Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method and storage medium
IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0333412
(2008-12-12)
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등록번호 |
US-8409359
(2013-04-02)
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우선권정보 |
JP-2007-331062 (2007-12-21) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
3 |
초록
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Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus capable of decreasing the frequency of shutdown of the apparatus due to lack of processing liquid in a processing liquid supply unit, as well as efficiently using the processing liquid to improve a yield ratio. The substrate processing apparatus includes
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus capable of decreasing the frequency of shutdown of the apparatus due to lack of processing liquid in a processing liquid supply unit, as well as efficiently using the processing liquid to improve a yield ratio. The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of liquid processing units to conduct liquid processing of substrates a substrate carrying unit to carry the substrates in and out of the liquid processing units, a processing liquid supply unit to supply the liquid processing units with processing liquid, and a level gauge to detect an amount of the processing liquid remaining in the processing liquid reservoir of the processing liquid supply unit. The carry of the substrates in the liquid processing units is suspended when the level gauge detects that the amount of the processing liquid remaining in the processing liquid reservoir is below a predetermined threshold.
대표청구항
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1. A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus that includes a processing liquid supplying unit that stores and supplies a processing liquid, a level gauge that detects a level of the processing liquid at the processing liquid supplying unit, a plurality of liquid processing
1. A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus that includes a processing liquid supplying unit that stores and supplies a processing liquid, a level gauge that detects a level of the processing liquid at the processing liquid supplying unit, a plurality of liquid processing units, a flow rate meter installed at a distribution pipe provided between the processing liquid supplying unit and the plurality of liquid processing units, a plurality of branch pipes provided for each of the plurality of liquid processing units, and a plurality of flow rate gauges installed at each of the plurality of branch pipes, the substrate processing method comprising: sequentially carrying a plurality of substrates into the plurality of liquid processing units;supplying a processing liquid from the processing liquid supply unit to the plurality of liquid processing units to conduct a liquid processing for each of the plurality of substrates;carrying one of the plurality of substrates out of the plurality of liquid processing units after the liquid processing is completed for the one of the plurality of substrates while the rest of the plurality of substrates remain in the liquid processing units;detecting an amount of the processing liquid remaining in the processing liquid supply unit using the level gauge while each of the liquid processing units is conducting a liquid processing for each of the plurality of substrates;carrying an unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units where the one of the plurality of substrates completed with the liquid processing is carried out;when it is detected by the level gauge that the amount of the processing liquid remaining in the processing liquid supply units is below a predetermined threshold, suspending the carrying of the unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units where the one of the plurality of substrates completed with the liquid processing is carried out while continuing the liquid processing for the plurality of substrates remaining in the processing units, thereby completing the liquid processing for the plurality of substrates remaining in the processing units;detecting a flow rate of the processing liquid supplied to each of the liquid processing units from the distribution pipe using a corresponding flow rate gauge installed at each of the plurality of branch pipes;when it is detected by the corresponding flow rate gauge that the supplying of the processing liquid to a corresponding liquid processing unit is suspended, suspending an operation of the corresponding liquid processing unit and recording an event that the liquid processing of the substrate in the corresponding liquid processing unit is incomplete;returning the processing liquid that is not used by the corresponding liquid processing unit to the processing liquid supply unit in a lump;detecting a flow rate of the processing liquid returning to the processing liquid supply unit using the flow rate meter; andwhen it is detected by the flow rate meter that the flow rate of the processing liquid returning to the processing liquid supply unit is below a predetermined threshold, suspending the liquid processing of the substrates in all of the operating processing units and recording an event that the liquid processing of the substrates in all of the operating liquid processing units is incomplete. 2. The substrate processing method of claim 1, wherein the processing liquid supply units comprise a processing liquid combination tank, a processing liquid reservoir, a processing liquid transfer unit, and a processing liquid distributor, and the substrate processing method further comprises: combining in the processing liquid combination tank stock solutions supplied from a plurality of stock solution sources to produce the processing liquid;transferring the processing liquid produced in the processing liquid combination tank to the processing liquid reservoir by the processing liquid transfer unit and containing the processing liquid in the processing liquid reservoir; anddistributing the processing liquid contained in the processing liquid reservoir to the liquid processing units by the processing liquid distributor. 3. The substrate processing method of claim 2, further comprising suspending carrying the unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units when the amount of the processing liquid in the processing liquid reservoir is below a predetermined threshold. 4. The substrate processing method of claim 2, further comprising suspending carrying the unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units when the amount of the processing liquid in the processing liquid combination tank is below a predetermined threshold. 5. The substrate processing method of claim 2, further comprising suspending carrying the unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units when a malfunction of the processing liquid delivery unit is detected. 6. The substrate processing method of claim 2, further comprising suspending carrying the unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units when a malfunction of the stock solution sources is detected. 7. The substrate processing method of claim 1, further comprising making the liquid processing units to clean the substrates with pure water and to dry the substrates when it is determined that the supplying the processing liquid to the liquid processing units is suspended. 8. The substrate processing method of claim 1, further comprising making all operating liquid processing units to clean the substrates with pure water and to dry the substrates when the flow rate of the processing liquid returning to the processing liquid supply unit is below the predetermined threshold. 9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer executable program that, when executed, causes a computer to perform a substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus that includes a processing liquid supplying unit that stores and supplies a processing liquid, a level gauge that detects a level of the processing liquid at the processing liquid supplying unit, a plurality of liquid processing units, a flow rate meter installed at a distribution pipe provided between the processing liquid supplying unit and the plurality of liquid processing units, a plurality of branch pipes provided for each of the plurality of liquid processing units, and a plurality of flow rate gauges installed at each of the plurality of branch pipes, the substrate processing method comprising: sequentially carrying a plurality of substrates into the plurality of liquid processing units;supplying a processing liquid from the processing liquid supply unit to the plurality of liquid processing units to conduct a liquid processing for each of the plurality of substrates;carrying one of the plurality of substrates out of the plurality of liquid processing units after the liquid processing is completed for the one of the plurality of substrates while the rest of the plurality of substrates remain in the liquid processing units;detecting an amount of the processing liquid remaining in the processing liquid supply unit using the level gauge while each of the liquid processing units is conducting a liquid processing for each of the plurality of substrates;carrying an unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units where the one of the plurality of substrates completed with the liquid processing is carried out;when it is detected by the level gauge that the amount of the processing liquid remaining in the processing liquid supply units is below a predetermined threshold, suspending the carrying of the unprocessed substrate into one of the plurality of liquid processing units where the one of the plurality of substrates completed with the liquid processing is carried out while continuing the liquid processing for the plurality of substrates remaining in the processing units, thereby completing the liquid processing for the plurality of substrates remaining in the processing units;detecting a flow rate of the processing liquid supplied to each of the liquid processing units from the distribution pipe using a corresponding flow rate gauge installed at each of the plurality of branch pipes;when it is detected by the corresponding flow rate gauge that the supplying of the processing liquid to a corresponding liquid processing unit is suspended, suspending an operation of the corresponding liquid processing unit and recording an event that the liquid processing of the substrate in the corresponding liquid processing unit is incomplete;returning the processing liquid that is not used by the corresponding liquid processing unit to the processing liquid supply unit in a lump;detecting a flow rate of the processing liquid returning to the processing liquid supply unit using the flow rate meter; andwhen it is detected by the flow rate meter that the flow rate of the processing liquid returning to the processing liquid supply unit is below a predetermined threshold, suspending the liquid processing of the substrates in all of the operating processing units and recording an event that the liquid processing of the substrates in all of the operating liquid processing units is incomplete.
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
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Moriyama, Masashi; Yamahira, Yutaka; Matsuyama, Yuji, Processing liquid supply unit.
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Hiroki Taniyama JP; Youichi Tanaka JP; Toshihiko Takahashi JP, Substrate cleaning apparatus and method.
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Taniyama Hiroki,JPX ; Ataka Hiroyuki,JPX, Substrate transport method and apparatus, and substrate processing system.
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