# US 2015/0146498 A1 · Substrate processing apparatus and liquid mixing method

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- Number: US 2015/0146498 A1
- Document ID: US20150146498A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/543,951
- Filed: 2014-11-18
- Published: 2015-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-25
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Inventors: Yasuo Kiyohara; Ikuo Sunaka; Koji Tanaka; Takami Satoh; Kazuyoshi Mizumoto; Takashi Uno; Hirotaka Maruyama; Hidetomo Uemukai; Tomiyasu Maezono
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150146498A1

## CPC

- G05D 11/132: {by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence)}
- B01F 23/49: {Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams}
- B01F 35/883: {using flow rate controls for feeding the substances}
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)

## Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a mixing tank, a first opening/closing valve, a second opening/closing valve, a first flow rate measuring unit, a second flow rate measuring unit, a control unit, and a substrate processing unit. A first liquid and a second liquid are mixed such that the second liquid is mixed in an amount more than that of the first liquid. The first and second opening/closing valves open/close a first flow path and a second flow path, respectively. The first and second flow rate measuring units measure flow rates of the first and second liquids flowing through the first and second flow paths, respectively. The control unit controls opening/closing of the first opening/closing valve and the second opening/closing valve. The substrate processing unit processes a substrate by supplying a mixed liquid of the first and second liquids to the substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a mixing tank configured to mix a first liquid and a second liquid therein, the second liquid being mixed in an amount more than that of the first liquid;
a first opening/closing valve configured to open/close a first flow path in which the first liquid flows;
a second opening/closing valve configured to open/close a second flow path in which the second liquid flows;
a first flow rate measuring unit configured to measure a flow rate of the first liquid flowing through the first flow path;
a second flow rate measuring unit configured to measure a flow rate of the second liquid flowing through the second flow path;
a control unit configured to control opening/closing of the first opening/closing valve and the second opening/closing valve; and
a substrate processing unit configured to process a substrate by supplying a mixed liquid of the first liquid and the second liquid to the substrate,
wherein, when an integrated value of the flow rate of the first liquid measured by the first flow rate measuring unit reaches a predetermined target value after the first opening/closing valve is opened, the control unit executes a first closing processing to close the first opening/closing valve, calculates a target value of an amount of the second liquid to be supplied to the mixing tank based on the integrated value of the first liquid flow rate from the opening of the first opening/closing valve to the complete closing of the first opening/closing valve, and executes a second closing processing to close the second opening/closing valve based on the calculated target value and an integrated value of the flow rate of the second liquid measured by the second flow rate measuring unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates a target value of an amount of the second liquid to be supplied to the mixing tank based on the integrated value of the first liquid flow rate at a time point where a predetermined delay time elapses after the first opening/closing valve is completely closed after executing the first closing processing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the integrated value increases after the predetermined delay time elapses, an abnormality is notified.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a flow rate adjusting unit configured to adjust the flow rate of the first liquid flowing through the first flow path or the flow rate of the second liquid flowing through the second flow path,
wherein the control unit controls the flow rate adjusting unit such that a ratio of the first liquid flowing through the first flow path becomes more than a target mixed ratio of the first liquid and the second liquid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a flow rate adjusting unit configured to adjust the flow rate of the second liquid flowing through the second flow path,
wherein the control unit controls the flow rate adjusting unit after the first closing processing such that the flow rate of the second liquid becomes smaller than the flow rate before the first closing processing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the second closing processing when the integrated value of the flow rate of the second liquid measured by the second flow rate measuring unit reaches a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined correction value from the calculated target value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The substrate processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the correction value is determined based on the flow rate of the second liquid passing through the second flow path in a time until the second opening/closing valve is closed after the second closing processing begins.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The mixing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a mixing unit provided between the first and second flow paths and the mixing tank and configured to mix the first liquid and the second liquid and then supply the mixed liquid to the mixing tank,
wherein, when supply of the first liquid and the second liquid to the mixed tank is started, the control unit opens the first opening/closing valve and the second opening/closing valve simultaneously.

### Claim 9

A method of mixing a first liquid and a second liquid such that the second liquid is mixed in an amount more than that of the first liquid, the method comprising:
a first integrated value acquiring step of acquiring an integrated value of a flow rate of the first liquid flowing through a first flow path;
a first closing step of closing a first opening/closing valve configured to open/close the first flow path when the integrated value of the flow rate of the first liquid which is acquired in the first integrated value acquiring step reaches a predetermined target value;
a second integrated value acquiring step of acquiring the integrated value of the flow rate of the first liquid flowing through the first flow path after the first closing step;
a calculating step of calculating a target value of a supplied amount of the second liquid based on the integrated value of the flow rate of the first liquid which is acquired in the first integrated value acquiring step and the integrated value of the flow rate of the first liquid which is acquired in the second integrated value acquiring step;
a third integrated value acquiring step of acquiring an integrated value of a flow rate of the second liquid flowing through a second flow path; and
a second closing step of executing a second closing processing to close the second opening/closing valve configured to open and close the second flow path, based on the target value calculated in the calculation step and the integrated value of the flow rate of the second liquid which is acquired in the third integrated value acquiring step.