JP2011176125A - Liquid treatment apparatus, liquid treatment method, program, and program recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve wide-range adjustment without a large cost, concerning the concentration of a mixed liquid in a liquid treatment apparatus using the mixed liquid obtained by mixing a plurality of liquids. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid treatment apparatus 10 includes: main piping 20; a liquid supply mechanism 40 connected to the main piping; a plurality of branch pipes 25 branching off from the main piping; and a plurality of treatment units 50 connected to the respective branch pipes. The liquid supply mechanism 40 includes a mixer 43 provided on the main piping; a first liquid supply pipe 41b for supplying a first liquid from a first liquid source to the mixer; a second liquid supply pipe 42b for supplying a second liquid from a second liquid tank to the mixer according to a pressure controlled by a regulator 42t. The second liquid supply pipe 42b is provided with a flow regulating valve 42d. The flow regulating valve 42d and the regulator 42t are interlockingly controlled for the mixing ratio adjustment of the mixed liquid. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method for processing an object to be processed using a liquid. The present invention also relates to a program for executing a liquid processing method for processing an object to be processed using a liquid, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded.

  Conventionally, processing of an object to be processed using a mixed liquid obtained by mixing a plurality of different liquids, for example, cleaning processing of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as a wafer) or a glass substrate has been performed. A liquid processing apparatus for processing a target object such as a wafer or a glass substrate using a liquid usually includes a plurality of processing units that form processing chambers, and the target object is sequentially processed in each processing unit. (For example, patent document 1).

JP-A-6-204201

  By the way, in the liquid processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a liquid supply mechanism that mixes and supplies different liquids is separately assigned to each processing unit. In this type of liquid processing apparatus, the liquid is supplied from the corresponding liquid supply mechanism to the processing unit in accordance with the consumption of the liquid in each processing unit. However, in such a liquid processing apparatus, the concentration of the mixed liquid supplied from a plurality of liquid supply mechanisms varies, and the degree of processing varies among objects to be processed processed by different processing units. Further, the configuration of the liquid processing apparatus and the control of the liquid processing apparatus are complicated.

  Moreover, in the liquid processing which processes a to-be-processed object using a liquid, especially a chemical | medical solution, implement | achieving liquid saving from a viewpoint of the reduction of processing cost and a viewpoint of environmental maintenance is also a big subject.

  Furthermore, there is a demand for realizing a wider range of adjustment of the concentration of the mixed solution without incurring a large cost. In the conventional liquid supply mechanism, there is a limit even in the range in which the flow rate can be controlled. Specifically, at a flow rate outside the controllable range, the accuracy is significantly reduced, or the control itself cannot be performed.

  The present invention includes a main pipe, a mixer provided on the main pipe, a first liquid supply pipe that supplies the first liquid from the first liquid source to the mixer, and a second liquid that contains the second liquid. A two-liquid tank, a gas source and a pressure control unit for supplying pressurized gas to the second liquid tank, and a second liquid in the second liquid tank in a state pressurized by the pressurized gas A second liquid supply pipe for supplying the first liquid and the second liquid from the second liquid tank to the mixer by mixing the first liquid and the second liquid in the mixer. A liquid supply mechanism for supplying from one side, a plurality of branch pipes provided so as to branch from the main pipe, and a plurality of processing units provided corresponding to the respective branch pipes. A plurality of processing units configured to process an object to be processed using the mixed liquid supplied through the branch pipe. The second liquid supply pipe is provided with a flow rate adjustment valve capable of adjusting the flow rate within a predetermined range, and based on the flow rate of the desired second liquid, the flow rate adjustment valve and the The liquid processing apparatus is provided with a control unit that controls the pressure control unit in conjunction with each other.

  According to the present invention, the mixed liquid supplied to the main pipe from one liquid supply mechanism is used for processing the object to be processed in a plurality of processing units. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the variation in processing between objects to be processed processed in different processing units. In addition, a required amount of the mixed liquid is supplied from the liquid supply mechanism to the main pipe according to the operation status of each processing unit. Therefore, it is also preferable from the viewpoint of a chemical saving solution. Furthermore, a gas source for supplying pressurized gas to the second liquid tank and a pressure control unit are provided, and the second liquid in the second liquid tank in a state pressurized by the pressurized gas is adjusted in flow rate. When supplied to the mixer through the second liquid supply pipe having a valve, the pressure control unit is controlled in conjunction with the flow rate adjusting valve, so that a wider range of mixing ratio can be realized. It is.

  Preferably, the apparatus further includes a flow meter provided on the main pipe, and the flow rate of the desired second liquid is determined by the control unit in accordance with flow rate information from the flow meter, the desired mixing ratio, and the plurality of processing units. If the calculated flow rate of the desired second liquid is within the predetermined range, only the flow rate adjustment valve is controlled, If it is outside the predetermined range, the pressure control unit is controlled in conjunction.

  Preferably, an auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism is provided in series with the flow rate adjusting valve, and the control unit interlocks the flow rate adjusting valve, the pressure control unit, and the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism. Control. In this case, it is possible to achieve a wider range of mixing ratio.

  In this case, it is preferable that the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism includes a switchable path including the orifice. Since the orifice is an inexpensive component member, a wide range mixing ratio can be realized at a very low cost. Specifically, for example, the orifice is configured to restrict the flow rate of the passing liquid at a predetermined ratio within a range of 1/2 to 1/20. The realizable mixing ratio becomes wide by a multiple corresponding to the reciprocal of the predetermined ratio.

  Alternatively, the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism preferably includes a switchable path including the needle valve. Needle valves are more expensive than orifices, but can still achieve a wide range of mixing ratios at a relatively low cost. Specifically, for example, the needle valve is configured to restrict the flow rate of the passing liquid at a predetermined ratio that can be changed within a range of 1/2 to 1/20. The realizable mixing ratio becomes wide by a multiple corresponding to the reciprocal of the predetermined ratio.

  Alternatively, the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism preferably includes a plurality of flow rate adjusting elements that are provided in parallel with each other and selectively used for switching. In this case, a wider mixing ratio can be realized by switching and using a plurality of flow rate adjusting elements. That is, by controlling which one of the plurality of flow rate adjustment elements of the auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism is used, the mixture ratio in the mixed liquid can be obtained in a wider range. Even in this case, it is advantageous in terms of cost that each flow regulating element includes a needle valve or an orifice.

  Note that the second liquid source may be connected in advance to the second liquid supply pipe (a liquid processing apparatus may be shipped and sold in a connected state). For example, the second liquid source is a high concentration chemical liquid. On the other hand, for example, water as the first liquid can be supplied to the first liquid supply pipe, but this connection (connection to the first liquid source) is usually made when the liquid processing apparatus is installed in the factory. The

  Further, the present invention is controlled via a first liquid supplied from a first liquid source and a pressure control unit in a main pipe from which a plurality of branch pipes respectively leading to separate processing units extend. A mixed liquid obtained by mixing the second liquid supplied from the second liquid tank through the flow rate adjusting valve in a state pressurized according to the pressure of the pressurized gas is filled from one side of the main pipe. A mixing and filling step, and a processing step in which the liquid mixture in the main pipe is supplied to each processing unit through each branch pipe, and the processing of the object to be processed is performed in each processing unit using the liquid mixture. In the mixing and filling step, in order to obtain a desired mixing ratio in the mixed solution, in addition to the flow rate adjusting valve, the pressure control unit is also controlled in conjunction with the liquid processing method.

  According to the present invention, the mixed liquid supplied to the main pipe from one liquid supply mechanism is used for processing the object to be processed in a plurality of processing units. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the variation in processing between objects to be processed processed in different processing units. In addition, a required amount of the mixed liquid is supplied from the liquid supply mechanism to the main pipe according to the operation status of each processing unit. Therefore, it is also preferable from the viewpoint of a chemical saving solution. Furthermore, a wider-range mixing ratio can be realized by interlocking control of the pressure control unit for pressurizing and supplying the second liquid and the flow rate adjusting valve for adjusting the supply flow rate of the second liquid. Is possible.

  Here, an auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism is provided in series with the flow rate adjusting valve, and in the mixing and filling step, in order to obtain a desired mixing ratio in the mixed solution, the pressure is added to the flow rate adjusting valve. It is preferable that the control unit and the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism are controlled in conjunction with each other. In this case, it is possible to achieve a wider range of mixing ratio.

  In this case, the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism includes a plurality of flow rate adjusting elements that are provided in parallel with each other and selectively used for switching, and in the mixing and filling step, in order to obtain a desired mixing ratio in the mixed liquid. In addition, it is preferable to switch which one of the plurality of flow rate adjustment elements of the auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism is used. In this case, a wider mixing ratio can be realized by switching and using a plurality of flow rate adjusting elements.

  A program according to an aspect of the present invention is a program executed by a control device that controls a liquid processing apparatus, and is executed by the control apparatus, whereby any one of the above-described liquid processing methods according to an aspect of the present invention. Is carried out by a liquid processing apparatus.

  A recording medium according to an aspect of the present invention is a recording medium on which a program executed by a control device that controls a liquid processing apparatus is recorded, and the above-described present invention is executed when the program is executed by the control device. Any one of the liquid processing methods according to the above aspect is performed by a liquid processing apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of a liquid processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a liquid processing method for an object to be processed which can be performed using the liquid processing apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a modification of the liquid supply mechanism. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a further modification of the liquid supply mechanism. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a further modification of the liquid supply mechanism. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a further modification of the liquid supply mechanism. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a modification of the liquid processing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings attached to the present specification, for the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, the scale, the vertical / horizontal dimension ratio, and the like are appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual product.

  In the following embodiments, an example is shown in which the present invention is applied to a cleaning process of a semiconductor wafer (an example of an object to be processed), particularly a process using a chemical solution (chemical solution process). However, the present invention is not limited to application to wafer cleaning processing at least at the time of filing the present application.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid processing apparatus 10 is provided on the other side of the main pipe 20, a liquid supply mechanism 40 that is connected to one side of the main pipe 20 and supplies a mixed liquid to the main pipe 20. The main on-off valve 22 and a plurality of branch pipes 25 branched from the main pipe 20 are provided. A processing unit 50 is provided for each of the plurality of branch pipes 25. Each branch pipe 25 is provided with a branch pipe opening / closing valve 27 for opening and closing the branch pipe 25. In addition, the liquid processing apparatus 10 includes a control device 12 that controls the operation and the like of each component of the liquid processing apparatus 10. Hereinafter, each component will be described in order.

  First, the liquid supply mechanism 40 will be described. The liquid supply mechanism 40 supplies a mixed liquid used for processing a wafer (object to be processed) W to each of a large number of processing units 50 via the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25. In the present embodiment, the liquid supply mechanism 40 is configured to supply a chemical solution used for chemical treatment of the wafer (object to be processed) W into the main pipe 20.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the liquid supply mechanism 40 includes a mixer 43 (in this example, a mixing valve) provided on one side of the main pipe 20 and a first liquid that supplies the first liquid. The liquid supply pipe 41b has a second liquid tank 42a for supplying a second liquid different from the first liquid. The first liquid supply pipe 41b extends between the mixer 43 and the first liquid source 41a. A second liquid supply pipe 42b is provided between the second liquid tank 42a and the mixer 43 so that the second liquid is supplied from the second liquid tank 42a to the mixer 43 via the second liquid supply pipe 42b. It has become. The mixer 43 is a member that forms a joining portion of the first liquid supply pipe 41b and the second liquid supply pipe 42b. The first liquid from the first liquid source 41a and the second liquid from the second liquid tank 42a are mixed and mixed in the mixer 43, thereby mixing the first liquid and the second liquid. A liquid mixture is obtained. In addition, the mixer 43 may be comprised from the member which has a function which mixes a 1st liquid and a 2nd liquid actively. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the mixer 43 is a member (for example, T) in which the first liquid and the second liquid are exclusively mixed due to the respective liquid flows before the first liquid and the second liquid merge. (A cheese which is a letter-shaped joint).

In the present embodiment, water, particularly pure water, is supplied as the first liquid from the first liquid source 41a, and the high-concentration chemical liquid is supplied as the second liquid from the second liquid tank 42a. The liquid supply mechanism 40 mixes the water from the first liquid supply pipe 41b and the high-concentration chemical liquid from the second liquid tank 42a, and supplies the mixed liquid as the chemical liquid adjusted to a desired concentration into the main pipe 20. Can be done. Various chemical solutions that can be used for cleaning the wafer W can be adopted as the high concentration chemical solution (second liquid) supplied from the second liquid tank 42a. For example, dilute hydrofluoric acid, ammonia overwater (SC1), or hydrochloric acid overwater (SC2) may be supplied from the second liquid tank 42a. Further, the second liquid may be a mixture of a plurality of chemical solution stock solutions. For example, in the case of ammonia overwater (SC1), NH ₄ OH and H ₂ O ₂ can be used as chemical stock solutions, and in the case of hydrochloric acid overwater (SC2), HCl and H ₂ O ₂ can be used as chemical stock solutions. . Further, the first liquid source 41a may be a water source installed at a place where the processing apparatus 10 is installed, for example, a utility of a factory.

  By the way, the liquid supply mechanism 40 supplies the mixed liquid whose mixing ratio is adjusted into the main pipe 20 at a pressure that can be simultaneously supplied to all of the plurality of processing units 50 connected to the main pipe 20. It is configured.

  In the illustrated example, a constant pressure valve 41 c is provided on the first liquid supply pipe 41 b of the liquid supply mechanism 40. The constant pressure valve 41c is connected to a pressurized compressed air source 41d and a regulator 41e (for example, product name: HL regulator 942N) as a pressure control unit, and operates the constant pressure valve 41c as desired. . Further, in order to properly operate the constant pressure valve 41c, a pressure sensor 41f is provided in the regulator 41e, and the detected pressure is fed back to the control device 12 for control of the regulator 41e. That is, the control device 12 is also responsible for controlling the regulator 41e (control of the constant pressure valve 41c). With such a configuration, the first liquid provided from the first liquid source is processed by all of the plurality of processing units 50 connected to the main pipe 20 (more precisely, the processing unit 50 during processing (mixed liquid consumption)). The pressure can be supplied simultaneously to all of the above), and can be supplied to the main pipe 20 via the first liquid supply pipe 41b. In FIG. 1, 41m is a flow meter, and 41g is an on-off valve. The on-off valve 41g is composed of a valve that can be driven to open and close by fluid pressure driving, for example, an air operated valve that is driven to open and close by air pressure. Further, the regulator 41e may be replaced by another pressure control mechanism.

  On the other hand, a flow meter 42m and a flow rate adjustment valve 42d are interposed in the second liquid supply pipe 42b. Further, an open / close valve 42g is provided in series with the flow rate adjusting valve 42d. The control device 12 is responsible for the opening / closing control of the opening / closing valve 42g.

  The control device 12 is also responsible for controlling the flow rate adjusting valve 42d. Specifically, while using the measured value of the first liquid passing flow rate by the flow meter 41m and the measured value of the second liquid passing flow rate by the flow meter 42m as feedback information, the control device 12 makes a desired mixing ratio. The flow rate adjustment valve 42d (and the regulator 42t as will be described later) is controlled so as to realize the above.

  The second liquid tank 42 a supplies the second liquid in an amount corresponding to the number of processing units 50 that are processing the wafer W (consuming the mixed liquid) to the main pipe 20 via the mixer 43. It is configured as follows. Specifically, the second liquid tank 42a receives pressure from a nitrogen gas source 42k provided to pressurize the second liquid, and sends the second liquid toward the mixer 43. Yes. The pressure applied from the nitrogen gas source 42k is controlled by a regulator 42t. The regulator 42t is provided in the middle of the piping from the nitrogen gas source 42k to the second liquid tank 42a. The pressure applied from the nitrogen gas source 42k is controlled by the control of the regulator 42t, and as a result, the delivery flow rate of the second liquid from the second liquid tank 42a is controlled.

  In the illustrated example, a pressurizing nitrogen gas source 42k and a regulator 42t (for example, product name: HL regulator 942N) are connected to the second liquid tank 42a, and the second liquid in the second liquid tank 42a is desired. Can be pressurized. In addition, a pressure sensor 42u is provided in the regulator 42t in order to appropriately adjust the degree of pressurization of the second liquid (degree of output power), and the detected pressure is supplied to the controller 12 for controlling the regulator 42t. Provide feedback. That is, the control device 12 is also responsible for controlling the regulator 42t.

  The amount of the second liquid depends on the number of processing units 50 that process the wafer W by consuming the liquid in the main pipe 20 among the processing units 50 connected to the main pipe 20. Determined based on the ratio. The controller 12 controls the pressurizing force of the second liquid by the regulator 42t and the flow rate of the flow rate adjusting valve 42d in conjunction with each other so that the second liquid of the liquid amount is supplied to the main pipe 20. . By such control, the liquid supply mechanism 40 can maintain the inside of the main pipe 20 at a predetermined pressure with a liquid mixture having a predetermined concentration. Moreover, the mixing ratio that can be realized is extremely wide compared to the prior art.

  Next, the main pipe 20 and the main on-off valve 22 will be described. The main pipe 20 is connected to the liquid supply mechanism 40 on one side as described above. The main pipe 20 communicates with the waste line on the other side opposite to the one side to which the liquid supply mechanism 40 is connected. The main on-off valve 22 is attached to the other side with respect to the liquid supply mechanism 40 of the main pipe 20. The main on-off valve 22 is configured from a valve that can be driven to open and close by fluid pressure driving, for example, an air operated valve that is driven to open and close by air pressure. The opening / closing operation of the main opening / closing valve 22 is controlled by the control device 12. As a result, the main on-off valve 22 is in any one of a state in which the main pipe 20 is closed from the disposal line and a state in which the main pipe 20 is communicated with the disposal line based on a control signal from the control device 12. To selectively maintain.

  Next, the branch pipe 25, the branch pipe on-off valve 27, and the processing unit 50 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of branch pipes 25 extend from the main pipe 20 in a section between the liquid supply mechanism 40 and the main on-off valve 22. As shown in FIG. 1, each branch pipe 25 extends into the corresponding processing unit 50 on the side opposite to the side connected to the main pipe 20. Each branch pipe 25 has a discharge opening 26 a for discharging a liquid as an end opposite to the side connected to the main pipe 20, and the discharge opening 26 a is formed in the processing unit 50 with a support member 54. It is supported.

  The branch pipe opening / closing valve 27 is configured by a valve that can be opened / closed by a fluid pressure drive, for example, an air operated valve driven by air pressure, as with the main opening / closing valve 22 described above. The opening / closing operation of the branch pipe opening / closing valve 27 is controlled by the control device 12.

  The processing unit 50 includes a holding mechanism 52 that holds the wafer W and a partition wall (not shown) that defines a processing chamber for processing the wafer W. The holding mechanism 52 holds the wafer W so that the surface of the wafer W is substantially horizontal. The holding mechanism 52 is configured such that the held wafer W can be rotated about the center of the wafer W having a disk shape. The branch pipe 25 extends into the partition wall, and the discharge opening 26a of the branch pipe 25 is disposed in the processing chamber.

  The support member 54 is configured to be movable (eg, swingable) with respect to the wafer W. As the support member 54 moves, the discharge opening 26 a of the branch pipe 25 is shifted laterally from the processing position facing the substantial center of the wafer W held by the holding mechanism 52 from above and the region above the wafer W. Can move between the standby positions. When the discharge opening 26a is at the processing position, the liquid discharged from the discharge opening 26a is supplied to the wafer W, and the wafer W is processed by the supplied liquid. On the other hand, when the discharge opening 26a is in the standby position, the liquid discharged from the discharge opening 26a is not supplied to the wafer W, but is discarded, for example.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the processing unit 50 further includes a cup 56 for collecting the liquid discharged toward the wafer W from the discharge opening 26a. The cup 56 is provided in the processing chamber, and prevents the liquid discharged from the discharge opening 26a from scattering in the processing chamber.

  By the way, as described above, the liquid supply mechanism 40 in the present embodiment supplies the liquid chemical whose concentration is adjusted to the wafer W in the processing unit 50 as a mixed liquid via the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25. It has become. In the present embodiment, the liquid processing apparatus 10 is also configured to supply the wafer W with other liquids necessary for the cleaning process of the wafer W, such as a rinse liquid.

  As a specific configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, a rinse liquid on-off valve 28 is provided on the branch pipe 20 so as to be arranged on the above-described branch pipe on-off valve 27. A rinse liquid supply pipe 31 leading to a rinse liquid source (not shown) is connected to the rinse liquid on-off valve 28. That is, in the illustrated example, a portion of the downstream side of the branch pipe 25 of the liquid processing apparatus 10 also functions as a rinse liquid supply pipe.

  Further, a waste liquid on-off valve 29 is provided so as to be arranged on the branch pipe on-off valve 27 and the rinse liquid on-off valve 28. The waste liquid on-off valve 29 communicates with the waste liquid pipe 32. For example, the liquid on the downstream side of the branch pipe on / off valve 27 of the branch pipe 25 can be discarded by opening and closing the waste liquid on / off valve 29.

  Next, the control device 12 will be described. The control device 12 includes an input / output device including a keyboard on which a process manager or the like performs command input operations to manage the liquid processing apparatus 10, a display that visualizes and displays the operating status of the liquid processing apparatus 10, and the like. Is connected. Further, the control device 12 can access a recording medium 13 on which a program for realizing the processing executed by the liquid processing device 10 is recorded. The recording medium 13 can be configured by a known program recording medium such as a memory such as a ROM and a RAM, a disk-shaped recording medium such as a hard disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, and a flexible disk.

  Next, an example of a liquid processing method that can be executed using the liquid processing apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described. In the liquid processing method described below, as shown in FIG. 2, a wafer W as an object to be processed is subjected to a cleaning process in one processing unit 50. In the chemical liquid processing step S2 in the series of liquid processing methods shown in FIG. 2, the wafer W is processed using the mixed liquid supplied from the liquid supply mechanism 40 of the liquid processing apparatus 10 described above. In the following, first, an outline of a liquid processing method performed on the wafer W in one processing unit 50 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, and then a chemical processing step S2 is performed. The operation of the liquid processing apparatus 10 related to the above will be described.

  The operation of each component for executing the liquid processing method described below is controlled by a control signal from the control device 12 according to a program stored in the program recording medium 13 in advance.

  As shown in FIG. 2, first, the wafer W to be cleaned is brought into each processing unit 50 of the liquid processing apparatus 10 and held by the holding mechanism 52 in each processing unit 50 (FIG. 2). Step S1).

  Next, a mixed liquid of water (first liquid) from the first liquid supply pipe 41b and high-concentration chemical liquid (second liquid) from the second liquid tank 42a is transferred from the liquid supply mechanism 40 into the processing unit 50. Supplied to. Then, the liquid mixture is discharged toward the wafer W brought into each processing unit 50, and the processing on the wafer W is performed (step S2). In the cleaning process of the wafer W, for example, a chemical solution whose concentration is adjusted, such as dilute hydrofluoric acid, ammonia perwater (SC1), and hydrochloric acid perwater (SC2), can be supplied from the liquid supply mechanism 40 as a mixed solution.

  Here, the concentration adjustment in the mixed liquid is realized as desired by interlocking control of the flow rate adjustment valve 42d and the regulator 42t by a control signal from the control device 12 (control unit). In this embodiment, the flow rate of the second liquid from the second liquid tank 42a is controlled by controlling the pressure applied from the nitrogen gas source 42k by the control of the regulator 42t, while the flow rate adjusting valve 42d. By controlling the flow rate, the flow rate passing through the flow rate adjusting valve 42d is controlled, so that a very wide range of mixing ratio can be realized. For example, if the delivery flow rate can be controlled by 1 to 1.5 times by control of the regulator 42t (1 time = a state in which the regulator 42t is not provided), it is 1.5 as compared with the case of controlling only the flow rate adjustment valve 42d. It is possible to realize a mixing ratio that is twice as wide.

  When the processing of the wafer W using the mixed liquid (chemical solution) is completed, a rinsing process using water, particularly pure water, as the rinsing liquid is performed on the wafer W (step S3). Specifically, the rinse liquid is supplied into the processing unit 50 via the rinse liquid supply pipe 31 and the rinse liquid on-off valve 28. Then, the rinsing liquid is discharged toward the wafer W where the mixed liquid remains in each processing unit 50, and the mixed liquid remaining on the wafer W is replaced with the rinsing liquid.

  When the rinse process is completed, the wafer W is rotated at a high speed by the holding mechanism 52, whereby the wafer W is dried (step S4). As described above, the cleaning process of the wafer W in one processing unit 50 is completed, and the processed wafer W is unloaded from the processing unit 50 (step S5).

  Next, the operation of the liquid processing apparatus 10 related to performing chemical processing will be described.

  First, prior to the chemical solution processing step S2 in which the wafer W is processed using the mixed solution (chemical solution), the mixed solution is filled into the main pipe 20. Filling the main pipe 20 with the mixed liquid is started before the step S <b> 1 in which the wafer W described above is carried into each processing unit 50. Further, the filling of the mixed liquid into the main pipe 20 may be performed in parallel with the step S <b> 1 of carrying the wafer W into each processing unit 50.

  Specifically, water is supplied from the first liquid source 41 a to the mixer 43, and a high-concentration chemical solution is supplied from the second liquid tank 42 a to the mixer 43. Thereby, in the mixer 43 provided on the main piping 20, the chemical | medical solution as a liquid mixture of water and a high concentration chemical | medical solution is prepared, and this chemical | medical solution comes to be supplied to the main piping 20 from one side. At this time, the main pipe 20 is closed from the other side by the main on-off valve 22, whereby the main pipe 20 is filled with the liquid mixture. During the period when the main pipe 20 is filled with the mixed liquid, the branch pipe on-off valve 27 may be open or closed.

  By the way, when starting to supply the mixed liquid from the liquid supply mechanism 40 to the main pipe 20, the main on-off valve 22 may be opened. By opening the main on-off valve 22 for a short period after the supply of the mixed liquid to the main pipe 20 is started, it is possible to prevent the mixed liquid from flowing into the main pipe 20 due to back pressure. . For this reason, the liquid mixture can be quickly and stably distributed in the main pipe 20.

  Next, the mixed liquid supplied into the main pipe 20 is caused to flow into the branch pipe 25, and the branch pipe 25 is also filled with the mixed liquid whose concentration is adjusted. Specifically, the mixed liquid flows from the main pipe 20 into the branch pipe 25 by opening the branch pipe on-off valve 27. Further, the support member 54 of each processing unit 50 is swung, and the discharge opening 26a of the branch pipe 25 is disposed at the standby position. As a result, the mixed liquid flowing into the branch pipe 25 from the main pipe 20 is discharged from the discharge opening 26a disposed at the standby position.

  In this state, when the branch pipe on-off valve 27 and the main on-off valve 22 are closed, the main pipe 20 is in a sealed state, and the first liquid supply step is completed. That is, the process of filling the main pipe 20 with the mixed liquid and the process of filling the branch pipe 25 with the mixed liquid as the preparation process are completed.

  In addition, the specific example of the method of filling the liquid mixture in the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 described here is merely an example, and various modifications are possible. For example, the timing for opening or closing the main on-off valve 22 and the branch pipe on-off valve 27 is not limited to the above example. For example, the mixed liquid may be filled in the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 in parallel.

  When the mixed liquid is filled in the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 as described above, and the wafers W are loaded into the processing unit 50 as described above, the wafers W are sequentially transferred in the processing unit 50. Processing is performed (step S2 described above).

  During this step S <b> 2, the wafer W carried into the processing unit 50 is held by the holding mechanism 52 and rotated by the holding mechanism 52. Further, the support member 54 is disposed so that the discharge opening 26a is positioned at a processing position where the discharge opening 26a faces the wafer W from above. In this state, the branch pipe opening / closing valve 27 is opened, and the mixed liquid flows into the branch pipe 25 from the main pipe 20 maintained at a sufficient pressure. Then, the liquid mixture is discharged onto the upper surface (front surface) of the wafer W through the discharge opening 26 a of the branch pipe 25. The mixed solution spreads on the surface of the rotating wafer W, and the surface of the wafer W is processed by the mixed solution.

  When the wafer W is loaded into the processing unit 50 (step S1), the wafer W is normally transferred to each of the plurality of processing units 50 in order. Therefore, the timing at which the wafer W is brought into each processing unit 50 is different from each other. For this reason, the processing of the wafer W using the mixed liquid in the processing unit 50 is usually performed by a plurality of processing units included in the liquid processing apparatus 10. It does not start at the same time between 50. The branch manifold open / close valve 27 corresponding to the processing unit 50 ready to process the wafer W is sequentially opened, and the processing of the wafer W using the mixed liquid in each corresponding processing unit 50 is started sequentially. .

  By the way, when the mixed liquid is supplied from the main pipe 20 to each processing unit 50 via the branch pipe 25, the pressure in the main pipe 20 may decrease. However, while the processing is performed in each processing unit 50 using the mixed solution supplied from the main pipe 20, the liquid supply mechanism 40 supplies all of the processing units 50 simultaneously as described above. The liquid mixture whose concentration has been adjusted is fed into the main pipe 20 with the pressure obtained. That is, when the mixed liquid filled in the main pipe 20 is used for processing in the processing unit 50, the liquid supply mechanism 40 continues to send the mixed liquid whose concentration is adjusted to the main pipe 20 anew. As a result, the liquid pressure of the mixed liquid in the main pipe 20 is maintained at a constant pressure. Thereby, the liquid mixture used for the processing of the wafer W can be supplied to the multiple processing units 50 at a stable flow rate using the single liquid supply mechanism 40.

  When an appropriate amount of mixed liquid is supplied to the wafer W in the processing unit 50 as described above, the branch pipe 25 corresponding to the processing unit 50 is closed by the branch pipe opening / closing valve 27. In this way, the processing (chemical solution processing) of the wafer W using the mixed solution in each processing unit 50 is sequentially completed.

  When the chemical liquid processing (step S2) for the wafer W is completed, the wafer W is rinsed (step S3) as described above. In this rinsing process, the rinsing liquid supplied to the wafer W flows into the branch pipe 25 via the rinsing liquid on-off valve 28 and is discharged from the discharge opening 26 a of the branch pipe 25. For this reason, at the start of the rinsing process, the liquid mixture remaining in the downstream portion of the branch pipe 25 is pushed out by water. According to such a method, the liquid is continuously supplied to the wafer W from the chemical treatment (step S2) to the rinse treatment (step S3), so that the surface of the wafer W is not dried. The processing content for the wafer W can be changed. Thereby, problems, such as generation | occurrence | production of a watermark, can be avoided.

  When the rinsing process is completed in this manner, the rinsing liquid remains in a portion of the branch pipe 25 on the downstream side of the rinsing liquid on-off valve 28 (branch pipe on-off valve 27). Then, when the processing for the next wafer W is started, prior to the next wafer W loading process or in parallel with the next wafer W loading process, the waste liquid opening / closing valve 29 and the waste liquid pipe 32 are used. Thus, it is preferable that the rinsing liquid remaining in the branch pipe 25 is drained from the branch pipe 25. By performing such a treatment, it is possible to supply a liquid mixture having a constant mixing ratio to the wafer W during the chemical liquid processing step S2 for the next wafer W.

  When the processed wafer W is unloaded from each processing unit 50, the next wafer W to be processed is brought into each processing unit 50. When the wafer W to be processed next is subjected to the same processing as that for the wafer W processed immediately before in the same processing unit 50, that is, supplied from the liquid supply mechanism 40. When it is not necessary to change the mixing ratio (concentration) of the mixed liquid, the mixed liquid in the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 may be left as it is.

  On the other hand, the processing contents differ between the wafer W to be processed next and the wafer W processed immediately before in the same processing unit 50, and the concentration of the mixed solution used for processing the wafer W is changed. If necessary, the main pipe 20 is filled with the liquid mixture to be used next before the chemical liquid processing of the wafer W to be processed next is started. In this case, first, only water (especially pure water) from the first liquid source 41a is supplied into the main pipe 20 from the liquid supply mechanism 40, and the chemical solution remaining in the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 is supplied with water. Replace. As a specific example, first, the main on-off valve 22 is opened to replace the inside of the main pipe 20 with water. Next, the main on-off valve 22 is closed and the branch pipe on-off valve 27 is opened to replace the inside of the branch pipe 25 with water. At this time, water is discharged from the discharge opening 26a of the branch pipe 25 located at the standby position, and the branch pipe 25 is washed away with water over the entire length. After washing the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 with water in this way, the mixed liquid adjusted to a desired concentration is filled into the main pipe 20 from the liquid supply mechanism 40 in the same manner as described above. At the same time, the branch pipe 25 is filled with the mixed liquid adjusted to a desired concentration. After the above preparation steps are completed, the wafer W is processed using mixed liquids having different concentrations.

  In addition, the specific example of the method of replacing the inside of the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 described here with different mixed liquids is merely an example, and various modifications are possible. For example, the timing for opening and closing the main on-off valve 22 and the branch pipe on-off valve 27 is not limited to the above example. Therefore, the mixed liquid remaining in the main pipe 20 and the mixed liquid remaining in the branch pipe 25 may be replaced with water in parallel. Further, the mixed liquid remaining in the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 is first replaced with water, and then the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 are filled with a mixed liquid to be used next, thereby the main pipe. Although the example which substituted the inside of 20 and the inside of the branch pipe 25 with a different liquid mixture was shown, it is not restricted to this. The liquid mixture remaining in the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 25 may be directly replaced with the liquid mixture to be used next.

  According to the present embodiment as described above, the liquid supply mechanism 40 simultaneously applies a mixed liquid obtained by mixing the first liquid and the second liquid at the adjusted mixing ratio to the multiple processing units 50. The pressure that can be supplied is fed from one side into the main pipe 20 closed from the other side by the main on-off valve 22. Therefore, the mixed liquid can be stably supplied to the multiple processing units 50 using the single liquid supply mechanism 40. Further, while the wafer W is being processed in the processing unit 50, only the amount of the mixed liquid required according to the operation status of each processing unit 50 is supplied from the liquid supply mechanism 40 to the main pipe 20. Become. Therefore, a large amount of the mixed solution is not wasted, and the mixed solution can be saved, whereby the processing cost of the object to be processed (wafer W) can be reduced. Moreover, when the liquid mixture supplied from the liquid supply mechanism 40 is a chemical liquid, the amount of the chemical liquid discarded during the chemical liquid treatment can be reduced, which is preferable from the viewpoint of the environment. Furthermore, different wafers W can be processed using the same (for example, the same concentration) mixed solution supplied from the main pipe 20 in different processing units 50 that are simultaneously processed. Thereby, the degree of processing can be made uniform between the wafers W.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the flow rate of the second liquid from the second liquid tank 42a is controlled by controlling the pressurizing force from the nitrogen gas source 42k by the control of the regulator 42t, while the flow rate of the second liquid is controlled. By controlling the adjustment valve 42d, the passage flow rate of the flow rate adjustment valve 42d is controlled, so that a wider range of mixing ratio can be realized. More specifically, for example, if the delivery flow rate can be controlled by 1 to 1.5 times by controlling the regulator 42t (1 × = a state in which the regulator 42t is not provided), In comparison, a wide-range mixing ratio of 1.5 times can be realized.

  Here, the interlock control between the flow rate adjusting valve 42d and the regulator 42t will be further described. Specifically, based on information such as the set concentration, flow rate, and processing time, the control device (control unit) 12 causes the flow rate adjustment valve 42d and the regulator 42t to interlock in accordance with the operating status of the processing unit 50. Hereinafter, numerical examples will be described.

  First, in a substrate processing apparatus in which the total number of processing units 50 is 20, the mixing ratio of chemical solution and pure water is 1: 100 (chemical solution: pure water), and the supply amount of pure water is 1 L / min.

  When the number of processing units that are overlapped (perform processing simultaneously) is one, the flow rate of the chemical liquid (second liquid) needs to be controlled to 10 cc / min. When the number of processing units that are overlapped is two, the flow rate of the chemical solution needs to be controlled to 20 cc / min. When the number of processing units that are overlapped is 10 at the maximum, the flow rate of the chemical solution needs to be controlled to 100 cc / min at the maximum. That is, the required flow rate control range is 10 to 100 cc / min. On the other hand, the flow rate control range of the flow rate adjusting valve 42d is set to 10 to 100 cc / min here. Therefore, in this case, the flow rate control range of 10 to 100 cc / min is controlled only by the flow rate adjustment valve 42d.

  Here, the mixing ratio of the chemical solution and pure water may be changed for each lot depending on the film type of the substrate. For example, the case where the mixing ratio of the chemical solution and pure water is changed to 1: 200 (chemical solution: pure water) will be described.

  In this case, when the number of processing units that are overlapped is one, the flow rate of the chemical solution is 5. It needs to be controlled to cc / min. When the number of processing units that are overlapped is two, the flow rate of the chemical solution needs to be controlled to 10 cc / min. When the number of processing units that are overlapped is 10 at the maximum, the flow rate of the chemical solution needs to be controlled to 50 cc / min at the maximum. That is, the required flow rate control range is 5.0 to 50 cc / min.

  In this case, the flow rate range (predetermined range) controlled by the flow rate adjustment valve 42d is limited to 10 to 50 cc / min. The flow rate range of 5.0 to 10 cc / min outside the range can be controlled only by interlocking control of the regulator 42t. Specifically, when the number of processing units that are overlapped is two or less, the pressure of the pressurized gas (nitrogen gas) to the second liquid tank is reduced by the regulator 42t.

  Alternatively, the supply amount of pure water may be changed for each lot depending on the film type of the substrate. For example, the case where the supply amount of pure water is changed to 2 L / min will be described.

  In this case, when the number of processing units that are overlapped is one, the flow rate of the chemical solution needs to be controlled to 20 cc / min. When the number of processing units that are overlapped is two, the flow rate of the chemical solution needs to be controlled to 40 cc / min. When the number of processing units that are overlapped is 10 at the maximum, the flow rate of the chemical solution needs to be controlled to 200 cc / min at the maximum. That is, the required flow rate control range is 20 to 200 cc / min.

  In this case, the flow rate range (predetermined range) controlled by the flow rate adjustment valve 42d is limited to 20 to 100 cc / min. The flow rate range of 100 to 200 cc / min outside this range can be controlled only by interlocking control of the regulator 42t. Specifically, when the number of processing units with which processing overlaps is six or more, the pressure of the pressurized gas (nitrogen gas) to the second liquid tank is increased by the regulator 42t.

  Alternatively, the processing time may be changed for each lot depending on the film type of the substrate. For example, a case will be described in which the maximum number of processing units that are overlapped is 20. In this case, the required flow rate control range is 10 to 200 cc / min.

  In this case, the flow rate range (predetermined range) controlled by the flow rate adjustment valve 42d is limited to 10 to 100 cc / min. The flow rate range of 100 to 200 cc / min outside this range can be controlled only by interlocking control of the regulator 42t. Specifically, when the number of processing units with which processing is overlapped is 11 or more, the pressure of pressurized gas (nitrogen gas) to the second liquid tank is increased by the regulator 42t.

  The above description has been made for the case where each of the mixing ratio (concentration), the pure water supply flow rate, and the processing time is changed independently. However, even if these are changed in combination of two or more, it is preferable. Interlocking control between the flow rate adjusting valve 42d and the regulator 42t can be realized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the specific example of the configuration of the liquid supply mechanism 40 has been described, but the configuration is not limited thereto. With a configuration different from the configuration described above, the main on-off valve has a pressure at which the liquid supply mechanism 40 can supply a mixed liquid obtained by mixing the first liquid and the second liquid to all of the plurality of processing units 50 at the same time. It may be configured to supply to the main pipe 20 closed by 22.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, an auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism 42e may be provided in series with the flow rate adjustment valve 42d. The auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism 42e in FIG. 3 is configured to be able to switch between a simple piping path having only the opening / closing valve 42g and a path including the opening / closing valve 42h and the orifice 42i by the control of the opening / closing valve 42g and the opening / closing valve 42h. Each of the on-off valve 42g and the on-off valve 42h is composed of a valve that can be opened and closed by fluid pressure driving, for example, an air operated valve that is driven by air pressure. On the other hand, the orifice 42i is configured to restrict the flow rate of the passing liquid at a predetermined ratio in the range of 1/2 to 1/20, for example, 1/10.

  The control device 12 is responsible for the on / off control of the on / off valves 42g and 42h. As a result, whether or not the orifice 42i has passed can be switched, and as a result, a mixing ratio of two ranges can be realized (mixing ratio adjustment by the flow rate adjusting valve 42d and the regulator 42t can be used for each range. is there). As a result, a very wide range of mixing ratio can be realized. Since the orifice 42i is an inexpensive component member, a wide-range mixing ratio can be realized at a very low cost.

  As a further variation of FIG. 3, as shown in FIG. 4, the orifice 42i can be replaced by a needle valve 42p. In this case, the needle valve 42p is configured to restrict the flow rate of the passing liquid at a predetermined ratio that can be set and changed within a range of 1/2 to 1/20. In this case, by setting the opening degree (passage flow rate) of the needle valve 42p as the target of the interlock control by the control device 12, a desired mixing ratio can be realized more smoothly. However, since the needle valve 42p is more expensive than the orifice 42i, it can be said that the embodiment of FIG. 3 is superior in terms of cost.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, a piping path including an on-off valve 42 q and a second orifice 42 r may be additionally introduced into the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism 42 e in FIG. 3. In this case, the opening / closing control of each of the opening / closing valve 42g, the opening / closing valve 42h, and the opening / closing valve 42q can switch the presence / absence of passage of the orifice 42i and the second orifice 42r, and as a result, a mixing ratio of three ranges can be realized (each The mixing ratio adjustment by the flow rate adjusting valve 42d and the regulator 42t can be used for each range). Thereby, a wider range of mixing ratio can be realized.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, a piping path including an on-off valve 42q and a second needle valve 42s may be additionally introduced into the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism 42e in FIG. In this case, the opening / closing control of each of the opening / closing valve 42g, the opening / closing valve 42h, and the opening / closing valve 42q can switch the presence / absence of passage of the needle valve 42p and the second needle valve 42s, resulting in a three-range mixing ratio. (The mixing ratio adjustment by the flow rate adjusting valve 42d and the regulator 42t can be used for each range). Thereby, a wider range of mixing ratio can be realized.

  Furthermore, various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment. Hereinafter, an example of modification will be described.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the main pipe 20 is formed in a single line is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the main pipe 20 may be divided into a plurality of pipe lines 21 a and 21 b on the other side separated from the liquid supply mechanism 40. In the example shown in FIG. 7, a main on-off valve 22 that can close the main pipe 20 from the other side with respect to the liquid supply mechanism 40 is provided in each of the pipe lines 21 a and 21 b. In the section between the liquid supply mechanism 40 and each main on-off valve 22, a plurality of branch pipes 25 extend from the respective pipe lines 21a and 21b. In FIG. 7, the rinsing liquid on-off valve 28, the rinsing liquid supply pipe 31, the waste liquid on-off valve 29, and the waste liquid pipe 32 are omitted for ease of illustration and understanding. Moreover, since the other structure in the modification shown in FIG. 7 can be comprised the same as embodiment mentioned above, the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted here.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the liquid supply mechanism 40 has an example including the first liquid supply pipe 41b for supplying water and the second liquid tank 42a for supplying the high-concentration chemical liquid. Not limited. For example, the liquid supply mechanism 40 may have two or more types of chemical liquid sources.

  In addition, although the some modification with respect to embodiment mentioned above was demonstrated above, naturally, it is also possible to apply combining several modifications suitably.

  Furthermore, as described at the beginning, the present invention can be applied to processes other than the wafer cleaning process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Liquid processing apparatus 12 Control apparatus 13 Recording medium 20 Main piping 21a, 21b Pipe line 22 Main on-off valve 25 Branch pipe 26a Discharge opening 27 Branch pipe on-off valve 40 Liquid supply mechanism 41a First liquid source 41b First liquid supply pipe 41c Pressure valve 41d Compressed air source 41e Regulator 41f Pressure sensor 41g On-off valve 41m Flow meter 42a Second liquid tank 42b Second liquid supply pipe 42d Flow rate adjustment valve 42e Auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism 42k Nitrogen gas source 42h On-off valve 42i Orifice 42m Flow meter 42p Needle Valve 42q On-off valve 42r Second orifice 42s Second needle valve 42t Regulator 42u Pressure sensor 43 Mixer 50 Processing unit 52 Holding mechanism
54 Support members

Claims (16)

Main piping,
A mixer provided on the main pipe; a first liquid supply pipe that supplies the first liquid from the first liquid source to the mixer; a second liquid tank that contains a second liquid; and the second liquid tank. A gas source and a pressure control unit for supplying pressurized gas to the liquid tank, and the second liquid in the second liquid tank in a state pressurized by the pressurized gas from the second liquid tank. A second liquid supply pipe for supplying to the mixer, and a mixed liquid obtained by mixing the first liquid and the second liquid in the mixer at a desired mixing ratio is provided on one side of the main pipe. A liquid supply mechanism to supply from,
A plurality of branch pipes provided so as to branch from the main pipe,
A plurality of processing units provided corresponding to the respective branch pipes, each of which is configured to process an object to be processed using a mixed solution supplied through the corresponding branch pipe;
With
The second liquid supply pipe is provided with a flow rate adjustment valve capable of adjusting the flow rate within a predetermined range,
A liquid processing apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the flow rate adjusting valve and the pressure control unit in conjunction with each other based on a desired flow rate of the second liquid. Further equipped with a flow meter provided on the main pipe,
The flow rate of the desired second liquid is calculated in the control unit based on the flow rate information from the flow meter, the desired mixing ratio, and the flow rates of the mixed liquid in the plurality of processing units. And
If the calculated flow rate of the desired second liquid is within the predetermined range, only the flow rate adjusting valve is controlled, and if it is out of the predetermined range, the pressure control unit is controlled in conjunction with it. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid processing apparatus is configured as described above. An auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism is provided in series with the flow rate adjustment valve,
The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the flow rate adjustment valve, the pressure control unit, and the auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism in conjunction with each other. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism includes a switchable path including an orifice. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism includes a switchable path including a needle valve. The liquid processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism includes a plurality of flow rate adjusting elements that are provided in parallel with each other and selectively used for switching. Each liquid flow control element is comprised including the needle valve or the orifice, The liquid processing apparatus of Claim 6 characterized by the above-mentioned. The liquid supply mechanism is configured to supply the first liquid to the main pipe at a pressure capable of simultaneously supplying the first liquid to at least a processing unit that is processing the object to be processed. An amount of the second liquid corresponding to the number of processing units that are processing the body is configured to be supplied to the main pipe.
The liquid processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The mixed liquid is filled in the main pipe and the branch pipe before the processing of the object to be processed in the processing unit is started. The liquid processing apparatus as described. The first liquid supplied from the first liquid source and the pressure of the pressurized gas controlled via the pressure control unit in the main pipe from which a plurality of branch pipes respectively leading to separate processing units extend. A mixing and filling step of filling a liquid mixture obtained by mixing the second liquid supplied from the second liquid tank through the flow rate adjustment valve in a pressurized state according to
A processing step in which the mixed liquid in the main pipe is supplied to each processing unit through each branch pipe, and the processing of the object to be processed is performed in each processing unit using the mixed liquid;
With
In the mixing and filling step, in order to obtain a desired mixing ratio in the mixed solution, in addition to the flow rate adjustment valve, the pressure control unit is also controlled in conjunction with the liquid processing method. An auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism is provided in series with the flow rate adjustment valve,
In the mixing and filling step, in order to obtain a desired mixing ratio in the liquid mixture, the pressure control unit and the auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism are controlled in conjunction with the flow rate adjustment valve. Item 11. The liquid treatment method according to Item 10. The auxiliary flow rate adjustment mechanism includes a plurality of flow rate adjustment elements provided in parallel with each other and selectively used for switching,
In the mixing and filling step, in order to obtain a desired mixing ratio in the mixed liquid, which one of a plurality of flow rate adjusting elements of the auxiliary flow rate adjusting mechanism is used is switched. 11. The liquid treatment method according to 11. While processing is performed in each processing unit using the mixed liquid supplied from the main pipe,
The first liquid is supplied to the main pipe at a pressure at which the first liquid can be simultaneously supplied to at least a processing unit that is processing the object to be processed.
The liquid processing method according to claim 11, wherein an amount of the second liquid corresponding to the number of processing units that are processing an object to be processed is supplied to the main pipe. The liquid processing method according to claim 11, wherein when the main pipe is filled with the mixed liquid, the branch pipe is also filled with the mixed liquid. A program executed by a control device that controls the liquid processing apparatus,
A program for causing a liquid processing apparatus to execute the liquid processing method according to any one of claims 10 to 14 when executed by the control device. A recording medium on which a program executed by a control device that controls the liquid processing apparatus is recorded,
15. A recording medium that causes a liquid processing apparatus to execute the liquid processing method according to claim 10 when the program is executed by the control device.

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