US 12,070,769 B2
Liquid processing apparatus and liquid processing method
Chikara Nobukuni, Koshi (JP); Tomoaki Ojima, Koshi (JP); Takuya Itahashi, Koshi (JP); Ryoichi Horiguchi, Koshi (JP); and Shota Wakayama, Koshi (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/129,150.
Application 18/129,150 is a division of application No. 16/918,678, filed on Jul. 1, 2020, granted, now 11,691,172.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-123898 (JP), filed on Jul. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0234091 A1, Jul. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B05C 3/02 (2006.01); B05C 11/10 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC B05C 3/02 (2013.01) [B05C 11/1015 (2013.01); B05C 11/1026 (2013.01); B05C 11/1039 (2013.01); B05C 11/1042 (2013.01); H01L 21/67023 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A liquid processing method using a liquid processing apparatus including a tank configured to store a processing liquid supplied from a processing liquid supply source, a circulation passage connected to the tank, a pump installed at the circulation passage, a plurality of liquid processors configured to perform liquid processing on a substrate, a plurality of supply passages configured to supply the processing liquid to the plurality of liquid processors respectively, a first opening/closing valve installed at a first branch passage portion, and a second opening/closing valve installed at a second branch passage portion, wherein the circulation passage includes a main passage portion provided with the pump, and the first branch passage portion and the second branch passage portion branch from the main passage portion, the method comprising:
starting a supply of the processing liquid from the processing liquid supply source;
opening only the first opening/closing valve to allow_the processing liquid to flow into only the first branch passage portion;
after a first predetermined time, opening the second opening/closing valve and closing the first opening/closing valve to allow the processing liquid to flow into only the second branch passage portion; and
after a second predetermined time, opening the first opening/closing valve with the second opening/closing valve being opened to allow the processing liquid to flow into both the first branch passage portion and the second branch passage portion,
wherein the processing liquid flowing out from the tank passes through the main passage portion, then flows into the first branch passage portion and the second branch passage portion, and then returns to the tank through the first branch passage portion and the second branch passage portion,
wherein the liquid processors are divided into a first processor group to which a portion of the liquid processors belong and a second processor group to which another portion of the liquid processors belong,
wherein the plurality of supply passages are divided into a first passage group to which a portion of the plurality of supply passages belong and a second passage group to which another portion of the plurality of supply passages belong,
wherein the liquid processors belonging to the first processor group are connected to the first branch passage portion via the supply passages belonging to the first passage group respectively, and
wherein the liquid processors belonging to the second processor group are connected to the second branch passage portion via the supply passages belonging to the second passage group respectively.