Device and method for controlling temperature of a mounting table, a program therefor, and a processing apparatus including same

A method for controlling a temperature of a mounting table by circulating a coolant coming out of a coolant circulator in a first and a second coolant passageway provided at the mounting table for mounting thereon a target object, the method comprising a first temperature control mode including the steps of:

• connecting the first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway in parallel between an output port and a return port of the coolant circulator;
• making a part of the coolant of a reference temperature outputted from the coolant circulator flow in the first coolant passageway after raising or lowering the temperature thereof to a desired set temperature;
• and
• making a residual coolant flow in the second coolant passageway while substantially maintaining the reference temperature thereof.

A method for controlling a temperature of a mounting table by circulating a coolant with a coolant circulator in a first and a second coolant passageway provided at the mounting table for mounting thereon a target object, the method comprising:

• a first temperature control mode for controlling the temperature of the mounting table by connecting the first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway in parallel between an output port and a return port of the coolant circulator, making a part of the coolant of a reference temperature outputted from the coolant circulator flow in the first coolant passageway after raising or lowering the temperature thereof to a desired set temperature, and making a residual coolant flow in the second coolant passageway while substantially maintaining the reference temperature thereof;
• a second temperature control mode for controlling the temperature of the mounting table by connecting the first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway in parallel between the output port and the return port of the coolant circulator, making a part of the coolant outputted from the coolant circulator flow in the first coolant passageway while substantially maintaining the reference temperature thereof, and making a residual coolant flow in the second coolant passageway while substantially maintaining the reference temperature thereof;
• a third temperature control mode for controlling the temperature of the mounting table by connecting the first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway in series between the output port and the return port of the coolant circulator, and making a part of the coolant of a reference temperature outputted from the coolant circulator flow in the first and the second coolant passageway sequentially after raising or lowering the temperature thereof to a desired set temperature, and making a residual coolant bypass the coolant passageways;
• a fifth temperature control mode for controlling the temperature of the mounting table by connecting the first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway in series between the output port and the return port of the coolant circulator, making a part of the coolant outputted from the coolant circulator flow in the first and the second coolant passageway sequentially while substantially maintaining the reference temperature thereof, and bypassing a residual coolant,
• wherein the method performs a switching between the first mode and at least one of the second, the third and the fifth mode.

A program for controlling a temperature of a mounting table by circulating a coolant with a coolant circulator in a first and a second coolant passageway provided at a mounting table for mounting thereon a target object, wherein the program executes the steps of:

• controlling a temperature of the mounting table by connecting the first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway in parallel between an output port and a return port of the coolant circulator, making a part of the coolant of a reference temperature outputted from the coolant circulator flow in the first coolant passageway after raising or lowering the temperature thereof to a desired preset temperature, and making a residual coolant flow in the second coolant passageway while substantially maintaining the reference temperature thereof;
• and
• controlling a temperature of the mounting table by connecting the first coolant passageway and the second coolant passageway in series between the output port and the return port of the coolant circulator, making a part of the coolant of a reference temperature outputted from the coolant circulator flow in the first and the second coolant passageway sequentially after raising or lowering the temperature thereof to a desired set temperature or while substantially maintaining the reference temperature thereof, and making a residual coolant thereof bypass the coolant passageways.