KR20090030789A - Apparatus for treating substrate and method for treating waste fluid using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for treating substrate and method for treating waste fluid using the same are provided to efficiently process the waste water by using the waste water cooling tank mixing the coolant. The treatment liquid supply unit(100) supplies the processing liquid to the substrate cleaning unit(200). The supplied processing liquid is supplied to the substrate cleaning unit in a high temperature state. The substrate cleaning unit performs the process of washing the semiconductor substrate. The processing liquid used in the substrate cleaning unit is pumped out from the drain unit(300). The processing liquid of the high temperature state is effectively cooled by the drain unit. The treatment liquid supply unit comprises the storage tank(110) and processing liquid transfer line(120).

Description

Substrate processing apparatus and waste liquid processing method using the same {APPARATUS FOR TREATING SUBSTRATE AND METHOD FOR TREATING WASTE FLUID USING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for discharging the waste liquid generated in the substrate processing process.

In general, semiconductor manufacturing processes include cleaning processes that remove various foreign matters such as particulate metal impurities, organic contaminants, surface coatings, and the like on a wafer. Among the apparatuses for performing such a cleaning process, the batch type wafer cleaning apparatus includes a processing liquid supply unit and a substrate cleaning unit. The processing liquid supply unit includes supply lines for supplying the processing liquid to the processing tank of the storage tank and the substrate cleaning unit. The substrate cleaning unit is a unit that cleans the wafer. The substrate cleaning unit includes at least one treatment tank.

Such a batch type cleaning apparatus supplies a plurality of treatment liquids to a treatment tank, and then circulates and mixes the treatment liquids in the treatment tank to generate a cleaning liquid for cleaning the substrate. When a cleaning liquid that satisfies a predetermined temperature is generated in the processing tank, the wafer is immersed in the processing tank to clean the wafer. If such a wafer cleaning process is repeated, three semens in the treatment tank are contaminated, so the contaminated cleaning liquid in the treatment tank needs to be replaced with a new cleaning liquid. However, since the contaminated cleaning liquid in the treatment tank is heated to a high temperature, the high temperature contaminated cleaning liquid should be discharged after cooling below a certain temperature.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus that effectively cools and discharges hot contaminated waste liquid.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a waste liquid treatment method using the substrate processing apparatus.

In order to solve the above problems, the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes a treatment tank and a waste liquid cooling tank. The treatment tank uses the treatment liquid to treat the substrate. The waste liquid cooling tank stores a cooling liquid having a lower temperature than the processing liquid, the processing liquid and the cooling liquid discharged from the processing tank. Here, the waste liquid cooling tank is formed at a predetermined height from a lower surface, characterized in that it comprises a side wall formed with a discharge port for discharging the processing liquid and the cooling liquid.

In order to solve the above problems, the waste liquid treatment method of the present invention includes a waste liquid cooling tank for mixing the waste liquid and a cooling liquid having a temperature lower than the temperature of the waste liquid to treat the waste liquid. At this time, one side wall of the cooling tank is provided with a discharge port formed at a predetermined height from the lower surface, characterized in that the waste liquid overflows to the discharge port is discharged.

The substrate processing apparatus and waste liquid treatment method using the apparatus of the present invention effectively cool and discharge the hot waste liquid.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed subject matter is thorough and complete, and that the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art will fully convey. Portions denoted by like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the specification.

In addition, although the embodiment according to the present invention has been described with an example of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus for immersing a wafer in a cleaning liquid, the present invention may be applied to any substrate processing apparatus for treating a substrate with a predetermined processing liquid.

1 is a view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes a processing liquid supply unit 100, a substrate cleaning unit 200, and a drainage unit 300. The processing liquid supply unit 100 supplies the processing liquid to the substrate cleaning unit 200. At this time, the processing liquid is supplied to the substrate cleaning unit 200 at a high temperature. The substrate cleaning unit 200 performs a process of cleaning a semiconductor substrate (hereinafter, referred to as a “wafer”). The drainage unit 300 drains the treatment liquid used in the substrate cleaning unit 200. At this time, the drainage unit 300 effectively cools the treatment liquid in the high temperature state and drains it.

The treatment liquid supply unit 100 includes a storage tank 110 and a treatment liquid transfer line 120. The storage tank 110 stores the treatment liquid. The treatment liquid is a chemical liquid for a cleaning process that removes foreign matter remaining on the wafer W surface. The treatment liquid transfer line 120 supplies the treatment liquid from the storage tank 110 to the substrate cleaning unit 200. At this time, the treatment liquid transfer line 120 supplies the treatment liquid in the storage tank 110 to the substrate cleaning unit 200 in a natural dropping manner.

The substrate cleaning unit 200 cleans the wafer (W). The substrate cleaning unit 200 includes a treating bath 210 and a circulation member 220. At least one treatment tank 210 is provided, and includes an inner bath 212 and an outer bath 214.

The internal bath 212 has a first housing 212a, a spray nozzle 212b and a boat 212c. A space in which the cleaning process of the plurality of wafers W is performed is formed in the first housing 212a. The upper portion of the first housing 212a is opened, and the opened upper portion is used as a passage through which the wafers W enter and exit during processing. The injection nozzle 212b injects the treatment liquid into the first housing 212a during the process. The boat 212c vertically supports the plurality of wafers W vertically inside the first housing 212a during the process.

The outer bath 214 has a second housing 214a and a cover 214b. The second housing 214a is installed to surround the side of the first housing 212a. The top height of the sidewall of the second housing 214a is provided higher than the height of the top of the sidewall of the first housing 212a. The second housing 214a is open at the top to receive the processing liquid overflowing from the open top of the first housing 212a during the process.

The circulation member 220 circulates the treatment liquid in the treatment tank 210. The circulation member 220 includes a circulation line 222, a pump 224, a filter 226, and a heater 228. One end of the circulation line 222 is connected to the first housing 212a and the second housing 214a, and the other end of the circulation line 222 is connected to the injection nozzle 212b. The circulation line 222 supplies the treatment liquid in the first and second housings 212a and 214a to the injection nozzle 212b during the process. The pump 224 is installed on the circulation line 222 to provide a flow pressure to the processing liquid in the circulation line 222. The filter 226 is installed on the circulation line 222 to filter foreign matter in the processing liquid flowing along the circulation line 222 during the process. The heater 228 is installed on the circulation line 222 to heat the processing liquid flowing along the circulation line 222 during the process to a predetermined process temperature.

Subsequently, the drainage unit 300 for cooling and draining the processing liquid in the high temperature state treated by the substrate cleaning unit drains the processing liquid in the processing tank 210. The drainage unit 300 includes a treatment liquid inlet line 310, a cooling liquid supply line 320, a cooling tank unit 330, and a mixed liquid discharge line 340.

The treatment liquid inlet line 310 transfers the treatment liquid in a high temperature state in the treatment tank 210. One end of the treatment liquid inflow line 310 is branched from a rear end of the pump 224 installed in the circulation line 222, and the other end of the treatment liquid inflow line 310 is connected to the cooling tank 330. The treatment liquid inflow line 310 transfers the treatment liquid (hereinafter, 'waste liquid') used in the treatment tank 210 to the cooling tank unit 330.

The coolant supply line 320 transfers the coolant to the cooling tank part 330. In this embodiment, ultrapure water (De-Ionized Water) is used as the cooling liquid.

The cooling tank 330 mixes the waste liquid introduced through the treatment liquid inflow line 310 and the cooling liquid introduced through the cooling liquid supply line 320 to generate a mixed liquid. As a result, the waste liquid in the high temperature state and the cooling liquid in the low temperature state are mixed, whereby the waste liquid in the high temperature state can be cooled from high temperature to low temperature.

The mixed liquid discharge line 340 drains the mixed liquid generated while the high temperature waste liquid is cooled to a waste liquid processing chamber (not shown).

Hereinafter, the cooling tank unit shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

2 is a perspective view of a cooling tank constituting the cooling tank unit shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling tank shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion A shown in FIG. 3.

2 and 3, the cooling tank unit 330 includes a waste liquid cooling tank 332 and a mixing unit 334.

The waste liquid cooling tank 332 includes an upper surface S1, a lower surface S2 facing the upper surface S1, and a plurality of sidewalls S3 connecting the upper surface S1 and the lower surface S1. Is done. 2 shows a waste liquid cooling tank 332 having four side walls. Therefore, in this embodiment, the waste liquid cooling tank 332 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The first inlet OP1 and the second inlet OP2 are formed at the upper surface S1 of the waste liquid cooling tank 332. Cooling liquid and waste liquid are introduced into the waste liquid cooling tank 332 through the first inlet OP1. Cooling liquid flows into the waste liquid cooling tank 332 through the second inlet OP2. At this time, before the coolant and the waste liquid introduced through the first inlet OP1 are introduced into the cooling tank, the coolant is first introduced into the cooling tank through the second inlet OP2 and the bottom surface of the cooling tank. Stagnated in In a state where the coolant is stagnant on the bottom surface of the waste liquid cooling tank 332, the waste liquid of a high temperature state flows in the vertical direction through the first inlet OP1 and is mixed with the coolant stagnant on the bottom surface. Therefore, by directly mixing the waste liquid in a high temperature state and the cooling liquid, it is possible to increase the cooling effect.

A discharge port OP3 is formed at one side wall S3 of the sidewalls S3 of the waste liquid cooling tank 332. The discharge port OP3 is connected to the discharge line 340 so that the waste liquid and the cooling liquid are drained to the waste liquid treatment chamber (not shown) through the discharge line.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 4, the outlet OP3 is spaced apart from the lower surface S1 of the waste liquid cooling tank 332 at regular intervals and is formed on the sidewall. That is, the outlet OP3 is formed at a predetermined height h from the lower surface S1 on one side wall S2 of the cooling tank. Thus, when the level of the mixed liquid consisting of the waste liquid and the cooling liquid flowing into the waste liquid cooling tank 332 reaches the outlet (0P3), the mixed liquid overflows the discharge line 340 connected to the outlet (OP3) Through the waste liquid treatment chamber. Therefore, the mixed liquid consisting of the waste liquid and the cooling liquid has a sufficient cooling time until the water level reaches the outlet OP3 and overflows. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the waste liquid at high temperature can be maximized.

On the other hand, the height h1 of the outlet formed in the side wall (S3) is determined according to the area of the lower surface (S2) of the waste liquid cooling tank (332). That is, as the area of the lower surface S2 increases, the waste liquid in the high temperature state is mixed with a sufficient amount of the cooling liquid, so that the cooling time of the waste liquid is shortened. Therefore, as the area of the lower surface S2 increases, the height h of the outlet OP3 spaced apart from the lower surface S2 is designed to be lower from the lower surface S2. For example, assuming that an outlet formed in one side wall of the cooling tank having the lower surface S2 of the first area has a first height from the lower surface, the cooling tank having the lower surface of the second area larger than the first area. The outlet wall OP3 having a second height lower than the first height is designed on one side wall thereof.

The height of the outlet OP3 formed on the side wall may be quantified through repeated experiments of the flow rate of the waste liquid and the coolant, the area of the lower surface, and the temperature change rate of the waste liquid, and the height of the outlet may be determined based on the numerical result. .

2 and 3, the mixing unit 334 mixes the waste liquid according to the flow of the cooling liquid and transfers the waste liquid into the waste liquid cooling tank 332. Therefore, before the waste liquid is cooled inside the cooling tank, the waste liquid may be primarily cooled in the mixing unit 334.

The mixing portion 334 includes a body 334a and a three-way valve 334b. The body 334a includes a first inlet pipe 334a-1, a second inlet pipe 334a-2, and a discharge pipe 334a-3. The first inlet pipe 334a-1 is connected to the three-way valve 334b to receive a coolant. The second inflow pipe 334a-2 is connected to the treatment liquid inflow line 310 to receive the waste liquid drained from the treatment tank 210 (see FIG. 1). The discharge pipe (334a-3) is connected to the first opening (OP1) formed in the upper surface (S1) of the waste liquid cooling tank 332 and the cooling liquid introduced through the first inlet pipe and the second inlet pipe, respectively And the waste liquid is drained into the interior space of the waste liquid cooling tank 332. The three-way valve 334b supplies the coolant supplied through the coolant supply line 320 to the second opening OP22 connected to the body 334a through a separate line.

Hereinafter, the waste liquid processing method using the above-mentioned substrate processing apparatus is demonstrated.

First, a predetermined amount of cooling liquid is filled in the waste liquid cooling tank 332. At this time, the coolant flows into the waste liquid cooling tank 332 simultaneously through the first inlet OP1 and the second inlet OP2 through the three-way valve shown in FIG. 3. Thereafter, the waste liquid is introduced into the cooling tank through the first inlet OP1 through the mixing unit 334 connected to the treatment liquid inflow line 310. At this time, the waste liquid introduced through the treatment liquid inflow line 310 is primarily mixed in the mixing unit 334 is introduced into the waste liquid cooling tank 332. Thereafter, the cooling liquid stagnated in the waste liquid cooling tank 332 and the waste liquid and the cooling liquid supplied together through the mixing unit 334 are mixed. The waste liquid and the coolant mixed in this way are raised in water level and overflowed through the discharge line 340 connected to the discharge port OP3 to be disposed of. As a result, the waste liquid is sufficiently cooled and drained by the cooling liquid during the time when the mixed waste liquid and the cooling liquid overflow.

1 is a view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

2 is a perspective view of a cooling tank unit constituting the drainage unit shown in FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling tank shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion A shown in FIG. 3.

Claims (5)

A treatment tank for treating the substrate using the treatment liquid; And A waste liquid cooling tank supplied from the outside and having a lower temperature than the treatment liquid and storing the treatment liquid discharged from the treatment tank, And the waste liquid cooling tank has a sidewall formed at a predetermined height from a lower surface thereof and having a sidewall formed at an outlet for discharging the processing liquid and the cooling liquid. The method of claim 1, A treatment liquid inlet line for introducing the treatment liquid into the waste liquid cooling tank; A coolant supply line for supplying the coolant to the waste liquid cooling tank; And And a discharge line for discharging the processing liquid and the cooling liquid connected to the discharge port. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, The coolant is, Substrate processing apparatus characterized in that the ultra-pure water (De-Ionized Water). In the waste liquid processing method of processing the used processing liquid, A waste liquid cooling tank for mixing the treatment liquid and the cooling liquid at a temperature lower than the temperature of the treatment liquid is provided to treat the waste liquid, One side wall of the cooling tank is provided with a discharge port formed at a predetermined height from a lower surface, and when the level of the mixed waste liquid and the processing liquid reaches the predetermined height, the mixed waste liquid and the processing liquid overflow to the discharge port and discharged. Waste liquid treatment method characterized in that. The method of claim 4, wherein Mixing of the processing liquid and the cooling liquid, Introducing a coolant into the cooling tank; And injecting the waste liquid into the cooling tank while the cooling liquid is filled.

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