IP Library Granted Patent US 8,038,769
Granted Patent B2
US 8,038,769 · App. 13/030,316 · Granted Oct 18, 2011

Liquid processing apparatus, liquid processing method and storage medium

Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,038,769
App. No.
13/030,316
Granted
Oct 18, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid processing apparatus, includes an apparatus main body, a power room having an atmosphere separated from the clean room by a partition member, an air suction path configured to suction an air in the clean room and take the air into the power room, a temperature control part provided in the power room and configured to control at least a temperature of the air taken in via the air suction path, an air supplying path configured to supply the air from the temperature control part to the liquid processing unit, a ventilation part configured to take the air from the air suction path and supply the air via the air supplying path, and a cleaning filer configured to clean the air taken in from the air suction path.

Claims (43)

1. A liquid processing method using a liquid processing apparatus, the liquid processing apparatus including an apparatus main body, the apparatus main body having:

a liquid processing unit provided in a clean room and configured to supply a chemical solution to a substrate and perform a liquid process;

a heating unit configured to perform a heating process on the substrate before or after the liquid process is performed by the liquid processing unit; and

a transferring part configured to transfer the substrate between the heating unit and the liquid processing unit;

the liquid processing method comprising:

a step of suctioning air in the clean room and taking the air into a power room having an atmosphere separated from the clean room by a partition member;

a step of controlling a temperature of the air taken in via the air suction path in the power room;

a step of supplying the air whose temperature is controlled to the liquid processing unit;

a step of suctioning the air from the air suction path and supplying the air via the air supplying path; and

a step of cleaning the air taken in from the air suction path;

wherein the air suction path and the air supplying path are formed by either an internal space of an internal pipe of a double pipe or a space between the internal pipe and an external pipe of the double pipe.

2. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a step of controlling moisture in the air taken in via the air suction path in the power room.

3. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the power room is formed under a floor of a room where the apparatus main body is provided.

4. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the number of the liquid processing units is plural;

one liquid processing unit is a resist coating unit configured to coat resist liquid onto the substrate; and

another liquid processing unit is a developing unit configured to supply developing liquid to the substrate and develop the resist.

5. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein an opening for jetting the air is provided at a ceiling of the clean room; and

a step of suctioning the air in the clean room from the air suction path and taking the air in the power room is performed in a position having the same height as the apparatus main body or a position higher than the apparatus main body.

6. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a step of suctioning the air supplied to the liquid processing unit to the air suction path.

7. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the apparatus main body includes an electric unit having an electric apparatus; and

the liquid processing method further includes a step of suctioning an atmosphere of the electric unit to the air suction path.

8. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the apparatus main body includes a chemical unit where the chemical solution is stored; and

the liquid processing method further includes a step of suctioning an atmosphere of the chemical unit to the air suction path.

9. The liquid processing method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

a step of removing a chemical solution composition contained in the air suctioned into the air suction path from the chemical unit.

10. A recording medium where a computer program is stored, the computer program used for a liquid processing apparatus, the liquid being processing apparatus including an apparatus main body, the apparatus main body having:

a liquid processing unit provided in a clean room and configured to supply a chemical solution to a substrate and perform a liquid process;

a heating unit configured to perform a heating process on the substrate before or after the liquid process is performed by the liquid processing unit; and

a transferring part configured to transfer the substrate between the heating unit and the liquid processing unit;

the computer program implementing a liquid processing method, the liquid processing method comprising:

a step of suctioning air in the clean room and taking the air in a power room having an atmosphere separated from the clean room by a partition member;

a step of controlling a temperature of the air taken in via the air suction path in the power room;

a step of supplying the air whose temperature is controlled to the liquid processing unit;

a step of suctioning the air from the air suction path and supplying the air via the air supplying path; and

a step of cleaning the air taken in from the air suction path;

wherein the air suction path and the air supplying path are formed by either an internal space of an internal pipe of a double pipe or a space between the internal pipe and an external pipe of the double pipe.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-244653 · Sep 8, 2006 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 11882558 · Aug 2, 2007
Related Publication 20110143645A1 · Jun 16, 2011