Substrate processing system and substrate processing method

A substrate processing system comprising:

• an ozone generator provided with electrodes and configured to generate an ozone-containing gas by applying an electric discharge produced by the electrodes to an oxygen-containing gas supplied to the ozone generator;
• a plurality of processing chambers each adapted to process therein a substrate with the ozone-containing gas generated by the ozone generator;
• a plurality of ozone-containing gas supply lines each connecting the ozone generator to each of the processing chambers;
• a plurality of blow-off lines, connected to each of the ozone-containing gas supply lines, adapted to discharge the ozone-containing gas from each of the ozone supply lines before the ozone-containing gas reaches each of the processing chambers;
• and
• a plurality of valves each adapted to connect or disconnect each of the blow-off lines to or from each of the ozone-containing gas supply lines.

A substrate processing system comprising:

• a plurality of first gas passages;
• a plurality of ozone generators each interposed in each of the first gas passages, each of the ozone generators being provided with electrodes and configured to generate an ozone-containing gas by applying an electric discharge produced by the electrodes to an oxygen-containing gas fed from an upstream side of each of the first gas passages to each of the ozone generator in order to discharge the ozone-containing gas therefrom toward a downstream side of each of the first gas passages;
• a second gas passage connected to the first gas passages;
• a plurality of processing chambers each adapted to process therein a substrate with the ozone-containing gas generated by the ozone generators;
• a plurality of third gas passages branched from the second gas passage and connected respectively to the processing chambers to supply the ozone-containing gas to the processing chambers;
• and
• a controller configured to determine an ozone-containing gas demand of processes to be carried out in the processing chambers, and configured to control a state of at least one of the ozone generators between a first state in which said at least one of the ozone generators is generating the ozone-containing gas and a second state in which said at least one of the ozone generator stops generating the ozone-containing gas so that a sum of flow rates being discharged from the ozone generators toward the downstream sides of the first gas passages complies with the ozone gas demand.

A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:

• providing a processing system including an ozone generator having electrodes, and a plurality of processing chambers each adapted to process a substrate therein by using an ozone-containing gas generated by the ozone generator;
• determining an ozone-containing gas demand of processes to be carried out in the processing chambers;
• feeding an oxygen-containing gas to the ozone generator at a flow rate that enables the ozone generator to discharge an ozone-containing gas at a flow rate that complies with the ozone-containing gas demand;
• applying a voltage across the electrodes of the ozone generator to produce an electric discharge, thereby producing an ozone-containing gas by applying the electric discharge to the oxygen-containing gas fed to the ozone generator;
• supplying the ozone-containing gas thus generated by the ozone generator and discharged therefrom to the processing chamber or chambers, thereby processing a substrate accommodated in each of the processing chamber or chambers with the ozone-containing gas;
• and
• changing the flow rate of the oxygen-containing gas being fed to the ozone generator, if the ozone-containing gas demand changes.

A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:

• providing a processing system including an ozone generator having electrodes, and a plurality of processing chambers each adapted to process a substrate therein by using an ozone-containing gas supplied by the ozone generator;
• determining whether or not each of the processing chambers requires the ozone-containing gas;
• feeding an oxygen-containing gas to the ozone generator;
• applying a voltage across the electrodes of the ozone generator to produce an electric discharge, thereby producing an ozone-containing gas by applying the electric discharge to the oxygen-containing gas fed to the ozone generator;
• supplying the ozone-containing gas thus generated by the ozone generator only to the chamber or chambers that are requiring the ozone-containing gas, thereby processing a substrate accommodated in each of the processing chamber or chambers with the ozone-containing gas;
• and
• discarding a part of the ozone-containing gas generated by the ozone generator without supplying it to any one of the processing chambers.

A substrate processing method comprising the steps of:

• providing a processing system including a plurality of ozone generators each having electrodes, and a plurality of processing chambers each adapted to process a substrate therein by using an ozone-containing gas supplied by the ozone generator;
• determining an ozone-containing gas demand of processes to be carried out in the processing chambers;
• determining the number of the ozone generators to be operated to generate an ozone-containing gas based on the ozone-containing gas demand;
• feeding an oxygen-containing gas to the ozone generator or generators determined to be operated;
• applying a voltage across the electrodes of the ozone generator or generators determined to be operated to produce an electric discharge, thereby producing an ozone-containing gas by applying the electric discharge to the oxygen-containing gas fed to the ozone generator or generators;
• supplying the ozone-containing gas thus generated by the ozone generator or generators to the processing chamber or chambers, thereby processing a substrate accommodated in each of the processing chamber or chambers with the ozone-containing gas;
• changing the number of the ozone generators to be operated, if the ozone-containing gas demand is increased or decreased.