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US 2003/0170949 A1Published application
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsYasuhiro Chouno, Norihiro Ito, Keigo Satake, Tadashi Iino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A common solvent vapor supply source 41 and a common processing gas supply source 42 supply ozone gas and steam to a plurality of processing vessels 30A, 30B. Pressures in the processing vessels are regulated by adjusting the openings of the valuable throttle valves 50A, 50B, which are placed in exhaust lines 80A, 80B, respectively.
Claims26
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of processing vessels each configured to process a substrate therein;
- a plurality of processing gas supply lines each adapted to carry a processing gas from a processing gas source to each of the processing vessels;
- a plurality of solvent vapor supply lines each adapted to carry a solvent vapor from a solvent vapor source to each of the processing vessels;
- a plurality of exhaust lines each adapted carry the processing gas and the solvent vapor to discharge the processing gas and the solvent vapor from each of the processing vessel;
- and
- a plurality of devices that regulate pressures in the processing vessels,
- wherein each of the solvent vapor lines is provided with at least one of said plurality of devices, or each of the exhaust lines is provided with at least one of said plurality of devices.
4 more elements
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
- a first processing vessel configured to process a substrate therein;
- a second processing vessel configured to process a substrate therein;
- a first processing gas supply line adapted to carry a processing gas from a processing gas source into the first processing vessel;
- a second processing gas supply line adapted to carry the processing gas from the processing gas source into the second processing vessel;
- a first solvent vapor supply line adapted to carry a solvent vapor from a solvent vapor source into the first processing vessel;
- a second solvent vapor supply line adapted to carry the solvent vapor from the solvent vapor source into the second processing vessel;
- a first exhaust line adapted to carry the processing gas and the solvent vapor to discharge the processing gas and the solvent vapor from the first processing vessel;
- a second exhaust line adapted to carry the processing gas and the solvent vapor to discharge the processing gas and the solvent vapor from the second processing vessel;
- a first open-close valve placed in the first solvent vapor supply line;
- a second open-close valve placed in the second solvent vapor supply line;
- a first variable throttle valve placed in the first exhaust line;
- a second variable throttle valve placed in the second exhaust line;
- and
- a controller that controls an opening of the first variable throttle valve such that an opening of the first variable throttle valve when both the first and the second open-close valves are opened is different from that of the first variable throttle valve when the first open-close valve is open and the second open-close valve is closed.
11 more elements
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
- a processing vessel configured to process a substrate therein;
- a supply line connected to the processing vessel to carry a mixed processing fluid containing a processing gas and a solvent vapor into the processing vessel;
- an exhaust line connected to the processing vessel and capable of carrying the mixed processing fluid to discharge the mixed processing fluid from the processing vessel;
- a open-close valve and a variable throttle valve placed in series in the exhaust line;
- and
- a controller that controls an opening of the variable throttle valve and controls the open-close valve for an opening-and-closing operation so that a predetermined pressure is maintained in the processing vessel.
3 more elements
A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:
- supplying a processing gas and a solvent vapor in a first time period into a first processing vessel holding a first substrate therein;
- and
- supplying the processing gas and the solvent vapor in a second time period into a second processing vessel holding a second substrate therein;
- wherein the solvent vapor supplied into the first processing vessel and the solvent vapor supplied into the second processing vessel is supplied by a common solvent vapor source,
- said method further comprising the steps of:
- regulating pressure in the first processing vessel in the first time period;
- and
- regulating pressure in the second processing vessel in the second time period;
- wherein;
- the step of regulating the pressure in the first processing vessel is achieved by adjusting an opening of a first variable throttle valve, and the first variable throttle valve is placed in a first solvent vapor supply line that carries the solvent vapor into the first processing vessel or in a first exhaust line that carries the solvent vapor and the processing gas to discharge the solvent vapor and the processing gas from the first processing vessel;
- the step of regulating the pressure in the second processing vessel is achieved by adjusting an opening of a second variable throttle valve, and the second variable throttle valve is placed in a second solvent vapor supply line that carries the solvent vapor into the second processing vessel or in a second exhaust line that carries the solvent vapor and the processing gas to discharge the solvent vapor and the processing gas from the second processing vessel;
- only a part of the first time period overlaps the second time period;
- and
- an opening of the first variable throttle valve in a state where the solvent vapor is being supplied to both the first and the second processing vessel, and an opening of the first variable throttle valve in a state where the solvent vapor is being supplied into the first processing vessel and is not being supplied into the second processing vessel, are different from each other.
11 more elements
A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:
- supplying a processing gas and a solvent vapor into a processing vessel holding a substrate therein;
- and
- regulating pressure in the processing vessel;
- wherein the step of regulating the pressure in the processing vessel includes a step of adjusting an opening of a variable throttle valve and a step of repetitively opening and closing a open-close valve, and the variable throttle valve and the open-close valve are placed in series in an exhaust line connected to the processing vessel.
1 more element
A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:
- supplying a processing gas into a processing vessel holding a substrate therein in a first time period;
- supplying the processing gas and a solvent vapor into the processing vessel in a second time period subsequent to the first time period;
- regulating a pressure in the processing vessel in the first time period by using a relief valve;
- and
- regulating the pressure in the processing vessel in the second time period by adjusting an opening of a variable throttle valve;
- wherein the relief valve and the variable throttle valve are placed in parallel in an exhaust line connected to the processing vessel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.