JP2000093781A - Box for feeding treating liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent drain-pipes from being installed mistakenly by piping simply in respective tank-containing chambers. SOLUTION: A plurality of tank-containing chambers 10A-10E which contain treating liquid tanks are vertically installed in line. They are divided into two groups of a plurality of adjacent tank-containing chambers 10A-10B and 10C-10E, and the lower end of a drain pipe 21A connected to the bottom plate (9A) of a tank-containing chamber (e.g. 10A) other than the lowest tank-containing chambers 10B and 10E in the respective groups is placed on the upper part of the bottom plate (9B) of the lower tank-containing chamber (10B) and the lower end of a drain pipe (21B) of the lowest tank-containing chamber (10B) of the group is connected to a waste water recovery pipe installed on the outside of this apparatus.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided in a substrate processing apparatus for performing various types of substrate processing on a thin plate-like substrate (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "substrate") such as a semiconductor substrate or a liquid crystal glass substrate. The present invention relates to a processing liquid supply box.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a substrate processing apparatus for performing various types of substrate processing on a substrate, various types of processing liquids are sequentially supplied into a single substrate processing tank, and various types of processing are performed while the substrates are immersed in the processing liquid. Is performed continuously. As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing tank 101 for immersing a substrate W in a processing liquid to perform a surface treatment on the substrate, and a processing liquid for supplying a plurality of types of processing liquids to the substrate processing tank 101. Supply unit 10
2 and a processing liquid discharge section 103 for discharging the processing liquid overflowing from the substrate processing tank 101 to the outside of the apparatus. The substrate processing bath 101 is provided with a pair of processing liquid jet pipes 11 for supplying a processing liquid into the substrate processing bath 101 in a jet state at a lower portion thereof.
0 is provided.

[0006] The processing liquid supply unit 102 connects processing liquid introduction valves VA, VB, VC, and
VD and processing liquid supply pipes 111A, 111B, 111
C, a plurality of processing liquid tanks T communicated via 111D
A, TB, TC, TD and a pure water supply pipe 112 connected via a pure water introduction valve VW.
A and the like and a pure water introduction valve VW are selectively opened and closed to introduce a predetermined treatment liquid and pure water into the treatment liquid ejection pipe 110. A pressure medium such as nitrogen gas is supplied to the processing liquid tank TA and the like via a regulator 114, whereby the processing liquid in the tank is supplied to the processing liquid supply pipe 11
1A etc. In the illustrated example, the processing liquid tank T
Only A is shown.

The substrate processing apparatus includes a processing liquid tank TA.
There is a case where a processing liquid supply box is provided in which tank storage chambers for storing the processing liquid and the like are vertically connected in multiple stages. Since the processing liquid supply box stores the processing liquid tanks in multiple stages in the up-down direction, the space for storing the processing liquid tanks and, consequently, the installation area for the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced, and the clean room can be effectively used.

[0005] The types of treatment liquids are generally classified into alkaline treatment liquids such as ammonia water and acid treatment liquids such as hydrofluoric acid and hydrochloric acid.

[0006]

A pressure medium such as nitrogen gas is supplied to the processing liquid tank, whereby the processing liquid in the processing liquid tank is pumped to a processing liquid supply pipe and a processing liquid ejection pipe. However, if an abnormality occurs in the pumping system, the processing liquid may leak from the processing liquid tank, and contaminate the inside of the processing liquid supply box and thus the substrate processing apparatus. For this reason,
Drain pipes for discharging the processing liquid leaked from the processing liquid tank are connected to the bottom plate of each tank storage chamber of the processing liquid supply box, and the end of each drain pipe is connected to the outside of the apparatus according to the type of the processing liquid. It is connected to either an alkaline drainage collection pipe or an acid drainage collection pipe.

As described above, in the conventional processing liquid supply box, the drain pipe is connected to each tank storage chamber, and each drain pipe is connected to the drain recovery pipe according to the type of the processing liquid. Pipe piping becomes complicated, piping workability is poor, and erroneous piping may occur. Once erroneous piping occurs and, for example, an alkaline drainage and an acid drainage mix, the drainage treatment will be hindered depending on the drainage treatment method.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and a drain pipe provided in each tank accommodating chamber is simply piped, a pipe work is easy, and an erroneous drain pipe can be prevented. Provide a liquid supply box.

[0009]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A processing liquid supply box provided in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with various processing liquids supplied from a plurality of processing liquid tanks, wherein a plurality of tank storage chambers for storing the processing liquid tanks are vertically connected. The lower end of the drain pipe connected to the bottom plate of the other tank storage room except the bottom tank storage room is disposed above the bottom plate of the adjacent lower tank storage room, and the bottom plate of the bottom tank storage room The lower end of the drain pipe connected to the drain pipe is connected to a drain collection pipe outside the apparatus. According to this processing liquid supply box, the lower end of the drain pipe connected to the bottom plate of the tank storage chamber is disposed above the bottom plate of the adjacent tank storage chamber below the tank storage chamber. The drain pipe connected to the bottom plate of the storage chamber may be connected to the drain collection pipe, and the drain pipe provided in each tank storage chamber does not need to be connected to the drain collection pipe. For this reason, piping of a drain pipe becomes simple and piping work also becomes easy.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing liquid supply box provided in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with various processing liquids supplied from a plurality of processing liquid tanks, wherein the processing liquid tank is housed therein. A plurality of tank storage chambers are vertically connected, and a plurality of adjacent tank storage chambers are grouped together, and each group is connected to a bottom plate of another tank storage chamber except for the lowest tank storage chamber of the group. The lower end of the drain pipe is located above the bottom plate of the adjacent lower tank storage chamber, and the lower end of the drain pipe connected to the bottom plate of the lowermost tank storage chamber of the group is the drain collection pipe outside the device. It is a connection part to. According to the present invention, for a processing liquid, such as an acid-based or alkaline-based processing liquid, which is difficult to mix and drain simultaneously, a plurality of tank storage chambers storing the processing liquid tanks are grouped into one group. For each group, the drain pipe provided in the tank storage chamber at the bottom of a certain group may be connected to the drain collection pipe for that group, and each drain pipe is connected to the drain collection pipe. In this case, it is not necessary to select each drain collection pipe to be drained, the drain pipe is simplified, piping work is easy, and another drain collection pipe different from the drain collection pipe to which the drain pipe is to be connected is used. Thus, there is no possibility of erroneous piping, and predetermined drainage processing can be reliably performed on the collected drainage.

[0011]

FIG. 2 shows an overall layout of a substrate processing apparatus provided with a processing liquid supply box according to an embodiment, and the overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus will be briefly described. This substrate processing apparatus includes a loading / unloading section 51 for a cassette C for storing a plurality of substrates W, a substrate transfer section 52 for taking out a substrate W from the cassette C or storing a substrate W in the cassette C, and a A cassette cleaning tank 58 for cleaning the empty cassette C after the transfer, a cassette transfer robot 53 for transferring the cassette C between the carry-in / out section 51 of the cassette C, the substrate transfer section 52 and the cassette cleaning tank 58 A substrate processing unit 54 for collectively immersing a plurality of substrates in a processing liquid to perform substrate processing; a substrate drying unit 55 for collectively draining and drying a plurality of substrates W; A substrate transfer robot 56 is configured to collectively hold a plurality of substrates W taken out from C and transport the substrates W to a substrate processing unit 54 and a substrate drying unit 55.

The substrate processing section 54 includes three substrate processing tanks 101A and 10 for immersing a plurality of substrates W held in a lifter 59 provided to be able to move up and down in a processing liquid to perform substrate processing.
1B and 101C, a processing liquid supply unit for supplying a plurality of processing liquids to a processing liquid ejection pipe provided below each of the substrate processing tanks 101A to 101C, and a processing liquid overflowing from the substrate processing tanks 101A to 101C. The substrate processing tanks 101A to 101
C, the processing liquid supply unit, and the processing liquid discharge unit are the same as those described in FIG. In this substrate processing apparatus, three substrate processing tanks 101A to 101C are provided. In this case, supply of a plurality of types of processing liquids to each of the substrate processing tanks 101A to 101C is connected to each processing liquid tank TA or the like. The processing liquid supply pipe 111A and the like are branched into respective substrate processing tanks 101A.
This is realized by connecting to each of the processing liquid introduction valves VA and the like provided in the C to １101C. In this substrate processing apparatus, the processing liquid supply unit includes four processing liquid tanks TA, TB, and T.
C and TD, and these processing liquid tanks are stored in a processing liquid supply box 63 described later.

The loading / unloading section 51, the cassette transfer robot 53, the cassette cleaning tank 58 and the substrate transfer section 52, the substrate drying section 55, and the three substrate processing tanks 101A to 101A.
1C are arranged from the front to the rear in this order, and the substrate transfer robot 56 is provided movably along the substrate transfer unit 52, the substrate drying unit 55, and the substrate processing tanks 101A to 101C. And the last substrate processing tank 1
Behind 01C, an exhaust duct collecting box 61, a control box 62, and a processing liquid supply box 63 according to the present embodiment are juxtaposed. Further, the substrate processing bath 101A
The left side of to 101 C is a pipe maintenance area 64.

As shown in FIG. 1, the processing liquid supply box 63 includes a box main body 2 erected on the left side of the installation table 1.
The box body 2 has plate-like side walls 3 on all four sides.
Surrounded by 4, 5, 6 and upper and lower plates 7,
It forms a box to which the lower plate 8 is attached. The upper plate 7
And first to fifth partition plates 9A, 9B,
9C, 9D, and 9E are provided so as to partition the inside of the box into six steps in the vertical direction, and first to fifth tank storage chambers 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E and a piping chamber 11 are formed therebetween. ing. The third to fifth partition plates 9C to 9C
Notch part 12C, 1 which becomes piping space in a part of E
2D and 12E are formed, and the notches 12C to 12E are formed.
The peripheral edge of the plate 13C prevents the processing liquid leaked from the processing liquid tanks, filters, valves and their piping members stored in the tank storage chambers 10C to 10E from flowing down to the lower tank storage chamber. , 13D, and 13E. In addition, each tank storage room 10A-10
The windows 15 are provided on the side walls 3 and 4 constituting the front and left sides of E.
A notch 16 is formed, and transparent windows 17 and 18 are attached to the windows 15 and 16. The box body 2 is formed of a synthetic resin having good corrosion resistance, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and vinyl chloride. In addition, as for a certain tank storage room (for example, 10B), its bottom plate corresponds to a partition plate (9B) at the bottom of the tank storage room (10B).

The first and second tank storage chambers 10A, 10A
B is a processing liquid tank T storing an alkaline processing liquid.
A and TB are placed and stored on the partition plates 9A and 9B via a mounting plate. On the other hand, the third and fourth tank storage chambers 10C and 10D similarly store processing liquid tanks TC and TD storing acid-based processing liquids. The fifth tank storage room 10E is a spare tank storage room. The lower portions of the tank storage chambers 10A to 10E constitute a butt portion for receiving the processing liquid leaked from the processing liquid tank. In addition, a filter and a valve for filtering the processing liquid can be stored in the tank storage chamber in addition to the processing liquid tank.

The partition plates 9A to 9E constituting the bottom plates of the tank storage chambers 10A to 10E have drain ports for discharging the processing liquid leaked from the processing liquid tank, as shown in detail in part A of FIG. A drain pipe 21 </ b> A to 21 </ b> E is connected to the drain port 20 via a pipe joint 19. The end of the drain pipe 21A of the first tank storage chamber 10A is disposed immediately above the drain port 20 of the partition plate 9B of the second tank storage chamber 10B with a visual clearance therebetween, and the drain of the second tank storage chamber 10B. The end of the tube 21B is connected to an alkaline external piping joint 22 attached to the lower plate 8. The alkaline external pipe joint 22 is connected to an alkaline waste liquid recovery pipe for discharging the waste liquid to the outside of the apparatus. on the other hand,
Drain pipes 21C, 21D connected to partition plates 9C, 9D constituting the bottom plates of the third and fourth tank storage chambers 10C, 10D.
Are located directly below the fourth and fifth tank storage chambers 10D,
Drain port 2 of partition plates 9D and 9E constituting 10E bottom plate
0 is located immediately above the lens with a visual clearance therebetween.
The end of the drain pipe 21E of the tank storage chamber 10E is the lower plate 8
Is connected to an acid-based external piping joint 23 attached to the tubing.
An acid-based drainage collection pipe is connected to the acid-based external pipe joint 23.

A piping chamber 25 is provided on the right side of the installation table, and various valves and piping devices are mounted on the side wall 6 of the box body 2. Further, an exhaust pipe communicating with the first and second tank storage chambers 10A and 10B, and an exhaust pipe communicating with the third to fifth tank storage chambers 10C to 10E and the piping chamber 11 may be attached to the side wall 6. .

In this embodiment, the tank storage chambers 10A to 10A
10E is divided into two types of groups (10A) of alkali type or acid type according to the type of processing liquid in the processing liquid tank to be stored.
-10B and 10C to 10E), and the drain pipe (21A) of a certain tank storage chamber (for example, 10A) except for the drain pipes 21B and 21E connected to the bottom plates of the lowermost tank storage chambers 10B and 10E of each group. The lower end of the partition plate (9) which constitutes the bottom plate of the tank storage chamber (10B) immediately below it
Since it is arranged at the upper part of B), it is not necessary to pipe each drain pipe in one group to the external pipe joint of the group, and the drain pipe piping work is easy.
The drain piping is also simplified, and the piping space for the drain pipe 21 in the box body 2 can be reduced. For this reason,
The processing solution supply box 63 is made compact, so that the installation area of the substrate processing apparatus can be reduced and the clean room can be effectively used.

When a liquid leaks from the processing liquid tank or the like, the partition plates 9A to 9E or the drain pipes 21A, 21C to 21C constituting the bottom plates of the tank storage chambers 10A to 10E.
By confirming the flow of the drainage from the end of D, the processing liquid tank in which the liquid leak has occurred can be easily found.

In addition, only the drain pipes 21B and 21E of the lowermost tank storage chambers 10B and 10E of each group are connected to the external pipe joints 22, to which the drainage collection pipes of each group are connected.
Since it is connected to 23, erroneous piping can be prevented, and mixing of different types of drainage, which is a problem, can be prevented, and predetermined drainage processing can be reliably performed.

In the above embodiment, in each group,
The drain pipe (21) of a certain tank storage room (for example, 10A)
The partition plate (9B) that constitutes the bottom plate of the tank storage chamber (10B) immediately below the tank storage chamber (10A) at the end of A).
At the upper part of the drain port 20 provided at the bottom. Even if the vapor of the leaking liquid or the gas emanating from the leaking liquid has a corrosive property or is likely to impair health, for example, the leaking liquid should be disposed only in the drain pipe as much as possible. This is because the flow of the leaked liquid and the diffusion of the gas generated from the leaked liquid are suppressed, which is preferable. However, for example, there is no need to consider the leaking liquid, for example, when there is no such a concern as described above in the leaking liquid, or when a measure such as airtightly surrounding the whole or a part of the processing liquid supply box 63 is taken. For example, the end of the drain pipe (21A) may be arranged in any area as long as it is not the upper part of the drain port 20 but the upper part of the partition plate (9B).

In the above embodiment, a visual clearance is provided between the end of the drain pipe and the drain port for disposing the end of the drain pipe above the drain port. Look at the bat partly because the slight leakage of liquid, which is dripping at intervals of several seconds or minutes, so-called tear leakage, is difficult to see even if it leaks and flows through the bat part (partition plate). It is difficult to notice even if there is, but in the case where a visual gap is provided as in the above embodiment, it is possible to easily find a liquid leak by seeing a drop dripping from the end of the drain pipe. . If it is not desired to see a liquid leak at the end of the drain tube, it is not always necessary to provide a visual clearance at the end of the drain tube.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an alkaline group including the first and second tank storage chambers 10A and 10B and an acid group including the third to fifth tank storage chambers 10C to 10E are divided. However, depending on the type of the processing liquid to be used, a group including an appropriate number of tank storage chambers can be formed. Also, the number of groups is not limited to two. Furthermore, when all types of processing liquids can be mixed and discharged, the lower end of the drain pipe of the upper tank storage chamber is connected to the bottom plate of the lower tank storage chamber without grouping the tank storage chambers. Placed at the top of the partition plate that constitutes
Only the drain pipe of the lowermost tank storage chamber may be connected to the external pipe joint. Further, the number of tank storage chambers provided in the box body 2 is also arbitrary, and can be appropriately determined according to the size of the tank body and the processing liquid tank, and the type of the processing liquid to be used.

In the above embodiment, a plurality of types of processing liquids are sequentially supplied while a plurality of substrates are immersed in the processing liquid, and the substrate processing is performed continuously while replacing the processing liquid. Although the processing liquid supply box 63 of the substrate processing apparatus provided with the tanks 101A to 101C is shown, the substrate processing apparatus to which the processing liquid supply box of the present invention is installed is not limited to such an apparatus. A plurality of substrate processing tanks storing a specific type of processing liquid are provided,
A substrate processing apparatus of a type that performs substrate processing by sequentially immersing a plurality of substrates in these substrate processing tanks may be used. Further, a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate processing unit that performs various substrate processing by supplying various processing liquids or pure water to the substrate surface while rotating one substrate may be used.

[0025]

According to the processing liquid supply box of the present invention,
There is no need to connect the drain pipes provided in the respective tank storage chambers to the drainage collection pipes outside the apparatus, and the drain pipes are simple and the piping work is easy. Also, a plurality of adjacent tank storage chambers are grouped as a group, and only the drain pipe of the lowermost tank storage chamber of each group can be connected to the drain collection pipe outside the apparatus. Erroneous piping to the liquid recovery pipe can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of a processing liquid supply box according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an overall plan view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus provided with a processing liquid supply box.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a main part of a substrate processing apparatus provided with a substrate processing tank for immersing a substrate in a processing liquid and sequentially supplying various processing liquids to perform substrate processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 9A to 9E Partition plate (bottom plate of tank storage chamber) 10A to 10E Tank storage chamber 21A to 21E Drain pipe TA to TD Treatment liquid tank

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kenichiro Arai 2426-1, Minogami-ku, Kinokawahara, Yasu-cho, Yasu-gun, Shiga Prefecture F-term in the Yasu Works of Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. 4G068 AA03 AB15 AC05 AD01

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A processing liquid supply box provided in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with various processing liquids supplied from a plurality of processing liquid tanks, wherein a plurality of tank storage chambers for storing the processing liquid tanks are provided. The lower end of the drain pipe connected vertically to the bottom plate of the other tank storage chamber except for the bottom tank storage chamber is located above the bottom plate of the adjacent lower tank storage chamber, A processing liquid supply box in which the lower end of a drain pipe connected to the bottom plate of the tank storage chamber is connected to a drain collection pipe outside the apparatus. 2. A processing liquid supply box provided in a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with various processing liquids supplied from a plurality of processing liquid tanks, wherein a plurality of tank storage chambers for storing the processing liquid tanks are provided. The lower end of the drain pipe connected vertically to the bottom plate of the tank storage chambers other than the lowest tank storage chamber of the group, with a plurality of adjacent tank storage chambers being grouped together Is disposed above the bottom plate of the adjacent lower tank storage chamber, and the lower end of the drain pipe connected to the bottom plate of the lowermost tank storage chamber of the group is a connection part to the drainage collection pipe outside the apparatus. Processing liquid supply box.