Manufacturing method, substrate processing method, and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed are a manufacturing method, a substrate processing method, and a substrate processing apparatus, the manufacturing method including: a substrate loading operation of loading a substrate into a liquid processing chamber; a liquid processing operation of supplying a processing solution to the substrate rotating in the liquid processing chamber through the nozzle; a substrate unloading operation that unloads the substrate from the liquid processing chamber; and a pressure control operation that changes a pressure of a space above the substrate at least once in a period between the substrate loading operation and the substrate unloading operation.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0139388 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on October 18, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a manufacturing method, a substrate processing method and a substrate processing device. Background Art

[0004] In order to manufacture semiconductor devices, a desired pattern is formed on a substrate (such as a wafer) through various processes such as photography, etching, ashing, ion implantation, and thin film deposition. Various processing solutions and processing gases are used in each process, and particles and process byproducts are generated during the process. Cleaning processes are performed before and after each process to remove these particles and process byproducts from the substrate.

[0005] In the cleaning process, the substrate is cleaned by supplying the substrate with a cleaning solution. The substrate is then dried to remove any residual cleaning solution on the substrate. An example of a drying process is a spin drying process, in which the substrate is rotated at a high speed to remove any residual cleaning solution on the substrate. However, the spin drying process of rotating the substrate to remove the cleaning solution has the risk of collapse of the pattern formed on the substrate. In addition, when the aspect ratio of the pattern increases, the cleaning fluid introduced between the patterns may not be fully removed due to the rotation of the substrate. Recently, a supercritical drying process has been utilized, in which the residual cleaning solution on the substrate is replaced with an organic solvent with a low surface tension (such as, isopropyl alcohol (IPA)), and then the substrate is supplied with a supercritical drying gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) to remove the residual organic solvent from the substrate.

[0006] However, as the line width of the pattern on the substrate becomes thinner and the aspect ratio of the pattern becomes larger, there is a growing concern that the pattern formed on the substrate by IPA may be subject to a pattern tilt phenomenon, resulting in pattern collapse, even when using IPA with low surface tension. In addition, in order to effectively dry the substrate in the supercritical drying process, it is very important that the thickness of the liquid film formed by the removed organic solvent is uniform across the substrate. More specifically, when the thickness of the liquid film is unevenly provided across the substrate, the degree of drying of the supercritical fluid may be different in different areas of the substrate. This may lead to defects in semiconductor devices manufactured using the substrate. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention is directed to providing a manufacturing method, a substrate processing method and a substrate processing device capable of effectively processing a substrate.

[0008] The present invention is also directed to providing a manufacturing method, a substrate processing method, and a substrate processing apparatus capable of minimizing the problem of collapse of a pattern formed on a substrate.

[0009] The present invention is also directed to providing a manufacturing method, a substrate processing method, and a substrate processing apparatus capable of efficiently performing removal of a processing solution supplied to a substrate.

[0010] The objects of the present invention are not limited thereto, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood from the following description by those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0011] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a manufacturing method, the manufacturing method including: a substrate loading operation of loading a substrate into a liquid processing chamber; a liquid processing operation of supplying a processing solution to the substrate rotating in the liquid processing chamber through a nozzle; a substrate unloading operation of unloading the substrate from the liquid processing chamber; and a pressure control operation of changing the pressure of a space above the substrate at least once in a period between the substrate loading operation and the substrate unloading operation.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment, the pressure control operation may include changing the pressure of the space above the substrate to decrease at least once.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment, the manufacturing method may further include a controlled release operation of increasing the pressure of the space above the substrate reduced in the pressure control operation.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment, the pressure control operation may include: (a) reducing a supply rate per unit time of a downflow unit that supplies a downflow to a space above a substrate; (b) interrupting the operation of the downflow unit; or (c) increasing an exhaust volume per unit time of a processing space in which the substrate is processed by a processing solution so that the pressure in the space above the substrate is low.

[0015] According to example embodiments, the controlled releasing operation may be performed after the pressure controlling operation and before the substrate unloading operation.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment, the pressure control operation may include placing a blocking plate in the space above the substrate to block a downflow fluid supplied to the space above the substrate to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

[0017] According to example embodiments, the controlled releasing operation may be performed after the pressure controlling operation and before the substrate unloading operation.

[0018] According to example embodiments, the controlled releasing operation may be performed after the pressure controlling operation and after the substrate unloading operation.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment, the baffle plate may be disposed at a height equal to or higher than the inlet opening such that at least a portion of the downflow strikes the baffle plate and is directed toward the inlet opening for a substrate disposed in the liquid processing chamber.

[0020] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing method, the substrate processing method including: a liquid processing operation of supplying an organic solvent to a substrate rotating in a liquid processing chamber; a conveying operation of conveying the substrate on which the organic solvent remains from the liquid processing chamber to a drying chamber; and a drying operation of supplying a supercritical fluid from the drying chamber to the substrate and removing the organic solvent remaining on the substrate, wherein the pressure control operation reduces the pressure in a space above the substrate loaded into the liquid processing chamber at least once during a period between loading the substrate into the liquid processing chamber and unloading the substrate from the liquid processing chamber.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment, the manufacturing method may further include a controlled release operation of increasing the pressure of the space above the substrate reduced in the pressure control operation.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment, a pressure control operation may be performed after a liquid processing operation, a controlled release operation may be performed after a substrate is unloaded from a liquid processing chamber, and the pressure control operation may include: (a) reducing a supply rate per unit time of a downflow flow unit that supplies a downflow flow to a space above the substrate; (b) interrupting the operation of the downflow flow unit; or (c) increasing a discharge per unit time of a processing space in which the substrate is processed by a processing solution to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment, a controlled release operation may be performed before unloading the substrate from the liquid processing chamber, and the pressure control operation may include: (a) reducing a supply rate per unit time of a downflow flow unit that supplies a downflow flow to a space above the substrate; (b) interrupting the operation of the downflow flow unit; or (c) increasing a discharge per unit time of a processing space in which the substrate is processed by a processing solution to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

[0024] According to an exemplary embodiment, a controlled release operation may be performed before unloading the substrate from the liquid processing chamber, and the pressure control operation may include setting a blocking plate in the space above the substrate to block a downflow fluid supplied to the space above the substrate to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment, the organic solvent is isopropyl alcohol.

[0026] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a liquid processing chamber for performing liquid processing on a substrate; a drying chamber for drying a substrate that has been liquid processed in the liquid processing chamber; a transfer robot for transferring the substrate between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber; and a controller for controlling the liquid processing chamber, the drying chamber, and the transfer robot, wherein the liquid processing chamber comprises: a rotating plate for supporting and rotating the substrate; a nozzle for supplying a processing solution to the substrate supported on the rotating plate; and a downflow flow unit for supplying a downflow flow to the substrate supported on the rotating plate, and the controller generates a pressure control instruction that reduces the pressure in the space above the substrate supported on the rotating plate before unloading the substrate loaded into the liquid processing chamber.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment, the pressure control command may be a signal to interrupt operation of the downflow flow unit.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment, the liquid processing chamber may further include a blocking plate disposed above the rotating plate.

[0029] According to example embodiments, the blocking plate may be a blocking plate in which no holes are formed on a surface facing the substrate, and the pressure control signal is a signal controlling a moving mechanism that moves the blocking plate to face the top surface of the substrate.

[0030] According to an exemplary embodiment, the blocking plate may include a first blocking plate and a second blocking plate, a plurality of first holes being formed in the first blocking plate, a plurality of second holes being formed in the second blocking plate, and the pressure control signal is a signal for controlling a moving mechanism that moves at least one of the first blocking plate and the second blocking plate so that the first holes and the second holes do not overlap when viewed from above.

[0031] According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a substrate can be efficiently processed.

[0032] Further, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drying process efficiency for the substrate may be improved.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the transfer of air pockets to the substrate can be minimized.

[0034] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned effects, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand unmentioned effects from this specification and the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 To schematically illustrate an exemplary embodiment Figure 1 Diagram of the liquid handling chamber.

[0037] Figure 3 To schematically illustrate an exemplary embodiment Figure 1 Diagram of the drying chamber.

[0038] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a flow chart schematically showing a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 To show Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a diagram of a substrate processing apparatus performing a substrate loading operation.

[0040] Figure 6 To show Figure 4 A diagram of a liquid handling operation performed by a substrate processing apparatus.

[0041] Figure 7 To show Figure 4 A diagram of a substrate processing apparatus performing a pressure control operation.

[0042] Figure 8 To show Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a diagram of a substrate processing apparatus performing a substrate unloading operation.

[0043] Fig. 9 To illustrate the substrate processing apparatus performing Figure 4 Figure 1 shows a diagram of a controlled release operation.

[0044] Fig.10 is a graph showing the capillary force applied to the pattern.

[0045] Fig.11 FIG. 1 is a flow chart schematically showing a substrate processing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Fig.12 To schematically illustrate the implementation Fig.11 A graph showing changes in pressure in a processing space of a liquid processing chamber during a substrate processing method.

[0047] Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus performing a pressure control operation according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Fig.14 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus performing a controlled release operation according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Fig.15 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus performing a pressure control operation according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Fig.16 FIG. 1 is a flow chart schematically showing a substrate processing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Fig.17 FIG. 1 is a flow chart schematically showing a substrate processing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] By reviewing the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, various features and advantages of the non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present specification may become apparent. The accompanying drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Unless explicitly stated, the accompanying drawings are not considered to be drawn to scale. For clarity, the various dimensions in the drawings may be exaggerated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments are provided so that the disclosure is thorough and the scope is fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. Many specific details (such as examples of specific components, equipment and methods) are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details do not need to be adopted, and example embodiments can be embodied in many different forms, and specific details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In some example embodiments, known processes, known equipment structures and known technologies are not described in detail.

[0054] The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific example embodiments and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may be intended to include plural forms. The terms "comprises, comprising", "including" and "having" are inclusive and therefore specifically refer to the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof. Unless explicitly identified as an execution order, the method steps, processes and operations described herein should not be interpreted as having to be performed in the specific order discussed or illustrated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be adopted.

[0055] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on another element or layer," "engaged to another element or layer," "connected to another element or layer," or "coupled to another element or layer," the element or layer may be directly on, directly engaged to, connected to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to," there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0056] Although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. can be used in this article to describe different elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, unless otherwise specified, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms can only be used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer and / or section from another region, layer and / or section. When used in this article, unless the context clearly indicates, terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical items do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, without departing from the teaching of the example embodiment, the first element, first component, first region, first layer or first section discussed below can be referred to as the second element, second component, second region, second layer or second section.

[0057] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "inside," "outside," "below," "beneath," "below," "above," and the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature, as shown in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientations described in the accompanying drawings. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, an element described as being "below" or "beneath" other elements or features will subsequently be oriented to be "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the example term "below" is able to encompass both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or oriented in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0058] When the terms "same" or "identical" are used in the description of the exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that some imprecision may exist. Thus, when an element or value is referred to as being the same as another element or value, it should be understood that the element or value is the same as the other element or value within a manufacturing or operating tolerance range (e.g., ±10%).

[0059] When the term "approximately" or "substantially" is used with a numerical value, it should be understood that the associated numerical value includes a manufacturing or operating tolerance (e.g., ±10%) around the numerical value. In addition, when the words "generally" and "substantially" are used in connection with geometric shapes, it should be understood that the precision of the geometric shape is not required, but the latitude of the shape is within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0060] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the example embodiments belong. It should also be understood that terms (including those defined in commonly used dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0061] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the fact that the substrate W to be processed is a wafer. Further, the present invention will be described based on the fact that a pattern PA is formed on the substrate to be processed W. Further, the present invention will be described based on the fact that the substrate processing method is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

[0062] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] See also Figure 1 , the substrate processing device includes an index module 10, a processing module 20, and a controller 30. When viewed from above, the index module 10 and the processing module 20 are arranged in one direction. Hereinafter, the direction in which the index module 10 and the processing module 20 are arranged is referred to as a first direction X, and when viewed from above, a direction perpendicular to the first direction X is referred to as a second direction Y, and a direction perpendicular to both the first direction X and the second direction Y is referred to as a third direction Z.

[0064] The index module 10 transfers the substrate W from the container C containing the substrate W therein to the processing module 20, and contains the substrate W that has been processed in the processing module 20 into the container C. The longitudinal direction of the index module 10 is set in the second direction Y. The index module 10 includes a loading port 12 and an index frame 14. The loading port 12 is located at an opposite side of the processing module 20 based on the index frame 14. The container C containing the substrate W therein is placed on the loading port 12. A plurality of loading ports 12 may be provided, and the plurality of loading ports 12 may be arranged along the second direction Y.

[0065] An airtight container such as a Front Open Unified Pod (FOUP) may be used as the container C. The container C may be placed on the load port 12 by a transport device (not shown) such as an overhead transfer, an overhead conveyor, or an automatic guided vehicle, or by an operator.

[0066] The index robot 120 is provided to the index frame 14. A guide rail 124 (whose longitudinal direction is provided in the second direction Y) is provided inside the index frame 14, and the index robot 120 may be provided to be movable on the guide rail 124. The index robot 120 includes a hand 122 on which the substrate W is placed, and the hand 122 may be provided to be movable in the forward and backward directions, rotatable about the third direction Z, and movable along the third direction Z. A plurality of hands 122 are provided to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the hands 122 may be moved forward and backward independently of each other.

[0067] The processing module 20 includes a buffer unit 200, a transfer chamber 300, a liquid processing chamber 400, and a drying chamber 500. The buffer unit 200 provides a space in which the substrate W loaded into the processing module 20 and the substrate W unloaded from the processing module 20 temporarily stay. The liquid processing chamber 400 performs a liquid processing process of processing the substrate W with liquid by supplying liquid onto the substrate W. The drying chamber 500 performs a drying process of removing liquid remaining on the substrate W. The transfer chamber 300 transfers the substrate W between the buffer unit 200, the liquid processing chamber 400, and the drying chamber 500.

[0068] The buffer unit 200 includes a plurality of buffer zones 220 on which the substrate W is placed. The buffer zones 220 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other along the third direction Z. The buffer zones 220 may be substrate holders that support the bottom surface of the substrate W. The buffer zones 220 may be provided in the form of a support frame that supports the bottom surface of the substrate W.

[0069] The front and rear of the buffer unit 200 are open. The front is a face facing the index module 10, and the rear is a face facing the transfer chamber 300. The index robot 120 can approach the buffer unit 200 through the front, and the transfer robot 320 can approach the buffer unit 200 through the rear.

[0070] The longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber 300 may be set in the first direction X. The buffer unit 200 may be provided between the index module 10 and the transfer chamber 300. The liquid processing chamber 400 and the drying chamber 500 may be provided on the side of the transfer chamber 300. The liquid processing chamber 400 and the transfer chamber 300 may be arranged in the second direction Y. The drying chamber 500 and the transfer chamber 300 may be arranged in the second direction Y. The buffer unit 200 may be located at one end of the transfer chamber 300.

[0071] According to an example, the liquid processing chamber 400 is disposed on both sides of the transfer chamber 300, and the drying chamber 500 is disposed on both sides of the transfer chamber 300, and the liquid processing chamber 400 may be disposed closer to the buffer unit 200 than the drying chamber 500. At one side of the transfer chamber 300, the liquid processing chamber 400 may be disposed in an arrangement of A×B (each of A and B is a natural number of 1 or greater than 1) in the first direction X and the third direction Z. Further, at one side of the transfer chamber 300, the drying chamber 500 may be disposed in the number of C×D (each of C and D is a natural number of 1 or greater than 1) in the first direction X and the third direction Z. Different from the above, only the liquid processing chamber 400 may be disposed on one side of the transfer chamber 300, and only the drying chamber 500 may be disposed on the other side of the transfer chamber 300.

[0072] The transfer chamber 300 includes a transfer robot 320. A guide rail 324 (whose longitudinal direction is set in the first direction X) is provided in the transfer chamber 300, and the transfer robot 320 may be provided to be movable on the guide rail 324. The transfer robot 320 includes a hand 322 on which the substrate W is placed, and the hand 322 may be provided to be movable in the forward and backward directions, rotatable about the third direction Z, and movable along the third direction Z. A plurality of hands 322 may be provided to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the hands 322 may be moved forward and backward independently of each other.

[0073] The controller 30 can control the substrate processing device. The controller 30 may include: a process controller, which is composed of a microprocessor (computer) that performs control of the substrate processing device; a user interface, which is composed of a keyboard, on which the operator performs command input operations, etc. in order to manage the substrate processing device; a display, which is used to visualize and display the operating status of the substrate processing device, etc.; and a storage unit, which stores a control program for executing a process performed in the substrate processing device under the control of the process controller, or stores a program for executing a process in each component according to various data and processing conditions (i.e., a processing scheme). In addition, the user interface and the storage unit may be connected to the process controller. The processing scheme may be stored in a storage medium in the storage unit, and the storage medium may be a hard disk, a portable disk (such as a CD-ROM or a DVD), or a semiconductor memory (such as a flash memory).

[0074] The controller 30 may control the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus to perform a substrate treating method described below. For example, the controller 30 may generate a control command to control the transfer chamber 300 , the liquid processing chamber 400 , and the drying chamber 500 .

[0075] Figure 2 The present invention schematically illustrates a Figure 1 Diagram of the liquid handling chamber.

[0076] See also Figure 2 , the liquid processing chamber 400 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can process the substrate W by supplying the substrate W with a processing solution. The processing solution supplied to the substrate W may be a cleaning solution for cleaning the substrate W. The cleaning solution may be deionized water or an organic solvent. The organic solvent may include an alcohol solvent. The organic solvent may be isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

[0077] The liquid processing chamber 400 may include a housing 410 , a support unit 420 , a bowl 430 , an elevating unit 440 , a liquid supply unit 450 , a nozzle backup cup 460 , and a downflow unit 470 .

[0078] The housing 410 may be provided as a space in which the substrate W is processed and a space in which some configurations of the liquid processing chamber 400 are arranged. The housing 410 may be provided with an upper space 411, which is a processing space in which the substrate W is processed, and a lower space 412 located below the upper space 411. The upper space 411 and the lower space 412 may be separated by a compartment plate 413 provided in the housing 410. The compartment plate 413 may be a plate having an open central area when viewed from above.

[0079] On one side of the housing 410, an inlet opening 414 for introducing a substrate W into the upper space 411 and for removing the substrate W from the upper space 411 may be formed. The inlet opening 414 may be selectively opened and closed by a door DO, which may be a shutter. The door DO may be configured to be movable in the up-down direction. For example, the door DO may be configured to be movable in the up-down direction by an electric motor, a pneumatic / hydraulic cylinder, etc.

[0080] The support unit 420 may be configured to support and rotate the substrate W in a space provided by the housing 410 . The support unit 420 may include a rotating plate 421 , a rotating shaft 424 , and a rotating driver 425 .

[0081] When viewed from above, the rotating plate 421 may have a substantially circular plate shape. The rotating plate 421 may have a shape with a wide top surface and a narrow bottom surface. In the rotating plate 421, a chuck pin 422 and a support pin 423 may be installed. The chuck pin 422 may be provided in plurality.

[0082] The chuck pins 422 may be configured to support the bottom surface and the side of the edge of the substrate W. The chuck pins 422 may be configured to be movable in a direction closer to the center of the rotating plate 421 or in a direction away from the center of the rotating plate 421 when viewed from above. The chuck pins 422 may be configured to be movable in a direction closer to the center of the rotating plate 421 or in a direction away from the center of the rotating plate 421 by a driving mechanism (such as a motor or a cylinder) provided in the rotating plate 421. When the chuck pins 422 move in a direction closer to the center of the rotating plate 421 and are positioned at the clamping position, the substrate W may be clamped to the rotating plate 421. Conversely, when the chuck pins 422 move in a direction away from the center of the rotating plate 421 and are positioned at the unclamping position, the substrate W may be unclamped from the rotating plate 421.

[0083] The support pins 423 may be configured to support the bottom surface of the substrate W. The support pins 423 may be provided in plural and may be configured to respectively support different points on the bottom surface of the substrate W. When viewed from above, the support pins 423 may be arranged while being spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0084] The lower portion of the rotating plate 421 may be coupled to the rotating shaft 424. The rotating shaft 424 may rotate clockwise or counterclockwise by receiving a driving force from a rotating driver 425, which may be a hollow motor.

[0085] The bowl 430 may provide a space in which the substrate W is processed. The bowl 430 may have a cup shape with an open top. When a liquid supply unit 450 described later supplies a processing solution to the rotating substrate W, the bowl 430 may serve as a liquid receiving portion to collect the processing solution dispersed from the substrate W.

[0086] The bowl-shaped member 430 may include an outer bowl-shaped member 431 and an inner bowl-shaped member 432. The outer bowl-shaped member 431 and the inner bowl-shaped member 432 may include a bottom, a side extending upward from the bottom, and a top extending obliquely from the side in a direction closer to the rotating plate 421. The side may be coupled with the lifting unit 440 described later. The inner bowl-shaped member 432 may be a bowl-shaped member disposed inside the outer bowl-shaped member 431. The inner bowl-shaped member 432 may be connected to an exhaust pipe EP, which is capable of discharging a downflow DF supplied to the upper space 411 as a processing space. The exhaust pipe EP may be connected to a first decompression device EA1 via a bowl-shaped exhaust pipe BEL, which may be a pump.

[0087] The first decompression device EA1 may be configured to exhaust the atmosphere of a space (eg, the upper space 411 ) provided by the housing 410 at a preset exhaust flowrate per unit time at all times.

[0088] The processing solution may be collected between the outer bowl 431 and the inner bowl 432. The collected processing solution may be discharged to the outside of the liquid processing chamber 400 through a drain line DL connected to the bottom of the outer bowl 431.

[0089] In addition, a downflow flow DF supplied by a downflow flow unit 470 described later may be discharged through a space between the outer bowl 431 and the inner bowl 432. The downflow flow DF may pass between the outer bowl 431 and the inner bowl 432 and be discharged to the outside of the liquid processing chamber 400 via the discharge pipe EP and the bowl discharge line BEL.

[0090] The lifting unit 440 may be configured to change the relative height of the bowl 430 and the rotating plate 421. The lifting unit 440 may be configured to move the bowl 430 in the up-down direction, thereby changing the relative height of the bowl 430 and the rotating plate 421. The lifting unit 440 may include a fixed bracket 441, a lifting shaft 442, and a lifting driver 443. The lifting driver 443 may be a motor or a pneumatic / hydraulic cylinder, which may move the fixed bracket 441 connected to the lifting shaft 442 in the up-down direction. The fixed bracket 441 is coupled to the side of the outer bowl 431, and is capable of moving both the outer bowl 431 and the inner bowl 432 in the up-down direction.

[0091] The liquid supply unit 450 may supply the substrate W with a treatment solution. The treatment solution may be a cleaning solution for cleaning the substrate W. The cleaning solution may be deionized water or an organic solvent. The organic solvent may be a solvent containing alcohol. In addition, the organic solvent may be isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

[0092] The liquid supply unit 450 may include a nozzle 451, an arm 452, a moving shaft 453, and a moving driver 454. The nozzle 451 may be coupled to the arm 452. The arm 452 may be coupled to the moving shaft 453. The moving shaft 453 may be rotated by the moving driver 454, which may be a motor. The moving shaft 453 may be rotatable. Therefore, the arm 452 may rotate around the rotation axis of the moving shaft 453.

[0093] The nozzle 451 can change its position between the processing position and the standby position by the rotation of the moving shaft 453. The processing position may be a position where the nozzle 451 faces the center of the substrate W placed on the rotating plate 421. The standby position may be a position where the nozzle 451 faces the liquid receiving space 461 of the nozzle backup cup 460 described later.

[0094] In the above example, the liquid supply unit 450 is described and shown as being provided with a single liquid supply unit, but the liquid supply unit 450 may be provided with a plurality of liquid supply units. One of the liquid supply units 450 may be configured to supply deionized water, and the other may be configured to supply isopropyl alcohol.

[0095] The nozzle standby cup 460 may provide a waiting space 461 in which the nozzle 451 may wait. When a process is not performed, the nozzle 451 may be positioned at a standby position, that is, on one side above the nozzle standby cup 460. The nozzle standby cup 460 may be used as a liquid receiving portion to receive a pre-discharged processing solution before the nozzle 451 starts a process on the substrate W. In addition, the nozzle standby cup 460 may be used as a liquid receiving portion to receive a processing solution collected at an end of the nozzle 451 while the nozzle 451 is waiting.

[0096] The nozzle backup cup 460 may be connected to the cup discharge line CER. The cup discharge line CER may be connected to the second decompression device EA2, which may be a pump.

[0097] The second decompression device EA2 may be configured to exhaust the atmosphere of the space (eg, the upper space 411 ) provided by the housing 410 at a preset exhaust flow rate per unit time at all times.

[0098] The downflow flow unit 470 may be mounted on the housing 410. The downflow flow unit 470 may supply the downflow flow DF to a space provided by the housing 410, for example, an upper space 411 as a processing space. The downflow flow unit 470 may be an assembly formed by a fan configured to rotate, a filter disposed on the lower side of the fan, and a frame in which the fan and the filter are mounted. The downflow flow unit 470 may be connected to an air supply line AL, which is connected to an air supply source AS. The air supply source AS may supply clean dry air CDA controlled by temperature and humidity to the downflow flow unit 470 via the air supply line AL.

[0099] Figure 3 To schematically illustrate an exemplary embodiment Figure 1 Diagram of the drying chamber.

[0100] The drying chamber 500 may provide a supercritical fluid to the substrate W that has been subjected to liquid treatment in the liquid treatment chamber 400 to dry the substrate W. In an exemplary embodiment, the drying chamber 500 removes a solution on the substrate W by using a supercritical fluid, which may be a carbon dioxide gas in a supercritical state. The drying chamber 500 includes a body 520, a support body 540, a fluid supply unit 560, and a blocking plate 580.

[0101] The body 520 provides an internal space 502 in which a drying process is performed. The body 520 includes an upper body 522 and a lower body 524, and the upper body 522 and the lower body 524 are combined with each other to provide the above-mentioned internal space 502. The upper body 522 is provided above the lower body 524. The position of the upper body 522 is fixed, and the lower body 524 can be raised and lowered by a driving member 590 (such as a cylinder). When the lower body 524 is separated from the upper body 522, the internal space 502 is opened, and in this case, the substrate W is loaded or unloaded. During the process, the lower body 524 is in close contact with the upper body 522, so that the internal space 502 is sealed from the outside.

[0102] The drying chamber 500 includes a heater 570. According to one example, the heater 570 is located inside the wall of the body 520. The heater 570 heats the inner space 502 of the body 520 so that the fluid supplied into the inner space 502 of the body 520 maintains a supercritical state.

[0103] The support body 540 supports the substrate W in the inner space 502 of the body 520 . The support body 540 includes a fixing rod 542 and a cradle 544 .

[0104] The fixing rod 542 is fixedly mounted on the upper body 522 so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface of the upper body 522. The fixing rod 542 is provided so that its longitudinal direction is the vertical direction. A plurality of fixing rods 542 are provided and are positioned to be spaced apart from each other. The fixing rod 542 is provided so that the substrate W does not interfere with the fixing rod 542 when the substrate W is loaded into or unloaded from the space around the fixing rod 542. The bracket 544 is coupled to each of the fixing rods 542.

[0105] The bracket 544 extends from the lower end of the fixing rod 542 toward the space surrounding the fixing rod 542. With the above structure, the edge area of ​​the substrate W loaded into the internal space 502 of the body 520 is placed on the bracket 544, and the entire top surface area of ​​the substrate W, the center area in the bottom surface of the substrate W, and a portion of the edge area in the bottom surface of the substrate W are exposed to the supercritical fluid supplied to the internal space 502.

[0106] The fluid supply unit 560 supplies the supercritical fluid to the internal space 502 of the body 520. According to an example, the supercritical fluid may be supplied to the internal space 502 in a supercritical state. Different from this, the supercritical fluid may be supplied to the internal space 502 in a gaseous state and may be phase-changed to a supercritical state within the internal space 502. According to an example, the fluid supply unit 560 includes a main supply line 562, an upper branch line 564, and a lower branch line 566.

[0107] An upper branch line 564 and a lower branch line 566 are branched from the main supply line 562. The upper branch line 564 is coupled to the upper body 522 to supply the supercritical fluid from the upper portion of the substrate W placed on the support 540. According to an example, the upper branch line 564 is coupled to the center of the upper body 522.

[0108] The lower branch line 566 is coupled to the lower body 524 to supply the supercritical fluid from the lower portion of the substrate W placed on the support body 540. According to an example, the lower branch line 566 is coupled to the center of the lower body 524. The exhaust line 550 is coupled to the lower body 524. The supercritical fluid in the inner space 502 of the body 520 is exhausted to the outside of the body 520 through the exhaust line 550.

[0109] The blocking plate 580 may be disposed in the inner space 502 of the body 520. The blocking plate 580 may be provided in a disc shape. The blocking plate 580 is supported by a support member 582 so as to be spaced upward from the bottom surface of the body 520. The support member 582 is provided in a rod-like shape, and a plurality of support members 582 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance. When viewed from above, the blocking plate 580 may be provided to overlap with the outlet of the lower branch line 566 and the inlet of the exhaust line 550. The blocking plate 580 may prevent the substrate W from being damaged due to the direct release of the supercritical fluid supplied through the lower branch line 566 toward the substrate W.

[0110] Hereinafter, a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. The substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: supplying a processing solution such as isopropyl alcohol to a rotating substrate W through a liquid processing chamber 400 (liquid processing operation); while the processing solution is maintained on the substrate W, transferring the substrate W from the liquid processing chamber 400 to a drying chamber 500 through a transfer robot 320 of a transfer chamber 300 (transfer operation); and supplying a supercritical fluid to the substrate W in the drying chamber 500 to remove the processing solution remaining on the substrate W (drying operation). Below, the substrate processing method will be described with a focus on the process operation performed in the liquid processing chamber 400.

[0111] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a flow chart schematically showing a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] See also Figure 4, the substrate processing method S10 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a substrate loading operation S11, a liquid processing operation S12, a pressure control operation S13, a substrate unloading operation S14, and a controlled release operation S15. The substrate loading operation S11, the liquid processing operation S12, the pressure control operation S13, the substrate unloading operation S14, and the controlled release operation S15 may be performed sequentially.

[0113] Figure 5 To illustrate the substrate processing apparatus performing Figure 4 Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a substrate loading operation.

[0114] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the substrate loading operation S11, the door DO opens the inlet opening 414, and the transfer robot 320 of the transfer chamber 300 may load the substrate W into the upper space 411. In the substrate loading operation S11, the nozzle 451 may be positioned in the standby position, and the bowl 430 may be positioned in the lower position.

[0115] In the substrate loading operation S11, the downflow flow unit 470 may supply the downflow flow DF at a preset supply flow rate per unit time, and the first decompression device EA1 and the second decompression device EA2 may discharge the downflow flow DF at a preset discharge flow rate per unit time. At this time, the pressure in the upper space 411 may be normal pressure.

[0116] Figure 6 To illustrate the substrate processing apparatus performing Figure 4 Diagram of a liquid handling operation.

[0117] See also Figure 4 and Figure 6 The liquid treatment operation S12 may include supplying a treatment solution to the rotating substrate W through a nozzle 451 of a liquid supply unit 450. The treatment solution supplied by the nozzle 451 may be deionized water or isopropyl alcohol. Here, the treatment solution supplied by the nozzle 451 is isopropyl alcohol.

[0118] In this case, the downflow flow unit 470 can supply the downflow flow DF at a preset supply flow rate per unit time, and the first decompression device EA1 and the second decompression device EA2 can discharge the downflow flow DF at a preset discharge flow rate per unit time. The supply flow rate per unit time of the downflow flow unit 470 can be substantially matched with the discharge flow rate per unit time of the first decompression device EA1 and the second decompression device EA2. Therefore, the pressure in the upper space 411 can be maintained at a normal pressure. In addition, since the downflow flow DF flows in a downward direction, the top of the substrate W can be subjected to a constant pressure of the downflow flow DF flowing downward.

[0119] Figure 7 To illustrate the substrate processing apparatus performing Figure 4 Diagram of the pressure control operation.

[0120] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 7 , when the liquid processing operation S12 ends, the pressure control operation S13 can be performed. In the pressure control operation S13, the operation of the downflow flow unit 470 can be interrupted, and / or the unit time supply rate of the downflow flow unit 470 can be reduced. In this case, the first decompression device EA1 and the second decompression device EA2 can discharge the downflow flow DF at a preset discharge flow rate per unit time. In other words, since the first decompression device EA1 and the second decompression device EA2 still discharge the downflow flow DF at a preset discharge flow rate per unit time, and the downflow flow unit 470 has no unit time supply flow rate or a reduced unit time supply flow rate, the pressure in the upper space 411 can be changed to a negative pressure, that is, a pressure that is a certain level lower than the normal pressure. As used herein, negative pressure can be defined as a pressure lower than normal pressure.

[0121] Figure 8 To illustrate the substrate processing apparatus performing Figure 4 Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a substrate loading operation.

[0122] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 8 When the pressure control operation S13 ends, the substrate unloading operation S14 may be performed. In the substrate unloading operation S14, the bowl 430 may be lowered and the door DO may open the inlet opening 414. Thereafter, the transfer robot 320 of the transfer chamber 300 may transfer the substrate W in the liquid processing chamber 400 through the inlet opening 414 and return the substrate W to the drying chamber 500.

[0123] Fig. 9 To illustrate the substrate processing apparatus performing Figure 4 Figure 1 shows a diagram of a controlled release operation.

[0124] Reference Figure 4 and Fig. 9, when the substrate unloading operation S14 ends, the control release operation S15 may be performed. The control release operation S15 may include returning the operation of the downflow flow unit 470 to a state before the pressure control operation S13 is performed. For example, when the operation of the downflow flow unit 470 is interrupted in the pressure control operation S13, the control release operation S15 may include restarting the operation of the downflow flow unit 470. In addition, when the unit time supply flow rate of the downflow flow DF of the downflow flow unit 470 is reduced in the pressure control operation S13, the unit time supply flow rate of the downflow flow DF of the downflow flow unit 470 may be greatly increased in the control release operation S15.

[0125] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in the pressure control operation S13, the space above the substrate W placed on the rotating plate 421 is changed at least once. More specifically, the pressure control operation S13 is performed in the period between the substrate loading operation S11 and the substrate unloading operation S14 to change the pressure of the space above the substrate W to be lower than the normal pressure. This is to minimize the problem that the pattern PA formed on the substrate W is collapsed by the pressure caused by the downflow fluid DF supplied to the upper part of the substrate W.

[0126] More specifically, Fig.10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the substrate W. The substrate W may include polycrystalline silicon (SI) and a pattern PA formed on the polycrystalline silicon (SI).

[0127] The line width of the pattern PA is represented by L, the height of the pattern PA is represented by H, and the spacing between the patterns PA is represented by d. In addition, when the processing solution is supplied between the patterns PA, the processing solution contacts the side wall of the PA. The contact angle of the processing solution with the side wall of the PA is represented by θ. In addition, the surface tension of the processing solution is represented by γ.

[0128] The capillary force is the force pulling the PA toward the area where the treatment solution is applied and is given by Equation 1 below.

[0129] [Formula 1]

[0130] σ=(2γcosθ) / d

[0131] In other words, it is important to first use a processing solution with low surface tension to avoid the pattern PA from collapsing due to capillary forces. In addition, it is important to ensure that the contact angle θ between the processing solution and the sidewalls of the PA is close to 90 degrees. The contact angle θ is determined by the pressure P of the processing solution. 冲洗 and the pressure P of the space above the substrate W 气氛 When determining the pressure P of the processing solution 冲洗 In order to make the contact angle θ close to 90 degrees, the pressure P in the space above the substrate W must be eliminated. 气氛impact.

[0132] Therefore, in the present invention, the pressure control operation S13 is performed after the liquid processing operation S12 to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate W. This allows the contact angle θ to approach 90 degrees, thereby minimizing the occurrence of pattern collapse caused by the processing solution. In addition, reducing the pressure in the space above the substrate W helps to form and relatively uniformly maintain the thickness of the liquid film formed by the processing solution supplied on the substrate W over the entire area of ​​the substrate W. As the thickness of the liquid film formed on the substrate W is formed and maintained at a relatively constant level, the drying efficiency of the substrate W in the drying chamber 500 can also be more significantly improved.

[0133] In the above example, the present invention is described based on the case where the controlled release operation S15 is performed after the substrate unloading operation S14 is performed as an example, but is not limited thereto. For example, when the pressure reduction in the pressure control operation S13 is large, when the inlet opening 414 is opened while the pressure in the upper space 411 is reduced, impurities (such as particles) remaining in the transfer chamber 300 may be introduced into the upper space 411 through the inlet opening 414 (at this time, the pressure in the transfer chamber 300 may be maintained at a normal pressure).

[0134] In order to avoid the introduction of impurities, such as Fig.11 As shown, a substrate processing method S20 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may sequentially perform a substrate loading operation S21 , a pressure controlling operation S22 , a liquid processing operation S23 , a controlled releasing operation S24 , and a substrate unloading operation S25 .

[0135] In addition, see Fig.12 It can be seen that during the substrate loading operation S21, the controlled release operation S24 and the substrate unloading operation S25, the pressure in the upper space 411 can be maintained at the first pressure P1 as the normal pressure, and during the pressure control operation S22 and the liquid processing operation S23, the pressure in the upper space 411 can be maintained at the second pressure P2 lower than the normal pressure.

[0136] In other words, the substrate processing method S20 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may first perform the controlled release operation S24, and then perform the substrate loading operation S25 to convert the pressure in the upper space 411 to the normal pressure before unloading the substrate W. Therefore, impurities such as particles introduced into the upper space 411 through the inlet opening 414 and remaining in the transfer chamber 300 may be minimized.

[0137] Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention performing a pressure control operation.

[0138] See also Fig.13 , the liquid processing chamber 400 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a blocking plate 480. The blocking plate 480 is disposed below the downflow flow unit 470 and can move laterally. The blocking plate 480 can move between a blocking position facing the downflow flow DF supplied to the substrate W (this case corresponds to a pressure control operation) and a blocking release position (this case corresponds to a control release operation) where the flow path of the downflow flow DF supplied to the substrate W does not overlap. The blocking plate 480 can be configured to slide laterally through a power transmission mechanism (not shown) such as a motor or a cylinder. The blocking plate 480 can be set to a blocking plate that does not form a hole on one side of the top surface of the substrate W placed on the rotating plate 421.

[0139] In the above-mentioned example, the present invention is described based on the case where the blocking plate 480 in which the hole is not formed is provided as the blocking plate as an example, but is not limited thereto.

[0140] Fig.14 is a diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus for performing a controlled release operation according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and Fig.15 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus performing a pressure control operation according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0141] See also Fig.14 and Fig.15 , a liquid processing chamber 400 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a blocking plate 490. The blocking plate 490 may include a first blocking plate 491 and a second blocking plate 492. The first blocking plate 491 and the second blocking plate 492 are arranged in an up-down direction, and when viewed from above, the holes formed in the first blocking plate 491 and the second blocking plate 492 may overlap with each other or may not overlap with each other.

[0142] For example, when the relative positions of the first blocking plate 491 and the second blocking plate 492 are arranged as follows Fig.14 When the substrate W is in the overlapping position shown in FIG. 4 (in this case, corresponding to the controlled release operation), the holes formed in the first blocking plate 491 and the holes formed in the second blocking plate 492 may overlap each other when viewed from above. In this case, the downflow flow DF supplied by the downflow flow unit 470 may pass through the blocking plate 490 and be delivered to the upper area of ​​the substrate W placed on the rotating plate 421 without or with less disturbed flow.

[0143] On the other hand, when the relative positions of the first blocking plate 491 and the second blocking plate 492 are arranged at the blocking position (in this case, corresponding to the pressure control operation), when viewed from above, the hole formed in the first blocking plate 491 and the hole formed in the second blocking plate 492 may not overlap each other. In this case, the downflow flow DF supplied by the downflow flow unit 470 cannot pass through the blocking plate 490 and is blocked, and the downflow flow DF may be prevented from directly flowing to the upper area of ​​the substrate W placed on the rotating plate 421. The position of either the first blocking plate 491 or the second blocking plate 492 may be fixed, and the position of either the first blocking plate 491 or the second blocking plate 492 may be configured to be moved laterally by a driving device (not shown) such as a motor / cylinder.

[0144] In the examples described previously, the pressure in the upper region of the substrate W is reduced by shutting down the operation of the downflow flow unit 470 or by reducing the supply flow rate of the downflow flow DF per unit time of the downflow flow unit 470, but in other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the flow of the downflow flow DF delivered to the upper region of the substrate W is reduced by blocking plates 480 and 490.

[0145] In this case, when the downflow DF hits the blocking plates 480 and 490 and is forced to flow laterally, less of the downflow DF flows toward the upper region of the substrate W, and more of the downflow DF flows in the direction of the inlet opening 414. In other words, the upper region of the substrate W will have a relatively low pressure, and the region near the inlet opening 414 will have a relatively high pressure. In other words, the blocking plates 480 and 490 can make the pressure in the upper region of the substrate W relatively low, and the region near the inlet opening 414 have a relatively high pressure.

[0146] As previously described, when the operation of the downflow flow unit 370 is controlled to reduce the pressure in the upper region of the substrate W, the pressure in the upper space 411 can be lower than the pressure in the transfer chamber 300, thereby potentially creating a risk of particles from the transfer chamber 300 entering the upper space 411 when the inlet opening 414 is opened.

[0147] However, when the pressure in the upper region of the substrate W is adjusted by using the blocking plates 480 and 490, the pressure in the upper space 411 is equal to the pressure in the transfer chamber 300 (i.e., a normal pressure state), or at least the region near the inlet opening 414 is higher than the pressure in the transfer chamber 300. In addition, in the vicinity of the inlet opening 414, the downflow DF may act as a so-called air curtain, thereby further preventing particles from the transfer chamber 300 from entering the upper space 411.

[0148] Therefore, with Fig.16 The substrate processing method S30 according to the third exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 sequentially performs a substrate loading operation S31, a pressure control operation S32, a liquid processing operation S33, a control release operation S34, and a substrate unloading operation S35. Fig.17 In the substrate processing method S40 according to the fourth exemplary embodiment shown in the figure, the possibility of particles from the transfer chamber 300 entering the upper space 411 will also become very small. The substrate processing method S40 sequentially performs a substrate loading operation S41, a pressure control operation S42, a liquid processing operation S43, a substrate unloading operation S44 and a controlled release operation S45.

[0149] In other words, when the blocking plates 480 and 490 are used, there is an advantage that the possibility of particles from the transfer chamber 300 entering the upper space 411 becomes very small even if the inlet opening 414 is opened before the control release operations S34 and S45.

[0150] It should be understood that exemplary embodiments are disclosed herein, and other variations are possible. The individual elements or features of a particular exemplary embodiment are generally not limited to that particular exemplary embodiment, but are interchangeable, and, where applicable, may also be used for the selected exemplary embodiment even if not specifically shown or described. These modifications should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and all such modifications apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method, comprising: a substrate loading operation of loading a substrate into a liquid processing chamber; a liquid processing operation that supplies a processing solution to a substrate rotating in the liquid processing chamber through a nozzle; a substrate unloading operation, wherein the substrate unloading operation unloads the substrate from the liquid processing chamber; as well as A pressure control operation is performed to change the pressure of a space above the substrate at least once in a period between the substrate loading operation and the substrate unloading operation.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein: The pressure control operation includes changing the pressure of the space above the substrate to decrease at least once.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein: The method further comprises: A controlled release operation is performed to increase the pressure of the space above the substrate which was lowered in the pressure control operation.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein: The pressure control operation includes: (a) reducing a supply rate per unit time of a downflow flow unit that supplies a downflow flow to a space above a substrate; (b) interrupting operation of the downflow unit; or (c) increasing the exhaust volume per unit time of a processing space in which the substrate is processed by the processing solution so as to lower the pressure in the space above the substrate.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein: The controlled release operation is performed after the pressure control operation and before the substrate unloading operation.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein: The pressure control operation includes providing a blocking plate in the space above the substrate to block a downflow fluid supplied to the space above the substrate to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 6, wherein: The controlled release operation is performed after the pressure control operation and before the substrate unloading operation.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 6, wherein: The controlled release operation is performed after the pressure control operation and after the substrate unloading operation.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein: The baffle is disposed at a height equal to or higher than an inlet opening such that at least a portion of the downflow impinges upon the baffle; and the baffle is directed toward the inlet opening for the substrate disposed in the liquid processing chamber.

10. A substrate processing method, comprising: a liquid processing operation that supplies an organic solvent to a substrate rotating in a liquid processing chamber; a transfer operation of transferring the substrate on which the organic solvent remains from the liquid processing chamber to a drying chamber; as well as a drying operation, supplying the supercritical fluid from the drying chamber to the substrate and removing the residual organic solvent on the substrate, The pressure control operation reduces the pressure in the space above the substrate loaded into the liquid processing chamber at least once during a period between loading the substrate into the liquid processing chamber and unloading the substrate from the liquid processing chamber.

11. The substrate processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The device also includes: A controlled release operation is performed to increase the pressure of the space above the substrate which was lowered in the pressure control operation.

12. The substrate processing method according to claim 11, wherein: performing the pressure control operation after the liquid handling operation, The controlled release operation is performed after unloading the substrate from the liquid processing chamber, and The pressure control operation includes: (a) reducing a supply rate per unit time of a downflow flow unit that supplies a downflow flow to a space above the substrate; (b) interrupting operation of the downflow unit; or (c) increasing the exhaust volume per unit time of a processing space in which the substrate is processed by the processing solution to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

13. The substrate processing method according to claim 11, wherein: The controlled release operation is performed prior to unloading the substrate from the liquid processing chamber, and The pressure control operation includes: (a) reducing a supply rate per unit time of a downflow flow unit that supplies a downflow flow to a space above the substrate; (b) interrupting operation of the downflow unit; or (c) increasing the exhaust volume per unit time of a processing space in which the substrate is processed by the processing solution to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

14. The substrate processing method according to claim 11, wherein: The controlled release operation is performed before or after the substrate is unloaded from the liquid processing chamber, and The pressure control operation includes providing a blocking plate in the space above the substrate to block a downflow fluid supplied to the space above the substrate to reduce the pressure in the space above the substrate.

15. The substrate processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The organic solvent is isopropanol.

16. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a liquid processing chamber, wherein the liquid processing chamber is used to perform liquid processing on a substrate; a drying chamber, the drying chamber being used to dry the substrate that has been subjected to liquid treatment in the liquid treatment chamber; A transfer robot, the transfer robot is used to transfer the substrate between the liquid processing chamber and the drying chamber; as well as a controller, the controller being used to control the liquid processing chamber, the drying chamber and the transfer robot, Wherein, the liquid processing chamber comprises: A rotating plate, the rotating plate is used to support and rotate the substrate; a nozzle for supplying a processing solution to the substrate supported on the rotating plate; and a downflow flow unit for supplying a downflow flow to the base plate supported on the rotating plate, and The controller generates a pressure control command that reduces a pressure in a space above the substrate supported on the rotating plate before unloading the substrate loaded into the liquid processing chamber.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein: The pressure control command is a signal to interrupt the operation of the downflow flow unit.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein: The liquid processing chamber further includes a blocking plate disposed above the rotating plate.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein: The blocking plate is a blocking plate in which no hole is formed on a surface facing the substrate, and The pressure control signal is a signal to control a moving mechanism that moves the blocking plate to face the top surface of the substrate.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein The blocking plate includes a first blocking plate and a second blocking plate, a plurality of first holes are formed in the first blocking plate, a plurality of second holes are formed in the second blocking plate, and The pressure control signal is a signal that controls a moving mechanism that moves at least one of the first blocking plate and the second blocking plate so that the first hole and the second hole do not overlap when viewed from above.

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