Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus that can suppress a decrease in the centering accuracy of the substrate and improve processing quality even when the temperature of the processing space changes. [Solution] A substrate processing method in which a centering process is performed to reduce the eccentricity of a substrate (S) placed on a substrate holding part (2) using a centering mechanism (3), and then the outer periphery of the substrate is processed, wherein the temperature of the processing space can be changed, and when processing the outer periphery of the substrate, a reference position corresponding to the temperature of the processing space, which is set according to the content of the processing, is obtained as the reference position of the centering device, and the centering process is performed using the obtained reference position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus for processing a peripheral edge portion of a substrate by using a centering process that reduces the amount of eccentricity of the substrate with respect to a substrate holding portion. The processing includes a bevel etching process.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to a peripheral edge portion of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer while rotating the substrate, and performs chemical processing, cleaning processing, and the like on the substrate. As one of the processes performed in the substrate processing apparatus, there is a process in which an etching liquid is supplied to the peripheral edge portion of the substrate while rotating the substrate, and only a thin film outside the supply position of the etching liquid is removed. Such a process is called a bevel etching process.

[0003] For example, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a substrate is suction-held while being supported from below by a spin chuck, which is an example of a substrate holding portion. At this time, if the center of the spin chuck is misaligned from the center of the substrate, this leads to deterioration in processing quality. Therefore, a centering apparatus is provided in the above apparatus. The centering apparatus performs a so-called centering process that reduces the amount of eccentricity of the substrate with respect to the spin chuck. In the present specification, reducing the amount of eccentricity of the substrate can be rephrased as aligning the center of the substrate holding portion with the center of the substrate, bringing them into infinite alignment, or keeping the amount of eccentricity within an allowable range.

[0004] The centering apparatus includes a plurality of contact members, and the plurality of contact members surround the substrate placed on the upper surface of the substrate holding portion. In a horizontal plane, the plurality of contact members are each positioned at a reference position where their respective contact surfaces lie on a reference circle centered at the center of the substrate holding portion and having a radius equal to a reference distance.

[0005] The multiple contact members gradually approach the substrate while maintaining a constant distance from the center of the substrate holder. As they approach, the contact members sequentially contact the substrate, causing the substrate to move horizontally toward the center of the substrate holder. As a result, when the substrate is sandwiched between these multiple contact members, the center of the substrate aligns with the center of the substrate holder, completing the centering process. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-114594 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Incidentally, in such substrate processing equipment, the outer periphery of the substrate is sometimes processed while heating it with a heater, for purposes such as increasing the processing speed. Here, the heater temperature setting is not unique and varies depending on the type of thin film being processed, etc. Therefore, the temperature of the processing space inside the substrate processing equipment will fluctuate between room temperature and a high temperature of about 200°C.

[0008] However, the inventors of this invention have found that changing the temperature of the processing space in this way can reduce the centering accuracy of the substrate and thus the processing quality.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus that can suppress a decrease in the centering accuracy of the substrate and improve processing quality even when the temperature of the processing space changes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, a substrate processing method according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is a substrate processing method which involves performing a centering process to reduce the eccentricity of a substrate placed on a substrate holding part using a centering device, and then processing the outer periphery of the substrate, wherein when the temperature of the processing space when processing the outer periphery of the substrate is changed according to the content of the processing, a reference position corresponding to the temperature of the processing space is obtained as the reference position of the centering device, and the centering process is performed using the obtained reference position.

[0011] In the substrate processing method according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure, each time the temperature of the processing space is changed, (1) the processing space is adjusted to the changed temperature, (2) once the adjustment is complete, the centering process by the centering device and the measurement of the eccentricity are repeatedly performed using a dummy substrate until the eccentricity is within an acceptable range, and (3) the reference position according to the changed temperature is set according to the amount of movement of the centering device when the eccentricity is within the acceptable range.

[0012] In the substrate processing method according to aspect 3 of this disclosure, the processes described in (1) to (3) above may be performed automatically in aspect 2.

[0013] In the substrate processing method according to embodiment 4 of the present disclosure, in embodiment 2, in (3) above, the reference position corresponding to the changed temperature is stored in the storage unit in association with the changed temperature, and when the temperature of the processing space is changed, if the reference position corresponding to the changed temperature is stored in the storage unit, the processes from (1) to (3) above are not performed, and the reference position is obtained from the storage unit.

[0014] The substrate processing method according to aspect 5 of the present disclosure is as follows: In aspect 1, each of the temperatures of the processing space that can be set is designated as a target temperature, and the processing space is adjusted to one of the target temperatures. Once the adjustment is complete, the centering process by the centering device and the measurement of the eccentricity are repeated using a dummy substrate until the eccentricity is within an acceptable range. The reference position at the target temperature is set according to the amount of movement of the centering device when the eccentricity is within the acceptable range, and the reference position is stored in a storage unit in association with the target temperature.

[0015] In the substrate processing method according to embodiment 6 of the present disclosure, in any of embodiments 1 to 5 above, the processing of the outer periphery of the substrate may be a process in which the processing liquid is discharged toward the outer periphery of the substrate while the substrate is rotated.

[0016] To solve the above problems, a substrate processing apparatus according to embodiment 7 of the present disclosure comprises a substrate holding unit for supporting a substrate, a centering mechanism for performing a centering process to reduce the eccentricity of the substrate placed on the substrate holding unit, a processing unit for processing the outer periphery of the substrate, and a heater, a control unit, and a memory for storing at least information indicating the control operation of the control unit, wherein the control unit cooperates with the memory to acquire a reference position corresponding to the temperature of the processing space as a reference position for the centering mechanism when the temperature of the processing space is changed according to the processing content of the processing unit, and controls the centering mechanism to perform the centering process using the acquired reference position.

[0017] The substrate processing apparatus according to aspect 8 of the present disclosure is, in the above aspect 7, wherein the control unit adjusts the temperature of the processing space to the temperature after the change to acquire the reference position of the centering mechanism corresponding to the temperature of the processing space, and when the adjustment is completed, repeats the centering process by the centering mechanism and the measurement of the eccentricity amount using a dummy substrate until the eccentricity amount falls within an allowable range, and sets the reference position corresponding to the temperature after the change according to the movement amount of the centering mechanism when the eccentricity amount falls within the allowable range, and may control the heater and the centering mechanism. Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, there can be provided a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing a decrease in centering accuracy of a substrate even when the processing temperature changes. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of a substrate processing system equipped with a processing unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus corresponding to the processing unit shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view partially showing the configuration of a substrate holding unit and a centering mechanism included in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart of automatic reference position adjustment processing involving temperature control executed in the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram showing the internal movement of the substrate processing apparatus during automatic reference position adjustment processing involving temperature control. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram continuing from FIG. 5. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] (Introduction) The inventors of the present application have conducted intensive studies to investigate the cause of the decrease in substrate centering accuracy when the temperature of the processing space is changed. As a result, they have found that the surface temperature of the centering device changes along with the change in the temperature of the processing space, and the difference in thermal expansion of the centering device causes the decrease in centering accuracy. Specifically, due to the difference in thermal expansion, the reference position described above shifts in at least any one of the plurality of contact members, and the shift of the reference position causes the target position itself for the centering process to shift from the center of the substrate holding member.

[0021] Accordingly, the inventors of the present application decided not to fix the reference position, but instead adjusted the reference position in a state where the centering device is thermally expanded according to the temperature of the processing space, and reset the reference position according to the temperature of the processing space. The adjustment of the reference position is the same as the adjustment of the reference position based on the eccentricity amount (reference position adjustment process described later) performed when the eccentricity amount exceeds the allowable value even after performing the centering process in the device described in Patent Document 1. The centering device is thermally expanded to the temperature of the processing space, and the reference position is adjusted such that the eccentricity amount in this state falls within the allowable range. A dummy substrate may be used for this adjustment.

[0022] The reference position according to the temperature of the processing space may be set for each set temperature of a heater provided in the substrate processing apparatus, for example, when the temperature of the processing space is determined by the set temperature of the heater. Alternatively, it may be set for each processing temperature range in which the eccentricity amount of the substrate falls within the allowable range. Further, even in the case of processing at normal temperature where the heater is not driven, if the difference in normal temperature between winter and summer causes the eccentricity amount to exceed the allowable range, the reference position may be set separately for normal temperature in winter and normal temperature in summer.

[0023] [Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus adopting a configuration in which the reference position of the contact member in the centering device is changed according to the temperature of the processing space will be described. Although the following description is mainly given of the substrate processing apparatus, it also serves as a description of a substrate processing method for processing the peripheral edge (outer periphery) of a substrate after performing a centering process using the centering device.

[0024] (Substrate Processing System) Figure 1 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of a substrate processing system 100 equipped with a processing unit 1 according to the embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 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.

[0025] The substrate processing system 100 is a single-wafer type device installed, for example, in a cleanroom, which processes substrates S one by one, each having a circuit pattern or the like (hereinafter referred to as "pattern") formed only on one main surface. The processing unit equipped in the substrate processing system 100 performs substrate processing using a processing solution.

[0026] In this embodiment, the "substrate" can be any type of substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a photomask, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a plasma display, a substrate for a Field Emission Display (FED), a substrate for an optical disk, a substrate for a magnetic disk, or a substrate for a magneto-optical disk. The following explanation will primarily use a substrate processing apparatus used for processing semiconductor wafers as an example, with reference to the drawings, but the method can also be applied to processing the various types of substrates exemplified above.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the substrate processing system 100 has a substrate processing area 110 for processing a disc-shaped substrate S. An indexer section 120 is provided adjacent to the substrate processing area 110.

[0028] The indexer section 120 has a container holding section 121 that can hold multiple containers C for housing substrates S (such as FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) pod, OC (Open Cassette), etc., which house multiple substrates S in a sealed state).

[0029] Furthermore, the indexer unit 120 is equipped with an indexer robot 122 for accessing the container C held by the container holding unit 121 to remove unprocessed substrates S from the container C or to store processed substrates S in the container C. Each container C contains multiple substrates S in a nearly horizontal position.

[0030] In the substrate processing area 110, a mounting table 112 is provided to allow substrates S from the indexer robot 122 to be placed on it. In a plan view, a substrate transport robot 111 is positioned approximately in the center of the substrate processing area 110. Furthermore, multiple processing units 1 are arranged surrounding the substrate transport robot 111. The substrate transport robot 111 randomly accesses these processing units 1 to transfer substrates S.

[0031] Each processing unit 1 performs a predetermined process on the substrate S. In this embodiment, one of these processing units 1 corresponds to the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention. In Figure 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a chamber which is a partition wall of the processing unit 1, and corresponds to the chamber 11 of the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0032] (Substrate processing equipment) Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 10, which corresponds to the processing unit 1 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a partial perspective view showing the configuration of the substrate holding section 2 and the centering mechanism 3 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 shown in Figure 2.

[0033] The substrate processing apparatus 10 is a device that performs bevel etching, which involves supplying a processing liquid to the peripheral edge of a substrate S, as a process for the outer periphery of the substrate S. For this purpose, the substrate processing apparatus 10 is equipped with a substrate holding unit 2, a centering mechanism 3, a processing liquid supply mechanism 4, an upper surface protection heating mechanism 5, etc. The operation of these components is controlled by a control unit 9 that controls the entire apparatus.

[0034] <Substrate holding part> The substrate holder 2 is equipped with a spin base 21, which is a disc-shaped member smaller than the substrate S. The spin base 21 is supported by a rotating support shaft 22 extending downward from the center of its lower surface, so that its upper surface 211 is horizontal. The rotating support shaft 22 is rotatably supported by a rotary drive unit 23. The rotary drive unit 23 has a built-in rotary motor 231, which rotates in response to control commands from the control unit 9.

[0035] Receiving rotational driving force from the rotary motor 231, the spin base 21 rotates around a vertical axis AX (dotted line) that passes through the center 21C of the spin base 21 and extends vertically. In Figure 2, the up and down direction is the vertical direction. Also, the plane perpendicular to the plane of Figure 2 is the horizontal plane. To clarify the directional relationships in Figure 2 and subsequent drawings, a coordinate system in which the Z axis is the vertical direction and the XY plane is the horizontal plane is appropriately attached.

[0036] The upper surface 211 of the spin base 21 has a width sufficient to support the substrate S, and the substrate S can be placed on the upper surface 211 of the spin base 21. The upper surface 211 is provided with a plurality of suction holes and suction grooves, etc., although they are not shown in the figure. These suction holes, etc., are connected to the suction pump 24 via the suction pipe 241.

[0037] When the suction pump 24 operates in response to a control command from the control unit 9, an attractive force is applied from the suction pump 24 to the spin base 21. As a result, air is exhausted from between the upper surface 211 of the spin base 21 and the lower surface of the substrate S, and the substrate S is held in place by suction to the spin base 21.

[0038] The adsorbed substrate S is rotated around the vertical axis AX along with the rotation of the spin base 21. Therefore, if the center SC of the substrate S does not coincide with the center 21C of the spin base 21, i.e., if the substrate S is eccentric, it will lead to a decrease in the quality of the bevel etching process.

[0039] Therefore, in this embodiment, a centering mechanism 3 is provided, and in cooperation with the control unit 9, functions as a "centering device" according to the present invention. The centering mechanism 3 has a measuring unit 37 that measures the peripheral portion of the substrate S adsorbed and held on the spin base 21.

[0040] <Measuring section of the centering mechanism> As shown in Figure 3, the measurement unit 37 is located at the periphery of the substrate S, which is adsorbed and held by the spin base 21, and is capable of acquiring periphery information regarding the periphery of the substrate S. Furthermore, the measurement unit 37 can move to a retracted position separated from the periphery of the substrate S in the radial direction D4 of the spin base 21.

[0041] As the measurement unit 37, for example, an imaging unit that images the peripheral edge of the substrate S can be used. The imaging unit as the measurement unit 37 captures a series of images of the peripheral edge while the substrate S rotates at least once around the vertical axis AX together with the rotation of the spin base 21. The imaging unit as the measurement unit 37 outputs the series of images of the peripheral edge as peripheral information to the control unit 9. The control unit 9 analyzes the series of images of the peripheral edge to determine the eccentricity of the center SC of the substrate S in the X and Y directions from the center 21C of the spin base 21.

[0042] In addition to the imaging unit, an edge detection sensor, such as the one described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-54562, may be used as the measurement unit 37. In this case, the edge detection sensor as the measurement unit 37 detects the edge position of the substrate S in the radial direction of the spin base 21 while the substrate S rotates at least once around the vertical axis AX together with the rotation of the spin base 21. The edge detection sensor as the measurement unit 37 outputs an edge detection signal indicating the edge position as peripheral information to the control unit 9. The control unit 9 analyzes the edge detection signal to determine the eccentricity of the center SC of the substrate S in the X and Y directions from the center 21C of the spin base 21.

[0043] Since methods for deriving eccentricity in the X and Y directions based on continuous images of the peripheral area, edge detection signals, etc., are well known, a detailed explanation will be omitted here. Furthermore, the measurement unit 37 may be any other unit that can acquire peripheral information regarding the peripheral area of ​​the substrate S.

[0044] The spin base 21 rotates while holding the substrate S by suction. When the suction by the suction pump 24 is stopped, the substrate S becomes able to move horizontally on the upper surface 211 of the spin base 21. With the substrate S able to move horizontally, the centering mechanism 3 performs a centering process, which eliminates the eccentricity and causes the center SC of the substrate S to coincide with the center 21C of the spin base 21.

[0045] <Processing liquid supply mechanism> The processing liquid supply mechanism (processing unit) 4 performs bevel etching on the substrate S that has undergone centering. For this purpose, the processing liquid supply mechanism 4 includes a processing liquid nozzle 41, a nozzle moving unit 42 that moves the processing liquid nozzle 41, and a processing liquid supply unit 43 that supplies processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle 41. The nozzle moving unit 42 moves the processing liquid nozzle 41 between a retracted position, where it is moved laterally from above the substrate S as shown by the solid line in Figure 2, and a processing position above the peripheral edge of the substrate S as shown by the dotted line in the same figure.

[0046] The processing liquid nozzle 41 is connected to the processing liquid supply unit 43. When an appropriate amount of processing liquid is supplied from the processing liquid supply unit 43 to the processing liquid nozzle 41 positioned at the processing position, the processing liquid is discharged from the processing liquid nozzle 41 to the peripheral edge of the rotating substrate S. As a result, bevel etching is performed on the entire peripheral edge of the substrate S using the processing liquid.

[0047] <Top protection heating mechanism> The top surface protection heating mechanism 5 protects the top surface of the substrate S from exposure to the ambient atmosphere and heats the substrate S as needed. To this end, the top surface protection heating mechanism 5 includes a shielding plate 51 positioned above the top surface of the substrate S held by the substrate holding part 2, a heater 52, and a heater drive unit 53. The heater 52 is connected to the heater drive unit 53. The heater drive unit 53 drives the heater 52 in response to control commands from the control unit 9.

[0048] Furthermore, the top surface protection heating mechanism 5 can be moved by a lifting mechanism (not shown) between a processing position (not shown) above the substrate S and close to the substrate S, and a retracted position above the substrate. The top surface protection heating mechanism 5 moves to the processing position when processing is performed on the substrate S by the processing liquid supply mechanism 4, and moves to the retracted position when the substrate S is brought into the processing space, etc.

[0049] Although not shown in Figure 2, the splash guard is provided so as to surround the substrate holding section 2 from the side. The splash guard collects droplets of the processing liquid that are shaken off the substrate S during the bevel etching process, and effectively prevents these droplets from scattering around the apparatus.

[0050] <Centering mechanism> The centering mechanism 3 has the function of horizontally moving the substrate S on the upper surface 211 of the spin base 21 so that the center SC of the substrate S placed on the upper surface 211 of the spin base 21 coincides with the center 21C of the spin base 21.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the centering mechanism 3 has a first contact member 31 positioned in the X2 direction (right-hand direction in the figure) relative to the center 21C of the spin base 21 in the X direction, and a second contact member 32 and a third contact member 33 positioned in the X1 direction (left-hand direction in the figure). The three first to third contact members 31 to 33 surround the substrate S placed on the upper surface 211 of the spin base 21.

[0052] The first contact member 31 is provided so as to be movable in the horizontal plane from a first reference position, which is located at a reference distance from the center 21C of the spin base 21 that is longer than the radius of the substrate S, in the direction D1 toward the center 21C of the spin base 21.

[0053] The second contact member 32 is positioned so as to be able to move horizontally from a second reference position, which is off the imaginary line VL extending in the X1 direction from the center 21C of the spin base 21 and at a reference distance from the center 21C of the spin base 21, in a direction D2 that is different from the direction toward the center 21C of the spin base 21 and is closer to the substrate S.

[0054] The third contact member 33 is provided to be movable in a direction D3 that is different from the direction toward the center 21C of the spin base 21 and approaches the substrate S, from a third reference position located a reference distance from the center 21C of the spin base 21 on the opposite side of the second contact member 32 with respect to the virtual line VL.

[0055] The movement of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 is performed by a movement mechanism 34. The movement mechanism 34 has a single movement unit 35 for moving the first contact member 31 and a multi-movement unit 36 ​​for moving the second contact member 32 and the third contact member 33 together. With respect to the center 21C of the spin base 21, the single movement unit 35 is positioned on the X2 direction side, while the multi-movement unit 36 ​​is positioned on the X1 direction side.

[0056] The single movable part 35 is equipped with a single support part 351, and a first contact member 31 is attached to the single support part 351 in a position where the contact surface 311 faces the substrate S on the spin base 21. As the single support part 351 moves in the X1 direction, the first contact member 31 moves in the D1 direction.

[0057] The multi-movement section 36 includes a multi-support section 364 that is formed in a substantially U-shape when viewed from above, and a second contact member 32 and a third contact member 33 are attached to the multi-support section 364. The second contact member 32 is attached with its contact surface 321 facing the substrate S on the spin base 21. The third contact member 33 is attached with its contact surface 331 facing the substrate S on the spin base 21. As the multi-support section 364 moves in the X2 direction, the second contact member 32 and the third contact member 33 move in the D2 and D3 directions, respectively.

[0058] The basic operation of this centering mechanism 3 is the same as that of the device described in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, even after the centering process, if the eccentricity exceeds the allowable value, the reference position is adjusted based on the eccentricity, and the method of this adjustment is also the same as that of the device described in Patent Document 1. Hereinafter, the adjustment of the reference position based on the eccentricity will be referred to as the reference position adjustment process.

[0059] The single-movement unit 35 and the multi-movement unit 36 ​​are controlled by the control unit 9, and centering is performed using the first to third contact members 31 to 33, similar to the apparatus described in Patent Document 1.

[0060] <Department Head> The control unit 9 comprises an arithmetic processing unit 91, which is composed of a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit 92 such as a hard disk drive, a motor control unit 93, and a heater control unit 94. The control unit 9 performs centering processing, reference position adjustment processing, bevel etching processing, automatic reference position adjustment processing with temperature control, etc. The storage unit 92 is a memory that stores at least information indicating the control operations of the control unit 9. The control unit 9 performs the above processing in cooperation with the storage unit 92.

[0061] The arithmetic processing unit 91 reads a program pre-stored in the storage unit 92 as appropriate, loads it into RAM (not shown), and executes centering, reference position adjustment, bevel etching, automatic reference position adjustment with temperature control, etc. As described above, the processing content performed in the centering and reference position adjustment processes is the same as that of the apparatus described in Patent Document 1.

[0062] In simple terms, during the centering process, the contact surfaces 311, 321, and 331 of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 must be located at a distance equal to or greater than the maximum radius of the substrate S plus the outer diameter tolerance from the center 21C of the spin base 21. This distance is the reference distance, and the circle with a radius equal to the reference distance centered at the center 21C of the spin base 21 is the reference circle.

[0063] At the start of the centering process, the first to third contact members 31 to 33 are positioned so that the contact surfaces 311, 321, and 331 are located within the reference circle. The positions for positioning each of the contact surfaces 311, 321, and 331 within this reference circle are the first to third reference positions described above.

[0064] From their respective reference positions, the first to third contact members 31 to 33 are moved toward the substrate S, with the contact surfaces 311, 321, and 331 facing the substrate S, while maintaining the same distance from the center 21C of the spin base 21 to the contact surfaces 311, 321, and 331, until the center SC of the substrate S aligns with the center 21C of the spin base 21. This completes the centering process.

[0065] Thus, in the centering process, the reference positions of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 are important. If these reference positions are misaligned, even if the centering process is performed, it will not be possible to align the center SC of the substrate S with the center 21C of the spin base 21.

[0066] Therefore, as described above, a reference position adjustment process is provided, and the reference position adjustment process is executed if the eccentricity of the substrate S exceeds the allowable value even after the centering process.

[0067] In the reference position adjustment process, the control unit 9 acquires the eccentricity in the X and Y directions from the center SC of the peripheral information of the substrate S input from the measurement unit 37, relative to the center 21C of the spin base 21. The measurement unit 37 then repeatedly measures the eccentricity and makes minute movements of the contact members 31-33 in the centering mechanism 3 until the eccentricity is within a preset tolerance range. Once the tolerance range is reached, the control unit 9 resets the reference position for the centering process of the first to third contact members 31-33 according to the amount of movement of the centering mechanism 3 at that time (the position of the first to third contact members 31-33 at that time) and stores it in the storage unit 92.

[0068] During bevel etching, the control unit 9 changes the temperature of the processing space to a temperature appropriate to the processing content. Specifically, the heater control unit 94 of the control unit 9 controls the heater drive unit 53 to change the set temperature of the heater 52. In some cases, the drive of the heater 52 is stopped and the temperature of the processing space is returned to room temperature.

[0069] As described above, if the surface temperature of the centering mechanism 3 changes in accordance with the temperature change of the processing space, the reference positions of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 may shift due to the difference in thermal expansion of the centering mechanism 3.

[0070] Therefore, when the temperature of the processing space is changed, the control unit 9 obtains a reference position corresponding to the temperature of the processing space as the reference position for the centering mechanism 3, and performs centering processing using the obtained reference position.

[0071] In this embodiment, the control unit 9 obtains a reference position corresponding to the temperature of the processing space by executing an automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control, which includes a reference position adjustment process, each time the temperature of the processing space is changed.

[0072] Specifically, the control unit 9 performs an automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control whenever the temperature of the processing space is changed. The automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control includes (1) adjusting the processing space to the changed temperature (temperature control process), (2) once the adjustment is complete, repeatedly performing a centering process by the centering mechanism 3 and measuring the eccentricity using a dummy substrate until the eccentricity is within an acceptable range, and (3) setting a reference position according to the changed temperature according to the amount of movement of the centering mechanism 3 when the eccentricity is within the acceptable range. The dummy substrate DS is provided by the substrate processing system 100 for purposes such as cleaning.

[0073] (Automatic adjustment process to reference position with temperature control) The automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control performed in the substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described below with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control. Figure 5 shows the inside of the substrate processing apparatus 10 at each step of the automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control. Figure 6 is a continuation of Figure 5.

[0074] As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 9 repeatedly determines whether or not there is a change in the processing space temperature setting (temperature of the processing space) (S1). For example, in the bevel etching process, if the type of thin film to be removed changes and it is necessary to change the temperature of the processing space, the control unit 9 determines YES in S1 and returns each part of the substrate processing apparatus 10 to its home position (S2).

[0075] If the substrate S remains in the processing space when the system returns to its home position, the recovery process (recovery recipe) is executed to recover the substrate S, and then the parts of the substrate processing device 10 are returned to their home positions again. Also, the heater 52 is kept off when the system returns to its home position.

[0076] Once the return of each part of the substrate processing apparatus 10 to its home position is complete, the control unit 9 starts temperature control (temperature adjustment) to adjust the temperature of the processing space to a temperature corresponding to the next process to be performed (S3), and completes the temperature control when the processing space reaches the changed temperature (S4). Due to the temperature control, the surface temperature of the centering mechanism 3 changes in accordance with the temperature change of the processing space, and the positional relationship of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 of the centering mechanism 3 changes due to the difference in thermal expansion, and the reference positions of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 change.

[0077] During steps S1 to S4, the substrate S is not present in the processing space, as shown in the diagrams labeled #501 to #503 in Figure 5. Also, the upper surface protection heating mechanism 5, which includes the heater 52, is in the upper retracted position.

[0078] When the control unit 9 controls the temperature, if the temperature of the processing space after the change is higher than the temperature before the change, it turns on the heater 52. On the other hand, if the temperature of the processing space after the change is lower than the temperature before the change, it does not turn on the heater 52, but instead lowers the temperature of the processing space by natural cooling or by using the cooling mechanism if one is provided.

[0079] The control unit 9 may determine when temperature control has finished by using a sensor to measure the temperature of the processing space, or by the elapsed time since the start of temperature control. If the temperature of the processing space before the change and the temperature of the processing space after the change are predetermined, and the temperature of the external space in which the substrate processing device 10 is installed is also predetermined, then the completion of temperature control can be determined by the elapsed time since the start of temperature control.

[0080] Furthermore, the control unit 9 may issue a cycle stop alarm during temperature control, preventing the loading of the substrate S.

[0081] Once temperature control is complete (S4), the control unit 9 loads the dummy substrate DS into the processing space and places it on the spin base 21, as shown in the diagram labeled #504 in Figure 5 (S5, see diagram labeled #504 in Figure 5). As described above, the centering mechanism 3 located in the processing space is in a state of thermal expansion due to the changed temperature of the processing space, and the reference positions of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 (see diagram labeled #601 in Figure 6) have changed from the positions corresponding to the temperature of the processing space before the change.

[0082] Next, the control unit 9 performs a reference position adjustment process using the dummy substrate DS (S6, see the figure labeled #601 in Figure 6). As described above, the control unit 9 obtains the eccentricity of the dummy substrate DS from the measurement unit 37 and repeats the measurement of the eccentricity and the minute movement of the first to third contact members 31 to 33 in the centering mechanism 3 until the eccentricity is within an acceptable range.

[0083] When the eccentricity falls within the acceptable range, the control unit 9 registers the reference position for the centering process at the first to third contact members 31 to 33 in the storage unit 92, according to the amount of movement of the centering mechanism 3 at that time (S7). After that, the control unit 9 removes the dummy substrate DS from the processing space (S8, see Figure 6, reference numerals #602 and #603), and returns the process to S1.

[0084] In this way, once the adjustment of the reference position in the centering mechanism 3 is complete, the control unit 9 loads the substrate S into the processing space, performs a centering process on the substrate S, and then performs a bevel etching process. Since the reference position has already been adjusted to take into account thermal expansion according to the temperature of the processing space, the center SC of the substrate S can be aligned with the center 21C of the spin base 21 by performing the centering process.

[0085] (effect) As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus 10, even if the reference position of the centering mechanism 3 shifts due to the difference in thermal expansion caused by the change in temperature of the processing space, the centering process is performed by acquiring a reference position that takes thermal expansion into account. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the decrease in centering accuracy and improve the processing quality of processes such as bevel etching.

[0086] Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 10 performs an automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control, and the reference position of the centering mechanism 3 is automatically adjusted when the temperature of the processing space changes. Therefore, compared to a situation where the operator has to perform the reference position adjustment process each time the temperature of the processing space is changed, work efficiency can be improved.

[0087] In this embodiment, the processes described in (1) to (3) above are performed automatically as an automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control. However, it is not necessary to perform these processes automatically, and an operator or other person may intervene.

[0088] Furthermore, while the above embodiment illustrates the use of a processing solution for treating the outer periphery of the substrate S, it is not limited to the use of a processing solution and can also be applied to methods such as removing the thin film by exposure using laser light. Also, although this embodiment describes an example using a dummy substrate DS, this does not preclude the use of a substrate S for adjustment.

[0089] Furthermore, when processing in a room temperature processing space, the room temperature differs between summer and winter. Therefore, if the room temperature range is different from the previous operation, it may be necessary to determine YES at S1 in the flowchart of Figure 4.

[0090] (Other embodiments) In Embodiment 1, in the automatic reference position adjustment process with temperature control, each time the temperature of the processing space is changed, the reference position adjustment process is performed with the centering mechanism 3 in a state of thermal expansion at the temperature of the processing space after the change, and the reference position is adjusted.

[0091] However, after the process is executed, the adjusted reference position may be stored in the storage unit 92 in association with the temperature of the processing space, and thereafter the reference position may be obtained from the storage unit 92. In other words, between S1 and S2 in the flowchart of Figure 4, the control unit 9 performs a process to check whether it is already registered, and only if it is determined that it is not registered does the process proceed to S2. If it is determined that it is registered, S2 to S8, which correspond to the processes from (1) to (3) above, are not performed, and the reference position is obtained from the storage unit 92. The same applies when the processes from (1) to (3) above are performed by an operator or other person.

[0092] Furthermore, if the temperature of the processing space is predetermined, a reference position corresponding to the temperature of all processing spaces may be determined and registered in advance, and then read and used each time the temperature of the processing space changes during processing of the peripheral edge of the substrate.

[0093] In other words, each of the possible temperatures of the processing space is designated as a target temperature, and the processing space is adjusted to one of the target temperatures. Once the adjustment is complete, an automatic reference position adjustment process is executed, and the reference position for the target temperature is set according to the amount of movement of the centering mechanism 3 when the eccentricity is within the allowable range, and this is stored in the storage unit 92 in association with the target temperature.

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 1 Processing Unit 10 Substrate Processing Equipment 2 Board holding part 3. Centering mechanism (centering device) 4. Processing liquid supply mechanism (processing section) 9. Control Unit 52 Heater 92 Memory section

Claims

1. A substrate processing method comprising performing a centering process to reduce the eccentricity of a substrate placed on a substrate holding section using a centering device, and then processing the outer periphery of the substrate, When the temperature of the processing space during processing the outer periphery of the substrate is changed according to the content of the processing, As the reference position of the centering device, a reference position corresponding to the temperature of the processing space is obtained, A substrate processing method comprising performing the centering process using the acquired reference position.

2. Each time the temperature of the processing space is changed, (1) Adjust the processing space so that it reaches the changed temperature, (2) Once the adjustment is complete, the centering process using the centering device and the measurement of the eccentricity are repeatedly performed using a dummy substrate until the eccentricity is within an acceptable range. (3) The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the reference position corresponding to the changed temperature is set according to the amount of movement of the centering device when the eccentricity is within the allowable range.

3. The substrate processing method according to claim 2, wherein the processes described in (1) to (3) above are performed automatically.

4. In (3) above, the reference position corresponding to the changed temperature is stored in the storage unit in association with the changed temperature. The substrate processing method according to claim 2, wherein when the temperature of the processing space is changed, if the reference position corresponding to the changed temperature is stored in the storage unit, the processes from (1) to (3) are not performed, and the reference position is obtained from the storage unit.

5. Each of the temperatures that can be set in the processing space is designated as the target temperature. The processing space is adjusted to one of the target temperatures. Once the above adjustment is complete, the centering process using the centering device and the measurement of the eccentricity are repeated using a dummy substrate until the eccentricity is within an acceptable range. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein the reference position at the target temperature is set according to the amount of movement of the centering device when the eccentricity amount falls within the allowable range, and the reference position is stored in a storage unit in correspondence with the target temperature.

6. The substrate processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the processing of the outer periphery of the substrate is a process of discharging a processing liquid toward the outer periphery of the substrate while rotating the substrate.

7. Placed in the processing space, A substrate holding part that supports the substrate, A centering mechanism that performs a centering process to reduce the eccentricity of the substrate placed on the substrate holding portion, Processing unit for processing the outer periphery of the substrate, and heater, Control unit and The control unit comprises a memory that stores at least information indicating the control operation, The control unit cooperates with the memory, When the temperature of the processing space is changed according to the content of the processing unit, As the reference position of the centering mechanism, a reference position corresponding to the temperature of the processing space is obtained, A substrate processing apparatus that controls the centering mechanism to perform the centering process using the acquired reference position.

8. The control unit, in order to obtain the reference position of the centering mechanism according to the temperature of the processing space, The processing space is adjusted to the changed temperature. Once the above adjustment is complete, the centering process by the centering mechanism and the measurement of the eccentricity are repeated using a dummy substrate until the eccentricity is within an acceptable range. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the heater and the centering mechanism are controlled to set the reference position according to the changed temperature according to the amount of movement of the centering mechanism when the eccentricity falls within the allowable range.

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