Patent ID: 7985448
Filing Date: 2011-07-26
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling a substrate processing system, the system including: a plurality of vertically arranged processing modules each processing a substrate with a process liquid; and a dispensing mechanism that dispenses the process liquid to the processing modules; wherein the dispensing mechanism includes: a process liquid supply source that contains the process liquid; a pressing apparatus that pressurizes the process liquid supply source to pressure-feed the process liquid; a plurality of pumps corresponding to the respective processing modules, each temporarily storing the process liquid pressure-fed from the process liquid supply source by the pressing apparatus and delivering the process liquid from an outlet; a riser piping through which the process liquid pressure-fed from the process liquid supply source is fed to the respective pumps; a plurality of nozzles each having a discharge port discharging the process liquid into the corresponding processing module; and a plurality of delivery pipings each connecting the outlet of the pump with the discharge port of the corresponding nozzle, the delivery pipings having identical length to each other; an upstream-side valve disposed between the process liquid supply source and the riser piping; a plurality of inlet-side valves disposed on inlet-sides of the respective pumps in the riser piping; and a plurality of outlet-side valves disposed on the respective delivery pipings, wherein the system is controlled to stabilize a pressure in the riser piping by executing the steps of: closing the respective inlet-side valves; and pressure-feeding the process liquid from the process liquid supply source by the pressing apparatus to fill the riser piping with the process liquid.