Holding device and substrate processing device

Abstract

To realize a holding device that can reduce the deterioration of the horizontality of the workpiece due to heat. [Solution] The holding and rotating mechanism (2) includes a holding part (211) that holds the substrate on a holding surface (210), the holding part comprising a holding body part (211a) made of metal, a fluid conducting part (211b) made of resin having a fluid conducting port (211c) formed therein that allows fluid to conduct through the holding part to or from the space between the workpiece and the holding part, and a resin coating layer (211d) provided on the surface of the holding body part on the holding surface side.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a holding device for holding a flat workpiece and a substrate processing device including the holding device.

Background Art

[0002] An example of a holding table for holding a workpiece is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The holding table includes a holding portion made of a porous material including a holding surface for holding the workpiece, and a frame body in which a recess for housing the holding portion is formed, and a suction path having one end communicating with the holding portion and the other end connected to a suction source is formed. A screw hole is formed in the bottom of the outer peripheral side of the recess in the frame body, and the holding portion is fixed to the frame body with screws. The holding surface is set to a size covered by the workpiece.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the holding table disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the flatness of the workpiece deteriorates due to deformation of the holding portion formed of resin by heat.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention aims to realize a holding device and the like capable of reducing deterioration of the flatness of a workpiece due to heat.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a holding device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a holding part for holding a flat workpiece on a holding surface, and a base part on which the holding part is placed, wherein the holding part comprises a holding body made of metal, a fluid conductor part made of resin having a fluid conductor opening formed therein that allows fluid to conduct through the holding part to or from the space between the workpiece and the holding part when the workpiece is held, and a resin coating layer provided on at least the surface of the holding body on the holding surface side.

[0007] Furthermore, in a holding device according to one aspect of the present invention, a first sealing member is provided in the region between the base portion and the holding portion so as to surround the inner region of said region, and the resin coating layer is provided on the surface of the holding body portion in the range from the region where the first sealing member is provided to the surface on the holding surface side.

[0008] Furthermore, in a holding device according to one aspect of the present invention, a recess is provided in the center of the holding surface side of the holding body, and the fluid conduction portion is connected to the holding body at the recess.

[0009] Furthermore, a holding device according to one aspect of the present invention further comprises a screw connecting the holding body and the fluid conducting portion, and a second sealing member is provided so as to surround the screw in the region between the holding body and the fluid conducting portion.

[0010] Furthermore, in a holding device according to one aspect of the present invention, the base portion has a fluid passage formed therein, one end of which communicates with the fluid passage port and the other end of which is connected to a suction source.

[0011] Furthermore, a holding device according to one aspect of the present invention further comprises a rotational drive unit for rotating the holding portion.

[0012] Furthermore, a substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises any of the above-described holding devices and a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to the substrate, which is the workpiece, held by the holding device.

[0013] Furthermore, a substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention further comprises a heating unit for heating the substrate, which is the workpiece, held in the holding device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, the deterioration of the horizontality of a workpiece due to heat can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system equipped with one embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the internal structure of a processing unit, which is one embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the internal structure of the spin chuck in the holding and rotating mechanism. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the retaining part as seen from a direction perpendicular to the retaining surface. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Figure 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system equipped with one embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. This does not show the external appearance of the substrate processing system 100, but is a schematic diagram that clearly illustrates its internal structure by excluding the outer wall panels and some other components of the substrate processing system 100. This substrate processing system 100 is a single-wafer type device that is installed, for example, in a clean room and processes flat substrates S (workpieces) one by one. The main configuration of the substrate processing system 100 shown here is similar to that described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-134816 filed by the applicant of the present application.

[0017] The substrate processing system 100 includes a plurality of processing units (substrate processing apparatuses) 1 each of which is a processing entity for the substrate S. In FIG. 1, a state where four processing units 1 are arranged horizontally is shown, but each processing unit 1 can also be stacked in multiple stages in the vertical direction. For example, when the processing units 1 are stacked in six layers, the substrate processing system 100 will include a total of 24 processing units 1.

[0018] In each of the plurality of processing units 1 equipped in the substrate processing system 100, substrate processing with a processing liquid is executed. In this specification, the surface facing downward among the two main surfaces of the substrate is referred to as the "lower surface". Also, the surface facing upward is referred to as the "upper surface".

[0019] Here, as the "substrate" in this embodiment, various substrates such as semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for photomasks, glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, glass substrates for plasma displays, substrates for FED (Field Emission Display), substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, and substrates for magneto-optical disks can be applied. In the following, a substrate processing apparatus mainly used for processing semiconductor wafers will be taken as an example and described with reference to the drawings, but it can be similarly applied to the processing of various substrates exemplified above.

[0020] As will be described later, the processing unit 1 of this embodiment receives a substrate S having a thin film of a metal or a metal compound formed on one main surface, and executes a process of removing only the peripheral portion of the thin film formed on the substrate S by an etching process. Such an etching process may be called a "bevel etching process" or simply a "bevel process". Note that all of the plurality of processing units 1 included in the substrate processing system 100 may be in a mode of executing such a bevel etching process, or a plurality of types of processing units that execute different processes may be combined.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing system 100 has a substrate processing area 110 for processing a substrate S. An indexer unit 120 is provided adjacent to the substrate processing area 110. The indexer unit 120 has a container holding part 121 that can hold a plurality of containers C (such as a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) pod, OC (Open Cassette), etc., that house a plurality of substrates S in a sealed state). Further, the indexer unit 120 includes an indexer robot 122 for accessing the container C held by the container holding part 121 to take out an unprocessed substrate S from the container C or store a processed substrate S in the container C. A plurality of substrates S are housed in each container C in a substantially horizontal posture.

[0022] The indexer robot 122 includes a main body part 122a fixed to the device housing, an articulated arm 122b provided rotatable about a vertical axis with respect to the main body part 122a, and a hand 122c attached to the tip of the articulated arm 122b. The hand 122c has a structure capable of placing and holding the substrate S on its upper surface. Since an indexer robot having such an articulated arm and a hand for holding a substrate is well-known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0023] In the substrate processing area 110, a mounting table 112 is provided so that substrates S from the indexer robot 122 can be placed on it. In a plan view, a substrate transfer robot 111 is positioned approximately in the center of the substrate processing area 110. Furthermore, multiple processing units 1 are arranged so as to surround this substrate transfer robot 111. Specifically, multiple processing units 1 are positioned facing the space in which the substrate transfer robot 111 is located. The substrate transfer robot 111 randomly accesses the mounting table 112 for these processing units 1 and transfers substrates S between the mounting table 112 and the processing unit 1. On the other hand, each processing unit 1 performs a predetermined process on the substrate S and corresponds to a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, these processing units (substrate processing apparatus) 1 have the same function. Therefore, parallel processing of multiple substrates S is possible. Note that if the substrate transfer robot 111 can directly receive substrates S from the indexer robot 122, the mounting table 112 is not necessarily required.

[0024] Figure 2 is a side view showing the internal structure of a processing unit 1, which is one embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus. In Figure 2, the dimensions and number of parts may be exaggerated or simplified for ease of understanding. The substrate processing apparatus (processing unit) 1 has a structure in which a substrate processing unit SP is arranged in an internal space 12 within a chamber 11.

[0025] Base support members 16, 16 are fixed to the upper surface of the bottom plate 11a of the chamber 11 by fasteners such as bolts, spaced apart from each other. In other words, the base support members 16 are erected from the bottom plate 11a. A base member 17 is fixed to the upper ends of these base support members 16, 16 by fasteners such as bolts. This base member 17 has a smaller planar size than the bottom plate 11a and is made of a metal plate that is thicker and has higher rigidity than the bottom plate 11a. As shown in Figure 2, the base member 17 is lifted vertically upward from the bottom plate 11a by the base support members 16, 16. In other words, a so-called raised floor structure is formed at the bottom of the internal space 12 of the chamber 11. A substrate processing unit SP for performing substrate processing on a substrate S is installed on the upper surface of this base member 17. Each part constituting this substrate processing unit SP is electrically connected to a control unit 10 that controls the entire device and operates in accordance with instructions from the control unit 10.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, a fan filter unit (FFU) 13 is mounted on the ceiling surface 11f of the chamber 11. This fan filter unit 13 further purifies the air in the cleanroom where the processing unit 1 is installed and supplies it to the internal space 12 of the chamber 11. The fan filter unit 13 is equipped with a fan and filter (e.g., a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter) for taking in air from the cleanroom and sending it into the chamber 11, and it sends clean air through an opening 11f1 provided on the ceiling surface 11f. This creates a downflow of clean air into the internal space 12 of the chamber 11. In addition, a perforated plate 14 with numerous outlet holes is provided directly below the ceiling surface 11f in order to uniformly disperse the clean air supplied from the fan filter unit 13.

[0027] In the processing unit 1, a transport opening is provided in the side wall facing the substrate transport robot 111, connecting the internal space 12 with the outside of the chamber 11. Therefore, the hand (not shown) of the substrate transport robot 111 can access the substrate processing unit SP through the transport opening. In other words, substrates S can be loaded into and out of the internal space 12 through the transport opening. A shutter 15 (Figure 1) for opening and closing this transport opening is also attached to the side wall.

[0028] A shutter opening / closing mechanism (not shown) is connected to the shutter 15, which opens and closes the shutter 15 in response to an opening / closing command from the control unit 10. More specifically, in the processing unit 1, when an unprocessed substrate S is brought into the chamber 11, the shutter opening / closing mechanism opens the shutter 15, and the unprocessed substrate S is brought into the substrate processing unit SP by the handle of the substrate transport robot 111. After the substrate is brought in, when the handle of the substrate transport robot 111 moves out of the chamber 11, the shutter opening / closing mechanism closes the shutter 15. Then, processing of the substrate S is performed by the substrate processing unit SP within the internal space 12 of the chamber 11. After the processing is completed, the shutter opening / closing mechanism opens the shutter 15 again, and the handle of the substrate transport robot 111 removes the processed substrate S from the substrate processing unit SP.

[0029] The substrate processing unit SP includes a holding and rotating mechanism 2 (holding device), a splash prevention mechanism 3, an upper surface protection heating mechanism 4, a processing mechanism 5 (processing liquid supply unit), an atmosphere separation mechanism 6, a centering mechanism 8, and a substrate observation mechanism 9. These mechanisms are mounted on a base member 17. In other words, the holding and rotating mechanism 2, splash prevention mechanism 3, upper surface protection heating mechanism 4, processing mechanism 5, atmosphere separation mechanism 6, centering mechanism 8, and substrate observation mechanism 9 are arranged relative to each other in predetermined positions, with the base member 17 having higher rigidity than the chamber 11 as the reference point.

[0030] The holding and rotating mechanism 2 includes a substrate holding section 2A that holds the substrate S in a substantially horizontal position with the film-forming surface of the substrate S facing downward, and a rotating mechanism 2B (rotating drive section) that synchronously rotates the substrate holding section 2A holding the substrate S and a part of the anti-scattering mechanism 3. Therefore, when the rotating mechanism 2B is activated in response to a rotation command from the control unit 10, the substrate S and the rotating cup section 31 of the anti-scattering mechanism 3 are rotated around a rotation axis AX that extends parallel to the vertical direction.

[0031] The substrate holder 2A is equipped with a spin chuck 21, which is a disc-shaped member smaller than the substrate S. The spin chuck 21 is positioned so that its upper surface is approximately horizontal and its central axis coincides with the rotation axis AX. A cylindrical rotation shaft portion 22 is connected to the lower surface of the spin chuck 21. The rotation shaft portion 22 extends vertically with its axis aligned with the rotation axis AX. A rotation mechanism 2B is also connected to the rotation shaft portion 22.

[0032] The rotating mechanism 2B includes a motor 23 that generates rotational driving force to rotate the substrate holding part 2A and the rotating cup part 31 of the anti-scattering mechanism 3, and a power transmission part 24 for transmitting the rotational driving force. The motor 23 has a rotating shaft 231 that rotates in conjunction with the generation of rotational driving force, and is attached to the base member 17 in a position where the rotating shaft 231 extends vertically downward.

[0033] A first pulley 241 is attached to the tip of a rotating shaft 231 that protrudes downward from the base member 17. A second pulley 242 is attached to the lower end of the rotating shaft portion 22 of the substrate holding portion 2A. More specifically, the lower end of the rotating shaft portion 22 is inserted through a through hole provided in the base member 17 and protrudes downward from the base member 17. The second pulley 242 is provided on this protruding portion. An endless belt 243 is stretched between the first pulley 241 and the second pulley 242. Thus, in this embodiment, the power transmission portion 24 is composed of the first pulley 241, the second pulley 242, and the endless belt 243.

[0034] When using a power transmission unit 24 with this configuration, a long timing belt can be selected as the endless belt 243, thereby extending the lifespan of the endless belt 243. Moreover, while the other mechanisms described below are positioned above the base member 17, the power transmission unit 24 is positioned below the base member 17. By adopting this arrangement, maintenance work by the operator can be performed efficiently without considering interference with other mechanisms.

[0035] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the internal structure of the spin chuck 21 provided in the holding and rotating mechanism 2. As shown in Figure 3, the spin chuck 21 comprises a holding portion 211 and a base portion 212.

[0036] The holding portion 211 holds the substrate S with its holding surface 210. The holding portion 211 comprises a holding body portion 211a, a fluid conduction portion 211b, and a resin coating layer 211d.

[0037] The retaining body portion 211a has a retaining surface 210. That is, the retaining body portion 211a is in direct contact with the substrate S. The retaining body portion 211a is made of metal. Therefore, compared to the case where the member having the retaining surface 210 is made of resin or the like, deterioration of the horizontality of the retaining surface 210 and the substrate S held by the retaining surface 210 due to heat is reduced. Examples of metals include, but are not limited to, SUS (stainless steel).

[0038] Figure 4 is a plan view of the holding portion 211 as seen from a direction perpendicular to the holding surface 210. As shown in Figure 4, the holding surface 210 is located on the outer edge of the holding body portion 211a. Therefore, when the holding portion 211 holds the substrate S with the holding surface 210, a space is formed between the substrate S and the holding portion 211 inside the holding surface 210.

[0039] The fluid conduction portion 211b is a component in which a fluid conduction port 211c is formed, allowing fluid to conduct through the holding portion 211 to or from the space between the substrate S and the holding portion 211 when the substrate S is held in place. The fluid conduction portion 211b is made of resin. The resin constituting the fluid conduction portion 211b is chemical resistant. A specific example of the resin is conductive PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone), but it is not limited to this.

[0040] In the example shown in Figure 4, the fluid conduction section 211b includes three fluid conduction ports 211c provided at 120° intervals in the circumferential direction of the fluid conduction section 211b. However, the number and arrangement of fluid conduction ports 211c in the fluid conduction section 211b are not limited to these.

[0041] A recess 211e is provided in the center of the surface of the holding body portion 211a facing the holding surface 210. The fluid conduction portion 211b is connected to the holding body portion 211a at the recess 211e. This allows the fluid conduction port 211c to be positioned in the space between the substrate S and the holding portion 211 when the substrate S is held.

[0042] The resin coating layer 211d covers at least a portion of the retaining body portion 211a. The resin coating layer 211d is provided on at least the surface of the retaining body portion 211a facing the retaining surface 210. The resin coating layer 211d is a layer of chemically resistant resin. For example, the resin coating layer 211d is a layer of PEEK. This prevents corrosion of the surface of the retaining body portion 211a facing the retaining surface 210 by the treatment liquid described later.

[0043] The thickness of the resin coating layer 211d may be 300 μm or more. This prevents pinholes from forming in the resin coating layer 211d, which could then corrode the holding body 211a due to chemicals entering through these pinholes, thus preventing the resin coating layer 211d from peeling off. Furthermore, any known resin coating method can be used to form the resin coating layer 211d without any particular limitations.

[0044] The base portion 212 supports the holding portion 211. The base portion 212 is made of metal. Examples of metals include, but are not limited to, stainless steel (SUS). Furthermore, the material of the base portion 212 may be the same as or different from the material of the holding body portion 211a.

[0045] A first sealing member 213a is provided in the region between the base portion 212 and the holding portion 211, surrounding the inner region of that region. The first sealing member 213a is, for example, an O-ring. The resin coating layer 211d is provided on the surface of the holding body portion 211a, in the range from the region where the first sealing member 213a is provided to the surface on the holding surface 210 side. In other words, the resin coating layer 211d covers the surface of the holding body portion 211a, except for the surface 215 surrounded by the first sealing member 213a. This prevents corrosion by the treatment liquid on the surface of the holding body portion 211a, except for surface 215. Furthermore, by not providing the resin coating layer 211d on surface 215, the amount of resin used can be reduced.

[0046] Furthermore, since the surface 215 of the holding body portion 211a is not covered by the resin coating layer 211d, the holding body portion 211a is in direct contact with the base portion 212 at surface 215. As described above, both the holding body portion 211a and the base portion 212 are made of metal. Therefore, unlike, for example, the case where a resin coating layer 211d or an elastic member is interposed between the holding body portion 211a and the base portion 212, the horizontality of the holding surface 210 is constant regardless of the magnitude of the force fixing the holding body portion 211a and the base portion 212 to each other. Consequently, in the process of placing the holding portion 211 on the base portion 212, the process of adjusting the runout of the holding surface 210 is unnecessary.

[0047] Furthermore, the retaining body portion 211a has a screw hole (not shown) on its surface 215. The retaining body portion 211a is connected to the base portion 212 by a screw (not shown) that is screwed into the screw hole.

[0048] The base portion 212 has a fluid passage 25 formed therein, one end of which communicates with the fluid passage port 211c of the holding portion 211, and the other end of which is connected to the pump 26 (suction source) (Figure 2). The holding portion 211 can adsorb and hold the substrate S when the pump 26 draws in air from the fluid passage port 211c via the fluid passage 25. In this case, gas passes through the space between the substrate S and the holding portion 211 and through the holding portion 211, and conducts through the fluid passage port 211c.

[0049] The fluid conduction portion 211b has a cylindrical portion 211f projecting toward the holding body portion 211a at the center of the surface facing the holding body portion 211a. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 211f is smaller than the inner diameter of the fluid conduction passage 25. When the holding portion 211 is placed on the fluid conduction portion 211b, the cylindrical portion 211f is fitted into the end of the fluid conduction passage 25 on the holding portion 211 side. This makes it easy to position the fluid conduction portion 211b relative to the holding body portion 211a.

[0050] The cylindrical portion 211f is in communication with the fluid conduit port 211c. Therefore, with the cylindrical portion 211f fitted into the fluid conduit 25, the pump 26 can draw air in through the fluid conduit 25 from the fluid conduit port 211c.

[0051] The spin chuck 21 further includes a screw 214. The screw 214 connects the holding body portion 211a and the fluid conduction portion 211b. In Figure 3, the head of the screw 214 is located on the holding body portion 211a and the tip is located on the fluid conduction portion 211b. However, in the spin chuck 21, the head of the screw 214 may be located on the fluid conduction portion 211b and the tip may be located on the holding body portion 211a. In this case, by providing a sealing member such as an O-ring in the area between the head of the screw 214 and the screw hole in the fluid conduction portion 211b, it is possible to prevent the processing fluid from entering through the screw hole.

[0052] A second sealing member 213b is provided so as to surround the screw 214 in the region between the retaining body portion 211a and the fluid conducting portion 211b. The second sealing member 213b is, for example, an O-ring. This prevents the processing fluid that has seeped into the boundary between the retaining body portion 211a and the fluid conducting portion 211b from entering the hole in the base portion 212 into which the screw 214 is inserted. Therefore, corrosion of the base portion 212 by the processing fluid is prevented even without providing a resin coating layer 211d in the hole in the base portion 212 into which the screw 214 is inserted.

[0053] Returning to Figure 2, a nitrogen gas supply unit 29 is connected to the spin chuck 21 via a pipe 28 located in the center of the rotating shaft portion 22. The nitrogen gas supply unit 29 supplies ambient temperature nitrogen gas, supplied from a utility in the factory where the substrate processing system 100 is installed, to the spin chuck 21 at a flow rate and timing corresponding to the gas supply command from the control unit 10, causing the nitrogen gas to circulate radially outward from the center on the underside of the substrate S. In this embodiment, nitrogen gas is used, but other inert gases may also be used.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3, the piping 28 may be shared with the fluid conduit 25. Alternatively, the piping 28 may be separate from the fluid conduit 25. If the piping 28 is separate from the fluid conduit 25, the piping 28 may be located in the center of the rotating shaft portion 22, while the fluid conduit 25 may be offset from the center of the rotating shaft portion 22. Conversely, the fluid conduit 25 may be located in the center of the rotating shaft portion 22, while the piping 28 may be offset from the center of the rotating shaft portion 22.

[0055] Returning to Figure 2, the rotating mechanism 2B not only rotates the spin chuck 21 integrally with the substrate S, but also has a power transmission unit 27 to rotate the rotating cup portion 31 in synchronization with the rotation. The power transmission unit 27 has a disc member 27a made of a non-magnetic material or resin, a spin chuck-side magnet 27b embedded in the peripheral edge of the disc member 27a, and a cup-side magnet 27c embedded in the lower cup 32, which is a component of the rotating cup portion 31. The disc member 27a is mounted coaxially with the rotating shaft portion 22 and is rotatable around the rotating shaft AX together with the rotating shaft portion 22.

[0056] On the outer edge of the disc member 27a, multiple spin chuck-side magnets 27b are arranged radially around the rotation axis AX and at equal angular intervals. In this embodiment, of two adjacent spin chuck-side magnets 27b, one is arranged so that the outer and inner sides are the north pole and south pole, respectively, while the other is arranged so that the outer and inner sides are the south pole and north pole, respectively.

[0057] Similar to the spin chuck-side magnets 27b, multiple cup-side magnets 27c are arranged radially around the rotation axis AX at equal angular intervals. These cup-side magnets 27c are housed in the lower cup 32. The lower cup 32 is a component of the splash prevention mechanism 3, which will be described next, and has an annular shape. That is, the lower cup 32 has an inner circumferential surface that can face the outer circumferential surface of the disc member 27a. The inner diameter of this inner circumferential surface is larger than the outer diameter of the disc member 27a. The lower cup 32 is positioned concentrically with the rotation axis portion 22 and the disc member 27a with the inner circumferential surface facing the outer circumferential surface of the disc member 27a at a predetermined distance apart. Engagement pins and connecting magnets (not shown) are provided on the upper surface of the outer circumferential edge of the lower cup 32, and these connect the upper cup 33 to the lower cup 32, and this connected body functions as the rotating cup portion 31.

[0058] The lower cup 32 is supported on the upper surface of the base member 17 by bearings (not shown in the drawing) so that it can rotate around the rotation axis AX in the above-described configuration. On the inner peripheral edge of the lower cup 32, the cup-side magnets 27c are arranged radially around the rotation axis AX and at equal angular intervals, as described above. The arrangement of two adjacent cup-side magnets 27c is the same as that of the spin chuck-side magnets 27b. That is, on one side, the outer and inner sides are arranged to be the north pole and south pole, respectively, and on the other side, the outer and inner sides are arranged to be the south pole and north pole, respectively.

[0059] In the power transmission unit 27 configured in this way, when the disc member 27a rotates together with the rotating shaft 22 by the motor 23, the lower cup 32 rotates in the same direction as the disc member 27a while maintaining an air gap (the gap between the disc member 27a and the lower cup 32) due to the magnetic force between the spin chuck-side magnet 27b and the cup-side magnet 27c. In this way, the power transmission unit 27 has a so-called magnetic coupling between the spin chuck-side magnet 27b and the cup-side magnet 27c, and the rotational driving force for the spin chuck 21 is transmitted to the rotating cup unit 31 via the magnetic coupling. As a result, the rotating cup unit 31 rotates around the rotation axis AX. When the substrate S rotates due to the rotation of the spin chuck 21, the rotating cup unit 31 rotates synchronously with the substrate S in the same direction.

[0060] The splash prevention mechanism 3 includes a rotating cup portion 31 that can rotate around the rotation axis AX while surrounding the outer circumference of the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21, and a fixed cup portion 34 that is fixedly provided to surround the rotating cup portion 31. The rotating cup portion 31 is provided so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis AX while surrounding the outer circumference of the rotating substrate S, by connecting the upper cup 33 to the lower cup 32.

[0061] The lower cup 32 has an annular shape. As shown in Figure 2, its outer diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the substrate S, and in a plan view from vertically above, the lower cup 32 is rotatable around the rotation axis AX, protruding radially from the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21. In this protruding region, that is, the upper peripheral edge of the lower cup 32, engaging pins (not shown) and flat lower magnets (not shown) are alternately attached vertically upward along the circumferential direction.

[0062] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2, the upper cup 33 has a lower annular portion 331, an upper annular portion 332, and an inclined portion 333 connecting them. The outer diameter of the lower annular portion 331 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the lower cup 32, and the lower annular portion 331 is located vertically above the peripheral edge 321 of the lower cup 32. The inner circumferential surface of the upper annular portion 332 and the inner circumferential surface of the lower annular portion 331 are connected by the inclined portion 333 around the entire circumference of the upper cup 33. Therefore, the inner circumferential surface of the inclined portion 333, that is, the surface surrounding the substrate S, is an inclined surface 334. Thus, the inclined portion 333 surrounds the outer circumference of the rotating substrate S and can collect droplets scattered from the substrate S, and the space enclosed by the upper cup 33 and the lower cup 32 functions as a collection space.

[0063] The inclined portion 333 is inclined upward from the lower annular portion 331 toward the periphery of the substrate S. Therefore, droplets collected in the inclined portion 333 flow along the inclined surface 334 toward the lower end of the upper cup 33, i.e., the lower annular portion 331, and are then discharged to the outside of the rotating cup portion 31 through the gap with the lower cup 32.

[0064] The fixed cup portion 34 is provided so as to surround the rotating cup portion 31. The fixed cup portion 34 has a liquid receiving portion 341 and an exhaust portion 342 provided inside the liquid receiving portion 341. The liquid receiving portion 341 has a cup structure that opens from the outside to surround the gap between the upper cup 33 and the lower cup 32. In other words, the internal space of the liquid receiving portion 341 functions as an exhaust space. Therefore, the droplets collected by the rotating cup portion 31 are guided to the liquid receiving portion 341 along with the gaseous components. The droplets then collect at the bottom of the liquid receiving portion 341 and are discharged from the fixed cup portion 34.

[0065] Meanwhile, the gaseous components are collected in the exhaust section 342. This exhaust section 342 is separated from the liquid receiving section 341 via a partition wall 343. A gas guide section 344 is positioned above the partition wall 343. The gas guide section 344 extends approximately horizontally from directly above the partition wall 343, covering the partition wall 343 from above and forming a labyrinthine flow path for the gaseous components. Therefore, the gaseous components of the fluid flowing into the liquid receiving section 341 are collected in the exhaust section 342 via the above flow path. This exhaust section 342 is connected to an exhaust unit 38. As a result, the exhaust unit 38 is activated in response to a command from the control unit 10, adjusting the pressure in the fixed cup section 34, and efficiently exhausting the gaseous components in the exhaust section 342.

[0066] The top surface protection heating mechanism 4 has a shut-off plate 41 positioned above the top surface of the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21. This shut-off plate 41 has a disc portion 42 held in a horizontal position. The disc portion 42 incorporates a heater 421 (heating section) which is driven and controlled by a heater drive unit 422. This disc portion 42 has a diameter slightly shorter than that of the substrate S. The disc portion 42 is supported by a support member 43 such that its lower surface covers the surface area of ​​the top surface of the substrate S, excluding the peripheral edge, from above.

[0067] The lower end of the support member 43 is attached to the center of the disc portion 42. A cylindrical through hole is formed so as to penetrate vertically through the support member 43 and the disc portion 42. A central nozzle 45 is inserted vertically through this through hole. As shown in Figure 2, a heating gas supply unit 47 is connected to this central nozzle 45 via a pipe 46. The heating gas supply unit 47 heats ambient temperature nitrogen gas supplied from the factory where the substrate processing system 100 is installed and supplies it to the substrate processing unit SP at a flow rate and timing corresponding to the heating gas supply command from the control unit 10.

[0068] If the heating gas supply unit 47 is placed in the internal space 12 of the chamber 11, the heat radiated from the heater of the heating gas supply unit 47 may adversely affect the substrate processing unit SP, particularly the processing mechanism 5 and the substrate observation mechanism 9, as will be described later. Therefore, in this embodiment, the heating gas supply unit 47 is placed outside the chamber 11, as shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment, a ribbon heater 48 is attached to a part of the piping 46. The ribbon heater 48 generates heat in response to a heating command from the control unit 10 to heat the nitrogen gas flowing through the piping 46.

[0069] The heated nitrogen gas (hereinafter referred to as "heated gas") is then pumped towards the central nozzle 45 and discharged from the central nozzle 45. For example, when the heated gas is supplied with the disc portion 42 positioned in a processing position close to the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21, the heated gas flows from the center to the periphery of the space sandwiched between the upper surface of the substrate S and the heater-embedded disc portion 42. This prevents the surrounding atmosphere from entering the upper surface of the substrate S. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent droplets contained in the atmosphere from being trapped in the space sandwiched between the substrate S and the disc portion 42. In addition, the upper surface is heated overall by the heating by the heater 421 and the heated gas, making the in-plane temperature of the substrate S uniform. This prevents the substrate S from warping.

[0070] Furthermore, the heater 421 is provided in the processing unit 1 separately from the holding and rotating mechanism 2. Therefore, if the holding part 211 of the holding and rotating mechanism 2 is made of, for example, resin, deformation of the holding part 211 caused by the heat of the heater 421 can be reduced compared to the case in which the holding and rotating mechanism 2 is equipped with the heater 421.

[0071] As shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the support member 43 is fixed to a beam member 49 that extends horizontally. This beam member 49 is connected to a lifting mechanism (not shown) and is raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism in response to a command from the control unit 10. For example, in Figure 2, when the beam member 49 is positioned downward, the disc portion 42 connected to the beam member 49 via the support member 43 is in the processing position. On the other hand, when the lifting mechanism raises the beam member 49 in response to a lifting command from the control unit 10, the beam member 49, support member 43, and disc portion 42 rise together, and the upper cup 33 also rises in conjunction, separating from the lower cup 32. This widens the space between the spin chuck 21 and the upper cup 33 and disc portion 42, making it possible to load and unload the substrate S into and out of the spin chuck 21.

[0072] The atmosphere separation mechanism 6 includes a lower sealed cup member 61 and an upper sealed cup member 62. Both the lower sealed cup member 61 and the upper sealed cup member 62 have a cylindrical shape with openings at the top and bottom. Their inner diameters are larger than the outer diameter of the rotating cup portion 31. The atmosphere separation mechanism 6 is positioned to completely surround the spin chuck 21, the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21, the rotating cup portion 31, and the upper surface protection heating mechanism 4 from above. More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the upper sealed cup member 62 is fixedly positioned directly below the punching plate 14 such that its upper opening covers the opening 11f1 of the ceiling surface 11f from below. Therefore, the downflow of clean air introduced into the chamber 11 is divided into air that passes inside the upper sealed cup member 62 and air that passes outside the upper sealed cup member 62.

[0073] Furthermore, the lower end of the upper sealing cup member 62 has a flange portion 621 that is folded inward into an annular shape. An O-ring 63 is attached to the upper surface of this flange portion 621. Inside the upper sealing cup member 62, the lower sealing cup member 61 is arranged to be movable in the vertical direction.

[0074] The upper end of the lower sealing cup member 61 has a flange portion 611 that is folded outward and has an annular shape. When viewed from above in a plan view, this flange portion 611 overlaps with the flange portion 621. Therefore, when the lower sealing cup member 61 descends, the flange portion 611 of the lower sealing cup member 61 is locked to the flange portion 621 of the upper sealing cup member 62 via the O-ring 63. This positions the lower sealing cup member 61 at its lower limit. At this lower limit, the upper sealing cup member 62 and the lower sealing cup member 61 are connected in the vertical direction, and the downflow introduced into the upper sealing cup member 62 is guided toward the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21.

[0075] The lower end of the lower sealing cup member 61 has a flange portion 612 that is an annular shape with an outwardly enlarged diameter. When viewed from above in a plan view, this flange portion 612 overlaps with the upper end of the fixed cup portion 34 (the upper end of the liquid receiving portion 341). Therefore, at the lower limit position, the flange portion 612 of the lower sealing cup member 61 is locked to the fixed cup portion 34 via the O-ring 64. As a result, the lower sealing cup member 61 and the fixed cup portion 34 are connected in the vertical direction, and a sealed space 12a is formed by the upper sealing cup member 62, the lower sealing cup member 61, and the fixed cup portion 34. Beveling of the substrate S can be performed within this sealed space 12a.

[0076] In other words, by positioning the lower sealing cup member 61 at its lower limit, the sealed space 12a is separated from the outer space 12b (atmosphere separation). Therefore, beveling can be performed stably without being affected by the outside atmosphere. In addition, although a processing liquid is used for beveling, leakage of the processing liquid from the sealed space 12a to the outer space 12b can be reliably prevented. Thus, the degree of freedom in selecting and designing the components to be placed in the outer space 12b is increased.

[0077] Next, the centering mechanism 8 will be briefly explained as it is basically publicly known. The centering mechanism 8 performs the centering process while the suction by the pump 26 is stopped (i.e., while the substrate S is able to move horizontally on the upper surface of the spin chuck 21). This centering process eliminates the eccentricity of the substrate S, and the center of the substrate S coincides with the rotation axis AX. The centering mechanism 8 has a single contact portion 81 and a multi-contact portion 82 that are positioned on opposite sides of the rotation axis AX of the spin chuck 21, and a centering drive unit 83 that moves the single contact portion 81 and the multi-contact portion 82 in the contact movement direction. For visibility, in Figure 2, the single contact portion 81 and the multi-contact portion 82 are shown on the same side with respect to the rotation axis AX of the spin chuck 21.

[0078] The centering drive unit 83 moves toward the substrate S on the spin chuck 21 while coordinating the single contact portion 81 and the multi-contact portion 82, adjusting the position of the substrate S so that one contact portion of the single contact portion 81 and both contact portions of the multi-contact portion 82 are in contact with the end face of the substrate S. In this way, the eccentricity of the substrate S on the spin chuck 21 is eliminated and centering is achieved.

[0079] Next, the processing mechanism 5 will be described. The processing mechanism 5 supplies processing liquid to the substrate S. The processing mechanism 5 has a nozzle block 50 positioned on the lower side of the substrate S and a processing liquid supply source (not shown) that supplies processing liquid to the nozzle block 50. The nozzle block 50 has a plurality of processing liquid discharge nozzles (not shown) each of which discharges processing liquid.

[0080] The processing liquid supply source is configured to supply chemical solutions such as SC1 liquid and DHF (dilute hydrofluoric acid), as well as functional water (such as CO2 water), as processing liquids. SC1 liquid, DHF, and functional water can be discharged independently from multiple processing liquid discharge nozzles.

[0081] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, a nozzle support portion 51 that supports the nozzle block 50 is provided below the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21 in order to discharge the processing liquid toward the peripheral edge of the lower surface of the substrate S. The nozzle support portion 51 has a thin-walled cylindrical portion 511 that extends vertically and a flange portion 512 that has an annular shape and is folded radially outward at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 511. The cylindrical portion 511 has a shape that allows it to be freely inserted into the air gap formed between the disc member 27a and the lower cup 32. As shown in Figure 2, the nozzle support portion 51 is fixedly positioned such that the cylindrical portion 511 is freely inserted into the air gap and the flange portion 512 is positioned between the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21 and the lower cup 32. The nozzle block 50 is attached to a part of the upper peripheral edge of the flange portion 512.

[0082] The substrate observation mechanism 9 is a mechanism for optically observing the peripheral edge of the substrate S being processed, for the purpose of confirming whether the processing is being carried out appropriately. The substrate observation mechanism 9 comprises an observation head 91 for optically observing the peripheral edge of the substrate S, and an observation head drive unit 92 that reciprocates the observation head 91 in response to a head movement command from the control unit 10. The observation head drive unit 92 reciprocates the observation head 91 between an observation position and a retracted position located radially outward from the observation position of the substrate S. The observation head drive unit 92 moves the observation head 91 to the retracted position when the substrate S is not being observed. The observation head drive unit 92 moves the observation head 91 to the observation position when the substrate S is being observed.

[0083] The control unit 10 includes an arithmetic processing unit 10A, a storage unit 10B, a reading unit 10C, an image processing unit 10D, a drive control unit 10E, a communication unit 10F, and an exhaust control unit 10G. The storage unit 10B is composed of a hard disk drive or the like and stores a program for executing bevel processing by the processing unit 1. This program is stored, for example, on a computer-readable recording medium RM (e.g., an optical disk, magnetic disk, magneto-optical disk, etc.), read from the recording medium RM by the reading unit 10C, and stored in the storage unit 10B. Furthermore, the provision of this program is not limited to the recording medium RM; for example, the program may be provided via a telecommunications line. The image processing unit 10D performs various processing on the image captured by the substrate observation mechanism 9. The drive control unit 10E controls each drive unit of the processing unit 1. The communication unit 10F communicates with a control unit that integrates and controls each part of the substrate processing system 100. The exhaust control unit 10G controls the exhaust unit 38.

[0084] Furthermore, the control unit 10 is connected to a display unit 10H (for example, a display) that shows various information and an input unit 10J (for example, a keyboard and mouse) that receives input from the operator.

[0085] The arithmetic processing unit 10A is composed of a computer having a CPU (= Central Processing Unit) and RAM (= Random Access Memory), and it achieves predetermined operations by controlling each part of the processing unit 1 according to a program stored in the storage unit 10B. For example, it can perform the bevel processing described above.

[0086] (modified version) The holding portion 211 is not necessarily limited to a vacuum chuck that adsorbs the substrate S. The holding portion 211 may be, for example, a so-called mechanical chuck that mechanically holds the substrate S. Alternatively, the holding portion 211 may be a so-called Bernoulli chuck that sends gas into the space between the substrate S and the holding portion 211 to form an airflow directed radially outward from the substrate S, and uses the Bernoulli effect of this airflow to create a pressure effect in the space between the substrate S and the holding portion 211, thereby adsorbing the substrate S.

[0087] If the holding portion 211 is a mechanical chuck or a Bernoulli chuck, the fluid conduit 211c discharges fluid into the space between the substrate S and the holding portion 211 while the substrate S is held. If the holding portion 211 is a mechanical chuck, the fluid may be a gas or liquid for processing the substrate S. If the holding portion 211 is a Bernoulli chuck, the fluid may be a gas to produce the Bernoulli effect, or a gas or liquid for processing the substrate S. In this case, a fluid supply source is connected to the end of the fluid conduit 25 opposite to the fluid conduit 211c. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] 1. Processing Unit (Substrate Processing Equipment) 2. Holding and rotating mechanism (holding device) 2B Rotation mechanism (rotation drive unit) 211 Holding part 211a Holding body part 211b Fluid conduction part 211c Fluid communication port 211d resin coating layer 211e recess 214 screws 212 Base section 213a First sealing member 213b Second sealing member 25 Fluid conduit 421 Heater (heating section) 5. Processing mechanism (processing liquid supply unit)

Claims

1. A holding part that holds a flat workpiece at the holding surface, A base portion on which the aforementioned holding portion is placed, Equipped with, The aforementioned retaining part is A retaining body made of metal, A fluid conductor is made of resin and has a fluid conductor opening formed therein that allows fluid to pass through the holding part into or from the space between the workpiece and the holding part when the workpiece is held in place. A resin coating layer provided on at least the surface of the retaining body portion that is on the retaining surface side, A holding device equipped with the following features.

2. A first sealing member is provided in the region between the base portion and the holding portion, so as to surround the inner region of said region. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the resin coating layer is provided on the surface of the holding body portion in a range from the area where the first sealing member is provided to the surface on the holding surface side.

3. A recess is provided in the center of the surface on the holding surface side of the holding body portion. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid conducting portion is connected to the holding body portion in the recess.

4. The retaining device according to claim 1, further comprising a screw connecting the retaining body and the fluid conducting portion, wherein a second sealing member is provided so as to surround the screw in the region between the retaining body and the fluid conducting portion.

5. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has a fluid passage formed therein, one end of which communicates with the fluid passage port and the other end of which is connected to a suction source.

6. The holding device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotational drive unit for rotating the holding unit.

7. A holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A substrate processing apparatus comprising a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate, which is a workpiece, held by the holding device.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a heating unit for heating the substrate as a workpiece held in the holding device.

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