JP2019079881A - Substrate processing apparatus, and cleaning method of substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique for draining a cleaning liquid after cleaning the inside of a pipe without passing through a processing tank when the inside of the processing tank and a pipe of a substrate processing apparatus that performs substrate processing is cleaned by using the processing liquid.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a processing tank for storing a processing liquid and immersing a substrate, processing liquid supply means for supplying the processing liquid to the processing tank, a drainage pipe serving as a flow path when the processing liquid is drained from the processing tank to the outside of the apparatus, a circulation pipe that includes a filter for filtering the processing liquid, and at least one end of which is in communication with the processing tank, a bypass pipe that connects the circulation pipe and the drainage pipe, and serves as a flow path when the processing liquid filtered by the filter is drained without being returned to the processing tank, a switching valve for switching the flow path of the processing liquid drained from the processing tank, and control means that controls the switching valve.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for processing a substrate using a processing liquid, and more specifically, after processing a substrate with a processing liquid, a processing tank, piping, a filter, a pump, etc. The present invention relates to a technique for cleaning each part of an apparatus in contact with a processing solution. The substrates referred to in the present specification include, for example, semiconductor wafers, substrates for liquid crystal displays, substrates for plasma displays, substrates for organic EL, substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, substrates for magneto-optical disks, photomask substrates, Ceramic substrates, substrates for solar cells, etc. are included.

  In this type of apparatus that processes a substrate using a treatment liquid such as a chemical solution or pure water, the treatment liquid is stored in a treatment tank and circulated between a pipe for treatment liquid circulation and the treatment tank to Processing is in progress. Further, in the above-described circulation pipe, a pump for pressure-feeding the treatment liquid, a filter for removing particles such as metal mixed in the treatment liquid, a heater for temperature control of the treatment liquid, and the like are arranged.

  When substrate processing is performed using an apparatus having the above-described configuration, after the processing liquid is discharged, particles and processing liquid containing the same remain in the processing tank and in the piping (particularly, filters, pumps, etc.) It will

  For this reason, conventionally, after substrate processing, the inside of the processing tank and the inside of the piping are cleaned using pure water. For example, the substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a processing tank including an inner tank and an outer tank, a circulation pipe for connecting the inner tank and the outer tank in communication, and circulating the processing liquid, and the outer tank. A pure water supply unit for supplying pure water and a drainage pipe for discharging pure water stored in the inner tank are provided, and the pure water is supplied from the pure water supply unit to the outer tank, and the outer tank is provided. Water is transferred to the inner tank by the circulation pipe, and the pure water stored in the inner tank is discharged to the drainage pipe, and at least at least all of the supply, the transfer, and the discharge. By performing two simultaneously and continuously, washing is performed while circulating pure water in the inner tank, the outer tank, and the circulation pipe, and after a predetermined washing time has elapsed or a predetermined amount of pure water It is described that the supply of pure water from the pure water supply unit is stopped after the That.

  With such a configuration, pure water supplied from the pure water supply unit is circulated along a path that is a single path composed of the outer tank, the circulation pipe, the inner tank, and the drainage pipe. Each part can be washed with pure water.

  However, according to the configuration as described above, the pure water that has circulated in the pipe is once drained through the treatment tank, so that the particles remaining in the pipe (particularly the filter) are pure for cleaning. It is carried into the treatment tank by water. Therefore, there is a problem that particles in the processing tank can not be completely removed.

  In addition, when cleaning is performed using pure water, the pure water remains in the treatment tank and the piping. If the pure water remains in this way, the chemical solution to be used for substrate processing will be diluted next time. If the concentration control of the chemical solution is strictly required, then pure water is used primarily There is a circumstance that it is difficult to clean the inside of the treatment tank and the piping.

For this reason, it is possible to replace the pure water and clean the inside of the treatment tank and the piping using a clean chemical (hereinafter also referred to as a new solution). Can not do it. That is, although it is necessary to perform predetermined processing to prevent adverse effects on the environment due to disposal of the chemical solution after use (hereinafter, also referred to as waste liquid), high-temperature waste liquid immediately after substrate processing is used in equipment for performing this. It can not be sent. For this reason, it is necessary to temporarily collect the waste liquid heated for substrate processing in a cooling tank, cool it to a predetermined temperature, and send it to a post process.

  From this, if there is no vacant capacity in the cooling tank, the chemical solution can not be drained, and especially immediately after the substrate processing, the cooling tank holds a large amount of high temperature waste liquid, so the processing tank and It is impossible to distribute and drain a large amount of chemical solution at one time for cleaning in the piping.

JP, 2016-63204, A

  In view of the above problems, when cleaning the inside of a processing tank and a pipe of a substrate processing apparatus that performs substrate processing using a processing liquid, the present invention passes the cleaning liquid after cleaning the inside of the pipe through the processing tank. The object is to provide a technique for draining fluid without letting it flow.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following configuration.

  A substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention is a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid, which stores the processing liquid and immerses the substrate, and a processing liquid which supplies the processing liquid to the processing tank. It comprises a supply means, a drainage pipe which becomes a flow path when the processing liquid is drained from the processing tank to the outside of the apparatus, and a filter for filtering the processing liquid, and at least one end communicates with the processing tank A circulation pipe, a bypass pipe, which communicates the circulation pipe and the drainage pipe, and serves as a flow path when the processing solution filtered by the filter is drained without returning to the processing tank, and It has an on-off valve which switches the flow path of the processing solution discharged from the processing tank, and control means for controlling the on-off valve.

  According to the above configuration, by switching the flow path of the treatment liquid using the on-off valve, the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank and passing through the circulation pipe is drained through the bypass pipe without returning to the treatment tank. be able to. Therefore, when the inside of the pipe is cleaned using the processing liquid, it is possible to clean the inside of the pipe without returning waste liquid and particles remaining in the pipe including the filter to the processing tank.

  Further, one end of the circulation pipe is connected to the processing tank, and the other end is connected to a drainage pipe, and the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank is connected to the on-off valve only for the drainage pipe. A one-pass drainage valve is included to switch between a flow passage through which the treatment liquid is drained and a flow passage through which the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank flows from the drainage pipe to the circulation pipe, When the treatment liquid discharged from the tank flows from the drainage pipe to the circulation pipe, the circulation pipe forms a flow path through which the treatment liquid can circulate with the treatment tank. May be With such a configuration, when circulating the treatment liquid, the drainage pipe can be utilized as part of a flow path for circulation.

Further, the drainage pipe has one end connected to the treatment tank, and is provided with a treatment tank drainage valve for switching whether or not the treatment liquid is drained from the treatment tank upstream in the piping, and the circulation One end of the pipe is in communication with the processing tank, and the other end is connected downstream of the processing tank drainage valve of the drainage pipe, and the processing tank circulation valve is located between the filter and the processing tank. The bypass pipe has one end connected to the circulation pipe between the filter and the processing tank circulation valve, and the other end connected downstream from the position where the circulation pipe is connected. It comprises a circulation drainage valve that connects and opens and closes a flow path in the bypass piping, and the control means includes the treatment tank drainage valve, the one-pass drainage valve, the treatment tank circulation valve, and the circulation drainage valve By opening and closing each valve A circulating drainage process may be performed, in which the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank flows through a part of the circulation pipe and the bypass pipe and is drained without returning to the processing tank. .

  The combination of piping and a valve can be simply comprised as it is the above structures. In addition, the processing in the control means can clean the inside of the pipe without returning the processing liquid to the processing tank without individually instructing the valves to open and close. In the present specification, the upstream and the downstream are defined according to the flow of the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank, with the processing tank drain valve side of the drain piping as the upstream.

  Further, the waste liquid recovery tank further includes a waste liquid recovery tank for collecting the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank, and one end of the drainage pipe is connected to the treatment tank and the other end is connected to the waste liquid recovery tank. The control means acquires information on the remaining capacity of the waste solution recovery tank, and when the waste solution recovery tank has a predetermined remaining capacity, the processing solution having a predetermined remaining capacity or less is discharged from the processing tank Then, the circulation drainage process may be performed.

  When the waste liquid recovery tank has an empty space as described above, the inside of the pipe can be cleaned using a chemical solution. Thus, the inside of the pipe can be processed without dilution of the concentration of the chemical solution by the pure water remaining in the processing tank and the pipe in the next substrate processing.

  In addition, if there is too little liquid volume which makes it flow in the piping at once, it will cause trouble in effective cleaning of the inside of the piping, so the amount of liquid per one time necessary to clean the inside of the piping effectively You should set the lower limit. The lower limit may be determined experimentally or by simulation according to conditions such as the specifications of the apparatus, the type of substrate to be processed, the number of substrates to be processed, and the type of processing solution to be used.

  In addition, the processing tank includes an inner tank for immersing the substrate, and an outer tank arranged to surround the inner tank, and the drainage pipe is connected to the inner tank. A liquid piping section and an outer tank drainage piping section connected to the outer tank are provided, and a predetermined remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank is set to be equal to or larger than the volume of the outer tank, and the control means is Acquiring information on the remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank, and when the waste liquid recovery tank has a predetermined remaining capacity, discharging all the processing liquid stored in the outer tank to perform the circulating drainage process You may do so.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to control the amount of liquid passing at one time with an amount limited to the volume of the outer tank, and it is possible to suppress unnecessary supply and drainage of a large amount of treatment liquid, As a result, the substrate processing efficiency can be improved, and the processing solution can be saved.

  Further, the treatment liquid supply means is disposed to supply the treatment liquid to the inner tank, and the treatment tank is configured to store the treatment liquid overflowing from the inner tank in the outer tank, The supply of the treatment liquid to the tank may be performed via the inner tank.

  With such a configuration, when the inside of the pipe is cleaned, the inner tank and the outer tank can also be washed without leakage. Furthermore, after cleaning in the processing tank and the piping is completed, the inner tank is filled with the processing liquid, so that the next substrate processing can be performed promptly. That is, the supply of the processing liquid for cleaning in the pipe can be made to serve as the preparation for the next substrate processing.

Further, the waste liquid recovery tank is provided with a flow path for discharging the treatment liquid collected in the tank and a waste liquid valve for opening and closing the flow path, and the control means controls the temperature of the treatment liquid collected in the waste liquid recovery tank. When the information is acquired and there is no predetermined remaining capacity in the waste liquid recovery tank, if the temperature of the processing liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the waste liquid is controlled by opening and closing the waste liquid valve. After the processing liquid is discharged from the recovery tank and a predetermined remaining capacity is secured in the waste liquid recovery tank, the circulating drainage process may be performed.

  With such a configuration, the control means can automatically execute the processing necessary to clean the inside of the pipe regardless of the remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank, so the operation (instruction) by the operator is awaited. It is possible to eliminate time and improve the operation rate of the device.

  Further, the control means acquires information on the number of times the processing of the substrate with the processing liquid has been performed and the number of times the circulating drainage processing has been performed, and the circulating drainage is performed each time a predetermined number of times of substrate processing is completed. The liquid processing may be repeated a predetermined number of times.

  With such a configuration, the processing for cleaning in the pipe can be performed automatically at an arbitrary timing suitable for cleaning and the number of times for achieving an appropriate removal rate of residual particles. The number of times may be determined experimentally or by simulation according to conditions such as the specification of the apparatus, the type of substrate to be processed, the number of substrates to be processed, and the type of processing liquid to be used.

  Further, in the cleaning method of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention, an inner tank for storing a processing liquid and performing immersion processing of a substrate, and a processing tank including an outer tank for storing the processing liquid overflowing from the inner tank; A drainage pipe for draining the treatment liquid from the tank, a circulation pipe connected to the drainage pipe and connecting the inner tank and the drainage pipe, a circulation pipe and the drainage pipe, and A cleaning method for a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: bypass piping for forming a flow path for avoiding a processing tank from circulation piping; and a cleaning preparation step for discharging a used processing liquid used for the immersion processing from the processing tank Supplying a clean treatment liquid to the inner tank, and supplying a treatment liquid to the outer tank through the inner tank, and discharging the clean treatment liquid from only the outer tank; Liquid drainage, drainage through the circulation piping and bypass piping That has a pipe cleaning step.

  With such a method, it is possible to drain the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank and circulated in the circulation pipe without returning it to the treatment tank, so waste liquid and particles remaining in the pipe are returned to the treatment tank It is possible to clean the inside of the processing tank and the inside of the piping without

  Furthermore, in the pipe cleaning step, the amount of the processing liquid drained at one time may be set to a predetermined amount less than the volume of the outer tank. With such a method, it is possible to control the amount of liquid passing once in a predetermined amount unit that limits the volume of the outer tank, and it is possible to suppress unnecessary supply and drainage of a large amount of treatment liquid. As a result, the processing efficiency of the substrate can be improved, and the processing solution can be saved.

  In addition, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a waste liquid recovery tank for collecting the used processing liquid, and whether the waste liquid recovery tank has an empty space for the predetermined amount as a process prior to the outer tank pipe cleaning step There may be a tank remaining capacity confirmation step to confirm the above.

  With such a method, when there is an empty space in the waste liquid recovery tank, the inside of the pipe can be cleaned using a chemical solution. Thus, the inside of the pipe can be processed without dilution of the concentration of the chemical solution by the pure water remaining in the processing tank and the pipe in the next substrate processing.

In the remaining tank capacity confirmation step, if there is no space for the predetermined amount in the waste liquid recovery tank, whether or not the temperature of the processing liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank is equal to or less than a predetermined drainable temperature. If the temperature is below the drainable temperature, the processing liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank is drained from the tank, and if it exceeds the drainable temperature, wait and confirm until the drainable temperature is below the drainable temperature. It may further have the step of securing the remaining tank capacity repeatedly.

  With such a method, it is possible to automatically execute the processing necessary to perform cleaning in the pipe regardless of the remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank, so there is no need to wait for an operation (instruction) by the operator Thus, the operating rate of the device can be improved.

  According to the present invention, in the case of cleaning the inside of a processing tank and a pipe of a substrate processing apparatus that performs substrate processing using a processing liquid, the cleaning liquid after cleaning the inside of the pipe is drained without passing through the processing tank. Technology can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a first explanatory view showing the relationship between the open / close state of the valve of the substrate processing apparatus and the flow of the processing liquid according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a second explanatory view showing the relationship between the open / close state of the valve of the substrate processing apparatus and the flow of the processing liquid according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a third explanatory view showing the relationship between the open / close state of the valve of the substrate processing apparatus and the flow of the processing liquid according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of cleaning of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first modification. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second modification. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to a third modification. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth modification. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to a fifth modification.

  Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, modes for carrying out the present invention will be exemplarily described based on examples.

<Example>
(Configuration of substrate processing apparatus)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1 is a so-called batch-type apparatus that performs processing by immersing a substrate in the processing tank 11 using a lifter (not shown) that stores the processing liquid in the processing tank 11 and holds the substrate. is there.

In the present specification, the term "processing liquid" is used in the meaning including a chemical solution and pure water. As the chemical solution, other than mixed acid (mixture of nitric acid, phosphoric acid and acetic acid), for example, SPM (mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide solution), ozone peroxide (mixture of ozone, hydrogen peroxide solution), SC1 (ammonia) Mixed solution of water and hydrogen peroxide), SC2 (mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide), HF (hydrofluoric acid), H3PO4 (phosphoric acid), FPM (mixed solution of hydrofluoric acid and peroxide water), FOM And the like) and the like. These processing solutions are appropriately and selectively used according to the type of the formed film on the substrate, the processing process, and the like.

  The processing tank 11 is a container for storing various chemical solutions as the processing liquid, pure water, etc., and is disposed so as to surround the inner tank 111 where the substrate is subjected to immersion processing and the inner tank 111. And an outer tank 112 for collecting the treatment liquid overflowing from 111. The inner tank 111 has a size capable of containing the lifter on which the substrate is mounted, and the outer tank 112 is a container having a smaller capacity than the inner tank 111.

  An inner tank drainage port (not shown) for discharging the treatment liquid in the inner tank 111 is disposed at the bottom of the inner tank 111, and is connected to an inner tank drainage piping portion 13a of the drainage piping 13 described later. . In the vicinity of the bottom of the inner tank 111, a treatment liquid supply nozzle (not shown) and a treatment liquid circulation nozzle (not shown) are disposed along each of the longitudinal inner side walls. The processing liquid supply nozzle is connected to the processing liquid supply source 121 via the processing liquid supply pipe 122, and supplies the processing liquid to the inner tank 111 according to the opening and closing of the processing liquid nozzle disposed in the processing liquid supply pipe 122. . The treatment liquid circulation nozzle is connected to a circulation pipe 14 described later.

  An outer tank drainage port (not shown) for discharging the treatment liquid in the outer tank 112 is disposed at the bottom of the outer tank 112, and is connected to an outer tank drainage piping portion 13b of the drainage piping 13 described later. . Further, the outer tank 112 is provided with a level sensor (for example, an ultrasonic displacement meter or the like, not shown) that detects the height of the liquid surface (that is, the amount of processing solution stored).

  The substrate processing apparatus 1 has a drainage pipe 13 connecting the processing tank 11 and the waste liquid recovery tank 17, and the drainage pipe 13 is connected to the inner tank 111 with an inner tank drainage piping portion 13 a and the outside. An outer tank drainage piping portion 13 b connected to the tank 112 is provided. An inner tank drainage valve 131 is disposed in the inner tank drainage piping section 13a of the drainage piping 13, and an outer tank drainage valve 132 is disposed in the outer tank drainage piping section 13b, respectively. Accordingly, the discharge of the processing liquid from the inner tank 111 and the outer tank 112 is controlled. The inner tank drainage valve 131 and the outer tank drainage valve 132 correspond to the treatment tank drainage valve of the present invention. The drainage pipe 13 further includes a pump 133 and a one-pass drainage valve 134 disposed downstream of the pump 133 and upstream of the waste liquid recovery tank 17.

  The waste liquid recovery tank 17 includes a waste liquid pipe 171 and a waste liquid valve 172. When the waste liquid valve 172 is open, the waste liquid in the tank is discharged from the waste liquid pipe 171 to a waste liquid treatment facility or the like. Further, the waste liquid recovery tank 17 is provided with a level sensor (not shown) that detects the height of the liquid level in the tank, and a temperature sensor (not shown) that measures the temperature of waste liquid in the tank.

  The substrate processing apparatus 1 also includes a circulation pipe 14 having one end connected between the pump 133 and the one-pass drainage valve 134 and the other end connected to the processing liquid circulation nozzle. The circulation pipe 14 includes a filter 141, a processing tank circulation valve 142 located between the filter 141 and the processing liquid circulation nozzle, and a heater 143.

  Further, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, one end is connected to the circulation piping 14 between the filter 141 and the processing tank circulation valve 142, and the other end is connected to the drainage piping 13 downstream of the one-pass drainage valve 134. There are fifteen. The bypass pipe 15 is provided with a circulation drain valve 151 near its upstream side.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 also includes a control unit 16. The configuration of the control unit 16 as hardware is the same as that of a general computer. That is, an input unit such as a keyboard, an output unit such as a monitor, a CPU (central processing unit), a ROM (read only memory), an RA
The configuration includes M (Random access memory), a mass storage device, and the like. The control unit 16 is electrically connected to the lifter, the treatment liquid supply source 121, the pump 133, the heater 143, the valves of each part, various sensors, etc., and the CPU executes the predetermined processing program to It acquires information from sensors and controls the operation of each part of the device.

(Flow of treatment solution)
FIG.2, FIG.3, FIG.4 is a figure which shows the relationship of the switching condition of a valve | bulb, and the flow of a process liquid, respectively. In the apparatus configuration as described above, the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank 11 is collected as it is in the waste liquid collecting tank 17 when the one-pass drainage valve 134 is in the open state (see FIG. 2). On the other hand, when the one-pass drainage valve 134 is in the closed state, the treatment liquid flows into the circulation pipe 14. The treatment liquid flowing into the circulation pipe 14 is filtered by the filter 141, and is supplied from the treatment liquid circulation nozzle to the inner tank 111 if the treatment tank circulation valve 142 is open and the circulation drainage valve 151 is closed ( See Figure 3). On the other hand, if the treatment tank circulation valve 142 is closed and the circulation drainage valve 151 is open, the treatment liquid is recovered to the waste liquid recovery tank 17 via the bypass pipe 15 (see FIG. 4).

  In addition, while the substrate is immersed in the inner tank 111 containing the treatment liquid and the processing of the substrate is being performed, the inner tank drainage valve 131 is closed, the outer tank drainage valve 132 is opened, and the one-pass drainage The valve 134 is closed, the processing tank circulation valve 142 is open, and the circulation drain valve 151 is closed. Then, the processing liquid discharged from the outer tank 112 is pressure-fed by the pump 133, flows into the circulation pipe 14, heated by the heater 143 if necessary, filtered (particle removal) by the filter 141, and then processed. It is supplied to the inner tank 111 from the liquid circulation nozzle. As a result, since the treatment liquid overflows from the inner tank 111 to the outer tank 112, the outer tank 112 never becomes empty even when the outer tank drainage valve 132 is open, and new treatment liquid is supplied. However, processing of the substrate is performed by the circulating processing liquid.

(Method of cleaning substrate processing apparatus)
Hereinafter, the flow of cleaning of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the flow of cleaning, which starts after processing of the substrate is completed. As shown in FIG. 5, after processing of the substrate is completed, the control unit 16 first opens the one-pass drainage valve 134, the inner tank drainage valve 131 and the outer tank drainage valve 132 to process the inside of the processing tank 11. Drain all the liquid (step S101). As a result, the inner tank 111 and the outer tank 112 (and the inside of the pipe) become empty, and all the discharged processing liquid is collected in the waste liquid recovery tank 17. The processing corresponds to the cleaning preparation step.

  Next, the control unit 16 closes the inner tank drainage valve 131 and the outer tank drainage valve 132, and opens the treatment liquid valve 123. As a result, fresh (clean) processing liquid is supplied from the processing liquid supply source 121 to the inner tank 111. Then, the processing solution supplied exceeding the capacity of the inner tank 111 overflows into the outer tank 112, and the processing liquid is also stored in the outer tank 112. Here, the amount of the processing liquid stored in the outer tank 112 is detected by a liquid level sensor provided in the outer tank 112, and the information is acquired by the control unit 16. Then, when the amount of the treatment liquid stored in the outer tank 112 reaches a predetermined amount, the control unit 16 closes the treatment liquid valve 123 and stops the supply of the treatment liquid. As a result, the inner tank 111 and the outer tank 112 are filled with a fixed amount of processing liquid (step S102). The said process corresponds to the processing tank 11 washing | cleaning step. From the viewpoint of cleaning the outer tank, it is preferable that the “predetermined amount” of the processing liquid stored in the outer tank be a value close to the volume of the outer tank (about the volume minus the margin).

Next, the control unit 16 determines whether or not the waste liquid recovery tank 17 has a predetermined remaining capacity based on the information of the liquid level sensor provided in the waste liquid tank (step S103). The said process corresponds to a tank remaining capacity confirmation step. The “predetermined remaining capacity” of the waste liquid recovery tank 17 is set to a value (for example, the volume of the outer tank 112) larger than the predetermined amount of the outer tank in step S102.

  Then, when it is determined in step S103 that there is no predetermined remaining capacity, it is subsequently determined whether the temperature of the waste liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank 17 is less than or equal to a predetermined value (for example, 70 ° C.) Step S104). Here, when it is determined that the temperature of the waste liquid is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the waste liquid valve 172 is opened, the waste liquid in the tank is discharged (step S105), and the process returns to step S103. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S104 that the temperature of the waste liquid exceeds the predetermined value, after waiting for a predetermined time, whether the temperature of the waste liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank 17 is less than the predetermined value again Repeat the process to determine. The series of processes of step S104 and step S105 correspond to the tank remaining capacity securing step.

  When the waste liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank 17 is discharged in step S105, it is not necessary to completely empty the tank, and discharging may be performed so as to secure a predetermined remaining capacity. Alternatively, the process may return to step S103 while draining the tank.

  When it is determined in step S103 that there is a predetermined remaining capacity, the outer tank drainage valve 132 is opened, the one-pass drainage valve 134 is closed, the processing tank circulation valve 142 is closed, and the circulation drainage valve 151. To an open state, and the entire amount of the treatment liquid stored in the outer tank 112 is drained (step S106). At this time, the discharged processing liquid is collected in the waste liquid recovery tank 17 via the circulation pipe 14 and the bypass pipe 15, thereby cleaning the inside of the pipe (see FIG. 4). The said process corresponds to a circulation drainage process and piping cleaning step.

  In addition, since the processing liquid newly supplied from the processing liquid supply source 121 is at normal temperature (about 25 ° C.), if it is collected in the waste liquid recovery tank 17, cooling of the waste liquid in the tank is promoted. . That is, since the waste liquid can be discharged to the outside of the tank more promptly as the circulation drainage process using the new solution is performed, the circulation drainage process is performed immediately when the tank has a vacant capacity more than a predetermined remaining capacity. If it is set, it is possible to efficiently secure the remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank 17.

  Next, the control unit 16 determines whether the number of times the circulation drainage process in step S106 has been performed is a predetermined number of repetitions (for example, three times) (step S107). Here, if it is determined that the predetermined number of repetitions has been reached, the routine ends, and if it is determined that the predetermined number of repetitions is not reached, the process returns to step S102 and the processing is repeated. In addition, in order to perform the said determination, the control part 16 counts the frequency | count which performed the circulation waste liquid process, and hold | maintains to ROM etc. FIG.

  With the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 as described above, the processing liquid can be drained through the route as shown in FIG. 4, and the waste liquid, particles and the like remaining in the piping are not carried into the processing tank 11. 11 and the inside of the piping can be cleaned. Therefore, the cleanliness in the processing tank 11 can be maintained high, and the quality of substrate processing can be enhanced.

  Further, as described above, since the inside of the pipe is cleaned using the processing solution for the fixed amount of the outer tank 112, after the cleaning routine of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is completed, the processing solution which is clean in the inner tank 111 Is satisfied. Therefore, the next substrate processing can be performed promptly, and the throughput of the apparatus can be improved. Furthermore, the processing liquid can be saved as compared with performing cleaning by draining all of the inner tank 111 and the outer tank 112.

Further, if the waste liquid recovery tank 17 has a remaining capacity for a predetermined amount of the outer tank 112, the washing process can be performed, so there is no need to wait for the waste liquid recovery tank 17 to be empty, and the washing process can be performed efficiently. It can be carried out. Furthermore, as described above, when the cleaning process is performed using a new solution, the temperature of the waste liquid in the tank is lowered, so the timing of the cleaning process can be advanced to accelerate the timing of the drainage from the waste liquid recovery tank 17 You can also. Such synergetic effects can further reduce the waiting time and contribute to the improvement of the throughput of the apparatus.

<Modification 1>
The above embodiment can be modified as in the following modifications, for example. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to a first modification. As shown in FIG. 6, in this modification, the drainage pipe 13 is provided with a chemical solution drainage valve 135 downstream of the one-pass drainage valve 134, and between the chemical solution drainage valve 135 and the one-pass drainage valve 134. This embodiment is different from the above embodiment in that the pure water drainage pipe 136 connected to the drainage pipe 13 is provided.

  The pure water drainage pipe 136 is provided with a pure water drainage valve 137, and when the pure water drainage valve 137 is open and the chemical solution drainage valve 135 is closed, the treatment liquid is collected in the waste liquid recovery tank 17 The water is drained from the pure water drainage pipe 136 to the outside of the apparatus without being

  With such a configuration, when using a treatment liquid (for example, pure water) that does not need to pass through the waste liquid recovery tank 17, it is possible to directly drain the treatment liquid to the outside of the apparatus. On the other hand, when the pure water drainage valve 137 is closed and the chemical solution drainage valve 135 is opened, the treatment liquid is collected in the waste liquid recovery tank 17, so flexible operation can be performed according to the treatment liquid used. it can.

<Modification 2>
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to a second modification. As shown in FIG. 7, the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present modification is different from the embodiment in that the waste liquid recovery tank 17, the waste liquid pipe 171, and the waste liquid valve 172 are not provided.

  For example, if it is decided to use only a liquid that does not need to pass through the waste liquid recovery tank 17 as a treatment liquid, such as a rinse tank, cost and installation space of the apparatus can be reduced by simplifying the apparatus configuration in this way. It can be reduced. In this case, the above-mentioned tank remaining capacity checking step and tank remaining capacity securing step are omitted.

<Modification 3>
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to a third modification. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present modification, the processing liquid supply nozzle is disposed in the outer tank 112, and the processing liquid supply pipe 122 supplies the processing liquid to the processing liquid supply nozzle positioned in the outer tank 112. .

  With such a configuration, it is possible to store the treatment liquid only in the outer tank 112 without passing through the inner tank 111 and perform circulation drainage processing. In this case, since it is not necessary to wait for the inner tank 111 to be filled, the time required for the in-pipe cleaning of the apparatus itself can be shortened as compared with the embodiment.

<Modification 4>
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to a fourth modification. As shown in FIG. 9, in the present modification, the downstream end of the circulation pipe 14 is connected to the treatment liquid supply pipe 122. That is, one end of the circulation pipe 14 is in communication with the processing tank 11 via the processing liquid supply pipe 122 (and the processing liquid supply nozzle).

With such a configuration, even when the treatment liquid is circulated to the treatment tank 11, the treatment liquid supply pipe 12
Part of 2 and the treatment liquid supply nozzle can be diverted. As a result, the treatment liquid circulation nozzle can be eliminated, and the apparatus configuration can be simplified.

<Modification 5>
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to a fifth modification. As shown in FIG. 10, in the present modification, the one-pass drainage valve 134 is located in the circulation piping 14, and the bypass piping 15 is connected to the drainage piping 13 downstream of the chemical solution drainage valve 135. That is, in this modification, the chemical drainage valve 135 and the pure water drainage valve 137 are closed, and the one-pass drainage valve 134 is opened, whereby the circulation drainage process is performed. Then, the treatment liquid that has flowed into the bypass pipe 15 by the circulation drainage treatment is collected in the waste liquid collection tank 17.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present modification includes a circulation bypass pipe 145 connecting the upstream and the downstream of the filter 141 in the circulation pipe 14 and a circulation that opens and closes the flow path of the circulation bypass pipe 145. A bypass valve 146 is provided. Furthermore, in the present modification, the filter drainage pipe 18 is provided, one end of which is connected to the filter 141 and the other end of which is connected to the drainage pipe 13 downstream of the position where the circulation pipe 14 is connected. The fluid pipe 18 is provided with a filter drainage valve 181.

  By closing the circulation drainage valve 151 and opening the filter drainage valve 181 with such a configuration, even in the present modification, when using a treatment liquid that does not need to pass through the waste liquid recovery tank 17, it is possible to directly It is possible to drain the treatment liquid out of the apparatus. As described above, the arrangement of the piping and the valve of the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be freely set within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

<Others>
The above examples merely illustrate the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments. The present invention can be applied in various ways within the scope of the technical idea. For example, the control unit 16 may manage the number of times of substrate processing (the number of sheets), and may execute the circulation drainage process of the above-described embodiment every predetermined number of times of processing (the number of sheets). In this way, substrate processing can be continuously performed while maintaining the cleanliness in the processing tank and the piping of the substrate processing apparatus at a predetermined level or higher.

  In the above embodiment, the “predetermined residual capacity” in the waste liquid recovery tank 17 is set larger than the predetermined amount of treatment liquid stored in the outer tank 112, and once the predetermined amount of treatment liquid is stored in the outer tank 112. It was necessary to discharge all of this, but it is not necessary to do so. For example, the "predetermined residual capacity" in the waste liquid recovery tank 17 may be set to a small value, and the amount of treatment liquid discharged at one time from the outer tank 112 may be reduced accordingly (ie, one drainage). Then, the value may be such that the outer tank 112 does not empty).

  In each of the above examples, only one treatment liquid supply means (treatment liquid supply source 121, treatment liquid supply pipe 122 and treatment liquid valve 123) is shown, but depending on the type of treatment liquid used. A plurality of processing liquid supply means may be provided.

  In each of the above examples, the treatment liquid is discharged from the outer tank 112 to perform the circulation drainage treatment, but the circulation liquid drainage treatment is performed by discharging the new liquid from the inner tank 111. You may Furthermore, in each of the above-described examples, the processing tank 11 has a structure including the inner tank 111 and the outer tank 112. However, the processing tank 11 may be a processing tank including only one tank.

1 ... substrate processing apparatus 11 ... processing tank 111 ... inner tank 112 ... outer tank 121 ... processing liquid supply source 13 ... drainage piping 131 ... inner tank drainage valve 132 ... Outer tank drainage valve 133 ... Pump 134 ... One-pass drainage valve 14 ... Circulation piping 141 ... Filter 142 ... Treatment tank circulation valve 15 ... Bypass piping 151 ... Circulating drainage valve 16 ··· Control unit 17 · · · Waste liquid recovery tank

Claims (12)

A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing solution, comprising:
A processing tank for storing the processing solution and immersing the substrate;
Treatment liquid supply means for supplying the treatment liquid to the treatment tank;
A drainage pipe serving as a flow path when the treatment liquid is drained from the treatment tank to the outside of the apparatus;
A circulation pipe including a filter for filtering the processing solution, at least one end of which is in communication with the processing tank;
A bypass pipe that communicates the circulation pipe and the drainage pipe, and serves as a flow path when the processing solution filtered by the filter is drained without returning to the treatment tank;
An on-off valve for switching the flow path of the processing solution discharged from the processing tank;
And a control unit configured to control the on-off valve. One end of the circulation pipe is connected to the treatment tank, and the other end is connected to a drainage pipe,
In the on-off valve, a flow path through which the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank drains only through the drainage pipe, and the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank from the drainage pipe Includes a one-pass drain valve that switches the flow path to the circulation piping,
When the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank flows from the drainage pipe to the circulation pipe, the circulation pipe forms a flow path through which the treatment liquid can circulate with the treatment tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, One end of the drainage pipe is connected to the treatment tank, and a treatment tank drainage valve that switches whether or not the treatment liquid is drained from the treatment tank is provided upstream in the piping,
One end of the circulation pipe is in communication with the processing tank, and the other end is connected downstream of the processing tank drainage valve of the drainage pipe, and the processing tank is located between the filter and the processing tank. Equipped with a circulation valve,
One end of the bypass pipe is connected to the circulation pipe between the filter and the processing tank circulation valve, and the other end is connected to the drainage pipe downstream of a position where the circulation pipe is connected. A circulation drainage valve for opening and closing the flow passage in the bypass piping,
The control means controls the opening and closing of the treatment tank drainage valve, the one-pass drainage valve, the treatment tank circulation valve, and the circulation drainage valve to control the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that circulation drainage processing is performed, which circulates through a part of circulation piping and the bypass piping and is drained without returning to the processing tank. The liquid processing apparatus further comprises a waste liquid recovery tank for recovering the processing liquid discharged from the processing tank,
One end of the drainage pipe is connected to the processing tank, and the other end is connected to the waste liquid recovery tank,
The control means acquires information on the remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank, and when the waste liquid recovery tank has a predetermined remaining capacity, discharges the processing liquid having a predetermined remaining capacity or less from the processing tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the circulating drainage process is performed. The processing tank includes an inner tank in which the substrate is immersed, and an outer tank disposed to surround the inner tank.
The drainage piping includes an inner tank drainage piping unit connected to the inner tank, and an outer tank drainage piping unit connected to the outer tank,
The predetermined remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank is set to be equal to or greater than the capacity of the outer tank,
The control means acquires information on the remaining capacity of the waste liquid recovery tank, and when the waste liquid recovery tank has a predetermined remaining capacity, all the processing liquid stored in the outer tank is discharged for the circulation. Do drainage treatment,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that: The treatment liquid supply means is arranged to supply the treatment liquid to the inner tank,
The treatment tank is configured to store the treatment liquid overflowing from the inner tank in the outer tank, and the supply of the treatment liquid to the outer tank is performed via the inner tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5. The waste liquid recovery tank includes a flow path for discharging the treatment liquid collected in the tank and a waste liquid valve for opening and closing the flow path,
The control means acquires temperature information of the treatment liquid collected in the waste liquid recovery tank, and the temperature of the treatment liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank is a predetermined temperature when the waste liquid recovery tank does not have a predetermined remaining capacity. If it is the following, the processing liquid is discharged from the waste liquid recovery tank by performing the opening / closing control of the waste liquid valve, and the circulating drainage process is performed after securing a predetermined remaining capacity in the waste liquid recovery tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that The control means acquires information on the number of times the circulation drainage process has been performed, and repeats the circulation drainage process a predetermined number of times every time processing of the substrate with the treatment liquid is completed. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7. A treatment tank comprising an inner tank for storing a treatment liquid and performing immersion processing of a substrate and an outer tank for storing the treatment liquid overflowing from the inner tank; a drainage pipe for discharging the treatment liquid from the treatment tank; A bypass pipe which is connected to a drainage pipe and which connects the inner tank and the drainage pipe, a circulation pipe which connects the circulation pipe and the drainage pipe, and which forms a flow path for avoiding a treatment tank from the circulation pipe What is claimed is: 1. A method of cleaning a substrate processing apparatus comprising:
A cleaning preparation step of discharging the used treatment liquid used for the immersion treatment from the treatment tank;
A treatment tank cleaning step of supplying a clean treatment liquid to the inner tank and further supplying the treatment liquid to the outer tank through the inner tank;
A cleaning method of a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a pipe cleaning step of discharging the clean processing liquid only from an outer tank and draining the liquid through the drainage pipe, the circulation pipe and the bypass pipe. The method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the amount of the processing liquid drained at one time in the pipe cleaning step is set to a predetermined amount smaller than the volume of the outer tank. . The substrate processing apparatus further includes a waste liquid recovery tank for recovering used processing liquid,
As a pre-process of the outer tank piping cleaning step,
The method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a tank remaining capacity confirmation step of confirming whether the waste liquid recovery tank has an empty space for the predetermined amount. In the remaining tank capacity confirmation step, when there is no space for the predetermined amount in the waste liquid recovery tank,
Check whether the temperature of the processing liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank is less than or equal to a predetermined drainable temperature,
If the temperature is equal to or less than the possible liquid discharge temperature, the processing liquid in the waste liquid recovery tank is discharged from the tank
12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a step of securing a remaining tank capacity, repeating waiting and confirmation until the temperature becomes lower than the drainable temperature if it exceeds the drainable temperature. Method.

Images