JP6978918B2 - A storage medium containing a cleaning chemical supply device, a cleaning unit, and a program. - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning chemical supply device, a cleaning unit, and a storage medium containing a program.

The CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) device is a polishing unit for polishing the surface of a semiconductor substrate on which a semiconductor chip is formed, and a cleaning unit for cleaning the semiconductor substrate polished by the polishing unit while supplying a chemical solution. And have. This cleaning unit prepares a chemical solution having an adjusted concentration by mixing diluted water such as DIW (De-Ionized Water) with the chemical solution, and cleans the semiconductor substrate using this chemical solution.

Patent Document 1 describes a cleaning chemical liquid supply device for a substrate processing device. This cleaning chemical supply device includes a processing tank 2 for storing a treatment liquid for processing a substrate and a cleaning chemical liquid tank 3 for storing a cleaning chemical liquid to be supplied to the treatment tank 2, and the cleaning chemical liquid tank 3 to the processing tank 3 is provided. The flow rate of the cleaning chemical solution is adjusted by providing a resistance portion 6 as a throttle in the middle of the pipe 4 leading to 2.
Patent Document 2 describes a cleaning device that scrubs and cleans the surface of a substrate with a roll cleaning member. In this cleaning device, the cleaning chemicals and DIW (De-Ionized Water) supplied in different flow paths are supplied to the substrate surface from separate nozzles.
Patent Document 3 describes a cleaning unit having a cleaning device and a cleaning chemical liquid supply device. In this cleaning unit, the flow rates of DIW and the cleaning chemicals are adjusted by DIWCLC111 and the chemicals CLC113, respectively, the adjusted DIW and the chemicals are mixed by the mixer 115, and the diluted chemicals are mixed from the mixing unit 115 on the upper surface of the cleaning device 200. It is supplied to the cleaning unit 222 and the bottom surface cleaning unit 223.
Patent Document 4 describes a cleaning unit having a cleaning device and a cleaning chemical liquid supply device. In this cleaning unit, when the first chemical solution is supplied to the cleaning device 200, the flow rates of DIW and the chemical solution are adjusted by DIWCLC110 and the chemical solution CLC120, respectively, and the adjusted DIW and the chemical solution are mixed by the mixer 72, and the diluted chemical solution is mixed. Is supplied to the cleaning device 200. On the other hand, when the second chemical solution is supplied to the cleaning device 200, the flow rates of the DIW and the chemical solution are adjusted by DIWCLC110 and the chemical solution CLC130, respectively, the adjusted DIW and the chemical solution are mixed by the mixer 73, and the diluted chemical solution is used in the cleaning device. Supply to 200.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-260332 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-132641 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-9818 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-15469

In the configurations described in Patent Documents 1 to 4, the flow rate and concentration of the chemical solution supplied to each surface (for example, the upper surface and the lower surface) of the substrate cannot be controlled independently.
Further, when the chemical solution is supplied to only one of the respective surfaces of the substrate, it is necessary to provide an on-off valve in each flow path in the cleaning device to control the flow and shutoff of the chemical solution.
Further, in recent years, a chemical solution and / or DIW has been supplied from a common source to a plurality of devices in a factory, and depending on the installation location of the device, the chemical solution and / or the chemical solution supplied to the cleaning chemical solution supply device is used. The DIW pressure may be low. As described above, when the chemical solution and / or DIW supply pressure to the cleaning chemical solution supply device is low, the pressure loss of the flow path and the configuration in the cleaning chemical solution supply device and the cleaning device having the conventional configuration is sufficient for the substrate. It may not be possible to supply the flow of chemicals.
For example, in a conventional cleaning unit, when a chemical solution and / or DIW is supplied to each surface of a substrate, the flow path is branched from a common flow path to each surface side of the substrate, and a flow rate is provided in one flow path. Is being adjusted. When the chemical solution and / or DIW supply pressure to the cleaning chemical solution supply device is low, there is a possibility that a sufficient flow rate of the chemical solution cannot be supplied to the substrate due to the pressure loss at the throttle portion.
An object of the present invention is to solve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is a cleaning chemical liquid supply device for supplying a chemical liquid for cleaning to the cleaning device, and is a flow meter, a first pipe entering the flow meter, and a first pipe exiting the flow meter. Provided is a cleaning chemical liquid supply device comprising two pipes, wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are tilted from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

It is a schematic front view which shows the cleaning chemical liquid supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a fluid circuit diagram of the cleaning unit which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the flow rate control valve unit (CLC) which concerns on one Embodiment. It is an example of the flowchart of the chemical solution supply process. It is a top view which shows the whole structure of the polishing apparatus which includes the cleaning unit which concerns on one Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the mounting structure of CLC. It is explanatory drawing explaining the mounting structure of CLC. It is explanatory drawing explaining the mounting structure of CLC. It is a top view of CLC. It is a side view of CLC. It is a top view of the CLC assembly. It is a side view from one side of a CLC assembly. It is a side view from the other side of a CLC assembly. It is a side view of the mounting structure of CLC. It is a perspective view of the mounting structure of CLC. It is a flowchart of flow rate control which concerns on another example. It is a flowchart of abnormality detection control using a pressure gauge.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a cleaning chemical solution supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 of the present embodiment is configured to be able to supply a chemical solution for cleaning (for example, hydrofluoric acid, ammonia, etc.) to the cleaning device 200 included in the substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes, for example, a polishing apparatus such as a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 according to the embodiment includes a case 101, a first chemical solution dilution box (first chemical solution control unit) 120, and a second chemical solution dilution box (second chemical solution control unit). It has 130 and a plurality of chemical solution utility boxes 50. The first chemical solution dilution box 120, the second chemical solution dilution box 130, and the plurality of chemical solution utility boxes 50 are housed in the case 101. The first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130 mix the chemical solution and the diluted water to generate a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) whose flow rate and concentration are adjusted. Diluting water is DIW (De-Ionized Water) or other diluting medium. In the following description, the diluted water will be described as DIW, but the diluted water may be a dilution medium other than DIW. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100, the chemical solution utility box 50 is configured to introduce the chemical solution from the chemical solution supply source 20 into the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100. In the illustrated example, six chemical liquid utility boxes 50 are provided in the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100, but this is an example, and the number of chemical liquid utility boxes 50 is appropriately changed according to the specifications of the cleaning device 200.

FIG. 2 is a fluid circuit diagram of a cleaning unit according to an embodiment. The cleaning unit 10 includes a cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100 and a cleaning device 200. In the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100, the chemical liquid utility box 50 includes an input unit 51 connected to the chemical liquid supply source 20 (see FIG. 2), an on-off valve 52, a lockout valve 53, and a pressure gauge 54. .. The on-off valve 52 is controlled to open and close by a signal from the control device 110. The lockout valve 53 is a valve that is manually opened and closed, and is used, for example, when disconnecting the chemical solution supply source 20 from the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 during maintenance. The pressure gauge 54 detects the pressure of the chemical solution introduced into the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 from the chemical solution supply source 20. In this example, the input unit 51 constitutes the chemical solution inlet portion. When the chemical solution utility box 50 is omitted, the connection portion of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100 with the chemical liquid supply source 20 constitutes the chemical liquid inlet portion.

The control device 110 may be, for example, a control device provided for the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100, a control device provided for the cleaning unit 10, or a polishing unit provided with the cleaning unit 10. It may be a control device provided for a substrate processing device such as a device. The control device 110 includes a computer such as a microcomputer or a sequencer or a control circuit, and a recording medium (volatile, non-volatile memory, etc.) in which a program executed by the control circuit is stored. The program includes a program for supplying and cleaning the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) by the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 and the cleaning device 200. According to this program, each part of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100 and the cleaning device 200 is controlled. The program may be stored in a recording medium (CD, flash memory, etc.) that can be attached to and detached from the control device 110. Further, the control device 110 may be stored in a recording medium that can be read by wire or wirelessly.

The cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100 further includes a regulator 60 for introducing DIW from the DIW supply source 30 into the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100. The regulator 60 adjusts the pressure of the DIW from the DIW supply source 30 and outputs the pressure to the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130 via the pipes 90, 91, 92. In this example, the input portion 61 of the regulator 60 constitutes the diluted water inlet portion. When the regulator 60 is omitted, the connection portion of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100 with the DIW supply source 30 constitutes a diluted water inlet portion.

The first chemical solution dilution box 120 controls the flow rates of the chemical solution and DIW, respectively, and outputs the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) having a desired flow rate and concentration. The input portion of the first chemical solution dilution box 120 is connected to the chemical solution utility box 50 via the pipes 80 and 81, and is connected to the regulator 60 via the pipes 90 and 91. The output unit of the first chemical solution dilution box 120 is connected to the nozzle 211 of the cleaning unit 210 of the cleaning device 200 via the pipe 85.

The first chemical solution dilution box 120 includes a first chemical solution CLC (first chemical solution flow rate control unit) 121, a first DIWCLC (first diluted water flow rate control unit) 122, and a mixing unit 123. The CLC (Closed Loop Controller) is a flow control valve unit including a closed-loop control device as shown in FIG. 3, and the details will be described later. The first chemical solution CLC 121 controls and outputs the flow rate of the chemical solution from the chemical solution utility box 50. The first DIWCLC122 controls and outputs the flow rate of DIW from the regulator 60. First chemical solution CL
The output unit of C121 is connected to the pipe 83. The output unit of the first DIWCLC 122 is connected to the pipe 93. The pipe 83 and the pipe 93 join the pipe 85. The confluence of the pipe 83, the pipe 93, and the pipe 85 constitutes the mixing portion 123. The mixing unit 123 mixes the chemical solution whose flow rate is controlled by the first chemical solution CLC 121 and the DIW whose flow rate is controlled by the first DIWCLC 122, and outputs a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) having a desired flow rate and concentration. The flow rate and concentration of the diluted chemical solution are determined according to the flow rates of the chemical solution and DIW set in the first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 by the signal from the control device 110.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a flow rate control valve unit (CLC) according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 include a flow meter 1212, a flow rate control valve (internal control valve) 1211, and a control unit 1213. The flow meter 1212 of the first chemical solution CLC121 is an ultrasonic flow meter. From the viewpoint of reducing pressure loss, it is preferable to use an ultrasonic flow meter for the flow meter 1212, but in consideration of the pressure loss of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100 and the cleaning device 200 as a whole, a differential pressure type flow meter (orifice flow meter) is used. ) May be used. The flow meter 1212 of the first DIWCLC 122 uses a differential pressure type flow meter (orifice flow meter). An ultrasonic flow meter may be used as the flow meter 1212 of the first DIWCLC 122. The flow rate control valve 1211 is a motor valve in the present embodiment, and the opening degree of the valve body 1211a is controlled by the power of the drive source 1211b including the motor. The flow rate control valve 1211 may be any other type of variable flow rate valve (for example, a solenoid valve driven by a solenoid or the like) as long as the opening degree can be adjusted. The control unit 1213 includes a control circuit such as a microcomputer and a memory for storing a program executed by the control circuit. The control circuit and memory are mounted on the control board, for example. The control unit 1213 receives the fluid flow rate set value iT from the control device 110 and the fluid flow rate detection value io from the flow meter 1212, and the flow rate control valve 1211 so that the flow rate detection value io matches the flow rate set value iT. Feedback control. In the first chemical solution CLC121, the fluid is a chemical solution, and in the first DIWCLC122, the fluid is DIW.
Here, a flow rate control valve unit (CLC) including a flow meter, a flow rate control valve, and a control unit is exemplified, but a part or all of them may be provided separately. For example, the flow meter 1212 and the flow control valve 1211 are provided separately, and the control device 110 replaces the control unit 1213 (or via the control unit 1213) with the flow control valve based on the detection value from the flow meter 1212. 1211 may be controlled to control the flow rate. The control device 110 may appropriately control the flow rate control valve 1211 via another drive circuit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first chemical solution dilution box 120 further includes a suckback valve unit 141 and a pressure gauge 142. The suckback valve unit 141 is an on-off valve having a dripping prevention function. The sackback valve unit 141 is a valve unit including a sackback valve that sucks a fluid on the downstream side by a function of causing a volume change due to deformation of the diaphragm, and an on-off valve (stop valve, two-way valve) that opens and closes a flow path. Is. According to the sackback valve unit 141, when the output of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) from the first chemical solution dilution box 120 is cut off, dripping from the nozzle 211 (see FIG. 2) can be suppressed or prevented. can. The pressure gauge 142 detects the pressure of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) output by the mixing unit 123, and measures the pressure of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) in the pipe 85 where the pipe 83 and the pipe 93 meet. To detect.

The second chemical solution dilution box 130 controls the flow rates of the chemical solution and DIW, respectively, and outputs the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) having a desired flow rate and concentration. The second chemical solution dilution box 130 controls the flow rates of the chemical solution and DIW independently of the control of the first chemical solution dilution box 120. The input portion of the second chemical solution dilution box 130 is connected to the chemical solution utility box 50 via the pipe 80 and the pipe 82, and is connected to the regulator 60 via the pipe 90 and the pipe 92. The output unit of the second chemical solution dilution box 130 is a cleaning device 20 via a pipe 95.
It is connected to the nozzle 212 of the cleaning unit 210 of 0 and is connected to the nozzle (not shown) of the standby unit 230 of the cleaning device 200 via the pipe 96.

The second chemical solution dilution box 130 includes a second chemical solution CLC (second chemical solution flow rate control unit) 131, a second DIWCLC (second diluted water flow rate control unit) 132, and a mixing unit 133. The second chemical solution CLC131 controls and outputs the flow rate of the chemical solution from the chemical solution utility box 50. The second DIWCLC132 controls and outputs the flow rate of DIW from the regulator 60. The output portion of the second chemical solution CLC131 is connected to the pipe 84. The output unit of the second DIWCLC132 is connected to the pipe 94. The pipe 84 and the pipe 94 join the pipe 86. The confluence of the pipe 84, the pipe 94, and the pipe 86 constitutes the mixing portion 133. The mixing unit 133 mixes the chemical solution whose flow rate is controlled by the second chemical solution CLC131 and the DIW whose flow rate is controlled by the second DIWCLC132, and outputs the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) having a desired flow rate and concentration. The flow rate and concentration of the diluted chemical solution are determined according to the flow rates of the chemical solution and DIW set in the second chemical solution CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 by the signal from the control device 110.

The second chemical solution CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 have the configuration shown in FIG. 3, similarly to the first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122. The flow meter 1212 of the second chemical solution CLC131 is an ultrasonic flowmeter like the first chemical solution CLC121. From the viewpoint of reducing pressure loss, it is preferable to use an ultrasonic flow meter for the flow meter 1212, but in consideration of the pressure loss of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device 100 and the cleaning device 200 as a whole, a differential pressure type flow meter (orifice flow meter) is used. ) May be used. The flow meter 1212 of the second DIWCLC 132 uses a differential pressure type flow meter (orifice flow meter) like the first DIWCLC 122. An ultrasonic flow meter may be used as the flow meter 1212 of the second DIWCLC 132. In the second chemical solution CLC131, the fluid is a chemical solution, and in the second DIWCLC132, the fluid is DIW. Since the other configurations are as described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second chemical solution dilution box 130 further includes an on-off valve 151, an on-off valve 152, and a pressure gauge 153. The on-off valve 151 is provided in a pipe 95 branched from the pipe 86. The on-off valve 151 opens and closes the fluid connection between the mixing unit 133 and the nozzle 212 on the lower surface side of the substrate of the cleaning device 200. The on-off valve 152 is provided in the pipe 96 branched from the pipe 86. The on-off valve 152 opens and closes the fluid connection between the mixing unit 133 and the standby unit 230 of the cleaning device 200. The pressure gauge 153 detects the pressure of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) output by the mixing unit 133, and detects the pressure of the chemical solution in the pipe 86 where the pipe 84 and the pipe 94 meet.

The cleaning device 200 is a device installed in a substrate processing device such as a polishing device to clean the substrate W. As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 200 is connected to the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 via pipes 85, 95, 96, and the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) and / or DIW from the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100. Receive the supply of. The cleaning device 200 includes a cleaning unit 210 and a standby unit 230. The cleaning unit 210 supplies a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) to the first surface and the second surface (upper surface and lower surface in this example) of the substrate W, and cleans the substrate W with the chemical solution. A substrate that waits for cleaning by the cleaning unit 210 is arranged in the standby unit 230. When the cleaning device 200 includes a DIW cleaning unit that is cleaned by the DIW, a pipe for supplying the DIW may be provided in the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100. Either the first surface or the second surface of the substrate W may be the front surface or the lower surface of the substrate W. Further, the first surface and the second surface of the substrate W are the surfaces extending in the vertical direction when the substrate W is arranged upright in the vertical direction.

The cleaning unit 210 includes one or a plurality of nozzles 211 arranged on the upper surface side of the substrate W, and nozzles 212 arranged on the lower surface side of the substrate W. In order to avoid complication of the drawing, only one nozzle 211 is shown in FIG.
The one or a plurality of nozzles 211 are arranged above the substrate W and inject a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) toward the upper surface of the substrate W. The nozzle 211 is connected to the output of the first chemical solution dilution box 120 of the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 via the pipe 85, and the chemical solution adjusted to a desired flow rate and concentration in the first chemical solution dilution box 120 (after dilution). (Chemical solution) is supplied. For some or all of the nozzles 211, it is preferable to use a low pressure loss type nozzle (for example, a flat type nozzle) in order to reduce the pressure loss on the flow path.
The nozzle 212 has a configuration in which a plurality of nozzle holes are provided in a common housing. The nozzle 212 is arranged below the substrate W and injects a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) toward the lower surface of the substrate W. The nozzle 212 is connected to the output of the second chemical solution dilution box 130 of the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 via the pipe 95, and the chemical solution adjusted to a desired flow rate and concentration in the second chemical solution dilution box 130 (after dilution). (Chemical solution) is supplied. For the nozzle 212, it is preferable to use a low pressure loss type nozzle in order to reduce the pressure loss on the flow path.

The standby unit 230 is supplied with a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) adjusted to a desired flow rate and concentration in the second chemical solution dilution box 130. The on-off valves 151 and 152 may be controlled so that the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is supplied from the second chemical solution dilution box 130 to only one of the nozzle 212 or the standby portion 230 of the cleaning unit 210.

From the viewpoint of reducing the pressure loss on the flow path, it is preferable to use a pipe having a large inner diameter and a small pressure loss from the supply sources 20 and 30 to the nozzles 211 and 212 and the standby portion 230. Further, it is preferable to use valves (52, 151, 152, 141) having a small pressure loss.

(Chemical solution supply process)
Next, the chemical solution supply process in the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 shown in FIG. 2 will be described. Normally, the lockout valve 53 is opened, and at the start of the chemical solution supply process, the on-off valve 52 of the chemical solution utility box 50 is opened by a signal from the control device 110. Further, the regulator 60 is operated by the signal from the control device 110. Further, the sackback valve unit 141, the on-off valve 151, and the on-off valve 152 are opened by the signal from the control device 110. The chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) and DIW are supplied from the chemical solution utility box 50 and the regulator 60 to the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130. The on-off valve 52, the regulator 60, the sackback valve unit 141, and the on-off valves 151, 152 are controlled by signals from the control device 110. The control device 110 executes the control of the first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 according to the program stored in the recording medium.

In the first chemical solution dilution box 120, the first chemical solution CLC 121 controls the flow rate of the chemical solution so as to be the flow rate set value from the control device 110, and the first DIWCLC 122 is set to the flow rate set value from the control device 110. The flow rate of DIW is controlled, and the mixing unit 123 mixes the flow-adjusted drug solution (diluted drug solution) and DIW to generate a drug solution controlled to a predetermined flow rate and concentration (diluted drug solution). This is output to the nozzle 211 on the upper surface side of the substrate of the cleaning device 200. The first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 are controlled by a signal from the control device 110. The control device 110 executes the control of the first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 according to the program stored in the recording medium.

In the second chemical solution dilution box 130, the second chemical solution CLC131 controls the flow rate of the chemical solution so as to be the flow rate set value from the control device 110, and the second DIWCLC132 is set to the flow rate set value from the control device 110. The flow rate of the DIW is controlled, and the mixing unit 133 mixes the chemical solution after adjusting the flow rate and the DIW to generate a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) controlled to a predetermined flow rate and concentration, which is used by the cleaning device 200. Output to the nozzle 212 on the lower surface side of the substrate. Further, the mixing unit 133 supplies the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) controlled to a predetermined flow rate and concentration to the standby unit 230 of the cleaning device 200. The second chemical solution CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 are controlled by a signal from the control device 110. The control device 110 executes control of the second chemical solution CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 according to the program stored in the recording medium.

When stopping the supply of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) to the nozzle 211 and the nozzle 212, one of the sackback valve unit 141 and the on-off valve 151 is closed and the other is opened (first chemical solution CLC121 and). The flow rate control valve of the first DIWCLC122 or the flow rate control valves of the second chemical solution CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 may be closed).
Further, when the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is supplied to the nozzle 211 and the supply of the chemical solution to the nozzle 212 and the standby portion 230 is stopped, the on-off valve 141 is opened and the on-off valves 151 and 152 are closed (second). The flow control valves of the chemical liquid CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 may be closed).
Further, when stopping the supply of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) to the nozzle 212 or the standby portion 230, one of the on-off valve 151 and the on-off valve 152 is closed.

In the cleaning unit 210 of the cleaning device 200, the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) whose flow rate and concentration are independently controlled by the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130 is transferred from the nozzle 211 and the nozzle 212 to the substrate W, respectively. It is supplied to the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate W to clean the substrate W. For example, it is possible to supply a concentration by Ri low chemical of the chemical liquid to the nozzle 212 to the nozzle 211. The cleaning device 200 is controlled by a signal from the control device 110. The control device 110 executes control of the cleaning device 200 according to a program stored in the recording medium.

(flowchart)
FIG. 4 is an example of a flowchart of the chemical solution supply process. These processes are executed in the control device 110.
In step S11, it is determined whether or not to open the on-off valve 52. When it is determined in step S11 that the on-off valve 52 is to be opened, in step S12, the on-off valve 52 is opened by a signal from the control device 110.

In step S13, it is determined whether or not to open the sackback valve unit 141. If it is determined in step S13 that the sackback valve unit 141 is to be opened, in step S14, the sackback valve unit 141 is opened by a signal from the control device 110. If the sackback valve unit 141 is already open, the sackback valve unit 141 is maintained in the open state. On the other hand, when it is determined that the sackback valve unit 141 is kept closed or closed, the sackback valve unit 141 is controlled by the control device 110 so as to keep the sackback valve unit 141 closed or close. Will be done.

In step S15, in the first chemical solution dilution box 120, the first chemical solution CLC 121 controls the flow rate of the chemical solution so as to be the flow rate set value from the control device 110, and the first DIWCLC 122 controls the flow rate set value from the control device 110. The flow rate of DIW is controlled so as to be.

In step S16, the mixing unit 123 mixes the flow-adjusted chemical solution and DIW to generate a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) controlled to a predetermined flow rate and concentration, which is on the upper surface side of the substrate of the cleaning device 200. Output to the nozzle 211 of. When the suckback valve unit 141 is closed, the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is not output to the nozzle 211 on the upper surface side of the substrate of the cleaning device 200. In this case, the operations of the first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 may be stopped.

In step S17, it is determined whether or not to open the on-off valve 151. When it is determined in step S17 that the on-off valve 151 is to be opened, in step S18, the on-off valve 151 is opened by a signal from the control device 110. If the on-off valve 151 is already open, the on-off valve 151 is maintained in the open state. On the other hand, when it is determined that the on-off valve 151 is maintained or closed, the on-off valve 151 is controlled by the control device 110 so as to maintain or close the on-off valve 151.

In step S19, it is determined whether or not to open the on-off valve 152. When it is determined in step S19 that the on-off valve 152 is to be opened, in step S20, the on-off valve 152 is opened by a signal from the control device 110. If the on-off valve 152 is already open, the on-off valve 152 is maintained in the open state. On the other hand, when it is determined that the on-off valve 152 is kept closed or closed, the on-off valve 151 is controlled by the control device 110 so as to keep the on-off valve 152 closed or closed.

In step S21, in the second chemical solution dilution box 130, the second chemical solution CLC131 controls the flow rate of the chemical solution so as to be the flow rate set value from the control device 110, and the second DIWCLC132 controls the flow rate set value from the control device 110. The flow rate of DIW is controlled so as to be.

In step S22, the mixing unit 133 mixes the flow-adjusted chemical solution and DIW to generate a chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) controlled to a predetermined flow rate and concentration, which is on the lower surface side of the substrate of the cleaning device 200. It is output to the nozzle 212 and also to the standby unit 230.
When the on-off valve 151 is closed, the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is not output to the nozzle 212 on the lower surface side of the substrate of the cleaning device 200. Further, when the on-off valve 152 is closed, the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is not supplied to the standby portion 230. When both the on-off valves 151 and 152 are closed, the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is not supplied to the nozzle 212 and the standby portion 230. When both the on-off valves 151 and 152 are closed, the operations of the second chemical solution CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 may be stopped.

In step S23, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to end the chemical solution supply process. If there is an termination instruction, in step S24, the termination process such as closing the opened valve, stopping the regulator and CLC is executed, and then the chemical solution supply process is terminated. On the other hand, if there is no end instruction, the process returns to step S13, and the processes of steps S13 to S16 and steps S17 to S22 are repeated.

According to this chemical solution supply process, the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130 can independently control the flow rate and concentration of the chemical solution (S13 to S16, S17 to S22). Further, the supply of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) from either the first chemical solution dilution box 120 or the second chemical solution dilution box 130 can be stopped (S13 to S14, S17 to S20).

(Example of substrate processing equipment)
Next, a configuration example of the polishing apparatus will be described as an example of the substrate processing apparatus including the cleaning unit according to the above-described embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the polishing apparatus including the cleaning unit according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, the polishing apparatus 1 includes a substantially rectangular housing 2 and a load port 3 on which a substrate cassette for stocking substrates such as a plurality of semiconductor wafers is placed. An open cassette, a SMIF (Standard Manufacturing Interface) pod, or a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) can be mounted on the load port 3. Inside the housing 2, a plurality of (four in this example) polishing units 4a to 4d, cleaning units 5a and 5b for cleaning the polished substrate, and a drying unit 6 for drying the cleaned substrate are housed. ing. The cleaning unit 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to at least one of the cleaning units 5a and 5b.

The first transfer robot 7 is arranged in the area surrounded by the load port 3, the polishing unit 4a, and the drying unit 6. Further, the transport unit 8 is arranged in parallel with the polishing units 4a to 4d. The first transfer robot 7 receives the substrate before polishing from the load port 3 and delivers it to the transfer unit 8, and also receives the dried substrate from the drying unit 6 and returns it to the load port 3. The transport unit 8 transports the substrate received from the first transport robot 7 and transfers the substrate to and from each of the polishing units 4a to 4d. A second transfer robot 9a that transfers a substrate between the transfer unit 8 and each of these units 5a and 5b is arranged between the cleaning unit 5a and the cleaning unit 5b. Further, a third transfer robot 9b that is located between the cleaning unit 5b and the drying unit 6 and transfers a substrate between the units 5b and 6 is arranged. Further, a control device 300 that controls the movement of each device of the polishing device 1 is arranged inside the housing 2. As the control device 110 described above, the control device 300 of the polishing device may be used.

6A to 6C are explanatory views illustrating the mounting structure of CLC. In the following description, the first chemical solution CLC121 is taken as an example of CLC, but other chemical solutions CLC and DIWCLC also have the same configuration. As described above, the first chemical solution CLC 121 includes a flow control valve 1211 and a flow meter 1212, which are connected by a pipe 800 and housed in the housing 1214. FIG. 6A shows a case where the first chemical solution CLC121 is attached so that the direction of the fluid passing through the flow meter 1212 is horizontal, that is, the piping portions 803a and 803b are horizontal. FIG. 6B shows a case where the first chemical solution CLC121 is attached so that the direction of the fluid passing through the flow meter 1212 is the vertical direction. FIG. 6C shows a case where the first chemical solution CLC121 is attached so that the direction of the fluid passing through the flow meter 1212 is tilted with respect to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The vertical direction and the horizontal direction shall indicate the vertical direction and the horizontal direction with respect to the installation surface of the device such as the cleaning chemical solution supply device. The piping portions 801, 802, and 803a may be formed by bending one pipe, or may be formed by preparing a part or all of the piping portions separately and connecting them to each other. The pipe portions 803b and 804a may be formed by bending one pipe, or may be formed by preparing a part or all of the pipe parts separately and connecting them to each other. The pipe portions 804a and 805 may be formed by bending one pipe, or may be formed by preparing a part or all of the pipe parts separately and connecting them to each other. Further, it is also possible to use a flow meter in which the pipe portions 803a and 803b are continuous as one pipe and are arranged around the pipe portions 803a and 803b. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish the piping portions 803a and 803b, any combination of the piping portions 803a and 803b or the piping portions 803a and 803b may be referred to as the piping portion 803. The same applies to the piping portions 804a and 804b.

As shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C, the pipe 800 in the first chemical solution CLC121 has pipe portions 801 and 803a extending in the horizontal direction when the housing 1214 is arranged with the longitudinal direction oriented horizontally (FIG. 6A). , 803b, 805 and piping portions 802, 804a, 804b extending in the vertical direction. When the first chemical solution CLC121 is arranged in the state of FIG. 6A, since the pipe portions 803a and 803b on the inlet side and the outlet side of the flow meter 1212 are oriented in the horizontal direction, air bubbles stay in the fluid in the pipe portions 803a and 803b. It will be easy to do. Further, the vicinity of the boundary between the horizontally extending piping portion 803a and the vertically extending piping portion 802, the vicinity of the boundary between the horizontally extending piping portion 803b and the vertically extending piping portion 804a are each piping portion. Is a bent part, and air bubbles tend to stay in the vicinity of such a bent part. When air bubbles stay in these portions, the fluid passing through the flow meter 1212 also contains air bubbles. When the flow meter 1212 is an ultrasonic flow meter, air bubbles in the fluid may reduce the flow rate detection accuracy. Even when the flow meter 1212 is a differential pressure type flow meter, if a drift (unevenness of the flow velocity) occurs due to bubbles in the pipe or the fluid, the flow rate detection accuracy may decrease. In the state of FIG. 6B, air bubbles tend to stay in the horizontally extending pipe portions 802, 804a, and 804b, and air bubbles stay near the boundary between the horizontally extending pipe portion 802 and the vertically extending pipe portion 803a. It's easy to do. If air bubbles stay in these portions, the fluid passing through the flow meter 1212 may also contain air bubbles. As in the case of FIG. 6A, when the flow meter 1212 is an ultrasonic flow meter, the accuracy of flow rate detection may decrease due to air bubbles in the fluid. Even when the flow meter 1212 is a differential pressure type flow meter, if a drift (unevenness of the flow velocity) occurs due to bubbles in the pipe or the fluid, the flow rate detection accuracy may decrease.

On the other hand, in the state of FIG. 6C, each pipe portion of the pipe 800 is tilted with respect to the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Further, the flow path inside the flow meter 1212 is also inclined at the same inclination as the piping portions 803a and 803b. It is preferable that the piping portions 803a and 803b (flow direction passing through the flow meter) are tilted at an angle of 10 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less with respect to the vertical direction. In this case, since the piping portion 802, the piping portions 803a, 803b, and the piping portions 804a, 804b are all inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, the boundary portion between the piping portion 802 and the piping portion 803a, the piping portion 803b, and the piping portion Bubbles can easily pass through the boundary with 804a, and the retention of bubbles can be suppressed. The same applies to the piping portion 801 and the piping portion 802, and the same applies to the piping portion 804b and the piping portion 805. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6C, by attaching the first chemical solution CLC121 so that each pipe portion of the pipe 800 is tilted in the horizontal direction, air bubbles staying in the pipe are suppressed and the fluid passes through the flow meter 1212. It is possible to suppress the inclusion of air bubbles. As a result, the detection accuracy of the flow meter 1212 can be improved.

Note that FIGS. 6A to 6C show a case where the pipe 800 has a portion (bent portion) that bends in an L shape, but the pipe 800 may have a portion that bends at an angle other than a right angle. Further, even when the pipe 800 has a linear shape having no bent portion, it stays in the pipe by attaching the first chemical solution CLC121 so that the pipe 800 is tilted in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 6C. Bubbles can be suppressed, and the inclusion of bubbles in the fluid passing through the flow meter 1212 can be suppressed. As a result, the detection accuracy of the flow meter 1212 can be improved. For example, in FIG. 6C, the piping portions 801, 802, 803a, 803b, 804a, 804b, and 805 extend linearly.

Further, in the mounting structure of FIG. 6A, when the pipe portions 801,805 extending in the horizontal direction (in other words, the inlet portion 1214a and the outlet portion 1214b opening in the horizontal direction) are connected to the external pipe extending in the vertical direction, they are at right angles. In many cases, a joint is required to change the direction of the flow path. In the mounting structure of FIG. 6B, when the piping portions 801 and 805 extending in the vertical direction (in other words, the inlet portion 1214a and the outlet portion 1214b opening in the vertical direction) are connected to the external pipe extending in the horizontal direction, the flow path is perpendicular to the flow path. Often a fitting is needed to change the direction of the plumb bob. Since the fluid causes pressure loss due to the joint, it is preferable to omit the joint from the viewpoint of reducing the pressure loss of the cleaning chemical supply device.

On the other hand, in the mounting structure of FIG. 6C, since the opening direction of the piping portions 801,805 (inlet portion 1214a, outlet portion 1214b) is inclined from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, any of the pipes (pipes) extending in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Part) is also gently oriented. Therefore, if the external pipe extending in the horizontal and vertical directions is gently curved and connected to the pipe portion 801,805 (inlet portion 1214a, outlet portion 1214b), the pipe portion 801,805 can be connected without using a joint. (Inlet portion 1214a, outlet portion 1214b) can be connected to an external pipe extending in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. In the example of FIGS. 7 to 12, if the external pipe extending in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is gently curved and connected to the pipe portion 801 (inlet portion 1214a) and the outlet portion 1214c of the valve block 1216, the joint is formed. The pipe portion 801 (inlet portion 1214a) and the outlet portion 1214c of the valve block 1216 can be connected to an external pipe extending in the horizontal and vertical directions without using the above (see FIG. 12).

FIG. 7 is a plan view of CLC. FIG. 8 is a side view of CLC. In this example, the valve block 1216 is attached to the first chemical solution CLC121. The first chemical solution CLC121 and the valve block 1216 are attached to the base 1215. The housing 1214 is provided with an inlet portion 1214a. Here, the outlet portion 1214b provided in the pipe portion 805 of FIGS. 6A to C is shown integrally as a pipe between the first chemical liquid CLC 121 and the valve block 1216. The first chemical solution CLC121 and the valve block 1216 may be connected by any connecting method. The inlet portion 1214a is provided on one end side of the piping portion 801 and is open in the direction in which the piping portion 801 extends. Here, the inlet portion 1214a is exemplified as an end portion of the pipe portion 801, but a connector capable of connecting a pipe from the outside may be attached. The valve block 1216 is provided with an outlet portion 1214c having a connector configuration capable of connecting a pipe from the outside. The inlet portion 1214a is connected to the primary side, that is, the side of the chemical solution supply source 20 and the DIW supply source 30. The outlet portion 1214c is connected to the secondary side, that is, the cleaning unit 200 side.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a CLC assembly in which two CLCs are combined. FIG. 10A is a side view from one side of the CLC assembly. FIG. 10B is a side view from the other side of the CLC assembly. In this example, an example in which the first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 are combined is shown, but the same applies to the case where the second chemical solution CLC131 and the second DIWCLC132 are combined. Further, the first chemical solution CLC121 and the second chemical solution CLC131 may be combined, or the first DIWCLC122 and the second DIWCLC132 may be combined. In other embodiments, three or more CLCs may be combined and mounted on a common base. Further, two or more CLCs may be arranged in a common housing. A combination of a plurality of CLCs is referred to as a CLC assembly.

The first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 are fixed to a common base 1215. In this example, the first chemical solution CLC121 has a valve block 1216 and the first DIWCLC122 has a valve block 1226. These valve blocks 1216 and 1226 are arranged side by side and are fluidly connected internally. That is, the fluid output from the first chemical solution CLC 121 flows into the valve block 1216, the fluid output from the first DIWCLC 122 flows into the valve block 1226, these fluids are mixed, and the fluid is output from the outlet portion 1214c. The valve blocks 1216 and 1226 constitute a mixing unit 123 (see FIG. 2). The first chemical solution CLC121 and the first DIWCLC122 may be connected to a single valve block.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the mounting structure of CLC. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the mounting structure of CLC. In this example, the case where a plurality of CLCs are attached via a common base 1215 will be described, but each CLC may be attached via an individual base. As shown in these drawings, the CLC assembly (first chemical solution CLC121, second chemical solution CLC) is attached at an angle from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The CLC assembly is mounted by mounting bases 1218, 1219 provided within the housing 1217. The mounting base 1218 is secured to the bottom surface of the housing 1217 and has one or more inclined surfaces that support one end side of the base 1215 of the CLC assembly. The mounting base 1219 has an inclined surface that is fixed to the inside of the side surface of the housing 1217 and supports the other end side of the base 1215 of the CLC assembly. The mounting base 1219 may also be configured to have a plurality of inclined surfaces. The base 1215 of the CLC assembly is fixed to the mounting base 1219 by fastening members such as bolts. The base 1215 of the CLC assembly may also be fixed to the mounting base 1218 with a fastening member. The inlet portion 1214a of the first chemical solution CLC 121 is connected to the pipe 81 (FIG. 2), and the inlet portion 1224a of the first DIWCLC 122 is connected to the pipe 91. Although not shown, the outlet portion 1214c is connected to the pipe 85. Here, the case where the pipe 81 is connected to the inlet portion 1214a by the connector provided on the pipe 81 is illustrated, but the connector may be provided on the housing 1214 side of the first chemical solution CLC 121, that is, the inlet portion 1214a. The same applies to the pipe 91 and the second chemical solution CLC.

According to this configuration, since none of the pipe portions of the pipe 800 in the CLC is arranged along the horizontal direction, it is possible to suppress the retention of air (air bubbles) in the pipe. Further, air bubbles tend to stay in the vicinity of the bent portion (bent portion) of the pipe 800, but by tilting each pipe portion on both sides of the bent portion from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, air (air bubbles) in the bent portion can be collected. Retention can be suppressed. Further, since the pipe 800 is tilted with respect to the vertical direction, pressure loss in the pipe 800 can be suppressed. Further, even when the pipe 800 extends in a straight line, the same effect can be obtained by arranging the pipe 800 at an angle.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 13 is a flow rate control flowchart according to another example. In the above embodiment, the flow rate is controlled by the flow rate control valve 1211 based on the detected value of the flow meter 1212 (S15, S21 in FIG. 4), but the flow rate may be controlled based on the detected values of the pressure gauges 142, 153. good. In the flowchart of FIG. 4, when an abnormality is detected in the flow meter 1211, the control is switched to the control based on the pressure gauges 142 and 153. This control flow is executed in parallel with the control flow of FIG. 4, and when an abnormality is detected in the flow meter, the control is switched to the control based on the pressure gauge.

In step S110, it is determined whether or not the flow meter is normal. In this determination, for example, as a result of the flow rate control by the flow meter 1212 and the flow control valve 1211 with respect to the flow rate set value set by the control device 110, the detected value of the flow meter 1212 is (within the allowable range) within a predetermined time. ) Judge by whether or not the flow rate set value is shown. If the flow meter is normal, the process proceeds to step S120A, and as described above, flow rate control (S15, S21 in FIG. 4) is executed based on the detected value of the flow meter 1212. On the other hand, if the flow meter is not normal, the process proceeds to step 120B, and the flow rate is controlled (S15, S21 in FIG. 4) based on the detected values of the pressure gauges 142 and 153. In the control based on the detection values of the pressure gauges 142 and 153, the control device 110 sets the hydraulic pressure set value, and the flow control valve 1211 is feedback-controlled so that the detected value of the pressure gauges 142 and 153 approaches the hydraulic pressure set value. do.

The flow rate control based on the pressure gauge may be mainly performed, and when an abnormality is detected in the pressure gauge, the flow rate control may be switched to the flow rate control based on the pressure gauge.

(Third Embodiment)
FIG. 14 is a flowchart of abnormality detection control using a pressure gauge. This control flow is also executed in parallel with the control flow of FIG. In step S210, a normal range is set as a detection value of the pressure gauges 142 and 153 based on the flow rate set value or the hydraulic pressure set value set by the control device 110. For the normal range, for example, an experiment or the like is conducted in advance, and a table of the normal range corresponding to the flow rate set value or the hydraulic pressure set value is created. It may be a fixed error range regardless of the flow rate set value and the hydraulic pressure set value. In step S211 it is determined whether or not the actual detected value detected by the pressure gauges 142 and 153 is within the set normal range. If the detected values of the pressure gauges 142 and 153 are within the normal range, the process from step S210 is repeated. On the other hand, if the detected values of the pressure gauges 142 and 153 are out of the normal range, the process proceeds to step S212, it is determined that there is an abnormality in the configuration of the secondary side of the pressure gauges 142 and 153, and the abnormality detection processing is executed. .. The processing at the time of abnormality detection includes output of an alarm to the user and other devices, stop of the device, and the like.
As for the abnormality of the configuration on the secondary side, there is an abnormality such as leakage in the pipes 85, 95, 96 on the secondary side of the pressure gauges 142 and 153, and the correct nozzle is not attached as the nozzles 211 and 212. Is. Further, when the valve is attached to the piping on the secondary side of the pressure gauge, even if there is an abnormality in the valve, it can be detected as an abnormality on the secondary side.

According to this embodiment, an abnormality in the piping downstream of the flow control valve (pipe leakage, etc.) and an abnormality in the device connected to the piping (nozzle, valve, etc.) are detected at an early stage based on the detection value of the pressure gauge. be able to.

(Action effect)
According to the above embodiment, the chemical solution is introduced from the same chemical solution supply source 20 into the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130, and the flow rate of the chemical solution by the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130. And the concentration can be controlled respectively. Therefore, the flow rate and concentration of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) supplied to each surface (upper surface and lower surface) of the substrate can be independently controlled.

Further, since the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is output from the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130, respectively, the sackback valve unit 141, the on-off valve 151, and the on-off valve 152 are opened and closed to open and close the first chemical solution. The output of the chemical solution (drug solution after dilution) from any of the 1 chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130 can be stopped. Further, by opening and closing the on-off valve 151 and the on-off valve 152, any of the chemicals (diluted chemicals) supplied to the nozzle 212 and the standby portion 230 of the cleaning unit 210 of the cleaning device 200 can be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to supply the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) only to any of the respective surfaces (upper surface and lower surface) of the substrate and the standby portion by the control in the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100. Therefore, it is not necessary to install an additional valve or the like in the cleaning device 200 in order to supply the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) only to each surface (upper surface and lower surface) of the substrate or the standby portion.

Further, since the first chemical solution dilution box 120 and the second chemical solution dilution box 130 can control the flow rate of each chemical solution (diluted chemical solution), it is similar to the case where the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is branched from a common flow path. In addition, there is no need to adjust the flow rate using a dilution. Therefore, the pressure loss that the chemical solution and the diluted water receive on the flow paths of the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 and the cleaning device 200 is reduced, and the decrease in the flow rate of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) to the cleaning device 200 can be suppressed or prevented. can. For example, even when the supply pressure of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water to the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 is low, the flow rate of the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) supplied to each surface (upper surface and lower surface) of the substrate is reduced. It can be suppressed or prevented.

According to the above embodiment, by using the CLC 121, 122, 122, 132 including the flow meter 1212 and the flow control valve 1211, the flow rate of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water can be easily and accurately measured by the signal from the control device 110. It is possible to control to. For example, the pressure loss in the flow meter 1212 and the flow control valve 1211 can be reduced as compared with the case where the flow rate of the chemical solution to each surface (upper surface and lower surface) of the substrate is controlled by a throttle. Further, as compared with the case where the opening degree of the throttle (for example, the needle valve) is manually adjusted, the CLC 121, 122, 122, 132 including the flow meter 1212 and the flow control valve 1211 can automatically control the flow rate. It is advantageous in that.

According to the above embodiment, by using the ultrasonic flow meter, the pressure loss in the flow meter can be reduced as compared with the case of using the differential pressure type flow meter (orifice flow meter). In this configuration, the pressure loss on the flow path can be reduced and the decrease in the flow rate that can be supplied to the substrate can be suppressed, which is particularly advantageous when the supply pressure of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water to the cleaning chemical solution supply device 100 is low. Is.

According to the above embodiment, the opening degree of the flow rate control valve can be adjusted quickly and accurately by changing the opening degree of the valve main body 1211a by the drive source 1211b including the motor.

According to the above embodiment, the output of the diluted chemical solution from the first chemical solution dilution box 120 can be distributed / stopped by the suckback valve unit 141. According to the suckback valve unit 141, when the output from the first chemical solution dilution box 120 is cut off, the dripping from the nozzle 211 can be suppressed or prevented.

According to the above embodiment, from the second chemical solution dilution box 130 that supplies the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) to any surface (for example, the lower surface) of each surface of the substrate, to the substrate of the standby unit 230 that waits for cleaning. By supplying the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution), it is possible to omit a separate configuration for supplying the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) to the standby substrate, and the configuration of the fluid circuit can be simplified. ..

From the description of the above embodiment, at least the following technical ideas can be grasped.

According to the first aspect, a cleaning chemical liquid supply device for supplying a chemical liquid for cleaning to the cleaning device is provided. This cleaning chemical liquid supply device includes a chemical liquid inlet portion and a diluted water inlet portion, a first chemical liquid control unit fluidly connected to the chemical liquid inlet portion and the diluted water inlet portion, and the chemical liquid inlet portion and the diluted water inlet portion. A second chemical solution control unit, which is fluidly connected to the unit, is provided. The first chemical solution control unit receives the supply of the chemical solution from the chemical solution inlet portion, and is configured to control the flow rate of the chemical solution, and the diluted water flow control unit and the diluted water from the diluted water inlet portion. The chemical solution and the diluted water from the first diluted water flow rate control unit configured to receive the supply and control the flow rate of the diluted water, the first chemical solution flow rate control unit, and the first diluted water flow rate control unit. It has a first mixing section for mixing the above. The second chemical solution control unit receives the supply of the chemical solution from the chemical solution inlet portion, and is configured to control the flow rate of the chemical solution, and the dilution from the diluted water inlet portion. The chemical solution and the chemical solution from the second diluted water flow rate control unit configured to receive the water supply and control the flow rate of the diluted water, the second chemical solution flow rate control unit, and the second diluted water flow rate control unit. It has a second mixing section for mixing diluted water.

According to this form, the chemical solution from the same chemical solution supply source can be independently diluted in the first and second chemical solution control units, and the flow rate and concentration of the chemical solution can be controlled independently. For example, the flow rate and concentration of the chemical solution supplied to each surface of the substrate can be controlled independently.
Further, since the configuration is such that the chemical solution is output from the first and second chemical solution control units, respectively, if a valve is provided in the first and second chemical solution control units or in connection with the first and second chemical solution control units, the first And the output of the chemical solution from any of the second chemical solution control units can be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to supply the chemical solution to only one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate by the control in the cleaning chemical solution supply device. Therefore, in order to supply the chemical solution to only one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate, it is not necessary to install an additional valve or the like in the cleaning device.
Further, since the first and second chemical solution control units can control the flow rate of each chemical solution, the flow rate is adjusted by using a throttle as in the case of branching the chemical solution from a common flow path to each surface side of the substrate. There is no need. Therefore, the pressure loss that the chemical solution and the diluted water receive on the flow path of the cleaning chemical solution supply device and the cleaning device is reduced, and the decrease in the flow rate of the chemical solution to the cleaning device can be suppressed or prevented. For example, even when the supply pressure (input pressure) of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water to the cleaning chemical solution supply device is low, it is possible to suppress or prevent a decrease in the flow rate of the chemical solution supplied to each surface of the substrate.

According to the second aspect, in the cleaning chemical solution supply device of the first embodiment, each of the first and second chemical flow rate control units and the first and second diluted water flow rate control units is the chemical solution or the diluted water. It has a flow meter for detecting the flow rate and a flow control valve for feedback-controlling the flow rate of the chemical solution or the diluted water based on the detected value of the flow meter.
According to this embodiment, by using a flow rate control unit including a flow meter and a flow rate control valve, it is possible to easily and accurately control the flow rate of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water by a signal from a control unit such as a computer. It is possible. For example, it is possible to reduce the pressure loss on the flow path as compared with the case where the flow rate of the chemical solution to each surface side of the substrate is controlled by a throttle. Further, as compared with the case of manually adjusting the opening degree of the throttle, the flow rate control unit including the flow meter and the flow rate control valve is advantageous in that the flow rate can be automatically controlled.

According to the third aspect, in the cleaning chemical solution supply device of the second embodiment, at least one of the first and second chemical flow rate control units and the first and second diluted water flow rate control units is superposed as the flow meter. It has a sonic flow meter.
According to this embodiment, by using the ultrasonic flow meter, the pressure loss in the flow meter can be reduced as compared with the case of using the differential pressure type flow meter (orifice flow meter). In this configuration, the pressure loss on the flow path can be reduced and the decrease in the flow rate that can be supplied to the substrate can be suppressed, which is particularly advantageous when the supply pressure of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water to the cleaning chemical solution supply device is low. be.

According to the fourth aspect, in the cleaning chemical solution supply device of the second or third embodiment, the flow rate control is performed in at least one of the first and second chemical flow rate control units and the first and second diluted water flow rate control units. The valve is a motor valve whose opening degree is changed by a motor.
According to this embodiment, the opening degree of the flow rate control valve can be adjusted quickly and accurately by changing the opening degree of the flow rate control valve by the motor.

According to the fifth aspect, in the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, the first chemical solution control unit further includes a suckback valve unit on the downstream side of the first mixing unit.
According to this embodiment, the output of the diluted chemical solution from the first chemical solution control unit can be distributed / stopped by the suckback valve unit. According to the sackback valve unit, when the output from the first chemical solution control unit is cut off, dripping from the nozzle can be suppressed or prevented.

According to the sixth embodiment, a cleaning unit is provided, and the cleaning unit includes the cleaning chemical liquid supply device according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments and the cleaning device connected to the cleaning chemical liquid supply device. The first and second chemical solution control units are configured to supply the diluted chemical solution to the first surface and the second surface of the same substrate installed in the cleaning device, respectively.
According to this embodiment, the chemicals from the same chemical supply source are introduced into the first and second chemical control units, and the flow rate and concentration of the chemicals are independently controlled by the first and second chemical control units, respectively. By supplying to the first surface and the second surface, the flow rate and the concentration of the chemical solution supplied to the first surface and the second surface of the substrate can be independently controlled.
Further, since the configuration is such that the chemical solution is output from the first and second chemical solution control units, respectively, if a valve is provided in the first and second chemical solution control units or in connection with the first and second chemical solution control units, the first And the output of the chemical solution from any of the second chemical solution control units can be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to supply the chemical solution to only one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate by the control in the cleaning chemical solution supply device. Therefore, in order to supply the chemical solution to only one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate, it is not necessary to install an additional valve or the like in the cleaning device.
Further, since the first and second chemical solution control units can control the flow rate of each chemical solution, a throttle is used as in the case where the chemical solution is branched from the common flow path to the first surface side and the second surface side of the substrate. There is no need to adjust the flow rate. Therefore, the pressure loss that the chemical solution and the diluted water receive on the flow path of the cleaning chemical solution supply device and the cleaning device is reduced, and the decrease in the flow rate of the chemical solution to the cleaning device can be suppressed or prevented. For example, even when the supply pressure of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water to the cleaning chemical solution supply device is low, it is possible to suppress or prevent a decrease in the flow rate of the chemical solution supplied to the first surface and the second surface of the substrate. ..

According to the seventh aspect, in the cleaning unit of the sixth aspect, the second chemical solution control unit is further configured to supply the diluted chemical solution to the substrate waiting for cleaning in the cleaning device. ..
By supplying the chemical solution from the second chemical solution control unit that supplies the chemical solution to the lower surface of the substrate to the substrate waiting for cleaning, a separate configuration for supplying the chemical solution to the standby substrate can be omitted, and the fluid circuit The configuration can be simplified.

According to the eighth embodiment, a storage medium containing a program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a cleaning unit is provided. This recording medium receives the supply of the chemical solution from the chemical solution inlet portion, controls the flow rate of the chemical solution independently by the first and second chemical solution flow control units, and receives the supply of the diluted water from the diluted water inlet portion. The flow rate of the diluted water is independently controlled by the first and second diluted water flow control units, and the chemical solution and the dilution whose flow rate is controlled by the first chemical solution flow control unit and the first diluted water flow control unit. Water is mixed in the first mixing unit, and the diluted chemical solution is output to the cleaning device. The chemical solution whose flow rate is controlled by the second chemical solution flow control unit and the second diluted water flow control unit, and It stores a program for causing a computer to mix the diluted water in the second mixing unit and output the diluted chemical solution to the cleaning device.

According to this form, the chemical solution from the same chemical solution supply source can be independently diluted in the first and second chemical solution control units, and the flow rate and concentration of the chemical solution can be controlled independently.
Further, since the configuration is such that the chemical solution (diluted chemical solution) is output from the first and second chemical solution control units, respectively, the output of the chemical solution from any of the first and second chemical solution control units can be stopped.
Further, since the first and second chemical solution control units can control the flow rate of each chemical solution, it is not necessary to adjust the flow rate by using a throttle as in the case of branching the chemical solution from a common flow path. Therefore, the pressure loss that the chemical solution and the diluted water receive on the flow path of the cleaning chemical solution supply device and the cleaning device is reduced, and the decrease in the flow rate of the chemical solution to the cleaning device can be suppressed or prevented.

According to the ninth aspect, in the storage medium of the eighth aspect, the diluted chemical solution from the first and second mixing portions is further supplied to the first surface and the second surface of the same substrate. Contains a program to be executed by a computer. The flow rate and concentration of the chemical solution supplied to the first surface and the second surface of the substrate can be independently controlled. By controlling in the cleaning chemical solution supply device, it is possible to supply the chemical solution to only one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate. Therefore, it is not necessary to install an additional valve or the like in the cleaning device in order to supply the chemical solution to only one of the first surface and the second surface of the substrate. Further, even when the supply pressure of the chemical solution and / or the diluted water to the cleaning chemical solution supply device is low, it is possible to suppress or prevent a decrease in the flow rate of the chemical solution supplied to the first surface or the second surface of the substrate. ..

According to the tenth aspect, it is a cleaning chemical liquid supply device for supplying the chemical liquid for cleaning to the cleaning device, and is a flow meter, a first pipe entering the flow meter, and a second pipe exiting the flow meter. A cleaning chemical liquid supply device is provided in which the first pipe and the second pipe are tilted from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

According to this configuration, neither the first pipe nor the second pipe is arranged along the horizontal direction, so that it is possible to suppress the retention of air (air bubbles) in the pipe. Further, since both the first pipe and the second pipe are inclined from the vertical direction, the pressure loss of the flow path can be reduced.

In the eleventh form, in the cleaning chemical liquid supply device of the tenth form, the first pipe and the second pipe are arranged so as to be inclined at the same inclination.
According to this form, the installation of the first and second pipes is easy.

In the twelfth form, the flow meter is tilted and arranged in the cleaning chemical solution supply device of the tenth or eleventh form.
According to this form, the flow path in the flow meter and the flow path including the first and second pipes can be tilted.

In the thirteenth form, in any of the tenth to twelfth forms of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device, at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe is connected to a pipe extending in the horizontal direction, and the pipe extending in the horizontal direction is a pipe. On the side connected to at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe, the pipe is curved so as to approach the extending direction of at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe.
In this configuration, the pipe extending in the horizontal direction can be connected to the first pipe and / or the second pipe extending in an inclined manner by bending the pipe. When connecting a pipe extending in the horizontal direction to a pipe extending in the vertical direction, the change in direction is large, so that the pipe is often connected via a joint. According to the configuration of this form, since the first pipe and the second pipe are arranged at an angle, the pipe extending in the horizontal direction is gently curved to connect to the first pipe and / or the second pipe. Can be done. The first pipe and / or the second pipe may be connected to a pipe extending in the horizontal direction via a valve.

In the fourteenth form, in any of the tenth to twelfth forms of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device, at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe is connected to a pipe extending in the vertical direction, and the pipe extending in the vertical direction is a pipe. On the side connected to at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe, the pipe is curved so as to approach the extending direction of at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe.
In this configuration, the pipe extending in the vertical direction can be connected to the first pipe and / or the second pipe extending in an inclined manner by bending the pipe. When connecting a pipe extending in the vertical direction to a pipe extending in the horizontal direction, the change in direction is large, so that the pipe is often connected via a joint. According to the configuration of this form, since the first pipe and the second pipe are arranged at an angle, the pipe extending in the vertical direction is connected to the first pipe and / or the second pipe by gently bending the pipe. Can be done. The first pipe and / or the second pipe may be connected to a pipe extending in the vertical direction via a valve.

The fifteenth form is the cleaning chemical liquid supply device according to any one of the tenth to the fourteenth forms, wherein at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe has a bent portion on the side opposite to the flow meter. Each piping part on both sides of the bent part is inclined from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.
According to this form, even when the first and / or the second pipe has a bent portion, each pipe portion on both sides of the bent portion is tilted, so that the retention of air (air bubbles) in the pipe is suppressed. be able to. Air tends to stay in the bent part because the pipe changes direction, but by tilting each pipe part on both sides of the bent part from the horizontal and vertical directions, the retention of air (air bubbles) in the bent part is suppressed. can do.

The sixteenth form is the cleaning chemical liquid supply device according to any one of the tenth to fifteenth forms, and the flow meter is an ultrasonic flow meter.
As described above, by arranging the first and second pipes at an angle, it is possible to suppress the retention of air bubbles in these pipes and at the boundary portion, so that the accuracy of flow rate detection by the ultrasonic flow meter is improved. Can be made to.
By suppressing the retention of air bubbles in the pipe, it is considered that there is also an effect of suppressing the drift of the fluid flowing in the pipe (the bias of the flow velocity). Therefore, even when a differential pressure type flow meter is used, the flow rate is detected. It is thought that the accuracy can be improved.

In the 17th form, in any of the 10th to 16th forms, at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe is tilted at an inclination angle of 10 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less from the vertical direction. ..
By setting the angle of inclination from the vertical direction to 10 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less, it is possible to suppress the retention of air bubbles and reduce the pressure loss of the fluid in the pipe at the same time. When the inclination angle is less than 10 degrees, the pressure loss in the pipe becomes large, while when the inclination angle exceeds 40 degrees, the effect of suppressing bubble retention becomes small. Even outside this angle range, the pressure loss reduction effect or the bubble retention effect is small, but a certain effect can be obtained by tilting the first pipe and the second pipe from the horizontal and vertical directions.

The eighteenth form further includes a flow rate control valve and a pressure gauge arranged on a flow path on the output side of the flow rate control valve in any of the tenth to seventeenth forms of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device. In this embodiment, the flow rate control of the cleaning chemical liquid supply device, abnormality detection, and the like can be performed by using the detection value of the pressure gauge.

19th embodiment is the cleaning chemical liquid supply device according to 18th embodiment, wherein the flow rate control valve controls the flow rate based on the detection value of the flow meter, and is based on the detection value of the pressure gauge. It is possible to control the flow rate.
For example, the flow control valve can be controlled based on the detected value of the flow meter, and the flow control valve can be controlled based on the detected value of the pressure gauge when an abnormality is detected in the flow meter. It is also possible to use it in the opposite way. For example, a pressure gauge can be used as a backup for the flow meter.

The twentieth aspect is the cleaning chemical liquid supply device according to the eighteenth or nineteenth form, based on the detection value of the pressure gauge, the pipe on the output side of the flow control valve, and at least one of the devices connected to the pipe. Abnormality detection is performed.
Based on the detection value of the pressure gauge, it is possible to detect an abnormality in the piping downstream of the flow control valve (pipe leakage, etc.) and an abnormality in the device connected to the piping (nozzle, valve, etc.).

The 21st embodiment is a cleaning unit, and includes the cleaning chemical liquid supply device according to any one of the 10th to 20th embodiments, and the cleaning device connected to the cleaning chemical liquid supply device.
According to this form, the cleaning unit can exert the effects of the above-mentioned form. As a result, the flow rate of the chemical solution supplied to the cleaning device can be controlled accurately. Further, in one example, even if an abnormality occurs in one of the flow meter and the pressure gauge, the flow control by the flow control valve can be continued by using the other sensor. Further, in one example, the pressure sensor can be used to detect an abnormality in a pipe, a nozzle, a valve, or the like.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above based on some examples, the above-described embodiments of the present invention are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. .. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes an equivalent thereof. In addition, any combination or omission of the claims and the components described in the specification is possible within the range in which at least a part of the above-mentioned problems can be solved, or in the range in which at least a part of the effect is exhibited. Is.

1 Polishing device 2 Housing 3 Load ports 4a to 4d Polishing unit 5a to 5b Cleaning unit 6 Drying unit 7 1st transfer robot 8 2nd transfer robot 9a 2nd transfer robot 9b 3rd transfer robot 10 Cleaning unit 20 Chemical solution supply source 30 DIW Supply source 50 Chemical solution utility box 51 Input section 52 On-off valve 53 Lockout valve 54 Pressure gauge 60 Regulator 61 Input section 80 to 86, 90 to 96 Piping 100 Cleaning chemical liquid supply device 101 Case
110 Control device 120 1st chemical solution dilution box 121 1st chemical solution CLC
122 1st DIWCLC
123 Mixing part 130 Second chemical solution dilution box 131 Second chemical solution CLC
132 2nd DIWCLC
133 Mixing unit 141 Suckback valve unit 142 Pressure gauge
151,152 On-off valve
153 Pressure gauge 200 Cleaning device 210 Cleaning unit 211 Nozzle 212 Nozzle 230 Standby unit 300 Control device
800 plumbing
802-805 Piping part 1211 Flow control valve 1211a Valve body 1211b Drive source 1212 Flow meter 1213 Control unit
1214 housing
1214a, 1224a entrance
1214b Exit
1214c Exit
1215 base
1216, 1226 Valve block
1217 housing
1218, 1219 Mounting base

Claims (13)

A cleaning chemical supply device for supplying a chemical solution for cleaning to a cleaning device.
With a flow meter,
The first pipe that goes into the flow meter and
The second pipe coming out of the flow meter and
The flow meter, the base to which the first pipe and the second pipe are attached, and
A housing for accommodating the flow meter, the first pipe, the second pipe, and the base.
Equipped with
The base is fixed to the side surface and the bottom surface of the housing and is provided tilted from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and the first pipe and the second pipe are tilted from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction for cleaning. Chemical supply device. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to claim 1,
The base includes a first base to which the flow meter, the first pipe and the second pipe are attached, and a second base attached to one end of the first base and fixed to the bottom surface of the housing. A cleaning chemical supply device comprising a third base attached to the other end of the first base and fixed to the side surface of the housing, the first base being tilted from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to claim 1 or 2.
The cleaning chemical liquid supply device in which the first pipe and the second pipe are arranged at an inclination of the same inclination. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
A cleaning chemical supply device in which the flow meter is tilted. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
At least one of the first pipe and the second pipe is connected to a pipe extending in the horizontal direction, and the pipe extending in the horizontal direction is connected to at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe. A cleaning chemical liquid supply device that is curved so as to approach the extending direction of at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
At least one of the first pipe and the second pipe is connected to a pipe extending in the vertical direction, and the pipe extending in the vertical direction is connected to at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe. A cleaning chemical liquid supply device that is curved so as to approach the extending direction of at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
At least one of the first pipe and the second pipe has a bent portion on the opposite side of the flow meter, and each pipe portion on both sides of the bent portion is inclined from the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.
Cleaning chemical supply device. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
The flow meter is a cleaning chemical liquid supply device which is an ultrasonic flow meter. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
A cleaning chemical supply device in which at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe is tilted at an inclination angle of 10 degrees or more and 40 degrees or less from the vertical direction. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
Flow control valve and
A pressure gauge arranged on the flow path on the output side of the flow control valve,
A cleaning chemical supply device further equipped with. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to claim 10,
The flow rate control valve is a cleaning chemical liquid supply device capable of controlling the flow rate based on the detected value of the flow meter and controlling the flow rate based on the detected value of the pressure gauge. In the cleaning chemical solution supply device according to claim 10 or 11.
A cleaning chemical liquid supply device that detects at least one abnormality in a pipe on the output side of the flow control valve and a device connected to the pipe based on the detection value of the pressure gauge. It ’s a cleaning unit,
The cleaning chemical solution supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.
The cleaning device connected to the cleaning chemical supply device and
A cleaning unit.

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