Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and method for manufacturing article

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a method for manufacturing an article, which are advantageous for shortening the processing time of a process for drying a structure around a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes: an airtight container; a substrate holding unit which is disposed inside the airtight container and is capable of holding a substrate to which a solution containing a solvent is applied; a pressure reduction unit for reducing the pressure inside the airtight container; a demarcation member that demarcates, inside the airtight container, a space surrounding the substrate; a sensor part facing the space defined by the defining member; and a measurement unit that outputs different measurement results depending on whether or not the solvent adheres to the sensor unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing device, a substrate processing method, and a method for manufacturing an article. Background Art

[0002] When manufacturing an article such as a panel (organic EL panel) having an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) as an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) element, it is known to apply a solution film to a desired portion on a substrate using an inkjet device. The solution film is a film composed of a solution containing a solute and a solvent. A film (layer) is formed on the substrate by drying the substrate, that is, evaporating the solvent contained in the solution film applied to the substrate. The substrate is dried using a reduced pressure drying device as a substrate processing device.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a reduced pressure drying device including a solvent collecting member disposed between a top plate and a substrate, wherein the heat capacity of the solvent collecting member is set to 850 J / K·m 2 the following.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-35527 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] Most of the solvent evaporated from the substrate inside the airtight container arranged in the substrate processing device is pumped out to the outside of the airtight container, but a part of the evaporated solvent adheres to the structure around the substrate inside the airtight container. If the state of the solvent of the previous process adhering to the structure around the substrate is maintained and the substrate is dried in the next process, the film thickness distribution of the film formed on the substrate in the next process is affected. Therefore, after the drying process of the substrate is completed, it is necessary to perform a drying process to dry the structure inside the airtight container.

[0009] When drying a structure, the treatment time is determined to be a predetermined time with a margin in advance to ensure that the solvent attached to the structure is fully evaporated. Therefore, there is a situation where the drying process of the structure is continued even though the structure is fully dried, so it is desired to shorten the drying process time.

[0010] Solutions for solving problems

[0011] A technical solution disclosed herein is a substrate processing device, characterized in that the substrate processing device includes: an airtight container; a substrate holding portion, which is arranged inside the airtight container and can hold a substrate coated with a solution containing a solvent; a decompression portion, which decompresses the interior of the airtight container; a demarcation member, which demarcates a space surrounding the substrate inside the airtight container; a sensor portion, which faces the space demarcated by the demarcation member; and a measuring portion, which outputs different measurement results depending on whether the solvent is attached to the sensor portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus as an example of the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2 (a) is a plan view of a part of the structure of the vacuum drying device according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 (b) is a side view of the sensor unit according to the first embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 It is an explanatory diagram of the measurement system according to the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the substrate processing method according to the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 5 It is an explanatory diagram of the drying step in the first embodiment.

[0017] Figure 6 It is an explanatory diagram of the first drying process in the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 7 This is a graph schematically showing the current value of the current measured by the measuring device according to the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 8 This is a graph schematically showing the resistance values ​​of resistors measured by the measuring device according to Modification 1.

[0020] Fig. 9 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus as an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

[0021] Fig.10 This is a graph schematically showing the natural frequency of the crystal oscillator measured by the measuring device according to the second embodiment.

[0022] Fig.11 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus as an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment.

[0023] Description of Reference Numerals

[0024] F, solution (solution film); S, substrate; SP2, space; 10, airtight container; 20, substrate holding portion; 30, pressure reducing mechanism (pressure reducing portion); 40, cover unit (delimiting member); 60, measuring system; 90, control device (control portion); 100, pressure reducing drying device (substrate processing device); 401, inner wall surface; 600, sensor unit (sensor portion); 650, measuring device (measuring portion). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Hereinafter, the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same reference figure mark is marked on the same component, and repeated description is omitted. In the following embodiments, the direction is represented by the XYZ coordinate system which is a rectangular coordinate system. The X direction, the Y direction and the Z direction are orthogonal to each other. In the XYZ coordinate system, the XY plane is a horizontal plane, and the XZ plane and the YZ plane are vertical planes. The X direction and the Y direction are horizontal directions. The negative direction of the Z axis is the vertical direction (gravity direction), in other words, the downward direction. In addition, the positive direction of the Z axis is the upward direction.

[0026] <First embodiment>

[0027] Figure 1 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus 100 as an example of the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 (a) is a partial top view of the structure of the reduced pressure drying device 100 of the first embodiment. The reduced pressure drying device 100 is used in a part of the process of manufacturing an organic EL panel having an OLED as an organic EL element. The reduced pressure drying device 100 forms a functional film such as an organic film on the substrate S by performing a drying process of evaporating the solution film F applied to the substrate S, that is, drying the substrate S.

[0028] The solution film F is composed of a solution containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film, for example. The solvent contained in the solution film F preferably has a property of promoting evaporation under a reduced pressure environment lower than atmospheric pressure. For example, evaporation of the solvent is preferably promoted at a temperature higher than normal temperature (25° C.).

[0029] The solute may be a functional material for forming functional thin films such as electrodes and optical filters, or functional elements such as OLEDs.

[0030] The solvent is preferably an organic solvent. The solvent contains at least one organic solvent. Examples of the organic solvent include N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, cyclohexanone, N,N-dimethylisobutyramide, N-methylformamide, N-methylacetamide, N-diethylformamide, cyclohexanol, ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol glycidyl ether, 1,3-octanediol, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, Tripropylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol diethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diacetone alcohol, γ-butyrolactone, ethyl lactate, N-hexyl acetate, ethyl cellosolve acetate, etc.

[0031] The organic film is an organic layer, for example, any one of the hole injection layer, hole transport layer, light emitting layer, electron transport layer or electron injection layer of an OLED. The manufacture of an organic EL element includes the steps of forming each organic film of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer on a substrate S. Before the substrate S is fed into the reduced pressure drying device 100, a solution film F is applied to a required portion of the substrate S by a coating device.

[0032] The reduced pressure drying device 100 includes: an airtight container 10; a decompression mechanism 30 that decompresses the interior of the airtight container 10; and a substrate holding portion 20 that is disposed inside the airtight container 10 and is capable of holding a substrate S. The decompression mechanism 30 is an example of a decompression portion. In addition, the reduced pressure drying device 100 includes: a cover unit 40 that is disposed inside the airtight container 10 and is disposed at a position surrounding the substrate S held by the substrate holding portion 20; and a lifting mechanism 80 that lifts the cover unit 40 in the up and down direction. The cover unit 40 is an example of a demarcating member. The cover unit 40 is disposed at a position that does not contact the substrate S held by the substrate holding portion 20.

[0033] The pressure of the external environment of the airtight container 10 is atmospheric pressure. The airtight container 10 is a component that defines an internal space SP0. The internal space SP0 is a space inside the airtight container 10. The internal space SP0 includes a space SP1 and a space SP2. The cover unit 40 is placed on the substrate holding portion 20, thereby defining a space SP2 surrounding the substrate S inside the airtight container 10. Specifically, the space SP2 is a space surrounded by the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 and the upper surface of the substrate holding portion 20. The space SP1 is a space in the internal space SP0 excluding the space SP2. The inner wall surface 401 is a wall surface in the cover unit 40 facing the space SP2. By surrounding the substrate S on the substrate holding portion 20 with the cover unit 40, the pressure distribution of the space SP2 is adjusted to be as uniform as possible.

[0034] The reduced pressure drying device 100 includes a gate valve 12 provided in the airtight container 10. The substrate S coated with the solution film F to be dried is introduced from the external space of the airtight container 10 to the internal space SP0 through the gate valve 12. In addition, the substrate S that has been dried is sent out from the internal space SP0 to the external space through the gate valve 12. The substrate S is introduced and sent out by a conveying device (not shown) placed outside the airtight container 10.

[0035] The lifting mechanism 80 is used to lift the cover unit 40 when the substrate S is carried in or out of the substrate holding portion 20 .

[0036] The decompression mechanism 30 includes at least one pump, for example, a plurality of pumps. The plurality of pumps include, for example, at least one of a dry vacuum pump and a diaphragm vacuum pump. In addition, the plurality of pumps may also include, for example, at least one of a turbomolecular pump, a cryogenic pump, an adsorption pump, an oil diffusion pump, a mechanical booster pump, a jet pump, and an oil rotary vacuum pump.

[0037] The reduced pressure drying apparatus 100 further includes a temperature control unit 70 . The temperature control unit 70 controls the temperature of the substrate S or the solution film F on the substrate S by controlling the temperature of the substrate holder 20 . The temperature control unit 70 preferably includes a heater for heating the substrate holder 20 .

[0038] In addition, the temperature control unit 70 may include a cooler for cooling the substrate holding unit 20. The temperature control unit 70 controls the temperature of the substrate holding unit 20 by performing at least one of heating and cooling the substrate holding unit 20.

[0039] The temperature control unit 70 controls the multiple areas of the substrate holding unit 20 to be the same temperature or different temperatures from each other so that the substrate S has the same temperature distribution. Preferably, the temperature control unit 70 controls the temperature difference between the multiple areas of the substrate S held in the substrate holding unit 20 to be within 10°C. More preferably, the temperature control unit 70 controls the temperature difference between the multiple areas of the substrate S held in the substrate holding unit 20 to be within 5°C. The temperature control unit 70 controls the temperature of the substrate holding unit 20 so that the temperature of the substrate S becomes a predetermined temperature within the range of 0°C to 100°C. By heating the substrate holding unit 20, the drying speed of the solution film F applied on the substrate S can be increased.

[0040] The reduced pressure drying device 100 further includes a gas introduction unit 50 for introducing an inert gas into the internal space SP0. The gas introduction unit 50 is preferably a flexible tube, for example. A valve 53 is disposed in the gas introduction unit 50. The gas introduction unit 50 is provided through the airtight container 10 to form a structure capable of supplying an inert gas to the internal space SP0.

[0041] The inert gas is, for example, nitrogen. In the first embodiment, the gas supplied from the gas inlet 50 to the interior of the airtight container 10 is preferably an inert gas, but as long as it is a gas having a component different from the solvent of the solution film F, it may be a gas other than an inert gas, for example, clean dry air.

[0042] The pressure of the internal space SP0 of the airtight container 10 is adjusted by supplying gas to the internal space SP0 via the gas inlet 50. The pressure of the internal space SP0 during the drying process is adjusted by balancing the discharge of the solvent vapor and the inert gas or the like by the decompression mechanism 30 and the supply of the inert gas or the like from the gas inlet 50.

[0043] Furthermore, the reduced-pressure drying device 100 further includes a pressure gauge 78 for detecting the pressure of the internal space SP0 of the airtight container 10. The pressure gauge 78 is disposed in the airtight container 10, for example.

[0044] The cover unit 40 is disposed on the substrate holding portion 20. The main material of the cover unit 40 is metal, for example, preferably stainless steel. For example, the stainless steel is preferably austenitic stainless steel containing 0.045% or less phosphorus and 0.030% or less sulfur (i.e., stainless steel designated by SUS304 in Japanese Industrial Standards: JIS).

[0045] The cover unit 40 includes a surrounding wall 41 and a cover member 42. The cover member 42 may be integral with the surrounding wall 41 or may be independent of the surrounding wall 41. In the first embodiment, the cover member 42 is integral with the surrounding wall 41. The cover unit 40 can be moved in the up-and-down direction, i.e., the positive direction of the Z axis and the negative direction of the Z axis, relative to the substrate holding portion 20 by the lifting mechanism 80.

[0046] In addition, when the cover member 42 is independent of the surrounding wall 41, the cover member 42 may be moved in the positive direction of the Z axis and the negative direction of the Z axis, which are the up-down direction, relative to the surrounding wall 41, that is, the substrate holding portion 20, by the lifting mechanism 80. In addition, instead of the lifting mechanism 80, an opening through which the substrate can be carried in and out may be provided in the surrounding wall 41 of the cover unit 40, and a shutter for opening and closing the opening may be provided.

[0047] The surrounding wall 41 is a wall member extending in the Z direction. The surrounding wall 41 is placed on the substrate holding portion 20 and is arranged at a position facing the side surface of the substrate S placed on the substrate holding portion 20. Alternatively, the surrounding wall 41 may be placed on another member.

[0048] The cover member 42 is disposed at a position facing the main surface of the substrate S in the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate holding portion 20, that is, in the Z direction. Specifically, the cover member 42 is disposed at a position facing the solution film F applied on the main surface of the substrate S in the Z direction.

[0049] The cover member 42 has a plurality of openings 43. Each opening 43 is a through hole. The shape of the opening 43 may be a circular shape or a linear shape such as a slit. The arrangement and size of the openings 43 are determined so as to uniformly dry the solution film F applied on the substrate S. For example, by making the area of ​​the opening 43 corresponding to the portion of the substrate S where the drying speed of the solution film F is higher smaller than the area of ​​the other openings 43, the drying speed of the solution film F can be adjusted to eliminate the uneven drying speed.

[0050] The opening area per unit area of ​​the cover unit 40 is called the opening ratio. The cover unit 40 adjusts the area of ​​each opening 43 so that the opening ratio near the periphery of the substrate S is smaller than the opening ratio near the center of the substrate S. For example, in the cover unit 40, the opening ratio of the portion facing the center of the substrate S may be set to 40% to 70%, and the opening ratio of the portion facing the periphery of the substrate S may be set to 20% to 50%. In addition, the cover unit 40 only needs to have a structure that allows the space SP2 and the space SP1 to communicate, and does not necessarily need to have the opening 43.

[0051] In addition, the reduced pressure drying device 100 also includes a control device 90 that controls various parts of the entire device. The control device 90 is an example of a control unit. The control device 90 is composed of, for example, a computer. The control device 90 includes a CPU as an example of a processor, a RAM as a transient storage device, a ROM and an SSD as non-transient storage devices (recording media), an I / O as an interface, and the like. In the non-transient storage device, a control program is stored that enables the CPU of the control device 90 to execute control of various parts of the entire device in the manufacturing process described later. The control device 90 controls the pressure inside the airtight container 10 by controlling the decompression mechanism 30. In addition, the control device 90 controls the supply and stop of gas to the inside of the airtight container 10, as well as the flow rate of the gas, by controlling the valve 53.

[0052] In addition, in addition to the above-mentioned structure, the control device 90 is composed of, for example, a PLD (abbreviation of Programmable Logic Device) such as FPGA (abbreviation of Field Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (abbreviation of Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a general or dedicated computer loaded with a program, or a combination of all or part of these devices.

[0053] The reduced-pressure drying device 100 includes a measuring system 60 for detecting the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40. The measuring system 60 includes a measuring device 650 and a sensor unit 600.

[0054] The measuring device 650 is an example of a measuring unit, and the sensor unit 600 is an example of a sensor unit. The sensor unit 600 outputs a sensor signal indicating whether a solvent is attached to the sensor unit 600, and a sensor signal corresponding to the amount of solvent attached to the sensor unit 600 when the solvent is attached to the sensor unit 600. The measuring device 650 is electrically connected to the sensor unit 600 by means of wirings 61 and 62 for energization. The wirings 61 and 62 each include a wire and an insulating coating material covering the wire. The measuring device 650 obtains a sensor signal from the sensor unit 600 by energizing the sensor unit 600. Moreover, the measuring device 650 processes the sensor signal and outputs a measurement value (data) corresponding to the sensor signal as a measurement result to the control device 90. That is, the measuring device 650 outputs different measurement results depending on whether a solvent is attached to the sensor unit 600. When a solvent is attached to the sensor unit 600, the measuring device 650 outputs different measurement results according to the amount of solvent attached to the sensor unit 600 as its measurement result.

[0055] The sensor unit 600 is arranged to face the space SP2. Figure 2 (b) is a side view of the sensor unit 600 according to the first embodiment when the sensor unit 600 is viewed along the Y direction.

[0056] The sensor unit 600 includes two electrodes 601 and 602 and an insulator 603. The insulator 603 is an example of an object. The insulator 603 is disposed in a through hole formed in the surrounding wall 41 of the cover unit 40 and is provided integrally with the cover unit 40.

[0057] The electrode 601 is electrically connected to the wiring 61, and the electrode 602 is electrically connected to the wiring 62. The electrodes 601 and 602 are provided on the insulator 603 at intervals from each other. In the first embodiment, the electrodes 601 and 602 are provided to penetrate the insulator 603. The top end of the electrode 601 and the top end of the electrode 602 protrude from the insulator 603 to the space SP2 side. The insulator 603 is a material having a higher resistance than that of a conductor and a semiconductor, and examples thereof include quartz. The electrodes 601 and 602 are provided on the insulator 603 in a manner that does not contact (short-circuit) the cover unit 40. The electrodes 601 and 602 are, for example, conductive plates.

[0058] In the case where the solvent evaporated from the solution film F adheres to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40, the solvent evaporated from the solution film F can also adhere to the sensor unit 600. The measuring device 650 measures the electrical characteristics (conductive characteristics) between the two electrodes 601 and 602. The electrical characteristics between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 change in accordance with whether the solvent is attached to the insulator 603. If the solvent is attached to the insulator 603, the electrical characteristics between the electrodes 601 and 602 change from the state where the solvent is not attached to the insulator 603. In addition, in the case where the solvent is attached to the insulator 603, the electrical characteristics between the electrodes 601 and 602 also change in accordance with the amount of solvent attached to the insulator 603. The measuring device 650 obtains a sensor signal representing the electrical characteristics from the sensor unit 600, and outputs a measurement result corresponding to the sensor signal to the control device 90. That is, the measuring device 650 outputs a different measurement result to the control device 90 depending on whether the solvent is attached to the sensor unit 600. Furthermore, the measurement result also differs depending on the amount of the solvent attached to the sensor unit 600 .

[0059] Figure 360 is an explanatory diagram of the measuring system 60 of the first embodiment. The measuring device 650 includes an ammeter 651 capable of measuring current and a DC power supply 652 connected in series with the ammeter 651. By applying a DC voltage between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 by the DC power supply 652, a current corresponding to the resistance R10 between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 flows in the ammeter 651. The ammeter 651 outputs a current value (current data) corresponding to the current. According to the above structure, the measuring device 650 measures the current between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 as an electrical characteristic, and outputs the current value as an example of a measurement result, i.e., a measurement value, to the control device 90 at a predetermined period.

[0060] The resistance of the insulator 603 between the electrodes 601 and 602 is set to R11. In addition, the resistance of the solvent attached to the insulator 603 is set to R12. With respect to the electrodes 601 and 602, the insulator 603 and the solvent are in a parallel connection relationship in the equivalent circuit. Therefore, the resistor R10 is the combined resistance of the resistor R11 and the resistor R12.

[0061] The volume resistivity of the insulator 603 is preferably higher than the volume resistivity of the solvent. As a result, the change in the resistance R10 when the solvent adheres to the insulator 603 becomes larger, and the change in the current value becomes larger. Therefore, the measurement accuracy of the measuring device 650 is improved. The volume resistivity of the insulator 603 is more preferably 1000 times or more of the volume resistivity of the solvent. In addition, in the measuring device 650, an AC power supply can also be used instead of the DC power supply 652. At this time, the ammeter 651 measures the current waveform.

[0062] The preferred configuration position of the sensor unit 600 is described below. Figure 1 In the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40, the solvent evaporated from the solution film F tends to rise, and the solvent evaporated from the solution film F tends to adhere to the portion of the region R1 facing the lower half of the space SP2 in the vertical direction more easily than the portion of the region R2 facing the upper half of the space SP2 in the vertical direction. That is, in the inner wall surface 401, a large amount of solvent adheres to the portion of the region R1 facing the lower half. Therefore, the sensor unit 600 is preferably arranged at a position facing the lower half region R1.

[0063] Hereinafter, a part of the processes including the drying process (drying treatment) among the multiple processes of the manufacturing method of an organic EL panel as an example of an article will be described. A solution film F is applied to a required portion on the main surface of a substrate S using a coating device such as an inkjet device. Then, the substrate S coated with the solution film F is fed to the substrate holding portion 20 using a conveying device not shown. Then, a first drying process for evaporating the solvent contained in the solution film F on the substrate S and a second drying process for evaporating the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 are performed under the control of the control device 90. The first drying process is an example of the first process, and is a process for drying the substrate S. The second drying process is an example of the second process, and is a process for drying the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40.

[0064] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the substrate processing method according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 It is an explanatory diagram of the drying step in the first embodiment. Figure 5 The horizontal axis is time, and the vertical axis represents the pressure and current value of the internal space SP0. Before the substrate S is introduced into the airtight container 10, the cover unit 40 moves upward relative to the substrate holding part 20.

[0065] The control device 90 Figure 5 In the period D0 shown, that is, before the first drying process A1 and the second drying process A2, the current value B0 as a measured value is obtained from the measuring device 650 in step S1, and the threshold value TH1 is set based on the current value B0 in step S2. For example, the control device 90 sets the threshold value TH1 to the current value B0 or ​​a value greater than the current value B0 by a predetermined value. In the first embodiment, the threshold value TH1 is the upper limit value of the determination range.

[0066] In step S3 , the control device 90 controls a conveying device (not shown) to convey the substrate S coated with the solution film F into the airtight container 10 and place the substrate S on the substrate holding portion 20 .

[0067] Next, in step S4 , the control device 90 controls the lifting mechanism 80 to lower the cover unit 40 by the lifting mechanism 80 , so that the substrate S is surrounded by the cover unit 40 .

[0068] Next, in step S5, the control device 90 performs the first drying process A1. The first drying process A1 in step S5 will be specifically described below. The control device 90 controls the decompression mechanism 30 so that the value of the pressure detected by the pressure gauge 78 approaches the pressure command value.

[0069] First, the control device 90 controls the decompression mechanism 30 so that the pressure of the internal space SP0 of the airtight container 10, that is, the pressure displayed by the pressure gauge 78, drops from the atmospheric pressure to the first pressure P1 (period D1). As a result, the interior of the airtight container 10 is decompressed to the first pressure P1. Period D1 is a process of decompressing from atmospheric pressure to the first pressure P1. The first pressure P1 is a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure and a pressure higher than the vapor pressure of the solvent. The first pressure P1 also depends on the vapor pressure of the solvent, but is, for example, 10Pa. Then, the control device 90 controls the decompression mechanism 30 so that after the pressure displayed by the pressure gauge 78 reaches the first pressure P1, the pressure of the internal space SP0, that is, the pressure displayed by the pressure gauge 78, remains at the first pressure P1 throughout the first time (period D2). During periods D1 and D2, the first drying process A1 is performed. Period D2 is a predetermined time set in advance.

[0070] In the period D2, the control device 90 controls to supply the inert gas from the gas introduction part 50 to the internal space SP0 while operating the decompression mechanism 30 so that the pressure indicated by the pressure gauge 78 becomes greater than the vapor pressure of the solvent, that is, becomes the first pressure P1. In addition, not limited to the period D2, the inert gas may be supplied from the gas introduction part 50 to the internal space SP0 in any of the other periods D1, D3, and D4, for example, in the period D4.

[0071] During the period D2, the pressure of the internal space SP0 is maintained at the first pressure P1, so that the solution film F is dried uniformly. That is, the solution film F can be dried in a manner that the film thickness of the solution film F is uniform. Therefore, the surface of the solution film F can be made into a flat surface. In addition, a plurality of openings 43 are formed in the cover unit 40. The size and number of the openings 43 are adjusted so that the pressure distribution of the space SP2 is uniform while the pressure of the internal space SP0 is maintained at a predetermined pressure during the period D2. Therefore, by slightly adjusting the pressure of the space SP2, the solution film F can be dried uniformly more effectively. The shape of the solution film F is roughly determined until the period D2. In addition, in the first drying process A1, the pressure of the internal space SP0 is maintained at the first pressure P1 which is lower than the atmospheric pressure and higher than the pressure of the solvent, so that the substrate S can be stably dried.

[0072] In order to adjust the pressure distribution around the substrate S to be uniform, that is, to adjust the evaporation rate of the solvent contained in the solution film F on the substrate S to be uniform, in the first embodiment, the substrate S is surrounded by the cover unit 40. When the solvent evaporates from the solution film F, the vapor of the solvent temporarily stays in the space SP2 surrounded by the cover unit 40. Then, the vapor of the solvent flows from the space SP2 to the space SP1 through the opening 43. In the space SP2, part of the vapor of the solvent adheres to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40.

[0073] Figure 6 1 is an explanatory diagram of the first drying process A1 of the first embodiment. Figure 6 Schematically illustrates the flow of the solvent evaporated from the solution film F on the substrate S disposed in the space SP2.

[0074] A portion of the solvent evaporated from the solution film F moves to the space SP1 through the multiple openings 43 of the cover member 42 and is discharged to the outside of the airtight container 10 by the decompression mechanism 30, but another portion of the solvent evaporated from the solution film F condenses on the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 and adheres to the inner wall surface 401.

[0075] During the period when the solvent evaporates from the solution film F, the solvent continues to adhere to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40. Therefore, even when most of the solvent in the solution film F evaporates, the solvent can still exist on the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40. Therefore, it is necessary to continue drying the cover unit 40 after the substrate S is dried.

[0076] After the period D2, that is, after the first drying treatment A1, in step S6, the control device 90 controls the decompression mechanism 30 so that the pressure of the internal space SP0 of the airtight container 10, that is, the pressure displayed by the pressure gauge 78, drops from the first pressure P1 to the second pressure P2 (period D3). That is, the control device 90 starts the execution of the second drying treatment A2 in step S6. As a result, the interior of the airtight container 10 is decompressed to the second pressure P2. Period D3 is a process of decompressing from the first pressure P1 to the second pressure P2. The second pressure P2 is a pressure lower than the first pressure P1 and is a pressure lower than the vapor pressure of the solvent. The second pressure P2 also depends on the vapor pressure of the solvent, but for example, it is 10 －3 Pa. Then, the control device 90 controls the decompression mechanism 30 so that after the pressure displayed by the pressure gauge 78 reaches the second pressure P2, the pressure of the internal space SP0, that is, the pressure displayed by the pressure gauge 78, is maintained at the second pressure P2 (period D4). Since the substrate S is in a substantially dry state, even if the pressure of the internal space SP0 of the airtight container 10 is made a pressure lower than the vapor pressure of the solvent, the possibility of uneven film thickness is low. Then, by making the pressure of the internal space SP0 of the airtight container 10 a pressure lower than the vapor pressure of the solvent, the evaporation of the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 is promoted. Therefore, the time required for the second drying process A2 can be shortened.

[0077] In the first embodiment, the pressure inside the airtight container 10 is reduced to the second pressure P2 during the period D3, and the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 is dried while the substrate S is further dried during the period D4. The control device 90 obtains the current value B2 as a measured value from the measuring device 650 in step S7, and compares the obtained current value B2 with the threshold value TH1 in step S8.

[0078] In the determination process of step S9, the control device 90 determines whether to terminate the second drying process A2 based on the comparison result. Whether to terminate the second drying process A2 is determined based on whether the current value B2 is within the determination range, that is, whether the current value B2 is less than the threshold value TH1.

[0079] If the answer to step S9 is "No", or if B2>TH1 in the first embodiment, the control device 90 continues the second drying process A2 and transfers to the process of step S7. If the answer to step S9 is "Yes", or if B2≤TH1 in the first embodiment, the control device 90 ends the execution of the second drying process A2 in step S10.

[0080] In this way, the control device 90 acquires the current value B2 as a measurement result from the measuring device 650 in the second drying process A2, and determines whether to terminate the execution of the second drying process A2 based on the acquired current value B2.

[0081] In step S11 , the control device 90 controls the lifting mechanism 80 to raise the cover unit 40 , and in step S12 , controls the conveying device (not shown) to convey the substrate S held by the substrate holding portion 20 to the outside of the airtight container 10 .

[0082] In the first embodiment, the measuring device 650 measures the current between the two electrodes 601 and 602 as the electrical characteristic. Figure 7 : is a graph schematically showing the current value of the current measured by the measuring device 650 of the first embodiment. Figure 7 In the figure, the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is current value.

[0083] exist Figure 7 In the period t1, it is equivalent to Figure 5 The period D0 shown is equivalent to the period t2 Figure 5 During the period D1 to D4 shown, time t3 corresponds to Figure 5 The end time of period D4 is shown.

[0084] In period t1, the control device 90 sets the threshold value TH1 based on the result of measuring the current value. In period t21 of period t2, the evaporation of the solvent from the solution film F on the substrate S becomes active, and the amount of the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 is greater than the amount of the solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401, so that the solvent is accumulated on the inner wall surface 401. Therefore, the solvent is also accumulated on the insulator 603, so Figure 3The resistance R12 shown decreases, and as a result, the resistance R10 decreases, and the current value of the measured current increases. Then, when the drying of the substrate S is advanced, in the period t22 of the period t2, the amount of the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 and the amount of the solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401 are balanced, and the current value of the measured current is substantially constant. The period t21 and the period t22 are the periods of the first drying process A1.

[0085] Next, when the second drying process A2 is performed in the period t23 in the period t2, the amount of solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401 is greater than the amount of solvent adhered to the inner wall surface 401, so that Figure 3 The resistance R12 shown increases, and as a result, the resistance R10 increases, and the current value of the measured current decreases. Then, when the inner wall surface 401 is dry, the current value of the current measured after time t3 is substantially constant.

[0086] In the first embodiment, if Figure 5 As shown, the current value B2 becomes lower than the threshold value TH1. Figure 4 In step S9 shown in the figure, the determination is "YES", and in step S10, the second drying process A2 is completed.

[0087] According to the first embodiment, since the end time of the second drying process A2 for drying the cover unit 40 as a structure is determined according to the adhesion condition of the solvent on the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40, the processing time of the second drying process A2 can be shortened compared to the case where the processing time of the second drying process is set to a predetermined time with a margin in advance.

[0088] Furthermore, although the case where the threshold TH1 setting process is performed before step S3 has been described, the threshold TH1 setting process may be performed between step S3 and step S4 , or may be performed between step S4 and step S5 .

[0089] Alternatively, the threshold TH1 setting process may be performed before the second drying process A2 . For example, the threshold TH1 setting process may be performed during the period D1 immediately after the first drying process A1 is started when the solvent is hardly attached to the sensor unit 600 .

[0090] In addition, it is more preferable to perform the setting process of the threshold TH1 before the first drying process A1 as described above. In this case, it is preferable to perform the setting process of the threshold TH1 after the second drying process A2 when the front substrate is processed and before the first drying process A1 when the rear substrate is processed.

[0091] [Variation 1 of the first embodiment]

[0092] In the first embodiment described above, the case where the current is measured by the measuring device 650 as the electrical characteristic between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 is described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The measuring device 650 may also measure the current between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602. Figure 3 The resistor R10 shown is an electrical characteristic between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602. That is, the measuring device 650 may measure the current between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 to obtain the current value, and divide the voltage value of the applied voltage by the current value to obtain the resistance value of the resistor R10. Figure 8 This is a graph schematically showing the resistance value of the resistor R10 measured by the measuring device 650 according to the first modification.

[0093] In the period t1, the control device 90 sets the threshold value TH1 based on the resistance value obtained as a result of measuring the resistor R10. The threshold value TH1 of the modification 1 is the lower limit value of the determination range.

[0094] In the period t21 of the period t2, the evaporation of the solvent from the solution film F on the substrate S becomes active, and the amount of the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 is greater than the amount of the solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401, so that the solvent is accumulated on the inner wall surface 401. Therefore, the solvent is also accumulated on the insulator 603, so Figure 3 The resistance R12 shown decreases, and as a result, the resistance R10 decreases, and the resistance value of the measured resistance R10 decreases. Then, when the drying of the substrate S is advanced, in the period t22 of the period t2, the amount of solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 and the amount of solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401 are balanced, and the resistance value of the measured resistance R10 is substantially constant. The period t21 and the period t22 are the periods of the first drying process A1.

[0095] Next, when the second drying process A2 is performed in the period t23 in the period t2, the amount of solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401 is greater than the amount of solvent adhered to the inner wall surface 401, so that Figure 3 The resistor R12 shown increases, and as a result, the resistor R10 increases, and the resistance value of the resistor R10 measured increases. Then, when the inner wall surface 401 is dry, the resistance value of the resistor R10 measured after time t3 is substantially constant.

[0096] In the modification 1, in step S1, the resistance value is measured instead of the current value B0, and in step S2, the threshold value TH1 is set based on the resistance value. In step S7, the resistance value is measured instead of the current value B2, and in step S8, the threshold value TH1 and the resistance value are compared. Then, in step S9, the control device 90 determines whether the resistance value is within the determination range, that is, whether the resistance value is greater than the threshold value TH1, and determines whether to end the second drying process A2.

[0097] When the resistance value is less than the threshold value TH1, it is determined as "No" and the second drying process A2 is continued. When the resistance value is greater than or equal to the threshold value TH1, it is determined as "Yes" and the second drying process A2 is terminated in step S10.

[0098] Therefore, in variant example 1, the end time of the second drying treatment A2 for drying the cover unit 40 as a structure is also determined according to the adhesion condition of the solvent on the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40. Therefore, compared with the case where the processing time of the second drying treatment is set to a predetermined time with a margin in advance, the processing time of the second drying treatment A2 can be shortened.

[0099] [Variation 2 of the first embodiment]

[0100] In Modification 1, the case of measuring the resistor R10 is described. However, when the solvent adheres to the insulator 603, the electrostatic capacitance between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 changes. Therefore, the measuring device 650 may measure the electrostatic capacitance between the electrode 601 and the electrode 602 as an electrical characteristic.

[0101] [Variation 3 of the first embodiment]

[0102] In the first embodiment, a DC voltage is applied between the electrodes 601 and 602 using the DC power supply 652, but the present invention is not limited thereto. An AC voltage may be applied between the electrodes 601 and 602 to measure the impedance and current waveform between the electrodes 601 and 602 as electrical characteristics.

[0103] [Variation 4 of the first embodiment]

[0104] In the first embodiment, the sensor unit 600 is arranged in the through hole formed in the surrounding wall 41 of the cover unit 40, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The sensor unit 600 only needs to be arranged in the space SP2 inside the cover unit 40. For example, the sensor unit 600 may also be arranged on the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40.

[0105] [Variation 5 of the first embodiment]

[0106] In the first embodiment, the case where the threshold value TH1 is set by the processing of step S1 and step S2 is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the threshold value TH1 may be a preset value.

[0107] <Second embodiment>

[0108] Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, elements denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment have substantially the same structure and function as those described in the first embodiment, and the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0109] Fig. 9 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus 100A as an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

[0110] The reduced-pressure drying device 100A includes a measuring system 60A for detecting the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40. The measuring system 60A includes a measuring device 650A and a sensor unit 600A.

[0111] The measuring device 650A is an example of a measuring unit, and the sensor unit 600A is an example of a sensor unit. The sensor unit 600A outputs a sensor signal indicating whether a solvent is attached to the measuring device 650A, and a sensor signal corresponding to the amount of solvent attached to the measuring device 650A when the solvent is attached to the measuring device 650A. The measuring device 650A is electrically connected to the sensor unit 600A by means of wiring 61 and 62 for powering on. The measuring device 650A obtains a sensor signal corresponding to the electrical characteristic from the sensor unit 600A by powering on the sensor unit 600A. Moreover, the measuring device 650A processes the sensor signal and outputs the measurement value (data) corresponding to the sensor signal as a measurement result to the control device 90.

[0112] The sensor unit 600A is arranged to face the space SP2. The sensor unit 600A includes a crystal oscillator 603A.

[0113] When the solvent evaporated from the solution film F adheres to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40, the solvent evaporated from the solution film F can also adhere to the sensor unit 600A, that is, the surface of the crystal oscillator 603A. When the solvent particles accumulate on the surface of the crystal oscillator 603A, the natural vibration frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A changes. The measuring device 650A measures the natural vibration frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A.

[0114] Fig.10 This is a graph schematically showing the natural frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A measured by the measuring device 650A according to the second embodiment.

[0115] In the period t1, the control device 90 sets the threshold value TH1 based on the measurement result of the natural frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A. The threshold value TH1 is the lower limit value of the determination range similarly to the first modification.

[0116] In the period t21 of the period t2, the evaporation of the solvent from the solution film F on the substrate S becomes active, and the amount of the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40 is greater than the amount of the solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401, so that the solvent accumulates on the inner wall surface 401. Therefore, the solvent is also accumulated on the crystal oscillator 603A, and the natural vibration frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A decreases. Then, when the drying of the substrate S is advanced, in the period t22 of the period t2, the amount of the solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401 and the amount of the solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401 are balanced, and the natural vibration frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A is approximately constant. The period t21 and the period t22 are the periods of the first drying process A1.

[0117] Next, when the second drying process A2 is performed in the period t23 in the period t2, the amount of solvent evaporated from the inner wall surface 401 is greater than the amount of solvent attached to the inner wall surface 401, so that the natural vibration frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A increases. Then, when the inner wall surface 401 is dried, the natural vibration frequency of the crystal oscillator 603A is substantially constant after the time t3.

[0118] In the second embodiment, the same control as in the modified example 1 is performed. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the end time of the second drying process A2 for drying the cover unit 40 as a structure is determined according to the adhesion condition of the solvent on the inner wall surface 401 of the cover unit 40, so that the processing time of the second drying process A2 can be shortened compared with the case where the processing time of the second drying process is set to a predetermined time with a margin in advance.

[0119] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, even with a solvent having an extremely high volume resistivity, the control device 90 can obtain the presence or absence of solvent adhesion and the measurement result corresponding to the amount of solvent adhesion using the crystal oscillator 603A.

[0120] Furthermore, the second embodiment may be combined with at least one of the first embodiment and the modification of the first embodiment.

[0121] <Third embodiment>

[0122] The third embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, elements marked with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment or the second embodiment have substantially the same structure and function as those described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, and the parts different from the first embodiment and the second embodiment are mainly described.

[0123] Fig.11 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a reduced-pressure drying apparatus 100B as an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[0124] The reduced pressure drying device 100B includes a cover unit 40B and a measuring system 60B for detecting a solvent attached to an inner wall surface 401B of the cover unit 40B. The cover unit 40B includes a surrounding wall 41, a cover member 42, and a protruding member 44 protruding from the cover member 42 to the space SP2 side. In addition, the cover unit 40B may also include a structure other than the protruding member 44 facing the space SP2.

[0125] The measurement system 60B includes two measurement devices 650 as a plurality of measurement units and two sensor units 600 as a plurality of sensor units. The two measurement devices 650 are respectively connected to corresponding sensor units 600 of the two sensor units 600. The number of sensor units 600 is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0126] The protruding member 44 faces the space SP2. Therefore, the surface of the protruding member 44 is a part of the inner wall surface 401B of the cover unit 40B. One of the two sensor units 600 is provided on the surrounding wall 41, and the other is provided on the protruding member 44. In this way, the two sensor units 600 are arranged at different positions.

[0127] The protruding member 44 functions as a partitioning member that partitions the space SP2. In the case where the substrate S is a large substrate, the protruding member 44 partitions the space SP2 into a plurality of partial spaces, so that the corresponding portion of the substrate S can be dried for each partial space, and even if the substrate S is a large substrate, the substrate S can be efficiently and uniformly dried.

[0128] In the first drying process A1, when the solvent evaporates from the solution film F, the solvent can also adhere to the protruding member 44. Therefore, it is preferable that another sensor unit 600 is arranged on the protruding member 44. In addition, it is preferable that two sensor units 600 are arranged in the lower half region R1.

[0129] The substrate processing method, that is, the method for manufacturing an article is used as in the first embodiment. Figure 4 As described in the flowchart shown in the figure, since there are plural (two) sensor units 600, the determination process in step S9 is different from that in the first embodiment.

[0130] In step S9, the control device 90 determines whether all the current values ​​B2 corresponding to the plurality of sensor units 600 are within the determination range, that is, whether all the current values ​​B2 are below the threshold value TH1, as a determination of whether to end the second drying process A2. If even one of the plurality of current values ​​B2 is outside the determination range, that is, greater than the threshold value TH1, the answer is "No" in step S9, and the control device 90 returns to the process of step S7. If all the plurality of current values ​​B2 are within the determination range, that is, below the threshold value TH1, the answer is "Yes" in step S9, and the control device 90 transfers to the process of step S10. Then, the control device 90 ends the execution of the second drying process A2.

[0131] As described above, according to the third embodiment, since the end time of the second drying process A2 for drying the cover unit 40B as a structure is determined according to the adhesion condition of the solvent on the inner wall surface 401B of the cover unit 40B, the processing time of the second drying process A2 can be shortened compared with the case where the processing time of the second drying process is set to a predetermined time with a margin in advance. In addition, since the drying of the inner wall surface 401B of the cover unit 40B is determined using a plurality of sensor units 600, the cover unit 40B can be dried more effectively.

[0132] Furthermore, when the substrate S is enlarged, even if the cover unit 40B does not have the protruding member 44 functioning as a partitioning member, it is preferable to arrange the plurality of sensor units 600 in the space SP2 inside the cover unit 40B.

[0133] Furthermore, at least one of the first embodiment, the modification of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the modification of the second embodiment may be combined with the third embodiment.

[0134] <Embodiment of the method for manufacturing an article>

[0135] The manufacturing method of the article of the embodiment of the present disclosure is suitable for manufacturing articles such as organic EL (OLED) panels using an inkjet printing device. The manufacturing method of the article of the present embodiment includes a process (coating process) of configuring or coating a solution film (a solution containing a solute and a solvent for forming an organic film) on a substrate by a printing method using an inkjet printing device, etc. to obtain a coated substrate. It also includes a process (drying process) of drying the solution film on the coated substrate using the above-mentioned reduced pressure drying device to obtain a dry substrate formed with a dry film. The manufacturing method also includes other well-known processes (baking, cooling, dehumidification, dry cleaning, formation of electrodes, formation of sealing films, etc.). The manufacturing method of the article of the present embodiment is advantageous in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article compared to previous methods.

[0136] As described above, according to the present disclosure, a technique is provided which is advantageous for shortening the processing time of the process of drying the structure around the substrate.

[0137] As mentioned above, although the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure.

[0138] In the above embodiment, the case where the inner wall surface of the cover unit is dried by the second drying process is described. However, when a structure is arranged in the space inside the cover unit, the structure is also dried in the second drying process.

Claims

1. A substrate processing device, characterized in that: The substrate processing device comprises: Airtight container; a substrate holding portion disposed inside the airtight container and capable of holding a substrate coated with a solution containing a solvent; a decompression unit for decompressing the interior of the airtight container; a demarcating member that demarcates a space surrounding the substrate inside the airtight container; a sensor portion facing the space defined by the defining member; and A measuring unit outputs different measurement results depending on whether a solvent is attached to the sensor unit.

2. The substrate processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the solvent adheres to the sensor portion, the measuring portion outputs the different measurement results according to the amount of the solvent adhered to the sensor portion.

3. The substrate processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The substrate processing apparatus further includes a control unit that performs a first process and a second process, wherein the first process is to control the decompression unit so that the pressure inside the airtight container is reduced to a first pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, and the second process is to control the decompression unit so that the pressure inside the airtight container is reduced to a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The control unit acquires the measurement result from the measurement unit in the second process, and determines whether to terminate execution of the second process based on the acquired measurement result.

4. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first pressure is a pressure higher than the vapor pressure of the solvent.

5. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second pressure is a pressure lower than the vapor pressure of the solvent.

6. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control unit executes the second process after executing the first process.

7. The substrate processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control unit determines whether to terminate execution of the second process by comparing a measurement value as the measurement result with a threshold value.

8. The substrate processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The threshold is a preset value.

9. The substrate processing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The control unit sets the threshold value based on the measurement value acquired from the measurement unit before executing the second process.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: The control unit sets the threshold value based on the measurement value acquired from the measurement unit before the first process is executed.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor unit has: the object; and two electrodes, which are provided on the object at a distance from each other, The measuring section measures electrical characteristics between the two electrodes.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that: The measuring section measures a current between the two electrodes as the electrical characteristic.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: The measuring section measures the resistance between the two electrodes as the electrical characteristic.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: The object is an insulator.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: The object is provided integrally with the demarcation member.

16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor unit includes a crystal oscillator. The measuring unit measures a natural oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor unit is arranged at a position facing a region in a lower half of the space defined by the defining member in the up-down direction.

18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of the sensor units arranged at different positions.

19. A substrate processing method, characterized in that: This substrate processing method uses the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18 to perform a process of evaporating a solvent included in a solution applied to a substrate.

20. A method for manufacturing an article, characterized in that: The method for manufacturing an article uses the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18 to perform a process of evaporating a solvent contained in a solution containing a functional material of a functional thin film or a functional element applied on a substrate.

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