IP Library Granted Patent US 11,171,020
Granted Patent B2
US 11,171,020 · App. 16/548,263 · Granted Nov 9, 2021

Substrate treatment apparatus

Inventors: Satoshi Nakaoka (Yokkaichi, JP); Katsuhiro Sato (Yokkaichi, JP); Hiroaki Ashidate (Mie, JP); Shinsuke Muraki (Kuwana, JP); Yuji Hashimoto (Kuwana, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
H01L21/67063H01L21/31111H01L21/67028
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,171,020
App. No.
16/548,263
Granted
Nov 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate treatment apparatus according to an embodiment includes a treatment tank, a container, a measuring instrument, and a controller. The treatment tank stores a chemical solution to treat a substrate. The container contains a liquid including ammonia from which a gas discharged from the treatment tank is gas-liquid separated. The measuring instrument measures an amount of the ammonia included in the liquid over time. The controller controls the treatment of the substrate based on the amount of the ammonia.

Claims (19)

1. A substrate treatment apparatus comprising:

a treatment tank that stores a phosphoric acid solution to treat a substrate and includes an inner tank and an outer tank,

a container that contains a liquid including ammonia from which a gas discharged from the treatment tank is gas-liquid separated,

a measuring instrument that measures an amount of the ammonia included in the liquid over time,

a controller configured to control a treatment of the substrate based on the amount of the ammonia,

a gas-liquid separator that condenses a gas and supplies, to the container, the liquid including ammonia from which the gas is gas-liquid separated, through the condensing, while discharging the gas,

a first supply tube that supplies phosphoric acid to the outer tank,

a first adjusting valve that adjusts a flow rate of the phosphoric acid supplied to the outer tank through the first supply tube under control of the controller,

a second supply tube that supplies a seasoning solution including silica to the outer tank,

a second adjusting valve that adjusts a flow rate of the seasoning solution supplied to the outer tank through the second supply tube under control of the controller, and

a silicon densitometer configured to measure a concentration of silicon in the phosphoric acid solution recovered in the outer tank and output a measured result to the controller, wherein

the measuring instrument measures one of a pH, a conductivity, and a specific resistance of the liquid over time,

the controller is configured to determine an end time of the treatment of the substrate based on a decrease in the amount of the ammonia,

the controller is configured to adjust an amount of phosphoric acid to be added into the treatment tank in accordance with a change in the amount of the ammonia,

the controller is configured to control an amount of the seasoning solution supplied to the outer tank based on measured values of the measuring instrument and measured values of the silicon densitometer,

the controller opens the first adjusting valve and closes the second adjusting valve based on a measured value of the measuring instrument and a measured value of the silicon densitometer, and

the container stores the liquid supplied from the gas-liquid separator and discharges the liquid when an amount of the stored liquid is in excess of an upper limit amount.

2. The substrate treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to control an amount of phosphoric acid supplied to the outer tank.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2022
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059004/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2019
From: NAKAOKA, SATOSHI; SATO, KATSUHIRO; ASHIDATE, HIROAKI; MURAKI, SHINSUKE; HASHIMOTO, YUJI
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050136/0519 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-034091 · Feb 27, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200273726A1 · Aug 27, 2020