Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus is provided. In a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to a lower surface of a rotating substrate (9) to process the substrate (9), an upper support body (31) that is detachably placed on a lower support body (21), a plurality of upper holding members (32) that project downward from the upper support body (31) to hold the substrate (9), and an upper holding drive section (33) that can contact the upper holding members (32) with an outer edge portion of the substrate (9) or move the upper holding members (32) so as to be separated are provided. Preferably, the upper holding drive section (33) moves the upper holding members (32) by a magnetic force action between a holding-side magnetic body (331) and a ring-shaped drive-side magnetic body (332).

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2021-155616 filed on September 24, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present application relates to a technology of supplying a processing liquid to a substrate to process the substrate. BACKGROUND

[0004] Conventionally, in a manufacturing process of a substrate (hereinafter, simply referred to as "substrate") such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate, the outer periphery of the substrate is held, and a processing liquid is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate. As one of such processing, for example, in JP A No. 2009-266951, a technology is disclosed in which an etching liquid is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate, and etching is performed using the etching liquid that is caught to the upper outer periphery (i.e., the inclined surface portion).

[0005] On the other hand, in JP A No. 2017-112364, a substrate is held from above by a ring-shaped chuck, and a liquid or a gas is supplied to the substrate from a supply unit on the upper side and a supply unit on the lower side.

[0006] Further, in JP A No. 10-135314, a technology is disclosed in which a substrate is held by a holding member during rotation of the substrate by bringing a ring-shaped magnet close to a rotation magnet connected to the holding member.

[0007] Further, in a case where the substrate is held from below and a processing liquid is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate, the processing liquid that spreads on the lower surface of the substrate collides not only with the portion of the holding portion that is in contact with the substrate but also with the portion below thereof. Therefore, there is a concern that a large amount of splashes will be generated, and the splashes will affect the quality of the processing. SUMMARY

[0008] An object of the present application is to improve the quality of processing in a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to the lower surface of a substrate.

[0009] Aspect 1 of the present application is a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate to process the substrate, the substrate processing apparatus including: an upper support portion that supports a substrate in a horizontal posture from above; a lower support portion that opposes a lower surface of the substrate supported by the upper support portion, the upper support portion being detachably placed on the lower support portion; a rotation portion that rotates the lower support portion about a central axis in a vertical direction; and a processing liquid supply portion that supplies a processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate supported by the upper support portion, the upper support portion including: an upper support body that opposes an upper surface of the substrate, the upper support body being detachably placed on the lower support portion and rotating together with the lower support portion; a plurality of upper gripping members that protrude downward from the upper support body and grip the substrate by contacting an outer edge portion of the substrate; and an upper gripping drive portion that moves the plurality of upper gripping members in contact with or apart from the outer edge portion of the substrate.

[0010] In the present application, in a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to a lower surface of a substrate, the quality of processing can be improved.

[0011] Aspect 2 of the present application is based on the substrate processing apparatus of Aspect 1, the lower support portion including: a lower support body that opposes the lower surface of the substrate; a plurality of lower gripping members that protrude upward from the lower support body and grip the substrate by contacting the outer edge portion of the substrate; and a lower gripping drive portion that moves the plurality of lower gripping members in contact with or apart from the outer edge portion of the substrate.

[0012] Aspect 3 of the present application is based on the substrate processing apparatus of Aspect 2, during processing of the substrate, there being a state in which the substrate is gripped by the plurality of upper gripping members and not gripped by the plurality of lower gripping members, and a state in which the substrate is gripped by the plurality of lower gripping members and not gripped by the plurality of upper gripping members.

[0013] Aspect 4 of the present application is based on any one of the substrate processing apparatuses of Aspects 1 to 3, the processing liquid supply portion supplying the processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate gripped by the plurality of upper gripping members.

[0014] Aspect 5 of the present application is based on any one of the substrate processing apparatuses of Aspects 1 to 4, the upper support body being ring-shaped.

[0015] According to Aspect 6 of the present application, in the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, the upper holding drive section includes: a holding-side magnetic body mechanically connected to the plurality of upper holding members; a ring-shaped drive-side magnetic body centered on the central axis; and a magnetic body moving section that moves the drive-side magnetic body, at least one of the holding-side magnetic body and the drive-side magnetic body being a magnet, the plurality of upper holding members being moved by a magnetic force generated between the holding-side magnetic body and the drive-side magnetic body by moving the drive-side magnetic body by the magnetic body moving section.

[0016] The above objects and his objects, features, aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of the application, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0019] Figure 3A FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an upper support body placed on a lower support body.

[0020] Figure 3B FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the upper support body is lifted from the lower support body.

[0021] Figure 4 FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of an example of the operation of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0022] Figure 5A FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0023] Figure 5B FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0024] Figure 5C FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0025] Figure 5D FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state of the substrate processing apparatus.

[0026] Figure 6 FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state of an etching solution.

[0027] Figure 7A FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the upper support body that is raised and lowered.

[0028] Figure 7B FIG. 12 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the upper support body that is raised and lowered.

[0029] Figure 8A is a view showing another example of the configuration of the upper lift support.

[0030] Figure 8B is a view showing another example of the configuration of the upper lift support.

[0031] Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus in which the lower grip member is omitted.

[0032] Figure 10 is a plan view showing a part of the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus of Figure 9

[0033] Figure 11 is a view showing the direction in which the processing liquid is ejected from the nozzle.

[0034] In the drawings, the reference signs are as follows:

[0035] 1 substrate processing apparatus

[0036] 2 lower support portion

[0037] 3 upper support portion

[0038] 4 processing liquid supply portion

[0039] 9 substrate

[0040] 12 rotating portion

[0041] 21 lower support

[0042] 22 lower grip member

[0043] 23 lower grip drive portion

[0044] 31 upper support

[0045] 32 upper grip member

[0046] 33 upper grip drive portion

[0047] 41 lower nozzle

[0048] 331 grip-side magnetic body

[0049] 332 drive-side magnetic body

[0050] 333 magnetic body moving portion

[0051] J1 center axis DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Figure 1 ​is a side view showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present application. The substrate processing apparatus 1 is a single-wafer type apparatus that processes a semiconductor substrate 9 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "substrate 9") one by one. The substrate processing apparatus 1 supplies a processing liquid to the substrate 9 to perform processing. In Figure 1 , a part of the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is shown in a cross section. Further, a parallel hatching that indicates the cross section appropriately omits details.

[0053] The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a housing 11, a lower support portion 2, an upper support portion 3, a rotation portion 12, a lift portion 13, a liquid receiving portion 15, a ring-shaped cover 16, a processing liquid supply portion 4, and a control portion, the illustration of which is omitted. The housing 11 houses the lower support portion 2, the upper support portion 3, the rotation portion 12, the lift portion 13, the liquid receiving portion 15, the ring-shaped cover 16, the processing liquid supply portion 4, and the like. In Figure 1 , the housing 11 is depicted in a cross section. A gas flow generating portion 111 that supplies gas to an internal space to form a gas flow (so-called downflow) that flows downward is provided at a ceiling portion of the housing 11. As the gas flow generating portion 111, for example, an FFU (fan filter unit) is used.

[0054] The control portion is arranged outside the housing 11 and controls the lower support portion 2, the upper support portion 3, the rotation portion 12, the lift portion 13, the processing liquid supply portion 4, and the like. The control portion includes, for example, a general-purpose computer including a processor, a memory, an input / output portion, and a bus. The bus is a signal circuit that connects the processor, the memory, and the input / output portion. The memory stores programs and various information. The processor performs various kinds of processing (for example, numerical calculation) using the memory and the like in accordance with the programs and the like stored in the memory. The input / output portion includes a keyboard and a mouse that receive inputs from an operator, a display that displays outputs from the processor, and a transmission portion that transmits outputs from the processor.

[0055] The lower support portion 2 supports the substrate 9 in a horizontal attitude. In the present embodiment, the lower support portion 2 directly supports the substrate 9, but can indirectly support the substrate 9 as described later. The "indirectly support the substrate 9" means that the substrate 9 is supported by means of a member that can be connected to or disconnected from the lower support portion 2. The lower support portion 2 includes a lower support body 21, a plurality of lower grip members 22, and a lower grip drive portion 23. In Figure 1 , one of the lower grip members 22 is shown on the left side. The lower support body 21 opposes a lower surface of the substrate 9. That is, an upper surface of the lower support body 21 is separated from the substrate 9 and opposes the lower surface of the substrate 9.

[0056] A plurality of lower holding members 22 project upward from the lower support body 21 and come into contact with the outer edge portion of the substrate 9, thereby holding the substrate 9. The lower holding members 22 are so-called "support pins". The lower holding members 22 are pin-shaped with the upper portion being thinner than the lower portion, and the lower holding members 22 are caused to move with the upper portion being displaced from the central axis in the up-down direction by being rotated about the central axis, and come into contact with the outer edge portion of the substrate 9. The lower holding members 22 mechanically support the substrate 9.

[0057] Figure 2 is a plan view showing the annular cover 16 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 and a part of the configuration on the inner side thereof. Figure 2 The left side of Figure 2 shows the upper surface of the lower support body 21, and the right side shows a state in which the upper support body 31 described later is placed on the lower support body 21. As shown in Figure 1 , in the present embodiment, three lower holding members 22 are provided in the lower support body 21. The three lower holding members 22 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with the central axis J1 at the time of rotation of the substrate 9 as the center. As shown in , each of the lower holding members 22 penetrates the lower support body 21 in the up-down direction and is rotatably supported to the lower support body 21 by means of a bearing, which is omitted from illustration. In the following description, the circumferential direction with the central axis J1 as the center will also be simply referred to as the "circumferential direction", the radial direction with the central axis J1 as the center will also be simply referred to as the "radial direction", and the direction parallel to the central axis J1 will also be simply referred to as the "axial direction".

[0058] Figure 1 As shown in Figure 1 , the lower holding driving section 23 (see the left side of Figure 1 ) includes a holding-side magnetic body 231, a driving-side magnetic body 232, a magnetic body moving section 233 (see the right side of Figure 2 ), and a position restoring section, which is omitted from illustration. The holding-side magnetic body 231 is mechanically connected to the lower end of the lower holding member 22. In the present embodiment, the holding-side magnetic body 231 is a magnet. The driving-side magnetic body 232 is annular with the central axis J1 as the center. In the present embodiment, the driving-side magnetic body 232 is a magnet. The magnetic body moving section 233 raises and lowers the driving-side magnetic body 232. In fact, two magnetic body moving sections 233 are provided in opposition with the central axis J1 as the center (see the magnetic body moving section 333 of Figure 2 , which is described later). Three or more magnetic body moving sections 233 can also be arranged in the circumferential direction. The number of magnetic body moving sections 233 can also be one. As the magnetic body moving section 233, various mechanisms can be used, and can be a mechanism in which a ball screw is combined with a rotary motor, a linear motor, or the like. The position restoring section is a magnet fixed to the lower surface of the lower support body 21 in the present embodiment. The position restoring section is located close to the holding-side magnetic body 231. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the position restoring section is a magnet.In the present embodiment, the position restoring portion 334 of the upper gripping drive portion 33 described later is illustrated. The position restoring portion of the lower gripping drive portion 23 is provided in accordance with the position restoring portion 334 of the upper gripping drive portion 33.

[0059] In a state where the driving-side magnetic body 232 is lowered by the magnetic body moving portion 233, the lower gripping member 22 is positioned to the position of gripping the substrate 9 by the magnetic force action between the gripping-side magnetic body 231 and the position restoring portion. That is, the upper portion of the lower gripping member 22 is in contact with the outer edge portion of the substrate 9. The magnetic force action can be an attractive force or a repulsive force, and the same applies to the following description. When the driving-side magnetic body 232 is raised by the magnetic body moving portion 233, the magnetic force action between the gripping-side magnetic body 231 and the driving-side magnetic body 232 and the magnetic force action between the gripping-side magnetic body 231 and the position restoring portion cancel each other, and thus the lower gripping member 22 rotates to be positioned to the position of not gripping the substrate 9. That is, the upper portion of the lower gripping member 22 is separated from the outer edge portion of the substrate 9.

[0060] When the driving-side magnetic body 232 is lowered from the above state by the magnetic body moving portion 233, the lower gripping member 22 is returned to the position of gripping the substrate 9 by the magnetic force action between the gripping-side magnetic body 231 and the position restoring portion. The lower gripping drive portion 23 moves the plurality of lower gripping members 22 to be separated from or in contact with the outer edge portion of the substrate 9. The driving-side magnetic body 232 is annular with the center axis J1 as the center, and thus the lower gripping member 22 can grip or not grip the substrate 9 during the rotation of the substrate 9. By using a magnet, the lower gripping member 22 can be moved with a simple configuration.

[0061] Further, the gripping-side magnetic body 231, the driving-side magnetic body 232, and the position restoring portion are not necessarily all magnets, and can be a magnetic body such as iron on the range where the magnetic force action can be generated. That is, at least one of the gripping-side magnetic body 231 and the driving-side magnetic body 232 is a magnet, and at least one of the gripping-side magnetic body 231 and the position restoring portion is a magnet. Further, the position restoring portion can not be a magnetic body, and can be an elastic body such as a spring. In this case, the lower gripping member 22 is moved from the position of not gripping the substrate 9 to the position of gripping the substrate 9 by the elastic force acting between the lower gripping member 22 and the position restoring portion. Further, the position restoring portion can be omitted as long as the substrate 9 can be gripped by a configuration where the lower gripping member 22 is positioned to the position of gripping the substrate 9 during the rotation of the substrate 9 by, for example, centrifugal force.

[0062] The upper support portion 3 supports the substrate 9 in a horizontal posture. In the present embodiment, the upper support portion 3 directly supports the substrate 9. The upper support portion 3 includes an upper support body 31, a plurality of upper gripping members 32, and an upper gripping drive portion 33 (refer to FIG. 2, right side). In the present embodiment, the upper support body 31 is provided with the upper gripping drive portion 33. Figure 1 The upper support body 31 is provided with the upper gripping drive portion 33. The upper gripping drive portion 33 is provided with a plurality of upper gripping members 32. The upper gripping members 32 are provided with the upper gripping drive portion 33. The upper gripping drive portion 33 is provided with a plurality of upper gripping members 32. The upper gripping members 32 are provided with the upper gripping drive portion 33. Figure 1In the right side, an upper holding member 32 is shown. The upper support 31 opposes the upper surface of the substrate 9. That is, the upper support 31 is separated from the substrate 9 and opposes the upper surface of the substrate 9. To be exact, the upper support 31 opposes a part of the upper surface of the substrate 9 separately in the vertical direction.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the upper support 31 is a ring-shaped member centered on the center axis J1. The upper support 31 is separably placed on the lower support portion 2 (of the lower support 21). The upper support 31 rotates together with the lower support portion 2 (here, excluding the non-rotating portion) while covering the outer edge portion of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support portion 2. In the following description, in the case of referring to the rotation of the lower support portion 2, the rotating portion in the lower support portion 2 particularly refers to the lower support 21 and the lower holding member 22. Further, "the substrate 9 supported by the lower support portion 2" means that, when the following replacement operation is considered, in order to facilitate the description, "the substrate 9 supported only by the lower support portion 2", "the substrate 9 indirectly supported by the lower support portion 2 with the aid of the upper support 3", and "the substrate 9 supported by the lower support portion 2 and the upper support 3" are described with the lower support portion 2 in view, and the same applies in the following in the case of no particular description regarding the support.

[0064] Figure 3A is a view showing the longitudinal cross section (here, only one side with respect to the center axis J1) of the upper support 31 placed on the lower support 21. The upper support 31 as a ring-shaped member includes a ring-shaped side wall portion 311 opposing the outer periphery of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support portion 2 and the outer periphery of the lower support portion 2 (here, excluding the lower holding drive portion 23) in the radial direction, and a ring-shaped upper portion 312 extending from the ring-shaped side wall portion 311 to the radial inner side and opposing the outer edge portion of the upper surface of the substrate 9 in the vertical direction. The area of the opening 313 (refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) of the ring-shaped upper portion 312 above the substrate 9 is preferably 1 / 2 or more of the area of the substrate 9 (to be exact, the area of the substrate 9 in plan view. The same applies in the following).

[0065] The opening 313 is largely opened above the substrate 9, and the area of the opening 313 is preferably 3 / 4 or more of the area of the substrate 9. Particularly in the case where the substrate processing apparatus 1 performs processing of the outer edge portion of the substrate 9, more preferably in the case where the outer edge portion of the substrate 9 is subjected to etching processing, the range covered by the ring-shaped upper portion 312 above the substrate 9 is preferably a distance of 20 mm or less from the outer peripheral end (edge) of the outer periphery of the substrate 9 toward the radial inner side. More preferably, the above range is preferably 10 mm or less.

[0066] Figure 3Bis a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the upper support body 31 is lifted from the lower support body 21 by the lift section 13 described later. A plurality of protrusions 215 protruding upward are provided on the upper surface of the lower support body 21. The protrusions 215 are located radially outward compared to the upper gripping member 32 (refer to Figure 1 ). The plurality of protrusions 215 are arranged equidistantly in the circumferential direction. For example, the number of the protrusions 215 is three or six, and preferably, is located in the circumferential direction between the upper gripping member 32 and the lower gripping member 22. The number of the protrusions 215 is not limited to three or six, and is preferably two or more, more preferably three or more. A pin-like small protrusion 216 is provided at the upper end of the protrusion 215. In Figure 2 , the protrusions 215 are omitted from the description.

[0067] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3B , a plurality of protrusions 315 protruding downward are provided on the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312 of the upper support body 31. The protrusions 315 are provided at positions corresponding to the protrusions 215 of the lower support body 21. The number of the protrusions 315 is the same as that of the protrusions 215. A small recess 316 recessed upward is provided at the lower end of the protrusion 315. When the upper support body 31 is placed on the lower support body 21, the positions of the protrusions 215 and the protrusions 315 are aligned, and by lowering the upper support body 31, the small protrusion 216 is inserted into the small recess 316, and as shown in Figure 3A , the protrusion 215 and the protrusion 315 are engaged. Thus, the position of the upper support body 31 with respect to the lower support body 21 is fixed in the circumferential direction and the radial direction. When the lower support body 21 (and the lower gripping member 22) is rotated about the center axis J1 by the rotating section 12, the upper support body 31 (and the upper gripping member 32) is also rotated about the center axis J1. In other words, when the lower support section 2 is rotated about the center axis J1, the upper support section 3 (here, excluding the non-rotating portion) is also rotated about the center axis J1. In the following description, in the case where the rotation of the upper support section 3 is referred to, as in the case of the lower support section 2, the portion of the upper support section 3 that rotates, particularly the upper support body 31 and the upper gripping member 32, is referred to.

[0068] If the preferable position of the engaging section (protrusions 215, 315) that engages the upper support body 31 and the lower support body 21 is expressed in a general manner, the engaging section is located radially outward of the position of the gripping substrate 9, and is located in the circumferential direction between a plurality of positions of the gripping substrate 9.

[0069] When the upper support 31 is mounted on the lower support 21, the structure that fixes the position of the upper support 31 relative to the lower support 21 in the circumferential and radial directions can be modified in various ways. For example, a small recess can be provided in the protrusion 215, and a small protrusion can be provided in the protrusion 315. The protrusion can be provided only in the lower support 21 or the upper support 31. Moreover, a structure that fixes the relative position of the upper support 31 relative to the lower support 21 only in the circumferential direction and a structure that fixes the relative position of the upper support 31 relative to the lower support 21 only in the radial direction can be provided between the lower support 21 and the upper support 31. A structure that fixes the position of the upper support 31 relative to the lower support 21 in both the circumferential and radial directions can also be provided between the annular sidewall portion 311 of the lower support 21 and the upper support 31.

[0070] like Figure 3A As shown, with the upper support 31 resting on the lower support 21, the annular sidewall portion 311 separates radially outward from the lower support 21. The lower end of the annular sidewall portion 311 is located below the upper surface of the lower support 21. Alternatively, the lower end of the annular sidewall portion 311 may be located below the lower surface of the lower support 21. The lower surface of the annular upper portion 312 is preferably smoothly connected to the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311. That is, the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312 and the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311 are connected in a longitudinal section via a generally arcuate or generally elliptical arcuate portion. Therefore, even if liquid adheres to the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312, the liquid will be smoothly guided by the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311 and discharged downward from the annular sidewall portion 311.

[0071] The upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311 can be appropriately defined, but if the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312 is connected to the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311 by a smooth surface or an inclined surface (hereinafter referred to as a "connecting surface"), the connecting surface can also be considered as part of the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311. That is, the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311 can be understood as the boundary between the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312 and the connecting surface. Thus, when the connecting surface is located to the side of the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 9, the annular sidewall portion 311 is located radially outward of the substrate 9, and it can be said that the annular sidewall portion 311 receives droplets flying from the substrate 9. Under this understanding, the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the annular sidewall portion 311 is located above the upper surface of the substrate 9.

[0072] like Figure 3AAs shown, an annular protrusion 314 protruding downwards is provided on the inner periphery of the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312. The annular protrusion 314 is annular about the central axis J1. The annular protrusion 314 can be provided at the inner periphery end of the annular upper portion 312, or at a position slightly radially outward compared to the inner periphery end. The radial width of the annular protrusion 314 and the height extending downwards from the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312 are appropriately set according to the airflow to be generated at the outer edge of the substrate 9 being processed, as described later. Due to the presence of the annular protrusion 314, the airflow velocity between the upper surface of the substrate 9 and the upper support 31 is increased to a higher level than in the case where the annular protrusion 314 is not present. Furthermore, the annular protrusion 314, together with the annular upper portion 312, generates the desired airflow at the outer edge of the substrate 9. If the desired airflow at the outer edge of the substrate 9 can be generated using the annular upper portion 312 without the annular protrusion 314, the annular protrusion 314 can be omitted.

[0073] The term "outer edge" of substrate 9 refers to a certain width of area extending from the outer peripheral end of substrate 9 toward the center of substrate 9. This width can be very small or it can have a certain size. For example, "outer edge" can be simply an arc-shaped region at the outer peripheral end in a longitudinal section of substrate 9, or it can be an arc-shaped region plus a region extending inward toward the center of substrate 9 by several centimeters. As will be described later, the area from the lower surface of substrate 9 to the upper surface (e.g., a range of 0.5 to 3 mm) can also be considered the outer edge, as can the area where substrate 9 overlaps with the annular upper portion 312 in the vertical direction. Alternatively, the radially outer region of the annular protrusion 314 on substrate 9 can be considered the outer edge. Of course, the term "outer edge" should be understood appropriately according to the context in which it is used.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, multiple upper gripping members 32 protrude downward from the upper support 31 and contact the outer edge of the substrate 9, thereby gripping the substrate 9. The upper gripping members 32 are so-called "support pins." They are pin-shaped, with a lower portion thinner than the upper portion. By rotating the upper gripping member 32 about a central axis in the vertical direction, its lower portion, which is misaligned with the central axis, moves and contacts the outer edge of the substrate 9. The upper gripping members 32 mechanically support the substrate 9. Furthermore, to ensure that the substrate 9 can be gripped without falling using only the upper gripping members 32, a recess is provided on the lower side of the upper gripping member 32 where it contacts the substrate 9, corresponding to the outer edge of the substrate 9.

[0075] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, three upper gripping members 32 are provided on the upper support body 31. The three upper gripping members 32 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction centered on the central axis J1 when the substrate 9 is rotated. The upper gripping members 32 are positioned between the lower gripping members 22. Figure 2 In this example, the upper grip member 32 and the lower grip member 22 are alternately arranged at a 60-degree interval. The number of upper grip members 32 and lower grip members 22 is not limited to three; it can also be four or more. The number of upper grip members 32 and the number of lower grip members 22 can be different. For example... Figure 1 As shown, each upper holding member 32 passes through the upper support body 31 in the vertical direction and is rotatably supported on the upper support body 31 by means of bearings (not shown).

[0076] The upper grip drive unit 33 has a structure based on the grip drive unit 23. Upper grip drive unit 33 (refer to...) Figure 1 The right side includes a holding-side magnetic body 331, a driving-side magnetic body 332, and a magnetic body moving part 333 (see reference). Figure 1 (left side), and position restoration part 334 (refer to) Figure 2 Holding side magnetic body 331 as Figure 1 As shown, it is mechanically connected to the upper end of the upper gripping member 32. In this embodiment, the gripping-side magnetic body 331 is a magnet. The driving-side magnetic body 332 is an annular shape centered on the central axis J1 (see reference). Figure 2 In this embodiment, the driving-side magnetic body 332 is a magnet. The magnetic body moving part 333 causes the driving-side magnetic body 332 to rise and fall. Figure 2 As shown, two magnetic moving parts 333 are arranged opposite each other with the central axis J1 as the center. Three or more magnetic moving parts 333 can be arranged circumferentially. The number of magnetic moving parts 333 can be one. Various mechanisms can be used as the magnetic moving parts 333, such as cylinders, mechanisms that assemble ball screws into rotary motors, linear motors, etc. In this embodiment, the position returning part 334 is a magnet fixed to the upper surface of the upper support 31. The position returning part 334 is located near the gripping side magnetic part 331.

[0077] When the drive-side magnetic body 332 is raised by the magnetic body moving part 333, the upper gripping member 32 is positioned to grip the substrate 9 by the magnetic force between the gripping-side magnetic body 331 and the position restoration part 334. That is, the lower part of the upper gripping member 32 is in contact with the outer edge of the substrate 9. When the drive-side magnetic body 332 is lowered by the magnetic body moving part 333, the magnetic force between the gripping-side magnetic body 331 and the drive-side magnetic body 332 cancels out the magnetic force between the gripping-side magnetic body 331 and the position restoration part 334, thereby rotating the upper gripping member 32 to a position where it does not grip the substrate 9. That is, the lower part of the upper gripping member 32 separates from the outer edge of the substrate 9.

[0078] When the driving-side magnetic body 332 is raised from this state by the magnetic body moving part 333, the upper gripping member 32 is returned to the position of gripping the substrate 9 by the magnetic force between the gripping-side magnetic body 331 and the position restoration part 334. In this way, the upper gripping driving part 33 can move multiple upper gripping members 32 separately from or in contact with the outer edge of the substrate 9. The driving-side magnetic body 332 is annular about the central axis J1, so the upper gripping member 32 can grip or not grip the substrate 9 during the rotation of the substrate 9. By using magnets, the upper gripping member 32 can be moved with a simple structure.

[0079] Furthermore, the gripping-side magnetic body 331, the driving-side magnetic body 332, and the position-restoring part 334 do not necessarily all have to be magnets. Within the range where magnetic force can be generated, one of them can also be a magnetic body such as iron. That is, at least one of the gripping-side magnetic body 331 and the driving-side magnetic body 332 is a magnet, and at least one of the gripping-side magnetic body 331 and the position-restoring part 334 is a magnet. Moreover, the position-restoring part 334 may not be a magnetic body, for example, it can be an elastic body such as a spring. In this case, the upper gripping member 32 is moved from a position where it does not grip the substrate 9 to a position where it grips the substrate 9 by utilizing the elastic force acting between the upper gripping member 32 and the position-restoring part 334. Moreover, as long as the substrate 9 can be gripped by a configuration in which the upper gripping member 32 is positioned in the position of gripping the substrate 9 by means of centrifugal force during the period when the substrate 9 is rotating, the position-restoring part 334 can also be omitted.

[0080] like Figure 1 As shown, the rotation shaft of the rotating part 12 is connected to the lower support body 21. The rotating part 12 rotates the lower support body 2 around the central shaft J1. The rotating shaft is hollow, and its upper end becomes the lower nozzle 41, which will be described later.

[0081] The lifting unit 13 raises and lowers the upper support body 31 relative to the lower support body 21. The upper support body 31 is a mounting member placed on the lower support body 21. That is, the lifting unit 13 raises and lowers the upper support body 31, which serves as the mounting member, relative to the lower support unit 21. The lifting unit 13 includes a lifting drive unit 131 and a front end portion 132 that is raised and lowered by the lifting drive unit 131. As the lifting drive unit 131, various mechanisms can be used, such as a cylinder, a mechanism combining a ball screw with a rotary motor, a linear motor, etc. Figure 2 As shown, in practice, the two lifting parts 13 are positioned opposite each other with the central axis J1 as the center. Three or more lifting parts 13 can be arranged circumferentially.

[0082] A groove 34, recessed radially inward, is provided along the entire circumference of the outer periphery of the upper support 31. The front end portion 132 of the lifting part 13 extends radially outward into the groove 34 of the support 31. Figure 3B As shown, when the front end 132 rises, the downward-facing surface 341 on the upper side of the groove 34 comes into contact with the upper surface 133 of the front end 132, and the upper support 31 separates from the lower support 21 upwards. Hereinafter, the groove 34 will be referred to as the "first abutting part", the front end 132 as the "second abutting part", the surface 341 as the "first abutting surface", and the upper surface 133 as the "second abutting surface".

[0083] When the second abutment part 132 is lowered by the lifting drive unit 131, as Figure 3A As shown, the upper support 31 is placed on the lower support 21, and the second abutment surface 133 is separated from the first abutment surface 341. That is, the second abutment portion 132 is separated from the first abutment portion 34. The first abutment portion 34 is formed around the entire circumference, so the lower support 2 can rotate in the state where the first abutment portion 34 and the second abutment portion 132 are separated. The first abutment surface 341 is an annular surface centered on the central axis J1, so the upper support 31 can be raised or lowered using the lifting part 13 at any rotational position.

[0084] The lifting part 13 supports the outer periphery of the upper support body 31 and raises and lowers the upper support body 31. Therefore, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, there is no mechanism for raising and lowering the upper support body 31 directly above it. As a result, the height of the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be kept very low. To achieve this configuration, preferably, with the upper support body 31 mounted on the lower support part 2, the position of the first abutment part 34 in the height direction is preferably 150 mm or less away from the upper surface of the lower support body 21. This ensures processing space and keeps the height of processing-related parts very low. In addition, the space above the upper support body 31 can be utilized effectively. More preferably, the position of the first abutment part 34 in the height direction is 100 mm or less away from the upper surface of the upper support body 31. More preferably, the height of the upper support body 31 is 150 mm or less.

[0085] like Figure 1 As shown, an annular liquid receiving portion 15 is provided below the gap between the lower support body 21 and the annular sidewall portion 311 of the upper support body 31. The liquid receiving portion 15 is annular with the central axis J1 as its center. The liquid receiving portion 15 receives liquid falling from the gap between the lower support body 21 and the annular sidewall portion 311.

[0086] The annular cover 16 is positioned in a stationary state on the radially outer side of the upper support 31, which serves as an annular member. The annular cover 16 is annular about the central axis J1. The upper part of the annular cover 16 is closer to the outer peripheral surface of the annular sidewall portion 311 of the upper support 31 as it moves radially inward. The inner peripheral end of the annular cover 16 is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the annular sidewall portion 311. The lifting drive portion 131 of the lifting portion 13 is provided on the annular cover 16. As a result, the size (so-called occupied area) of the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the horizontal plane can be minimized. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, the magnetic moving portion 333 of the upper holding drive portion 33 is also provided on the annular cover 16 (see reference). Figure 2 Therefore, the size within the horizontal plane of the substrate processing device 1 can be kept very small.

[0087] In this embodiment, the upper support 31 directly receives droplets flying from the substrate 9; therefore, an annular cover 16 is provided to help prevent droplet scattering. This reduces the radial width of the annular cover 16 compared to the case where droplets are directly received, and eliminates the need for a mechanism to move the annular cover 16 vertically, simplifying the device structure. The upper support 31 rotates together with the substrate 9; therefore, compared to the case without the annular sidewall portion 311, the amount of droplets generated when they collide with the annular sidewall portion 311 is also suppressed. The fixed configuration of the annular cover 16 facilitates the provision of a lifting drive unit 131 or a magnetic moving part 333 on the annular cover 16. An exhaust portion for venting air to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is provided below the annular cover 16.

[0088] As Figure 1 shown, the processing liquid supply part 4 includes a lower nozzle 41, an upper nozzle 42, a nozzle moving part which is omitted from the illustration, and a processing liquid supply source which is omitted from the illustration. The lower nozzle 41 is provided at the upper end of the rotating shaft of the rotating part 12 as described above. The processing liquid sprayed from the lower nozzle 41 is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support part 2. The upper nozzle 42 is moved between the position above the substrate 9 and the position away from above the substrate 9 by the nozzle moving part. The processing liquid sprayed from the upper nozzle 42 is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support part 2. The processing liquid supply source supplies the processing liquid to the lower nozzle 41 and the upper nozzle 42 respectively from a liquid storage tank which stores the processing liquid using a pump or the like. In the present embodiment, the processing liquid supplied to the lower nozzle 41 is a rinsing liquid which is deionized water, an etching liquid, or the like. The processing liquid supplied to the upper nozzle 42 is a rinsing liquid which is deionized water or the like. As the rinsing liquid, carbonic acid water, hydrogen water, ozone water, SCI, SC2, or the like can be used. The etching liquid is, for example, an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, or hydrogen peroxide solution, or a mixed solution of two or more kinds selected from these, or a solution including these aqueous solutions or mixed solutions.

[0089] The processing liquid is not limited to the rinsing liquid or the etching liquid. In addition, in the present embodiment, the upper nozzle 42 can be omitted. Depending on the kind of processing, the lower nozzle 41 can also be omitted, and only the upper nozzle 42 can be provided in the substrate processing device 1. When the upper support body 31 is raised to perform the substrate 9 in and out, the upper nozzle 42 is retreated to a position not interfering with the upper support body 31 by the nozzle moving part.

[0090] Figure 4 is a diagram showing a flow of an example of the operation of the substrate processing device 1. Figure 5A-D is a diagram showing a state of the substrate processing device 1. The substrate processing device 1 operates under the control of a control part which is omitted from the illustration.

[0091] First, as Figure 5A shown, the substrate 9 is carried in by an external carrying mechanism in a state where the upper support body 31 is raised, in a state where the drive side magnetic body 332 of the upper grip driving part 33 approaches the grip side magnetic body 331, and in a state where the drive side magnetic body 232 of the lower grip driving part 23 approaches the grip side magnetic body 231 (step Sll). Thereafter, the drive side magnetic body 232 is lowered by the magnetic body moving part 233 of the lower grip driving part 23, and the substrate 9 is gripped by the lower grip member 22 (step S12).

[0092] The upper holding driving section 33 is moved downward by the magnetic body moving section 333 of the upper holding driving section 33 and the lifting section 13 while maintaining the state in which the driving side magnetic body 332 of the upper holding driving section 33 is close to the holding side magnetic body 331. Thus, the upper support body 31 is placed on the lower support body 21 (step S13). Thereafter, the driving side magnetic body 332 is raised by the magnetic body moving section 333, and the substrate 9 is held by the upper holding member 32 (step S14) as shown in FIG. 6. That is, the substrate 9 is held by the upper support section 3 and the lower support section 2. Figure 5B As shown in FIG. 6, the substrate 9 is held by the upper holding member 32 (step S14). That is, the substrate 9 is held by the upper support section 3 and the lower support section 2.

[0093] The rotation section 12 rotates the lower support section 2. Thus, the substrate 9 is rotated (step S15). The upper nozzle 42 is moved upward from the position in which it is retracted to the side of the upper support body 31. First, the rinse liquid is supplied from the lower nozzle 41 and the upper nozzle 42 of the processing liquid supply section 4 to the lower surface and the upper surface of the substrate 9 in rotation. The supplied rinse liquid flows on the lower surface and the upper surface of the substrate 9 toward the radial outer side, is scattered from the outer peripheral end of the substrate 9, and is received by the annular side wall section 311 of the upper support body 31. The liquid falls downward from the annular side wall section 311 and is received by the liquid receiving section 15. Thereafter, the supply of the rinse liquid is stopped.

[0094] Next, the etching liquid is supplied from the lower nozzle 41 to the lower surface of the substrate 9. The supplied etching liquid flows on the lower surface of the substrate 9 toward the radial outer side, is scattered from the outer peripheral end of the substrate 9, and is received by the annular side wall section 311. The liquid falls downward from the annular side wall section 311 and is received by the liquid receiving section 15.

[0095] Figure 6 is a view showing the state of the etching liquid 8. The etching liquid 8 flowing on the lower surface of the substrate 9 is slightly turned to the upper surface side at the outer peripheral end of the substrate 9. Hereinafter, the distance 5 in the radial direction in which the etching liquid 8 is turned from the outer peripheral end of the substrate 9 to the upper surface will be referred to as "turn-in amount". The turn-in amount 5 is affected by various primary causes, one of which is the speed of the air current on the upper surface of the substrate 9 toward the radial outer side. In order to set the speed of the air current to a desired speed, the cross-sectional shape of the annular upper section 312 of the upper support body 31 is designed. Specifically, with reference to Figure 3A , the width at which the annular upper section 312 overlaps the outer edge section of the substrate 9 in the vertical direction, the distance between the upper surface of the substrate 9 and the annular upper section 312, the width of the annular protruding section 314 in the radial direction, the height of the annular protruding section 314 downward from the lower surface of the annular upper section 312, the position of the annular protruding section 314 in the radial direction, and the like are adjusted, and the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the upper support body 31 is designed. In particular, the annular protruding section 314 makes it easy to set the speed of the air current on the outer edge section of the substrate 9 to a desired speed, and the turn-in amount 5 becomes an appropriate distance.

[0096] On this basis, in the case of the present embodiment, the gas flow from the gas flow generation section 111 is directed toward the upper surface of the substrate 9 via the opening 313 of the upper support 31, and thus it is possible to more easily set the speed of the gas flow on the outer edge portion of the substrate 9 to the desired speed. The gas flow from the gas flow generation section 111 is directly introduced into the upper surface of the substrate 9 by at least a portion of the gas flow generation section 111 directly opposing at least a portion of the upper surface of the substrate 9 in the up-down direction (with no object therebetween).

[0097] In the case where the diameter and thickness of the substrate 9 are 300 mm and 775 μm, respectively, one example of the amount of wrapping 5 that was calculated was 2 mm to 3 mm.

[0098] During the period in which the etching liquid is supplied to the substrate 9, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, a replacement operation of the substrate 9 is performed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8A, the magnetic body moving section 233 of the lower grip drive section 23 raises the drive-side magnetic body 232, releases the grip of the substrate 9 by the lower grip member 22, and grips the substrate 9 by only the upper grip member 32. Thereafter, the magnetic body moving section 233 lowers the drive-side magnetic body 232, and returns to the state of gripping the substrate 9 by the lower grip member 22 and the upper grip member 32. Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the magnetic body moving section 233 of the lower grip drive section 23 raises the drive-side magnetic body 232, releases the grip of the substrate 9 by the lower grip member 22, and grips the substrate 9 by only the upper grip member 32. Thereafter, the magnetic body moving section 233 lowers the drive-side magnetic body 232, and returns to the state of gripping the substrate 9 by the lower grip member 22 and the upper grip member 32. By repeatedly performing the above processing, the replacement operation of the substrate 9 is performed. Thereafter, the supply of the etching liquid to the substrate 9 is stopped. Figure 5C Figure 5D Generally, the amount of wrapping increases in the vicinity of the position at which the substrate 9 and the grip member are in contact. By the replacement operation of the substrate 9, the amount of increase in the amount of wrapping is reduced.

[0099] Furthermore, the time period during which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the upper grip member 32 and the time period during which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the lower grip member 22 need not be the same length. In addition, the state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the upper grip member 32 and the state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the lower grip member 22 need not be alternately performed. It is sufficient that there be a state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by the plurality of upper grip members 32 and is not gripped by the plurality of lower grip members 22, and a state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by the plurality of lower grip members 22 and is not gripped by the plurality of upper grip members 32 during the period in which the substrate 9 is being processed. By this, it is possible to perform processing using the processing liquid at the grip position.

[0100] Furthermore, the time period during which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the upper grip member 32 and the time period during which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the lower grip member 22 need not be the same length. In addition, the state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the upper grip member 32 and the state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by only the lower grip member 22 need not be alternately performed. It is sufficient that there be a state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by the plurality of upper grip members 32 and is not gripped by the plurality of lower grip members 22, and a state in which the substrate 9 is gripped by the plurality of lower grip members 22 and is not gripped by the plurality of upper grip members 32 during the period in which the substrate 9 is being processed. By this, it is possible to perform processing using the processing liquid at the grip position.

[0101] ​The rinse liquid is supplied again from the lower nozzle 41 and the upper nozzle 42 of the treatment liquid supply section 4 to the lower surface and the upper surface of the substrate 9. The supplied rinse liquid flows to the radial outer side on the lower surface and the upper surface of the substrate 9, scatters from the outer peripheral end of the substrate 9, and is caught by the annular side wall portion 311 of the upper support body 31. The liquid falls downward from the annular side wall portion 311 and is caught by the liquid receiving section 15. Thereafter, the supply of the rinse liquid is stopped. By the above treatment, the treatment of supplying the treatment liquid to the substrate 9 is ended (step S16). The replacement operation of the substrate 9 can be performed during the period in which the rinse liquid is supplied to the substrate 9. The replacement operation of the substrate 9 can be performed when the rinse liquid is supplied to the substrate 9 before the etching liquid is supplied to the substrate 9.

[0102] In the substrate processing apparatus 1, the substrate 9 is held by the three lower holding members 22 and the three upper holding members 32. In the case where the treatment liquid is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate 9, a part of the treatment liquid flowing to the radial outer side collides with the lower holding member 22. It is assumed that in the case where the upper holding members 32 are omitted and six lower holding members 22 are provided, the amount of the treatment liquid colliding with the lower holding member 22 increases. As a result, the mist or the droplet of the treatment liquid generated also increases. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, by providing the upper holding members 32, it is possible to reduce the generation of the mist or the droplet of the treatment liquid, and to improve the quality of the treatment.

[0103] The rotation of the substrate 9 is stopped (step S17), and the drive side magnetic body 232 of the lower holding drive section 23 is raised, and the holding of the substrate 9 by the lower holding member 22 is released. Also, the drive side magnetic body 332 of the upper holding drive section 33 is lowered, and the holding of the substrate 9 by the upper holding member 32 is also released. The upper nozzle 42 is retracted to the side, and as shown in FIG. 8, the upper support body 31 and the drive side magnetic body 332 are raised by the lifting section 13 and the magnetic body moving section 333 (step S18). Then, the substrate 9 is carried out by the external carrying mechanism (step S19). Figure 5A

[0104] In the substrate processing apparatus 1, various modifications can be made.

[0105] Figure 7A and Figure 7B are drawings showing another example of the configuration of the raising and lowering of the upper support body 31, and Figure 3A and Figure 3B correspond thereto, respectively. Figure 7A is a drawing showing the longitudinal sectional view of the upper support body 31 placed on the lower support body 21 (here, only one side with respect to the center axis J1). Figure 7B is a longitudinal sectional view showing the state in which the upper support body 31 is lifted from the lower support body 21 by the lifting section 13.

[0106] as Figure 7A and Figure 7B ​As shown, the outer peripheral surface of the upper support body 31 as the placement member is provided with an engagement portion 34a protruding to the radially outer side over the entire circumference. The outer peripheral end of the engagement portion 34a has a portion protruding also to the lower side. The front end portion 132 of the lifting portion 13 extends from the radially outer side toward the outer peripheral surface of the upper support body 31 below the engagement portion 34a. The front end of the front end portion 132 has a portion protruding upward. As shown in FIG. 6, when the front end portion 132 is lifted, the face 341 on the radially inner side of the portion of the engagement portion 34a protruding to the lower side comes into contact with the upper surface 133 of the portion of the front end portion 132 protruding upward, and the upper support body 31 is separated upward from the lower support body 21. Hereinafter, the engagement portion 34a will be referred to as a "first abutting portion", the front end portion 132 will be referred to as a "second abutting portion", the face 341 will be referred to as a "first abutting face", and the upper surface 133 will be referred to as a "second abutting face". Figure 7B As shown, when the front end portion 132 is lifted, the face 341 on the radially inner side of the portion of the engagement portion 34a protruding to the lower side comes into contact with the upper surface 133 of the portion of the front end portion 132 protruding upward, and the upper support body 31 is separated upward from the lower support body 21. Hereinafter, the engagement portion 34a will be referred to as a "first abutting portion", the front end portion 132 will be referred to as a "second abutting portion", the face 341 will be referred to as a "first abutting face", and the upper surface 133 will be referred to as a "second abutting face".

[0107] As shown, when the front end portion 132 is lifted, the face 341 on the radially inner side of the portion of the engagement portion 34a protruding to the lower side comes into contact with the upper surface 133 of the portion of the front end portion 132 protruding upward, and the upper support body 31 is separated upward from the lower support body 21. Hereinafter, the engagement portion 34a will be referred to as a "first abutting portion", the front end portion 132 will be referred to as a "second abutting portion", the face 341 will be referred to as a "first abutting face", and the upper surface 133 will be referred to as a "second abutting face". Figure 7A As shown, when the front end portion 132 is lifted, the face 341 on the radially inner side of the portion of the engagement portion 34a protruding to the lower side comes into contact with the upper surface 133 of the portion of the front end portion 132 protruding upward, and the upper support body 31 is separated upward from the lower support body 21. Hereinafter, the engagement portion 34a will be referred to as a "first abutting portion", the front end portion 132 will be referred to as a "second abutting portion", the face 341 will be referred to as a "first abutting face", and the upper surface 133 will be referred to as a "second abutting face".

[0108] Figure 8A and Figure 8B are views showing another example of the configuration of the lifting upper support body 31, and Figure 3A and Figure 3B correspond thereto, respectively. Figure 8A is a view of the upper support body 31 and the front end portion 132 in a state where the upper support body 31 is placed on the lower support body 21 (not shown) as viewed from the lifting portion 13 side. In Figure 8A , a part of the outer peripheral surface of the upper support body 31 and a cross section of the front end portion 132 are shown. Figure 8B is a view of the upper support body 31 and the front end portion 132 in a state where the upper support body 31 is lifted by the lifting portion 13 from the lower support body 21 as viewed from the lifting portion 13 side.

[0109] As shown in Figure 8A and Figure 8BAs shown, the outer circumference of the upper support 31, which serves as a mounting member, is provided with a radially inward recessed groove 34. A portion of the groove 34 forms an upwardly expanding portion 342, and two downwardly protruding portions 343 are provided on the sidewall facing downwards from the expanding portion, i.e., on the upper side of the expanded groove. On the other hand, two downwardly recessed portions 134 are provided on the upper surface 133 of the front end portion 132 of the lifting portion 13. The protruding portions 343 are generally conical, and the recessed portions 134 are also generally conical. Other structures are similar to... Figure 3A as well as Figure 3B same.

[0110] like Figure 8B As shown, when the front end portion 132 rises, the protrusion 343 of the enlarged portion 342 engages with the recess 134 of the front end portion 132, and the upper support body 31 separates from the lower support body 21 upwards. Hereinafter, the enlarged portion 342 will be referred to as the "first abutting portion", the front end portion 132 as the "second abutting portion", the protrusion 343 as the "first abutting element", and the recess 134 as the "second abutting element".

[0111] When the second abutment part 132 is lowered by the lifting drive part 131, the upper support body 31 is placed on the lower support body 21, such as Figure 8A As shown, the second abutting element 134 separates from the first abutting element 343. That is, the second abutting portion 132 separates from the first abutting portion 342. Moreover, the second abutting portion 132 is located within the groove 34, which is formed around the entire circumference. Therefore, the lower support portion 2 can rotate in the state where the first abutting portion 342 and the second abutting portion 132 are separated. When the rotation of the lower support body 21 and the upper support body 31 stops, the lower support body 21 stops at a rotational position that coincides with the circumferential position of the first abutting portion 342 and the second abutting portion 132.

[0112] The first abutting portion 342 and the second abutting portion 132 include a misalignment prevention structure that engages when they abut against each other, namely, the first abutting element 343 and the second abutting element 134. Therefore, misalignment of the upper support 31 relative to the support 21 is reliably prevented when the upper support 31 rises. Furthermore, the number of the first abutting element 343 and the second abutting element 134 corresponding to one lifting portion 13 can each be one. Of course, the number of the first abutting element 343 and the second abutting element 134 corresponding to one lifting portion 13 can each be three or more. As described above, the multiple lifting portions 13 are provided in the circumferential direction; therefore, the multiple first abutting elements 343 and the multiple second abutting elements 134 are arranged in the circumferential direction. The arrangement of the first abutting elements 343 does not need to be equally spaced in the circumferential direction, nor does the arrangement of the second abutting elements 134 need to be equally spaced in the circumferential direction.

[0113] Figure 9This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a portion of the substrate processing apparatus 1 with the lower holding member 22 omitted. Figure 10 This is a plan view showing a portion of the annular cover 16 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 and its inner side. (See diagram below.) Figure 10 As shown, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, six upper gripping members 32 are provided, and a first driving-side magnetic body 332a and a second driving-side magnetic body 332b are provided as driving-side magnetic bodies. The first driving-side magnetic body 332a is annular about the central axis J1 and is located radially inside the six gripping-side magnetic bodies 331a and 331b. The second driving-side magnetic body 332b is also annular about the central axis J1 and is located radially outside the six gripping-side magnetic bodies 331a and 331b. The first driving-side magnetic body 332a moves up and down via two magnetic body moving parts 333a. The second driving-side magnetic body 332b moves up and down via two magnetic body moving parts 333b. The configuration of the magnetic body moving parts 333a and 333b is the same as that of the driving-side magnetic bodies 332a and 332b, except that their positions are different. Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 The magnetic moving part 333 shown is the same. Figure 9 as well as Figure 10 In the middle, to and Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 The same constituent elements are labeled with the same reference numerals.

[0114] The three gripping-side magnetic bodies 331a (hereinafter referred to as "first gripping-side magnetic bodies") and three gripping-side magnetic bodies 331b (hereinafter referred to as "second gripping-side magnetic bodies") have different magnetization states and are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. For example... Figure 9 As shown, when the first driving side magnetic body 332a and the second driving side magnetic body 332b are raised, the magnetic force between the first holding side magnetic body 331a and the second holding side magnetic body 331b and the position restoration part 334 makes the six upper holding members 32 hold the substrate 9.

[0115] When the second driving-side magnetic body 332b is maintained in an upward state, and the first driving-side magnetic body 332a is lowered by the magnetic body moving part 333a, the magnetic force between the first gripping-side magnetic body 331a and the first driving-side magnetic body 332a cancels out the magnetic force between the first gripping-side magnetic body 331a and the position restoration part 334, resulting in a state where the three upper gripping members 32 connected to the first gripping-side magnetic body 331a do not grip the substrate 9. At this time, the magnetic force between the second gripping-side magnetic body 331b and the first driving-side magnetic body 332a is sufficiently small compared to the magnetic force between the second gripping-side magnetic body 331b and the position restoration part 334, or it acts in the gripping direction, and the three upper gripping members 32 connected to the second gripping-side magnetic body 331b maintain the state of gripping the substrate 9.

[0116] When the state where the first driving-side magnetic body 332a is raised is maintained, and the second driving-side magnetic body 332b is lowered by the magnetic body moving section 333b, the magnetic force action between the second gripping-side magnetic body 331b and the second driving-side magnetic body 332b cancels the magnetic force action between the second gripping-side magnetic body 331b and the position restoring section 334, and becomes a state where the three upper gripping members 32 connected to the second gripping-side magnetic body 331b do not grip the substrate 9. At this time, the magnetic force action between the first gripping-side magnetic body 331a and the second driving-side magnetic body 332b is sufficiently small compared to the magnetic force action between the first gripping-side magnetic body 331a and the position restoring section 334, or acts in a direction opposite to the gripping, and the three upper gripping members 32 connected to the first gripping-side magnetic body 331a maintain the state where the substrate 9 is gripped.

[0117] Further, when the substrate 9 is carried in, in a state where the upper support body 31 is raised, the pins of the plurality of push-up mechanisms 24 (the pins of the push-up mechanisms 24 are not shown in the figure) disposed below the lower support body 21 are raised from the holes of the lower support body 21, and the substrate 9 is placed on the pins. Then, the upper support body 31 is lowered while maintaining the positions of the six upper gripping members 32 not gripping the substrate 9 by the mechanical mechanism not shown in the figure, and the substrate 9 is gripped by the six upper gripping members 32. The pins of the push-up mechanisms 24 are lowered. Figure 2

[0118] Thereafter, the substrate 9 is rotated while the processing liquid is supplied to the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate 9, and the first driving-side magnetic body 332a and the second driving-side magnetic body 332b are alternately lowered, whereby the replacement operation of the substrate 9 is performed. The carrying-out of the substrate 9 is the reverse operation of the carrying-in of the substrate 9.

[0119] As described above, the substrate 9 can be gripped only by the upper gripping members 32, and in this case, the processing liquid supplied to the back surface of the substrate 9 does not collide with the lower gripping members, and thus, the mist or the droplets generated by the scattering of the processing liquid can be reduced. As a result, the quality of the processing can be improved.

[0120] In the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown in the figure, the substrate 9 is supported by the upper support section 3. On the other hand, the upper support body 31 of the upper support section 3 is supported by the lower support section 2. Therefore, the substrate 9 is indirectly supported by the lower support section 2. In the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 ​In the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown, the substrate 9 is substantially supported by the lower support portion 2, but is temporarily supported indirectly by the lower support portion 2 when a replacement operation is performed. The configuration in which the substrate 9 is supported indirectly is not limited to the above-described configuration. For example, a member other than the upper support body 31 can be placed on the lower support body 21, and the substrate 9 can be supported by this member. Also, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, the upper support body 31 is realized as a ring-shaped member, and from this viewpoint, the substrate 9 can be supported only by the lower support portion 2 without being supported from above. That is, the upper holding member 32 or the configuration for driving the same can be omitted, and the substrate 9 can be supported only by the lower holding member 22.

[0121] Also, the support of the substrate 9 is not limited to the manner in which the substrate 9 is held by the upper holding member 32 or the lower holding member 22. For example, the substrate 9 can be supported by suction at the center or the outer periphery of the lower surface thereof. In the case where the substrate 9 is supported in which manner, by the upper support body 31 being realized as a ring-shaped member, the outer edge portion of the upper surface of the substrate 9 can be caused to generate a desired air flow in processing that accompanies rotation of the substrate 9. Further, the upper support body 31 need only be a ring-shaped member, and is not limited to a circular ring shape. That is, the outer periphery of the upper support body 31 or the inner periphery of the opening 313 is not limited to a circular shape.

[0122] As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, by variously changing the shape of the longitudinal section of the upper support body 31, a desired air flow can be easily obtained at the outer edge portion of the substrate 9. The ring-shaped side wall portion 311 of the upper support body 31 need only exist in the lateral direction of the substrate 9 like a wall portion, and need not be wall-shaped in itself. That is, the width in the radial direction of the ring-shaped side wall portion 311 can be large, for example, and can be larger than the height in the axial direction. Also, the inner surface of the ring-shaped side wall portion 311 is not limited to a cylindrical surface, and a ring-shaped concave portion or convex portion centered on the central axis Jl can be appropriately provided.

[0123] The ring-shaped side wall portion 311 need only oppose the outer periphery of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support portion 2 and the outer periphery of the lower support portion 2 (more accurately, the outer periphery of the lower support body 21) in the radial direction. However, it need not oppose the outer periphery of the lower support body 21 in the axial direction as a whole, and need only be located lower than the height of the upper surface of the lower support body 21.

[0124] The ring-shaped upper portion 312 is also not limited to a plate shape. The ring-shaped upper portion 312 need only extend radially inward from the ring-shaped side wall portion 311 and oppose the outer edge portion of the upper surface of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support portion 2 in the vertical direction. "Oppose" herein means to oppose without contacting. In the case where the ring-shaped upper portion 312 is realized as a plate shape, the outer periphery of the ring-shaped upper portion 312 need not be circular, and can be polygonal or the like. Figure 3AIn the embodiment, the annular upper portion 312 includes an annular protruding portion 314 protruding downward at the inner peripheral portion of the lower surface, but in addition to the annular protruding portion, an annular recessed portion centered on the central axis Jl can be provided on the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312. Also, two or more annular protruding portions or two or more annular recessed portions can be provided. In a general expression, by providing at least one annular convex portion (i.e., protruding portion), recessed portion, or stepped portion centered on the central axis Jl on the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312, the gas flow in the outer edge portion of the substrate 9 can be set to a desired gas flow. In a more general expression, on a longitudinal cross section, the lower surface of the annular upper portion 312 need not be a straight line along the horizontal direction.

[0125] The gas flow generation portion 111 preferably directly generates a gas flow tending downward toward the opening 313 of the annular upper portion 312. As described above, the gas flow generation portion 111 need not oppose the opening 313 as a whole in the vertical direction, but can oppose a portion thereof. Preferably, more than 1 / 3 of the opening and the gas flow generation portion 111 directly oppose each other in the vertical direction. More preferably, more than 1 / 2 of the opening and the gas flow generation portion 111 directly oppose each other in the vertical direction. Gas can flow indirectly from the gas flow generation portion 111 to the opening 313 as long as the gas flow into the opening 313 increases compared to a case where the gas flow generation portion 111 is not present.

[0126] The technique of setting the gas flow in the outer edge portion of the substrate 9 to a desired gas flow is particularly suitable for a technique of introducing etching liquid to the outer edge portion of the substrate 9. Also, it is suitable for a case where etching liquid is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate 9 and guided to a region including the outer edge portion of the upper surface of the substrate 9.

[0127] In a case where the liquid scattered from the substrate 9 can be sufficiently received by the upper support 31, the annular cover 16 can be omitted. Conversely, a plurality of annular covers 16 can be provided in multiple layers in the radial direction. Also, the annular cover 16 can be raised and lowered like a cover (so-called cup) that directly receives droplets of the substrate 9. The upper portion of the annular cover 16 preferably approaches the outer peripheral surface of the annular side wall portion 311 while tending toward the radial inner side, but the upper portion of the annular cover 16 can be positioned upward compared to the upper end of the annular side wall portion 311. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, by providing the upper support 31, generation of mist or droplets of the processing liquid can be suppressed, and thus the amount of gas flow from the gas flow generation portion 111 and the amount of exhaust from the exhaust portion provided in the lower portion of the apparatus can also be reduced. By miniaturization of the annular cover 16 and reduction of the amount of gas flow, the manufacturing cost of the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be reduced.

[0128] Since the annular upper portion 312 has a large opening 313, it is also possible to supply the processing liquid from the upper nozzle 42 to the upper surface of the outer edge portion of the substrate 9. The upper nozzle 42 of the processing liquid supply portion 4 can supply the processing liquid at a position closer to the inner peripheral end of the annular upper portion 312 (i.e., the edge of the opening 313) than the center axis J1, as shown in FIG. 6. By tilting the direction of the ejection of the processing liquid from the upper nozzle 42, it is possible to supply the processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate 9 at a position where the annular upper portion 312 overlaps the substrate 9 in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 7. The processing liquid ejected from the upper nozzle 42 can be various kinds of processing liquids. The processing liquid can be a rinsing liquid or an etching liquid. Figure 11

[0129] In the substrate processing apparatus 1, in the upper grip driving portion 33, the grip-side magnetic body 331 is mechanically connected to the upper grip member 32. The "mechanically connected" means that the operation of the grip-side magnetic body 331 is transmitted to the upper grip member 32 directly or via a contacting member. As shown in FIG. 5, the grip-side magnetic body 331 is not limited to being directly joined to the upper grip member 32, but can transmit the operation of the grip-side magnetic body 331 to the upper grip member 32 with the aid of a gear, a belt, a cam, a lever, or the like. The same applies to the grip-side magnetic body 231 in the lower grip driving portion 23 and the lower grip member 22. Figure 1

[0130] The magnetization pattern of the grip-side magnetic body 331 or the driving-side magnetic body 332 can also be various kinds of patterns. The annular driving-side magnetic body 332 centered on the center axis J1 can have N poles (or S poles) and S poles (or N poles) on the inner side and the outer side, or can have N poles (or S poles) and S poles (or N poles) on the upper side and the lower side. The magnetic body moving portion 333 can not move the driving-side magnetic body 332 in the vertical direction, but can move in other directions. For example, the driving-side magnetic body 332 is quartered in the circumferential direction, and the magnetic body moving portion 333 advances and retreats each magnetic body piece in the radial direction, whereby the magnetic body piece can approach or move away from the side or the upper side of the grip-side magnetic body 331. The above description applies to the lower grip driving portion 23 except that the vertical direction is reversed.

[0131] As described above, at least one of the grip-side magnetic body 331 and the driving-side magnetic body 332 is a magnet. From the viewpoint of obtaining a large attractive force and a large repulsive force, the grip-side magnetic body 331 and the driving-side magnetic body 332 are preferably magnets. The position restoring portion 334 can be a magnet as described above, can be a magnetic body other than a magnet, or can be an elastic body such as a coil spring or a leaf spring. The position restoring portion 334 can also be omitted. The same applies to the lower grip driving portion 23. By using a magnet, the upper grip member 32 or the lower grip member 22 can be easily moved.

[0132] ​​The upper holding member 32 is not limited to rotating around an axis in the up-down direction. For example, the outer edge portion of the substrate 9 can be held by rotating around an axis in the horizontal direction. The same applies to the lower holding member 22.

[0133] Replacement of the substrate 9 by different holding members while the substrate 9 is being processed is not necessarily performed.

[0134] In the substrate processing apparatus 1, the upper holding member 32 or the lower holding member 22 can be moved (including rotation) by mechanical force transmission, such as transmission by gears, belts, cams, levers, and the like, without using magnets. That is, the upper holding member 32 and the lower holding member 22 can be moved between a position at which the substrate 9 is held and a position at which the substrate 9 is not held by force transmission using contact of members. For example, the upper holding member 32 or the lower holding member 22 can hold the substrate 9 by force of a spring or the like, contact an extra provided driving mechanism at rest, and thereby be moved to a position at which the substrate 9 is not held. In this case, replacement of the substrate 9 can or can not be performed.

[0135] From the viewpoint of reducing scattering of processing liquid flowing to the back surface of the substrate 9 by supporting the substrate 9 from above, the upper support body 31 can not have the opening 313. Also, in a case where the processing liquid is not required to be received by the upper support body 31, the annular side wall portion 311 is not required to be provided in the upper support body 31. In this case, the processing liquid scattered from the substrate 9 is received, for example, by the lower support body 21 and an annular cup body disposed at the outer periphery of the substrate 9. The annular upper portion 312 is not required to be plate-shaped.

[0136] By providing the upper holding member 32, from the viewpoint of reducing the number of lower holding members 22, the configuration in which the upper holding member 32 is provided in the upper support body 31 is particularly suitable in a case where processing liquid is supplied to the lower surface of the substrate 9, with or without the lower holding member 22.

[0137] In addition, in a case where the upper holding driving portion 33 is provided, a large force is required for raising and lowering the upper support body 31. Therefore, it is preferable to lighten the upper support body 31 by providing the upper support body 31 as an annular member. Further, from the viewpoint of lightening, the upper support body 31 is preferably formed of resin (for example, PEEK (polyether ether ketone) resin).

[0138] In the substrate processing apparatus 1, the outer edge portion of the upper support body 31 is supported and lifted. Thus, the upper support body 31, which is a placement member with respect to the lower support body 21, can be lifted with a simple configuration, and the space above the substrate 9 can be used for various purposes. From this viewpoint, the upper support body 31 does not necessarily have the opening 313. That is, the upper support body 31 can be detachably placed on the lower support body 2 to cover at least the upper portion of the outer edge portion of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support body 2. In the substrate processing apparatus 1, a processing liquid is supplied to the upper surface or the lower surface of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support body 2. Of course, in the case where the outer edge portion of the upper support body 31 is supported and lifted, the space above the upper support body 31 can be effectively used, and thus, it is preferable that the upper support body 31, which is a placement member, be ring-shaped to be able to supply a processing liquid or a gas to the substrate 9 from above. In addition, the substrate 9 can be held only by the lower holding member 22. That is, the upper holding member 32 and the upper holding driving portion 33 can be omitted.

[0139] The number of the lifting portions 13 that lift the upper support body 31, which is a placement member, with respect to the lower support body 2 is preferably plural. However, the number of the lifting portions 13 can be only one. For example, the upper support body 31 can be lifted by one lifting portion 13 by fitting both arm portions of a U-shaped member having high rigidity, which is large in plan view, in the groove 34. In the case where the number of the lifting portions 13 is one or two or more, in a general expression, the upper support body 31 includes a first abutting portion that can abut on the lifting portion 13 in the vertical direction outside the outer periphery of the substrate 9 supported by the lower support body 2, and the lifting portion 13 includes a second abutting portion that extends from the outer radial side toward the first abutting portion of the upper support body 31. Then, when the second abutting portion is lifted by the lifting driving portion 131, the second abutting portion abuts on the first abutting portion, and the upper support body 31 is separated upward from the lower support body 2, and when the second abutting portion is lowered by the lifting driving portion 131, the upper support body 31 is placed on the lower support body 2, and the second abutting portion is separated from the first abutting portion.

[0140] After the upper support body 31 is placed on the lower support portion 2, the second abutting portion can also be retracted to the radial outside, but it is preferable not to retract the second abutting portion, and the lower support portion 2 and the upper support portion 3 can rotate in a state in which the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are separated. Thus, the upper support body 31 can be lifted and lowered with a simple configuration. In particular, when the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are in contact, the annular surface of the first abutting portion that is centered on the central axis J1 is in contact with the second abutting portion, and thus the upper support body 31 can be lifted and lowered regardless of the position in the direction of rotation of the upper support body 31. Normally, when the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are in contact, the annular surface of the first abutting portion that faces downward is in contact with the surface of the second abutting portion that faces upward. However, these surfaces are not limited to horizontal surfaces. For example, a surface that protrudes downward from the annular surface can be provided on the upper support body 31, and a surface that is recessed downward from the lifting portion 13 can be provided, and these surfaces can be in contact with each other.

[0141] On the other hand, in the case in which the rotating portion 12 can control the rotational position, the first abutting portion can also be provided only on a portion in the circumferential direction of the upper support body 31. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion can easily include a misalignment prevention configuration that fits when they are in contact with each other. The misalignment prevention configuration is preferably a configuration that prevents misalignment of the upper support body 31 with respect to the lower support body 21 in the circumferential direction and in the radial direction. The misalignment prevention configuration can also be a configuration that prevents misalignment only in the radial direction. For example, in the case in which the upper support body 31 is not provided with the upper gripping member 32 and the upper support body 31 can be placed in any rotational position with respect to the lower support body 21, misalignment can be prevented only in the radial direction. Misalignment prevention is achieved by fitting a portion of one of the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion into a protrusion, a recess, a step, or the like provided on the other. Figure 8A Figure 8B On the other hand, in the case in which the rotating portion 12 can control the rotational position, the first abutting portion can also be provided only on a portion in the circumferential direction of the upper support body 31. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion can easily include a misalignment prevention configuration that fits when they are in contact with each other. The misalignment prevention configuration is preferably a configuration that prevents misalignment of the upper support body 31 with respect to the lower support body 21 in the circumferential direction and in the radial direction. The misalignment prevention configuration can also be a configuration that prevents misalignment only in the radial direction. For example, in the case in which the upper support body 31 is not provided with the upper gripping member 32 and the upper support body 31 can be placed in any rotational position with respect to the lower support body 21, misalignment can be prevented only in the radial direction. Misalignment prevention is achieved by fitting a portion of one of the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion into a protrusion, a recess, a step, or the like provided on the other.

[0142] In the substrate processing apparatus 1, the annular cover body 16 that is disposed in a stationary state is provided on the radial outside of the upper support body 31, and the lifting drive portion 131 is provided on the annular cover body 16, and thus the substrate processing apparatus 1 is miniaturized. In the case in which the annular cover body 16 has sufficient rigidity, the lifting drive portion 131 can also be provided directly on the annular cover body 16. In the case in which the rigidity of the annular cover body 16 is insufficient, a reinforcing member can be provided on the annular cover body 16, and the lifting drive portion 131 can be provided on the annular cover body 16. In addition, a stage such as a frame that has high rigidity can be provided above the annular cover body 16, and the lifting portion 13 can be provided thereon. That is, "providing the lifting drive portion 131 on the annular cover body 16" means that, from the viewpoint of reducing the footprint of the substrate processing apparatus 1, it includes the case in which the lifting drive portion 131 is provided above the annular cover body 16. The same applies to the mechanism that retracts the magnetic body moving portion 333 of the upper gripping drive portion 33 or the upper nozzle 42 on the annular cover body 16. ​

[0143] Irrespective of the presence or absence of the opening 313 of the upper support body 31 or the presence or absence of the upper gripping member 32, the upper support body 31 is "detachably placed" with respect to the lower support body 21 (lower support portion 2), and the upper support body 31 is preferably detachably placed on the lower support body 21 by moving the upper support body 31 in the up-down direction. Of course, the upper support body 31 can be detachably placed on the lower support body 21 by moving the upper support body 31 in a direction other than the up-down direction. "Detachably placed" means that the upper support body 31 is combined with the lower support body 21 mainly using gravity (or using only gravity).

[0144] The rotating portion 12 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is preferably a hollow motor as described above, but a through hole is not required to be provided in the rotating shaft in the case where the lower nozzle 41 is not required to be provided. In addition, the rotating portion 12 can be a motor in which a rotor floats with respect to a stator.

[0145] The substrate processing apparatus 1 described above can be used not only for processing a semiconductor substrate but also for processing a glass substrate used for a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device, or a glass substrate used for other display devices. In addition, the substrate processing apparatus 1 described above can be used for processing a substrate for an optical disc, a magnetic disc, an optical magnetic disc, a photomask, a ceramic substrate, a solar cell substrate, or the like.

[0146] The configurations in the above-described embodiments and each modification example can be appropriately combined within a range in which they do not contradict each other.

[0147] The present application has been described in detail above, but the above description is merely illustrative and is not restrictive. Therefore, it can be said that various modifications or modes can be implemented within a range not departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate to process the substrate, the substrate processing apparatus characterized by comprising: The upper support portion that supports the substrate in a horizontal position from above; A lower support portion is opposite to the lower surface of the substrate supported by the upper support portion, and the upper support portion is detachably mounted on the lower support portion; A rotating part that rotates the lower support portion around a central axis in the vertical direction; and The processing liquid supply unit supplies processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate supported by the upper support unit. The upper support portion includes: An upper support body, which is opposite to the upper surface of the substrate, is detachably mounted on the lower support portion and rotates together with the lower support portion; Multiple upper gripping members protrude downward from the upper support body and grip the substrate by contacting the outer edge of the substrate; as well as The upper gripping drive unit enables the plurality of upper gripping members to move in contact with or separate from the outer edge of the substrate. The lower support portion includes: A lower support body opposite to the lower surface of the substrate; Multiple lower gripping members protrude upward from the lower support body and grip the substrate by contacting the outer edge of the substrate; as well as The lower gripping drive unit enables the plurality of lower gripping members to move in contact with or separate from the outer edge of the substrate. During the supply of processing liquid to the substrate, there are states in which the substrate is held by the plurality of upper gripping members but not by the plurality of lower gripping members, and states in which the substrate is held by the plurality of lower gripping members but not by the plurality of upper gripping members.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing liquid supply unit supplies etching liquid to the lower surface of the substrate held by the plurality of upper holding members.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper support body is ring-shaped.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The upper gripping drive unit includes: The gripping-side magnetic body is mechanically connected to the plurality of upper gripping components; A ring-shaped driving-side magnetic body centered on the central axis; and The magnetic moving part of the driving-side magnetic body can be moved. At least one of the holding-side magnetic body and the driving-side magnetic body is a magnet. The plurality of upper gripping members are moved by the magnetic force generated between the gripping-side magnetic body and the driving-side magnetic body by moving the driving-side magnetic body through the magnetic body moving part.

Images