Substrate cleaning apparatus
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- KR · KR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ASEI CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-05
Smart Images

Figure 112025033137019-PAT00001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technology Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a substrate cleaning device that can increase fume removal efficiency by effectively exhausting fumes generated during the cleaning process to the outside while suppressing their diffusion, by changing the setting value of a differential pressure gauge according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied to clean the substrate and controlling the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing using a fan-type auto-damping method so that the exhaust volume by the exhaust unit is proportional to the setting value of the differential pressure gauge, and by calculating the level of fume generation caused by the chemical solution based on chemical solution cleaning information including the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution, changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge according to the calculated level of fume generation, and adaptively controlling the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing using a fan-type auto-damping method so that the exhaust volume by the exhaust unit is proportional to the setting value of the differential pressure gauge. Background Technology
[0003] Generally, semiconductor devices can be manufactured by repeatedly performing deposition, photolithography, and etching processes using substrates, silicon substrates, etc. During these processes, contaminants such as various particles, metal impurities, and organic impurities may remain on the substrate. Since these contaminants adversely affect the yield and reliability of semiconductor devices, a cleaning process to remove contaminants remaining on the substrate is essential during semiconductor manufacturing.
[0004] The cleaning process for the substrate includes a chemical process for removing metal foreign substances, organic substances, or particles remaining on the substrate using a chemical, a rinse process for removing the chemical remaining on the substrate using pure water, and a drying process for drying the substrate using a drying fluid.
[0005] The cleaning process for such a substrate is performed while a fan filter unit installed at the top of the housing supplies a clean downward airflow, and a cup with an open top is provided inside the housing, and the substrate is placed inside the cup.
[0006] Meanwhile, during the process of treating the substrate using a chemical solution, fumes are generated and float inside the housing, and a problem arises where the substrate is contaminated by the fumes during the drying process.
[0007] These problems can be explained in more detail as follows.
[0008] That is, during the process of cleaning the substrate, atomization occurs in which droplets are formed when a liquid chemical solution is sprayed, generating fumes, and the downward airflow supplied by the fan filter unit prevents the diffusion of fumes, and the fumes are discharged to the outside and removed by exhaust.
[0009] The interior of the housing where cleaning of the substrate is performed maintains a constant environment through a constant fan filter unit airflow and exhaust volume.
[0010] If fumes are not completely removed during chemical cleaning, the fumes may float inside the chamber and adhere to the substrate after drying, causing contamination.
[0011] In particular, there is a problem that a large amount of fumes is generated during chemical cleaning, which can exacerbate contamination issues, especially when the diameter of the orifice of the nozzle supplying the chemical solution is small and the flow rate of the chemical solution is fast, when the chemical solution contains additives that lower surface tension such as surfactants, when an exothermic reaction occurs, or in the case of high-temperature cleaning. Prior art literature
[0013] Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1736851 (Registration Date: May 11, 2017, Title: Substrate Processing Apparatus and Substrate Processing Method) The problem to be solved
[0014] The technical problem of the present invention is to provide a substrate cleaning device that can increase fume removal efficiency by effectively exhausting fumes to the outside while suppressing the diffusion of fumes generated during the cleaning process, by changing the set value of the differential pressure gauge according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied to clean the substrate and controlling the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing using a fan-type auto-damping method so that the exhaust volume by the exhaust part is adaptively controlled to be proportional to the set value of the differential pressure gauge.
[0015] In addition, the technical objective of the present invention is to provide a substrate cleaning device capable of improving the efficiency of a substrate cleaning process by calculating a fume generation level caused by a chemical solution based on chemical solution cleaning information including the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution, changing the setting value of a differential pressure gauge according to the calculated fume generation level, and controlling the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing using a fan-type auto-damping method so that the exhaust volume by the exhaust unit is adapted to be proportional to the setting value of the differential pressure gauge. means of solving the problem
[0017] A substrate cleaning device according to the present invention for solving such technical problems comprises a housing, a cup installed inside the housing, a spin chuck installed inside the cup that supports the substrate and rotates, a fan filter unit installed on the upper part of the housing that supplies a downward airflow toward the substrate, a cleaning fluid supply unit that supplies a cleaning fluid to the substrate, an exhaust unit that exhausts the interior of the housing in a fan-type auto-damping manner, a differential pressure gauge that measures the differential pressure which is the pressure difference between the interior space of the housing and the interior space of the exhaust buffer, and a controller that changes the set value of the differential pressure gauge according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit so that the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit is proportional to the set value of the differential pressure gauge.
[0018] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the exhaust unit comprises a plurality of first exhaust pipes coupled to the bottom surface of the housing so as to be in communication with the interior of the housing, an exhaust buffer that is in communication with the plurality of first exhaust pipes and provides a space for collecting air exhausted through the plurality of first exhaust pipes, a second exhaust pipe that is in communication with the exhaust buffer and has a larger diameter than the first exhaust pipe, and a fan-type auto damper installed in the second exhaust pipe and exhausting air inside the exhaust buffer according to the control of the controller.
[0019] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the fan-type auto damper is characterized by comprising an exhaust fan whose rotational speed is controlled according to the control of the controller, and a damper plate located at the front or rear end of the exhaust fan and having an opening rate set according to the control of the controller.
[0020] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the controller controls the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit by changing the set value of the differential pressure gauge according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit and controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan.
[0021] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the controller receives chemical cleaning information including the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution from an upper controller, calculates a level of fume generation amount caused by the chemical solution by comparing the chemical cleaning information received from the upper controller with previously stored fume-inducing judgment information, and controls the exhaust amount of the exhaust unit by controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan by changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge in proportion to the level of fume generation amount.
[0022] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the controller changes the set value of the differential pressure gauge in proportion to the fume generation amount level and controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan so that the differential pressure received from the differential pressure gauge becomes the same as the set value of the differential pressure gauge.
[0023] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the fume induction judgment information includes a first weight corresponding to the type of chemical solution, a second weight corresponding to the concentration range of the chemical solution, and a third weight corresponding to the temperature range of the chemical solution; the controller extracts the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight corresponding to the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution included in the chemical solution cleaning information by referring to the fume induction judgment information, calculates the fume generation amount level by summing the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight, and controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan corresponding to the set value of the differential pressure gauge to be proportional to the fume generation amount level to suppress the fume generated by the chemical solution from spreading to the outside of the cup.
[0024] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the cleaning fluid comprises a pre-wetting liquid for a pre-wetting process, a chemical liquid for a chemical cleaning process following the pre-wetting process, a rinse liquid for a rinse process following the chemical cleaning process, and a drying fluid for a drying process following the rinse process, and the controller controls the airflow of the downward airflow supplied by the fan filter unit to maintain an initial set value while the pre-wetting process, the chemical cleaning process, the rinse process, and the drying process are performed, wherein when the cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit is the chemical liquid, the set value of the differential pressure gauge is increased to increase the rotational speed of the exhaust fan, thereby increasing the exhaust volume by the exhaust unit compared to other cleaning fluids.
[0025] In a substrate cleaning device according to the present invention, the controller controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan constituting the exhaust section so that the exhaust volume maintains the first exhaust level by maintaining the set value of the differential pressure gauge at the first set value while the pre-wetting process is performed; while the chemical cleaning process is performed, the controller controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan constituting the exhaust section so that the exhaust volume gradually increases to the second set value which is higher than the first set value, maintains the second set value for a set processing time, and then gradually decreases to the first set value, thereby causing the exhaust volume to gradually increase to the second exhaust level which is higher than the first exhaust level, maintains the second exhaust level for a set processing time, and then gradually decreases to the first exhaust level; and while the rinsing process and the drying process are performed, the controller controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan constituting the exhaust section so that the exhaust volume maintains the first exhaust level by maintaining the set value of the differential pressure gauge at the first set value. Effects of the invention
[0027] According to the present invention, a substrate cleaning device is provided that can increase fume removal efficiency by effectively exhausting fumes to the outside while suppressing the diffusion of fumes generated during the cleaning process, by changing the setting value of a differential pressure gauge according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied to clean the substrate and controlling the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing in a fan-type auto-damping manner so that the exhaust volume by the exhaust part is adaptively controlled to be proportional to the setting value of the differential pressure gauge.
[0028] In addition, the effect is provided that a substrate cleaning device can improve the efficiency of the substrate cleaning process by calculating the level of fume generation caused by the chemical solution based on chemical solution cleaning information including the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution, changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge according to the calculated level of fume generation, and controlling the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing using a fan-type auto-damping method so that the exhaust volume by the exhaust part is adaptedly controlled to be proportional to the setting value of the differential pressure gauge. Brief explanation of the drawing
[0030] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a substrate cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating the operation of a substrate cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration that controls the exhaust volume according to whether a chemical solution is used when a conventional auto damper is applied, thereby suppressing the diffusion of fumes generated by the chemical solution to the outside of the cup. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another exemplary configuration in which, in one embodiment of the present invention, a fan-type auto-damping method is applied to control the exhaust volume according to whether the chemical solution is used, thereby suppressing the diffusion of fumes generated by the chemical solution to the outside of the cup. Specific details for implementing the invention
[0031] Specific structural or functional descriptions of embodiments according to the concept of the present invention disclosed herein are provided merely for the purpose of explaining embodiments according to the concept of the present invention, and embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be implemented in various forms and are not limited to the embodiments described herein.
[0032] Embodiments according to the concept of the present invention may be subject to various modifications and may take various forms; therefore, embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in this specification. However, this is not intended to limit the embodiments according to the concept of the present invention to specific disclosed forms, and includes all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.
[0034] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
[0035] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a substrate cleaning device (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a configuration in which the exhaust volume is controlled according to whether a chemical solution is used when a conventional auto damper is applied to suppress the fumes generated by the chemical solution from spreading to the outside of the cup, FIG. 4 is a drawing showing another exemplary configuration in which, in one embodiment of the present invention, a fan-type auto damping method is applied to control the exhaust volume according to whether a chemical solution is used to suppress the fumes generated by the chemical solution from spreading to the outside of the cup.
[0036] Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, a substrate cleaning device (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a housing (10), a cup (20), a cup driving unit (30), a spin chuck (40), a chuck driving unit (50), a fan filter unit (60), a cleaning fluid supply unit (70), an exhaust unit (80), a differential pressure gauge (90), and a controller (100).
[0037] The housing (10) provides a space where a cleaning process is performed on the substrate (S).
[0038] A cup (20) is installed inside a housing (10), and a spin chuck (40) is placed inside the cup (20). A substrate (S) can be cleaned by a cleaning fluid supplied through a cleaning fluid supply unit (70) while placed on the spin chuck (40). FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the cup (20) is composed of a first cup (21) and a second cup (22), but this is merely an example, and the cup (20) can be composed of three or more. According to the example in which the cup (20) is composed of a first cup (21) and a second cup (22), the cleaning fluid used in the cleaning process can be drained through the space existing between the first cup (21) and the second cup (22) and recovered into a storage tank provided externally.
[0039] The cup driving unit (30) is a component that drives the cup (20) by moving the cup (20) up and down according to the control command of the controller (100), and can be deleted as needed.
[0040] The spin chuck (40) is installed inside the cup (20) and rotates at high speed by the rotational driving force provided by the chuck drive unit (50) while supporting the substrate (S) according to the control command of the controller (100).
[0041] A fan filter unit (60) is installed on the upper part of the housing (10) and is a component that supplies a downward airflow toward the substrate (S). For example, the fan filter unit (60) may be configured to supply a downward airflow to an area including the entire surface of the substrate (S) and the cup (20) that accommodates the substrate (S) during a cleaning process.
[0042] The cleaning fluid supply unit (70) is a component that supplies cleaning fluid to the substrate (S). For example, the cleaning fluid supply unit (70) may be composed of a plurality of nozzles that spray chemical liquid, pure water, drying fluid, etc., which are coupled to a robot arm that is driven according to a control command of the controller (100) and is located at the upper edge of the housing (10). FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the cleaning fluid supply unit (70) is composed of a first cleaning fluid supply unit (71) and a second cleaning fluid supply unit (72), but this is merely an example, and the cleaning fluid supply unit (70) may be composed of three or more.
[0043] The exhaust section (80) is a component that exhausts the interior of the housing (10) in a fan-type auto-damping manner.
[0044] For example, the exhaust section (80) may be configured to include a plurality of first exhaust pipes (81), exhaust buffers (82), second exhaust pipes (84), and fan-type auto dampers (85).
[0045] A plurality of first exhaust pipes (81) are connected to the bottom surface of the housing (10) so as to communicate with the interior of the housing (10).
[0046] The exhaust buffer (82) is connected to a plurality of first exhaust pipes (81) and provides a space where air exhausted through the plurality of first exhaust pipes (81) is primarily collected.
[0047] The second exhaust pipe (84) is connected to the exhaust buffer (82) and is configured to have a larger diameter than the first exhaust pipe (81).
[0048] A fan-type auto damper (85) is installed in the second exhaust pipe (84) and exhausts the air inside the exhaust buffer (82) according to the control command of the controller (100).
[0049] For example, a fan-type auto damper (85) may be configured to include an exhaust fan (851) and a damper plate (852).
[0050] The exhaust fan (851) is a component whose rotational speed is controlled by the control of the controller (100). For example, if the controller (100) needs to increase the exhaust volume, it can rapidly increase the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) by controlling a driving means, such as a motor, that drives the exhaust fan (851).
[0051] The damper plate (852) is located at the front or rear end of the exhaust fan (851) and has an opening rate set according to the control of the controller (100). For example, the damper plate (852) can be driven by a pneumatic driving means operated by air pressure, and the controller (100) can control this pneumatic driving means to control the opening rate of the damper plate (852) so that it maintains a target value.
[0052] The differential pressure gauge (90) is a component that measures the differential pressure, which is the pressure difference between the internal space of the housing (10) and the internal space of the exhaust buffer (82), and transmits it to the controller (100), and may be, for example, a manometer.
[0053] The controller (100) is a component that controls the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit (80) to be proportional to the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) by changing the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit (70).
[0054] For example, the controller (100) can quickly and accurately control the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit (80) by changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge (90) according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit (70) and controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) that constitutes the fan-type auto damper (85).
[0055] For example, since the liquid medicine may leak out of the housing (10) when the differential pressure is in a positive pressure state greater than 0, it is desirable for the differential pressure, which is the pressure difference between the internal space of the housing (10) and the internal space of the exhaust buffer (82), to have a value slightly lower than 0. That is, since the differential pressure is a small negative value, it is desirable for the controller (100) to control the exhaust volume so that it is proportional to the absolute value of the differential pressure.
[0056] For example, the controller (100) receives chemical cleaning information including the type, concentration, temperature, flow rate, and spray time of the chemical solution from an upper controller not shown, calculates the level of fume generation caused by the chemical solution by comparing the chemical cleaning information received from the upper controller with previously stored fume-inducing judgment information, and controls the exhaust amount of the exhaust section (80) by controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) by changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge (90) in proportion to the level of fume generation.
[0057] As a specific example, the fume-inducing judgment information includes a first weight corresponding to the type of chemical solution, a second weight corresponding to the concentration range of the chemical solution, and a third weight corresponding to the temperature range of the chemical solution, and the controller (100) may be configured to 1) extract the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight corresponding to the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution included in the chemical solution cleaning information by referring to the fume-inducing judgment information, 2) calculate the fume generation amount level by summing the extracted first weight, the second weight, and the third weight, and 3) control the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) corresponding to the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) to be proportional to the calculated fume generation amount level so as to suppress the fume generated by the chemical solution from spreading to the outside of the cup (20).
[0058] Additionally, for example, the controller (100) may be configured to change the setting value of the differential pressure gauge (90) in proportion to the fume generation level, and to control the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) that constitutes the fan-type auto damper (85) so that the differential pressure received from the differential pressure gauge (90) and the setting value of the differential pressure gauge (90) become the same.
[0059] For example, the cleaning fluid may include a pre-wetting fluid for a pre-wetting process, a chemical fluid for a chemical cleaning process following the pre-wetting process, a rinse fluid for a rinse process following the chemical cleaning process, and a drying fluid for a drying process following the rinse process.
[0060] For example, deionized water (DIW) can be used as the pre-wetting fluid and rinsing fluid, and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) gas can be used as the drying fluid.
[0061] Meanwhile, for example, the chemical solution used in the chemical cleaning process may be a mixed solution of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a mixed solution of ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and water (H2O), a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and water (H2O), and in addition, the chemical solution may include hydrofluoric acid (HF), nitric acid (HNO3), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), etc.
[0062] During the chemical cleaning process, if the chemical solution is sprayed onto the substrate (S), fumes are generated, and the generated fumes can spread to the outside of the cup (20) and contaminate the inside of the housing (10). In addition, there is a risk that fumes remaining inside the housing (10) will flow into the substrate (S) and contaminate the substrate (S) during the rinsing and drying processes performed after the chemical cleaning process.
[0063] A controller (100) of one embodiment of the present invention may be configured to control the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit (80) by controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) by changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge (90) according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit (70). According to this configuration, the fume can be suppressed from spreading to the outside of the cup (20), thereby improving fume removal efficiency and preventing process defects caused by fumes.
[0064] For example, the controller (100) controls the amount of downward airflow supplied by the fan filter unit (60) to maintain an initial set value while the pre-wetting process, chemical cleaning process, rinsing process, and drying process are performed, but when the cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit (70) is a chemical fluid, the setting value of the differential pressure gauge (90) is increased to increase the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) constituting the exhaust unit (80), thereby increasing the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit (80) more than other cleaning fluids.
[0065] As a specific example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the controller (100) controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) constituting the exhaust section (80) so that the exhaust volume maintains the first exhaust level by maintaining the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) at the first set value while the pre-wetting process is performed, and 2) controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) constituting the exhaust section (80) so that the exhaust volume gradually increases to the second set value, which is higher than the first set value, and then maintains the second set value for a set processing time, and then gradually decreases it to the first set value while the chemical cleaning process is performed, thereby causing the exhaust volume to gradually increase to the second exhaust level, which is higher than the first exhaust level, and then maintains the second exhaust level for a set processing time, and then gradually decreases the exhaust volume to the first exhaust level while the exhaust volume gradually decreases, and 3) controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) constituting the exhaust section (80) so that the exhaust volume maintains the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) at the first set value while the rinsing process and drying process are performed The rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) constituting the exhaust section (80) can be controlled to maintain the first exhaust level.
[0066] Compared to the example of FIG. 3 in which a conventional auto damper is applied, when the fan-type auto damping method exemplified in FIG. 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, the fume removal efficiency can be increased by suppressing the diffusion of fumes generated during the cleaning process and exhausting them to the outside more quickly and accurately. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) can be increased as needed to exhaust at a pressure higher than the original exhaust pressure, thereby improving the exhaust capacity of the device, and when the exhaust amount is changed, the control unit (100) controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851), so the speed of reaching the set value is significantly faster than that of the conventional technology.
[0067] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a substrate cleaning device (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0068] Referring further to FIG. 2, in step S10, a process may be performed in which a controller (100) constituting a substrate cleaning device (1) receives chemical cleaning information from an upper controller. For example, the chemical cleaning information may include information regarding the type, concentration, temperature, flow rate, spraying time, etc. of the chemical solution.
[0069] In step S20, a process may be performed in which the controller (100) compares the chemical solution cleaning information received from the upper controller with previously stored fume-inducing judgment information to calculate the level of fume generated by the chemical solution.
[0070] For example, fume-inducing judgment information includes a first weight corresponding to the type of chemical solution, a second weight corresponding to the concentration range of the chemical solution, and a third weight corresponding to the temperature range of the chemical solution, and the controller (100) can extract the first weight, second weight, and third weight corresponding to the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution included in the chemical solution cleaning information by referring to the fume-inducing judgment information, and calculate the fume generation amount level by summing the extracted first weight, second weight, and third weight.
[0071] In step S30, a process may be performed in which a substrate (S) to be cleaned is brought into the interior of the housing (10) by a transport means such as a robot arm not shown.
[0072] In step S40, a process may be performed in which the controller (100) controls the airflow of the downdraft supplied by the fan filter unit (60) and the exhaust volume by the exhaust unit (80) to maintain an initial set value. The control of the exhaust volume by the exhaust unit (80) may be achieved through the control of the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851).
[0073] In step S50, a pre-wetting process may be performed in which a cleaning fluid supply unit (70) sprays a pre-wetting liquid onto the upper surface of a substrate (S) under the control of a controller (100).
[0074] In step S60, prior to starting the chemical cleaning process, a process may be performed in which the controller (100) determines whether the requirement for excessive fume generation by the chemical solution is satisfied. For example, the controller (100) may determine whether the requirement for excessive fume generation by the chemical solution is satisfied based on the fume generation amount level calculated in step S20, and if the requirement for excessive fume generation is not satisfied, the process may proceed to step S70, and if the requirement for excessive fume generation is satisfied, the process may proceed to step S80.
[0075] Step S70 is a process performed when it is determined that no excessive fumes are generated. In Step S70, a chemical cleaning process can be performed while maintaining the same initial setting values as the pre-wetting process, such that the amount of downward airflow supplied by the fan filter unit (60) and the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit (80) are maintained.
[0076] Step S80 is a process performed when it is determined that excessive fumes are being generated. In Step S80, the controller (100) may perform a process of increasing the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) for a set processing time while performing a chemical cleaning process, thereby increasing the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) to increase the exhaust volume of the exhaust section (80) for a set processing time, and then returning to the initial set value. When the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) increases, the differential pressure, which is the internal pressure difference between the housing (10) and the exhaust buffer (82), increases, and accordingly, the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) increases.
[0077] For example, in step S80, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the controller (100) can control the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) constituting the exhaust section (80) so that, while the chemical cleaning process is being performed, the set value of the differential pressure gauge (90) is gradually increased to a second set value higher than the first set value, then maintained at the second set value for a set processing time, and then gradually decreased to the first set value, thereby causing the exhaust volume to gradually increase to a second exhaust level higher than the first exhaust level, maintain the second exhaust level for a set processing time, and then gradually decrease the exhaust volume to the first exhaust level.
[0078] Additionally, for example, in step S80, the controller (100) can control the exhaust volume of the exhaust section (80) by controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) by changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge (90) in proportion to the fume generation level calculated in step S20.
[0079] In step S90, a process may be performed in which the controller (100) controls the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit (80) to be maintained at an initial set value by controlling the amount of downdraft supplied by the fan filter unit (60) and the rotational speed of the exhaust fan (851) so that the rinsing process and the drying process are performed.
[0080] In step S100, a process may be performed in which a transfer means, such as a robot arm, removes a cleaned substrate (S) from the housing (10) under the control of a controller (100).
[0082] As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, the setting value of the differential pressure gauge is changed according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied to clean the substrate, and the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing is controlled by a fan-type auto-damping method so that the exhaust volume by the exhaust part is adaptively controlled to be proportional to the setting value of the differential pressure gauge, thereby suppressing the diffusion of fumes generated during the cleaning process and effectively exhausting them to the outside, thereby increasing the fume removal efficiency.
[0083] In addition, based on chemical cleaning information including the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution, the level of fume generated by the chemical solution is calculated, and the setting value of the differential pressure gauge is changed according to the calculated level of fume generated. By controlling the exhaust volume of the air inside the housing using a fan-type auto-damping method, the exhaust volume by the exhaust section is adaptively controlled to be proportional to the setting value of the differential pressure gauge, thereby improving the efficiency of the substrate cleaning process. Explanation of the symbols
[0085] 1: Substrate cleaning device 10: Housing 20: cup 21: The First Cup 22: Second Cup 30: Cup drive unit 40: Spin chuck 50: Chuck drive unit 60: fan filter unit 70: Cleaning fluid supply unit 71: First cleaning fluid supply unit 72: Second cleaning fluid supply unit 80: Exhaust section 81: First exhaust pipe 82: Exhaust buffer 84: Second exhaust pipe 85: Fan-type auto damper 851: Exhaust fan 852: Damper Plate 90: Differential pressure gauge 100: Controller S: Substrate
Claims
Claim 1 Housing; a cup installed inside the housing; a spin chuck installed inside the cup that supports a substrate and rotates; a fan filter unit installed on the upper part of the housing and supplies a downward airflow toward the substrate; a cleaning fluid supply unit that supplies a cleaning fluid to the substrate; an exhaust unit that exhausts the interior of the housing using a fan-type auto-damping method; and a differential pressure gauge that measures the differential pressure, which is the pressure difference between the internal space of the housing and the internal space of the exhaust buffer included in the exhaust unit.The apparatus includes a controller that controls the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit to be proportional to the set value of the differential pressure gauge by changing the set value of the differential pressure gauge according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit, wherein the exhaust unit includes a plurality of first exhaust pipes coupled to the bottom surface of the housing to communicate with the interior of the housing, an exhaust buffer that communicates with the plurality of first exhaust pipes and provides a space for collecting air exhausted through the plurality of first exhaust pipes, a second exhaust pipe that communicates with the exhaust buffer and has a larger diameter than the first exhaust pipe, and a fan-type auto damper installed on the second exhaust pipe and exhausting air inside the exhaust buffer according to the control of the controller, wherein the fan-type auto damper includes an exhaust fan whose rotational speed is adjusted according to the control of the controller and a damper plate located at the front or rear end of the exhaust fan and having an opening rate set according to the control of the controller, and the cleaning fluid includes a pre-wetting liquid for a pre-wetting process, a chemical liquid for a chemical cleaning process following the pre-wetting process, and the chemical liquid A substrate cleaning device comprising a rinse liquid for a rinse process following a cleaning process and a drying fluid for a drying process following the rinse process, wherein the controller controls the airflow volume of the downward airflow supplied by the fan filter unit to maintain an initial set value while the pre-wetting process, the chemical cleaning process, the rinse process, and the drying process are performed, and, when the cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit is the chemical liquid, increases the set value of the differential pressure gauge to increase the rotational speed of the exhaust fan, thereby increasing the exhaust volume by the exhaust unit compared to other cleaning fluids. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the amount of exhaust by the exhaust unit by controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan by changing the set value of the differential pressure gauge according to the type of cleaning fluid supplied by the cleaning fluid supply unit. Claim 5 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the controller receives chemical cleaning information including the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution from an upper controller, calculates a level of fume generation amount caused by the chemical solution by comparing the chemical cleaning information received from the upper controller with previously stored fume-inducing judgment information, and controls the exhaust amount of the exhaust section by controlling the rotational speed of the exhaust fan by changing the setting value of the differential pressure gauge in proportion to the level of fume generation amount. Claim 6 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the controller changes the set value of the differential pressure gauge in proportion to the fume generation amount level and controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan so that the differential pressure received from the differential pressure gauge becomes equal to the set value of the differential pressure gauge. Claim 7 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the fume induction judgment information includes a first weight corresponding to the type of the chemical solution, a second weight corresponding to the concentration range of the chemical solution, and a third weight corresponding to the temperature range of the chemical solution, and the controller extracts the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight corresponding to the type, concentration, and temperature of the chemical solution included in the chemical solution cleaning information by referring to the fume induction judgment information, calculates the fume generation amount level by summing the first weight, the second weight, and the third weight, and controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan corresponding to the set value of the differential pressure gauge to be proportional to the fume generation amount level to suppress the fume generated by the chemical solution from spreading to the outside of the cup. Claim 8 delete Claim 9 A substrate cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan constituting the exhaust section so that the exhaust volume maintains a first exhaust level by maintaining the set value of the differential pressure gauge at a first set value while the pre-wetting process is performed, and while the chemical cleaning process is performed, controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan constituting the exhaust section so that the exhaust volume gradually increases to a second set value higher than the first set value, maintains the second set value for a set processing time, and then gradually decreases to the first set value so that the exhaust volume gradually increases to a second exhaust level higher than the first exhaust level, maintains the second exhaust level for a set processing time, and then gradually decreases to the first exhaust level; and while the rinsing process and the drying process are performed, controls the rotational speed of the exhaust fan constituting the exhaust section so that the exhaust volume maintains the first exhaust level by maintaining the set value of the differential pressure gauge at a first set value.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
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