Apparatus for processing substrate and method for processing substrate

Abstract

An apparatus and method for processing a substrate are disclosed. The device comprises a rotary chuck; a nozzle unit; and a controller controlling the nozzle unit, the nozzle unit including: a head; a cleaning nozzle provided on the head and discharging a cleaning solution; the drying nozzle is arranged on the head part and is used for discharging drying gas; and a driver that moves the head from the first position to the second position; when the head is in the second position, an impact point of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles to the substrate is located at a position farther from a center of the substrate than when the head is in the first position; discharging a cleaning solution simultaneously from the plurality of cleaning nozzles, the impact point of the cleaning solution being located at different distances from the center of the substrate; when the drying gas is discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles at the same time, the impact point of the drying gas is located at different distances from the center of the substrate; when the cleaning solution and the drying gas are discharged at the same time, the impact point of the cleaning solution is farther from the center of the substrate than the impact point of the drying gas.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0143626 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on October 25, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing a substrate, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for processing a substrate by supplying a cleaning solution to the substrate. Background Art

[0004] In order to manufacture semiconductor devices or flat display panels, various processes such as deposition, photography, etching and cleaning need to be performed. Among these processes, the photography process includes: a coating process of applying a photosensitive liquid (such as photoresist) to the surface of a substrate to form a film, an exposure process of transferring a circuit pattern to the film formed on the substrate, and a development process of selectively removing the film formed on the substrate from an exposure area or an area opposite to the exposure area. Further, a heat treatment process is performed before and after the coating process, the exposure process and the development process.

[0005] In the developing process, a developer is supplied to the substrate to selectively dissolve the resist film on the substrate, and then a cleaning solution and a drying gas are discharged onto the rotating substrate to clean and dry the surface of the substrate.

[0006] When a cleaning solution and a drying gas are supplied to a rotating substrate, increasing the amount of the cleaning solution and the drying gas discharged from a nozzle to increase throughput may damage the substrate or leave particles on the substrate due to increased hydraulic pressure. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention is directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus capable of effectively processing a substrate.

[0008] The present invention is directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus capable of minimizing damage to a substrate or particles remaining on the substrate due to a cleaning solution or a drying gas discharged onto the substrate.

[0009] The present invention is directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus capable of quickly cleaning and drying a substrate.

[0010] The objects of the present invention are not intended to be limited thereto, and a person skilled in the art will clearly understand other unmentioned objects from the following description.

[0011] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a spin chuck for supporting a substrate and being a rotatable spin chuck; a nozzle unit for supplying a cleaning solution and a drying gas to the substrate supported by the spin chuck; and a controller for controlling the nozzle unit, wherein the nozzle unit comprises: a head; a plurality of cleaning nozzles disposed on the head and used to discharge a cleaning solution; a plurality of drying nozzles disposed on the head and used to discharge a drying gas; and a driver for moving the head from a first position to a second position, wherein when the head is in the second position, an impact point (impact point) of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles onto the substrate The cleaning solution is discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles simultaneously, and the impact points of the cleaning solutions are located at different distances from the center of the substrate. When drying gas is discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles simultaneously, the impact points of the drying gas are located at different distances from the center of the substrate. When the cleaning solution and the drying gas are discharged simultaneously, the impact point of the cleaning solution is farther from the center of the substrate than the impact point of the drying gas.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the head is in the first position, the cleaning solution may be discharged into the center region of the substrate, and when the head is in the second position, the drying gas may be discharged into the edge region of the substrate.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driver can be configured to move the head linearly between a first position and a second position along a radial direction of a substrate supported on a rotary chuck, and impact points of cleaning solutions discharged from a plurality of cleaning nozzles onto the substrate can be located on a straight line.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driver can be configured to move the head linearly between a first position and a second position along a radial direction of a substrate supported on a rotary chuck, and an impact point of drying gas discharged from a plurality of drying nozzles onto the substrate can be located on a straight line.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drive can be configured to move the head linearly between a first position and a second position along a radial direction of a substrate supported on a rotating chuck, and impact points of cleaning solutions and drying gases discharged from multiple cleaning nozzles and multiple drying nozzles onto the substrate can be located on a straight line.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of cleaning nozzles may be arranged in a direction parallel to a straight line connecting the first position and the second position when viewed from above.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of drying nozzles may be arranged in a direction perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first position and the second position when viewed from above.

[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller may control the cleaning nozzles such that a total amount of cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles decreases as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller may control the number of cleaning nozzles that discharge the cleaning solution to decrease as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a controller controls a plurality of cleaning nozzles to sequentially stop discharging cleaning solution as the head moves from a first position to a second position, and the sequential stopping of discharging cleaning solution starts from a cleaning nozzle among the plurality of cleaning nozzles whose impact point of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate is farthest from the center of the substrate.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller may control the drying nozzles such that a total amount of drying gas discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles increases as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller may control the number of drying nozzles that discharge the drying gas to increase as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a controller controls a plurality of drying nozzles to sequentially start discharging drying gas as a head moves from a first position to a second position, and the sequential start of discharging drying gas starts from a drying nozzle whose impact point of the drying gas discharged onto a substrate from among the plurality of drying nozzles is the center of the substrate or the drying nozzle closest to the center of the substrate.

[0024] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for processing a substrate by using the aforementioned apparatus for processing a substrate, the method comprising: discharging a cleaning solution and a drying gas from a plurality of cleaning nozzles and a plurality of drying nozzles while moving a head from a first position to a second position, wherein a total amount of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles gradually decreases and a total amount of the drying gas discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles gradually increases.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, multiple cleaning nozzles can sequentially stop discharging cleaning solution as the head moves from a first position to a second position, and the sequential stopping of the discharge of cleaning solution starts from the cleaning nozzle whose impact point of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate is farthest from the center of the substrate.

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, multiple drying nozzles can sequentially start the discharge of drying gas as the head moves from a first position to a second position, and the sequential start of the discharge of drying gas starts from a cleaning nozzle whose impact point of the drying gas discharged onto the substrate is the center of the substrate or the closest to the center of the substrate.

[0027] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a chamber in which a processing space is provided; a rotating chuck for supporting the substrate in the processing space and being a rotatable rotating chuck; a nozzle unit for supplying a cleaning solution and a drying gas to the substrate supported by the rotating chuck; and a controller for controlling the nozzle unit, wherein the nozzle unit may include: a head; a plurality of cleaning nozzles disposed on the head and used to discharge the cleaning solution; a plurality of drying nozzles disposed on the head and used to discharge the drying gas; and a driver for linearly moving the head from a first position to a second position. The head is moved to a second position, when the head is in the second position, an impact point of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles onto the substrate is located at a position farther from the center of the substrate than the impact point of the cleaning solution when the head is in the first position, when the cleaning solution is discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles at the same time, the impact point of the cleaning solution is located at a different distance from the center of the substrate, when the drying gas is discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles at the same time, the impact point of the drying gas is located at a different distance from the center of the substrate, when the cleaning solution and the drying gas are discharged at the same time, the impact point of the cleaning solution is farther from the center of the substrate than the impact point of the drying gas, and the impact points of the cleaning solution and the drying gas discharged onto the substrate from the plurality of cleaning nozzles and the plurality of drying nozzles are located on a straight line.

[0028] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller can control the cleaning nozzles and the drying nozzles so that as the head moves from the first position to the second position, the total amount of cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles decreases and the total amount of drying gas discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles increases.

[0029] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a controller can control multiple cleaning nozzles to sequentially stop discharging cleaning solution as the head moves from a first position to a second position, and the sequential stop of discharging cleaning solution starts from the cleaning nozzle whose impact point of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate is farthest from the center of the substrate among the multiple cleaning nozzles.

[0030] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a controller can control multiple drying nozzles to sequentially start discharging drying gas as the head moves from a first position to a second position, and the sequential start of discharging drying gas starts from a drying nozzle whose impact point of the drying gas discharged onto the substrate from the multiple drying nozzles is the center of the substrate or the drying nozzle closest to the center of the substrate.

[0031] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the substrate can be effectively processed by freely adjusting the discharge flow rate of the cleaning solution and the drying gas through a plurality of cleaning nozzles and a plurality of drying nozzles. In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the damage to the substrate or the residual particles on the substrate caused by the cleaning solution or the drying gas discharged onto the substrate can be minimized.

[0032] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle unit may adjust the cleaning speed, the drying speed, and the process speed by adjusting the ratio of the total amount of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate to the total amount of the drying gas discharged onto the substrate.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the substrate can be quickly dried by the drying gas without relying on drying by rotating the substrate.

[0034] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and unmentioned effects will be clearly understood from the specification and the accompanying drawings by those skilled in the art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The various features and advantages of the non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present specification may become apparent upon reviewing the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 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 drawings are not to be considered drawn to scale. The various dimensions in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and understanding.

[0036] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Front view of a substrate processing apparatus.

[0038] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A top plan view of a coating block in a substrate processing apparatus.

[0039] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A top plan view of a developing block in a substrate processing device.

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hand of a transfer robot.

[0041] Figure 6 For schematic illustration Figure 3 or Figure 4 A top plan view of an example of a thermal processing chamber.

[0042] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Front view of the heat treatment chamber.

[0043] Figure 8 To schematically show Figure 3 or Figure 4 Front view of the liquid processing chamber.

[0044] Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a head of a nozzle unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 Top plan view of the head.

[0046] Figures 11 to 19 To schematically illustrate the use of Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a process of processing a substrate using a nozzle unit in a liquid processing chamber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Providing example embodiments will make the present disclosure thorough and fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art. Many specific details (such as, examples of specific components, devices 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, that example embodiments can be embodied in many different forms, and that specific details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In some example embodiments, known processes, known device structures and known technologies are not described in detail.

[0048] The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific example embodiments and are not intended to be restrictive. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may be intended to also 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 increase 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.

[0049] 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. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element or layer," "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 in a similar manner (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 relevant listed items.

[0050] Although the term first, second, third, etc. can be used to describe different elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections in this article, 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, the first component, the first area, the first layer or the first section discussed below can be referred to as the second element, the second component, the second area, the second layer or the second section.

[0051] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "inside", "outside", "below", "beneath", "below", "above", "above" and the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or elements or another feature or features, as shown in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, 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 cover 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.

[0052] When the terms "same" or "identical" are used in the description of the exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that some imprecision may exist. Therefore, 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%).

[0053] 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 "approximately (usually, 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] In the present exemplary embodiment, a wafer will be described as an example of an object to be processed. However, the technical spirit of the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus for processing other types of substrates in addition to the wafer.

[0056] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] Figure 1is a perspective view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 for Figure 1 Front view of a substrate processing apparatus. Figure 3 for Figure 1 A top plan view of a coating block in a substrate processing apparatus, and Figure 4 for Figure 1 A top plan view of a developing block of a substrate processing device.

[0058] Reference Figures 1 to 4 , the substrate processing apparatus 10 includes an index module 100, a processing module 300, and an interface module 500. According to an exemplary embodiment, the index module 100, the processing module 300, and the interface module 500 are sequentially arranged in a row. Hereinafter, a direction in which the index module 100, the processing module 300, and the interface module 500 are arranged is defined as a first direction 12, a direction perpendicular to the first direction 12 when viewed from above is defined as a second direction 14, and a direction perpendicular to a plane including the first direction 12 and the second direction 14 is defined as a third direction 16.

[0059] The index module 100 may be provided for transferring the substrate W between the container F accommodating the substrate W and the processing module 300. The longitudinal direction of the index module 100 is provided in the second direction 14. The index module 100 includes a loading port 110 and an index frame 130. The container F accommodating the substrate W therein is placed on the loading port 110. The loading port 110 may be located on an opposite side of the processing module 300 with respect to the index frame 130. A plurality of loading ports 110 may be provided, and the plurality of loading ports 110 may be provided along the second direction 14.

[0060] In one example, an airtight container F such as a Front Open Unified Pod (FOUP) may be used as the container F. The container F may be placed on the load port 110 by a conveying device (not shown) such as an overhead conveyor, an overhead transporter, or an automatic guided vehicle, or by an operator.

[0061] The index robot 132 is disposed inside the index frame 130. A guide rail 136 is disposed inside the index frame 130. The longitudinal direction of the guide rail 136 is disposed in the second direction 14. The index robot 132 is mounted on the guide rail 136 so as to be movable along the guide rail 136. The index robot 132 includes a hand 132a on which the substrate W is placed. The hand 132a may be configured to be movable forward and backward, rotatable in the third direction, and rotatable around an axis in the third direction 16.

[0062] The process module 300 performs a coating process and a developing process on the substrate W. The process module 300 includes a coating block 300a and a developing block 300b.

[0063] The coating block 300a performs a coating process on the substrate W before the exposure process. The developing block 300b performs a developing process on the substrate W after the exposure process. A plurality of coating blocks 300a are provided. A plurality of coating blocks 300a can be provided while being stacked on each other. A plurality of developing blocks 300b are provided. A plurality of developing blocks 300b can be provided to be stacked on each other. In one example, two coating blocks 300a are provided, and two developing blocks 300b are provided. The coating block 300a can be located below the developing block 300b.

[0064] In one example, a plurality of coating blocks 300a can be arranged to be identical to each other. The film applied to substrate W in each of a plurality of coating blocks 300a can be a film of the same type. Alternatively, the film applied to substrate W by each coating block 300a can be a film of different types. The film applied to substrate W includes a photoresist film. The film applied to substrate W can further include an anti-reflection film (anti-reflective film, anti-reflective film). Optionally, the film applied to substrate W can also include a protective film.

[0065] Additionally, the two developing blocks 300b can be set to the same structure as each other. The developer supplied to the substrate W in the plurality of developing blocks 300b can be the same type of liquid. Alternatively, the developer supplied to the substrate W can be a different type of developer according to the developing block 300b. For example, a process for removing the light irradiation area in the area of ​​the register film on the substrate W can be performed in one of the two developing blocks 300b, and a process for removing the non-irradiation area can be performed in the other of the two developing blocks 300b.

[0066] Reference Figure 3 The coating block 300 a includes a buffer unit 310 , a cooling unit 320 , a hydrophobizing chamber 340 , a transfer chamber 350 , a heat treatment chamber 360 , and a liquid treatment chamber 380 .

[0067] The buffer unit 310, the cooling unit 320, and the hydrophobizing chamber 340 are disposed adjacent to the index module 100. The hydrophobizing chamber 340 and the buffer unit 310 may be sequentially disposed along the second direction 14. In addition, the cooling unit 320 and the buffer unit 310 may be disposed to be stacked on top of each other in a vertical direction.

[0068] The buffer unit 310 includes one or more buffer zones 312. When multiple buffer zones 312 are provided, multiple buffer zones 312 may be arranged to be stacked on top of each other. When the substrate W is transferred between the index module 100 and the processing module 300, the buffer zone 312 provides a space for the substrate W to stay. The hydrophobizing chamber 340 provides a hydrophobizing treatment to the surface of the substrate W. The hydrophobizing treatment may be performed before the coating process is performed on the substrate W. The hydrophobizing treatment may be completed by supplying a hydrophobizing gas to the substrate W while heating the substrate W. The cooling unit 320 cools the substrate W. The cooling unit 320 includes one or more cooling plates. When multiple cooling plates are provided, multiple cooling plates may be arranged to be stacked on top of each other. In one example, the cooling unit 320 may be arranged below the buffer unit 310. The cooling plate may have a flow path through which a coolant flows. The substrate W after the hydrophobizing treatment may be cooled on the cooling plate.

[0069] The transfer mechanism 330 is disposed between the hydrophobizing chamber 340 and the buffer unit 310 and between the hydrophobizing chamber 340 and the cooling unit 320. The transfer mechanism 330 is provided to transfer the substrate W between the buffer unit 310, the hydrophobizing chamber 340, and the cooling unit 320.

[0070] The conveying mechanism 330 includes a hand 332 on which the substrate W is placed, and the hand 332 can be arranged to be movable forward and backward, rotatable around the third direction 16, and movable along the third direction 16. In one example, the conveying mechanism 330 moves in the third direction 16 along the guide rail 334. The guide rail 334 extends from the coating block located at the lowest point of the coating block 300a to the developing block located at the highest point of the developing block 300b. This allows the conveying mechanism 330 to convey the substrate W between the coating block 300a and the developing block 300b arranged on different layers. For example, the conveying mechanism 330 can convey the substrate W between the coating block 300a and the developing block 300b arranged on different layers. The conveying mechanism 330 can convey the substrate W between the coating block 300a and the developing block 300b.

[0071] In addition, another conveying unit 331 may be further provided on the opposite side of the side where the hydrophobizing chamber 340 is provided with respect to the buffer unit 310. Another conveying unit 331 may be provided to convey the substrate W between the buffer unit 310 and the cooling unit 320 provided in the same coating block 300a and developing block 300b. Further, another conveying unit 331 may be provided to convey the substrate W between the buffer unit 310 and the cooling unit 320 provided in different coating blocks 300a and developing blocks 300b.

[0072] The transfer chamber 350 is disposed such that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the first direction 12. One end of the transfer chamber 350 may be located adjacent to the buffer unit 310 and / or the cooling unit 320. The other end of the transfer chamber 350 may be located adjacent to the interface module 500.

[0073] A plurality of heat treatment chambers 360 are provided. Some of the heat treatment chambers 360 are arranged along the first direction 12. Additionally, some of the heat treatment chambers 360 may be stacked along the third direction 16. The heat treatment chambers 360 may all be located on one side of the transfer chamber 350.

[0074] The liquid processing chamber 380 performs a liquid film forming process to form a liquid film on the substrate W. In one example, the liquid film forming process includes a resist film forming process. The liquid film forming process may include an anti-reflection film forming process. Optionally, the liquid film forming process may also include a protective film forming process. A plurality of liquid processing chambers 380 are provided. The liquid processing chamber 380 may be located on opposite sides of the thermal treatment chamber 360. For example, all liquid processing chambers 380 may be located on the other side of the transfer chamber 350. The liquid processing chambers 380 are arranged side by side along the first direction 12. Optionally, some of the liquid processing chambers 380 may be stacked along the third direction 16.

[0075] In one example, the liquid processing chamber 380 includes a front-end liquid processing chamber and a back-end liquid processing chamber. The front-end liquid processing chamber is arranged relatively close to the index module 100, and the back-end liquid processing chamber is arranged closer to the interface module 500.

[0076] In the front-end liquid processing chamber, a first liquid is applied to the substrate W, and in the rear-end liquid processing chamber, a second liquid is applied to the substrate W. The first liquid and the second liquid may be different types of liquids. In one example, the first liquid may be a liquid for forming an anti-reflection film, and the second liquid may be a liquid for forming a photoresist film. The photoresist film may be formed on the substrate W coated with the anti-reflection film. Alternatively, the first liquid may be a liquid for forming a photoresist film, and the second liquid may be a liquid for forming an anti-reflection film. In this case, the anti-reflection film may be formed on the substrate W on which the photoresist film is formed. Alternatively, the first liquid and the second liquid may be the same type of liquid, and they may both be liquids for forming a photoresist film.

[0077] Reference Figure 4, the developing block 300b includes a buffer unit 310, a cooling unit 320, a transfer chamber 350, a heat treatment chamber 360, and a liquid treatment chamber 380. The arrangement of the buffer unit 310, the cooling unit 320, the transfer chamber 350, the heat treatment chamber 360, and the liquid treatment chamber 380 in the developing block 300b may be the same as the arrangement of the buffer unit 310, the cooling unit 320, the transfer chamber 350, the heat treatment chamber 360, and the liquid treatment chamber 380 in the coating block 300a. When viewed from above, the buffer unit 310, the cooling unit 320, the transfer chamber 350, the heat treatment chamber 360, and the liquid treatment chamber 380 in the developing block 300b and the buffer unit 310, the cooling unit 320, the transfer chamber 350, the heat treatment chamber 360, and the liquid treatment chamber 380 in the coating block 300a may be arranged in an overlapping position.

[0078] The heat treatment chamber 360 performs a heating process on the substrate W. The heating process includes a post-exposure baking process performed on the substrate W after the exposure process is completed, and a hard baking process performed on the substrate W after the development process is completed.

[0079] The liquid processing chamber performs a developing process by supplying a developer onto the substrate W and developing the substrate W.

[0080] exist Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the embodiment, the transfer chamber 350 is provided with a transfer robot 351. The transfer robot 351 transfers the substrate W between the buffer unit 310, the cooling unit 320, the heat treatment chamber 360, the liquid treatment chamber 380, and the buffer unit 510 or the cooling unit 520 of the interface module 500. In one example, the transfer robot 351 includes a hand 352 on which the substrate W is placed. The hand 352 can be set to be movable forward and backward, rotatable around the third direction 16, and movable along the third direction 16. A guide rail 356 (whose longitudinal direction is parallel to the second direction 12) is set in the transfer chamber 350, and the transfer robot 351 can be set to be movable on the guide rail 356.

[0081] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hand of a transfer robot. Figure 5, the hand 352 includes a base 352a and a support protrusion 352b. The base 352a may have an annular ring shape in which the circumference is curved. The inner diameter of the base 352a is greater than the diameter of the substrate W. The support protrusion 352b extends inward from the base 352a. A plurality of support protrusions 352b are provided, and support the edge region of the substrate W. In one example, the support protrusions 352b may be provided in four equally spaced rows.

[0082] Figure 6 For schematic illustration Figure 3 or Figure 4 A top plan view of an example of a thermal processing chamber, and Figure 7 for Figure 6 Front view of the heat treatment chamber.

[0083] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 The heat treatment chamber 360 includes a housing 361 , a heating unit 363 and a transfer plate 364 .

[0084] The housing 361 is configured to be substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. In the side wall of the housing 361, an entrance opening (not shown) is formed through which the substrate W enters and leaves. The entrance opening can be kept open. Alternatively, a door (not shown) can be configured to open and close the entrance opening. A heating unit 363 and a conveying plate 364 are provided in the housing 361.

[0085] The heating unit 363 includes a heating plate 363a, a cover 363c and a heater 363b. When viewed from above, the heating plate 363a may have a substantially circular shape. The diameter of the heating plate 363a is larger than the substrate W. The heater 363b is mounted on the heating plate 363a. The heater 363b may be set as a heating wire or a heating pattern that is heated by power supply. The heating plate 363a is provided with a lifting pin 363e. The lifting pin 363e is set to be movable in the up and down direction along the third direction 16. The lifting pin 363e receives the substrate W from the conveying robot 351 and places the received substrate W on the heating plate 363a, or lifts the substrate W from the heating plate 363b and transfers the substrate to the conveying robot 351. According to an example, three lifting pins 363e may be provided. The cover 363c has a space in which an open lower portion is provided. The cover 363c is located above the heating plate 363a and is moved in the vertical direction by the driver 323d. A space formed by the cover 363c and the heating plate 363a according to the movement of the cover 363c is provided as a heating space for heating the substrate W.

[0086] The transfer plate 364 is provided in a substantially disk shape and has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the substrate W. A notch 364b is formed at the edge of the transfer plate 364. The notch 364b may have a shape corresponding to the protrusion 352b formed on the hand 352 of the above-mentioned transfer robot 351. Further, the notch 364b may be provided in a number corresponding to the protrusion 352b formed on the hand 352 and formed at a position corresponding to the protrusion 352b. When the upper and lower positions of the hand 352 and the transfer plate 364 are changed at a position where the hand 352 and the transfer plate 364 are aligned in the vertical direction, the substrate W is transferred between the hand 352 and the transfer plate 364. The transfer plate 364 may be mounted on a guide rail 364d and may be movable along the guide rail 364d by a driver 364c.

[0087] A plurality of slit-shaped guide grooves 364a are provided in the transfer plate 364. The guide grooves 364a extend from the distal end of the transfer plate 364 to the inside of the transfer plate 364. The longitudinal directions of the guide grooves 364a are provided along the second direction 14, and the guide grooves 364a are spaced apart from each other along the first direction 12. The guide grooves 364a prevent the transfer plate 364 and the lifting pins 363e from interfering with each other when the substrate W is transferred between the transfer plate 364 and the heating unit 363.

[0088] The transfer plate 364 is provided with a heat conductive material. In one example, the transfer plate 364 can be provided by a metal material.

[0089] A cooling flow path is formed in the transfer plate 364. The cooling flow path is supplied with cooling water. The substrate W completely heated in the heating unit 363 can be cooled while being transferred by the transfer plate 364. In addition, when the transfer plate 364 stops so that the substrate W is taken over by the transfer robot 351, the substrate W can be cooled on the transfer plate 364.

[0090] Optionally, a cooling unit may also be provided in the housing 361. In this case, the cooling unit may be arranged in parallel with the heating unit 363. The cooling unit may be provided as a cooling plate having a channel through which a coolant flows. The substrate that has been heated in the heating unit may be returned to the cooling unit for cooling.

[0091] Figure 8 To schematically show Figure 3 or Figure 4 Front view of the liquid processing chamber.

[0092] Reference Figure 8The liquid processing chamber 380 includes a housing 382 , an outer cup 384 , a spin chuck 386 , a processing solution supply unit 387 , a nozzle unit 400 , and a controller 600 .

[0093] The housing 382 is provided in a rectangular columnar shape having an inner space. An opening 382a (not shown) is formed in one side of the housing 382. The opening 382a serves as a passage through which the substrate W enters and leaves. A door (not shown) is installed in the opening 382a, and the door opens and closes the opening.

[0094] The inner space of the housing 382 is provided with an outer cup 384. The outer cup 384 has a processing space with an open top.

[0095] The rotating chuck 386 supports the substrate W in the processing space of the external cup 384. The supporting unit 386 includes a supporting plate 386a, a rotating shaft 386b and a driver 386c. The supporting plate 386a is provided with a circular top surface. The diameter of the supporting plate 386a is smaller than the substrate W. The supporting plate 386a is arranged to support the substrate W by vacuum pressure. The rotating shaft 386b is coupled to the center of the lower surface of the supporting plate 386a, and the driver 386c is arranged on the rotating shaft 386b to provide a rotating force to the rotating shaft 386b. The driver 386c can be a motor. In addition, a lifting driver (not shown) can be provided to adjust the relative height of the supporting plate 386a and the external cup 384.

[0096] The processing solution supply unit 387 supplies the processing solution to the substrate W. When the liquid processing chamber 380 is disposed in the coating block 300a, the processing solution may be a liquid for forming a photoresist film, an antireflection film, or a protective film. When the liquid processing chamber 380 is disposed in the developing block 300b, the processing solution may be a developing liquid.

[0097] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described as an example based on the case where the liquid treatment chamber is arranged in the developer block and the treatment solution liquid is a developer. The liquid supply unit 387 includes a nozzle 387a, a nozzle support 387b and a liquid supply source (not shown). The nozzle 387a discharges the treatment solution onto the substrate W. The nozzle 387a is supported on the nozzle support 387b. The nozzle support 387b moves the nozzle 387a between the process position and the standby position. In the process position, the nozzle 387a supplies the treatment solution to the substrate W placed on the support plate 386a, and after completing the supply of the treatment solution, the nozzle 387a waits in the standby position.

[0098] The nozzle unit 400 supplies the cleaning solution and the drying gas to the substrate W.

[0099] The cleaning solution may be pure water (DIW (deionized water)), and the drying gas may be nitrogen (N 2 ).

[0100] The nozzle unit 400 includes a head 410, a nozzle arm 412, and a cleaning solution supply source (not shown) and a drying gas supply source (not shown).

[0101] The head 410 is supported by a nozzle arm 412. The nozzle arm 412 moves the head 410 through a driving unit 414.

[0102] The driving unit 414 moves the head 410 between a process position and a standby position.

[0103] When the nozzle unit 400 supplies the cleaning solution and the drying gas to the substrate W, the driving unit 414 moves the head 410 from the first position P1 to the second position P2 in the radial direction of the substrate W supported on the spin chuck 386 .

[0104] The first position P1 is a position when the head 410 is in the center region of the substrate W when viewed from above, and the second position P2 is a position when the head 410 is in the edge region of the substrate W when viewed from above. Processing of the substrate by the nozzle unit 400 starts when the head 410 is in the first position P1, and ends when the head 410 is in the second position P2.

[0105] Therefore, when the head 410 is in the second position P2, the impact point of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles 420 onto the substrate W may be located farther from the center of the substrate W than when the head 410 is in the first position P1.

[0106] The head 410 is provided with a plurality of cleaning nozzles 420 that discharge a cleaning solution such as pure water and a plurality of drying nozzles 430 that discharge a gas for drying such as nitrogen.

[0107] Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a head of a nozzle unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Further, Fig.10 for Fig. 9 Top plan view of the head.

[0108] Reference Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The plurality of cleaning nozzles 420 provided on the head 410 are arranged in a direction parallel to the straight line connecting the first position P1 and the second position P2. For example, the head 410 may be provided with a first cleaning nozzle 421, a second cleaning nozzle 422, a third cleaning nozzle 423, and a fourth cleaning nozzle 424.

[0109] The first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421 , 422 , 423 , and 424 are arranged in a direction parallel to a straight line connecting the first position P1 and the second position P2 .

[0110] Each of the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424 may be provided with an inclined outlet to discharge the cleaning solution in an inclined direction to the top surface of the substrate W. The first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424 are spaced apart so that the cleaning solutions discharged by each of the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424 do not overlap with each other and do not disperse. Therefore, when the cleaning solutions are discharged from the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424 at the same time, the impact points of the cleaning solutions are located at different distances from the center of the substrate.

[0111] The impact point of the cleaning solution discharged by each of the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423 and 424 may be located on a straight line. For example, when the impact point of the cleaning solution discharged by each of the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423 and 424 is referred to as the first to fourth impact points F1, F2, F3 and F4, the first to fourth impact points F1, F2, F3 and F4 are located on a straight line.

[0112] When viewed from above, the plurality of drying nozzles 430 provided on the head 410 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first position P1 and the second position P2.

[0113] For example, four drying nozzles such as a first drying nozzle 431 , a second drying nozzle 432 , a third drying nozzle 433 , and a fourth drying nozzle 434 may be provided.

[0114] The first to fourth drying nozzles 431 , 432 , 433 , and 434 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first position P1 and the second position P2 .

[0115] The first to fourth drying nozzles 431, 432, 433, and 434 may be provided with an inclined outlet to discharge the drying gas in an inclined direction to the top surface of the substrate W. The first to fourth drying nozzles 431, 432, 433, and 434 are spaced apart so that the drying gas discharged from each of the first to fourth drying nozzles 431, 432, 433, and 434 does not overlap with each other and does not disperse. Therefore, when the drying gas is discharged from the first to fourth drying nozzles 431, 432, 433, and 434 at the same time, the impingement points of the drying gas are located at different distances from the center of the substrate.

[0116] When the impingement point of the drying gas discharged by each of the first to fourth drying nozzles 431 , 432 , 433 , and 434 is referred to as first to fourth impingement points G1 , G2 , G3 , and G4 , the first to fourth impingement points G1 , G2 , G3 , and G4 are on a straight line.

[0117] The above-mentioned impact point is the center of the discharge area on the substrate W when the cleaning solution or drying gas discharged from each of the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423 and 424 or the first to fourth drying nozzles 431, 432, 433 and 434 is discharged onto the surface of the substrate W.

[0118] like Fig.10 As shown, the impact points F1, F2, F3, F4 of the cleaning solution and the impact points G1, G2, G3, G4 of the drying gas are on a straight line.

[0119] On the top wall of the housing 382, ​​a fan filter unit 383 is arranged to supply a downward airflow to the inner space. The fan filter unit 383 includes a fan that introduces air from the outside into the inner space and a filter that filters the air from the outside.

[0120] The outer cup 384 includes a bottom wall 384a, a side wall 384b and a top wall 384c. The interior of the outer cup 384 is provided as the above-mentioned internal space. The internal space H includes a processing space at the top and an exhaust space at the bottom.

[0121] Bottom wall 384a is arranged in a circular shape and has an opening in the center. Side wall 384b extends upward from the outer end of bottom wall 384a. Side wall 384b is arranged in an annular shape and is arranged vertically to bottom wall 384a. In one example, side wall 384b extends to a height equal to the top surface of support plate 386a, or extends to a height slightly lower than the top surface of support plate 386a. Top wall 384c has an annular shape and has an opening in the center. Top wall 384c is provided with an upward slope (upward slope) from the top end of side wall 384b toward the central axis of external cup-shaped member 384.

[0122] Guide cup 385 is located on the inner side of outer cup 384. Guide cup 385 has inner wall 385a, outer wall 385b and top wall 385c. Inner wall 385a has a through hole perforated in the vertical direction. Inner wall 385a is arranged to surround driver 386c. Inner wall 385a minimizes the exposure of driver 386c to the airflow 84 in the processing space. The rotation axis 386b and / or driver 386c of rotating chuck 386 extend in the vertical direction through the through hole. Outer wall 385b is spaced apart from inner wall 385a and is arranged to surround inner wall 385a. Outer wall 385b is spaced apart from the side wall 384b of outer cup 384. Inner wall 385a is spaced apart from the bottom wall 384a of outer cup 384 upwards. The top wall 385c connects the upper end of the outer wall 385b with the upper end of the inner wall 385a. The top wall 385c has an annular shape and is disposed around the support plate 386a. In one example, the top wall 385c has an upwardly convex shape.

[0123] The space below the support plate 386a in the processing space can be set as the discharge space. In one example, the discharge space can be limited by the guide cup 385. The space surrounded by the outer wall 385b, the top wall 385c and the inner wall 385a of the guide cup 385 and / or the space below the space can be set as the discharge space.

[0124] The outer cup 384 may be provided with a gas-liquid separation plate 389. The gas-liquid separation plate 389 may be provided to extend upward from the bottom wall 384a of the outer cup 384. The gas-liquid separation plate 389 may be provided in an annular shape. When viewed from above, the gas-liquid separation plate 389 may be located between the side wall 384b of the outer cup 384 and the outer wall 385b of the guide cup 385. The top end of the gas-liquid separation plate 389 may be lower than the bottom end of the outer wall 385b of the guide cup 385.

[0125] The bottom wall 384a of the outer cup 384 is connected to an outlet pipe 381a and an exhaust pipe 381b for discharging the treatment solution. The exhaust pipe 381a can be connected to the outer cup 384 on the outside of the gas-liquid separation plate 389. The exhaust pipe 381b can be connected to the outer cup 384 from the inside of the gas-liquid separation plate 389.

[0126] The controller 600 controls the liquid processing chamber 380 to process the substrate. In one example, the controller 600 controls the spin chuck 386 , the processing solution supply unit 387 , and the nozzle unit 400 .

[0127] Figures 11 to 19 To schematically illustrate the use of Figure 8Schematic diagram of a process of processing a substrate using a nozzle unit in a liquid processing chamber.

[0128] Reference Figures 11 to 19 , an exemplary embodiment of a process for processing a substrate W in a liquid processing chamber 380 will be described. Hereinafter, impact points F1, F2, F3, F4 of a cleaning solution and impact points G1, G2, G3, and G4 of a drying gas are schematically illustrated, and nozzles through which the cleaning solution or drying gas is discharged, and impact points of the discharged cleaning solution or drying gas are indicated by hatching.

[0129] The substrate W is loaded into the liquid processing chamber 380 by the transfer robot 351 and placed on the spin chuck 386 .

[0130] The spin chuck 386 rotates, and the developer is discharged from the processing solution supply unit 387 onto the rotating substrate W, thereby selectively dissolving the resist film on the surface of the substrate W.

[0131] When the developer supply is terminated, a cleaning process is performed to remove the developer and particles on the substrate W.

[0132] During the cleaning process, the head 410 moves to the first position P1, as shown in FIG. Fig.11 shown.

[0133] In a portion above the substrate W rotating at a predetermined rotation speed, the head 410 moves linearly from the first position P1 to the second position P2 to supply the cleaning solution and the drying gas onto the substrate W. When the head 410 is at the first position P1, the cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424 discharge the cleaning solution to the cleaning solution impact points F1, F2, F3, and F4, respectively. The first position P1 is a position when the head 410 is in the center area of ​​the substrate W when viewed from above. When the head 410 is at the first position P1, it means that the impact point F1 of the cleaning solution discharged by the first cleaning nozzle 421 coincides with the center of the substrate W.

[0134] Fig.11 4 shows the impact points F1, F2, F3 and F4 of the head 410 and the cleaning solution when the head 410 is in the first position P1. When the cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423 and 424 discharge the cleaning solution as described above, Fig.11 The cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423 and 424 and the cleaning solution impact points F1, F2, F3 and F4 in FIG. 5 are shaded.

[0135] Fig.12 FIG. 4 shows that when the head 410 is in the first position P1, the cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423 and 424 discharge the cleaning solution onto the substrate W. Fig.12As shown, the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate W from the first cleaning nozzle 421 is discharged at the center of the substrate W.

[0136] Then, the head 410 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2 along a straight line. Fig.13 When the impingement point G1 of the drying gas discharged from the first drying nozzle 431 is located at the center of the substrate W, the drying gas is discharged from the first drying nozzle 431 onto the substrate W.

[0137] Fig.14 4 shows cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424 that discharge a cleaning solution onto the substrate W, and the first drying nozzle 431 that discharges a drying gas onto the substrate W when a drying gas is discharged from the first drying nozzle 431. Fig.14 As shown, the drying gas discharged onto the substrate W from the first drying nozzle 431 is discharged toward the center of the substrate W.

[0138] According to the arrangement of the cleaning nozzle 420 and the drying nozzle 430 installed on the head 410 and the moving direction of the head 410, when the cleaning solution and the drying gas are discharged from the head 410 at the same time, the impact points F1, F2, F3 and F4 of the cleaning solution are located farther away from the center point of the substrate W than the impact points G1, G2, G3 and G4 of the drying gas.

[0139] The head 410 continues to move linearly from the first position P1 to the second position P2 along the radial direction of the substrate W. As the head 410 moves, the total amount of cleaning solution discharged from the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424 decreases, and the total amount of drying gas discharged from the first to fourth drying nozzles 431, 432, 433, and 434 increases. For example, when the head 410 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the number of cleaning nozzles that discharge the cleaning solution decreases, and the number of drying nozzles that discharge the drying gas increases.

[0140] Among the first to fourth cleaning nozzles 421, 422, 423, and 424, the cleaning solution is sequentially stopped from being discharged onto the substrate W from the cleaning nozzle whose impact point of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate W is far from the central portion of the substrate W. Among the first to fourth drying nozzles 431, 432, 433, and 434, the drying gas is sequentially started to be discharged onto the substrate W from the drying nozzle whose impact point of the drying gas discharged onto the substrate W is closer to the central portion of the substrate W. Therefore, when the head 410 moves from the central portion of the substrate W to the edge region of the substrate W, the discharge region of the cleaning solution and the discharge region of the drying gas become closer.

[0141] Figures 15 to 19It is shown that as the head 410 moves, the cleaning nozzles farther from the center portion of the substrate W from the impact point of the cleaning solution sequentially stop discharging the cleaning solution. That is, the fourth cleaning nozzle 424, the third cleaning nozzle 423, the second cleaning nozzle 422, and the first cleaning nozzle 421 stop discharging the cleaning solution in this order.

[0142] Figures 15 to 19 4 shows that, as the head 410 moves, the discharge of the drying gas is sequentially started from the drying nozzles whose impact points of the drying gas are closer to the central portion of the substrate W. That is, the first drying nozzle 431, the second drying nozzle 432, the third drying nozzle 433, and the fourth drying nozzle 434 start to discharge the drying gas in this order.

[0143] Fig.19 4 shows a view of the head 410 at the second position P2. The second position P2 is a position when the head 410 is in the edge region of the substrate W when viewed from above. When the head 410 is in the second position P2, it means that the impact point G4 of the drying gas discharged by the fourth drying nozzle 434 coincides with the second position P2 in the edge region of the substrate W.

[0144] When the head 410 completes the movement to the second position P2, the dry gas is discharged to the edge region of the substrate W, and the cleaning and drying process of the substrate ends.

[0145] The nozzle unit 400 of the present invention includes a plurality of cleaning nozzles 420 and a plurality of drying nozzles 430, thereby supplying a large flow of cleaning solution or drying gas compared to a single nozzle configuration. When the cleaning nozzle 420 or the drying nozzle 430 both include a single nozzle, it is necessary to enlarge the nozzle diameter or increase the discharge pressure in order to deliver a large flow of cleaning solution or drying gas to the substrate W. However, when the discharge pressure of the cleaning solution or drying gas increases, the substrate W may be damaged, and particles may remain on the substrate W due to the generation of bubbles.

[0146] The nozzle unit 400 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of cleaning nozzles 420 and a plurality of drying nozzles 430 , thereby supplying a large flow rate of a cleaning solution or a drying gas compared to a single nozzle.

[0147] The nozzle unit 400 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can reduce the discharge pressure of the cleaning solution or drying gas discharged from each nozzle included in the nozzle unit 400, and can minimize the damage to the substrate W or residual particles on the substrate W due to the cleaning solution or drying gas discharged onto the substrate W.

[0148] The nozzle unit 400 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may effectively process a substrate by freely adjusting the discharge flow rates of the cleaning solution and the drying gas through the plurality of cleaning nozzles 420 and the plurality of drying nozzles 430 .

[0149] In addition, as described above, since the head 410 moves from the central portion of the substrate W to the edge region of the substrate W, the discharge area of ​​the cleaning solution and the discharge area of ​​the drying gas become closer, and thus the cleaning solution can be quickly dried using the discharged drying gas.

[0150] The nozzle unit 400 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can adjust the cleaning speed, the drying speed, and the process speed by adjusting the ratio of the total amount of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate W to the total amount of the drying gas discharged onto the substrate W. In the above example, as the head 410 moves toward the edge area of ​​the substrate W, the total amount of the cleaning solution discharged decreases and the total amount of the drying gas discharged increases. As the head 410 moves toward the edge area of ​​the substrate W, the amount of the drying gas relative to the amount of the cleaning solution discharged increases, so the liquid surface of the drying gas can grow rapidly, and the substrate W can be dried rapidly.

[0151] Furthermore, the substrate W can be quickly dried by the drying gas without relying on the drying by rotating the substrate W.

[0152] The interface module 500 connects the processing module 300 with the external exposure device 700 . The interface module 500 includes an interface frame 501 , a buffer unit 510 , a cooling unit 520 , a transfer mechanism 530 , an interface robot 540 , and an additional process chamber 560 .

[0153] A fan filter unit for forming a downward airflow therein may be disposed at the top of the interface frame 501 . The buffer unit 510 , the cooling unit 520 , the conveying mechanism 530 , the interface robot 540 , and the additional processing chamber 560 are disposed in the interface frame 501 .

[0154] The structures and arrangements of the buffer unit 510 and the cooling unit 520 may be the same or similar to those of the buffer unit 310 and the cooling unit 320 provided in the process module 300. The buffer unit 510 and the cooling unit 520 are provided adjacent to the end of the transfer chamber 350. The substrate W transferred between the process module 300, the cooling unit 520, the additional process chamber 560, and the exposure device 700 may temporarily stay in the buffer unit 510. The cooling unit 520 may be provided only at a height corresponding to the coating block 300a between the coating block 300a and the developing block 300b.

[0155] The conveying mechanism 530 may convey the substrate W between the buffer units 510. The conveying mechanism 530 may also convey the substrate W between the buffer unit 510 and the cooling unit 520. The conveying mechanism 530 may have a structure that is the same as or similar to the conveying mechanism 330 of the process module 300. Another conveying mechanism 531 may also be provided in an area that is opposite to an area where the conveying mechanism 530 is provided with respect to the buffer unit 510.

[0156] The interface robot 540 is disposed between the buffer unit 510 and the exposure device 700. The interface robot 540 is configured to transfer the substrate W between the buffer unit 510, the cooling unit 520, the additional processing chamber 560, and the exposure unit 700. The index robot 540 has a hand 542 on which the substrate W is placed, and the hand 542 may be configured to be movable forward and backward, rotatable about the third direction 16, and movable along the third direction 16.

[0157] The additional process chamber 560 may perform a predetermined additional process before the substrate W that has been completely processed in the coating block 300a is loaded into the exposure device 700. Optionally, the additional process chamber 560 may perform a predetermined additional process before the substrate W that has been completely processed in the exposure device 700 is loaded into the developing block 300b. In one example, the additional process may be an edge exposure process for exposing an edge area of ​​the substrate W, or a top surface cleaning process for cleaning the top surface of the substrate W, or a bottom surface cleaning process for cleaning the bottom surface of the substrate W, or an inspection process for performing a predetermined inspection on the substrate W. A plurality of additional process chambers 560 are provided, and the plurality of additional process chambers 560 may be provided to be stacked on each other.

[0158] The above example illustrates the case where the processing solution is a developer. However, in contrast, the processing solution may be an acid or alkaline chemical.

[0159] In the above example, the cleaning nozzles 420 and the drying nozzles 430 are described as being provided in four numbers, respectively, on the head 410. However, the cleaning nozzles 420 and the drying nozzles 430 may be provided in various configurations, such as two, three, five or more.

[0160] In the above example, the cleaning nozzle 420 and the drying nozzle 430 are described as being provided in equal numbers on the head 410. However, a plurality of cleaning nozzles 420 and a plurality of drying nozzles 430 may be provided, but in different numbers.

[0161] In the above example, it has been described that the flow rate is changed according to the number of the cleaning nozzles 420 and the drying nozzles 430 , but the discharge flow rate may be changed by changing the nozzle diameter of each of the cleaning nozzles 420 and the drying nozzles 430 .

[0162] In the above example, it has been described that the head 410 being at the first position P1 means that the impact point F1 of the cleaning solution discharged by the first cleaning nozzle 421 coincides with the center of the substrate W, and the head 410 being at the second position P2 means that the impact point G4 of the drying gas discharged by the fourth drying nozzle 434 coincides with the second position P2 in the edge region of the substrate W. However, in contrast, the first position P1 may be a point in the center region of the substrate where the head 410 is located when the processing of the substrate W is started via the nozzle unit 400, and the second position P2 may be a point in the edge region of the substrate where the head 410 is located when the processing of the substrate W is terminated via the nozzle unit 400.

[0163] In the above example, it has been described that the time point at which the number of cleaning nozzles 420 discharging the cleaning solution is reduced is the same as the time point at which the number of drying nozzles 430 discharging the drying gas is increased. However, in contrast, the time point at which the number of cleaning nozzles 420 discharging the cleaning solution is reduced and the time point at which the number of drying nozzles 430 discharging the drying gas is increased may be different.

[0164] In the above example, it has been described that the cleaning nozzle 420 and the drying nozzle 430 are provided on a single head 410. However, the cleaning nozzle 420 and the drying nozzle 430 may be provided on different heads, and the head on which the cleaning nozzle 420 is provided and the head on which the drying nozzle 430 is provided may move in synchronization with each other.

[0165] In the above examples, the head 410 is described as moving linearly between the center region and the edge region of the substrate in the radial direction of the substrate W. However, in contrast, the head may swing between the center region and the edge region of the substrate.

[0166] 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 the particular exemplary embodiment, but are interchangeable where applicable and can be used for the selected exemplary embodiment, even when not specifically shown or described. These modifications should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: A rotary chuck, the rotary chuck is used to support the substrate and is a rotatable rotary chuck; a nozzle unit for supplying a cleaning solution and a drying gas onto the substrate supported by the spin chuck; as well as a controller for controlling the nozzle unit, Wherein, the nozzle unit comprises: head; a plurality of cleaning nozzles disposed on the head and configured to discharge the cleaning solution; a plurality of drying nozzles disposed on the head and used to discharge the drying gas; a drive for moving the head from a first position to a second position, When the head is in the second position, an impact point of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles onto the substrate is located at a position farther from the center of the substrate than an impact point of the cleaning solution when the head is in the first position, When the cleaning solution is discharged simultaneously from the plurality of cleaning nozzles, the impact points of the cleaning solution are located at different distances from the center of the substrate, When the drying gas is discharged simultaneously from the plurality of drying nozzles, the impingement points of the drying gas are located at different distances from the center of the substrate, When the cleaning solution and the drying gas are discharged simultaneously, the impingement point of the cleaning solution is farther from the center of the substrate than the impingement point of the drying gas.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: When the head is in the first position, the cleaning solution is discharged into a central area of ​​the substrate, and When the head is in the second position, the dry gas is discharged to an edge region of the substrate.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The driver is configured to linearly move the head between the first position and the second position in a radial direction of the substrate supported on the spin chuck, and The impact points of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles onto the substrate are located on a straight line.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The driver is configured to linearly move the head between the first position and the second position in a radial direction of the substrate supported on the spin chuck, and The impingement points of the drying gas discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles onto the substrate are located on a straight line.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The driver is configured to linearly move the head between the first position and the second position in a radial direction of the substrate supported on the spin chuck, and The impact points of the cleaning solution and the drying gas discharged onto the substrate from the plurality of cleaning nozzles and the plurality of drying nozzles are located on a straight line.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: When viewed from above, the plurality of cleaning nozzles are arranged in a direction parallel to a straight line connecting the first position and the second position.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of drying nozzles are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first position and the second position when viewed from above.

8. The device according to claim 4, wherein: The controller controls the cleaning nozzles so that a total amount of cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles decreases as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein: The controller controls the number of the cleaning nozzles that discharge the cleaning solution to decrease as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein: The controller controls the multiple cleaning nozzles to sequentially stop discharging the cleaning solution as the head moves from the first position to the second position, and the sequential stopping of discharging the cleaning solution starts from the cleaning nozzle among the multiple cleaning nozzles whose impact point of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate is farthest from the center of the substrate.

11. The device according to claim 2, wherein: The controller controls the drying nozzles so that the total amount of the drying gas discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles increases as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein The controller controls the number of the drying nozzles that discharge the drying gas to increase as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein: The controller controls the plurality of drying nozzles to sequentially start discharging the drying gas as the head moves from the first position to the second position, the sequential start of discharging the drying gas from the plurality of drying nozzles onto the substrate starting from the drying nozzle whose impact point of the drying gas is the center of the substrate or the drying nozzle closest to the center of the substrate.

14. A method for processing a substrate, the method processing the substrate by using the apparatus for processing a substrate according to claim 1, the method comprising: discharging a cleaning solution and a drying gas from a plurality of cleaning nozzles and a plurality of drying nozzles while moving the head from a first position to a second position, wherein the total amount of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles gradually decreases, and A total amount of the drying gas discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles gradually increases.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The plurality of cleaning nozzles sequentially stop discharging the cleaning solution as the head moves from the first position to the second position, and the sequential stopping of the discharging of the cleaning solution starts from the cleaning nozzle whose impact point of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate is farthest from the center of the substrate.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The plurality of drying nozzles sequentially start discharging the drying gas as the head moves from the first position to the second position, and the sequential start of discharging the drying gas starts from the drying nozzle whose impact point of the drying gas discharged onto the substrate is the center of the substrate or the closest to the center of the substrate.

17. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a chamber in which a processing space is provided; A rotary chuck, the rotary chuck is used to support the substrate in the processing space and is a rotatable rotary chuck; a nozzle unit for supplying a cleaning solution and a drying gas onto the substrate supported by the spin chuck; as well as a controller for controlling the nozzle unit, Wherein, the nozzle unit comprises: head; a plurality of cleaning nozzles disposed on the head and configured to discharge the cleaning solution; a plurality of drying nozzles provided on the head and configured to discharge the drying gas; and a drive for linearly moving the head from a first position to a second position, When the head is in the second position, an impact point of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles onto the substrate is located at a position farther from the center of the substrate than an impact point of the cleaning solution when the head is in the first position, When the cleaning solution is discharged simultaneously from the plurality of cleaning nozzles, the impact points of the cleaning solution are located at different distances from the center of the substrate, When the drying gas is discharged simultaneously from the plurality of drying nozzles, the impingement points of the drying gas are located at different distances from the center of the substrate, When the cleaning solution and the drying gas are discharged simultaneously, the impingement point of the cleaning solution is farther from the center of the substrate than the impingement point of the drying gas, and The impact points of the cleaning solution and the drying gas discharged onto the substrate from the plurality of cleaning nozzles and the plurality of drying nozzles are located on a straight line.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein: The controller controls the cleaning nozzles and the drying nozzles so that a total amount of the cleaning solution discharged from the plurality of cleaning nozzles decreases and a total amount of the drying gas discharged from the plurality of drying nozzles increases as the head moves from the first position to the second position.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein: The controller controls the multiple cleaning nozzles to sequentially stop discharging the cleaning solution as the head moves from the first position to the second position, and the sequential stopping of discharging the cleaning solution starts from the cleaning nozzle among the multiple cleaning nozzles whose impact point of the cleaning solution discharged onto the substrate is farthest from the center of the substrate.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein The controller controls the plurality of drying nozzles to sequentially discharge the drying gas as the head moves from the first position to the second position, and the sequential discharge of the drying gas starts from the drying nozzle whose impact point of the drying gas discharged onto the substrate from among the plurality of drying nozzles is the center of the substrate or the drying nozzle closest to the center of the substrate.

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