U.S. patent application number 14/652471 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-21 for substrate processing device.
This patent application is currently assigned to SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Michinori IWAO.
Application Number | 20160020085 14/652471 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51491090 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160020085 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
IWAO; Michinori |
January 21, 2016 |
SUBSTRATE PROCESSING DEVICE
Abstract
A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing unit
supplying at least one of a plurality of types of chemical liquids
to a substrate and a scrubber cleaning an exhaust by bringing the
exhaust in contact with a scrubbing liquid. The scrubber includes
an exhaust passage that guides the exhaust, generated at the
processing unit and containing the chemical liquid, toward an
exhaust equipment disposed outside the substrate processing
apparatus and a discharger that is able to discharge each of a
plurality of types of scrubbing liquids that clean the exhaust
individually inside the exhaust passage. A controller selects any
one of the plurality of types of scrubbing liquids based on the
type of chemical liquid contained in the exhaust and makes the
selected scrubbing liquid be discharged from the discharger.
Inventors: |
IWAO; Michinori; (Kyoto,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. |
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
JP
|
Family ID: |
51491090 |
Appl. No.: |
14/652471 |
Filed: |
February 18, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
February 18, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2014/053760 |
371 Date: |
June 16, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/110 ;
134/109 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 53/1412 20130101;
B01D 2251/50 20130101; B01D 53/40 20130101; B01D 53/1456 20130101;
B01D 53/78 20130101; B01D 53/42 20130101; B08B 3/08 20130101; H01L
21/02041 20130101; B01D 2251/60 20130101; B01D 53/346 20130101;
B01D 2258/0216 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 21/02 20060101
H01L021/02; B08B 3/08 20060101 B08B003/08; B01D 53/78 20060101
B01D053/78 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 6, 2013 |
JP |
2013-044540 |
Claims
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit
that supplies at least one of a plurality of types of chemical
liquids to a substrate; a scrubber including an exhaust passage
that guides exhaust, generated at the processing unit and
containing the chemical liquid, toward an exhaust equipment
disposed outside the substrate processing apparatus and a
discharger that discharges each of a plurality of types of
scrubbing liquids, that clean the exhaust, individually inside the
exhaust passage, the scrubber being configured to clear the exhaust
by bringing the exhaust flowing through the exhaust passage in
contact with the scrubbing liquid; and a controller that selects
any one of the plurality of types of scrubbing liquids based on the
type of chemical liquid contained in the exhaust and makes the
selected scrubbing liquid be discharged from the discharger.
2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the scrubber further includes a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the exhaust passage, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage
to pass through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid
internally.
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the discharger discharges the scrubbing liquid toward the scrubber
filter.
4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the scrubber further includes a mist filter that is disposed in the
exhaust passage at a position further downstream than the
discharger and the scrubber filter, allows gas flowing through the
exhaust passage to pass through the mist filter, and removes a
liquid component from the gas.
5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the scrubber further includes a drain apparatus that expels liquid
inside the exhaust passage by making the liquid be suctioned into a
drain port that opens inside the exhaust passage.
6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the scrubber further includes a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the exhaust passage at a position further upstream than the drain
port, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage to pass
through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid internally, and the
drain apparatus includes a drain passage that extends from a
position upstream than the scrubber filter to the drain port
through a position below the scrubber filter such that the liquid
inside the exhaust passage flows toward the drain port along the
drain passage.
7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the scrubber further includes a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the exhaust passage, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage
to pass through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid internally,
and the discharger discharges the scrubbing liquid constantly.
8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the scrubber further includes a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the exhaust passage, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage
to pass through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid internally,
and the discharger discharges the scrubbing liquid
intermittently.
9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
the scrubber further includes an exhaust pressure sensor that
detects a gas pressure in the exhaust passage and the controller
makes the discharger discharge the scrubbing liquid intermittently
based on a detection value of the exhaust pressure sensor.
10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the scrubber further includes a plurality of scrubber
filters that allow gas flowing through the exhaust passage to pass
through the plurality of scrubber filters and retain liquid
internally and a filter switching apparatus switching a state of
each of the plurality of scrubber filters individually, the filter
switching apparatus switches the state of each of the plurality of
scrubber filters individually between a removal state in which the
gas inside exhaust passage passes through the scrubber filter and a
removal stop state in which the passage of the gas through the
scrubber filter is stopped, and the controller selects any one of
the plurality of scrubber filters based on the type of chemical
liquid contained in the exhaust and causes the filter switching
apparatus to switch the states of the plurality of scrubber filters
such that the exhaust passes through the selected scrubber
filter.
11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the processing unit includes a gas-liquid separator that is
disposed further upstream than the scrubber and removes liquid from
the exhaust generated at the processing unit.
12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the processing unit includes a plurality of processing
units, each of which supplies at least one of a plurality of types
of chemical liquids, and the exhaust passage includes a plurality
of individual passages connected respectively to the plurality of
processing units and a collection passage extending downstream from
the plurality of individual passages.
13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein the discharger includes a plurality of dischargers disposed
respectively in the plurality of individual passages.
14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein the scrubber further includes a plurality of scrubber
filters that are disposed respectively in the plurality of
individual passages, allow gas flowing through the exhaust passage
to pass through the plurality of scrubber filters, and retain
liquid internally.
15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14,
wherein the scrubber further includes a plurality of mist filters
that are disposed respectively in the plurality of individual
passages at positions further downstream than the plurality of
dischargers and the plurality of scrubber filters, allow gas
flowing through the exhaust passage to pass through the plurality
of mist filters, and remove a liquid component from the gas.
16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein the discharger is disposed in the collection passage.
17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16,
wherein the scrubber further includes a scrubber filter that is
disposed in the collection passage, allows gas flowing through the
exhaust passage to pass through the scrubber filter, and retains
liquid internally.
18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 17,
wherein the scrubber further includes a mist filter that is
disposed in the collection passage at a position further downstream
than the discharger and the scrubber filter, allows gas flowing
through the exhaust passage to pass through the mist filter, and
removes a liquid component from the gas.
19. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein the scrubber further includes a drain apparatus that expels
a liquid inside the exhaust passage by making the liquid be
suctioned into a drain port that opens inside the collection
passage, and the drain apparatus includes a plurality of drain
passages extending from the plurality of individual passages to the
collection passage and inclined with respect to a horizontal plane
such that the liquid inside the exhaust passage flows from the
plurality of individual passages to the collection passage.
Description
FIELD OF THE ART
[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing
apparatus including a processing unit that supplies a processing
liquid, such as a chemical liquid, etc., to a substrate and a
scrubber (gas cleaning apparatus) that cleans exhaust expelled from
the processing unit.
[0002] Examples of substrates to be processed include semiconductor
wafers, substrates for liquid crystal displays, substrates for
plasma displays, substrates for FEDs (Field Emission Displays),
substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks,
substrates for magneto-optical disks, substrates for photomasks,
ceramic substrates, substrates for solar cells, etc.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] In a manufacturing process for a semiconductor device or a
liquid crystal display, etc., an acidic or alkaline chemical liquid
or an organic chemical liquid (a liquid organic solvent) is used to
process a substrate, and exhaust containing pollutants, such as
chemical liquid components, etc., is thus generated. Such exhaust
is removed of the pollutants by a scrubber or other apparatus that
cleans the exhaust and is thereafter released to the atmosphere in
a harmless state.
[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor
manufacturing apparatus, which includes a cleaning apparatus that
cleans the substrate, a dryer that dries the cleaned substrate by
using an organic solvent and a solvent removing apparatus that
removes the organic solvent used in the drying process by the dryer
and is disposed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The
organic solvent that is contained in exhaust generated in the
drying process is removed by a water mist that is injected from a
vapor mist injector of the solvent removing apparatus. The exhaust
that contains the pollutants is thereby cleaned.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Document
[0005] [PATENT DOCUMENT 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication
No. 2009-206303
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problem(s) to be Solved by the Invention
[0006] A wet scrubber, which cleans exhaust using a scrubbing
liquid, cleans the exhaust by removing or neutralizing pollutants
by contact between the exhaust and the scrubbing liquid. To remove
the pollutants efficiently from the exhaust, a scrubbing liquid
that is specialized to the pollutants contained in the exhaust must
be brought in contact with the exhaust. For example, if an alkaline
pollutant is contained in the exhaust, it is preferable to bring an
acidic scrubbing liquid in contact with the exhaust to cause a
neutralization reaction.
[0007] In a manufacturing process for a semiconductor device or a
liquid crystal display, etc., a plurality of types of chemical
liquids, such as an acidic chemical liquid, an alkaline chemical
liquid, and an organic chemical liquid, etc., may be supplied to
the same substrate. Also, even when one type of chemical liquid is
supplied to the substrate, the type of chemical liquid may be
changed in accordance with the contents of the process. The type of
pollutant contained in the exhaust may thus change during the
processing of the substrate or the type of pollutant contained in
the exhaust may change in accordance with the contents of the
process.
[0008] With Patent Document 1, the pollutant contained in the
exhaust is limited to one type (IPA (isopropyl alcohol)) and
therefore there may be no problem even if the vapor mist injector
can inject only one type of scrubbing liquid (water). However, in a
case where a plurality of types of chemical liquids are supplied to
the substrate or a case where the type of chemical liquid supplied
to the substrate is changed according to the contents of the
process, it may not be possible to efficiently clean the exhaust
generated in accompaniment with the processing of the
substrate.
[0009] Therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a
substrate processing apparatus capable of internally cleaning
exhaust generated in accompaniment with processing of a substrate
and changing the type of scrubbing liquid, which cleans the
exhaust, in accordance with the type of pollutant contained in the
exhaust.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0010] A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a
substrate processing apparatus including a processing unit that
supplies at least one of a plurality of types of chemical liquids
to a substrate, a scrubber including an exhaust passage that guides
exhaust, generated at the processing unit and containing the
chemical liquid, toward an exhaust equipment disposed outside the
substrate processing apparatus and a discharger that is able to
discharge each of a plurality of types of scrubbing liquids, that
clean the exhaust, individually inside the exhaust passage, the
scrubber being configured to clear the exhaust by bringing the
exhaust flowing through the exhaust passage in contact with the
scrubbing liquid, and a controller that selects any one of the
plurality of types of scrubbing liquids based on the type of
chemical liquid contained in the exhaust and makes the selected
scrubbing liquid be discharged from the discharger. The discharger
may be a sprayer that sprays the scrubbing liquid to put the
scrubbing liquid in a mist state or a shower head that discharges
the scrubbing liquid continuously from a plurality of holes.
[0011] With this arrangement, at least one of the plurality of
types of chemical liquids is supplied to the substrate.
Specifically, the processing unit supplies two or more types of
chemical liquids to the substrate at mutually different periods or
supplies one type of chemical liquid, selected from among the
plurality of types of chemical liquids, to the substrate. The type
of pollutant (chemical liquid component, etc.) contained in the
exhaust may thus change during the processing of the substrate or
the type of pollutant contained in the exhaust may change according
to the contents of the process.
[0012] The exhaust that is generated at the processing unit and
contains the chemical liquid is guided toward the exterior of the
substrate processing apparatus by the exhaust passage of the
scrubber. The discharger of the scrubber can discharge each of the
plurality of types of scrubbing liquids individually inside the
exhaust passage. The scrubber makes the discharger discharge the
scrubbing liquid inside the exhaust passage to bring the exhaust,
flowing through the exhaust passage, in contact with the scrubbing
liquid. The pollutant is thereby removed from the exhaust and the
cleaned exhaust is expelled to the exhaust equipment disposed
outside the substrate processing apparatus.
[0013] The type of chemical liquid contained in the exhaust changes
in accordance with the type of chemical liquid supplied to the
substrate by the processing unit. Based on the type of chemical
liquid contained in the exhaust, the controller selects the type of
scrubbing liquid to be discharged from the discharger. For example,
if the type of pollutant contained in the exhaust changes during
the processing of the substrate, the controller makes a plurality
of types of scrubbing liquids be discharged from the discharger at
respectively different periods. Also, if the type of pollutant
contained in the exhaust changes in accordance with the contents of
the process, the controller changes the type of scrubbing liquid
according to each content of the process.
[0014] The controller thus selects any one of the plurality of
types of scrubbing liquids based on the type of chemical liquid
supplied to the substrate and therefore even if the type of
pollutant contained in the exhaust changes during the processing of
the substrate or the type of pollutant contained in the exhaust
changes according to the contents of process, the scrubbing liquid
that is specialized to the pollutant contained in the exhaust can
be brought in contact with the exhaust. The exhaust generated at
the processing unit can thus be cleaned within the substrate
processing apparatus and decrease a residual amount of the
pollutant contained in the exhaust.
[0015] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber further includes a filter that is disposed in the exhaust
passage, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage to pass
through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid internally.
[0016] With this arrangement, the scrubber filter that allows
passage of gas is disposed in the exhaust passage. When the
discharger discharges the scrubbing liquid, an atmosphere that
contains the scrubbing liquid attaches to the scrubber filter. The
scrubbing liquid is thus retained on an outer surface of the
scrubber filter and an inner surface of the scrubber filter. The
exhaust flowing through the exhaust passage in a flow-through
direction toward the exterior of the substrate processing apparatus
passes through voids in the interior of the scrubber filter.
[0017] In passing through the interior of the scrubber filter, the
exhaust that contains the pollutant contacts the scrubbing liquid
retained in the scrubber filter. By the scrubbing liquid being
retained in the scrubber filter, the scrubbing liquid present
inside exhaust passage is increased in surface area so that an area
of contact between the exhaust and the scrubbing liquid is also
increased. The pollutant is thereby removed efficiently from the
exhaust.
[0018] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
discharger may discharge the scrubbing liquid toward the scrubber
filter.
[0019] With this arrangement, the scrubbing liquid from the
discharger is blown onto the scrubber filter. The scrubbing liquid
discharged from the discharger thus hits the scrubber filter
directly and the scrubbing liquid is supplied reliably to the
scrubber filter. The amount of scrubbing liquid retained by the
scrubber filter is thus increased and the exhaust is reliably
brought in contact with the scrubbing liquid retained by the
scrubber filter. The residual amount of the pollutant contained in
the exhaust is thereby decreased further and the cleanliness of the
exhaust is improved.
[0020] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a mist filter that is disposed in the
exhaust passage at a position further downstream than the
discharger and the scrubber filter, allows gas flowing through the
exhaust passage to pass through the mist filter, and removes a
liquid component from the gas.
[0021] With this arrangement, the mist filter that allows passage
of gas and removes the liquid component from the gas is disposed in
the exhaust passage at the position further downstream than the
discharger and the scrubber filter with respect to the exhaust
flow-through direction. The exhaust that is decreased in the
residual amount of the pollutant by contact with the scrubbing
liquid thus passes through the mist filter. The exhaust passing
through the mist filter may contain the scrubbing liquid or other
liquid component. Such a liquid component is captured by the mist
filter and is removed from the exhaust. Therefore, not only the
pollutant but the liquid component is also decreased in residual
amount in the interior of the substrate processing apparatus.
[0022] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a drain apparatus that expels liquid
inside the exhaust passage by making the liquid be suctioned into a
drain port that opens inside the exhaust passage.
[0023] With this arrangement, a suction force of the drain
apparatus is transmitted to the drain port that opens inside the
exhaust passage and the liquid inside the exhaust passage is
suctioned into the drain port. The liquid inside the exhaust
passage is thereby expelled. Because the exhaust that contains the
chemical liquid flows into the exhaust passage and the discharger
discharges the scrubbing liquid inside the exhaust passage, liquid
droplets may attach to an inner surface of the exhaust passage or a
pool of liquid may form on a bottom surface (bottom portion of the
inner surface) of the exhaust passage. Therefore by the drain
apparatus expelling the liquid inside the exhaust passage, the
liquid component is suppressed or prevented from mixing in the
exhaust, and different types of scrubbing liquid are suppressed or
prevented from contacting each other inside the exhaust passage.
The cleanliness inside the exhaust passage can thus be improved and
the cleanliness of the exhaust can thereby be improved further.
[0024] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the exhaust passage at a position further upstream than the drain
port, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage to pass
through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid internally. In this
case, the drain apparatus may include a drain passage passing below
the scrubber filter and extending from further upstream than the
scrubber filter to the drain port so that the liquid inside the
exhaust passage flows toward the drain port.
[0025] With this arrangement, the scrubber filter is disposed
further upstream than the drain port. The drain apparatus has the
drain passage passing through a space between the scrubber filter
and the bottom surface of the exhaust passage and extending from
further upstream than the scrubber filter to the drain port. A
liquid present further upstream than the scrubber filter is guided
toward the drain port by the drain passage. The drain apparatus can
thus collect liquid from a wider range of the interior of the
exhaust passage and the residual amount of the liquid inside the
exhaust passage can thereby be decreased.
[0026] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the exhaust passage, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage
to pass through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid internally.
In this case, the discharger may discharge the scrubbing liquid
constantly.
[0027] With this arrangement, the scrubbing liquid is discharged
constantly from the discharger. That is, the discharger continues
to discharge the scrubbing liquid while the substrate processing
apparatus is in operation. The state in which the scrubbing liquid
is retained by the scrubber filter is thus maintained reliably. The
exhaust flowing through the exhaust passage is thus reliably
brought into contact with the scrubbing liquid retained by the
scrubber filter. The residual amount of the pollutant contained in
the exhaust can thereby be decreased. Further, when the scrubber
filter dries, a resistance that the scrubber filter applies to a
gas flow decreases, and therefore by maintaining the scrubber
filter in a wet state, fluctuation of exhaust pressure can be
decreased. The exhaust pressure transmitted from the exhaust
equipment to the processing unit via the scrubber can thereby be
stabilized.
[0028] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the exhaust passage, allows gas flowing through the exhaust passage
to pass through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid internally.
In this case, the discharger may discharge the scrubbing liquid
intermittently.
[0029] With this arrangement, the scrubbing liquid is discharged
intermittently from the discharger. A consumption amount of the
scrubbing liquid can thus be decreased. Also, the scrubbing liquid
is supplied intermittently to the scrubber filter and the scrubber
filter can thus be prevented from drying completely. The exhaust
can thus be cleaned and the exhaust pressure transmitted to the
processing unit can be stabilized while decreasing the consumption
amount of the scrubbing liquid.
[0030] In the case where the discharger discharges the scrubbing
liquid intermittently, an interval (time from stoppage to restart
of discharge) at which the discharger discharges the scrubbing
liquid may be a fixed interval determined in advance or a certain
interval set based on a gas pressure in the exhaust passage. For
example, the scrubber may further include an exhaust pressure
sensor that detects the gas pressure in the exhaust passage and the
controller may make the discharger discharge the scrubbing liquid
intermittently based on a detection value of the exhaust pressure
sensor.
[0031] As mentioned above, when the scrubber filter dries, the
exhaust resistance of the scrubber filter decreases and the gas
pressure inside the exhaust passage thus changes. Specifically, the
gas pressure further upstream than the scrubber filter decreases
and the gas pressure further downstream than the scrubber filter
increases. In other words, the exhaust pressure further upstream
than the scrubber filter is strengthened (the absolute value of
negative pressure increases) and the gas pressure further
downstream than the scrubber filter is weakened (the absolute value
of negative pressure decreases). The controller can thus maintain
the state in which the scrubber filter is wetted sufficiently while
decreasing the consumption amount of the scrubbing liquid by making
the discharger discharge the scrubbing liquid intermittently based
on the detection value of the exhaust pressure sensor.
[0032] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a plurality of scrubber filters that
allow gas flowing through the exhaust passage to pass through the
plurality of scrubber filters and retain liquid internally and a
filter switching apparatus switching a state of each of the
plurality of scrubber filters individually. The filter switching
apparatus may switch the state of each of the plurality of scrubber
filters individually between a removal state in which the gas
inside exhaust passage passes through the scrubber filter and a
removal stop state in which the passage of the gas through the
scrubber filter is stopped. The controller may select any one of
the plurality of scrubber filters based on the type of chemical
liquid contained in the exhaust and causes the filter switching
apparatus to switch the states of the plurality of scrubber filters
by the filter switching apparatus such that the exhaust passes
through the selected scrubber filter.
[0033] With this arrangement, any one of the plurality of scrubber
filters is selected based on the type of chemical liquid supplied
to the substrate by the processing unit. The filter switching
apparatus switches the states of the plurality of scrubber filters
so that the exhaust that is generated at the processing unit and
contains the chemical liquid passes through the selected scrubber
filter. For example, if the same chemical liquid is supplied to the
substrate, the state of each individual scrubber filter is set so
that the exhaust passes through the same scrubber filter. Also,
when the type of chemical liquid supplied to the substrate is
changed, the scrubber filter through which the exhaust passes is
also changed. The exhaust that is generated at the processing unit
and contains the chemical liquid thus passes through a dedicated
scrubber filter that is provided according to the type of chemical
liquid. An unpredicted reaction due to mixing of a plurality of
chemical liquids can thus be prevented.
[0034] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
processing unit may include a gas-liquid separator that is disposed
further upstream than the scrubber and removes liquid from the
exhaust generated at the processing unit.
[0035] With this arrangement, the gas-liquid separator disposed
further upstream than the scrubber separates liquid from the
exhaust generated at the processing unit and removes the liquid
component from the exhaust. The exhaust that has been decreased in
liquid content by the gas-liquid separator is delivered to the
scrubber. Therefore, even if the exhaust generated at the
processing unit contains a chemical liquid component, the exhaust
is delivered to the scrubber in the state where the content of the
chemical liquid has been decreased by the gas-liquid separator.
That is, the residual amount of the pollutant is decreased by the
gas-liquid separator and the scrubber. The cleanliness of the
exhaust expelled from the substrate processing apparatus can thus
be improved further.
[0036] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
processing unit may include a plurality of processing units, each
of which supplies at least one of a plurality of types of chemical
liquids. In this case, the exhaust passage may include a plurality
of individual passages connected respectively to the plurality of
processing units and a collection passage extending downstream from
each of the plurality of individual passages.
[0037] With this arrangement, the plurality of individual passages
of the exhaust passage are connected respectively to the plurality
of processing units and the collection passage of the exhaust
passage is connected to each of the plurality of individual
passages. The exhausts generated at the plurality of processing
units are expelled from the plurality of processing units into the
plurality of individual passages respectively. The exhausts that
flowed into the plurality of individual passages are guided via the
collection passage toward the exhaust equipment disposed outside
the substrate processing apparatus. The exhaust generated at each
processing unit is cleaned by contact with the scrubbing liquid in
the process of flowing through the exhaust passage. The exhausts
generated at the plurality of processing units can thus be cleaned
inside the substrate processing apparatus by the scrubber. There is
thus no need to provide a plurality of scrubbers in the substrate
processing apparatus in correspondence to the individual processing
units.
[0038] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
discharger may include a plurality of dischargers disposed
respectively in the plurality of individual passages.
[0039] With this arrangement, the plurality of dischargers are
disposed respectively in the plurality of individual passages. The
scrubber can thus make a scrubbing liquid, of a different type from
the scrubbing liquid discharged in a certain individual passage, be
discharged in another individual passage. The scrubber can thus
bring the exhaust in each individual passage in contact with the
scrubbing liquid specialized to the pollutant contained in the
exhaust. The scrubber can thereby efficiently remove the pollutants
from the exhausts generated at the plurality of processing
units.
[0040] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a plurality of scrubber filters that
are disposed respectively in the plurality of individual passages,
allow gas flowing through the exhaust passage to pass through the
plurality of scrubber filters, and retain liquid internally.
[0041] With this arrangement, the plurality of scrubber filters are
disposed respectively in the plurality of individual passages. The
scrubber can thus bring the exhaust and the scrubbing liquid in
contact reliably in each individual passage and can increase a time
of contact between the exhaust and the scrubbing liquid inside each
individual passage. The scrubber can thus efficiently remove the
pollutants from the exhausts generated at the plurality of
processing units and further improve the cleanliness of the
exhausts.
[0042] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a plurality of mist filters that are
disposed respectively in the plurality of individual passages at
positions further downstream than the plurality of dischargers and
the plurality of scrubber filters, allow gas flowing through the
exhaust passage to pass through the plurality of mist filters, and
remove a liquid component from the gas.
[0043] With this arrangement, the plurality of mist filters are
disposed respectively in the plurality of individual passages. That
is, a dedicated mist filter is provided according to each
individual passage. The scrubber can thus remove the liquid
component from the exhaust in each individual passage. The scrubber
can thus reliably remove the liquid component from the exhausts
generated at the plurality of processing units and further improve
the cleanliness of the exhausts.
[0044] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
discharger may be disposed in the collection passage.
[0045] With this arrangement, the discharger is disposed in the
collection passage. The exhausts expelled from the plurality of
processing units flow into the collection passage through the
corresponding individual passages and contact the scrubbing liquid,
discharged from the discharger, in the collection passage. The
exhausts generated at the plurality of processing units are thereby
cleaned. The discharger is thus disposed in the collection passage
and therefore a discharger does not need to be provided in each
individual passage. The substrate processing apparatus can thus be
reduced in the number of parts and can be simplified in
structure.
[0046] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a scrubber filter that is disposed in
the collection passage, allows gas flowing through the exhaust
passage to pass through the scrubber filter, and retains liquid
internally.
[0047] With this arrangement, the scrubber filter is disposed in
the collection passage. The exhausts expelled from the plurality of
processing units flow into the collection passage through the
corresponding individual passages and pass through the scrubber
filter in the collection passage. The exhausts generated at the
plurality of processing units are thereby brought in contact with
the scrubbing liquid reliably. The scrubber filter is thus disposed
in the collection passage and therefore a scrubber filter does not
need to be provided in each individual passage. The substrate
processing apparatus can thus be reduced in the number of parts and
the substrate processing apparatus can be simplified in
structure.
[0048] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a mist filter that is disposed in the
collection passage at a position further downstream than the
discharger and the scrubber filter, allows gas flowing through the
exhaust passage to pass through the mist filter, and removes a
liquid component from the gas.
[0049] With this arrangement, the mist filter is disposed in the
collection passage. The exhausts expelled from the plurality of
processing units flow into the collection passage through the
corresponding individual passages and pass through the mist filter
in the collection passage. The liquid component is thereby removed
from the exhausts. The mist filter is thus disposed in the
collection passage and therefore a mist filter does not need to be
provided in each individual passage. The substrate processing
apparatus can thus be reduced in the number of parts and the
substrate processing apparatus can be simplified in structure.
[0050] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
scrubber may further include a drain apparatus that expels a liquid
inside the exhaust passage by making the liquid be suctioned into a
drain port that opens inside the collection passage. The drain
apparatus may include a plurality of drain passages extending from
the plurality of individual passages to the collection passage and
inclined with respect to a horizontal plane such that the liquid
inside the exhaust passage flows from the plurality of individual
passages to the collection passage.
[0051] With this arrangement, the plurality of drain passages of
the drain apparatus respectively correspond to the plurality of
individual passages and each drain passage extends from the
corresponding individual passage to the collection passage. The
respective drain passages are inclined with respect to the
horizontal plane and downstream ends of the drain passages are
disposed lower than the upstream ends of the drain passages so that
the liquids inside the plurality of individual passages flow
through the plurality of drain passages to the collection passage
by gravity. The liquids inside the plurality of individual passages
are thus collected into the collection passage. The drain apparatus
suctions the liquid inside the collection passage from the drain
port that opens in the collection passage. The drain apparatus can
thus collect liquid from a wider range of the interior of the
exhaust passage and the residual amount of the liquid inside the
exhaust passage can thereby be decreased.
[0052] The above and yet other objects, features, and effects of
the present invention shall be made clear by the following
description of the preferred embodiments in reference to the
attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0053] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the general arrangement of a
substrate processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0054] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the general arrangement of a
processing unit.
[0055] FIG. 3 is a process diagram of an example of processing of a
substrate performed by the processing unit.
[0056] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the interior of a scrubber as
viewed from above.
[0057] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the interior of the scrubber
as viewed from a side.
[0058] FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example of operation of the
scrubber when a substrate is being processed by the processing
unit.
[0059] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a modification example of the
scrubber.
[0060] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a modification example of the
scrubber.
[0061] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of another modification example
of the scrubber.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0062] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the general arrangement of a
substrate processing apparatus 1 according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of
the general arrangement of a processing unit 2.
[0063] As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 is
a single substrate processing type apparatus that processes a
disk-shaped substrate W, such as a semiconductor wafer, etc., one
by one. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a plurality
of processing units 2 supplying processing liquids to the substrate
W, a scrubber 3 cleaning exhausts expelled from the respective
processing units 2, a box-shaped outer wall 4 housing the plurality
of processing units 2 and the scrubber 3, and a controller 5
controlling operations of apparatuses and opening and closing of
valves provided in the substrate processing apparatus 1.
[0064] As shown in FIG. 2, each processing unit 2 is a single
substrate processing type unit that processes the substrate W one
by one. Each processing unit 2 has an arrangement in common to the
other processing units 2. Each processing unit 2 includes a
box-shaped chamber 6 having an internal space, a spin chuck 7
holding a single substrate W in a horizontal attitude inside the
chamber 6 and rotating the substrate W around a vertical rotation
axis A1 passing through the center of the substrate W, processing
liquid supplying apparatuses 8 to 11, each discharging a processing
liquid to the substrate W held by the spin chuck 7, and a
cylindrical cup 12 surrounding the spin chuck 7.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 6 includes a box-shaped
partition wall 13 housing the spin chuck 7, etc., an FFU 14 (fan
filter unit) as a blower unit delivering clean air (air filtered by
a filter) from an upper portion of the partition wall 13 into the
interior of the partition wall 13, and an interior exhaust duct 15
that expels a gas inside the chamber 6 from a lower portion of the
partition wall 13. The FFU 14 is disposed above the partition wall
13. The FFU 14 delivers the clean air downward into the chamber 6
from a roof of the partition wall 13. The interior exhaust duct 15
is connected to a bottom portion of the cup 12 and guides the gas
inside the chamber 6 toward an exhaust equipment provided in a
plant in which the substrate processing apparatus 1 is installed. A
down flow (downward flow) that flows downward inside the chamber 6
is thus formed by the FFU 14 and the indoor exhaust duct 15. The
down flow is formed not only during a period in which the substrate
W is present inside the chamber 6 but in other periods as well.
[0066] As shown in FIG. 2, the spin chuck 7 includes a disk-shaped
spin base 16 holding the substrate W horizontally and a spin motor
17 rotating the substrate W and the spin base 16 around the
rotation axis A1. The spin chuck 7 may be a clamping type chuck
that holds the substrate W horizontally by clamping the substrate W
in horizontal directions or may be a vacuum type chuck that
suctions a rear surface (lower surface) of the substrate W that is
a non-device-forming surface to hold the substrate W horizontally.
FIG. 2 shows a case where the spin chuck 7 is a clamping type chuck
that clamps the substrate W by a plurality of chuck pins. The cup
12 surrounds the spin base 16. An upper end portion of the cup 12
that opens upward is disposed higher than the spin base 16. A
processing liquid, such as a chemical liquid or a rinse liquid,
etc., that is expelled to a periphery of the substrate W is
received by the cup 12 and is expelled from a drain port 12a that
opens in the interior of the cup 12.
[0067] As shown in FIG. 2, the processing liquid supplying
apparatuses 8 to 11 include an acidic chemical liquid nozzle that
discharges an acidic chemical liquid toward the substrate W, an
alkaline chemical liquid nozzle 9 that discharges an alkaline
chemical liquid toward the substrate W, an organic chemical liquid
nozzle 10 that discharges an organic chemical liquid toward the
substrate W, and a rinse liquid nozzle 11 that discharges a rinse
liquid toward the substrate W. The acidic chemical liquid nozzle 8
may be a fixed nozzle that discharges the processing liquid toward
an upper surface central portion of the substrate W in a state
where a discharge port is stationary or may be a scan nozzle that
discharges the processing liquid while moving so that a liquid
landing position of the processing liquid with respect to the upper
surface of the substrate W moves between the central portion and a
peripheral edge portion. The same applies to the alkaline chemical
liquid nozzle 9, the organic chemical liquid nozzle 10, and the
rinse liquid nozzle 11.
[0068] As shown in FIG. 2, the processing unit 2 includes an acidic
chemical liquid piping 18 connected to the acidic chemical liquid
nozzle 8 and an acidic chemical liquid valve interposed in the
acidic chemical liquid piping 18. Similarly, the processing unit 2
includes an alkaline chemical liquid piping 20 connected to the
alkaline chemical liquid nozzle 9, an alkaline chemical liquid
valve 21 interposed in the alkaline chemical liquid piping 20, an
organic chemical liquid piping 22 connected to the organic chemical
liquid nozzle 10, an organic chemical liquid valve 23 interposed in
the organic chemical liquid piping 22, a rinse liquid piping 24
connected to the rinse liquid nozzle 11, and a rinse liquid valve
25 interposed in the rinse liquid piping 24.
[0069] When the acidic chemical liquid valve 19 is opened, the
acidic chemical liquid from an acidic chemical liquid supply source
is discharged toward the upper surface of the substrate W from the
acidic chemical liquid nozzle 8. Similarly when any of the alkaline
chemical liquid valve 21, the organic chemical liquid valve 23, and
the rinse liquid valve 25 is opened, any of the alkaline chemical
liquid, the organic chemical liquid, and the rinse liquid is
discharged toward the upper surface of the substrate W from any of
the alkaline chemical liquid nozzle 9, the organic chemical liquid
nozzle 10, and the rinse liquid nozzle 11.
[0070] An example of the acidic chemical liquid is hydrofluoric
acid and an example of the alkaline chemical liquid is SC-1
(ammonia hydrogen peroxide mixture). An example of the organic
chemical liquid is IPA (isopropyl alcohol) and an example of the
rinse liquid is pure water (deionized water). The acidic chemical
liquid may be an acidic chemical liquid that contains sulfuric acid
or hydrochloric acid. The alkaline chemical liquid may be an
alkaline chemical liquid that contains TMAH
(trimethylphenylammonium hydroxide). The organic chemical liquid is
not restricted to IPA and may be another organic chemical liquid,
such as HFE (hydrofluoroether), etc. The rinse liquid is not
restricted to pure water and may be any of carbonated water,
electrolyzed ion water, hydrogen water, ozone water, and aqueous
hydrochloric acid solution of dilute concentration (for example,
approximately 10 to 100 ppm).
[0071] As shown in FIG. 2, the processing unit 2 includes
gas-liquid separator 26 that separates a gas and a liquid contained
in a mixed fluid generated inside the processing unit 2. The
gas-liquid separator 26 is disposed outside the chamber 6. The
gas-liquid separator 26 includes a gas-liquid separation box 27
connected to the interior exhaust duct 15, a liquid piping 28
extending from the interior of the gas-liquid separation box 27 to
the exterior of the gas-liquid separation box 27, and a gas piping
29 extending from the interior of the gas-liquid separation box 27
to the exterior of the gas-liquid separation box 27.
[0072] As shown in FIG. 2, the gas piping 29 projects upward from a
bottom surface of the gas-liquid separation box 27. An end portion
of the liquid piping 28 defines a liquid outlet 30 that opens at
the gas-liquid separation box 27 bottom surface, and an end portion
of the gas piping 29 defines a gas outlet 31 that opens inside the
gas-liquid separation box 27 at a height higher than the liquid
outlet 30. The gas piping 29 is connected to the scrubber 3
(specifically, the upstream exhaust duct 32 described below). An
exhaust generated inside the chamber 6 is thus expelled to the
scrubber 3 via the gas-liquid separation box 27 and the gas piping
29.
[0073] When the processing liquid is supplied to the substrate W,
an exhaust that contains vapor and mist is generated inside the
chamber 6. The exhaust (the mixed fluid of the gas and the liquid)
flows through the interior exhaust duct 15 and into the gas-liquid
separation box 27. The liquid component contained in the exhaust
changes to liquid droplets inside the gas-liquid separation box 27
and is drained from the liquid outlet 30. The gas outlet 31 is
disposed higher than the liquid outlet 30 and therefore the liquid
inside the gas-liquid separation box 27 is unlikely to enter the
gas outlet 31. Exhaust that is decreased in a residual amount of
the liquid is thus suctioned into the gas outlet 31 and expelled to
the scrubber 3.
[0074] FIG. 3 is a process diagram of an example of processing of
the substrate W performed by the processing unit 2. FIG. 2 and FIG.
3 shall be referenced below.
[0075] In a state where the FFU 14 supplies clean air into the
chamber 6 and the interior exhaust duct 15 expels the gas inside
the chamber 6, that is, in the state where the down flow is formed
inside the chamber 6, the controller 5 causes any of the acidic
chemical liquid nozzle 8, the alkaline chemical liquid nozzle 9,
the organic chemical liquid nozzle 10, and the rinse liquid nozzle
11 to discharge the processing liquid to supply the processing
liquid to the substrate W in the rotating state. Specifically, the
controller 5 controls a transfer robot (not shown) and makes it
transfer the substrate W onto the spin chuck 7. Thereafter, the
controller 5 makes the spin chuck 7 start rotating the substrate
W.
[0076] Next, an acidic chemical liquid supplying step (step S1) of
supplying hydrofluoric acid, which is an example of the acidic
chemical liquid, to the substrate W is performed. Specifically, the
controller 5 opens the acidic chemical liquid valve 19 to make
hydrofluoric acid be discharged from the acidic chemical liquid
nozzle 8 toward the upper surface central portion of the substrate
W while making the spin chuck 7 rotate the substrate W.
Hydrofluoric acid is thereby supplied to the upper surface of the
substrate W. When a predetermined time elapses from the opening of
the acidic chemical liquid valve 19, the controller 5 closes the
acidic chemical liquid valve 19 to stop the discharge of
hydrofluoric acid.
[0077] The hydrofluoric acid, that is discharged from the acidic
chemical liquid nozzle 8, is supplied to the upper surface central
portion of the substrate W, and spreads outward along the upper
surface of the substrate W due to a centrifugal force generated by
the rotation of the substrate W. A liquid film of hydrofluoric acid
covering the entire upper surface of the substrate W is thereby
formed on the substrate W and hydrofluoric acid is supplied to the
entire upper surface of the substrate W. Also, an atmosphere, that
contains hydrofluoric acid and is generated in accompaniment with
the supplying of hydrofluoric acid to the substrate W and collision
of hydrofluoric acid against an inner surface of the cup 12, is
expelled from the bottom portion of the cup 12 to the interior
exhaust duct 15. An acidic exhaust (a gas containing the acidic
chemical liquid) is thereby expelled from the interior of the cup
12.
[0078] Next, a first intermediate rinse liquid supplying step (step
S2) of supplying pure water, which is an example of the rinse
liquid, to the substrate W is performed. Specifically, the
controller 5 opens the rinse liquid valve 25 to make pure water be
discharged from the rinse liquid nozzle 11 toward the upper surface
central portion of the substrate W while making the substrate W
rotate. The liquid film of hydrofluoric acid covering the entire
upper surface of the substrate W is thereby replaced by pure water
and the hydrofluoric acid on the substrate W is rinsed off by the
pure water. Also, an atmosphere that contains pure water and is
generated in accompaniment with the supplying of pure water to the
substrate W, etc., is expelled from the bottom portion of the cup
12 to the interior exhaust duct 15. When a predetermined time
elapses from the opening of the rinse liquid valve 25, the
controller 5 closes the rinse liquid valve 25 to stop the discharge
of pure water.
[0079] Next, an alkaline chemical liquid supplying step (step S3)
of supplying SC-1, which is an example of the alkaline chemical
liquid, to the substrate W is performed. Specifically, the
controller 5 opens the alkaline chemical liquid valve 21 to make
SC-1 be discharged from the alkaline chemical liquid nozzle 9
toward the upper surface central portion of the substrate W while
making the substrate W rotate. The liquid film of pure water
covering the entire upper surface of the substrate W is thereby
replaced by SC-1 and SC-1 is supplied to the entire upper surface
of the substrate W. Also, an atmosphere that contains SC-1 and is
generated in accompaniment with the supplying of SC-1 to the
substrate W, etc., is expelled from the bottom portion of the cup
12 to the interior exhaust duct 15. An alkaline exhaust (a gas
containing the alkaline chemical liquid) is thereby expelled from
the interior of the cup 12. When a predetermined time elapses from
the opening of the alkaline chemical liquid valve 21, the
controller 5 closes the alkaline chemical liquid valve 21 to stop
the discharge of SC-1.
[0080] Next, a second intermediate rinse liquid supplying step
(step S4) of supplying pure water, which is an example of the rinse
liquid, to the substrate W is performed. Specifically, the
controller 5 opens the rinse liquid valve 25 to make pure water be
discharged from the rinse liquid nozzle 11 toward the upper surface
central portion of the substrate W while making the substrate W
rotate. The liquid film of SC-1 covering the entire upper surface
of the substrate W is thereby replaced by pure water and the SC-1
on the substrate W is rinsed off by the pure water. Also, an
atmosphere that contains pure water and is generated in
accompaniment with the supplying of pure water to the substrate W,
etc., is expelled from the bottom portion of the cup 12 to the
interior exhaust duct 15. When a predetermined time elapses from
the opening of the rinse liquid valve 25, the controller 5 closes
the rinse liquid valve 25 to stop the discharge of pure water.
[0081] Next, an organic chemical liquid supplying step (step S5) of
supplying IPA, which is an example of the organic chemical liquid,
to the substrate W is performed. Specifically, the controller 5
opens the organic chemical liquid valve 23 to make IPA be
discharged from the organic chemical liquid nozzle 10 toward the
upper surface central portion of the substrate W while making the
substrate W rotate. The liquid film of pure water covering the
entire upper surface of the substrate W is thereby replaced by IPA
and the pure water on the substrate W is rinsed off by IPA. Also,
an atmosphere that contains IPA and is generated in accompaniment
with the supplying of IPA to the substrate W, etc., is expelled
from the bottom portion of the cup 12 to the interior exhaust duct
15. An organic exhaust (a gas containing the organic chemical
liquid) is thereby expelled from the interior of the cup 12. When a
predetermined time elapses from the opening of the organic chemical
liquid valve 23, the controller 5 closes the organic chemical
liquid valve 23 to stop the discharge of IPA.
[0082] Next, a drying step (step S6) of drying the substrate W is
performed. Specifically, the controller 5 makes the rotation of the
substrate W accelerate to rotate the substrate W at a high rotation
speed (for example of several thousand rpm) that is faster than the
rotation speed in the acidic chemical liquid supplying step to the
organic chemical liquid supplying step. A large centrifugal force
is thereby applied to the liquid on the substrate W and the liquid
attached to the substrate W is spun off to the periphery of the
substrate W. The substrate W is thereby removed of liquid and the
substrate W dries. When a predetermined time elapses from the start
of high-speed rotation of the substrate W, the controller 5 makes
the rotation of the substrate W by the spin chuck 7 stop.
Thereafter, the processed substrate W is carried out by the
transfer robot from the spin chuck 7.
[0083] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the interior of the scrubber 3
as viewed from above. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the interior of
the scrubber 3 as viewed from a side.
[0084] As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubber 3 includes a plurality of
upstream exhaust ducts 33 connected respectively to the plurality
of processing units 2, a plurality of exhaust inflow chambers 33
connected respectively to the plurality of upstream exhaust ducts
32, an exhaust collection chamber 34 connected to each of the
plurality of exhaust inflow chambers 33, and a downstream exhaust
duct 35 connected to the exhaust collection chamber 34. The
scrubber 3 further includes a plurality of chemical liquid
separators 36 that remove pollutants from the exhausts passing
through the exhaust inflow chambers 33 and the exhaust collection
chamber 34 to flow from the upstream exhaust ducts 32 toward the
downstream exhaust duct 35 and a plurality of mist separators 37
that remove liquid components from the exhausts flowing from the
plurality of chemical liquid separators 36 toward the downstream
exhaust duct 35.
[0085] As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubber 3 includes an exhaust
cleaning box 38 connected to the plurality of upstream exhaust
ducts 32. The exhaust cleaning box 38 includes a box-shaped housing
39 having an internal space and a partition wall 40 partitioning
the interior of the housing 39. The exhaust inflow chambers 33 and
the exhaust collection chamber 34 are provided in the interior of
the housing 39 and are defined by the housing 39 and the partition
wall 40. The exhaust inflow chambers 33 and the exhaust collection
chamber 34 are thus defined by a member in common (the exhaust
cleaning box 38).
[0086] As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubber 3 includes an exhaust
passage 41 that guides the exhausts, generated at the plurality of
processing units 2, toward the exhaust equipment disposed outside
the substrate processing apparatus 1. The exhaust passage 41
includes a plurality of individual passages 42 connected
respectively to the plurality of processing units 2 and a
collection passage 43 connected to each of the plurality of
individual passages 42. Each individual passage 42 extends from the
corresponding processing unit 2 to the collection passage 43. The
individual passage 42 is defined by the upstream exhaust duct 32,
the housing 39, and the partition wall 40 and the collection
passage 43 is defined by the housing 39 and the downstream exhaust
duct 35. The exhausts generated at the plurality of processing
units 2 flow from the plurality of individual passages 42 into the
collection passage 43 and are guided to the downstream side
(exhaust equipment side) by the collection passage 43.
[0087] Each individual passage 42 is a passage through which an
exhaust prior to being filtered by a mist filter 48 to be described
below flows and the collection passage 43 is a passage through
which the exhaust filtered by the mist filter passes. That is, the
individual passage 42 and the collection passage 43 are
functionally divided in terms of whether or not the exhaust passing
through the passage has been filtered by the mist filter 48. On the
other hand, the exhaust inflow chamber 33 and the exhaust
collection chamber 34 are structurally divided in terms of being or
not being partitioned by the partition wall 40. That is, the
exhaust inflow chamber is a portion in the exhaust cleaning box 38
that is partitioned by the partition wall 40 and the exhaust
collection chamber 34 is a portion in the exhaust cleaning box 38
that is not partitioned by the partition wall 40.
[0088] As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of upstream exhaust ducts
32 are connected respectively to the plurality of gas pipings 29
provided respectively in the plurality of processing units 2. As
shown in FIG. 4, each upstream exhaust duct 32 extends from the
corresponding processing unit 2 to the corresponding exhaust
collection chamber 34. An upstream end of the upstream exhaust duct
32 is connected to the gas piping 29 and a downstream end portion
of the upstream exhaust duct 32 is connected to a gas inlet 44 that
opens at an inner surface of the exhaust collection chamber 34. The
plurality of exhaust inflow chambers 33 are thus connected
respectively to the plurality of processing units 2 via the
plurality of upstream exhaust ducts 32.
[0089] As shown in FIG. 4, the respective exhaust inflow chambers
33 extend in a flow-through direction D1 of the exhaust flowing
from the processing units 2 toward the exhaust equipment. The
plurality of exhaust inflow chambers 33 are parallel to each other.
The exhaust that flows into an exhaust inflow chamber 33 is guided
in the flow-through direction D1 by the exhaust inflow chamber 33.
A flow passage area (cross-sectional area orthogonal to the
flow-through direction D1) of the exhaust inflow chamber 33 is
greater than a flow passage area of the upstream exhaust duct 32.
An upstream end portion of each exhaust inflow chamber 33 is
connected to the corresponding upstream exhaust duct 33 and a
downstream end portion of each exhaust inflow chamber 33 is
connected to the exhaust collection chamber 34.
[0090] As shown in FIG. 4, the exhaust collection chamber 34 is
disposed further downstream than all exhaust inflow chambers 33. A
flow passage area of the exhaust collection chamber 34 is greater
than the flow passage area of the exhaust inflow chamber 33 and
greater than a flow passage area of the downstream exhaust duct 35.
As shown in FIG. 5, an upstream end portion of the downstream
exhaust duct 35 is connected to an opening portion that opens at a
bottom surface (bottom portion of the inner surface) of the exhaust
collection chamber 34. An upstream end portion of the downstream
exhaust duct 35 projects upward from the bottom surface of the
exhaust collection chamber 34 and defines an exhaust outlet 45 that
opens at a height higher than the bottom surface of the exhaust
collection chamber 34. The exhaust collection chamber 34 is
connected via the downstream exhaust duct 35 to the exhaust
equipment. A suction force of the exhaust equipment is thus
transmitted to the exhaust collection chamber 34 via the downstream
exhaust duct 35. The suction force of the exhaust equipment is thus
transmitted to all processing units 2 via the scrubber 3.
[0091] As shown in FIG. 4, each exhaust inflow chamber 33 houses
the chemical liquid separator 36 and the mist separator 37.
Further, each exhaust inflow chamber 33 houses two sprayers 54
described below. The chemical liquid separator 36 is disposed
further upstream in the exhaust flow-through direction D1 than the
mist separator 37. The two sprayers 54 are disposed respectively
upstream and downstream the chemical liquid separator 36.
[0092] As shown in FIG. 4, the chemical liquid separator 36
partitions the internal space of the exhaust inflow chamber into
two spaces aligned in the exhaust flow-through direction D1. The
space inside the exhaust inflow chamber 33 between the gas inlet 44
and the chemical liquid separator 36 is an upstream cleaning space,
and the space inside the exhaust inflow chamber 33 between the
chemical liquid separator 36 and the mist separator 37 is a
downstream cleaning space. The two sprayers 54 are disposed
respectively in the upstream cleaning space and the downstream
cleaning space. The mist separator 37 is disposed inside a
downstream end portion of the exhaust inflow chamber 33 and
partitions the exhaust inflow chamber 33 and the exhaust collection
chamber 34. That is, the space further downstream than the mist
separator 37 is the interior (exhaust collection space) of the
exhaust collection chamber 34.
[0093] As shown in FIG. 4, the chemical liquid separator 36
includes a mesh-shaped scrubber filter 46 that allows passage of
gas and liquid in the exhaust flow-through direction D1 and a
filter case 47 holding the scrubber filter 46. The mist separator
37 includes a mesh-shaped mist filter 48 that allows passage of gas
in the exhaust flow-through direction D1 and a mist filter case 49
holding the mist filter 48. The scrubber filter 46 is housed inside
the filter case 47 and the mist filter 48 is housed inside the mist
filter case 49. The filter case 47 and the mist filter case 49 are
mounted to the exhaust cleaning box 38. The chemical liquid
separator 36 and the mist separator 37 are thus held by the exhaust
cleaning box 38.
[0094] As shown in FIG. 4, the filter case 47 includes a plurality
of openings connecting the interior of the filter case 47 and the
exterior of the filter case 47. The plurality of openings provided
in the filter case 47 include an upstream opening 50 disposed
further upstream than the scrubber filter 46, a downstream opening
51 disposed further downstream than the scrubber filter 46, and a
lower opening 52 (see FIG. 5) disposed below the scrubber filter
46. The scrubber filter 46 is exposed from the plurality of
openings provided in the filter case 47. As shown in FIG. 5, a
lower surface of the filter case 47 faces a bottom surface (bottom
portion of the inner surface) of the exhaust cleaning box 38 across
an interval in a vertical direction. The vertical direction
interval between the lower surface of the filter case 47 and a
bottom surface of the exhaust cleaning box 38 is sufficiently
smaller than a height of the chemical liquid separator 36.
[0095] In the same manner as in the filter case 47, the mist filter
case 49 includes a plurality of openings connecting the interior of
the mist filter case 49 and the exterior of the mist filter case
49. The plurality of openings provided in the mist filter case 49
include an upstream opening 50 disposed further upstream than the
mist filter 48, a downstream opening 51 disposed further downstream
than the mist filter 48, and a lower opening 52 disposed below the
mist filter 48. The mist filter 48 is exposed from the plurality of
openings provided in the mist filter case 49. A lower surface of
the mist filter case 49 faces the bottom surface of the exhaust
cleaning box 38 across an interval in the vertical direction. The
vertical direction interval between the lower surface of the mist
filter case 48 and the bottom surface of the exhaust cleaning box
38 is sufficiently smaller than a height of the mist separator
37.
[0096] The scrubber filter 46 has a height equal to that of the
mist filter 48 and has a width equal to that of the mist filter 48.
As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubber filter 46 is longer in the exhaust
flow-through direction D1 than the mist filter 48. The scrubber
filter 46 is a coarser filter than the mist filter 48. The scrubber
filter 46 thus allows passage of gas and liquid. Also, the mist
filter 48 is a finer filter than the scrubber filter 46, allows
passage of gas only, and is capable of selectively removing just
liquid.
[0097] The exhaust that is suctioned into the exhaust inflow
chamber 33 from the processing unit 2 by the suction force of the
exhaust equipment is supplied to the scrubber filter 46 inside the
filter case 47 through the upstream opening 50 of the filter case
47. The exhaust that has passed through the scrubber filter 46
moves from the interior of the filter case 47 to the exterior of
the filter case 47 through the downstream opening 51 of the
scrubber filter 46. Thereafter, the exhaust that has passed through
the chemical liquid separator 36 is supplied to the mist filter 48
inside the mist filter case 49 through the upstream opening 50 of
the mist filter case 49. The exhaust that has passed through the
mist filter 48 then moves from the interior of the mist filter case
49 to the exterior of the mist filter case 49 through the
downstream opening 51 of the mist filter 48. Thereafter, the
exhaust that has passed through the mist separator 37 is guided to
the exhaust equipment via the downstream exhaust duct 35.
[0098] As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubber 3 includes a spraying
apparatus 53 that sprays a scrubbing liquid that cleans the exhaust
inside the scrubber 3. The spraying apparatus 53 sprays an acidic,
alkaline, or neutral scrubbing liquid inside the scrubber 3 in
accordance with the type of chemical liquid supplied to the
substrate W in the processing unit 2. FIG. 4 shows an arrangement
example where each of an acidic scrubbing liquid and a neutral
scrubbing liquid is sprayed individually inside the scrubber 3. An
example of the acidic scrubbing liquid is dilute sulfuric acid and
an example of the neutral scrubbing liquid is water (industrial
water). The acidic scrubbing liquid may be an acidic liquid other
than dilute sulfuric acid and the neutral scrubbing liquid may be a
neutral liquid having water as the main component. As an alkaline
scrubbing liquid, a dilute ammonia aqueous solution, etc., may be
used.
[0099] The spraying apparatus 53 is an apparatus that brings the
exhaust, expelled from the processing unit 2, in contact with the
mist of the scrubbing liquid to make the mist of the scrubbing
liquid capture pollutants contained in the exhaust. As shown in
FIG. 4, the spraying apparatus 53 includes the plurality of
sprayers 54 that spray the scrubbing liquid inside the scrubber 3
and a scrubbing liquid supplying apparatus 55 that supplies the
scrubbing liquids to the respective sprayers 54. The plurality of
sprayers 54 are disposed in the interior of the exhaust cleaning
box 38. The plurality of sprayers 54 include the plurality of pairs
of sprayers 54 disposed respectively in the plurality of exhaust
inflow chambers 33. The sprayers 54 of each pair are disposed
respectively upstream and downstream the chemical liquid separator
36.
[0100] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, each sprayer 54 includes a
spray column 56 of circular columnar shape disposed inside the
exhaust inflow chamber 33 and a plurality of spray nozzles 57
projecting outward from an outer peripheral surface of the spray
column 56. The spray column 56 extends in the vertical direction.
The plurality of spray nozzles 57 are disposed respectively at
different heights and are disposed at two positions separated in a
circumferential direction of the spray column 56 in a plan view. A
spray port of each spray nozzle 57 faces the chemical liquid
separator 36.
[0101] Each spray nozzle 57 is connected to a scrubbing liquid flow
passage provided in the interior of the spray column 56. The
scrubbing liquid supplied from the scrubbing liquid supplying
apparatus 55 and through the spray column 56 is sprayed in conical
form by each spray nozzle 57. A mist of the scrubbing liquid is
thereby made to drift in the interior (the upstream cleaning space
and the downstream cleaning space) of the exhaust inflow chamber 33
and the exhaust expelled from the processing unit 2 is brought in
contact with the mist of the scrubbing liquid. Further, each spray
nozzle 57 sprays the scrubbing liquid toward chemical liquid
separator 36 and therefore liquid droplets of the scrubbing liquid
are supplied to the outer surface and the inner surface of the
scrubber filter 46 and become retained in the interior of the
scrubber filter 46. The exhaust passing through the scrubber filter
46 thus also contacts the scrubbing liquid retained by the scrubber
filter 46.
[0102] As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubbing liquid supplying apparatus
55 includes a plurality of scrubbing liquid supplying units 58
connected respectively to the plurality of pairs of sprayers 54.
The plurality of scrubbing liquid supplying units 58 correspond
respectively to the plurality of exhaust inflow chambers 33. Each
scrubbing liquid supplying unit 58 supplies the scrubbing liquid to
the corresponding pair of sprayers 54. Each scrubbing liquid
supplying unit 58 can supply the scrubbing liquid to the
corresponding pair of sprayers 54 regardless of the operation
circumstances of the other scrubbing liquid supplying units 58.
Each scrubbing liquid supplying unit 58 is thus independent of the
other scrubbing liquid supplying units 58.
[0103] As shown in FIG. 4, each scrubbing liquid supplying unit 58
includes an upstream scrubbing liquid piping 59 connected to the
sprayer 54 at the upstream side, a downstream scrubbing liquid
piping 60 connected to the sprayer 54 at the downstream side, a
collection piping 61 connected to the upstream scrubbing liquid
piping 59 and the downstream scrubbing liquid piping 60, and an
in-line mixer 62 interposed in the collection piping 61. Although
unillustrated, the in-line mixer 62 includes a piping interposed in
the collection piping 61 and a stirring fin that is disposed inside
the piping and is twisted around an axis extending in an axial
direction of the piping. A mixed fluid supplied into the in-line
mixer 62 (into the piping) is mixed uniformly while flowing
spirally along the stirring fin.
[0104] As shown in FIG. 4, each scrubbing liquid supplying unit 58
includes an acidic liquid piping 63 connected to the collection
piping 61, an acidic liquid valve 64 interposed in the acidic
liquid piping 63, and a first flow control valve 65 interposed in
the acidic liquid piping 63. Each scrubbing liquid supplying unit
58 further includes a neutral liquid piping 66 connected to the
collection piping 61, a neutral liquid valve 67 interposed in the
neutral liquid piping 66, and a second flow control valve 68
interposed in the neutral liquid piping 66. An example of an acidic
liquid is concentrated sulfuric acid, and an example of a neutral
liquid is water. The acidic scrubbing liquid mentioned above is a
diluted solution obtained by diluting the acidic liquid with the
neutral liquid.
[0105] When the acidic liquid valve 64 is opened, the acidic liquid
inside the acidic liquid piping 63 flows into the collection piping
61 at a flow rate corresponding to an opening degree of the first
flow control valve 65. Similarly, when the neutral liquid valve 67
is opened, the water inside the neutral liquid piping 66 flows into
the collection piping 61 at a flow rate corresponding to an opening
degree of the second flow control valve 68. Therefore, in a state
where the acidic liquid valve 64 is closed and the neutral liquid
valve 67 is opened, the water supplied from the neutral liquid
piping 66 to the collection piping 61 flows at equal flow rates
into the upstream scrubbing liquid piping 59 and the downstream
scrubbing liquid piping 60 and is supplied at equal flow rates to
the pair of sprayers 54. The water as the neutral scrubbing liquid
is thereby sprayed at equal flow rates from the pair of sprayers
54.
[0106] Also, in a state where both the acidic liquid valve 64 and
the neutral liquid valve 67 are opened, water and concentrated
sulfuric acid are supplied to the collection piping 61 at a
predetermined ratio (for example, 100 to 1000 (water):1
(concentrated sulfuric acid)). The water and the concentrated
sulfuric acid are then mixed inside the piping by the in-line mixer
62. The water and the concentrated sulfuric acid are thereby
stirred to form dilute sulfuric acid. The dilute sulfuric acid thus
flows at equal flow rates into the upstream scrubbing liquid piping
59 and the downstream scrubbing liquid piping 60 and is supplied at
equal flow rates to the pair of sprayers 54. The dilute sulfuric
acid as the acidic scrubbing liquid is thereby sprayed at equal
flow rates from the pair of sprayers 54.
[0107] When the sprayers 54 spray the scrubbing liquid, the mist of
the scrubbing liquid disperses in the upstream cleaning space and
the downstream cleaning space and the liquid droplets of the
scrubbing liquid become retained in the interior of the scrubber
filter 46. Due to contact with the scrubbing liquid mist drifting
in the upstream cleaning space, the exhaust that flows into the
upstream cleaning space from the upstream exhaust duct 32 becomes
decreased in the residual amount of the chemical liquid component.
Further, the exhaust passing through the scrubber filter 46 becomes
decreased in the residual amount of the chemical liquid component
due to contact with the scrubbing liquid inside the scrubber filter
46. The exhaust that flows into the downstream cleaning space
becomes decreased in the residual amount of the chemical liquid
component due to contact with the scrubbing liquid mist drifting in
the downstream cleaning space. The exhaust expelled from the
processing unit 2 is thereby cleaned.
[0108] Also, when the sprayers 54 spray the acidic scrubbing
liquid, such as the dilute sulfuric acid, etc., the mist of the
acidic scrubbing liquid disperses in the upstream cleaning space
and the downstream cleaning space, and the liquid droplets of the
acidic scrubbing liquid become retained in the interior of the
scrubber filter 46. When an alkaline exhaust expelled from the
processing unit 2 flows into the upstream cleaning space in this
state, the residual amount of the chemical liquid component in the
alkaline exhaust is decreased by neutralization. Similarly, the
residual amount of the chemical liquid component is decreased
further by the neutralization reaction inside the scrubber filter
46 and the neutralization reaction in the downstream cleaning
space. The alkaline chemical liquid contained in the alkaline
exhaust is thereby removed and the exhaust expelled from the
processing unit 2 is cleaned.
[0109] A gas (the exhaust after cleaning; hereinafter referred to
as the "cleaned gas") that is decreased in the chemical liquid
component due to contact with the scrubbing liquid mist or the
scrubbing liquid droplets passes through the mist filter 48 of the
mist separator 37. The cleaned gas may contain a liquid component,
such as the scrubbing liquid, etc. The mist filter 48 is a finer
filter than the scrubber filter 46 and therefore allows passage of
just gas and is capable of selectively removing just liquid.
Therefore, even if a liquid component is contained in the cleaned
gas, the liquid component in the cleaned gas can be removed by the
mist filter 48 by passage through the mist filter 48. A cleaned gas
(final cleaned gas) that is removed of the liquid component, such
as the scrubbing liquid, etc., is thereby guided via the downstream
exhaust duct 35 to the exhaust equipment disposed outside the
substrate processing apparatus 1.
[0110] As shown in FIG. 5, the scrubber 3 includes a drain
apparatus 69 that expels liquid from inside the exhaust passage 41.
The drain apparatus 69 includes a drain piping 70 connected to the
exhaust passage 41 and a drain passage 71 guiding the liquid inside
the exhaust passage 41 toward the drain piping 70. As shown in FIG.
4, the drain apparatus 69 further includes a suction apparatus 72
that suctions fluid inside the drain piping 70. The suction
apparatus 72 includes an aspirator 74 that suctions the fluid
inside the drain piping 70. The suction apparatus 72 may include a
pump that suctions the fluid inside drain piping 70 instead of the
aspirator 74 or may include both the aspirator 74 and the pump.
[0111] As shown in FIG. 5, the drain piping 70 extends downward
from the bottom surface of the exhaust collection chamber 34. An
upstream end portion of the drain piping 70 is connected to a drain
port 73 that opens at the bottom surface (bottom portion of the
inner surface) of the exhaust collection chamber 34. As shown in
FIG. 4, a downstream end portion of the drain piping 70 is
connected to the suction apparatus 72. The drain port 73 is
disposed at a periphery of the exhaust outlet 45 in a plan view. An
opening area of the drain port 73 is smaller than an opening area
of the exhaust outlet 45. As shown in FIG. 5, the upstream end
portion of the downstream exhaust duct 35 projects upward from the
bottom surface of the exhaust collection chamber 34 and opens at a
position higher than the drain port 73. The exhaust outlet 45 is
thus disposed higher than the drain port 73. Liquid on the bottom
surface of the exhaust collection chamber 34 is thus prevented from
entering into the exhaust outlet 45 by the upstream end portion of
the downstream exhaust duct 35.
[0112] As shown in FIG. 5, the drain passage 71 is constituted by
the bottom surface (bottom portion of the inner surface) of the
exhaust cleaning box 38. The drain passage 71 extends from a space
(the upstream cleaning space) further upstream than the chemical
liquid separator 36 to the interior (the exhaust collection space)
of the exhaust collection chamber 34. The drain passage 71 includes
a gap between a lower surface of the chemical liquid separator 36
and the bottom surface of the exhaust cleaning box 38. Similarly,
the drain passage 71 includes a gap between the lower surface of
the mist separator 37 and the bottom surface of the exhaust
cleaning box 38. The drain passage 71 is inclined with respect to a
horizontal plane (alternate long and two short dashes line in FIG.
5) so as to be positioned lower as the drain port 73 is approached.
The liquid on the bottom surface of the exhaust cleaning box 38
thus flows by gravity along the bottom surface of the exhaust
cleaning box 38 toward the drain port 73. The liquid inside the
exhaust inflow chamber 33 and the exhaust collection chamber 34 is
thereby guided toward the drain piping 70.
[0113] Liquid on the bottom surface of the exhaust inflow chamber
33 is guided toward the drain piping 70 by the drain passage 71.
Also, liquid inside the scrubber filter 46 drops downward from the
scrubber filter 46. As shown in FIG. 5, the liquid that drops
downward from the scrubber filter 46 passes through the lower
opening 52 connecting the interior of the filter case 47 and the
space below the filter case 47 and lands on the bottom surface of
the exhaust inflow chamber 33. Similarly, liquid inside the mist
filter 48 passes through the lower opening 52 connecting the
interior of the mist filter case 49 and the space below the mist
filter case 49 and lands on the bottom surface of the exhaust
inflow chamber 33. The liquid that has dropped onto the bottom
surface of the exhaust inflow chamber 33 is guided toward the drain
piping 70 by the drain passage 71 and is expelled to the drain port
73.
[0114] As shown in FIG. 4, the suction apparatus 72 includes the
aspirator 74 that suctions the fluid inside the drain piping 70, a
liquid supplying piping 75 supplying liquid into the aspirator 74,
a liquid expelling piping 76 through which the liquid inside the
aspirator 74 is expelled, and a drain valve 77 interposed in the
liquid supplying piping 75. The liquid supplying piping 75 is
connected to an inflow port of the aspirator 74 into which the
liquid flows, and the liquid expelling piping 76 is connected to an
outflow port of the aspirator 74 from which the liquid flows out.
The drain piping 70 is connected to a suction port of the aspirator
74 that suctions the drain liquid. The liquid supplying piping 75
is connected to a liquid supply source in common to the spraying
apparatus 53.
[0115] In a state where the drain valve 77 interposed in the liquid
supplying piping 75 is opened, water, which is an example of the
liquid, flows from the liquid supplying piping 75 to the liquid
expelling piping 76 through a T-shaped flow passage (not shown)
provided in the interior of the aspirator 74. In this process, a
suction force that suctions the fluid inside the drain piping 70 is
generated and the drain liquid inside the drain piping 70 flows
through the interior of the aspirator 74 and into the liquid
expelling piping 76. The drain liquid inside the drain piping 70 is
thereby expelled forcibly. Liquid on the bottom surface of the
exhaust cleaning box 38 is thus expelled rapidly and reliably into
the drain piping 70. Retention of liquid on the bottom surface of
the exhaust cleaning box 38 can thus be suppressed or
prevented.
[0116] As shown in FIG. 4, the scrubber 3 includes a plurality of
upstream exhaust pressure sensors 78 detecting an exhaust pressure
further upstream than the chemical liquid separator 36 and a
downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79 detecting the exhaust
pressure further downstream than the chemical liquid separator 36.
The plurality of the upstream exhaust pressure sensors 78
correspond respectively to the plurality of processing units 2, and
the downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79 corresponds to all
processing units 2. The downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79 is
connected to the exhaust collection chamber 34. The upstream
exhaust pressure sensor 78 is connected to the upstream exhaust
duct 32 or the exhaust inflow chamber 33. FIG. 4 shows an example
where all upstream exhaust pressure sensors 78 are connected to the
upstream exhaust duct 32.
[0117] Detection values of the upstream exhaust pressure sensors 78
and the downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79 are input into the
controller 5. When the scrubber filter 46 of the chemical liquid
separator 36 is wetted sufficiently with the scrubbing liquid, a
pressure loss at the scrubber filter 46 is large and a difference
between the detection values of the upstream exhaust pressure
sensor 78 and the downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79 is large.
Therefore based on the detection values of the upstream exhaust
pressure sensor 78 and the downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79,
the controller 5 can judge whether or not a sufficient amount of
the scrubbing liquid is retained by the scrubber filter 46.
[0118] FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example of operation of the
scrubber 3 when the substrate W is being processed by the
processing unit 2.
[0119] As mentioned above, at the processing unit 2, the acidic
chemical liquid supplying step (step S1), the first intermediate
rinse liquid supplying step (step S2), the alkaline chemical liquid
supplying step (step S3), the second intermediate rinse liquid
supplying step (step S4), the organic chemical liquid supplying
step (step S5), and the drying step (step S6) are performed in that
order. Each of the acidic chemical liquid valve 19, the alkaline
chemical liquid valve 21, the organic chemical liquid valve 23, and
the rinse liquid valve 25 is opened and closed in accordance with
the step being performed at the processing unit 2.
[0120] As shown in FIG. 6, for example, in the acidic chemical
liquid supplying step (step S1), the acidic chemical liquid valve
19 is opened, and the alkaline chemical liquid valve 21, the
organic chemical liquid valve 23, and the rinse liquid valve 25 are
closed. By the changing of the valve that is opened, the acidic
chemical liquid supplying step, the first intermediate rinse liquid
supplying step, the alkaline chemical liquid supplying step, the
second intermediate rinse liquid supplying step, and the organic
chemical liquid supplying step are performed successively.
[0121] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, at the scrubber 3,
regardless of the step being performed at the processing unit 2,
that is, during the period from the acidic chemical liquid
supplying step to the drying step, the neutral liquid valve 67
corresponding to this processing unit 2 is open and water is
discharged (see upper stage of scrubber valve operations).
Similarly, the drain valve 77 is open during the period from the
acidic chemical liquid supplying step to the drying step (see lower
stage of the scrubber valve operations). The neutral liquid valve
67 and the drain valve 77 are thus constantly open. Therefore the
sprayers 54 corresponding to the present processing unit 2
constantly spray water as the scrubbing liquid and the drain
apparatus 69 constantly expels the liquid on the bottom surface of
the exhaust cleaning box 38.
[0122] Although not shown, the neutral liquid valve 67 is also open
during a period in which processing of the substrate W at the
processing unit 2 is not being performed. The sprayers 54 spray the
scrubbing liquid toward the chemical liquid separator 36 and while
the spraying of water is being performed, the scrubber filter 46 of
the chemical liquid separator 36 is maintained in a state of being
wetted with water. The difference between the exhaust pressure
further upstream than the chemical liquid separator 36 and the
exhaust pressure further downstream than the chemical liquid
separator 36 is thus maintained fixed. Similarly, all of the
neutral liquid valves 67 corresponding to the other processing
units 2 are also constantly open. The exhaust pressure applied to
each processing unit 2 is thus maintained fixed.
[0123] When the acidic chemical liquid supplying step is started at
a certain processing unit 2, that is, when the supplying of the
acidic chemical liquid to the substrate W is started, the acidic
exhaust flows into the exhaust inflow chamber 33 corresponding to
this processing unit 2. Similarly, when the alkaline chemical
liquid supplying step is started at a certain processing unit 2,
the alkaline exhaust flows into the exhaust inflow chamber 33
corresponding to this processing unit 2. Similarly, when the
organic chemical liquid supplying step is started at a certain
processing unit 2, the organic exhaust flows into the exhaust
inflow chamber 33 corresponding to this processing unit 2. At the
processing unit 2, the acidic chemical liquid (hydrofluoric acid),
the alkaline chemical liquid (SC-1), and the organic chemical
liquid (IPA) are supplied to the substrate W and therefore the
acidic exhaust, the alkaline exhaust, and the organic exhaust flow
respectively at different periods into the exhaust inflow chamber
33.
[0124] As shown in FIG. 6, during the period in which the alkaline
chemical liquid supplying step (step S3) is being performed at the
processing unit 2, the acidic liquid valve 64 of the scrubber 3 is
open and dilute sulfuric acid is discharged (see middle stage of
the scrubber valve operations). In opening and closing the acidic
liquid valve 64 of the scrubber 3, the controller 5 may open the
acidic liquid valve 64 at the same time as opening the alkaline
chemical liquid valve 21 of the processing unit 2 or may open the
acidic liquid valve 64 before or after opening the alkaline
chemical liquid valve 21. Similarly, controller 5 may close the
acidic liquid valve 64 at the same time as closing the alkaline
chemical liquid valve 21 of the processing unit 2 or may close the
acidic liquid valve 64 before or after closing the alkaline
chemical liquid valve 21.
[0125] The exhaust generated at the processing unit 2 flows into
the exhaust inflow chamber 33 after elapse of a time that is in
accordance with a path length and a flow velocity of the exhaust in
the path from the processing unit 2 to the exhaust inflow chamber
33. That is, there is a time difference between the generation of
exhaust at the processing unit 2 and the inflow of exhaust into the
exhaust inflow chamber 33. The controller 5 may thus delay the
timing of opening the acidic liquid valve 64 based on this time
difference. Also, even when the supplying of the chemical liquid to
the substrate W is stopped, there is residual exhaust containing
the chemical liquid inside the processing unit 2 and therefore the
exhaust containing the chemical liquid flows into the exhaust
inflow chamber 33 for a while after the supplying of the chemical
liquid is stopped. The controller 5 may thus delay the timing of
closing the acidic liquid valve 64 based on this time
difference.
[0126] The sprayers 54 are constantly spraying water as the
scrubbing liquid and therefore the acidic exhaust and the organic
exhaust that flow into the exhaust inflow chamber 33 are cleaned by
contact with the water mist drifting in the exhaust inflow chamber
33 and contact with the water droplets retained by the chemical
liquid separator 36. Also, during the period in which the alkaline
chemical liquid supplying step is being performed at the processing
unit 2, the sprayers 54 spray dilute sulfuric acid as the scrubbing
liquid and therefore the alkaline exhaust that flows into the
exhaust inflow chamber 33 is cleaned by the neutralization reaction
of the pollutant inside the alkaline exhaust and the dilute
sulfuric acid. Therefore, even when any of the acidic exhaust, the
alkaline exhaust, and the organic exhaust is expelled from the
processing unit 2, the exhaust is cleaned to a harmless state by
the scrubber 3 and then expelled from the scrubber 3.
[0127] As described above, with the present preferred embodiment,
the exhaust that is generated at the processing unit 2 and contains
the chemical liquid is guided toward the exterior of the substrate
processing apparatus 1 by the exhaust passage 41 of the scrubber 3.
The sprayers 54 of the scrubber 3 can discharge each of a plurality
of types of scrubbing liquids individually inside the exhaust
passage 41. The scrubber 3 makes the sprayers 54 discharge the
scrubbing liquid inside the exhaust passage 41 to bring the
exhaust, flowing through the exhaust passage 41, in contact with
the scrubbing liquid. The chemical liquid component is thereby
removed from the exhaust and the cleaned exhaust is expelled to the
exhaust equipment disposed outside the substrate processing
apparatus 1.
[0128] Based on the type of chemical liquid contained in the
exhaust, the controller 5 selects the type of scrubbing liquid
discharged by the sprayers 54. Therefore, even if the type of
pollutant contained in the exhaust changes during the processing of
the substrate W or the type of pollutant contained in the exhaust
changes in accordance with the contents of the process, the
controller 5 can bring the scrubbing liquid, which is specialized
to the chemical liquid component contained in the exhaust, in
contact with the exhaust. The substrate processing apparatus 1 can
thus clean, within its interior, the exhaust generated at the
processing unit 2 and decrease the residual amount of the chemical
liquid component contained in the exhaust.
[0129] The exhaust generated at the processing unit 2 can thus be
cleaned inside the substrate processing apparatus 1 and therefore
an apparatus that removes the pollutant, such as the chemical
liquid component, etc., from the exhaust does not need to be
provided in the plant in which the semiconductor processing
apparatus 1 is installed. In other words, the exhaust that is
removed of the chemical liquid component is expelled from the
semiconductor processing apparatus 1 and, therefore a user of the
semiconductor processing apparatus 1 needs only to prepare a
general apparatus for processing the exhaust and does not need to
prepare a dedicated apparatus that removes the chemical liquid
component from the exhaust.
[0130] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the scrubber
filter 46 that allows passage of gas is disposed in the exhaust
passage 41. When the sprayers 54 discharge the scrubbing liquid,
the atmosphere that contains the scrubbing liquid drifts inside the
exhaust passage 41 and attaches to the scrubber filter 46. The
scrubbing liquid is thus retained on an outer surface of the
scrubber filter 46 and an inner surface of the scrubber filter 46.
The exhaust flowing through the exhaust passage 41 toward the
exterior of the substrate processing apparatus 1 passes through
voids in the interior of the scrubber filter 46.
[0131] In passing through the interior of the scrubber filter 46,
the exhaust that contains the pollutant contacts the scrubbing
liquid droplets retained in the scrubber filter 46. By the
scrubbing liquid being retained in the scrubber filter 46 in this
process, the scrubbing liquid present inside exhaust passage 41 is
increased in surface area so that an area of contact between the
exhaust and the scrubbing liquid is also increased. A time of
contact and the area of contact between the exhaust and the
scrubbing liquid are thereby increased and the pollutant is removed
efficiently from the exhaust.
[0132] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the scrubbing
liquid from the sprayers 54 is blown onto the scrubber filter 46.
The scrubbing liquid discharged from the sprayers 54 thus hits the
scrubber filter 46 directly and the scrubbing liquid is supplied
reliably to the scrubber filter 46. The amount of scrubbing liquid
retained by the scrubber filter 46 is thus increased and the
exhaust is reliably brought in contact with the scrubbing liquid
retained by the scrubber filter 46. The residual amount of the
pollutant contained in the exhaust is thereby decreased further and
the cleanliness of the exhaust is improved.
[0133] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the mist filter
48 that allows passage of gas and removes the liquid component from
the gas is disposed in the exhaust passage 41 at the position
further downstream than the sprayers 54 and the scrubber filter 46
in the exhaust flow-through direction D1. The exhaust that is
decreased in the residual amount of the pollutant by contact with
the scrubbing liquid thus passes through the mist filter 48. The
exhaust passing through the mist filter 48 may contain the
scrubbing liquid or other liquid component. Such a liquid component
is captured by the mist filter 48 and is removed from the exhaust.
Therefore, not only the pollutant but the liquid component is also
decreased in residual amount in the interior of the substrate
processing apparatus 1.
[0134] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the suction
force of the drain apparatus 69 is transmitted to the drain port 73
that opens inside the exhaust passage 41 and the liquid inside the
exhaust passage 41 is suctioned into the drain port 73. The liquid
inside the exhaust passage 41 is thereby expelled. Although the
drain port 73 is inside the exhaust passage 41 and is thus in a
state of low pressure, the liquid drained from the drain port 73 is
suppressed from flowing in reverse to the exhaust passage 41 by the
suction force of the drain apparatus 72, and the liquid inside the
exhaust passage 41 can thus be drained reliably.
[0135] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the scrubber
filter 46 is disposed further upstream than the drain port 73. The
drain apparatus 69 has the drain passage 71 passing through the
space between the scrubber filter 46 and the bottom surface of the
exhaust passage 41 and extending from further upstream than the
scrubber filter 46 to the drain port 73. A liquid present further
upstream than the scrubber filter 46 is guided toward the drain
port 73 by the drain passage 71. The drain apparatus 69 can thus
collect liquid from a wider range of the interior of the exhaust
passage 41 and the residual amount of the liquid inside the exhaust
passage 41 can thereby be decreased.
[0136] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the scrubbing
liquid is discharged constantly from the sprayers 54. That is, all
of the sprayers 54 continue to discharge the scrubbing liquid while
the substrate processing apparatus 1 is in operation. The state in
which the scrubbing liquid is retained by the scrubber filter 46 is
thus maintained reliably. The exhaust flowing through the exhaust
passage 41 is thus reliably brought into contact with the scrubbing
liquid retained by the scrubber filter 46. The residual amount of
the pollutant contained in the exhaust can thereby be decreased.
Further, when the scrubber filter 46 dries, a resistance that the
scrubber filter 46 applies to a gas flow decreases, and therefore
by maintaining the scrubber filter 46 in a wet state, fluctuation
of exhaust pressure can be decreased. The exhaust pressure
transmitted from the exhaust equipment to the processing unit 2 via
the scrubber 3 can thereby be stabilized.
[0137] When the exhaust pressure transmitted to the processing unit
2 fluctuates, disturbance of gas flow may occur inside the chamber
6. By stabilizing the exhaust pressure transmitted to the
processing unit 2, the gas flow inside the chamber 6 can be
stabilized. Attachment of foreign matter, such as particles, etc.,
and attachment of a mist of the processing liquid to the substrate
W inside the chamber 6 can thus be suppressed or prevented. The
cleanliness of the substrate W can thus be improved. Further, when
the respective sprayers 54 discharge the scrubbing liquid
constantly, the exhaust pressures transmitted to the respective
processing units 2 are made uniform to enable variation of
processing quality of the substrate W among the plurality of
processing units 2 to be decreased.
[0138] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the gas-liquid
separator 26 that is disposed further upstream than the scrubber 3
separates liquid from the exhaust generated at the processing unit
2 and removes the liquid component from the exhaust. The exhaust
that has been decreased in liquid content by the gas-liquid
separator 26 is delivered to the scrubber 3. The amount of the
chemical liquid component to be removed at the scrubber 3 can thus
be decreased and consequently, the cleanliness of the exhaust
expelled from the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be improved
further.
[0139] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the plurality of
individual passages 42 of the exhaust passage 41 are connected
respectively to the plurality of processing units 2 and the
collection passage 43 of the exhaust passage 41 is connected to
each of the plurality of individual passages 42. The exhausts
generated at the plurality of processing units 2 are expelled from
the plurality of processing units 2 into the plurality of
individual passages 42 respectively. The exhausts that flowed into
the plurality of individual passages 42 are guided via the
collection passage 43 toward the exhaust equipment disposed outside
the substrate processing apparatus 1. The exhaust generated at each
processing unit 2 is cleaned by contact with the scrubbing liquid
in the process of flowing through the exhaust passage 41. The
exhausts generated at the plurality of processing units 2 can thus
be cleaned inside the substrate processing apparatus 1 by the
scrubber 3. There is thus no need to provide a plurality of
scrubbers 3 in the substrate processing apparatus 1 in
correspondence to the individual processing units 2.
[0140] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the plurality of
sprayers 54 are disposed respectively in the plurality of
individual passages 42. The scrubber 3 can thus make a scrubbing
liquid, of a different type from the scrubbing liquid discharged in
a certain individual passage 42, be discharged in another
individual passage 42. The scrubber 3 can thus bring the exhaust in
each individual passage 42 in contact with the scrubbing liquid
specialized to the pollutant contained in the exhaust. Therefore
even in a case where different processes are preformed respectively
in the plurality of processing units 2, the scrubber 3 can perform
removal of the respectively corresponding chemical liquid
components.
[0141] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the plurality of
scrubber filters 46 are disposed respectively in the plurality of
individual passages 42. The scrubber 3 can thus bring the exhaust
and the scrubbing liquid in contact reliably in each individual
passage 42 and can increase the area of contact between the exhaust
and the scrubbing liquid inside each individual passage 42. The
scrubber 3 can thus efficiently remove the pollutants from the
exhausts generated at the plurality of processing units 2 and
further improve the cleanliness of the exhausts.
[0142] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the plurality of
mist filters 48 are disposed respectively in the plurality of
individual passages 42. That is, a dedicated mist filter 48 is
provided according to each individual passage 42. The scrubber 3
can thus remove the liquid component from the exhaust in each
individual passage 42. The scrubber 3 can thus reliably remove the
liquid component from the exhausts generated at the plurality of
processing units 2 and further improve the cleanliness of the
exhausts.
[0143] Also with the present preferred embodiment, the plurality of
drain passages 71 of the drain apparatus 69 respectively correspond
to the plurality of individual passages 42 and each drain passage
71 extends from the corresponding individual passage 42 to the
collection passage 43. The respective drain passages 71 are
inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and the downstream
ends of the drain passages 71 are disposed lower than the upstream
ends of the drain passages 71 so that the liquids inside the
plurality of individual passages 42 flow through the plurality of
drain passages 71 to the collection passage 43 by gravity. The
liquids inside the plurality of individual passages 42 are thus
collected into the collection passage 43. The drain apparatus 69
suctions the liquid inside the collection passage 43 from the drain
port 73 that opens in the collection passage 43. The drain
apparatus 69 can thus collect liquid from a wider range of the
interior of the exhaust passage 41 and the residual amount of the
liquid inside the exhaust passage 41 can thereby be decreased.
[0144] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention
has been described above, the present invention is not restricted
to the contents of the above-described preferred embodiment and
various modifications are possible within the scope of the
claims.
[0145] For example, although with the above-described preferred
embodiment, the case where the sprayers 54 are disposed in each
individual passage 42 was described, the sprayers 54 may instead be
disposed in the collection passage 43 as shown in FIG. 7. In this
case, not only the sprayers 54 but the scrubber filter 46 and the
mist filter 48 may also be disposed in the collection passage 43 as
shown in FIG. 7.
[0146] In the case where the sprayers 54 are disposed in the
collection passage 43, the sprayers 54 do not have to be provided
in each of the individual passages 42. The substrate processing
apparatus 1 can thus be reduced in the number of parts and the
substrate processing apparatus 1 can be simplified in structure.
Similarly, in the case where the scrubber filter 46 and the mist
filter 48 are disposed in the collection passage 43, the scrubber
filter 46 and the mist filter 48 do not have to be provided in each
of the individual passages 42. The substrate processing apparatus 1
can thus be reduced in the number of parts and the substrate
processing apparatus 1 can be simplified in structure.
[0147] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
the sprayers 54 discharge the scrubbing liquid constantly was
described, the sprayers 54 may discharge the scrubbing liquid
intermittently as indicated by alternate long and two short dashes
lines in FIG. 6. By the scrubbing liquid thus being discharged
intermittently from the sprayers 54, a consumption amount of the
scrubbing liquid can be decreased.
[0148] In the case where the sprayers 54 discharge the scrubbing
liquid intermittently, an interval (time from stoppage to restart
of discharge) at which the sprayers 54 discharge the scrubbing
liquid may be a fixed interval determined in advance or a certain
interval set based on a gas pressure in the exhaust passage 41.
[0149] Specifically, the controller 5 may make the sprayers 54
discharge the scrubbing liquid intermittently based on the
detection value or values of either or both of the upstream exhaust
pressure sensors 78 and the downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79.
When the scrubber filter 46 dries, the exhaust resistance of the
scrubber filter 46 decreases and therefore the gas pressure in the
upstream exhaust duct 32 decreases (the absolute value of negative
pressure increases) and the gas pressure inside the exhaust
collection chamber 34 increases (the absolute value of negative
pressure decreases). The controller 5 can thus maintain the state
in which the scrubber filter 46 is wetted sufficiently while
decreasing the consumption amount of the scrubbing liquid by making
the sprayers 54 discharge the scrubbing liquid intermittently based
on the detection value or values of either or both of the upstream
exhaust pressure sensors 78 and the downstream exhaust pressure
sensor 79.
[0150] Further, the suction force of the exhaust equipment is
transmitted to each processing unit 2 via the scrubber filter 46
and therefore the controller 5 can adjust the exhaust pressure
transmitted to the processing unit 2 by controlling the supplying
of scrubbing liquid to the scrubber filter 46. Therefore by
controlling the supplying of scrubbing liquid to the respective
scrubber filters 46 based on the detection value or values of
either or both of the upstream exhaust pressure sensors 78 and the
downstream exhaust pressure sensor 79, the controller 5 can
decrease exhaust pressure differences among the plurality of
processing units 2. The controller 5 can thus make uniform the
exhaust pressures inside the respective processing units 2.
[0151] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
the plurality of scrubber filters 46 are disposed respectively in
the plurality of individual passages 42 was described, the scrubber
3 may instead include a plurality of scrubber filters 46
corresponding to an individual passage 42 in common and a filter
switching apparatus 80 that switches the state of each of the
plurality of scrubber filters 46 individually.
[0152] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the plurality
of scrubber filters 46 provided according to the respective types
of chemical liquids (for example, a scrubber filter 46 for the
acidic chemical liquid and a scrubber filter 46 for the alkaline
chemical liquid) and the filter switching apparatus 80 that
switches the state of each of the plurality of scrubber filters 46
individually may be associated with a single individual passage 42.
Similarly, although the case where the single scrubber filter 46 is
disposed in the collection passage 43 was described with FIG. 7,
the plurality of scrubber filters 46 and the filter switching
apparatus 80 may be associated with the collection passage 43.
[0153] Each of scrubber filters 46A of cubical shapes shown in FIG.
8 is switched between a removal state in which the gas inside
exhaust passage 41 passes through the scrubber filter 46A and a
removal stop state in which the passage of the gas through the
scrubber filter 46A is stopped. The removal state is a state in
which the scrubber filter 46A is disposed at a removal position
(position of the scrubber filter 46A at the left side) inside the
exhaust passage 41 and the removal stop state is a state in which
the scrubber filter 46A is disposed at a removal stop position
(position of the scrubber filter 46A at the right side) outside the
exhaust passage 41. The filter switching apparatus 80 can thus
switch the scrubber filter 46A that removes the pollutant from the
exhaust by moving the scrubber filters 46A between the removal
position and the removal stop position.
[0154] Also, each of scrubber filters 46B of circular columnar
shapes shown in FIG. 9 is disposed in the exhaust passage 41 in an
attitude where a center line of the scrubber filter 46B is
orthogonal to the exhaust flow-through direction D1. The plurality
of scrubber filters 46B are aligned in a direction orthogonal to
the exhaust flow-through direction D1 and an axial direction of
each scrubber filter 46B. Each scrubber filter 46B is housed inside
a filter case 47B of circular cylindrical shape having an outer
peripheral portion provided with two opening portions 47b that face
each other in a diameter direction. The filter switching apparatus
80 rotates the filter case 47B around its center line between a
removal position at which the two opening portions 47b are open
(position of the scrubber filter 46B at the upper side) and a
removal stop position at which the two opening portions 47b are
closed by a shielding member 81 disposed inside the exhaust passage
41 (position of the scrubber filter 46B at the lower side).
[0155] As shown in FIG. 9, when the filter case 47B is disposed at
the removal position (position of the scrubber filter 46B at the
upper side), the scrubber filter 46B is switched to a removal state
in which the gas inside exhaust passage 41 passes through the
scrubber filter 46B. When the filter case 47B is disposed at the
removal stop position (position of the scrubber filter 46B at the
lower side), the scrubber filter 46B is switched to a removal stop
state in which the passage of the gas through the scrubber filter
46B is stopped. The filter switching apparatus 80 can thus switch
the scrubber filter 46B that removes the pollutant from the exhaust
by rotating the filter cases 47B.
[0156] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
the scrubber filter 46 and the mist filter 48 are disposed in each
of all individual passages 42 was described, the scrubber filter 46
and the mist filter 48 may be disposed in just a portion of the
individual passages 42. Also, at least one of either of the
scrubber filter 46 and the mist filter 48 may be omitted from all
of the individual passages 42. Similarly, although with FIG. 7, the
case where the scrubber filter 46 and the mist filter 48 are
disposed in the collection passage 43 was described, at least one
of either of the scrubber filter 46 and the mist filter 48 may be
omitted from the collection passage 43. In this case, the chemical
liquid component contained in the exhaust is removed only by the
scrubbing liquid discharged from the sprayers 54. Although the area
of contact between the scrubbing liquid and the chemical liquid
component is decreased, the structure can be simplified.
[0157] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
the liquid inside the exhaust passage 41 is expelled from one
location (the drain port 73) was described, the liquid inside the
exhaust passage 41 may instead be expelled from a plurality of
drain ports 73. For example, a plurality of drain ports 73
corresponding respectively to the plurality of sprayers 54 may be
provided inside the exhaust passage 41. In this case, the gap
between the lower surface of the chemical liquid separator 36 and
the bottom surface of the exhaust cleaning box 38 does not have to
be provided and the chemical liquid separator 36 may be in contact
with the bottom surface of the exhaust cleaning box 38. That is,
the chemical liquid separator 36 may partition the exhaust passage
41 into an upstream side and a downstream side completely. The same
applies to the mist separator 37.
[0158] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
the liquid inside the exhaust passage 41 is expelled into the drain
piping 70 in common was described, the drain piping 70 may be
switched in accordance with the type of scrubbing liquid discharged
from the sprayers 54. Specifically, a plurality of drain pipings 70
and a plurality of drain valves 77 may be provided. In this case,
the controller 5 can switch the drain piping 70 in accordance with
the type of scrubbing liquid discharged from the sprayers 54 by
switching the plurality of drain valves 77.
[0159] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
the sprayers 54 discharge each of two types of scrubbing liquids
(the acidic scrubbing liquid and the neutral scrubbing liquid)
individually was described, the sprayers 54 may instead discharge
each of three types of scrubbing liquids (an acidic scrubbing
liquid, an alkaline scrubbing liquid, and a neutral scrubbing
liquid) individually or may discharge each of two types of
scrubbing liquids, besides a combination of the acidic scrubbing
liquid and the neutral scrubbing liquid, individually. Also, in a
case where each of an acidic scrubbing liquid and an alkaline
scrubbing liquid is discharged individually from a sprayer 54 in
common, the controller 5 may make a neutral scrubbing liquid be
discharged from the sprayer 54 before switching the scrubbing
liquid from one to the other of the acidic scrubbing liquid and the
alkaline scrubbing liquid. In this case, the controller 5 can rinse
the interior of the sprayer 54 and the interior of the piping with
the neutral scrubbing liquid and mixing of the acidic scrubbing
liquid and the alkaline scrubbing liquid can thus be prevented.
[0160] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
each sprayer 54 includes the plurality of spray nozzles 57 and the
plurality of types of scrubbing liquids (the acidic scrubbing
liquid and the neutral scrubbing liquid) are discharged from the
spray nozzles 57 in common was described, the plurality of types of
scrubbing liquids may instead be discharged from separate spray
nozzles 57. For example, a dedicated spray nozzle 57 may be
provided for each type of scrubbing liquid.
[0161] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
two processing units 2 are provided in the substrate processing
apparatus 1 was described, the number of processing units 2 may be
one or may be not less than three.
[0162] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
each processing unit 2 is a single substrate processing type unit
that processes the substrate W one by one was described, the
processing unit 2 may be a batch type unit that processes a
plurality of substrates W in a batch. That is, the substrate
processing apparatus 1 may be a batch type apparatus.
[0163] Also, although with the preferred embodiment, the case where
the substrate processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that processes
the disk-shaped substrate W was described, the substrate processing
apparatus 1 may instead be an apparatus that processes a polygonal
substrate W, such as a substrate for liquid crystal display device,
etc.
[0164] While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has
been described in detail above, this is merely a specific example
used to clarify the technical contents of the present invention,
and the present invention should not be interpreted as being
limited only to this specific example, and the spirit and scope of
the present invention shall be limited only by the appended
claims.
[0165] The present application corresponds to Japanese Patent
Application No. 2013-44540 filed on Mar. 6, 2013 in the Japan
Patent Office, and the entire disclosure of this application is
incorporated herein by reference.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS
[0166] 1: Substrate processing apparatus [0167] 2: Processing unit
[0168] 3: Scrubber [0169] 5: Controller [0170] 26: Gas-liquid
separator [0171] 27: Gas-liquid separation box [0172] 28: Liquid
piping [0173] 29: Gas piping [0174] 32: Upstream exhaust duct
[0175] 33: Exhaust inflow chamber [0176] 34: Exhaust collection
chamber [0177] 35: Downstream exhaust duct [0178] 36: Chemical
liquid separator [0179] 37: Mist separator [0180] 38: Exhaust
cleaning box [0181] 41: Exhaust passage [0182] 42: Individual
passage [0183] 43: Collection passage [0184] 44: Gas inlet [0185]
45: Exhaust outlet [0186] 46: Scrubber filter [0187] 46A: Scrubber
filter [0188] 46B: Scrubber filter [0189] 47: Filter case [0190]
47B: Filter case [0191] 48: Mist filter [0192] 49: Mist filter case
[0193] 50: Upstream opening [0194] 51: Downstream opening [0195]
52: Lower opening [0196] 53: Spraying apparatus [0197] 54: Sprayer
(discharger) [0198] 55: Scrubbing liquid supplying apparatus [0199]
56: Spray column [0200] 57: Spray nozzle [0201] 69: Drain apparatus
[0202] 70: Drain piping [0203] 71: Drain passage [0204] 72: Suction
apparatus [0205] 73: Drain port [0206] 74: Aspirator [0207] 78:
Upstream exhaust pressure sensor [0208] 79: Downstream exhaust
pressure sensor [0209] 80: Filter switching apparatus [0210] 81:
Shielding member [0211] D1: Flow-through direction [0212] W:
Substrate
* * * * *