Solvent vapor supply device and solvent vapor supply method

Abstract

To provide a solvent vapor supply device which has an inexpensive configuration and stabilizes the temperature and density of a solvent vapor supplied to a substrate processing device.SOLUTION: A solvent vapor supply device which supplies a solvent vapor to a substrate processing device that heats a substrate having a film of a block copolymer including at least two polymers under the atmosphere of the solvent vapor to phase-separate the block copolymer comprises: a solvent storage part which is kept at a temperature equal to or greater than the saturation temperature of the solvent stored therein; a preliminary cooling part which preliminarily cools the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage part; and a temperature adjustment part which adjusts the temperature of the preliminarily-cooled solvent vapor to the target temperature when supplied to the substrate processing device. The temperature adjustment part supplies the solvent vapor adjusted to the target temperature to the substrate processing device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a solvent vapor supply device and a solvent vapor supply method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a patterning method including a step of forming a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers on a substrate, a step of heating the film of the block copolymer under a solvent vapor atmosphere to phase-separate the block copolymer, and a step of removing one of the polymers from the phase-separated film of the block copolymer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The technology according to the present disclosure stabilizes the temperature and concentration of the solvent vapor supplied to the substrate processing apparatus with a solvent vapor supply device having an inexpensive configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a solvent vapor supply device that supplies the solvent vapor to a substrate processing apparatus that heats a substrate on which a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers is formed under a solvent vapor atmosphere to phase-separate the block copolymer, the solvent vapor supply device including a solvent storage unit that is kept at a temperature equal to or higher than the saturation temperature of the solvent stored therein, a preliminary cooling unit that preliminarily cools the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage unit, and a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the preliminarily cooled solvent vapor to a target temperature when supplying it to the substrate processing apparatus, and the temperature adjustment unit supplies the solvent vapor adjusted to the target temperature to the substrate processing apparatus.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, a solvent vapor supply device with an inexpensive configuration can stabilize the temperature and concentration of the solvent vapor supplied to the substrate processing device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices and the like, a method of forming a desired pattern on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer") using self-assembled (DSA) lithography technology is known.

[0009] In this method, first, for example, a coating solution of a block copolymer containing an A polymer chain and a B polymer chain is applied to a wafer to form a thin film of the block copolymer on the wafer. Next, the wafer is heated to phase-separate the A polymer chains and B polymer chains randomly dissolved in the thin film. Next, the wafer is irradiated with ultraviolet light to form a soluble region and an insoluble region with respect to an organic solvent. Thereafter, an organic solvent is supplied to the wafer to dissolve the soluble region. Thereby, a desired pattern is formed on the wafer.

[0010] In the step of phase-separating the block copolymer in the above-described pattern formation method, a vapor of a solvent (hereinafter referred to as "solvent vapor") controlled to a predetermined temperature and concentration is supplied to a heating apparatus in which the wafer is accommodated. This solvent vapor is generated, for example, by heating a tank in which the solvent is stored to vaporize the solvent.

[0011] By the way, when generating solvent vapor from the solvent in the tank, the temperature of the solvent in the tank decreases due to the heat of vaporization, so the temperature and concentration of the solvent vapor supplied from the tank to the heating apparatus are likely to fluctuate. Therefore, in order to stabilize the solvent vapor supplied to the heating apparatus at a predetermined temperature and concentration, it is necessary to perform control following the fluctuation of the solvent temperature in the tank due to the heat of vaporization, and to adjust the solvent temperature, or to adjust the temperature or concentration of the solvent vapor.

[0012] However, for example, in the method of adjusting the solvent temperature in the tank by controlling the temperature of the tank, since the thermal efficiency of the tank is low, the responsiveness of the temperature change of the solvent to the temperature control of the tank is low. Therefore, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of stabilizing the temperature and concentration of the solvent vapor supplied to the heating apparatus. Also, instead of controlling the tank temperature, a control method of directly heating the solvent in the tank can be considered, but a mechanism for ensuring chemical resistance and safety with respect to the solvent is required, which may lead to complication and high cost of the configuration of the solvent vapor supply apparatus. Further, for example, a control method of adjusting the concentration of the solvent vapor by controlling the pressure in the tank can be considered, but there is also concern about complication and high cost of the apparatus configuration for a supply apparatus capable of pressure control.

[0013] Therefore, the technology according to the present disclosure stabilizes the temperature and concentration of the solvent vapor supplied to the substrate processing apparatus with a solvent vapor supply apparatus having an inexpensive configuration.

[0014] Hereinafter, the pattern formation method, the substrate processing apparatus, and the solvent vapor supply apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in order with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

[0015] <Pattern Formation Method> FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the pattern formation method according to the present embodiment.

[0016] First, as shown in FIG. 1(a), a coating solution in which a block copolymer (PS-b-PMMA) of polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is dissolved in an organic solvent is applied onto a wafer W as a substrate, and a film 10 of PS-b-PMMA is formed on the wafer W. In this film 10, a PS polymer as a first polymer and a PMMA polymer as a second polymer are randomly mixed with each other.

[0017] Next, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the wafer W on which the film 10 of PS-b-PMMA is formed is carried into a heating device F as a substrate processing apparatus, and the wafer W is placed on a hot plate HP. Then, solvent vapor is supplied from the upper wall portion of the heating device F, and the wafer W is heated to a predetermined temperature in the solvent vapor atmosphere. As a result, phase separation occurs in the block copolymer film 10 on the wafer W, and the PS polymer regions and the PMMA polymer regions are alternately arranged. In order to arrange the PS polymer regions and the PMMA polymer regions in a predetermined pattern, it is preferable to form a guide pattern on the surface of the wafer W.

[0018] The solvent of the coating solution in which PS-b-PMMA is dissolved is not particularly limited as long as it can dissolve the PS polymer and the PMMA polymer. For example, toluene, acetone, ethanol, methanol, cyclohexanone, etc. can be used. Also, the temperature of the film 10 during heating is preferably higher than the glass transition temperature of PS-b-PMMA, and may be, for example, a temperature of 150 to 350 °C.

[0019] After heating the wafer W for a predetermined time, the supply of the solvent vapor into the heating device F is stopped. Then, in order to dry the film 10, the PS-b-PMMA film 10 is further heated under an atmosphere of an inert gas (such as nitrogen gas, argon gas or helium gas, etc., noble gases). Thereby, the solvent (and solvent) in the film 10 evaporates. Note that the temperature of the film 10 during drying is preferably lower than the glass transition temperature so that the PS polymer and the PMMA polymer do not flow during drying.

[0020] Next, as shown in FIG. 1(c), the PS-b-PMMA film 10 on the wafer W is irradiated with ultraviolet light. The irradiation of ultraviolet light is performed under an atmosphere of an inert gas such as argon (Ar) or helium (He), or an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. The ultraviolet light is not particularly limited as long as it has a wavelength component belonging to the ultraviolet region, but preferably has a wavelength component of 200 nm or less, for example. Further preferably, the ultraviolet light contains a wavelength component of 185 nm or less that can be absorbed by PMMA. When using ultraviolet light having a wavelength component of 200 nm or less, as the light source L, a Xe excimer lamp that emits ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 172 nm can be preferably used.

[0021] When the PS-b-PMMA film 10 is irradiated with ultraviolet light, a crosslinking reaction occurs in the PS polymer region, making the PS polymer region less soluble in the organic solvent. On the other hand, in the PMMA polymer region, the main chain is cleaved, so the PMMA polymer region becomes more soluble in the organic solvent. When using ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 172 nm, the irradiation intensity (dose amount) is preferably about 180 mJ or less. When the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light is 180 mJ or less, when supplying the organic solvent to the PS-b-PMMA film 10 described later, it becomes difficult for the organic solvent to penetrate into the PS polymer region. As a result, the swelling of the PS polymer region is suppressed, and it becomes easier to remove the PMMA polymer region. Also, when the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet light is 180 mJ or less, the alteration of the PMMA polymer region can be suppressed, and the PMMA polymer region becomes more soluble in the organic solvent.

[0022] Next, as shown in Fig. 1(d), an organic solvent OS is supplied to the PS-b-PMMA film 10. Thereby, the PMMA polymer region in the film 10 dissolves, and the PS polymer region remains on the surface of the wafer W. As the organic solvent OS, for example, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) can be preferably used.

[0023] After that, when the surface of the wafer W is dried, as shown in Fig. 1(e), a pattern by the PS polymer region DS is obtained on the surface of the wafer W.

[0024] According to the above-described pattern formation method, since the heating of the PS-b-PMMA film 10 is performed in a solvent vapor atmosphere, the solvent can be absorbed by the film 10 during heating. Therefore, even if the solvent remaining in the film 10 evaporates during heating, the decrease in the concentration of the PS polymer and PMMA polymer in the film 10 with respect to the solvent and the solvent is suppressed by the absorbed solvent. As a result, the fluidity of the PS polymer and PMMA polymer is maintained, so the fluidization of PS-b-PMMA is promoted, and phase separation can be promoted.

[0025] In addition, in this embodiment, PS-b-PMMA is exemplified as the block copolymer, but the block copolymer is not limited thereto. Examples of the block copolymer include polybutadiene-polydimethylsiloxane, polybutadiene-4-vinylpyridine, polybutadiene-methyl methacrylate, polybutadiene-poly-t-butyl methacrylate, polybutadiene-t-butyl acrylate, poly-t-butyl methacrylate-poly-4-vinylpyridine, polyethylene-poly methyl methacrylate, poly-t-butyl methacrylate-poly-2-vinylpyridine, polyethylene-poly-2-vinylpyridine, polyethylene-poly-4-vinylpyridine, polyisoprene-poly-2-vinylpyridine, polymethyl methacrylate-polystyrene, poly-t-butyl methacrylate-polystyrene, polymethyl acrylate-polystyrene, polybutadiene-polystyrene, polyisoprene-polystyrene, polystyrene-poly-2-vinylpyridine, polystyrene-poly-4-vinylpyridine, polystyrene-polydimethylsiloxane, polystyrene-poly-N,N-dimethylacrylamide, polybutadiene-sodium polyacrylate, polybutadiene-polyethylene oxide, poly-t-butyl methacrylate-polyethylene oxide, polystyrene-polyacrylic acid, polystyrene-polymethacrylic acid, polystyrene-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS), and the like.

[0026] <Configuration of Substrate Processing Apparatus> Next, a heating device as an example of a substrate processing apparatus for performing the above-described pattern formation will be described. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an outline of the configuration of the heating device according to this embodiment.

[0027] The heating device 100 includes a cylindrical container body 101 having an upper end opening and a bottom, and a lid body 102 that covers the upper end opening of the container body 101. The container body 101 includes a frame body 101a having an annular shape, a flange-shaped bottom portion 101b extending inward from the bottom of the frame body 101a, and a mounting table 103 that holds the wafer W and is supported by the bottom portion 101b.

[0028] A seal member 104 such as an O-ring is provided between the upper surface of the frame 101a of the container body 101 and the peripheral edge 102a of the lid 102. Thereby, a processing chamber 105 is defined between the container body 101 and the lid 102.

[0029] A heating unit 106 is provided inside the mounting table 103, and a power supply 107 is connected to the heating unit 106. The mounting table 103 is heated by the heating unit 106 and a temperature controller (not shown), and the wafer W placed on the mounting table 103 is also heated.

[0030] The mounting table 103 is provided with a plurality of elevating pins 108 for transferring the wafer W to and from an external transfer means (not shown), and these elevating pins 108 are configured to be vertically movable by an elevating mechanism 109. A cover body 110 surrounding the periphery of the elevating mechanism 109 is provided on the back surface of the mounting table 103. The container body 101 and the lid 102 are configured to be relatively vertically movable with respect to each other. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the lid 102 is vertically movable between a processing position connected to the container body 101 and a wafer loading / unloading position located above the container body 101 by an elevating mechanism (not shown).

[0031] A gas supply passage 111 for supplying a gas containing solvent vapor to the wafer W placed on the mounting table 103 penetrates through the central portion of the lid 102. A pipe 112 is connected to the gas supply passage 111, and the pipe 112 is connected to a nitrogen gas supply source 113 for purging the processing chamber 105. Thereby, nitrogen gas as a purge gas can be supplied to the processing chamber 105. Further, a three-way valve 114 is provided in the pipe 112, and a vapor supply pipe 240 of a solvent vapor supply device 200 described later is connected to the three-way valve 114.

[0032] A flow rectifying plate 115 is arranged below the lower end of the gas supply passage 111. A plurality of slits (or openings) 115a are formed in the flow rectifying plate 115. The plurality of slits 115a are formed such that a large pressure difference is generated between the upper space and the lower space of the flow rectifying plate 115. For this reason, the solvent vapor supplied to the processing chamber 105 through the gas supply passage 111 spreads laterally above the flow rectifying plate 115 and flows toward the wafer W through the slits 115a. For this reason, the solvent vapor is supplied to the wafer W at a substantially uniform concentration.

[0033] Further, inside the upper wall portion 102b of the lid body 102, a flat cavity portion 116 having, for example, a ring-shaped planar shape that spreads in a planar manner in a region other than the central region where the gas supply passage 111 is formed is formed. An exhaust passage 117 that extends in the vertical direction on the outer peripheral side of the lid body 102 and outside the mounting table 103 and opens to the processing chamber 105 is connected to the cavity portion 116. Further, a plurality of (for example, six) exhaust pipes 118 are connected to, for example, the central portion of the lid body 102. The exhaust pipe 118 is connected to an ejector 119, and the ejector 119 is connected to a trap tank 120. A heater 121 is provided inside the lid body 102 at a position between the exhaust passage 117 and the flow rectifying plate 115, and the lid body 102 is heated to a predetermined temperature. Thereby, condensation (liquefaction) of the solvent vapor supplied to the lid body 102 is suppressed.

[0034] The heating device 100 includes a control unit 300. The control unit 300 is a computer including, for example, a CPU, a memory, etc., and has a program storage unit (not shown). Various programs for controlling the process of phase-separating the block copolymer in the heating device 100 are stored in the program storage unit. For example, based on the program, the control unit 300 outputs command signals to components or members such as the power supply 107 and the ejector 119, and controls the power supplied from the power supply 107 to the heating unit 106, and the exhaust amount of the gas containing the solvent vapor exhausted from the processing chamber 105 by the ejector 119. The above program may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium and installed from the storage medium into the control unit 300. The storage medium may be a temporary storage medium or a non-temporary storage medium. Part or all of the program may be realized by dedicated hardware (circuit board).

[0035] Also, in the heating device 100, for example, an ellipsometer is used as an in-situ film thickness meter to measure the thickness of the block copolymer film on the wafer W. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, a transmission window 122 that transmits the ultraviolet light irradiated from an ellipsometer (not shown) and the reflected light reflected by the wafer W is provided on the upper wall portion 102b of the lid 102 of the heating device 100. Above the transmission window 122, a light shielding plate 123 that covers the transmission window 122 is provided. The light shielding plate 123 is movable in the X-axis direction by a moving mechanism (not shown) and is configured to be movable between a position covering the transmission window 122 and a position not covering the transmission window 122.

[0036] When irradiating the wafer W with ultraviolet light for film thickness measurement, if the ultraviolet light continues to be irradiated on a certain area of the wafer W, the film may deteriorate and it may become difficult to measure the film thickness. On the other hand, in the heating device 100 shown in FIG. 3, while the film thickness is not being measured, the light shielding plate 123 covers the transmission window 122, and while the film thickness is being measured, the light shielding plate 123 is moved to a position where it does not cover the transmission window 122, and the upper part of the transmission window 122 can be opened. That is, according to the heating device 100 shown in FIG. 3, since the wafer W is irradiated with ultraviolet light only for the time necessary for film thickness measurement, deterioration of the film can be suppressed. From the viewpoint of suppressing film deterioration, instead of the opening / closing mechanism of the transmission window 122 by the light shielding plate 123 as shown in FIG. 3, for example, a mechanism for rotating the wafer W may be provided, or a mechanism for moving the wafer W in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction may be provided. Further, both the opening / closing mechanism of the transmission window 122 and the above rotation and movement mechanisms may be provided so that the number of measurement times at the same position can be arbitrarily set.

[0037] <Configuration of Solvent Vapor Supply Device> Next, the solvent vapor supply device 200 for supplying solvent vapor to the heating device 100 will be described. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the schematic configuration of the solvent vapor supply device according to the present embodiment. In the figure, the dashed arrows indicate the flow of solvent vapor, and the solid arrows indicate the flow of the solvent generated by the condensation (liquefaction) of a part of the solvent vapor. Also, the piping structure in the figure is schematically shown for convenience of explanation, and the piping structure such as the connection position of each pipe is appropriately configured by those skilled in the art in order to realize the functions described below.

[0038] (Configuration Example 1) The solvent vapor supply device 200 shown in FIG. 4 includes a solvent storage unit 210, a preliminary cooling unit 220, and a temperature adjustment unit 230.

[0039] The solvent storage unit 210 has a tank 211 (hereinafter referred to as the "first tank") for storing the solvent therein and a heating unit 212 for heating the first tank 211.

[0040] As long as the heating unit 212 can heat the solvent in the first tank 211, the specific heating means is not particularly limited. For example, a heating means using a heater can be applied. The first tank 211 is heated by the heating unit 212 to a temperature equal to or higher than the saturation temperature of the solvent stored in the first tank 211. As a result, the solvent in the first tank 211 vaporizes, generating solvent vapor. The specific temperature of the first tank 211 is appropriately changed according to the material and size of the first tank 211, the pressure in the first tank 211, etc., but is, for example, a temperature of 40 °C or higher.

[0041] When solvent vapor is generated in the first tank 211, the solvent stored in the first tank 211 absorbs heat due to the heat of vaporization, but the first tank 211 continues to be heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the saturation temperature of the solvent. For this reason, the first tank 211 is kept warm at a temperature equal to or higher than the saturation temperature of the solvent. Since the temperature of the solvent vapor is adjusted to the target temperature by the temperature adjustment unit 230 described later, strict temperature control in the solvent storage unit 210 is not necessary as long as the solvent vapor can be generated in the first tank 211.

[0042] A nitrogen gas supply pipe 213 for supplying nitrogen gas to the solvent stored in the first tank 211 is connected to the first tank 211. During the heating of the first tank 211, in order to equalize the temperature and concentration of the solvent, nitrogen gas is supplied to the first tank 211 to perform bubbling of the solvent. The gas supplied for bubbling is not limited to nitrogen gas, and may be other inert gases such as argon gas or helium gas.

[0043] A drain pipe 214 is connected to the bottom surface of the first tank 211, and a valve 215 is provided in the drain pipe 214. By periodically opening this valve 215, impurities accumulated at the bottom of the first tank 211 are discharged, maintaining the cleanliness of the first tank 211.

[0044] The first tank 211 is provided with a liquid level sensor (not shown) for the solvent stored therein. When the liquid level of the solvent becomes lower than a predetermined height, the solvent is automatically supplied from a solvent supply source (not shown) to the first tank 211.

[0045] In the example of FIG. 4, the pre-cooling unit 220 is a pipe 221 that serves as a flow path for the solvent vapor. The pipe 221 is connected to the first tank 211 and a second tank 231 described later. The pipe 221 is not covered with a heat insulating material and is exposed to the surrounding atmosphere. Since the ambient temperature around the pipe 221 is lower than the temperature of the first tank 211, the temperature of the solvent vapor generated in the first tank 211 decreases as it passes through the pipe 221.

[0046] The solvent vapor is cooled in this pipe 221 to a temperature several degrees Celsius higher than the target temperature of the solvent vapor supplied to the heating device 100. That is, the solvent vapor generated in the first tank 211 is pre-cooled before being temperature-adjusted in the second tank 231 described later. Note that the length and diameter of the pipe 221 are appropriately changed according to the set temperature of the first tank 211 and the temperature adjustment ability of the solvent vapor in the temperature adjustment unit 230 described later.

[0047] In the example of FIG. 4, the temperature adjustment unit 230 includes a second tank 231 into which the solvent vapor pre-cooled by the pipe 221 flows, and a cooling unit 232 that cools the second tank 231.

[0048] As long as the cooling unit 232 can cool the solvent in the second tank 231, the specific cooling means is not particularly limited. For example, a cooling means using a Peltier element can be applied. The second tank 231 is cooled by the cooling unit 232 so that the temperature of the solvent vapor supplied into the second tank 231 becomes the target temperature when supplied to the heating device 100.

[0049] Since the "concentration" of the solvent vapor is correlated with the "temperature" of the solvent vapor, by obtaining in advance the correlation between the concentration and temperature of the solvent vapor when using the solvent vapor supply device 200 through experiments or the like, the temperature at which the solvent vapor reaches the desired concentration can be specified. That is, by adjusting the temperature of the solvent vapor to the target temperature corresponding to the target concentration of the solvent vapor, the solvent vapor with the target concentration can be supplied to the heating device 100. In the temperature adjustment unit 230, as the solvent vapor is cooled to its target temperature, the concentration of the solvent vapor becomes the target concentration when supplied to the heating device 100.

[0050] In the aforementioned solvent storage unit 210, since the solvent and the solvent vapor are mixed in the first tank 211, even if the temperature of the first tank 211 is controlled, the responsiveness of the temperature change of the solvent vapor to the temperature control is low, and it is difficult to stabilize the temperature of the solvent vapor at a constant temperature. On the other hand, in the temperature adjustment unit 230, since no solvent is stored in the second tank 231, the responsiveness of the temperature change of the solvent vapor to the temperature control of the second tank 231 is high, and it is easy to stabilize the temperature of the solvent vapor at a constant temperature. That is, by performing the generation and temperature adjustment of the solvent vapor in different containers respectively, the responsiveness of the temperature control of the solvent vapor can be enhanced, and it becomes easier to adjust the temperature of the solvent vapor to the target temperature.

[0051] Also, from the perspective of enhancing the responsiveness of the temperature control of the solvent vapor in the temperature adjustment unit 230, it is preferable that the volume of the second tank 231 is smaller than the volume of the first tank 211.

[0052] In this embodiment, a cooling unit 232 is provided to cool the solvent vapor in the second tank 231. However, in addition to the cooling unit 232, a heating unit (not shown) for heating the second tank 231 may be provided. When the temperature of the solvent vapor drops below the target temperature, the second tank 231 may be heated by the heating unit.

[0053] A steam supply pipe 240 for supplying solvent vapor to the heating device 100 is connected to the second tank 231. The solvent vapor whose temperature is adjusted to the target temperature in the second tank 231 is supplied to the heating device 100 via the steam supply pipe 240. The steam supply pipe 240 is covered with a heat insulating material 241 so that the temperature of the solvent vapor does not change.

[0054] The solvent vapor supply device 200 includes a liquid feeding mechanism 250 that feeds the solvent generated by the condensation (liquefaction) of a part of the cooled solvent vapor to the first tank 211. The liquid feeding mechanism 250 has a pipe 251 connected to the pipe 221, a pipe 252 connected to the second tank 231, and a confluence pipe 253 where the solvent in the pipe 251 and the solvent in the pipe 252 merge. The confluence pipe 253 is connected to the first tank 211.

[0055] By providing this liquid feeding mechanism 250, the solvent generated by the condensation of the solvent vapor can be recovered and reused. Note that the configuration of the liquid feeding mechanism 250 is not limited to the configuration described in the present embodiment, and any configuration that can feed the solvent generated by the condensation of a part of the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage unit 210 into the first tank 211 is acceptable.

[0056] The configuration of the solvent vapor supply device 200 has been described above. In the following description, other configuration examples of the solvent vapor supply device 200 will be described. In the description of the following configuration examples, redundant descriptions will be omitted for the parts that have the same configuration as the configuration example shown in FIG. 4.

[0057] (Configuration Example 2) In the solvent vapor supply device 200 shown in FIG. 5, the preliminary cooling unit 220 includes a third tank 222 and a cooling unit 223 that cools the third tank 222.

[0058] The third tank 222 is a container into which the solvent vapor generated in the first tank 211 flows, and is disposed between the first tank 211 and the second tank 231. The cooling unit 223 is not particularly limited as long as it can cool the solvent in the third tank 222. For example, a cooling means using a Peltier element can be applied. By cooling the third tank 222 by the cooling unit 223, the temperature of the solvent vapor supplied into the third tank 222 is lowered to near the target temperature when supplied to the heating device 100.

[0059] The first tank 211 and the third tank 222 are connected by a pipe 242, and the periphery of the pipe 242 is covered with a heat insulating material 243. Also, the third tank 222 and the second tank 231 are connected by a pipe 244, and the pipe 244 is covered with a heat insulating material 245. In this piping structure, in order to prevent condensation of the solvent vapor in the pipes 242 and 244, for example, the waste heat of the first tank 211 may be taken in between the pipe 242 and the heat insulating material 243, and between the pipe 244 and the heat insulating material 245.

[0060] In the solvent vapor supply device 200 configured as described above, the solvent vapor is sent in the order of the first tank 211, the third tank 222, and the second tank 231. The solvent vapor generated in the first tank 211 is pre-cooled in the third tank 222, and in this pre-cooling, the temperature of the solvent vapor is cooled to near the target temperature. That is, before the temperature of the solvent vapor is adjusted to the target temperature by the temperature adjustment unit 230, the temperature of the solvent vapor is adjusted to near the target temperature by the pre-cooling unit 220. Thereby, in the temperature adjustment unit 230, the temperature of the solvent vapor can be set to the target temperature only by finely adjusting the temperature of the solvent vapor.

[0061] From the viewpoint of enhancing the responsiveness to the temperature control of the solvent vapor, it is preferable that the volume of the third tank 222 is smaller than the volume of the first tank 211, and the volume of the second tank 231 is smaller than the volume of the third tank 222.

[0062] (Configuration Example 3) The solvent vapor supply device 200 shown in Fig. 6 has a solvent storage section 210, a preliminary cooling section 220, and a temperature control section 230 integrated and provided in one container 260. In this container 260, the preliminary cooling section 220 is arranged above the solvent storage section 210, and the temperature control section 230 is arranged above the preliminary cooling section 220.

[0063] Inside the container 260, two plates 261 and 262 are arranged at intervals in the height direction of the container 260, and the solvent storage section 210, the preliminary cooling section 220, and the temperature control section 230 are partitioned by these plates 261 and 262. Specifically, a plate 261 is arranged between the solvent storage section 210 and the preliminary cooling section 220, and a plate 262 is arranged between the preliminary cooling section 220 and the temperature control section 230. Note that the sizes of the respective regions of the solvent storage section 210, the preliminary cooling section 220, and the temperature control section 230 in the height direction of the container 260 are appropriately changed according to the size of the container 260, the heating capacity of the heating section 212, the cooling capacity of the cooling section 232, etc.

[0064] A plurality of openings 263 through which solvent vapor can pass are formed in the plates 261 and 262. The solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage section 210 passes through these openings 263 to the preliminary cooling section 220 and the temperature control section 230, and is then supplied to the vapor supply pipe 240. Note that the plates 261 and 262 are an example of partition walls that partition the inside of the container 260, and for example, punching metal can be used. Here, as the punching metal, that with a resin coating on its surface may be used. Also, the plates 261 and 262 are not limited to metal materials and may be formed of resin.

[0065] In the preliminary cooling section 220, temperature control mechanisms such as the heating section 212 of the solvent storage section 210 and the cooling section 232 of the temperature control section 230 are not provided on the side surface of the container 260, and the preliminary cooling section 220 is exposed to the atmosphere around the container 260. For this reason, the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage section 210 is preliminarily cooled by passing through the preliminary cooling section 220. Thereafter, the preliminarily cooled solvent vapor is cooled to the target temperature in the temperature control section 230.

[0066] When a part of the solvent vapor is condensed (liquefied) by the preliminary cooling unit 220 and the temperature control unit 230, the solvent generated by the condensation adheres to the inner surface of the container 260 and each plate 261, 262. These solvents fall into the solvent storage unit 210 due to their own weight and are reused.

[0067] Note that the cooling means in the preliminary cooling unit 220 is not particularly limited. For example, a cooling unit (not shown) such as the cooling unit 232 may be provided. Further, for example, a heat insulating material (not shown) may be arranged in the preliminary cooling unit 220 so as not to inhibit the flow of the solvent vapor, so that the waste heat of the solvent storage unit 210 is not transmitted to the preliminary cooling unit 220 and the temperature control unit 230.

[0068] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the bottom surface of the container 260 may be formed in a tapered shape with the central portion protruding downward, and a drain pipe 214 may be connected to the lower end of the tapered bottom surface. Thereby, when impurities are generated in the solvent storage unit 210, the impurities gather at the lower end of the container 260, and it becomes easier to remove the impurities when draining the solvent from the drain pipe 214. The tapered bottom surface may be applied to the bottom surface of the aforementioned first tank 211.

[0069] Also, the plates 261, 262 may be formed in a tapered shape with the central portion protruding upward. If the plates 261, 262 have such a shape, the droplets of the solvent generated by the condensation of the solvent vapor easily flow down toward the peripheral portions of the plates 261, 262. Thereby, a plurality of droplets gather to form a large droplet, and it becomes easier for the droplet to fall due to its own weight. That is, it becomes easier to recover the condensed solvent. Further, it is difficult for clogging to occur such that the droplets of the solvent cover the openings 263 of the plates 261, 262, and the flow rate of the solvent vapor from the solvent storage unit 210 to the temperature control unit 230 can be stabilized.

[0070] (Configuration Example 4) The solvent vapor supply device 200 shown in FIG. 8 includes a dilution chamber 270 that dilutes the solvent vapor generated in the first tank 211 with nitrogen gas. A gas supply pipe 271 for supplying nitrogen gas is connected to the dilution chamber 270, and the gas supply pipe 271 is connected to a gas supply source 272 of nitrogen gas. Note that the gas supplied for diluting the solvent vapor is not limited to nitrogen gas, and may be other inert gases such as argon gas or helium gas.

[0071] In the solvent vapor supply device 200 having this configuration, the solvent vapor is diluted with nitrogen gas so that the temperature of the solvent vapor becomes the target temperature to be supplied to the heating device 100. Thereby, the concentration of the solvent vapor can be set to the target concentration.

[0072] According to the solvent vapor supply device 200 described in the above configuration example, without performing direct heating control of the solvent in the tank or concentration control of the solvent vapor by pressure control, which would cause complication and high cost of the device configuration, the temperature and concentration of the solvent vapor can be adjusted to desired values. In other words, even if the temperature of the solvent fluctuates due to the heat of vaporization at the time of generation of the solvent vapor, the temperature and concentration of the solvent vapor can be adjusted to desired values with an inexpensive device configuration. That is, according to the solvent vapor supply device 200, the concentration and temperature of the solvent vapor supplied to the heating device 100 can be stabilized with an inexpensive device configuration.

[0073] Note that the solvent vapor supply device according to the present disclosure can also be applied to a device that supplies solvent vapor to a substrate processing device for a processing target substrate other than a semiconductor wafer, for example, an FPD (Flat Panel Display) substrate.

[0074] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The above embodiments may be omitted, replaced, or changed in various forms without departing from the scope and gist of the appended claims.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0075] 100 Heating device 200 Solvent vapor supply device 210 Solvent storage section 220 Preliminary cooling section 230 Temperature adjustment section W Wafer

Claims

1. A solvent vapor supply device for supplying the solvent vapor to a substrate processing apparatus that heats a substrate on which a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers is formed in an atmosphere of the solvent vapor to phase-separate the block copolymer, the solvent vapor supply device comprising: a solvent storage section maintained at a temperature equal to or higher than the saturation temperature of the solvent stored therein; a preliminary cooling section for preliminarily cooling the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage section; a temperature adjustment section for adjusting the temperature of the preliminarily cooled solvent vapor to a target temperature when supplying the solvent vapor to the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the temperature adjustment section supplies the solvent vapor adjusted to the target temperature to the substrate processing apparatus.

2. The preliminary cooling section is a pipe through which the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage section flows, and the pipe is connected to the solvent storage section and the temperature adjustment section. The solvent vapor supply device according to claim 1.

3. The preliminary cooling section has a tank into which the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage section flows, and pipes serving as flow paths for the solvent vapor are provided between the solvent storage section and the preliminary cooling section and between the preliminary cooling section and the temperature adjustment section, and each pipe is covered with a heat insulating material. The solvent vapor supply device according to claim 1.

4. The solvent storage section, the preliminary cooling section, and the temperature adjustment section are provided in one container, wherein the preliminary cooling section is disposed above the solvent storage section, and the temperature adjustment section is disposed above the preliminary cooling section. The solvent vapor supply device according to claim 1.

5. The solvent vapor supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a liquid feeding mechanism for feeding a solvent generated by condensation of a part of the solvent vapor generated in the solvent storage section back to the solvent storage section.

6. A solvent vapor supply method for supplying the solvent vapor to a substrate processing apparatus that heats a substrate on which a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers is formed in an atmosphere of the solvent vapor to phase-separate the block copolymer, the solvent vapor supply method comprising: heating a solvent to generate the solvent vapor; preliminarily cooling the solvent vapor generated in the step of generating the solvent vapor; adjusting the temperature of the preliminarily cooled solvent vapor to a target temperature when supplying the solvent vapor to the substrate processing apparatus, and supplying the solvent vapor adjusted to the target temperature to the substrate processing apparatus.

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