow into the second housing 1112. At this time, the exhaust gas G that has flowed into the second housing 1112 is cooled by the second cooling section 1120b. That is, the exhaust gas G passing in contact with the outer surface of the second cooling section 1120b or the exhaust gas G passing around the second cooling section 1120b is cooled. As a result, ruthenium is recovered from the exhaust gas G, and the recovered ruthenium P is collected in the containment section 1130.

[0084] The connecting housing 1113 is disposed between the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112. Therefore, exhaust gas flowing into the first housing 1111 moves to the second housing 1112 via the connecting housing 1113. Multiple partition walls 1150a and 1150b are disposed inside such a connecting housing 1113. For example, as shown in Figure 3, two partition walls (hereinafter referred to as the first and second partition walls 1150a and 1150b) may be disposed inside the connecting housing. Furthermore, a flow path 1151 through which the first refrigerant can pass may be provided inside the first and second partition walls 1150a and 1150b. Therefore, the first and second partition walls 1150a and 1150b can be cooled. Therefore, the exhaust gas G discharged from the first housing 1111 can be cooled by the first and second partitions 1150a and 1150b as it passes through the connecting housing. At this time, the first and second partitions 1150a and 1150b may be cooled to a temperature at which the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G can be cooled. That is, the first and second partitions 1150a and 1150b may be cooled to a temperature of 10°C or lower. As a result, the exhaust gas G passing inside the connecting housing 1113 can be cooled to a temperature of 10°C or lower by the first and second partitions 1150a and 1150b. This makes it possible to recover the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G.

[0085] The first partition wall 1150a and the second partition wall 1150b are arranged at different positions within the connecting housing 1113. For example, the first partition wall 1150a and the second partition wall 1150b may be arranged in the direction in which the first housing 1111 and the second housing 1112 are aligned, i.e., horizontally. Also, the first partition wall 1150a and the second partition wall 1150b may be arranged at different heights. For example, of the first and second partition wall sections 1150a and 1150b, the first partition wall 1150a, which is located adjacent to the first housing 1111, may be located lower than the second partition wall 1150b. To explain this in other words, of the first and second partition sections 1150a and 1150b, the second partition section 1150b, which is positioned adjacent to the second housing 1112, may be located above the first partition section 1150a. In this way, when arranging multiple partition sections 1150a and 1150b inside the connecting housing 1113, arranging them at different positions from one another can extend the travel path of the exhaust gas G passing through the connecting housing 1113. As a result, the time that the exhaust gas G remains inside the connecting housing 1113 can be extended, thereby allowing the exhaust gas G to be sufficiently cooled. Consequently, the collection efficiency of ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G can be improved.

[0086] The above describes adjusting the temperatures of the first and second cooling sections 1120a, 1120b and the first and second partition sections 1150a, 1150b to 10°C or lower. However, the temperatures of the first and second cooling sections 1120a, 1120b and the first and second partition sections 1150a, 1150b are not limited to the examples described above, and may be adjusted to any temperature as long as ruthenium can be recovered by powdering.

[0087] As explained above, the first collector 1100 includes a housing section 1110 that has a space through which exhaust gas G can pass. Therefore, the first collector 1100 can be described as having a space through which exhaust gas G can pass. The housing section also includes a first housing 1111, a connecting housing 1113, and a second housing 1112, and each of the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 has a passage, i.e., a space, through which exhaust gas G can pass. Here, the space provided in the first housing 1111 may be called the first space, the space provided in the second housing 1112 may be called the second space, and the space provided in the connecting housing 1113 may be called the third space. Therefore, the first collector 1100 can be described as having a space through which exhaust gas G can pass and cooling sections 1120a and 1120b disposed in the space. More specifically, the first collector 1100 can be described as comprising a first space, a second space, a third space between the first and second spaces, and first and second cooling units 1120a and 1120b disposed in the first and second spaces.

[0088] The containment section 1130 contains the recovered ruthenium (Ru) and is connected to the lower part of the housing section 1110. Such a containment section 1130 may include a main body 1131 connected to the lower part of the housing section 1110, and first and second containers 1132a and 1132b disposed inside the main body 1131, each having an internal space capable of containing ruthenium P.

[0089] The main body 1131 may have an internal space and an opening at its upper part facing the housing portion 1110. Alternatively, the main body 1131 may extend in the direction of extension of the housing portion 1110. That is, the main body 1131 may extend in the direction in which the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 are arranged. The upper part of the main body 1131 is provided with an opening that can communicate with the first and second housings 1111 and 1112. That is, a first opening may be provided in the upper part of the main body 1131 at a position facing the lower opening of the first housing 1111, and a second opening may be provided at a position facing the lower opening of the second housing 1112. Therefore, ruthenium P that has passed through the openings at the bottom of the first and second housings 1111 and 1112 can flow into the interior of the main body 1131 by passing through the first and second openings provided at the top of the main body 1131.

[0090] The first and second containers 1132a and 1132b are each disposed inside the main body 1131. In this case, the first container 1132a may be disposed inside the main body 1131 in a position facing the first housing 1111, and the second container 1132b may be disposed inside the main body 1131 in a position facing the second housing 1112.

[0091] The first and second containers 1132a and 1132b may each have an opening at the top. Therefore, ruthenium P that passes through the first and second openings of the main body 1131 can flow into the interior of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b.

[0092] Each of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b may be provided with a flow path through which the first refrigerant circulates. That is, a flow path may be provided inside the walls that make up the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b. As a result, the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b can be cooled by the first refrigerant. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the ruthenium (Ru) contained inside the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b from rising and becoming gasified again.

[0093] The first and second containers 1132a and 1132b contain ruthenium P recovered from exhaust gas G. When a certain amount of ruthenium P is contained inside the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b, each of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b must be replaced with a new container. At this time, since the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b are located inside the main body 1131, the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b must be removed from the main body 1131. For this purpose, the main body 1131 is provided so as to be connectable and detachable from the housing portion 1110. That is, the main body 1131 is provided so as to be connectable or detachable from the first and second housings 1111 and 1112 and the connecting housing 1113. At this time, the means for connecting the main body 1131 and the housing portion 1110 to each other are not particularly limited.

[0094] The above describes how the main body 1131 is provided in a structure that allows it to be separated from the housing 1110 in order to transport the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b to the outside of the main body 1131. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the main body 1131 may be provided with gates (not shown) that allow the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b to be transported in and out, respectively. For example, a first gate (not shown) that allows the first container 1132a to be transported in and out may be provided on one side of the main body 1131, and a second gate (not shown) that allows the second container 1132b to be transported in and out may be provided on the other side of the main body 1131.

[0095] In order to determine whether or not the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b need to be replaced, it is preferable to measure the amount of ruthenium P contained in each of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b. For this purpose, the first collector 1100 may be equipped with a measuring unit capable of sensing the amount of ruthenium P contained in each of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b, and a determination unit 1133 that uses the value measured by the measuring unit (hereinafter referred to as the measured value) to determine whether or not the first and second containers need to be replaced.

[0096] In the measuring unit, a first measuring unit 1132a-1 capable of sensing ruthenium P inside the first container 1132a, and a second measuring unit 1132b-1 capable of sensing ruthenium P inside the second container 1132b may be provided separately. In this case, the first and second measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 may be, for example, means for measuring the amount of ruthenium P inside the first and second containers. Furthermore, each of the first and second measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 may be a weight measuring unit for measuring the weight of the containers 1132a and 1132b, or a height sensor unit for measuring the height of the ruthenium P contained and accumulated inside the containers 1132a and 1132b. Here, the height of the ruthenium P contained and accumulated inside containers 1132a and 1132b refers to the height of the upper surface of a layer of a predetermined thickness formed by the accumulation of ruthenium P in powder form. Therefore, the height of the ruthenium P accumulated inside containers 1132a and 1132b can mean the "height of the ruthenium P layer".

[0097] The determination unit 1133 then compares the measured amount of ruthenium P with a preset reference value to determine whether the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b need to be replaced. In this case, if the first and second measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 are weight measuring units, the reference value set in the determination unit 1133 may be the reference weight. To give another example, if the first and second measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 are height sensor units, the reference value set in the determination unit 1133 may be the reference height.

[0098] The following describes the process of determining whether or not to replace the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b using the first and second measuring units 1132a-1, 1132b-1 and the judgment unit 1133. In this explanation, we will use the case where the first and second measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 are weight measuring units as an example. Therefore, the first measuring unit 1132a-1 may be referred to as the first weight measuring unit, and the second measuring unit 1132b-1 may be referred to as the second weight measuring unit. Furthermore, for ease of explanation, the first weight measuring unit will be described using the same reference numeral as the first measuring unit 1132a-1, and the second weight measuring unit will be described using the same reference numeral as the second measuring unit 1132b-1.

[0099] The judgment unit 1133 receives the weight measured by the first and second weight measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 in real time and compares the received measured weight with a preset reference weight. When the measured weight exceeds the reference weight, the judgment unit 1133 issues an alarm to notify that the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b should be replaced. At this time, the judgment unit 1133 receives the weight of the first container 1132a measured by the first weight measuring unit 1132a-1 and the weight of the second container 1132b measured by the second weight measuring unit 1132b-1. The judgment unit 1133 then compares the weight of the first container 1132a and the weight of the second container 1132b with the reference weight and determines whether the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b should be replaced. At this time, if it is determined that at least one of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b needs to be replaced, the determination unit 1133 issues a replacement alarm. The determination unit 1133 can also distinguish and notify which of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b needs to be replaced.

[0100] The above description uses the example where the first and second measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 are weight measuring units. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first and second measuring units may be height sensors. In such a case, the main body 1131 and the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b may be provided with light-transmitting windows (not shown). More specifically, the first container 1132a and the second container 1132b may each be provided with a window. The first window may be provided in the main body 1131 at a position opposite the window of the first container 1132a, and the second window may be provided at a position opposite the window of the second container 1132b. The first and second height sensors, which measure height by irradiating light, may be provided on the outside of the main body. In this case, the first height sensor may be positioned opposite the first window of the main body 1131, and the second height sensor may be positioned opposite the second window of the main body 1131.

[0101] Light emitted from the first and second height sensors passes through the first and second windows of the main body 1131 and the windows provided in the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b, respectively, and irradiates the interiors of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b. The light irradiated into the interiors of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b can then be used to measure the height of the ruthenium P contained in each of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b. The heights of the ruthenium P in the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b measured by the first and second height sensors can be transmitted to the determination unit 1133. The determination unit 1133 then compares the heights of the ruthenium P measured by the first and second height sensors with a preset reference height. Then, when the measured height of ruthenium P reaches or exceeds the reference height, the judgment unit 1133 issues an alarm to notify the exchange of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b.

[0102] At this time, the determination unit 1133 receives the height of the ruthenium P in the first container 1132a measured by the first height sensor and the height of the ruthenium P in the second container 1132b measured by the second height sensor. The determination unit 1133 then compares the height of the ruthenium P in the first container 1132a and the height of the ruthenium P in the second container 1132b with a reference height and determines whether the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b need to be replaced. If it is determined that at least one of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b needs to be replaced, the determination unit 1133 issues a replacement alarm. The determination unit 1133 can also distinguish and notify which of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b needs to be replaced.

[0103] The above describes measuring the height of ruthenium P by irradiating light through the main body 1131 and the window. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operator can also confirm the height of ruthenium P themselves through the windows provided in the main body 1131 and the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b, and use the confirmed height to decide whether or not to swap the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b.

[0104] Furthermore, the above explanation described the case where the measuring unit is a weight measuring unit that measures the weight of a container, or a height sensor that measures the height of ruthenium P. However, the present invention is not limited in any way to these, and the measuring unit may be a means of measuring something other than weight and height.

[0105] The specific method for swapping the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b will be explained after the first and second opening / closing sections 1140a and 1140b and the first and second pressure regulating sections 1190a and 1190b have been described.

[0106] The first opening / closing part 1140a is a means for opening and closing the space between the first housing 1111 and the housing 1130, and is disposed in the first housing 1111. In this case, the first opening / closing part 1140a is disposed in the first housing 1111 so as to be located between the first cooling part 1120a and the housing 1130. The second opening / closing part 1140b is a means for opening and closing the space between the second housing 1112 and the housing 1130, and the second opening / closing part 1140b is disposed in the second housing 1112 so as to be located between the second cooling part 1120b and the housing 1130.

[0107] The first and second opening / closing sections 1140a and 1140b remain open when the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b are not being replaced, and are closed when the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b are being replaced. More specifically, while the process apparatus 10 is operating to deposit a thin film onto the substrate S, the first and second opening / closing sections 1140a and 1140b of the collection device 1000 remain open. As a result, the first and second housings 1111 and 1112 of the housing section 1110 and the containment section 1130 are in communication. Consequently, ruthenium P in powder form, generated by the cooling of exhaust gas G inside the housing section 1110, can be collected in the containment section 1130.

[0108] The refrigerant supply unit 1160 is a means for supplying the first refrigerant to the first cooling unit 1120a. Such a refrigerant supply unit 1160 may include a refrigerant storage tank 1161 in which the first refrigerant is stored, and a refrigerant supply line 1162 connecting the refrigerant storage tank 1161 to the flow path 1122 of the first cooling unit 1120a. Here, the first refrigerant stored in the refrigerant storage tank 1161 may be a liquid or a gas, and may be adjusted to a temperature of 10°C or lower. The refrigerant supply line 1162 is a pipe through which the first refrigerant can pass or be transported, with one end connected to the refrigerant storage tank 1161 and the other end connected to the flow path of the first cooling unit 1120a. More specifically, the other end of the refrigerant supply line 1162 is connected to one end of the flow path 1122 of the first cooling unit 1120a.

[0109] Furthermore, refrigerant transport lines 1171 to 1173 are arranged between the first cooling section 1120a and the first partition wall section 1150a, between the first partition wall section 1150a and the second partition wall section 1150b, and between the second partition wall section 1150b and the second cooling section 1120b. In other words, the first collector 1100 may include a first refrigerant transport line 1171 connecting the other end of the flow path 1122 of the first cooling unit 1120a to one end of the flow path provided in the first partition wall 1150a, a second refrigerant transport line 1172 connecting the other end of the flow path provided in the first partition wall 1150a to one end of the flow path provided in the second partition wall 1150b, and a third refrigerant transport line 1173 connecting the other end of the flow path provided in the second partition wall 1150b to one end of the flow path 1122 of the second cooling unit 1120b. Therefore, the first refrigerant discharged from the flow path 1122 of the first cooling unit 1120a can be transported to the flow path 1122 of the second cooling unit 1120b via the first refrigerant transport line 1171, the flow path of the first partition wall 1150a, the second refrigerant transport line 1172, the flow path of the second partition wall 1150b, and the third refrigerant transport line 1173.

[0110] Furthermore, a fourth refrigerant transport line 1174 is provided between the flow path 1122 of the second cooling unit 1120b and the flow path of the second container 1132b, and a fifth refrigerant transport line 1175 is provided between the flow path of the second container 1132b and the flow path of the first container 1132a. Therefore, the first refrigerant discharged from the flow path 1122 of the second cooling unit 1120b can be transported to the flow path of the first container 1132a via the fourth refrigerant transport line 1174, the flow path of the second container 1132b, and the fifth refrigerant transport line 1175.

[0111] The refrigerant recovery unit 1180 is a means for recovering the first refrigerant discharged from the flow path of the second container 1132b. Such a refrigerant recovery unit 1180 may include a refrigerant recovery line 1182 connected to the other end of the flow path of the second container 1132b and a refrigerant recovery tank 1181 for storing the first refrigerant transported from the refrigerant recovery line 1182. Therefore, the first refrigerant discharged from the flow path of the second container 1132b can be stored in the refrigerant recovery tank via the refrigerant recovery line 1182.

[0112] The first pressure regulating unit 1190a uses the pressure of the first housing 1111 to regulate the pressure of the housing 1130. Such a first pressure regulating unit 1190a includes a first line 1191a disposed to connect the first housing 1111 and the main body 1131. The first pressure regulating unit 1190a may further include a first valve 1193a disposed on the first line 1191a to regulate communication between the first housing 1111 and the main body 1131, a second line (not shown) connected to the first line 1191a, and a second valve (not shown) connected to the end of the second line (not shown).

[0113] The second pressure regulating unit 1190b differs from the first pressure regulating unit 1190a described above only in its installation location; its configuration is the same. Specifically, the second pressure regulating unit 1190b includes a first line 1191b arranged to connect the second housing 1112 and the main body 1131, and a first valve 1193b arranged on the first line 1191b to regulate communication between the second housing 1112 and the main body 1131. The second pressure regulating unit 1190b may also include a second line (not shown) connected to the first line 1191b, and a second valve (not shown) connected to the end of the second line (not shown).

[0114] Adjusting the pressure in the containment section 1130 using the first and second pressure adjustment sections 1190a and 1190b as described above may be done after replacing at least one of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b.

[0115] The following describes a method for replacing the first container 1132a after the judgment unit 1133 determines that it is necessary to replace the first container 1132a, and a method for adjusting the pressure in the storage unit 1130 after the first container 1132a has been replaced.

[0116] First, the first and second opening / closing sections 1140a and 1140b are closed. Then, the main body 1131 of the storage section 1130 is removed from the housing section 1110. Next, of the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b loaded inside the main body 1131, the first container 1132a that needs to be replaced is removed to the outside of the main body. After that, a new first container 1132a with an empty interior is loaded inside the main body. Next, the main body 1131 is connected to the housing section 1110.

[0117] Thus, during the process of replacing the first container 1132a, the inside of the main body is exposed to the atmosphere. Therefore, the inside of the main body 1131 can currently be at atmospheric pressure. Consequently, when the main body 1131 is connected to the housing portion 1110, the pressure in the main body 1131 is reduced. To this end, the first valves 1193a and 1193b of the first and second pressure adjustment units 1190a and 1190b are opened to connect the first and second housings 1111 and 1112 with the main body 1131. As a result, the pressure in the main body 1131 decreases and can become the same as the pressure in the housing portion 1110. When the pressure in the main body 1131 is the same as, or becomes the same as, the first and second opening / closing units 1140a and 1140b are opened.

[0118] The second collector will be described below based on Figures 1, 2, and 5.

[0119] The second collector 1200 cools the exhaust gas G received from the first collector 1100, thereby cooling the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G and collecting it in powder form. In other words, the second collector 1200 cools the exhaust gas G received from the first collector 1100 and recovers ruthenium from the exhaust gas G. Such a second collector 1200 may be disposed between the pump 20 and the dust collector 30.

[0120] Referring to Figures 2 and 5, the second collector 1200 includes a wet cooling section 1210 that injects a second refrigerant C into the exhaust gas transported from the first collector 1100 to cool it, and a separation section 1220 that receives a mixture of the second refrigerant C and ruthenium P from the wet cooling section 1210 and separates the second refrigerant C and ruthenium P from the mixture. The second collector 1200 may also include a transport section 1230 that transports the mixture in the wet cooling section 1210 to the separation section 1220.

[0121] The wet cooling unit 1210 may include a main body 1211 having an internal space, spray members 1212:1212a, 1212b disposed in the main body 1211 so as to be able to spray a second refrigerant C into the main body 1211, and a container 1213 disposed below the spray members 1212:1212a, 1212b inside the main body 1211. The wet cooling unit 1210 may also include a blocking member 1214 disposed inside the main body 1211 so as to be able to block the flow of the second refrigerant C inside the main body 1211 into the dust collector 30.

[0122] The main body 1211 is a cylindrical object with an internal space, and is disposed between the pump 20 and the dust collector 30. More specifically, the main body 1211 is disposed between the second conveying section 1320 connected to the pump 20 and the third conveying section 1330 connected to the dust collector 30. The second conveying section 1320 and the third conveying section 1330 are connected to the main body 1211, and openings are provided at the locations where the second and third conveying sections 1310 and 1320 are connected. That is, openings are provided on one side and the other side of the main body 1211. The opening on one side of the main body 1211 communicates with the second conveying section 1320, and the opening on the other side of the main body 1211 communicates with the third conveying section 1330. Here, an opening on one side of the main body 1211 is an inlet that allows exhaust gas received from the second conveying unit 1320 to flow into the interior of the main body 1211, and an opening on the other side of the main body 1211 is an outlet that discharges the exhaust gas inside the main body 1211 to the third conveying unit. This internal space of the main body 1211 becomes the second passage A2 of the collection device 1000.

[0123] The main body 1211 is provided with a gate G for loading and unloading the container 1213. For example, gate 1211-1 may be provided on one side of the main body 1211. In any case, gate 1211-1 may be provided at any position on the main body 1211, as long as it allows for loading and unloading of the container 1213.

[0124] The injection members 1212:1212a and 1212b are arranged in the main body 1211 so as to be able to inject the second refrigerant into the interior of the main body 1211, i.e., into the second passage A2. At this time, the second refrigerant injected into the interior of the main body 1211 via the injection members 1212:1212a and 1212b may be adjusted to a temperature at which gaseous ruthenium can be cooled and powdered. The second refrigerant may be a liquid, for example, water. The second refrigerant C is not limited to water in any way, and a wide variety of liquid materials that can be cooled so that the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G can be solidified or powdered can be used.

[0125] The injection members 1212:1212a and 1212b may be provided in multiple quantities, for example, as shown in Figure 5, two injection members 1212a and 1212b may be provided. Preferably, the first and second injection members 1212a and 1212b are arranged side by side in the direction in which the second transport section 1320 and the third transport section 1330 are arranged.

[0126] Although the above describes a configuration in which two injection members are provided, the present invention is not limited in any way, and the injection members may be provided in a variety of ways in more than two numbers. Furthermore, the injection members may be provided as a single unit rather than in multiples.

[0127] When exhaust gas flows into the main body 1211 and the second refrigerant C is injected from the first and second injection members 1212a and 1212b, the exhaust gas G is cooled by the injected second refrigerant C. At this time, the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G is cooled and turns into a powder. In other words, ruthenium P is recovered from the exhaust gas G. Then, the recovered ruthenium P and the second refrigerant C injected from the injection members 1212a and 1212b fall downwards.

[0128] In the following description, in order to distinguish it from the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b of the first collector 1100, the container 1213 located inside the main body 1211 of the second collector 1200 will be referred to as the "third container 1213".

[0129] The third container 1213 is positioned inside the main body 1211 so as to face the injection members 1212:1212a and 1212b. The third container 1213 is shaped to receive and contain the recovered ruthenium P and the second refrigerant C. That is, the third container 1213 may have an internal space and an open top facing the injection members 1212a and 1212b.

[0130] As described above, the third container 1213 contains ruthenium P and the second refrigerant C. That is, ruthenium P and the second refrigerant C are mixed and contained inside the third container 1213. At this time, the recovered ruthenium P in solid or powder form is a metal with a higher specific gravity than the second refrigerant C. Therefore, when the mixture is contained in the third container, it becomes possible for ruthenium (Ru) to precipitate in the second refrigerant. This mixture is then discharged to the separation unit 1220 via the transport unit 1230. For this purpose, the third container 1213 is provided with an opening that communicates with the transport unit 1230.

[0131] The blocking member 1214 serves to block or shield the flow of the second refrigerant C, which has been injected into the main body 1211, into the dust collector 30. More specifically, the blocking member 1214 blocks the flow of the second refrigerant C, which has been injected into the main body 1211, from being discharged through the outlet and flowing into the third transport section 1330.

[0132] Such a blocking member 1214 is disposed inside the main body 1211 so as to face the outlet. In this case, it is preferable that the blocking member 1214 is positioned between the injection members 1212a, 1212b and the outlet. In this case, if the wet cooling unit 1210 has a plurality of injection members 1212a, 1212b, it is preferable to place the blocking member 1214 between the injection member that is closest to the outlet and the outlet. More specifically, as shown in Figure 5, if the wet cooling unit 1210 has first and second injection members 1212a, 1212b, it is preferable to place the blocking member 1214 between the second injection member 1212b and the outlet. Furthermore, the blocking member 1214 is disposed in an inclined manner such that its height decreases as it moves from the outlet side toward the second injection member 1212b side. As a result, the blocking member 1214 does not close the outlet even though one of its surfaces faces the outlet. Therefore, the second refrigerant C injected from the injection members 1212a and 1212b is prevented from moving to the shut-off member 1214 and does not flow into the outlet, and the exhaust gas G flows into the space between the shut-off member 1214 and the outlet and can then be discharged through the outlet.

[0133] The separation unit 1220 separates ruthenium P from the mixture discharged from the third container 1213. That is, the separation unit 1220 separates the ruthenium P precipitated in the second refrigerant C. In other words, it dehydrates the liquid second refrigerant C from the mixture to separate the powdered ruthenium P. Such a separation unit 1220 may, for example, be a means that includes a filter that allows the second refrigerant C to pass through but not the ruthenium P.

[0134] The transport unit 1230 includes a transport pipe 1231 connecting the third container 1213 and the separation unit 1220, and a valve 1232 disposed in the transport pipe 1231 so as to be able to control the communication between the third container 1213 and the separation unit 1220.

[0135] The valve 1232 of the conveying unit 1230 may be operated to remain open while the wet cooling unit 1210 is operating. This allows the mixture in the third container 1213 to be discharged to the separation unit 1220 via the conveying unit 1230 while the wet cooling unit 1210 is operating.

[0136] Needless to say, the present invention is not limited in any way, and the valve of the conveying section may be selectively opened and closed according to the amount of mixture contained inside the third container.

[0137] For this purpose, the second collector 1200 may include a measuring unit 1241 that can sense and measure the mixture contained in the third container 1213, and a determination unit 1242 that adjusts the opening and closing of the valve 1232 based on the value measured in the measuring unit 1241 (hereinafter referred to as the measured value).

[0138] Here, the measuring unit 1241 may be a means for measuring the amount of mixture contained in the third container 1213. More specifically, the measuring unit 1241 may be a weight measuring unit for measuring the weight of the third container 1213, or a height sensor unit for measuring the height of the mixture contained inside the third container 1213.

[0139] The determination unit 1242 then compares the measured amount of the mixture with a preset reference value and controls the operation of the valve 1232. In this case, if the measuring unit 1241 is a weight measuring unit, the reference value set in the determination unit 1242 may be the reference weight. To give another example, if the measuring unit 1241 is a height sensor unit, the reference value set in the determination unit 1242 may be the reference height.

[0140] The following describes how to control the operation of the valve 12132 using the measuring unit 1241 and the judgment unit 1242. In this explanation, we will use the case where the measuring unit 1241 is a weight measuring unit as an example. For ease of explanation, the weight measuring unit will be given the same reference numerals as the measuring unit.

[0141] The determination unit 1242 receives the weight measured by the weight measuring unit 1241 in real time and compares the received measured weight with a preset reference weight. If the measured weight is less than the reference weight, the determination unit 1242 keeps the valve 1232 closed. As a result, the mixture in the third container 1213 is not discharged. However, if the measured weight is equal to or greater than the reference weight, the determination unit 1242 opens the valve 1232. As a result, the mixture in the third container 1213 is discharged into the separation unit.

[0142] The above explanation uses the example where the measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 are weight measuring units. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the measuring units may be height sensors. Needless to say, the measuring units 1132a-1 and 1132b-1 are not limited thereto, and may be means for measuring something other than weight and height.

[0143] The above describes opening valve 1232 to discharge the mixture in the third container 1213 into the separation unit 1220 and collect ruthenium P. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the third container 1213 itself may be removed from the main body 1211, and ruthenium P may be separated and collected from the mixture in the removed third container 1213.

[0144] Furthermore, in the above description, the refrigerant used in the first collector 1100 is referred to as the first refrigerant, and the refrigerant used in the second collector 1200 is referred to as the second refrigerant C. In this case, the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant C may be the same or may be different. That is, when a liquid is used as the first refrigerant, the same liquid as the second refrigerant C can be used as the first refrigerant. Needless to say, even when a liquid is used as the first refrigerant, different types of liquids can be used as the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant C.

[0145] Furthermore, the configuration comprising the collection device 1000 described above and the processing device 10 can be defined as a substrate processing apparatus. That is, the substrate processing apparatus may include a processing device 10 for processing substrates and a collection device for collecting precursors from exhaust gas discharged from the processing device 10.

[0146] The operation of the collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 5. In this description, any information that overlaps with what has been described above will be briefly explained or omitted.

[0147] The exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus 10 first flows into the housing portion 1110 of the first collector 1100. The exhaust gas G is then cooled as it passes through the inside of the housing portion 1110. In other words, the exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus 10 passes through the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 in that order.

[0148] At this time, the exhaust gas passing through the inside of the housing 1110 is cooled by the cooling unit 1120 located inside the housing 1110. That is, as the exhaust gas passes through the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112 in this order, it is cooled by the first cooling unit 1120a located in the first housing 1111, the multiple partition walls 1150a and 1150b located in the connecting housing 1113, and the second cooling unit 1120b located in the second housing 1112. At this time, the exhaust gas may be cooled to a temperature of 10°C or less in each of the first housing 1111, the connecting housing 1113, and the second housing 1112. As a result, the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G is cooled and powder is generated. In other words, ruthenium is recovered from the exhaust gas G. The ruthenium P recovered in the housing section 1110 is collected in the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b located below it (primary collection step).

[0149] The exhaust gas G discharged from the second housing 1112 of the first collector 1100 is supplied to the inside of the main body 1211 of the second collector 1200. The exhaust gas supplied to the inside of the main body 1211 is cooled by the second refrigerant C injected into the inside of the main body 1211. At this time, the exhaust gas G may be cooled by the second refrigerant C. As a result, the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas G is cooled, and the ruthenium contained in the exhaust gas is converted into powder. In other words, ruthenium is recovered from the exhaust gas G. The ruthenium P recovered in the main body 1211 is collected in the third container 1213 located below it. The second refrigerant C injected into the inside of the main body 1211 is also collected in the third container 1213. At this time, the ruthenium P is precipitated in the second refrigerant C collected in the third container. Subsequently, the mixture containing ruthenium P and the second refrigerant C, contained in the third container 1213, is supplied to the separation unit 1220. The separation unit 1220 separates the ruthenium P from the mixture (secondary collection step). That is, it separates the ruthenium P that has precipitated in the second refrigerant C.

[0150] Next, the ruthenium P collected in the first and second containers 1132a and 1132b of the first collector 1100 and the ruthenium P separated in the separation section 1220 of the second collector 1200 are processed. That is, the ruthenium P collected in the first and second collectors 1100 and 1200 are processed so that they can be reused in the process equipment. For example, the ruthenium P collected in the first and second collectors 1100 and 1200 is processed to produce a gas. That is, a precursor is produced. The precursor produced in this way can be reused again in the process equipment.

[0151] The above describes how the collection device 1000 according to the embodiment collects ruthenium from exhaust gas G containing ruthenium. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a wide variety of precious metal precursors are applicable. For example, the collection device according to the embodiment may be configured to collect at least one precursor from ruthenium (Ru), silver (Ag), gold (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os) from exhaust gas G.

[0152] According to the collection device of the present invention, precursors can be effectively collected from exhaust gas discharged from the process apparatus 10. In other words, the collection efficiency of precursors collected from exhaust gas G can be improved. As a result, the amount of discarded precursors can be reduced. Furthermore, by reusing the collected precursors in the process apparatus, costs associated with precursors can be reduced. [Industrial applicability]

[0153] According to embodiments of the present invention, precursors can be effectively collected from exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus. In other words, the collection efficiency of precursors collected from exhaust gas can be improved. As a result, the amount of discarded precursors can be reduced. Furthermore, by reusing the collected precursors in the process apparatus, costs associated with precursors can be reduced.

Claims

1. A collection device for collecting precursors from exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus that uses precursors, A collection device comprising a first collector having a cooling section through which a first refrigerant passes so that exhaust gas can be cooled and recovered, and a first collector having an internal space that is connected to the process apparatus and whose pressure can be adjusted to a vacuum.

2. The collection device according to claim 1, further comprising an injection member capable of injecting a second refrigerant into the exhaust gas, and a second collection device disposed on one side of the first collection device.

3. The first collector is disposed between one end of the pump connected to the process apparatus and the process apparatus, The collection device according to claim 2, wherein the second collector is connected to the other end of the pump.

4. The cooling unit includes a body and a passage provided inside the body through which the first refrigerant can pass. The aforementioned fuselage is The first fuselage extends vertically, Multiple second fuselages are separated vertically on the outer surface of the first fuselage, The collection device according to claim 3, comprising:

5. The collection device according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of second bodies arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction are arranged alternately in the horizontal direction.

6. The collection device according to claim 4, wherein the second body is provided in an inclined manner such that its height decreases as it moves away from the first body.

7. The first collector described above is A housing portion in which the cooling unit is disposed inside, A housing section connected to the lower part of the housing section so as to be able to accommodate the precursor recovered in the housing section, An opening / closing part is disposed in the housing so as to be located between the cooling part and the housing part, The collection device according to claim 4, comprising:

8. The aforementioned housing section is The main body connected to the lower part of the housing section, A container having an internal space capable of containing the recovered precursor, which can be disposed inside the main body, Equipped with, The first collector described above is A measuring unit capable of sensing the precursor contained inside the container, A determination unit that determines whether or not the container needs to be replaced based on the measured value obtained by the measurement unit, The collection device according to claim 7, comprising:

9. The aforementioned housing portion is A first housing connected to the aforementioned process apparatus, A second housing is connected to the first housing in the horizontal direction so as to be able to communicate with the first housing, Equipped with, The second housing connects the first housing and the pump. The collection device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the cooling unit is disposed in the first housing and the second housing, respectively.

10. The housing portion includes a connecting housing that connects the first housing and the second housing. The collection device according to claim 9, wherein the first collector is provided with a flow path through which the first refrigerant flows, and comprises a partition wall disposed inside the connecting housing so as to be able to shield a part of the inside of the connecting housing.

11. The aforementioned partition wall section is provided in multiple units. The collection device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of partition walls are arranged at different positions inside the connecting housing.

12. The second collector described above is The main body has an internal space capable of accommodating the second refrigerant injected from the injection member, and the injection member is disposed on the main body, A container is positioned below the injection member so as to be able to contain the precursor and the second refrigerant recovered from the exhaust gas inside the main body, The collection device according to claim 2, comprising:

13. The second collector described above is A measuring unit capable of sensing the precursor and the second refrigerant contained inside the container, A determination unit that determines whether or not it is necessary to discharge the precursor and the second refrigerant contained inside the container based on the measured value obtained by the measurement unit, The collection device according to claim 12, comprising:

14. The end of the main body is provided with an outlet that communicates with a dust collector so that exhaust gas can be discharged. The collection device according to claim 12, wherein the second collector is equipped with a blocking member disposed inside the main body so as to face the outlet, so as to be able to block the second refrigerant injected into the main body from being discharged through the outlet.

15. The blocking member is disposed between the injection member and the discharge port. The collection device according to claim 14, wherein the blocking member is arranged in an inclined manner such that its height decreases as it moves from the discharge port side toward the injection member.

16. A chamber having an internal space, The chamber includes a support portion for supporting the substrate, A supply unit that supplies a gas containing a precursor into the chamber, A first collector is provided with a cooling section through which a first refrigerant passes so as to be able to recover precursors contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the chamber, and is connected to the chamber and has an internal space that can be adjusted to a vacuum pressure, A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an injection member capable of injecting a second refrigerant into the exhaust gas, and a second collector disposed on one side of the first collector.

18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 17, comprising a pump disposed between the first collector and the second collector, capable of adjusting the chamber and the first collector to a vacuum pressure.

19. A collection method for collecting precursors from exhaust gas discharged from a process apparatus that uses precursors, A collection method comprising a primary collection step of recovering a precursor by passing exhaust gas through a first passage, which is provided with a cooling section through which a first refrigerant passes.

20. The collection method according to claim 19, further comprising a secondary collection step of recovering a precursor by passing the exhaust gas discharged from the first passage through a second passage into which a second refrigerant is injected.

21. The collection method according to claim 19, wherein the temperature of the first refrigerant is 10°C or lower.

22. The collection method according to claim 19, wherein the primary collection step includes a step of collecting the recovered precursor into a container.

23. A step of sensing the precursor collected inside the container, A step of determining whether or not the container needs to be replaced based on the sensing result, If it is determined that the aforementioned container needs to be replaced, the step of replacing the container is performed. Includes, The collection method according to claim 22, wherein the step of replacing the container is performed while the operation of the process apparatus is stopped and primary collection is not performed.

24. The collection method according to claim 23, wherein the step of determining whether or not the container needs to be replaced includes the step of comparing the sensing result with a preset reference value.

25. The aforementioned secondary collection step is, The collection method according to claim 20, comprising the step of collecting the precursor recovered in the second passage and the second refrigerant injected into the second passage into the inside of a container.

26. The step includes sensing the precursor and the second refrigerant collected inside the container, The collection method according to claim 25, wherein the sensing result value is compared with a preset reference value to determine whether or not the precursor and the second refrigerant collected inside the container are discharged.

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