Substrate processing system and substrate processing method

Abstract

A substrate processing system is provided with an ozone generator capable of generating an ozone-containing gas by discharging electricity in an oxygen-containing gas, and a plurality of processing chambers each capable of holding substrates therein to process the substrates by the ozone-containing gas supplied thereto. A flow regulator control an oxygen-containing gas supplied to the ozone generator. A controller controls the flow regulator to control the flow rate of the ozone-containing gas to be supplied to the processing chamber or chambers from the ozone generator through the control of the flow rate of the oxygen-containing gas supplied to the ozone generator.

1 . A substrate processing system comprising: 
 a plurality of first gas passages;    a plurality of ozone generators each interposed in each of the first gas passages, each of the ozone generators being provided with electrodes and configured to generate an ozone-containing gas by applying an electric discharge produced by the electrodes to an oxygen-containing gas fed from an upstream side of each of the first gas passages to each of the ozone generator in order to discharge the ozone-containing gas therefrom toward a downstream side of each of the first gas passages;    a second gas passage connected to the first gas passages;    a plurality of processing chambers each adapted to process therein a substrate with the ozone-containing gas generated by the ozone generators;    a plurality of third gas passages branched from the second gas passage and connected respectively to the processing chambers to supply the ozone-containing gas to the processing chambers; and    a controller configured to determine an ozone-containing gas demand of processes to be carried out in the processing chambers, and configured to control a state of at least one of the ozone generators between a first state in which said at least one of the ozone generators is generating the ozone-containing gas and a second state in which said at least one of the ozone generator stops generating the ozone-containing gas so that a sum of flow rates being discharged from the ozone generators toward the downstream sides of the first gas passages complies with the ozone gas demand.    
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 at least one of the first gas passages corresponding to said at least one of the ozone generators is provided therein with a valve adapted to open and close said at least one of the first gas passages;    the controller is also configured to close said at least one of the first gas passages by closing the valve placed in said one of the first gas passages when said at least one of the ozone generators is in the second state.    
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first gas passages are configured to be supplied with oxygen-containing gas from a common oxygen-containing gas source.