Diaphragm valve, substrate processing unit and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A first diaphragm adheres to a valve seat thereby closing a passage, and separates from the valve seat thereby opening the passage. A link rod couples a second diaphragm identical in shape to the first diaphragm for opening/closing with the first diaphragm. Therefore, the second diaphragm is mechanically interlocked with the first diaphragm, to compensate for volume change caused in a downstream passage when the first diaphragm is worked. Also when the first diaphragm is rapidly worked, therefore, the second diaphragm immediately compensates for subsequent volume change so that no resist is pulled back to or extruded from the downstream passage. Thus provided is a diaphragm valve capable of stably supplying a solution also when a valve is opened/closed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A diaphragm valve having an inlet port receiving a fluid and an outlet port discharging said fluid, comprising: 
 an opening/closing diaphragm capable of closing a passage reaching said outlet port from said inlet port by adhering to a valve seat provided on said passage and opening said passage by separating from said valve seat;    a working part working said opening/closing diaphragm between a closing state closing said passage and an opening state opening said passage; and    a volume change compensation part provided on a side of said passage closer to said outlet port than said opening/closing diaphragm for compensating for volume change caused in a secondary passage of said passage closer to said outlet port than said opening/closing diaphragm when said opening/closing diaphragm is worked.    
     
     
         2 . The diaphragm valve according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said volume change compensation part includes a compensation diaphragm mechanically interlocked with said opening/closing diaphragm for increasing the volume of said secondary passage when said opening/closing diaphragm closes said passage and reducing the volume of said secondary passage when said opening/closing diaphragm opens said passage.    
     
     
         3 . The diaphragm valve according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said opening/closing diaphragm and said compensation diaphragm are substantially identical in shape to each other, and    said volume change compensation part includes a link rod coupling said opening/closing diaphragm and said compensation diaphragm with each other.    
     
     
         4 . The diaphragm valve according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said compensation diaphragm is provided on a valve axis along which said opening/closing diaphragm works, and    said link rod is arranged along said valve axis.    
     
     
         5 . The diaphragm valve according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said volume change compensation part includes: 
 a closed space forming member formed by a member not substantially deformed by a working pressure of said working part working said opening/closing diaphragm for sealing the inner side of said opening/closing diaphragm and the inner side of said compensation diaphragm while communicatively interconnecting the same with each other thereby defining a closed space, and  
 an incompressible fluid filling up said closed space.  
   
     
     
         6 . A diaphragm valve having an inlet port receiving a fluid and an outlet port discharging said fluid, comprising: 
 an opening/closing diaphragm, formed by an elastic member, capable of closing a passage reaching said outlet port from said inlet port by adhering to a valve seat provided on said passage and opening said passage by separating from said valve seat;    a working part working said opening/closing diaphragm between a closing state closing said passage and an opening state opening said passage;    a closed space forming member formed by a member not substantially deformed by a working pressure of said working part working said opening/closing diaphragm for sealing the inner side of said opening/closing diaphragm thereby defining a closed space; and    an incompressible fluid filling up said closed space.    
     
     
         7 . A substrate processing unit supplying a processing solution to a substrate for performing prescribed processing, comprising: 
 a) a holding part holding said substrate;    b) a discharge nozzle discharging said processing solution to said substrate held by said holding part;    c) a feed source feeding said processing solution to said discharge nozzle;    d) a pipe communicatively connecting said feed source and said discharge nozzle with each other for guiding said processing solution from said feed source to said discharge nozzle; and    e) a diaphragm valve provided on an intermediate portion of the path of said pipe, said diaphragm valve comprising: 
 e-1) an inlet port receiving said processing solution,  
 e-2) an outlet port discharging said processing solution,  
 e-3) an opening/closing diaphragm capable of closing a passage reaching said outlet port from said inlet port by adhering to a valve seat provided on said passage and opening said passage by separating from said valve seat,  
 e-4) a working part working said opening/closing diaphragm between a closing state closing said passage and an opening state opening said passage, and  
 e-5) a volume change compensation part provided on a side of said passage closer to said outlet port than said opening/closing diaphragm for compensating for volume change caused in a secondary passage of said passage closer to said outlet port than said opening/closing diaphragm when said opening/closing diaphragm is worked.  
   
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing unit according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 said volume change compensation part includes a compensation diaphragm mechanically interlocked with said opening/closing diaphragm for increasing the volume of said secondary passage when said opening/closing diaphragm closes said passage and reducing the volume of said secondary passage when said opening/closing diaphragm opens said passage.    
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing unit according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 said opening/closing diaphragm and said compensation diaphragm are substantially identical in shape to each other, and    said volume change compensation part includes a link rod coupling said opening/closing diaphragm and said compensation diaphragm with each other.    
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing unit according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 said compensation diaphragm is provided on a valve axis along which said opening/closing diaphragm works, and    said link rod is arranged along said valve axis.    
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing unit according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 said volume change compensation part includes: 
 a closed space forming member formed by a member not substantially deformed by a working pressure of said working part working said opening/closing diaphragm for sealing the inner side of said opening/closing diaphragm and the inner side of said compensation diaphragm while communicatively interconnecting the same with each other thereby forming a closed space, and  
 an imcompressible fluid filling up said closed space.  
   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing unit according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 f) a flow control part controlling the flow rate of said processing solution fed from said feed source to said discharge nozzle, and    g) an opening/closing control part controlling said working part so that said opening/closing diaphragm enters said closing state when the flow rate of said processing solution fed from said feed source to said discharge nozzle reaches a prescribed value as said discharge nozzle stops discharging said processing solution.    
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing unit according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 said processing solution is photoresist.    
     
     
         14 . A substrate processing apparatus performing a series of processing consisting of a plurality of steps on a substrate, comprising: 
 a) a coating processing unit, performing resist coating processing on said substrate, comprising: 
 a-1) a holding part holding said substrate,  
 a-2) a discharge nozzle discharging photoresist to said substrate held by said holding part,  
 a-3) a feed source feeding said photoresist to said discharge nozzle,  
 a-4) a pipe communicatively connecting said feed source and said discharge nozzle with each other for guiding said photoresist from said feed source to said discharge nozzle, and  
 a-5) a diaphragm valve, provided on an intermediate portion of the path of said pipe, comprising: 
 a-5-1) an inlet port receiving said photoresist,  
 a-5-2) an outlet port discharging said photoresist,  
 a-5-3) an opening/closing diaphragm capable of closing a passage reaching said outlet port from said inlet port by adhering to a valve seat provided on said passage and opening said passage by separating from said valve seat,  
 a-5-4) a working part working said opening/closing diaphragm between a closing state closing said passage and an opening state opening said passage, and  
 a-5-5) a volume change compensation part provided on a side of said passage closer to said outlet port than said opening/closing diaphragm for compensating for volume change caused in a secondary passage of said passage closer to said outlet port than said opening/closing diaphragm when said opening/closing diaphragm is worked;  
 
   b) a development processing unit developing said substrate;    c) a thermal processing unit thermally processing said substrate; and    d) a transport part transporting said substrate between respective said processing units.    
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 said volume change compensation part includes a compensation diaphragm mechanically interlocked with said opening/closing diaphragm for increasing the volume of said secondary passage when said opening/closing diaphragm closes said passage and reducing the volume of said secondary passage when said opening/closing diaphragm opens said passage.    
     
     
         16 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein 
 said opening/closing diaphragm and said compensation diaphragm are substantially identical in shape to each other, and    said volume change compensation part includes a link rod coupling said opening/closing diaphragm and said compensation diaphragm with each other.    
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein 
 said compensation diaphragm is provided on a valve axis along which said opening/closing diaphragm works, and    said link rod is arranged along said valve axis.    
     
     
         18 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein 
 said volume change compensation part includes: 
 a closed space forming member formed by a member not substantially deformed by a working pressure of said working part working said opening/closing diaphragm for sealing the inner side of said opening/closing diaphragm and the inner side of said compensation diaphragm while communicatively interconnecting the same with each other thereby defining a closed space, and  
 an incompressible fluid filling up said closed space.  
   
     
     
         19 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 said coating processing unit further comprises: 
 a-6) a flow control part controlling the flow rate of said photoresist fed from said feed source to said discharge nozzle, and  
 a-7) an opening/closing control part controlling said working part so that said opening/closing diaphragm enters said closing state when the flow rate of said photoresist fed from said feed source to said discharge nozzle reaches a prescribed value as said discharge nozzle stops discharging said photoresist.  
   
     
     
         20 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 e) an indexer transferring an unprocessed substrate to said transport part while receiving a processed substrate from said transport part, and    f) an interface transferring a substrate between an exposure unit provided outside said apparatus and said transport part.