Treatment solution supply apparatus, treatment solution supply method, and computer storage medium

A treatment solution supply apparatus that supplies a treatment solution from a treatment solution supply source via a treatment solution supply pipe to a supply nozzle that supplies the treatment solution to a substrate, the treatment solution supply apparatus comprising:

• electrodes having a positive electrode and a negative electrode that are provided at the treatment solution supply pipe and apply a DC voltage to the treatment solution in the treatment solution supply pipe;
• a power supply unit that applies the DC voltage at the same time to both the positive electrode and the negative electrode, to apply positive and negative DC voltages at the same time to the treatment solution in the treatment solution supply pipe, while freely reversing a polarity of the DC voltage;
• a cleaning solution supply pipe that is connected to the treatment solution supply pipe and configured to supply a cleaning solution from a cleaning solution supply source to the treatment solution supply pipe;
• and
• a waste solution pipe that drains the cleaning solution passed through a position of the treatment solution supply pipe where the electrodes are provided, from the treatment solution supply pipe.

A treatment solution supply apparatus that supplies a treatment solution from a treatment solution supply source via a treatment solution supply pipe to a supply nozzle that supplies the treatment solution to a substrate, the treatment solution supply apparatus comprising:

• an intermediate storage tank that is provided between the treatment solution supply source and the supply nozzle along the treatment solution supply pipe and temporarily stores the treatment solution supplied from the treatment solution supply source,
• wherein the intermediate storage tank comprises:
• electrodes having a positive electrode and a negative electrode that apply a DC voltage to the treatment solution stored inside the intermediate storage tank;
• a power supply unit that applies the DC voltage at the same time to both the positive electrode and the negative electrode, to apply positive and negative DC voltages at the same time to the treatment solution in the treatment solution supply pipe, while freely reversing a polarity of the DC voltage;
• and
• a cleaning solution supply pipe that supplies a cleaning solution to the intermediate storage tank,
• wherein the intermediate storage tank is provided with a stirring mechanism that relatively moves the treatment solution stored in the intermediate storage tank and the electrodes.

A treatment solution supply method of supplying a treatment solution from a treatment solution supply source via a treatment solution supply pipe to a supply nozzle that supplies the treatment solution to a substrate, the treatment solution supply method comprising:

• temporarily storing the treatment solution supplied from the treatment solution supply source in an intermediate storage tank that is provided between the treatment solution supply source and the supply nozzle along the treatment solution supply pipe;
• then, collecting foreign substances in the treatment solution by electrodes having a positive electrode and a negative electrode that are provided at the intermediate storage tank by applying a DC voltage at the same time to both the positive electrode and the negative electrode to the treatment solution in the intermediate storage tank;
• then, supplying the treatment solution from which the foreign substances have been removed in the intermediate storage tank, to the supply nozzle;
• stopping the supplying the treatment solution to the supply nozzle, and then reversing a polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrodes or stopping the applying the voltage to the electrodes;
• then, supplying a cleaning solution to the intermediate storage tank to clean an inside of the intermediate storage tank,
• wherein the intermediate storage tank is provided with a stirring mechanism that relatively moves the treatment solution stored in the intermediate storage tank and the electrodes,
• wherein the treatment solution stored in the intermediate storage tank and the electrodes are relatively moved at least during the applying the DC voltage to the electrodes.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program running on a computer of a control unit that controls a treatment solution supply apparatus to cause the treatment solution supply apparatus to execute a treatment solution supply method of supplying a treatment solution from a treatment solution supply source via a treatment solution supply pipe to a supply nozzle that supplies the treatment solution to a substrate,

• the treatment solution supply method comprising:
• temporarily storing the treatment solution supplied from the treatment solution supply source in an intermediate storage tank that is provided between the treatment solution supply source and the supply nozzle along the treatment solution supply pipe;
• then, collecting foreign substances in the treatment solution by electrodes having a positive electrode and a negative electrode that are provided at the intermediate storage tank by applying a DC voltage at the same time to both the positive electrode and the negative electrode to the treatment solution in the intermediate storage tank;
• then, supplying the treatment solution from which the foreign substances have been removed in the intermediate storage tank, to the supply nozzle;
• stopping the supplying the treatment solution to the supply nozzle, and then reversing a polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrodes or stopping the applying the voltage to the electrodes;
• then, supplying a cleaning solution to the intermediate storage tank to clean an inside of the intermediate storage tank,
• wherein the intermediate storage tank is provided with a stirring mechanism that relatively moves the treatment solution stored in the intermediate storage tank and the electrodes,
• wherein the treatment solution stored in the intermediate storage tank and the electrodes are relatively moved at least during the applying the DC voltage to the electrodes.