JP7631092B2 - Substrate Processing System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a substrate processing system.

Conventionally, temperature control devices have been provided for simultaneously adjusting the temperature of multiple loads in a factory (for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the temperature control device includes a heating side circulation pipe passing through the load, a cooling side circulation pipe passing through the load, and a heat pump. The heat pump includes a heat generating core (heat exchanger) and a heat absorbing core (heat exchanger). The heat generating core heats the liquid flowing through the heating side circulation pipe, and the heat absorbing core cools the liquid flowing through the cooling side circulation pipe.

The liquid heated by the heat generating core flows through the circulation piping on the heating side to heat the load object, and the liquid cooled by the heat absorbing core flows through the circulation piping on the cooling side to cool the load object.

Patent documents 2 to 5 are also listed as technologies related to this disclosure.

JP 2009-287865 A JP 2002-246359 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-87300 JP 2021-9956 A JP 2015-113523 A

In Patent Document 1, the heating target is heated by the transfer of heat from the heating core to the liquid and from the liquid to the heating target. Therefore, when the processing liquid supplied to the substrate in the load is used as the heating target, the heat is transferred from the heating core to the processing liquid (liquid) via the liquid, which is inefficient.

In addition, in Patent Document 1, the liquid circulates through the circulation piping on the heating side, so the total amount of liquid in the circulation piping is constant. If some of the liquid in the circulation piping is supplied to the substrate under load and then discharged to the outside, the amount of liquid in the circulation piping will decrease by the amount supplied to the substrate, which may lead to a shortage of liquid. In this case, it will eventually become impossible to supply liquid appropriately to the substrate.

Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a substrate processing system that can more efficiently supply heated processing liquid to a substrate processing apparatus in a more appropriate manner.

A first aspect of a substrate processing system includes one or more substrate processing apparatuses that supply a processing liquid to substrates to process the substrates, a heat pump device that heats the processing liquid, a heating circulation path that returns the processing liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device, a processing liquid supply path that branches off from the heating circulation path and supplies the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus, a processing liquid replenishment path that is connected to the heating circulation path and replenishes the processing liquid to the heating circulation path, and a heater that heats the processing liquid flowing through the processing liquid supply path , the heater including a heat pump .

A second aspect of the substrate processing system is the substrate processing system according to the first aspect, further comprising a control unit that receives information about the substrate and causes the heater to start a heating operation.

A third aspect of the substrate processing system includes one or more substrate processing apparatuses that supply a processing liquid to substrates to process the substrates, a heat pump device that heats the processing liquid, a heating circulation path that returns the processing liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device, a processing liquid supply path that branches off from the heating circulation path and supplies the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus, a processing liquid replenishment path that is connected to the heating circulation path and replenishes the processing liquid to the heating circulation path, and a refrigerant concentration sensor that measures a concentration of a refrigerant in the heating circulation path, and the heat pump device includes a heat exchanger connected to the heating circulation path and formed of a thermally conductive resin.

A fourth aspect of the substrate processing system includes one or more substrate processing apparatuses that supply a processing liquid to substrates to process the substrates, a heat pump device that heats the processing liquid, a heating circulation path that returns the processing liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device, a processing liquid supply path that branches off from the heating circulation path and supplies the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus, a processing liquid replenishment path that is connected to the heating circulation path and replenishes the processing liquid to the heating circulation path, a discharge path that flows waste liquid from the substrate processing apparatus, and a heat retention section that keeps the heating circulation path warm with the waste liquid supplied from the discharge path.

A fifth aspect of the substrate processing system includes one or more substrate processing apparatuses that supply a processing liquid to substrates to process the substrates, a heat pump device that heats the processing liquid, a heating circulation path that returns the processing liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device, a processing liquid supply path that branches off from the heating circulation path and supplies the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus, a processing liquid replenishment path that is connected to the heating circulation path and replenishes the processing liquid to the heating circulation path, a cooling circulation path that returns a cooling liquid cooled by the heat pump device to the heat pump device, a cooling liquid supply path that branches off from the cooling circulation path and supplies the cooling liquid to the substrate processing apparatus, and a cooling section that cools the cooling liquid flowing through the cooling circulation path upstream of the cooling liquid supply path and downstream of the heat pump device.

A sixth aspect of the substrate processing system is a substrate processing system according to the fifth aspect, further comprising a discharge path for flowing waste liquid from the substrate processing apparatus, and a waste liquid cooling unit for cooling the waste liquid in the cooling circulation path or a branch path branching off from the cooling circulation path.

According to the first aspect of the substrate processing system, the heat pump device heats the processing liquid, so that the processing liquid can be heated with higher efficiency and the processing liquid can be supplied to the substrate processing apparatus. Moreover, since a processing liquid replenishment path is connected to the heating circulation path, shortages of processing liquid can also be suppressed. As described above, the processing liquid heated with high efficiency can be appropriately supplied to the substrate processing apparatus.

Furthermore, since the heater can heat the processing liquid at a position closer to the substrate processing apparatus than the heat pump device, the processing liquid whose temperature has been adjusted with higher accuracy can be supplied to the substrate processing apparatus.

Additionally, the efficiency of the substrate processing system can be further improved.

According to the second aspect of the substrate processing system, the processing liquid supply path can be preheated.

According to the third aspect of the substrate processing system, the concentration of the coolant in the processing liquid can be monitored.

According to the fourth aspect of the substrate processing system, the heat of the waste liquid can be effectively utilized, so that the efficiency of the substrate processing system can be further improved.

According to the fifth aspect of the substrate processing system, the energy of the heat pump device can be effectively used to cool the cooling liquid supplied to the substrate processing apparatus. Moreover, since a cooling unit separate from the heat pump device is provided, the cooling liquid can be cooled independently of the heat pump device. Therefore, the temperature adjustment range of the cooling liquid can be expanded.

According to the sixth aspect of the substrate processing system, the temperature of the waste liquid can be quickly reduced.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system according to a first embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system according to a modified example. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of heater start control. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a heater according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system according to a second embodiment. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of monitoring control of a refrigerant concentration in a treatment liquid. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system according to a third embodiment. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing apparatus and a heat retaining unit. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of discharge control of a waste liquid. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a waste liquid cooling unit. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the waste liquid cooling unit.

The following describes the embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In the drawings, the dimensions or numbers of each part may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary for ease of understanding.

Expressions showing relative or absolute positional relationships (e.g., "in one direction," "along one direction," "parallel," "orthogonal," "center," "concentric," "coaxial," etc.) not only strictly express that positional relationship, but also express a state in which the two are relatively displaced in terms of angle or distance within a range in which a tolerance or similar function is obtained, unless otherwise specified. Expressions showing an equal state (e.g., "same," "equal," "homogeneous," etc.) not only strictly express a state in which the two are quantitatively equal, but also express a state in which there is a difference in which a tolerance or similar function is obtained, unless otherwise specified. Expressions showing a shape (e.g., "square shape" or "cylindrical shape," etc.) not only strictly express that shape geometrically, but also express a shape that has, for example, irregularities or chamfers, within a range in which a similar effect is obtained, unless otherwise specified. The expressions "comprise," "include," "have," "includes," "includes," or "has" a component are not exclusive expressions that exclude the presence of other components. The expression "at least one of A, B, and C" includes only A, only B, only C, any two of A, B, and C, and all of A, B, and C.

First Embodiment
<Configuration of Substrate Processing System>
1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system 100. The substrate processing system 100 includes one or more substrate processing apparatuses 10, a heat pump device 20, a heating circulation path 30, a processing liquid supply path 31, and a processing liquid replenishment unit 60.

The substrate processing apparatus 10 is an apparatus that performs processing on a substrate W, as described in detail below. The substrate W includes various substrates, such as semiconductor substrates, substrates for displays, substrates for photomasks, and substrates for magnetic disks or optical disks. In the example of FIG. 1, a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 10 are provided in the substrate processing system 100. In the example of FIG. 1, substrate processing apparatuses 10A and 10B are shown as examples of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The substrate processing apparatuses 10A and 10B supply processing liquid to the substrate W and perform processing on the substrate W, as described below.

The heat pump device 20 is a device that heats the treatment liquid flowing through the heating circulation path 30. The heating circulation path 30 is a flow path through which the treatment liquid heated by the heat pump device 20 flows back toward the heat pump device 20. In other words, the heating circulation path 30 is a circulation flow path for returning the treatment liquid from the heat pump device 20 back to the heat pump device 20.

The heat pump device 20 includes a refrigerant circulation path 21, a heat exchanger 22 for heating, a heat exchanger 23 for cooling, a compressor 24, and an expansion valve 25. The refrigerant circulation path 21 is a flow path that circulates a refrigerant, and is mainly composed of piping. The refrigerant is, for example, a carbon dioxide refrigerant or an ammonia refrigerant. The refrigerant circulation path 21 is provided with a heat exchanger 22, a heat exchanger 23, a compressor 24, and an expansion valve 25.

The compressor 24 includes a suction port and a discharge port, compresses the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant drawn in from the suction port, and discharges the compressed high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant from the discharge port. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor 24 flows through the refrigerant circulation path 21 toward the heat exchanger 22 and flows into the heat exchanger 22.

The heat exchanger 22 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the treatment liquid. As a specific configuration, a refrigerant flow path 221 through which the refrigerant flows and a treatment liquid flow path 222 through which the treatment liquid flows are formed within the heat exchanger 22. The upstream end of the treatment liquid flow path 222 is connected to the downstream end of the heating circulation path 30, and the downstream end of the treatment liquid flow path 222 is connected to the upstream end of the heating circulation path 30. The heating circulation path 30 is mainly composed of piping. It is preferable that a pump (not shown) is provided in the heating circulation path 30. The pump delivers the treatment liquid in the heating circulation path 30. As a result, the treatment liquid flows and circulates through the heating circulation path 30 and the treatment liquid flow path 222. The treatment liquid is not particularly limited, but is, for example, pure water.

The heat exchanger 22 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path 221 and the treatment liquid flowing through the treatment liquid flow path 222. Specifically, in the heat exchanger 22, heat is transferred from the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to the treatment liquid. As a result, the refrigerant is cooled and liquefied, while the treatment liquid is heated.

A portion of the processing liquid heated by the heat pump device 20 is supplied to each substrate processing apparatus 10 (specifically, substrate processing apparatus 10A and substrate processing apparatus 10B) through a processing liquid supply path 31 branching off from the heating circulation path 30, as described below.

The refrigerant from the heat exchanger 22 flows through the refrigerant circuit 21 toward the expansion valve 25. The refrigerant expands in the expansion valve 25. The low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant after expansion flows through the refrigerant circuit 21 toward the heat exchanger 23 and flows into the heat exchanger 23.

In the heat exchanger 23, a refrigerant flow path 231 through which the refrigerant flows is formed. In the example of FIG. 1, a cooling liquid flow path 232 through which the cooling liquid flows is also formed in the heat exchanger 23. In the example of FIG. 1, the upstream end of the cooling liquid flow path 232 is connected to the downstream end of the cooling circulation path 40, and the downstream end of the cooling liquid flow path 232 is connected to the upstream end of the cooling circulation path 40. The cooling circulation path 40 is a flow path through which the cooling liquid cooled by the heat pump device 20 flows again toward the heat pump device 20. In other words, the cooling circulation path 40 is a circulation path for returning the cooling liquid from the heat pump device 20 back to the heat pump device 20. The cooling circulation path 40 is mainly composed of piping. It is preferable that a pump (not shown) is provided in the cooling circulation path 40. The pump sends the cooling liquid in the cooling circulation path 40. As a result, the cooling liquid flows and circulates through the cooling circulation path 40 and the cooling liquid flow path 232. The cooling liquid is not particularly limited, but is, for example, pure water.

The heat exchanger 23 exchanges heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path 231 and the cooling liquid flowing through the cooling liquid flow path 232. Specifically, in the heat exchanger 23, heat is transferred from the cooling liquid to the refrigerant. As a result, the refrigerant is heated and vaporized, while the cooling liquid is cooled. Note that the amount of heat transferred from the cooling liquid to the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 23 is ideally equal to the amount of heat transferred from the refrigerant to the treatment liquid in the heat exchanger 22.

In the example of FIG. 1, a portion of the cooling liquid cooled by the heat pump device 20 is supplied to each substrate processing device (specifically, substrate processing device 10C and substrate processing device 10D, described below) through a cooling liquid supply path 41 branched off from the cooling circulation path 40, as described below.

Heat exchanger 22 and heat exchanger 23 are made of, for example, a thermally conductive resin. For example, a resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene can be used as the thermally conductive resin. It is desirable that the thermal conductivity of the material that makes up heat exchanger 22 and heat exchanger 23 is higher than the thermal conductivity of the material of the piping that forms, for example, any of refrigerant circulation path 21, heating circulation path 30, cooling circulation path 40, treatment liquid supply path 31, cooling liquid supply path 41 (described below), and cooling liquid return path 42 (described below).

Next, the piping system for supplying the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described in more detail. The processing liquid supply path 31 is a flow path branched from the heating circulation path 30. The processing liquid flows through the processing liquid supply path 31 from the heating circulation path 30 toward the substrate processing apparatus 10. In other words, the processing liquid supply path 31 is a flow path for supplying the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus 10. The processing liquid supply path 31 is mainly composed of piping, and connects the heating circulation path 30 and the substrate processing apparatus 10. In the example of FIG. 1, a processing liquid supply path 31 is provided one-to-one for each of the multiple substrate processing apparatuses 10 to which the processing liquid is to be supplied. A portion of the processing liquid in the heating circulation path 30 is supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10 through each processing liquid supply path 31.

The processing liquid supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10 is discharged to the outside through the discharge path 118, as described in detail later. In this way, since the processing liquid is discharged to the outside, the amount of processing liquid circulating through the heating circulation path 30 decreases by the amount supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, a processing liquid refill unit 60 is provided.

The processing liquid refill section 60 supplies the processing liquid to the heating circuit 30. This refills the processing liquid in the heating circuit 30. In the example of FIG. 1, the processing liquid refill section 60 includes a processing liquid refill path 61 and a refill tank 62. The processing liquid refill path 61 is mainly composed of piping, and its downstream end is connected to the heating circuit 30. As a more specific example, the downstream end of the processing liquid refill path 61 is connected to the heating circuit 30 upstream of the heat exchanger 22 and downstream of all upstream ends of the processing liquid supply path 31. The upstream end of the processing liquid refill path 61 is connected to the refill tank 62. The refill tank 62 stores the processing liquid. The processing liquid from the refill tank 62 is supplied to the heating circuit 30 through the processing liquid refill path 61.

As described above, the processing liquid is heated in the heat exchanger 22. Immediately after the heat exchanger 22, the temperature of the processing liquid is, for example, about 60°C to 70°C. Then, a portion of the heated processing liquid flows from the heating circulation path 30 into the processing liquid supply path 31, and is supplied to each substrate processing apparatus 10 through the processing liquid supply path 31. Meanwhile, the remaining portion of the processing liquid flows directly downstream through the heating circulation path 30.

The processing liquid replenishment section 60 supplies the processing liquid, for example at room temperature, to the heating circulation path 30. Therefore, the temperature of the processing liquid drops downstream of the junction of the heating circulation path 30 and the processing liquid replenishment path 61. For example, the temperature of the processing liquid drops to about 30°C. This low-temperature processing liquid then flows into the heat exchanger 22, where it is heated again to about 60°C to 70°C.

Next, the piping system for supplying the cooling liquid to the substrate processing apparatus 10 (specifically, the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D) will be described in more detail. In the example of FIG. 1, a cooling liquid supply path 41 and a cooling liquid return path 42 are provided between the cooling circulation path 40 and each substrate processing apparatus 10 (specifically, the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D). The cooling liquid supply path 41 is mainly composed of piping, its upstream end is connected to the cooling circulation path 40, and the downstream end of the cooling liquid supply path 41 is connected to the substrate processing apparatus 10. The cooling liquid return path 42 is mainly composed of piping, its downstream end is connected to the cooling circulation path 40, and the upstream end of the cooling liquid return path 42 is connected to the substrate processing apparatus 10. In the example of FIG. 1, a pair of the cooling liquid supply path 41 and the cooling liquid return path 42 is provided corresponding to each of the substrate processing apparatuses 10 (e.g., the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D) to which the cooling liquid is to be supplied.

A portion of the cooling liquid in the cooling circulation path 40 is supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10 through the cooling liquid supply path 41. This cooling liquid is used to cool the equipment (components) in the substrate processing apparatus 10, as described below. In other words, the cooling liquid cools the components by receiving heat from them. After cooling the components, the cooling liquid returns to the cooling circulation path 40 again through the cooling liquid return path 42.

In the example of FIG. 1, the cooling circuit 40 is provided with a cooling unit 48. Specifically, the cooling unit 48 is provided in the cooling circuit 40 upstream of the upstream ends of all the cooling liquid supply paths 41 and downstream of the heat exchanger 23. The cooling unit 48 cools the cooling liquid flowing through the cooling circuit 40. The cooling unit 48 is, for example, a cooling water circulation device (a so-called chiller).

As described above, the cooling liquid is cooled in the heat exchanger 23. Just after the heat exchanger 23, the temperature of the cooling liquid is, for example, about 20°C. The cooling liquid flows through the cooling circulation path 40 from the heat exchanger 23 toward the cooling section 48 and flows into the cooling section 48. The cooling section 48 cools the cooling liquid so that the temperature of the cooling liquid becomes a temperature suitable for cooling the equipment of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The cooling liquid cooled by the cooling section 48 is supplied from the cooling circulation path 40 through each cooling liquid supply path 41 to each substrate processing apparatus 10, cools the equipment of each substrate processing apparatus 10, and returns to the cooling circulation path 40 through each cooling liquid return path 42. Then, the cooling liquid flows through the cooling circulation path 40 toward the heat exchanger 23 and flows into the heat exchanger 23. Just before the heat exchanger 23, the temperature of the cooling liquid is, for example, about 30°C. The cooling liquid is cooled again in the heat exchanger 23, for example, to about 20°C.

The substrate processing system 100 also includes a control unit 90. The control unit 90 controls various components of the substrate processing system 100. For example, the control unit 90 includes an arithmetic processing unit 91 and a storage medium 92. The arithmetic processing unit 91 is a processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs various arithmetic processing. The storage medium 92 includes, for example, a non- transient storage medium such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) that is a read-only memory that stores a basic program, a temporary storage medium such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) that is a readable and writable memory that stores various information, and a non-transient storage medium such as a magnetic disk that stores control software or data. The arithmetic processing unit 91 of the control unit 90 executes a predetermined processing program, whereby each operating mechanism of the substrate processing system 100 is controlled by the control unit 90, and processing in the substrate processing system 100 progresses. The control unit 90 may be realized by a dedicated hardware circuit that does not require software to realize its function.

In addition, although a single control unit 90 is shown in the example of FIG. 1, a control unit 90 may be provided for each of the components such as the substrate processing apparatus 10 and the heat pump apparatus 20, and these may communicate with each other to control the substrate processing system 100.

Next, a specific example of the internal configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram that shows a schematic example of the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 10. In the example of FIG. 2, two types of substrate processing apparatus 10 are shown. Specifically, substrate processing apparatus 10A and substrate processing apparatus 10B, which are targets of the supply of processing liquid, are processing apparatuses that supply processing liquid to substrates W, and substrate processing apparatus 10C and substrate processing apparatus 10D, which are targets of the supply of cooling liquid, are processing apparatuses that perform heat treatment on substrates W.

Each of the substrate processing apparatuses 10A and 10B includes one or more processing units 11, and in the example of FIG. 2, multiple processing units 11 are shown. In the example of FIG. 2, each processing unit 11 includes a chamber 111, a substrate holder 112, a nozzle 114, a nozzle 115, and a guard 116.

The substrate holding part 112 is provided in the chamber 111 and holds the substrate W in a horizontal position. The horizontal position here means that the thickness direction of the substrate W is aligned with the vertical direction. The substrate W is transported into the chamber 111 by a substrate transport part (not shown) and handed over to the substrate holding part 112. In the example of FIG. 2, the substrate holding part 112 includes a plurality of chuck pins 113. Each of the plurality of chuck pins 113 is provided so as to be displaceable between a chuck position in contact with the periphery of the substrate W and a release position away from the periphery of the substrate W. When the plurality of chuck pins 113 move to their respective chuck positions, the plurality of chuck pins 113 hold the substrate W. When the plurality of chuck pins 113 move to their respective release positions, the substrate W is released from its hold.

The substrate holder 112 also includes a motor (not shown) that rotates the substrate W around a rotation axis Q1. The rotation axis Q1 passes through the center of the substrate W and is an axis along the vertical direction. Such a substrate holder 112 may also be called a spin chuck.

Nozzle 114 is provided in chamber 111 and is used to supply processing liquid to the upper surface of substrate W. Nozzle 115 is provided in chamber 111 and is used to supply processing liquid to the lower surface of substrate W. Nozzle 114 is provided vertically above the upper surface of substrate W, and nozzle 115 is provided vertically below the lower surface of substrate W. Nozzle 114 ejects processing liquid toward the upper surface of substrate W, and nozzle 115 ejects processing liquid toward the lower surface of substrate W.

Nozzle 114 and nozzle 115 are connected to treatment liquid supply path 31. Treatment liquid supply path 31 includes supply path 31a, supply path 31b, supply path 31c, and supply path 31d. The upstream end of supply path 31a corresponds to the upstream end of treatment liquid supply path 31 and is connected to heating circulation path 30. Supply path 31a is connected to the upstream ends of a plurality of supply paths 31b provided corresponding to a plurality of treatment units 11, respectively. The downstream ends of each supply path 31b are connected to the upstream ends of supply path 31c and supply path 31d. The downstream end of supply path 31c is connected to nozzle 114, and the downstream end of supply path 31d is connected to nozzle 115.

A valve 32 is provided in the supply path 31c. When the valve 32 is opened, the processing liquid is supplied from the heating circulation path 30 through the supply paths 31a, 31b, and 31c to the nozzle 114, and the processing liquid is ejected from the nozzle 114 onto the top surface of the substrate W. When the valve 32 is closed, the ejection of the processing liquid from the nozzle 114 stops.

A valve 33 is provided in the supply path 31d. When the valve 33 is opened, the processing liquid is supplied from the heating circulation path 30 through the supply paths 31a, 31b, and 31d to the nozzle 115, and the processing liquid is ejected from the nozzle 115 onto the underside of the substrate W. When the valve 33 is closed, the ejection of the processing liquid from the nozzle 115 stops.

In the example of FIG. 2, a heater 34 is provided in the supply path 31b. The heater 34 heats the processing liquid flowing through the processing liquid supply path 31 (specifically, the supply path 31b). The heater 34 heats the processing liquid so that the temperature of the processing liquid landing on the substrate W is within a predetermined temperature range including a predetermined process temperature. The heater 34 may be a heater of various types, for example an electric resistance type heater. The heater 34 adjusts the temperature of the processing liquid to the process temperature by raising the temperature of the processing liquid by, for example, a value between 10°C and 20°C.

When the substrate holder 112 rotates the substrate W around the rotation axis Q1, the valve 32 opens, causing the nozzle 114 to eject high-temperature processing liquid onto the top surface of the rotating substrate W. The processing liquid that has landed on the top surface of the substrate W spreads over the top surface of the substrate W due to the centrifugal force associated with the rotation, and is scattered outward from the periphery of the substrate W. This allows the top surface of the substrate W to be processed.

In addition, while the substrate holder 112 rotates the substrate W around the rotation axis Q1, the valve 33 opens, causing the nozzle 115 to eject high-temperature processing liquid onto the underside of the rotating substrate W. The processing liquid that has landed on the underside of the substrate W spreads over the underside of the substrate W due to the centrifugal force associated with the rotation, and is splashed outward from the periphery of the substrate W. This allows the underside of the substrate W to be processed with the processing liquid.

The guard 116 has a cylindrical shape that surrounds the substrate holder 112, and receives the processing liquid that has splashed from the periphery of the substrate W. The processing liquid received on the inner peripheral surface of the guard 116 flows down along the inner peripheral surface and is received in a cup 117. The upstream end of a discharge path 118 is connected to the cup 117, and the processing liquid is discharged to the outside through the discharge path 118. The discharge path 118 is mainly composed of piping.

2, the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D include a heat treatment unit 12. In the example of FIG. 2, the heat treatment unit 12 includes a chamber 121, a substrate holding part 122, and a heater 123. The substrate holding part 122 is provided in the chamber 121 and holds the substrate W in a horizontal position. The substrate holding part 122 includes, for example, a support table that supports the peripheral part of the lower surface of the substrate W. The substrate W is transported into the chamber 121 by a substrate transport part (not shown) and handed over to the substrate holding part 122. The heater 123 is provided in the chamber 121 and heats the substrate W held by the substrate holding part 122. This allows the substrate W to be subjected to heat treatment. This heat treatment also increases the temperature of the chamber 121 as a by-product.

2, the downstream end of the cooling liquid supply path 41 is connected to the upstream end of the cooling path 43, and the downstream end of the cooling path 43 is connected to the upstream end of the cooling liquid return path 42. The cooling path 43 is mainly composed of piping and is arranged to surround the chamber 121. As a specific example, the cooling path 43 is provided along the outer wall of the chamber 121. The cooling path 43 may be embedded in the side wall of the chamber 121 or provided along the inner wall of the chamber 121.

The processing liquid from the cooling circulation path 40 flows through the cooling liquid supply path 41, the cooling path 43, and the cooling liquid return path 42 in this order, and then returns to the cooling circulation path 40. As a result, heat is transferred from the high-temperature chamber 121 to the low-temperature cooling liquid in the cooling path 43, so that the chamber 121 can be cooled. Therefore, a material with low heat resistance can be used as the material for the chamber 121. In other words, there is no need to use a material with high heat resistance, and the material selectivity for the chamber 121 can be improved.

In the example of FIG. 2, the chamber 121 is shown as the object to be cooled, but this is not necessarily limited to this. Any component constituting the substrate processing apparatus 10 can be used as the object to be cooled.

<Effects of the embodiment>
As described above, in the substrate processing system 100, the heat pump unit 20 heats the processing liquid. Since the heat pump unit 20 can heat the processing liquid with high thermal efficiency, the efficiency of the substrate processing system 100 can be improved.

The substrate processing system 100 is also provided with a heating circulation path 30. This allows a portion of the processing liquid heated by the heat exchanger 22 to flow back into the heat exchanger 22, so that the temperature of the processing liquid flowing through the heating circulation path 30 can be adjusted with greater precision.

In addition, in the above example, the processing liquid supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10 is discharged to the outside through the discharge path 118 without returning to the heating circulation path 30, but the processing liquid replenishment unit 60 supplies processing liquid to the heating circulation path 30. This makes it possible to compensate for the decrease in the amount of processing liquid circulating in the heating circulation path 30 that accompanies the supply of processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus 10. Therefore, it is possible to continue to supply processing liquid appropriately to the substrate processing apparatus 10.

In the above example, a heater 34 is provided for each of the processing units 11 of the substrate processing apparatus 10. That is, the heater 34 is provided at a position closer to the nozzle 114 and nozzle 115 of each substrate processing apparatus 10 than the heat pump device 20. Therefore, the temperature of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle 114 or nozzle 115 can be adjusted to the process temperature with higher accuracy by the heater 34. Therefore, the processing of the substrate W can be performed more appropriately.

In the above example, the heat exchanger 22 is made of a thermally conductive resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Such resins are formed with high purity, so that even when the processing liquid passes through the processing liquid flow path 222 of the heat exchanger 22, almost no impurities are eluted from the heat exchanger 22 into the processing liquid. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus 10 can process the substrate W with a clean processing liquid.

It is not necessary that the entire heat exchanger 22 is made of the resin; only the portion that constitutes the treatment liquid flow path 222 may be made of the resin.

On the other hand, since the density of such resins is relatively small, the refrigerant may mix from the refrigerant flow path 221 into the treatment liquid flow path 222 in the heat exchanger 22. However, in the above example, a carbon dioxide refrigerant or an ammonia refrigerant is used as the refrigerant. Even if carbon dioxide or ammonia mixes into the treatment liquid, it is unlikely to affect the treatment of the substrate W. Therefore, even if the refrigerant mixes into the treatment liquid, the treatment of the substrate W can be performed more appropriately than with other refrigerants.

In addition, in the above example, the cooling liquid to be cooled by the heat pump device 20 is used to cool the equipment of the substrate processing device 10C and the substrate processing device 10D. This allows the energy on the cooling side of the heat pump device 20 to be used as well, further improving the efficiency of the substrate processing system 100.

In the heat pump device 20, the amount of heat transferred from the refrigerant to the processing liquid and the amount of heat transferred from the cooling liquid to the refrigerant are approximately equal. However, in the above example, a cooling section 48 is also provided. Therefore, this cooling section 48 can adjust the temperature of the cooling liquid independently of the temperature of the processing liquid immediately after the heat exchanger 22. This makes it possible to expand the adjustment range of the temperature of the cooling liquid supplied to the substrate processing device 10.

In the above example, the cooling unit 48 is provided in the cooling circulation path 40. The cooling liquid cooled by the cooling unit 48 is supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D through the respective cooling liquid supply paths 41. Since the length of the cooling liquid supply path 41 may differ between the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D, the temperature of the cooling liquid may vary between the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D. Therefore, the temperature of the cooling object (e.g., the chamber 121) may vary between the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D. However, compared to the temperature of the processing liquid, the temperature of the cooling object has almost no effect on the processing of the substrate W. Therefore, even if the temperature of the cooling liquid varies, no problems will occur in the processing of the substrate W.

In the above example, the cooling section 48 is provided in the cooling circuit 40, so that the configuration of the substrate processing system 100 can be simplified and the manufacturing costs can be reduced compared to the case where separate cooling sections 48 are provided for the substrate processing apparatus 10C and the substrate processing apparatus 10D.

<Modification>
In the example of FIG. 1 , the cooling liquid is supplied to a substrate processing apparatus 10 (substrate processing apparatus 10C and substrate processing apparatus 10D) other than the substrate processing apparatus 10 (substrate processing apparatus 10A and substrate processing apparatus 10B) to which a high-temperature processing liquid is supplied. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, when equipment requiring cooling is provided in the substrate processing apparatus 10A and substrate processing apparatus 10B, the cooling liquid may be supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10A and substrate processing apparatus 10B. In this case, the cooling path 43 may be appropriately arranged in the substrate processing apparatus 10A and substrate processing apparatus 10B along the equipment to be cooled.

In the above example, the cooling liquid cools the equipment of the substrate processing apparatus 10, but the cooling liquid may be supplied to the substrate W. In this case, the cooling liquid corresponds to the processing liquid. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a part of the configuration of the substrate processing system 100. In the example of FIG. 3, the upstream end of the cooling liquid supply path 44 is connected to the cooling circulation path 40. The cooling liquid supply path 44 is also mainly composed of piping. The cooling liquid is supplied to the substrate processing apparatus 10 through the cooling liquid supply path 44. In the example of FIG. 3, the substrate processing apparatus 10 further includes a nozzle 1141. The nozzle 1141 ejects the cooling liquid onto the upper surface of the substrate W. The cooling liquid is, for example, pure water.

As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 1141 is connected to the cooling liquid supply path 44. The cooling liquid supply path 44 includes a supply path 44a, a supply path 44b, a supply path 44c, and a supply path 44d. The upstream end of the supply path 44a corresponds to the upstream end of the cooling liquid supply path 44 and is connected to the cooling circulation path 40. The supply path 44a is connected to the upstream ends of a plurality of supply paths 44b provided corresponding to a plurality of processing units 11. The downstream end of each supply path 44b is connected to the upstream ends of the supply paths 44c and 44d. The downstream end of the supply path 44c is connected to the nozzle 1141, and the downstream end of the supply path 44d is connected to the nozzle 115.

A valve 45 is provided in the supply path 44c. When the valve 45 is opened, the cooling liquid is supplied from the cooling circulation path 40 through the supply paths 44a, 44b, and 44c to the nozzle 1141, and is ejected from the nozzle 1141 onto the top surface of the substrate W. When the valve 45 is closed, the ejection of the cooling liquid from the nozzle 1141 stops.

A valve 46 is provided in the supply path 44d. When the valve 46 is opened, the cooling liquid is supplied from the cooling circulation path 40 through the supply paths 44a, 44b, and 44d to the nozzle 115, and the cooling liquid is discharged from the nozzle 115 onto the underside of the substrate W. When the valve 46 is closed, the discharge of the processing liquid from the nozzle 115 stops.

The cooling liquid is splashed outward from the periphery of the substrate W and discharged to the outside through the guard 116, the cup 117, and the discharge path 118. In this case, the amount of cooling liquid circulating through the cooling circulation path 40 may decrease. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 3, the substrate processing system 100 is provided with a cooling liquid refill section 65. The cooling liquid refill section 65 supplies cooling liquid to the cooling circulation path 40. In the example of FIG. 3, the cooling liquid refill section 65 includes a cooling liquid refill path 66 and a refill tank 67. The cooling liquid refill path 66 is mainly composed of piping, and its downstream end is connected to the cooling circulation path 40. As a specific example, the downstream end of the cooling liquid refill path 66 is connected to the cooling circulation path 40 upstream of the heat exchanger 23 and downstream of all the cooling liquid supply paths 44. The upstream end of the cooling liquid refill path 66 is connected to the refill tank 67. The refill tank 67 stores the cooling liquid. The cooling liquid from the refill tank 67 is supplied to the cooling circulation path 40 through the cooling liquid refill path 66. This replenishes the cooling liquid in the cooling circuit 40. If the cooling liquid is the same type of liquid as the processing liquid, the refill tank 67 may be the same tank as the refill tank 62.

<Control of Heater 34>
Each processing unit 11 supplies a processing liquid to the loaded substrate W to perform processing. Initially, the temperature of the processing liquid supply path 31 is not high. In this manner, when a high-temperature processing liquid flows through the low-temperature processing liquid supply path 31, heat is transferred from the processing liquid to the processing liquid supply path 31, and the temperature of the processing liquid may decrease. Therefore, initially, even with the heating operation of the heater 34, the temperature of the processing liquid may not be able to be raised to the process temperature.

Therefore, the control unit 90 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 may cause the heater 34 to start a heating operation before opening the valves 32 and 33. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of heater start control. The control unit 90 judges whether or not information about the substrates W (hereinafter referred to as pre-operation information) has been received (step S1). The pre-operation information includes various information such as the number of substrates W to be loaded into the substrate processing apparatus 10 and a recipe showing the procedure for processing the substrates W. The pre-operation information is transmitted to the control unit 90 from, for example, a host computer or an apparatus upstream of the substrate processing apparatus 10, or is input to the control unit 90 by an operator via a user interface (not shown).

If the control unit 90 has not yet received the pre-operation information, the substrate processing apparatus 10 is not yet scheduled to process the substrate W, and so step S1 is executed again. On the other hand, when the control unit 90 has received the pre-operation information, the control unit 90 causes the heater 34 belonging to the substrate processing apparatus 10 to start a heating operation (step S2).

As described above, the control unit 90 starts the heating operation of the heater 34 in response to receiving the pre-operation information. In this way, the heater 34 starts the heating operation before the processing liquid is supplied to the substrate W, more specifically, before the substrate W is loaded into each processing unit 11. Thus, the heater 34 can preheat the processing liquid supply path 31. Therefore, even when the supply of the processing liquid to the substrate W starts, the heater 34 can adjust the processing liquid to the process temperature with high precision, and the processing unit 11 can process the substrate W more appropriately.

Second Embodiment
The configuration of the substrate processing system 100 according to the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, an example of the internal configuration of the heater 34 will be described.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the heater 34 according to the second embodiment. In the example of Figure 5, the heater 34 is a heat pump. Specifically, the heater 34 includes a refrigerant circulation path 341, a heat exchanger 342 for heating, a heat exchanger 343 for cooling, a compressor 344, and an expansion valve 345. The refrigerant circulation path 341 is mainly composed of piping. A refrigerant flows through the refrigerant circulation path 341. The refrigerant is a carbon dioxide refrigerant or an ammonia refrigerant. The refrigerant circulation path 341 is provided with a heat exchanger 342, a heat exchanger 343, a compressor 344, and an expansion valve 345. These are similar to those of the heat pump device 20, so repeated explanations will be avoided here. Note that the heat exchanger 343 may be a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the cooling liquid, or may be a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the outside air.

In the second embodiment, the heater 34 is a heat pump, so the processing liquid can be heated with high thermal efficiency. This further improves the efficiency of the substrate processing system 100.

Third Embodiment
In the first and second embodiments, a carbon dioxide refrigerant or an ammonia refrigerant is used as the refrigerant. Even if these refrigerants are mixed into the processing liquid, they are unlikely to affect the processing of the substrate W. However, if the concentration of the refrigerant in the processing liquid becomes very high, it may adversely affect the processing of the substrate W. Furthermore, when a refrigerant other than a carbon dioxide refrigerant or an ammonia refrigerant is used as the refrigerant, even a small amount of the refrigerant mixed into the processing liquid may adversely affect the processing of the substrate W.

Therefore, in the third embodiment, we aim to provide technology that can monitor the concentration of refrigerant in the treatment liquid.

Figure 6 is a diagram that shows an example of a part of the configuration of a substrate processing system 100A according to the third embodiment. In the example of Figure 6, in order to avoid cluttering the drawing, the configuration on the side to be cooled relative to the heat pump device 20 is omitted.

The substrate processing system 100A differs from the substrate processing system 100 in the presence or absence of a refrigerant concentration sensor 70. The refrigerant concentration sensor 70 measures the refrigerant concentration in the processing liquid flowing through the heating circulation path 30 and outputs a measurement result signal indicating the measurement result to the control unit 90. When a carbon dioxide refrigerant is used as the refrigerant, the refrigerant concentration sensor 70 measures the concentration of carbon dioxide dissolved in the processing liquid. When ammonia is used as the refrigerant, the refrigerant concentration sensor 70 measures the concentration of ammonia dissolved in the processing liquid. In the example of FIG. 6, the refrigerant concentration sensor 70 is provided in the heating circulation path 30 downstream of all upstream ends of the processing liquid supply path 31 and upstream of the downstream end of the processing liquid replenishment path 61.

In the example of FIG. 6, the substrate processing system 100A is also provided with an alarm unit 93. The alarm unit 93 notifies the operator of various information. For example, the alarm unit 93 includes at least one of a display such as a liquid crystal display, and a speaker. The display displays the various information, and the speaker outputs the various information by voice.

The control unit 90 monitors and controls the refrigerant concentration in the treatment liquid based on the measurement results of the refrigerant concentration sensor 70. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the monitoring and control. First, the refrigerant concentration sensor 70 measures the refrigerant concentration in the treatment liquid (step S11). The refrigerant concentration sensor 70 outputs a measurement result signal indicating the measured refrigerant concentration to the control unit 90.

Next, the control unit 90 determines whether the refrigerant concentration measured by the refrigerant concentration sensor 70 is equal to or greater than a predetermined refrigerant reference value (step S12). The refrigerant reference value is, for example, a value equal to or less than the refrigerant concentration at which the degree of adverse effects of the processing on the substrate W becomes tolerable. If the refrigerant concentration is less than the refrigerant reference value, step S11 is executed again.

When the concentration of the refrigerant is equal to or greater than the refrigerant reference value, the control unit 90 executes at least one of the following: notification control and stop control. The stop control is a control that stops the substrate processing system 100A. This makes it possible to avoid problems occurring in the processing of the substrate W due to the mixing of the refrigerant into the processing liquid.

The notification control is a control in which the control unit 90 causes the notification unit 93 to issue a notification. If the notification unit 93 includes a display, the display displays information indicating that the refrigerant concentration is equal to or greater than the refrigerant reference value, and if the notification unit 93 includes a speaker, the notification unit 93 outputs the information indicating that the refrigerant concentration is equal to or greater than the refrigerant reference value by voice.

Based on this notification, workers can recognize that the refrigerant concentration in the treatment liquid is increasing, and can take appropriate measures, such as replacing the heat exchanger 22.

<Fourth embodiment>
8 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system 100B according to the fourth embodiment. The substrate processing system 100B differs from the substrate processing system 100 in that a heat retaining unit 50 is provided.

The heat retention unit 50 is supplied with high-temperature processing liquid from the substrate processing apparatus 10 through the drain path 118. Hereinafter, the processing liquid flowing from the substrate processing apparatus 10 into the drain path 118 is also referred to as drain. The heat retention unit 50 uses the heat of the high-temperature drain liquid to keep the heating circulation path 30 warm. In other words, the heat retention unit 50 suppresses thermal diffusion from the heating circulation path 30 to the outside.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 10 and the heat retention unit 50. In the example of Figure 9, the substrate processing apparatus 10 further includes a nozzle 1142. The nozzle 1142 supplies a high-temperature processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate W. The nozzle 1142 is connected to the downstream end of the processing liquid supply path 311. The upstream end of the processing liquid supply path 311 is connected to a processing liquid supply source (not shown). The processing liquid supply path 311 is also mainly composed of piping. The processing liquid supply source supplies a high-temperature processing liquid to the processing liquid supply path 311. The processing liquid includes at least one of, for example, SPM (sulfuric acid hydrogen peroxide solution) at about 100°C to 120°C, SC-1 (ammonia hydrogen peroxide solution) at about 75°C to 85°C, and SC-2 (hydrochloric acid hydrogen peroxide solution) at about 75°C to 85°C.

In the example of FIG. 9, multiple guards 116, multiple cups 117, and multiple drainage paths 118 are provided. Each guard 116 has a coaxial cylindrical shape, and each guard 116 is provided so that it can be raised and lowered. Cups 117 are provided corresponding to the multiple guards 116, and receive the processing liquid that flows down from the corresponding guard 116. Drainage paths 118 are provided corresponding to the multiple cups 117, and discharge the processing liquid received by the corresponding cup 117.

When the guard 116 corresponding to the type of processing liquid is raised and that type of processing liquid is supplied to the substrate W, the processing liquid splashes from the edge of the substrate W, is received by the guard 116, and is discharged through the corresponding cup 117 and discharge path 118. This allows the processing liquid to be classified and discharged by type.

Here, the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle 1142 is supplied to the heat retention unit 50 through the guard 116, cup 117, and discharge path 118 corresponding to the processing liquid. Note that the waste liquid supplied to the heat retention unit 50 is not limited to the high-temperature processing liquid discharged from the nozzle 1142, but may be the high-temperature processing liquid discharged from the nozzle 114 or nozzle 115.

In the example of FIG. 9, the heat retention unit 50 includes a tank 51. High-temperature waste liquid is supplied to the tank 51 from the discharge path 118. This causes the waste liquid to be stored in the tank 51.

In the example of FIG. 9, a portion of the heating circuit 30 is immersed in the waste liquid in the tank 51. This portion of the heating circuit 30 is, for example, at least a portion of the heating circuit 30 that is downstream of all upstream ends of the treatment liquid supply paths 31 and upstream of the heat exchanger 22. In the example of FIG. 9, this portion of the heating circuit 30 has a U-shape and is immersed in the waste liquid in the tank 51. The other portion of the heating circuit 30 extends outside the tank 51 through the top opening of the tank 51.

In this way, a portion of the heating circuit 30 is immersed in the high-temperature waste liquid, so heat is transferred from the high-temperature waste liquid to a portion of the heating circuit 30. In other words, the temperature of a portion of the heating circuit 30 can be increased.

As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the heat of the high-temperature waste liquid discharged to the outside through the discharge path 118 is used to keep the heating circulation path 30 warm. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the heat of the waste liquid, thereby further improving the efficiency of the substrate processing system 100B.

In the example of FIG. 8, the downstream end of the processing liquid replenishment path 61 of the processing liquid replenishment unit 60 is connected to the heating circulation path 30 between the heat exchanger 22 and the heat retention unit 50. However, this is not necessarily limited to this. The downstream end of the processing liquid replenishment path 61 may be connected to the heating circulation path 30 upstream of the heat retention unit 50 and downstream of all upstream ends of the processing liquid supply path 31. In the example of FIG. 8, this processing liquid replenishment path 61 is shown by a two-dot chain line. In this case, a lower temperature processing liquid flows in a part of the heating circulation path 30 immersed in the tank 51. This is because the temperature of the processing liquid decreases due to the merging of the processing liquid from the processing liquid replenishment unit 60 to the heating circulation path 30, and the amount of heat transferred from the waste liquid to the heating circulation path 30 in the tank 51 increases. Therefore, the heat of the waste liquid can be more effectively utilized, and the efficiency of the substrate processing system 100 can be improved.

Next, the discharge of waste liquid from tank 51 will be described. In the example of FIG. 9, the upstream end of drainage path 52 is connected to tank 51. Drainage path 52 is mainly composed of piping. A valve 53 is provided in drainage path 52, and when valve 53 is opened, waste liquid from tank 51 is discharged to the outside through drainage path 52. When valve 53 is closed, the discharge of waste liquid stops.

In the example of FIG. 9, a temperature sensor 54 is provided in the heating circuit 30 between the heat retention section 50 and the heat exchanger 22. The temperature sensor 54 detects the temperature of the treatment liquid flowing through the heating circuit 30 and outputs a measurement result signal indicating the measurement result to the control section 90.

Here, the control unit 90 controls the discharge of waste liquid from the tank 51 based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 54. FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an example of the discharge control. First, the temperature sensor 54 measures the temperature of the treatment liquid in the heating circuit 30 (step S21). The temperature sensor 54 outputs a measurement result signal indicating the measured temperature to the control unit 90.

Next, the control unit 90 determines whether the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 54 is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature reference value (step S22). If the temperature is lower than the temperature reference value, step S21 is executed again.

When the temperature is equal to or higher than the reference temperature value, the control unit 90 opens the valve 53 (step S23). This causes the waste liquid in the tank 51 to be discharged to the outside through the discharge path 52. As a result, the amount of waste liquid stored in the tank 51 decreases over time. Therefore, the amount of heat provided to the heating circulation path 30 in the heat retention unit 50 decreases, and the temperature of the treatment liquid flowing into the heat exchanger 22 of the heating circulation path 30 decreases.

As described above, this discharge control makes it possible to avoid an excessive increase in the temperature of the treatment liquid flowing into the heat exchanger 22. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the utilization rate of the heat pump device 20.

Fifth embodiment
11 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a substrate processing system 100C according to the fifth embodiment. The substrate processing system 100C differs from the substrate processing system 100B in that a waste liquid cooling unit 55 is included.

The waste liquid cooling section 55 is supplied with high-temperature waste liquid from the substrate processing apparatus 10. The waste liquid cooling section 55 cools the waste liquid in the low-temperature cooling circuit 40. In the example of FIG. 11, the waste liquid cooling section 55 is provided downstream of the heat retention section 50 in the flow of the waste liquid. In other words, the downstream end of the discharge path 52 of the heat retention section 50 is connected to the waste liquid cooling section 55, and the waste liquid is supplied from the heat retention section 50 through the discharge path 52 to the waste liquid cooling section 55.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the effluent cooling unit 55. In the example of Figure 12, the effluent cooling unit 55 includes a tank 56. Effluent is supplied to the tank 56. As a result, the tank 56 stores the effluent. In the example of Figure 12, the effluent is supplied to the tank 56 from the heat retention unit 50 through the discharge path 52. As described above, in the heat retention unit 50, heat is transferred from the effluent to the heating circulation path 30, so the temperature of the effluent also drops. Therefore, the effluent cooling unit 55 is supplied with effluent that has been slightly cooled.

A part of the cooling circuit 40 is immersed in the drainage liquid in the tank 56. The part of the cooling circuit 40 is, for example, at least a part of the cooling circuit 40 downstream of all of the cooling liquid supply path 41 and the cooling liquid return path 42 and upstream of the heat exchanger 23. When the cooling liquid supply path 44 is connected to the cooling circuit 40, the part of the cooling circuit 40 immersed in the drainage liquid is, for example, at least a part of the cooling liquid supply path 41, the cooling liquid return path 42, and the cooling liquid supply path 44 downstream and upstream of the heat exchanger 23. In the example of FIG. 12, the part of the cooling circuit 40 has a U-shape and is immersed in the drainage liquid in the tank 56. The other part of the cooling circuit 40 extends to the outside of the tank 56 through the upper opening of the tank 56.

In this way, the part of the cooling circuit 40 is immersed in the high-temperature waste liquid in the tank 56, so heat is transferred from the waste liquid to the part of the cooling circuit 40. This causes the waste liquid to cool, further lowering its temperature.

The upstream end of a discharge path 57 is connected to the tank 56. The discharge path 57 is mainly composed of piping. A valve 58 is provided in the discharge path 57, and when the valve 58 is opened, the waste liquid in the tank 56 is discharged to the outside through the discharge path 57. When the valve 58 is closed, the discharge of the waste liquid stops.

The waste liquid cooling unit 55 uses the cooling circuit 40 to cool the waste liquid, so the temperature of the waste liquid can be lowered more quickly. Therefore, the waste liquid at a lower temperature can be discharged to the outside through the discharge circuit 57. For example, the control unit 90 may open the valve 58 when the temperature of the waste liquid in the tank 56 falls below the allowable temperature.

Figure 13 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the substrate processing system 100C. In the example of Figure 13, the waste liquid cooling unit 55 cools the waste liquid in a branch path 47 branched from the cooling circulation path 40. The branch path 47 is mainly composed of piping, and its upstream end is connected to the cooling circulation path 40. As a specific example, the upstream end of the branch path 47 is connected to the cooling circulation path 40 downstream of all the upstream ends of the cooling liquid supply path 41 and the cooling liquid return path 42 and upstream of the heat exchanger 23. In addition, when the cooling liquid supply path 44 is connected to the cooling circulation path 40, the upstream end of the branch path 47 is connected to the cooling circulation path 40, for example, downstream of all the cooling liquid supply path 41, the cooling liquid return path 42, and the cooling liquid supply path 44 and upstream of the heat exchanger 23.

In the example of FIG. 13, a portion of the branch path 47 is immersed in the waste liquid in the tank 56. In the example of FIG. 13, the portion of the branch path 47 has a U-shape and is immersed in the waste liquid in the tank 56. The other portion of the branch path 47 extends outside the tank 56 through the top opening of the tank 56.

A valve 471 is provided in the branch path 47. When the valve 471 is opened, a portion of the cooling liquid flows from the cooling circulation path 40 through the branch path 47 and is discharged to the outside. Since low-temperature cooling liquid flows through the branch path 47, the drainage liquid in the tank 56 can be cooled.

When the cooling liquid is discharged through the branch path 47, the amount of cooling liquid circulating through the cooling circuit 40 decreases, so it is advisable to provide the cooling liquid refill section 65 shown in FIG. 3. This can prevent the decrease in the amount of circulation.

In addition, in the example of FIG. 11, both the heat retention section 50 and the drainage cooling section 55 are provided, but the heat retention section 50 does not necessarily have to be provided.

As described above, the substrate processing systems 100, 100A-100C have been described in detail, but the above description is merely an example in all respects, and the substrate processing systems 100, 100A-100C are not limited thereto. It is understood that countless variations not illustrated can be envisioned without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The configurations described in the above embodiments and variations can be combined or omitted as appropriate, as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

10, 10A to 10D Substrate processing apparatus 100, 100A to 100C Substrate processing system 118 Discharge path 20 Heat pump device 22 Heat exchanger 30 Heating circulation path 31 Processing liquid supply path 34 Heater 40 Cooling circulation path 41, 44 Cooling liquid supply path 47 Branch path 48 Cooling section 50 Heat retention section 55 Waste liquid cooling section 61 Processing liquid replenishment path 70 Coolant concentration sensor 90 Control section W Substrate

Claims (6)

one or more substrate processing apparatuses for supplying a processing liquid to a substrate to process the substrate;
A heat pump device for heating the treatment liquid;
a heating circuit for returning the treated liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device;
a processing liquid supply path branching from the heating circulation path and supplying the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus;
a processing liquid refilling passage connected to the heating circulation passage and configured to refill the processing liquid into the heating circulation passage ;
a heater that heats the processing liquid flowing through the processing liquid supply path;
Equipped with
The heater comprises a heat pump . 2. The substrate processing system of claim 1 ,
The substrate processing system further comprises a control unit that receives information about the substrate and causes the heater to start a heating operation. one or more substrate processing apparatuses for supplying a processing liquid to a substrate to process the substrate;
A heat pump device for heating the treatment liquid;
a heating circuit for returning the treated liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device;
a processing liquid supply path branching from the heating circulation path and supplying the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus;
a processing liquid refilling passage connected to the heating circulation passage and configured to refill the processing liquid into the heating circulation passage;
a refrigerant concentration sensor for measuring the concentration of the refrigerant in the heating circuit;
Equipped with
The heat pump device is connected to the heating circuit and includes a heat exchanger made of a thermally conductive resin. one or more substrate processing apparatuses for supplying a processing liquid to a substrate to process the substrate;
A heat pump device for heating the treatment liquid;
a heating circuit for returning the treated liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device;
a processing liquid supply path branching from the heating circulation path and supplying the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus;
a processing liquid refilling passage connected to the heating circulation passage and configured to refill the processing liquid into the heating circulation passage;
a drainage path through which a waste liquid from the substrate processing apparatus flows;
a heat retaining unit that retains the heat of the heating circulation path with the drainage liquid supplied from the discharge path;
A substrate processing system comprising : one or more substrate processing apparatuses for supplying a processing liquid to a substrate to process the substrate;
A heat pump device for heating the treatment liquid;
a heating circuit for returning the treated liquid from the heat pump device to the heat pump device;
a processing liquid supply path branching from the heating circulation path and supplying the processing liquid to the substrate processing apparatus;
a processing liquid refilling passage connected to the heating circulation passage and configured to refill the processing liquid into the heating circulation passage;
a cooling circuit that returns the cooling liquid cooled by the heat pump device to the heat pump device;
a cooling liquid supply path branching from the cooling circulation path and supplying the cooling liquid to the substrate processing apparatus;
a cooling unit that is located upstream of the cooling liquid supply path and downstream of the heat pump device and that cools the cooling liquid flowing through the cooling circulation path;
A substrate processing system comprising : 6. The substrate processing system according to claim 5 ,
a drainage path through which a waste liquid from the substrate processing apparatus flows;
the cooling circuit being connected to a branch path of the cooling circuit, and a drainage cooler configured to cool the drainage in the cooling circuit or in a branch path of the cooling circuit.

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