Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

Disclosed are a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of detecting whether a processing liquid has leaked from a nozzle and whether a temperature of the processing liquid reaches a set temperature. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a housing providing an internal space; a support unit located in the internal space and supporting the substrate; a cup surrounding the support unit and having an open top; a liquid supply unit including a nozzle to supply a processing liquid to the substrate supported by the support unit; and a waiting port installed in the housing and in which the nozzle waits, in which the waiting port includes a liquid detection unit for detecting the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle when the nozzle waits.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of detecting whether a processing liquid has leaked from a nozzle and whether the temperature of the processing liquid has reached a set temperature. Background Art

[0002] To fabricate semiconductor devices, various processes such as lithography, deposition, ashing, etching, and ion implantation are required. In addition, before and after these processes, a cleaning process is needed to remove residual particles on the substrate.

[0003] During substrate processing, a processing liquid is supplied from a nozzle. When the substrate processing is finished, the supply of the processing liquid is stopped, and the nozzle moves to a waiting port and waits. The supply of the processing liquid can be stopped by a valve. When the valve closes quickly, the pressure in the pipe supplying the processing liquid drops, and the amount of the processing liquid remaining in the nozzle increases. This can prevent the processing liquid from leaking from the nozzle.

[0004] However, due to a defect in the valve, even when the valve is closed, the processing liquid may not rise sufficiently or the waiting time may be extended, resulting in the leakage of the processing liquid from the nozzle. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention is directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of detecting whether a processing liquid leaks from a nozzle.

[0006] The present invention is also directed to providing a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of measuring the temperature of the discharged processing liquid to detect whether the processing liquid has reached a set temperature.

[0007] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand the unmentioned problems from the following description.

[0008] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus including: a housing providing an internal space; a support unit located in the internal space and supporting the substrate; a cup-shaped member surrounding the support unit and having an open top; a liquid supply unit including a nozzle for supplying a processing liquid to the substrate supported by the support unit; and a waiting port installed in the housing and for the nozzle to wait in the waiting port, wherein the waiting port may include a liquid detection unit for detecting the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle when the nozzle is waiting.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the liquid detection unit detects whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle during a discharge stop period when the discharge of the processing liquid from the nozzle stops.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the liquid detection unit includes: a light emitting unit configured to emit light in a vertically downward path of the nozzle outlet while the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port; and a light receiving unit configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitting unit, and the liquid detection unit determines whether the processing liquid is likely to leak from the nozzle based on the amount of light received by the light receiving unit.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the liquid detection unit may include a camera configured to capture an end portion of the nozzle or a vertically downward path of the nozzle outlet while the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the processing liquid is supplied to the nozzle in a heated state, and the camera may be a thermal imaging camera.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the processing liquid is supplied to the nozzle in a heated state, and the liquid detection unit detects the temperature of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the liquid detection unit may be a thermal imaging camera.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the liquid supply unit further includes a nozzle driver configured to move the nozzle between the waiting port and the cup-shaped member, the apparatus further includes a controller configured to control the nozzle driver, and when the liquid detection unit detects that the temperature of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle reaches a set temperature, the controller controls the nozzle driver to move the nozzle from the waiting port to the cup-shaped member.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus may further include a heater configured to heat the processing liquid before the processing liquid is supplied to the nozzle, wherein the liquid detection unit includes a thermal imaging camera, and the temperature of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle and whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle can be detected through an image captured by the thermal imaging camera.

[0017] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a method for processing a substrate, the method including: a substrate processing operation of processing the substrate by supplying a processing liquid to a nozzle that supplies the processing liquid; and a waiting operation in which the nozzle moves to a waiting port and waits at the waiting port, wherein the waiting operation is a leak check operation for checking an emission state of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle.

[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in the checking operation, when it is detected that the processing liquid is discharged from the nozzle during a discharge stop period in which the discharge of the processing liquid from the nozzle stops, it can be determined that the processing liquid has leaked from the nozzle.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inspection operation may include: checking whether there is a leakage of the processing liquid from the nozzle based on the light reception state of light emitted along the movement path of the processing liquid at the end of the nozzle or discharged from the nozzle while the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inspection operation may include: photographing the end of the nozzle or the movement path of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle while the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port; and checking whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle based on the captured image.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the processing liquid is supplied to the nozzle in a heated state, and an image can be acquired by a thermal imaging camera.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the processing liquid is supplied in a heated state, and before moving the nozzle to the position for processing the substrate, pre-distribution is performed to discharge the processing liquid from the nozzle at the waiting port, and the method may further include a temperature detection operation that measures the temperature of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle during pre-distribution to detect whether the temperature has reached a set temperature.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the temperature of the processing liquid reaches the set temperature, the nozzle can be moved to the position for processing the substrate.

[0024] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a method for processing a substrate, the method including: a waiting operation in which the nozzle waits at the waiting port; and a processing operation that processes the substrate by supplying a heated processing liquid to the substrate, wherein before the nozzle moves from the waiting port to the position for processing the substrate, pre-distribution is performed to discharge the heated processing liquid to the waiting port, and a temperature detection operation can be performed, which detects the temperature of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle during pre-distribution and determines whether the processing liquid has reached the set temperature.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the detection of the temperature of the processing liquid can be based on the image acquired by the thermal imaging camera.

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the device may further include: a leakage inspection operation that uses a thermal imaging camera to detect whether the heated processing liquid leaks from the nozzle during the waiting operation.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the temperature of the processing liquid reaches the set temperature, the nozzle is moved to the position where the substrate can be processed.

[0028] According to the present invention, the present invention can detect whether the processing liquid has leaked from the nozzle.

[0029] In addition, the present invention can detect whether the processing liquid has reached the set temperature by measuring the temperature of the discharged processing liquid.

[0030] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand the unstated effects from this specification and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] After reading the detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, various features and advantages of the non-limiting exemplary embodiments of this specification will become apparent. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Unless otherwise specified, the drawings should not be regarded as being drawn to scale. For clarity, various dimensions in the figures may be exaggerated.

[0032] Figure 1 is a top view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2 is schematically showing Figure 1 an exemplary embodiment of a liquid processing chamber of

[0034] Figure 3 is a view showing the shape of a waiting port including a liquid detection unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 4A and Figure 4B is a view showing a state of determining whether a processing liquid leaks by using a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit.

[0036] Figure 5 is a view showing the shape of a waiting port including a liquid detection unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 6 is showing the use of Figure 5 a liquid detection unit of

[0038] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The exemplary embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure thorough and to fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that specific details are not necessarily required and that the exemplary embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In some exemplary embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.

[0040] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, when no quantity is specified and the singular also may be intended to include the plural form. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and thus specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as necessarily requiring their execution in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of execution. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0041] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on, engaged, connected, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, intervening elements or layers may not be present. 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 associated listed items.

[0042] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another. Terms such as "first", "second", and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order when used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, the first element, first component, first region, first layer, or first section discussed below may be referred to as a second element, second component, second region, second layer, or second section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0043] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "inner", "outer", "beneath", "below", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. may be used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature as shown in the figures. In addition to the orientation depicted in the figures, the spatial relative terms may be intended to also encompass different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features will be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an upper and a lower orientation. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or to other orientations) and the spatial relative descriptions used herein interpreted accordingly.

[0044] When the terms "same" or "equivalent" are used in the description of the exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that there may be some imprecision. 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 the manufacturing or operating tolerances (e.g., ±10%).

[0045] When the term "about" or "substantially" is used in conjunction with a numerical value, it should be understood that the associated numerical value includes manufacturing or operating tolerances close to the stated value (e.g., ±10%). In addition, when the words "generally" and "substantially" are used in conjunction with a geometric shape, it should be understood that precision of the geometric shape is not required, but the degree of freedom of the shape is within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the exemplary embodiments belong. It should also be understood that terms (including terms 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 as being idealized or overly formal, unless expressly so defined herein.

[0047] In the present exemplary embodiment, a wafer is taken as an example to describe the target to be processed. However, the technical spirit of the present invention can be applied to a device for processing other types of substrates other than wafers as the processing target.

[0048] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a top view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Referring to Figure 1 , the substrate processing apparatus includes a transfer module 10 and a processing module 20. According to an exemplary embodiment, the transfer module 10 and the processing module 20 are arranged in one direction. Hereinafter, the arrangement direction of the transfer module 10 and the processing module 20 is referred to as the first direction 92, the direction perpendicular to the first direction 92 in a top view is referred to as the second direction 94, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction 92 and the second direction 94 is referred to as the third direction 96.

[0050] The transfer module 10 transfers the substrate W from the container 80 for accommodating the substrate W to the processing module 20, and accommodates the substrate W processed by the processing module 20 into the container 80. The longitudinal direction of the transfer module 10 is set along the second direction 94. The transfer module 10 includes a load port 12 and a transfer rack 14. Relative to the transfer rack 14, the load port 12 is located on the side opposite to the processing module 20. The container 80 for accommodating the substrate W is arranged on the load port 12. A plurality of load ports 12 may be provided, and the plurality of load ports 12 may be arranged along the second direction 94.

[0051] As the container 80, an airtight container such as a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) may be used. The container 80 can be placed on the load port 12 by a transfer device (not shown) such as an overhead handling system, an overhead conveyor or an automated guided vehicle or an operator.

[0052] The transfer rack 14 is provided with a transfer robot 120. A guide rail 140 having a length direction along the second direction 94 is provided inside the transfer rack 14, and the transfer robot 120 can be arranged to be movable on the guide rail 140. The transfer robot 120 includes a hand 122 for placing the substrate W, and the hand 122 can be arranged to be movable forward and backward, rotatable about the third direction 96 and movable along the third direction 96. A plurality of hands 122 are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the hands 122 can move forward and backward independently of each other.

[0053] The processing module 20 includes a buffer chamber 200, a transfer chamber 300, and a processing chamber 400. The buffer chamber 200 provides a space for the substrate W to be loaded into the processing module 20 and the substrate W to be unloaded from the processing module 20 to stay temporarily. The processing chamber 400 performs a processing process of liquid-treating the substrate W by supplying a liquid to the substrate W. The transfer chamber 300 transfers the substrate W between the buffer unit 200 and the liquid processing chamber 400.

[0054] The longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber 300 can be set along the first direction 92. The buffer chamber 200 can be disposed between the indexing module 10 and the transfer chamber 300. A plurality of liquid processing chambers 400 can be provided and can be disposed on the side of the transfer chamber 300. The liquid processing chamber 400 and the transfer chamber 300 can be arranged along the second direction 94. The buffer chamber 200 can be located at one end of the transfer chamber 300.

[0055] According to an example, the liquid processing chambers 400 are respectively arranged on both sides of the transfer chamber 300. On one side of the transfer device 300, the liquid processing devices 400 can be arranged in an A×B (both A and B are natural numbers of 1 or greater than 1) arrangement along the first direction 92 and the third direction 96.

[0056] The transfer chamber 300 includes a transfer robot 320. A guide rail 340 with its length direction along the first direction 92 is provided in the transfer chamber 300, and the transfer robot 320 can be arranged to be movable on the guide rail 340. The transfer robot 320 includes a hand 322 for placing the substrate W, and the hand 322 can be arranged to be movable forward and backward, rotatable about the third direction 96, and movable along the third direction 96. A plurality of hands 322 are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the hands 322 can move forward and backward independently of each other.

[0057] The buffer chamber 200 includes a plurality of buffer parts 220, and the substrate W is temporarily placed on the buffer parts 220. The buffer parts 220 can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the third direction 96. The front and back of the buffer unit 200 are open. The front is the surface facing the indexing module 10, and the back is the surface facing the transfer chamber 300. The indexing robot 120 can access the buffer chamber 200 through the front, and the transfer robot 320 can access the buffer chamber 200 through the back.

[0058] Figure 2 is schematically shown Figure 1 of an exemplary embodiment of the liquid processing chamber 400. Refer to Figure 2 , the liquid processing chamber 400 includes a housing 410, a cup-shaped body 420, a support unit 430, a lifting unit 450, a liquid supply unit 460, a waiting port 500, and a controller 600.

[0059] The housing 410 is set to be substantially rectangular parallelepiped in shape. The cup-shaped body 420, the support unit 430, and the liquid supply unit 440 are disposed within the housing 410.

[0060] The cup-shaped body 420 has a processing space with an open top, and the substrate W undergoes liquid processing within the processing space. The support unit 430 supports the substrate W within the processing space. The liquid supply unit 440 supplies liquid onto the substrate W supported by the support unit 430. The liquid can be provided in multiple types and can be sequentially supplied onto the substrate W. The lifting unit 450 adjusts the relative height between the cup-shaped body 420 and the support unit 430.

[0061] According to an example, the cup-shaped body 420 includes a plurality of cup-shaped members 422, 424, and 426. Each of the cup-shaped members 422, 424, and 426 has a recovery space for recovering the liquid used for substrate processing. Each of the cup-shaped members 422, 424, and 426 is arranged in an annular shape surrounding the support unit 430. When the liquid processing process is in progress, the processing liquid scattered by the rotation of the substrate W is introduced into the recovery space through the inlets 422a, 424a, and 426a of the respective cup-shaped members 422, 424, and 426. According to an example, the cup-shaped body 420 includes a first cup-shaped member 422, a second cup-shaped member 424, and a third cup-shaped member 426. The first cup-shaped member 422 is arranged to surround the support unit 430, the second cup-shaped member 424 is arranged to surround the first cup-shaped member 422, and the third cup-shaped member 426 is arranged to surround the second cup-shaped member 424. The second inlet 424a for introducing liquid into the second cup-shaped member 424 can be located above the first inlet 422a for introducing liquid into the first cup-shaped member 422, and the third inlet 426a for introducing liquid into the third cup-shaped member 426 can be located above the second inlet 424a.

[0062] The support unit 430 includes a support plate 432 and a drive shaft 434. The upper surface of the support plate 432 can be set to be substantially circular, and its diameter can be larger than the diameter of the substrate W. At the central portion of the support plate 432, a support pin 432a is provided to support the back surface of the substrate W, and the upper end of the support pin 432a protrudes from the support plate 432 such that the substrate W is spaced apart from the support plate 432 by a certain distance. At the edge of the support plate 432, a chuck pin 432b is provided. The chuck pin 432b is set to protrude upward from the support plate 432 and support the side portion of the substrate W such that the substrate W does not separate from the support unit 430 during rotation. The drive shaft 434 is driven by a driver 436, is connected to the center of the bottom surface of the substrate W, and rotates the support plate 432 relative to its central axis.

[0063] The lifting unit 450 moves the cup-shaped body 420 in the vertical direction. By moving the cup-shaped body 420 up and down, the relative height between the cup-shaped body 420 and the substrate W is changed. Therefore, since the cup-shaped members 422, 424, and 426 for recovering the processing liquid are changed according to the type of liquid supplied to the substrate W, the liquid can be separated and recovered. Different from this description, the cup-shaped body 420 can be fixedly installed, and the lifting unit 480 can move the support unit 440 in the vertical direction.

[0064] The liquid supply unit 460 supplies the processing liquid onto the substrate W. The liquid supply unit 460 includes a nozzle 461, a nozzle driver 462, a processing liquid supply source 463, a processing liquid supply pipeline 464, a valve 465, and a heater 466.

[0065] The nozzle 461 supplies the processing liquid onto the substrate W. The processing liquid can be a liquid having a temperature higher than room temperature. According to an exemplary embodiment, the processing liquid can be an acidic solution. The nozzle 461 has a flow channel 461b through which the processing liquid passes. The flow channel 461b can be formed perpendicular to the surface of the nozzle end 461a.

[0066] The nozzle driver 462 moves the nozzle 461 between the waiting port 500 and the cup-shaped body 420. The nozzle 461 is supported by an arm portion 462a.

[0067] Optionally, the liquid supply unit 460 may further include one or more nozzles in addition to the nozzle 461. The additional nozzles can supply different types of processing liquids to the substrate. For example, another processing liquid can be an acidic solution or an alkaline solution for removing foreign substances on the substrate. In addition, another processing liquid can be an alcohol having a surface tension lower than that of water. For example, the alcohol can be isopropyl alcohol. The nozzle 461 and the additional nozzles are respectively supported on different arm portions, and these arm portions can move independently. Optionally, the nozzle 461 and the additional nozzles can be mounted on the same arm portion and move simultaneously.

[0068] The processing liquid supply source 463 stores and supplies the processing liquid. A plurality of processing liquid supply sources 463 can be provided according to the type of the processing liquid. The processing liquid supply pipeline 464 connects the processing liquid supply source 463 and the nozzle 461. The valve 465 is installed on the processing liquid supply pipeline 464. The valve 465 opens and closes the processing liquid supply pipeline 464. The opening and closing speed of the valve 465 is adjustable. As the closing speed of the valve 465 increases, the processing liquid supply pipeline 464 is depressurized, and the supply of the processing liquid can be stopped while the processing liquid is rising in the nozzle 461. Therefore, the heater 465 heats the processing liquid to prevent the processing liquid from leaking from the nozzle 461. The heater 465 can be installed on the processing liquid supply source 463. In addition, the heater 465 can be installed on the processing liquid supply pipeline 464.

[0069] Figure 3 FIG. Figure 3 is a view showing the shape of a waiting port including a liquid detection unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 4A and Figure 4B , a waiting port 500 is installed outside the cup-shaped body 420. The waiting port 500 may be provided on the side wall of the housing 410. The waiting port 500 provides a waiting space for the nozzle 461 to wait. The waiting port 500 includes a body 510 and a liquid detection unit 520.

[0070] The body 510 provides a discharge space. The body 510 has an opening 510a at its upper part. The nozzle 461 may be located on the opening 510a. The nozzle 461 may standby in the opening 510a and discharge the processing liquid into the discharge space.

[0071] The liquid detection unit 520 detects whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle 461. The liquid detection unit 520 detects the end portion 461a of the nozzle. The liquid detection unit 520 detects the movement path of the processing liquid. When the processing liquid is detected, the liquid detection unit 520 may determine that the processing liquid leaks.

[0072] The liquid detection unit 520 may include a light emitting unit 521 and a light receiving unit 522. The light emitting unit 521 emits light toward the movement path of the processing liquid. The light receiving unit 522 receives the light emitted from the light emitting unit 521. The light receiving unit 522 may measure the amount of the received light. Whether the processing liquid leaks may be determined according to the amount of light emitted to the light receiving unit 522.

[0073] Figure 4A and Figure 4B FIG. Figure 4B is a view showing a state of determining whether the processing liquid leaks using the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit. When there is no leakage of the processing liquid from the nozzle 461, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 522 is constant, as Figure 4A shown. When there is leakage of the processing liquid from the nozzle 461, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 522 changes as Figure 4B shown. A part of the light emitted by the light emitting unit 521 meets the processing liquid and changes its path. Therefore, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 522 decreases, and it can be detected that the processing liquid has leaked.

[0074] Figure 5 FIG. is a view showing the shape of a waiting port including a liquid detection unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 FIG. Figure 6 is a view showing a state of detecting leakage using the liquid detection unit of Figure 5 . Refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6, the liquid detection unit 520 can measure the temperature of the end portion 461a of the nozzle. In addition, the liquid detection unit 520 can measure the temperature of the processing liquid present on the movement path of the processing liquid. According to an example, the liquid detection unit 520 can be a temperature sensor 523. According to an example, the temperature sensor 523 can be a thermal imaging camera. The processing liquid can be heated to a high temperature by a heater 465. When the high-temperature processing liquid leaks from the nozzle 461, the liquid detection unit 520 can detect the high temperature and detect that the processing liquid has leaked. In addition, when supplying the high-temperature processing liquid onto the substrate W, the processing liquid is pre-discharged (pre-dispensing) from the waiting port 500, and the temperature sensor 523 can detect whether the processing liquid has reached the set temperature.

[0075] The controller 600 controls the liquid supply unit 460 and the liquid detection unit 520. A method for processing a substrate using the controller 600 will be described below.

[0076] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing a substrate processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 6 , the substrate processing method may include a waiting operation S100 and a substrate processing operation S200.

[0077] The waiting operation S100 is an operation in which the nozzle 461 waits in the waiting port 500. The nozzle 461 moves to the waiting port 500. The nozzle 461 is located on the opening 510a. During the waiting operation S100, the controller 600 can indicate whether to discharge the processing liquid. During the waiting operation S100, a leak check operation S110 and a temperature detection operation S120 can be performed.

[0078] The leak check operation S110 is an operation to check whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle end portion 461a. When the controller 600 does not issue an instruction to discharge the processing liquid, the liquid detection unit 520 detects whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle end portion 461a. When the liquid detection unit 520 detects a leak of the processing liquid, the controller 600 can generate an alarm. The liquid detection unit 520 detects whether the processing liquid leaks by using a light emitting unit 521 and a light receiving unit 522. The light emitting unit 521 emits light to the movement path of the processing liquid, and the light receiving unit determines whether the processing liquid leaks based on the amount of received light. Alternatively, the liquid detection unit 520 detects whether the processing liquid leaks by measuring the temperature of the nozzle end portion 461a or the movement path of the processing liquid. When the liquid detection unit 520 includes a thermal imaging camera, the liquid detection unit 520 determines whether the processing liquid leaks based on the captured image.

[0079] The temperature detection operation S120 is an operation to measure the temperature of the processing liquid. The liquid detection unit 520 measures the temperature of the processing liquid discharged during pre-distribution. Pre-distribution means discharging the processing liquid to the waiting port 500 before processing the substrate W. When the liquid detection unit 520 includes a thermal imaging camera, the liquid detection unit 520 can measure the temperature of the processing liquid through the captured image. When the processing liquid needs to be heated to a set temperature, the liquid detection unit 520 can determine whether the processing liquid has reached the set temperature. In addition, when the temperature of the processing liquid remaining in the nozzle drops after being held for a long time, the liquid detection unit 520 can check whether the low-temperature processing liquid has been completely discharged. Thereafter, when it is determined that the temperature of the processing liquid has reached the set temperature, the controller 600 can move the nozzle 461 onto the substrate W and control the substrate W for processing.

[0080] The substrate processing operation S200 is an operation to process the substrate W by supplying the processing liquid. In the substrate processing operation S200, the nozzle 461 moves onto the substrate W. The nozzle 461 discharges the processing liquid. The processing liquid may be at a high temperature. When the substrate processing operation S200 ends, the valve 465 closes, and the processing liquid remaining in the nozzle 461 rises upward. Thereafter, the waiting operation S100 can be performed again.

[0081] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to detect whether a leakage of the processing liquid has occurred in the nozzle. Therefore, the nozzle can be prevented from being contaminated by the processing liquid.

[0082] In addition, by measuring the temperature of the processing liquid from the nozzle, it is possible to detect whether the high-temperature processing liquid leaks and determine whether the processing liquid has reached the set temperature.

[0083] In the above example, the present invention has been described by taking the case where the processing liquid stored in the supply tank 1200 is an aqueous phosphoric acid solution as an example. However, differently, the processing liquid stored in the supply tank 1200 may be another processing liquid containing water and adjusting the concentration by evaporation of water.

[0084] In addition, in the above example, the present invention has been described by taking the case where the leakage inspection operation S110 and the temperature detection operation S120 are performed simultaneously as an example. However, it is not limited thereto, and only one of them may be performed.

[0085] In addition, in the above example, the present invention has been described by taking the case of supplying a high-temperature processing liquid as an example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a low-temperature or room-temperature processing liquid may also be supplied.

[0086] The foregoing detailed description illustrates the present invention. Additionally, the above description represents and describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention, which can be used in a variety of other combinations, variations, and environments. This means that changes or modifications can be made to the scope of the inventive concept disclosed herein, provided that they are equivalent to the original invention and / or provided that they are within the skill or knowledge in the art. The disclosed exemplary embodiments describe the best available prior art for implementing the technical spirit of the present invention, and various changes can be made according to the needs of specific applications and uses of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing detailed description of the present invention is not intended to limit the present invention to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. Additionally, the appended claims should be construed to also include other exemplary embodiments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a housing providing an interior space; a supporting unit located in the inner space and supporting the substrate; a cup-shaped member surrounding the support unit and having an open top; a liquid supply unit including a nozzle to supply a processing liquid to the substrate supported by the supporting unit; as well as a waiting port installed in the housing and for the nozzle to wait in the waiting port, The waiting port includes a liquid detection unit for detecting the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle when the nozzle is waiting. 2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid detection unit detects whether the treatment liquid leaks from the nozzle during a discharge stop period in which discharge of the treatment liquid from the nozzle is stopped.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the liquid detection unit comprises: a light emitting unit for emitting light in a vertical downward path toward an outlet of the nozzle when the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port; as well as a light receiving unit for receiving the light emitted from the light emitting unit, and The liquid detection unit determines whether the treatment liquid leaks from the nozzle based on an amount of light received by the light receiving unit. 4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid detection unit includes a camera for photographing a vertical downward path of the end of the nozzle or the outlet of the nozzle when the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port. 5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the treatment liquid is supplied to the nozzle in a heated state, and the camera is a thermal imaging camera. 6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment liquid is supplied to the nozzle in a heated state, and the liquid detection unit detects a temperature of the treatment liquid discharged from the nozzle.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the liquid detection unit is a thermal imaging camera.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply unit further comprises a nozzle driver for moving the nozzle between the waiting port and the cup, The device also includes a controller for controlling the nozzle driver, and The controller controls the nozzle driver to move the nozzle from the waiting port to the cup when the liquid detection unit detects that the temperature of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle reaches a set temperature.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heater for heating the treatment liquid before the treatment liquid is supplied to the nozzle, wherein the liquid detection unit comprises a thermal imaging camera, and The temperature of the treatment liquid discharged from the nozzle and whether the treatment liquid leaks from the nozzle are detected through the image captured by the thermal imaging camera.

10. A method for processing a substrate, the method comprising: a substrate processing operation of processing a substrate by supplying a processing liquid to a nozzle for supplying the processing liquid; as well as a waiting operation, in which the nozzle moves to a waiting port and waits at the waiting port, The waiting operation is a leakage checking operation of checking a discharge state of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle. 11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein in the leakage checking operation, when discharge of the treatment liquid from the nozzle is detected during a discharge stop period in which discharge of the treatment liquid from the nozzle is stopped, it is determined that the treatment liquid has leaked from the nozzle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the leak checking operation comprises: Whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle is checked based on a light receiving state of light emitted toward an end of the nozzle or a moving path of the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle while the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the leak checking operation comprises: photographing an end of the nozzle or a moving path of the treatment liquid discharged from the nozzle while the nozzle is waiting at the waiting port; and checking whether the processing liquid leaks from the nozzle based on the captured image. 14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the processing liquid is supplied to the nozzle in a heated state, and the image is acquired by a thermal imaging camera.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the treatment liquid is supplied in a heated state, Before moving the nozzle to a position for processing the substrate, pre-dispensing is performed to discharge the processing liquid from the nozzle at the waiting port, and The method further includes a temperature detection operation of measuring a temperature of the treatment liquid discharged from the nozzle during the pre-dispensing to detect whether the temperature has reached a set temperature. 16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein when the temperature of the processing liquid reaches the set temperature, the nozzle is moved to a position for processing the substrate.

17. A method for processing a substrate, the method comprising: a waiting operation, in which the nozzle waits at a waiting port; as well as a processing operation for processing a substrate by supplying a heated processing liquid to the substrate, wherein before the nozzle is moved from the waiting port to a position for processing the substrate, pre-dispensing is performed to discharge the heated processing liquid to the waiting port, and A temperature detection operation is performed which detects a temperature of the treatment liquid discharged from the nozzle during the pre-dispensing and determines whether the treatment liquid has reached a set temperature.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting of the temperature of the treatment fluid is based on an image acquired by a thermal imaging camera.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: A leak inspection operation of using the thermal imaging camera to detect whether the heated processing fluid leaks from the nozzle during the waiting operation.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein when the temperature of the processing liquid reaches the set temperature, the nozzle is moved to a position for processing the substrate.

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