US 8,577,502 B2Granted

Liquid processing apparatus, liquid processing method, computer program, and storage medium

AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited

InventorsHiroshi Tanaka, Hironobu Hyakutake, Yuji Kamikawa

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Abstract

A processing apparatus is provided for enhancing throughput in the manufacture of semiconductor wafers and/or liquid crystal substrates, by reducing the time required for performing a rinsing process. A position of an object to be processed is controlled, such that a distance between the surface position of a rinsing liquid upon the rinsing process and a top end position of the object to be processed becomes shorter than a distance between the surface position of a chemical liquid upon a chemical liquid process and the top end position of the object to be processed. Alternatively, the position of the object to be processed is controlled, such that the distance between the surface position of the rinsing liquid upon the rinsing process and the top end position of the object to be processed becomes shorter than a distance between the bottom face position of the rinsing liquid and a bottom end position of the object to be processed.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A computer program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium programmed to drive a computer to execute a liquid processing method using a liquid processing apparatus,

the liquid processing apparatus comprising:
a processing tank;
a supporting instrument provided in the processing tank and configured to be raised and lowered, for supporting an object to be processed;
a chemical liquid supply section for supplying a chemical liquid into the processing tank;
a rinsing liquid supply section for supplying a rinsing liquid into the processing tank;
a lifting mechanism configured to raise and lower the supporting instrument;
and
a control section, having a processing unit, wherein the control section is programmed to control the lifting mechanism, the chemical liquid supply section and the rinsing liquid supply section,
wherein the control section is programmed to control the lifting mechanism, so as to move and hold the supporting instrument after performing a chemical liquid process using a chemical liquid, and performs a rinsing process using a rinsing liquid, in a lifted position where the object to be processed is raised higher relative to the rinsing liquid surface than a level set relative to the chemical liquid surface upon the chemical liquid process, and
wherein the computer program configures the computer to execute the liquid processing method by controlling the liquid processing apparatus to carry out the steps of:
performing the chemical liquid process by providing the chemical liquid to the object to be processed in the processing tank;
and
after performing the chemical liquid process, controlling the lifting mechanism by the control section to position the object to be processed by,
(a) lifting the object to be processed to a lifted position where the object to be processed is raised higher relative to the rinsing liquid surface than a level set relative to the chemical liquid surface when the object to be processed is subjected to the chemical liquid process, and
(b) holding the object to be processed in the lifted position;
and
performing the rinsing process using the rinsing liquid while the object to be processed is held in the lifted position.

14 more elements

A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program that programs the storage medium to drive a computer to execute a liquid processing method using a liquid processing apparatus,

the liquid processing apparatus comprising:
a processing tank;
a supporting instrument provided in the processing tank and configured to be raised and lowered, for supporting an object to be processed;
a chemical liquid supply section for supplying a chemical liquid into the processing tank;
a rinsing liquid supply section for supplying a rinsing liquid into the processing tank;
a lifting mechanism configured to raise and lower the supporting instrument;
and
a control section programmed to control the lifting mechanism, the chemical liquid supply section and the rinsing liquid supply section,
wherein the control section is programmed to control the lifting mechanism, so as to move and hold the supporting instrument after performing a chemical liquid process using a chemical liquid, and performs a rinsing process using a rinsing liquid, in a lifted position where the object to be processed is raised higher relative to the rinsing liquid surface than a level set relative to the chemical liquid surface upon the chemical liquid process, and
wherein the storage medium storing the computer program configures the computer to execute the liquid processing method by controlling the liquid processing apparatus to perform the steps of:
performing the chemical liquid process by providing the chemical liquid to the object to be processed in the processing tank;
and
after performing the chemical liquid process, controlling the lifting mechanism by the control section to position the object to be processed by,
(a) lifting the object to be processed to a lifted position where the object to be processed is raised higher relative to the rinsing liquid surface than a level set relative to the chemical liquid surface when the object to be processed is subjected to the chemical liquid process, and
(b) holding the object to be processed in the lifted position;
and
performing the rinsing process using the rinsing liquid while the object to be processed is held in the lifted position.

14 more elements

A computer program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium programmed to drive a computer to execute a liquid processing method using a liquid processing apparatus,

the liquid processing apparatus comprising:
a processing tank;
a supporting instrument provided in the processing tank and configured to be raised and lowered, for supporting an object to be processed;
a chemical liquid supply section for supplying a chemical liquid into the processing tank;
a rinsing liquid supply section for supplying a rinsing liquid into the processing tank;
a lifting mechanism configured to raise and lower the supporting instrument;
and
a control section, having a processing unit, wherein the control section is programmed to control the lifting mechanism, the chemical liquid supply section and the rinsing liquid supply section,
wherein the control section is programmed to, after performing a chemical liquid process to an object to be processed using a chemical liquid, control the lifting mechanism to move and hold the supporting instrument in a lifted position and perform a rinsing process to the object to be processed using a rinsing liquid while the object to be processed is held in a lifted position in which a distance between a top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the rinsing liquid is shorter than a distance between the top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the chemical liquid during the chemical liquid process, and
wherein the computer program configures the computer to execute the liquid processing method by controlling the liquid processing apparatus to carry out the steps of:
performing the chemical liquid process by providing the chemical liquid to the object to be processed in the processing tank;
and
after performing the chemical liquid process, controlling the lifting mechanism by the control section to position the object to be processed by:
(a) lifting the object to be processed to a lifted position in which a distance between a top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the rinsing liquid is shorter than a distance between the top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the chemical liquid during the chemical liquid process, and
(b) holding the object to be processed in the lifted position;
and
performing the rinsing process using the rinsing liquid while the object to be processed is held in the lifted position.

14 more elements

A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program that programs the storage medium to drive a computer to execute a liquid processing method using a liquid processing apparatus,

the liquid processing apparatus comprising:
a processing tank;
a supporting instrument provided in the processing tank and configured to be raised and lowered, for supporting an object to be processed;
a chemical liquid supply section for supplying a chemical liquid into the processing tank;
a rinsing liquid supply section for supplying a rinsing liquid into the processing tank;
a lifting mechanism configured to raise and lower the supporting instrument;
and
a control section programmed to control the lifting mechanism, the chemical liquid supply section and the rinsing liquid supply section,
wherein the control section is programmed to control the lifting mechanism, after performing a chemical liquid process to an object to be processed using a chemical liquid, so as to move and hold the supporting instrument in a lifted position and perform a rinsing process to the object to be processed using a rinsing liquid while the object to be processed is held in a lifted position in which a distance between a top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the rinsing liquid is shorter than a distance between the top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the chemical liquid during the chemical liquid process, and
wherein the storage medium storing the computer program configures the computer to execute the liquid processing method by controlling the liquid processing apparatus to perform the steps of:
performing the chemical liquid process by providing the chemical liquid to the object to be processed in the processing tank;
and
after performing the chemical liquid process, controlling the lifting mechanism by using the control section to position the object to be processed by,
(a) lifting the object to be processed to a lifted position in which a distance between a top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the rinsing liquid is shorter than a distance between the top end of the object to be processed and a liquid surface of the chemical liquid during the chemical liquid process, and
(b) holding the object to be processed in the lifted position;
and
performing the rinsing process using the rinsing liquid while the object to be processed is held in the lifted position.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/907,518Filed 12 Oct 2007
Priority: JP 2006-28318518 Oct 2006
Published: US 2008/0097647 A124 Apr 2008
Granted: 5 Nov 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H10P 72/0416
For wet cleaning or washing: with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
H10P 72/0406
Apparatus for fluid treatment: for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
Y10T 436/113332
Automated chemical analysis: with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
Y10T 436/119163
Automated chemical analysis: with aspirator of claimed structure