Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a mechanism that can adjust the position of a nozzle, has high etching width processing precision, and can suppress the outflow of particles to a substrate processing region. The nozzle mechanism (50) has a nozzle main body (52) and a nozzle drive unit (53) that reciprocates the nozzle main body in the radial direction of the substrate, and the nozzle main body has a shaft-shaped portion (52b) on the opposite side of the ejection port (521). The nozzle drive unit includes: a shaft (532) connected to the actuator (531) and engaged with the shaft-shaped portion; a bearing (533) for supporting the shaft-shaped part; and an accommodating and fixing part (534) which accommodates the actuator and the bearing in a manner of fixing and covering the actuator and the bearing. The shaft and the bearing are coaxially arranged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, which supplies a processing liquid to the periphery of a substrate within a chamber to process the periphery. Background Technology

[0002] As a process for processing circular or substantially circular substrates such as semiconductor wafers, there is a process that removes only the film at the periphery of the substrate from a thin film formed on at least one main surface of the substrate. For example, it is known that while rotating the substrate, an etching solution is supplied to its periphery, thereby removing only the film located outside the position where the etching solution is supplied. This process of removing the film is called bevel etching.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, in a substrate processing apparatus housed within a processing chamber, a lower peripheral nozzle is provided below the substrate for etching the lower peripheral portion of a horizontally positioned substrate. In this lower peripheral nozzle, multiple nozzles are mounted on a nozzle support member, and these nozzles spray processing liquids such as chemical solutions and rinsing solutions upwards toward the lower peripheral portion of the substrate. Existing technical documents Patent documents

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-052835 Summary of the Invention

[0005] In such a process, the width of the area removed from the film (etch width) needs to match a predetermined target value. Therefore, in the substrate processing apparatus, before use after assembly or component replacement, the nozzle position needs to be adjusted to obtain the specified etch width. Furthermore, the required etch width during processing is not constant and sometimes changes depending on the purpose. In cases where the etch width is changed, nozzle position adjustment is also necessary.

[0006] In recent years, it has been required that the etching width of the substrate periphery be variable within 0-20mm, and the accuracy of the etching width is also required to be at the tens of μm level, such as ±75μm.

[0007] However, the prior art does not disclose in detail the mounting structure of the nozzle relative to the nozzle support member. Therefore, it is unclear how to adjust the nozzle position. Furthermore, if the nozzle vibrates during nozzle drive, the liquid application position shifts, leading to a decrease in the accuracy of the etching width; however, this is not addressed in the prior art. Moreover, even when the nozzle position can be adjusted, particles (fine dust) generated from the adjustment mechanism may flow into the substrate processing area; this is also not addressed in the prior art.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a mechanism in a substrate processing apparatus in which a nozzle is disposed below a substrate, which can adjust the position of the nozzle, achieve high processing accuracy of the etching width, and suppress the outflow of microparticles into the substrate processing area.

[0009] To address the aforementioned issues, one embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a rotation mechanism that holds a circular substrate in a horizontal position and rotates the substrate about a vertical axis passing through the center of the substrate; and a nozzle mechanism disposed below the substrate, the nozzle mechanism comprising: a nozzle body that sprays a processing liquid from a spray outlet to a peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate; and a nozzle drive unit that reciprocates the nozzle body in a radial direction of the substrate, the nozzle body having a shaft-shaped portion extending inward in the radial direction on the side opposite to the spray outlet in the radial direction, the nozzle drive unit comprising: a shaft, one end of which is connected to an actuator and the other end of which engages with the shaft-shaped portion to move the nozzle body; at least one bearing configured to support the shaft-shaped portion when the nozzle body is moved to the outermost position in the radial direction; and a receiving and fixing portion that fixes the actuator and the bearing and accommodates them to at least cover the portion from the side of the actuator connected to the shaft to the bearing, the shaft and the bearing being coaxially arranged.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism is provided in a substrate processing apparatus in which a nozzle is disposed below a substrate, which can adjust the position of the nozzle, achieve high processing accuracy of the etching width, and suppress the outflow of particles into the substrate processing area. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system equipped with one embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus, or processing unit, of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a side view showing the internal structure of the aforementioned processing unit. Figure 3 This is a top view of the aforementioned processing unit. Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the structure and configuration of the processing mechanism of the aforementioned processing unit. Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle block showing the structure of a processing liquid ejection nozzle section of the aforementioned processing mechanism, indicating that the nozzle body is located at the origin. Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle block showing the structure of a processing liquid ejection nozzle section of the aforementioned processing mechanism, showing the nozzle body in its maximum extended state. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1. Processing Unit (Substrate Processing Apparatus) 2. Maintain the rotating mechanism (rotating mechanism) 5. Processing facilities 50 Nozzle Block (Nozzle Mechanism) 51, 51A, 51B, 51C Treatment fluid spray nozzle section 52 Nozzle body 52b Shaft-shaped part 53 Nozzle drive unit 54 Support base 110 Substrate processing area 521 nozzle 523 Shaft Hole 524 Nut 531 Motor (Actuator) 532 shafts 533 bearing 533A Sleeve Type Bearing 534 Housing (accommodating the fixing part) Detailed Implementation

[0012] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. Figure 1 This is a top view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system according to one embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, namely the processing unit 1. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal structure of the substrate processing system 100 by removing the outer wall panel and other components, making it easily understandable. The substrate processing system 100, for example, is located in a cleanroom and is a monolithic device that processes substrates S one by one.

[0013] The substrate processing system 100 includes multiple processing units (substrate processing apparatuses) 1, each of which is a processing entity for the substrate S. Figure 1 The diagram shows four processing units 1 arranged horizontally, but each processing unit 1 is also stacked in multiple layers in the vertical direction. In each of the plurality of processing units 1 equipped in the substrate processing system 100, substrate processing using a processing liquid is performed.

[0014] Here, the term "substrate" in this embodiment can be applied to various substrates such as semiconductor wafers, photomask glass substrates, liquid crystal display glass substrates, plasma display glass substrates, FED (Field Emission Display) substrates, optical disc substrates, magnetic disk substrates, and optical disc substrates. Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers will be used as an example, described with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the apparatus can also be applied to the processing of the various substrates illustrated above.

[0015] The processing unit 1 of this embodiment performs a process in which it receives a substrate S on which a thin film of metal or metal compound is formed on a main surface, and removes only the periphery of the thin film formed on the substrate S by etching. This etching process is sometimes referred to as "bevel etching" or simply "bevel processing". Furthermore, it is possible for all of the multiple processing units 1 included in the substrate processing system 100 to perform such bevel etching, or multiple processing units performing different processes may be combined.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown, the substrate processing system 100 has a substrate processing area 110 for processing substrates S. An indexing section 120 is provided adjacent to the substrate processing area 110. The indexing section 120 has a container holding section 121 capable of holding multiple containers C for accommodating substrates S. The indexing section 120 includes a transfer robot 122 for accessing the containers C held in the container holding section 121, removing unprocessed substrates S from the containers C, or storing processed substrates S into the containers C. Multiple substrates S are accommodated in each container C in a generally horizontal position.

[0017] In the substrate processing area 110, the mounting stage 112 is configured to hold the substrate S from the transfer robot 122. Furthermore, when viewed from above, the substrate handling robot 111 is positioned approximately at the center of the substrate processing area 110. Multiple processing units 1 are then arranged to surround the substrate handling robot 111.

[0018] The substrate handling robot 111 randomly accesses the mounting stage 112 relative to these processing units 1, and transfers substrates S between itself and the mounting stage 112. On the other hand, each processing unit 1 performs a prescribed process on the substrate S, equivalent to the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention. In this embodiment, these processing units (substrate processing apparatus) 1 have the same function. Therefore, parallel processing of multiple substrates S is possible. Furthermore, in Figure 1 In the figure, reference numeral 11 is the chamber that serves as the partition of the processing unit 1, and reference numeral 15 is the gate provided on the chamber 11.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a side view showing the internal structure of processing unit 1. Figure 3 This is its top view. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In order to make it easier to understand, the size and quantity of each part in the illustration are sometimes exaggerated or simplified.

[0020] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the processing unit 1 has a structure in which a substrate processing unit SP is disposed in an internal space 12 within a chamber 11. The substrate processing unit SP is disposed on the upper surface of a base member 17 with a high base plate structure. Each part constituting the substrate processing unit SP is electrically connected to a control unit 10 that controls the entire device and operates according to instructions from the control unit 10.

[0021] In the following sections, to clarify the configuration and operation of the various parts of the device, a coordinate system is appropriately defined, with the Z-direction set as the vertical direction and the XY plane as the horizontal plane. Figure 3 In the coordinate system, the horizontal direction, which is equivalent to the up and down direction on the paper, is designated as the "X direction", and the horizontal direction orthogonal to it is designated as the "Y direction".

[0022] The substrate processing unit SP includes a rotating holding mechanism 2, a scattering prevention mechanism 3, an upper surface protection heating mechanism 4, a processing mechanism 5, an air separation mechanism 6, a lifting mechanism 7, a centering mechanism 8, and a substrate observation mechanism 9. These mechanisms are located on the base component 17.

[0023] The holding and rotating mechanism (rotating mechanism) 2 holds the substrate S in a horizontal position and rotates the substrate S about a vertical axis passing through the center of the substrate S. The holding and rotating mechanism 2 includes a substrate holding part 2A that holds the substrate S in a generally horizontal position with the film forming surface of the substrate S facing downward, and a rotating mechanism part 2B that rotates the substrate holding part 2A holding the substrate S and the rotating cup part 31, which is part of the scattering prevention mechanism 3, synchronously.

[0024] The substrate holding section 2A includes a circular plate-shaped component, namely a rotary chuck 21, which is smaller than the substrate S. The rotary chuck 21 is configured such that its central axis is aligned with the rotation axis AX, and the substrate S is held from below by the suction force of the pump 26. Nitrogen gas at room temperature is supplied to the rotary chuck 21 from the nitrogen supply section 29.

[0025] A cylindrical rotating shaft portion 22 is connected to the lower surface of the rotating chuck 21. The rotating shaft portion 22 extends in the vertical direction Z with its axis aligned with the rotating shaft AX. In addition, a rotating mechanism portion 2B is connected to the rotating shaft portion 22.

[0026] The rotating mechanism 2B includes a motor 23 that generates a rotational driving force for rotating the substrate holding part 2A and the rotating cup part 31 of the scattering prevention mechanism 3, and a power transmission part 27 for transmitting the rotational driving force.

[0027] The rotating mechanism 2B not only enables the rotating chuck 21 to rotate integrally with the base plate S, but also includes a power transmission section 27 to ensure that the rotating cup section 31 rotates synchronously with this rotation. The power transmission section 27 includes a circular plate component 27a made of non-magnetic material or resin. The circular plate component 27a is coaxially mounted with the rotating shaft section 22 and can rotate together with the rotating shaft section 22 around the rotating axis AX.

[0028] The scattering prevention mechanism 3 prevents the etching solution sprayed during the etching process from scattering and recovers the processed liquid. The scattering prevention mechanism 3 has a rotating cup portion 31 that surrounds the outer periphery of the substrate S held by the rotating chuck 21 and is rotatable about the rotation axis AX, and a fixed cup portion 34 that is fixedly disposed around the rotating cup portion 31. The rotating cup portion 31 is a connecting body that connects the lower cup 32 and the upper cup 33. The droplets captured by the rotating cup portion 31 are recovered along with the gas components and collected in the fixed cup portion 34. The droplets are discharged, and the gas components are effectively discharged by adjusting the pressure of the fixed cup portion 34 through the operation of the exhaust portion 38.

[0029] The upper surface protection heating mechanism 4 protects the upper surface of the substrate S in a manner that prevents it from being exposed to the surrounding air. The upper surface protection heating mechanism 4 has a shielding plate 41 disposed above the upper surface of the substrate S held by the rotating chuck 21. The shielding plate 41 has a circular plate portion 42 held in a horizontal position. The circular plate portion 42 houses a heater (not shown) that is driven and controlled by the heater driving unit 422.

[0030] When the circular plate portion 42 is positioned close to the processing position of the substrate S, the upper surface protection heating mechanism 4 supplies heating gas from the heating gas supply portion 47 between the substrate S and the circular plate portion 42. The heating gas is supplied from the central side of the circular plate portion 42 and flows toward the periphery. As a result, it is possible to prevent air around the substrate S from entering the upper surface of the substrate S.

[0031] The air separation mechanism 6 separates the internal space 12 within the chamber 11 into a sealed space 12a capable of beveling the substrate S and an outer space 12b of the sealed space 12a. The air separation mechanism 6 is configured to completely surround the rotating chuck 21, the substrate S held by the rotating chuck 21, the rotating cup portion 31, and the upper surface protection heating mechanism 4 from above. The air separation mechanism 6 has a lower sealed cup component 61 and an upper sealed cup component 62. The lower sealed cup component 61 is designed to be movable in the vertical direction (able to move up and down).

[0032] like Figure 2 As shown, the lower sealing cup component 61 descends and is positioned at the lower limit position, thereby connecting the upper sealing cup component 62, the lower sealing cup component 61, and the fixed cup portion 34 in the vertical direction, forming a sealed space 12a.

[0033] Additionally, although not shown in the diagram, as the lower sealing cup component 61 rises and moves to the retracted position, the upper cup 33 also engages with the lower sealing cup component 61 and rises together. As a result, the upper cup 33 and the upper surface protection heating mechanism 4 separate upwards from the rotary chuck 21. By moving the lower sealing cup component 61 to the retracted position, a transport space is formed for the hand of the substrate transport robot 111 to access the rotary chuck 21.

[0034] The lifting mechanism 7 moves the lower sealed cup component 61 up and down. The lifting mechanism 7 has two lifting drive units: a first lifting drive unit 71 and a second lifting drive unit 72. The first lifting drive unit 71 and the second lifting drive unit 72, relative to the side surface of the lower sealed cup component 61, move synchronously and vertically at two different locations in their circumferential direction. This allows for stable lifting and lowering of the upper surface protection heating mechanism 4 and the lower sealed cup component 61. Furthermore, as the lifting mechanism 7 and the lower sealed cup component 61 rise and fall, the upper cup 33, which is connected to the lower cup 32 and forms the rotating cup part 31, also rises and falls.

[0035] The centering mechanism 8 eliminates the eccentricity of the substrate S and performs a centering process that aligns the center of the substrate S with the rotation axis AX. The centering mechanism 8 has a single contact portion 81 and a multiple contact portion 82 arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis AX separated by the rotating chuck 21, and a centering drive portion 83 that moves the single contact portion 81 and the multiple contact portion 82 in the contact movement direction.

[0036] The substrate observation mechanism 9 is a mechanism for optically observing the peripheral portion Ss of a processed substrate S for the purpose of confirming whether the processing has been appropriate. The substrate observation mechanism 9 includes a light source unit 91, an imaging unit 92, an observation head 93, and an observation head drive unit 94.

[0037] Processing mechanism 5 performs an etching process to remove only the peripheral portion of the thin film formed on substrate S. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the processing mechanism 5 includes a nozzle block (nozzle mechanism) 50 disposed on the lower surface side of the substrate S and a processing liquid supply section 59 for supplying processing liquid to the nozzle block 50. As described later, the nozzle block 50 has a plurality of processing liquid ejection nozzle sections 51 (see reference). Figure 4 Each treatment liquid spray nozzle 51 is connected to a treatment liquid supply unit 59.

[0038] The treatment liquid supply unit 59 is configured to supply SC1 liquid, DHF (diluted fluoride) and other chemical solutions, and functional water (CO2 water, etc.) as treatment liquids, and can independently spray SC1 liquid, DHF and functional water from each treatment liquid spray nozzle unit 51.

[0039] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, in order to spray the processing liquid onto the periphery of the lower surface of the substrate S, a nozzle support portion 57 that supports the nozzle block 50 is provided below the substrate S held by the rotating chuck 21. The nozzle support portion 57 has a thin cylindrical portion 571 that extends in the vertical direction, and a flange portion 572 with an annular shape that bends and extends radially outward from the upper end of the cylindrical portion 571.

[0040] The cylindrical portion 571 has a shape that allows it to freely pass through the air gap formed between the circular plate member 27a and the lower cup 32. The nozzle support portion 57 is fixedly configured such that the cylindrical portion 571 passes through the air gap and the flange portion 572 is located between the base plate S held by the rotating chuck 21 and the lower cup 32. A nozzle block 50 is mounted on a portion of the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the flange portion 572.

[0041] (Processing agency) Next, use Figures 4-6 Detailed description of processing mechanism 5. Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the structure and configuration of the processing mechanism 5 of the processing unit 1. Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle block showing the structure of a processing liquid ejection nozzle section of the processing mechanism 5, indicating that the nozzle body is located at the origin. Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle block showing the structure of a processing liquid ejection nozzle section of the processing mechanism 5, showing the nozzle body in its maximum extended state.

[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, the nozzle block 50 has three sets of treatment liquid ejection nozzles 51A, 51B, and 51C that respectively eject treatment liquid, and a support base 54 that supports them. Each treatment liquid ejection nozzle 51A to 51C has the same shape. Furthermore, here, the nozzle block 50 is shown to include a configuration of three treatment liquid ejection nozzles 51, but it is fine to include two or more.

[0043] The support base 54 is mounted on the nozzle support portion 57 (see reference). Figure 2 The upper part of the generally circular flange portion 572. A support base 54 supports three treatment liquid spray nozzle portions 51A to 51C. Hereinafter, the direction in which the three treatment liquid spray nozzle portions 51A to 51C are arranged is referred to as the transverse direction of the support base 54.

[0044] The support base 54 has ears 542 with threaded holes at both transverse ends. The support base 54 abuts the two ears 542 against the upper surface of the flange portion 572 and is fixed to the flange portion 572 by inserting screws 543 formed in the threaded holes of the ears 542.

[0045] The upper surface 541 of the base 54 between the lugs 542 and the lugs 542 is the support surface for supporting the three treatment liquid spray nozzles 51A to 51C. The three treatment liquid spray nozzles 51A to 51C are fixed to the support base 54 using screws or the like.

[0046] Here, taking a single treatment liquid ejection nozzle section 51A as an example, refer to... Figure 5 and Figure 6 Its structure will be described. In addition, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the various treatment liquid ejection nozzle sections 51A to 51C, they will sometimes be referred to simply as "treatment liquid ejection nozzle section 51".

[0047] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the processing liquid ejection nozzle section 51 includes a nozzle body 52, which is the main part of the processing liquid ejection nozzle section 51, and a nozzle drive section 53 that reciprocates the nozzle body 52 in the radial direction of the substrate S. The nozzle body 52 ejects processing liquid from the ejection outlet 521 to the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate S.

[0048] The nozzle body 52 has an elongated shape along the radial direction of the substrate S, with a nozzle head 52a on the outer side in the radial direction and an axial shape portion 52b on the inner side in the radial direction.

[0049] A nozzle outlet 521 for dispensing treatment fluid is provided at the outer radial end, i.e., the front end, of the nozzle head 52a. The nozzle outlet 521 receives treatment fluid from the treatment fluid supply unit 59 (see reference 52a). Figure 3 The processing liquid supplied through the internal manifold 522 is sprayed upward at an elevation angle of 45 degrees and outward when viewed from the rotation axis AX. The processing liquid is sprayed toward the periphery of the lower surface of the substrate S.

[0050] A metal thin film or a metal compound thin film is formed on the lower surface of the substrate S. When the sprayed processing liquid has a dissolving effect on the film, the thin film in the area on the lower surface of the substrate S where the processing liquid adheres is etched away. When the substrate S is rotated, the processing liquid diffuses outward from the adhered position due to centrifugal force, resulting in the removal of the thin film on the outer side of the adhered position.

[0051] The shaft-shaped portion 52b is located on the inner side of the base plate S in the radial direction in the nozzle body 52, that is, on the opposite side of the nozzle outlet 521, and extends inward in the radial direction. The shaft-shaped portion 52b is inserted into and supported by the bearing 533 provided in the nozzle drive portion 53.

[0052] The nozzle drive unit 53 includes a motor (actuator) 531, a shaft 532 connected to the motor 531 at one end, a bearing 533 supporting the shaft-shaped portion 52b of the nozzle body 52, and a housing (accommodating and fixing portion) 534.

[0053] Except for the side of the motor 531 that is mounted on the shaft 532 and faces outward in the radial direction, the motor 531 is held by the motor bracket 535.

[0054] The shaft 532 is cantilevered and supported by the motor 531. In this embodiment, it is integrally provided with the motor 531. The shaft 532 is coaxially configured with the bearing 533, and the front end (the outer end in the radial direction) of the shaft 532 engages with the shaft-shaped portion 52b of the nozzle body 52.

[0055] Specifically, in this embodiment, the shaft-shaped portion 52b of the nozzle body 52 has a shaft hole 523 for inserting a shaft 532. The shaft hole 523 opens inward in the radial direction and extends outward in the radial direction, and a nut 524 is fixed in the shaft hole 523. On the other hand, the shaft 532 has a thread on its outer periphery that engages with the nut 524. By engaging with the nut 524 through the thread on the outer periphery of the shaft 532, the shaft 532 engages with the shaft-shaped portion 52b.

[0056] Therefore, when the shaft 532 is rotated by the driving force of the motor 531, the nut 524, which is screwed onto the outer circumference of the shaft 532, moves along the radial direction of the substrate S. The direction of movement is determined by the rotation direction of the shaft 532, and the amount of movement is determined by the amount of rotation of the shaft 532. By moving the nut 524 along the radial direction of the substrate S, the nozzle body 52, to which the nut 524 is fixed, moves along the radial direction of the substrate S.

[0057] The housing 534 secures and houses the motor 531 and the bearing 533. The housing 534 not only secures the motor 531 and the bearing 533, but also houses them to at least cover the portion from the side of the motor 531 connected to the shaft 532 to the bearing 533.

[0058] The bearing 533 is configured to support the shaft-shaped portion 52b when the nozzle body 52 is moved to the radially outermost position.

[0059] According to the above configuration, the nozzle drive unit 53 moves the nozzle body 52 back and forth in the radial direction of the substrate S via the motor 531, thereby adjusting the position of the nozzle body 52. ​​As a result, the contact position of the processing liquid ejected from the nozzle outlet 521 provided on the nozzle body 52 on the substrate S can be changed, thereby adjusting the etching width.

[0060] Here, the shaft 532, which is connected to the motor 531 at one end, is cantilevered. Therefore, when the nozzle block 50 is working, if there is a gap between the motor 531 and its fixed component, i.e., the housing, the shaft 532 will vibrate, and the nozzle body 52, which is engaged with the front end of the shaft 532, will also vibrate. As a result, the position of the nozzle outlet 521 changes, causing the liquid contact position to shift and reducing the processing accuracy.

[0061] According to the above configuration, a shaft-shaped portion 52b is provided in the nozzle body 52, and the shaft-shaped portion 52b is supported by at least one bearing 533, so that the shaft 532 engages with the shaft-shaped portion 52b. Furthermore, since the bearing 533 and the shaft 532 are coaxially arranged, the engaged shaft 532 and shaft-shaped portion 52b form a single shaft with one end connected to the motor 531 and supported by the bearing 533 in the middle. The bearing 533 is positioned to support the shaft-shaped portion 52b when the nozzle body 52 is moved to its outermost radial position, and supports the single shaft at a position away from the root of the shaft 532. Therefore, vibration of the single shaft can be effectively suppressed, and displacement of the liquid contact position caused by changes in the position of the nozzle outlet 521 can be effectively suppressed.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the housing 534 not only fixes the motor 531 and the bearing 533, but also accommodates and covers at least the portion from the side of the motor 531 connected to the shaft 532 to the bearing 533. Therefore, when the nozzle block 50 is operating, particles generated from the engagement portion of the shaft 532 and the shaft-shaped portion 52b can be sealed inside the housing 534, suppressing or preventing particles from flowing out into the substrate processing area.

[0063] In this embodiment, the bearing 533 is a sleeve-type bearing 533A extending in the radial direction of the substrate S. The outer end of the sleeve-type bearing 533A in the radial direction is located at a position that supports the shaft-shaped portion 52b when the nozzle body 52 is moved to the outermost position in the radial direction of the substrate S, and extends inward in the radial direction from that position.

[0064] The shaft-shaped portion 52b is inserted from the outer end of the sleeve bearing 533A in the radial direction, and the shaft 532 is inserted from the inner end of the sleeve bearing 533A in the radial direction. The shaft-shaped portion 52b and the shaft 532 are engaged in the sleeve bearing 533A.

[0065] Based on the above configuration, since a sleeve-type bearing 533A is used as the bearing 533, the contact area between the shaft-shaped portion 52b of the nozzle body 52 and the sleeve-type bearing 533A is increased. This allows for more effective suppression of vibration of the single shaft. Furthermore, since the shaft-shaped portion 52b engages with the shaft 532 inside the sleeve-type bearing 533A, it is more effective to suppress or prevent particles generated at the engagement point from flowing into the substrate processing area.

[0066] As a sleeve-type bearing, for example, IegiduleG (product name: Iegidule Co., Ltd.) can be used as a sliding bearing. However, while using a sleeve-type bearing as bearing 533 is preferred in the above respects, it is not limited to this, and for example, a configuration in which rolling bearings are arranged in multiple locations may also be used.

[0067] In this embodiment, the motor 531 and bearing 532 are fixed to the housing 534 with an interference fit. More precisely, since the motor 531 is held by the motor bracket 535, in this embodiment, the motor 531, together with the bearing 533, is fixed to the housing 534 with an interference fit while being held by the motor bracket 535.

[0068] According to the above configuration, the motor 531 and bearing 533 are fixed to the housing 534 with an interference fit. Accordingly, the tolerance of the portion fixing the motor 531 and bearing 533 is the tolerance of the interference fit, ensuring sufficient coaxiality between the motor 531 and bearing 533. By ensuring the coaxiality of the motor 531 and bearing 533, the vibration of the aforementioned single shaft can be more effectively suppressed.

[0069] In addition, in this embodiment, in the shaft-shaped portion 52b of the nozzle body 52, the nut 524 is fixed to the shaft hole 523 with an interference fit.

[0070] In this way, the nut 524 is fixed to the shaft hole 523 with an interference fit, so that the tolerance between the inner circumference of the shaft hole 523 and the outer circumference of the nut 524 becomes the tolerance of the interference fit, which can ensure sufficient coaxiality between the shaft 532 and the nut 524. By ensuring the coaxiality between the shaft 532 and the nut 524, the vibration of the aforementioned shaft can be suppressed more effectively.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a sealing ring 536 is disposed on the outer side of the bearing 533 in the radial direction to seal the annular space between the bearing 533 and the shaft-shaped portion 52b. An annular groove 534a for arranging the sealing ring 536 is formed on the housing 534, and the sealing ring 536 is embedded in the groove 534a. An annular pressing member 537 is embedded on the outer side of the sealing ring 536 in the radial direction to prevent the sealing ring 536 from falling off.

[0072] The sealing ring 536 has an annular sliding contact portion that slides in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft-shaped portion 52b throughout its entire circumference, and an annular tight contact portion that makes close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the groove 534a throughout its entire circumference. Thus, the annular space is sealed by the tight contact between the annular tight contact portion and the groove 534a, and the annular sliding contact portion allows for sliding contact with the shaft-shaped portion 52b.

[0073] According to the above configuration, when the nozzle block 50 is working, it can effectively suppress or prevent particles generated from the engagement portion of the shaft 532 and the shaft-shaped portion 52b from flowing out of the gap between the bearing 533 and the shaft-shaped portion 52b into the substrate processing area.

[0074] The treatment fluid ejection nozzle 51 (51A-51C) and the support base 54 are made of a material with excellent chemical resistance, such as a resin material. For example, polyethylene resin, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone) resin, etc. can be appropriately selected and used depending on the purpose.

[0075] 〔Summarize〕 One embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a rotation mechanism that holds a circular substrate in a horizontal position and rotates the substrate about a vertical axis passing through the center of the substrate; and a nozzle mechanism disposed below the substrate, the nozzle mechanism having: a nozzle body that sprays a processing liquid from a spray outlet toward a peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate; and a nozzle drive unit that reciprocates the nozzle body in a radial direction of the substrate, the nozzle body having a shaft-shaped portion extending inward in the radial direction on the side opposite to the spray outlet in the radial direction, the nozzle drive unit including: a shaft, one end of which is connected to an actuator and the other end of which engages with the shaft-shaped portion to move the nozzle body; at least one bearing configured to support the shaft-shaped portion when the nozzle body is moved to the outermost position in the radial direction; and a receiving and fixing portion that fixes the actuator and the bearing and accommodates at least covering the portion from the side of the actuator connected to the shaft to the bearing, the shaft and the bearing being coaxially configured.

[0076] According to the above configuration, the nozzle drive unit uses an actuator to reciprocate the nozzle body in the radial direction of the substrate, thereby adjusting the position of the nozzle body. This allows for a change in the contact position of the processing liquid ejected from the nozzle body with the substrate, thus adjusting the etching width.

[0077] However, the shaft connected to the actuator at one end is in a cantilevered state. Therefore, when the nozzle mechanism is working, if there is a gap between the actuator and its fixed parts, the shaft will vibrate, and the nozzle body, which is engaged with the front end of the shaft, will also vibrate. As a result, the position of the nozzle outlet changes, causing the liquid contact position to shift and reducing the processing accuracy.

[0078] According to the above configuration, a shaft-shaped portion is provided in the nozzle body, and this shaft-shaped portion is supported by at least one bearing, so that the shaft engages with the shaft-shaped portion. Furthermore, since the bearing and shaft are coaxially arranged, the engaged shaft and shaft-shaped portion constitute a single shaft with one end connected to the motor and the middle supported by the bearing. The bearing is positioned to support the shaft-shaped portion when the nozzle body is moved to its outermost radial position, and to support the single shaft at a position away from the root of the shaft. Therefore, vibration of the single shaft can be effectively suppressed.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the receiving and fixing part not only fixes the actuator and bearing, but also accommodates and covers at least the portion from the side of the actuator connected to the shaft to the bearing. As a result, when the nozzle mechanism is in operation, particles generated from the engagement portion of the shaft and the shaft-shaped part can be sealed into the receiving and fixing part, and fine dust can be suppressed or prevented from flowing out into the substrate processing area.

[0080] Furthermore, in the aforementioned invention, the term "circular substrate" refers not only to a substrate whose main surface is circular in a strict sense when viewed from above, but also to a "generally circular substrate" whose outer shape is circular but has oriented planes, cuts, or other parts on its outer periphery that are different from the circumference.

[0081] [Recordation Items] This invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical solutions shown. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included within the technical scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: A rotating mechanism that holds a circular substrate in a horizontal position and rotates the substrate about a vertical axis passing through the center of the substrate; as well as A nozzle mechanism is disposed below the substrate. The nozzle mechanism has: The nozzle body sprays a treatment liquid from the nozzle outlet toward the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate; and A nozzle drive unit that causes the nozzle body to reciprocate in the radial direction of the substrate. The nozzle body has an axially shaped portion extending inward in the radial direction on the side opposite to the nozzle outlet. The nozzle drive unit includes: A shaft, one end of which is connected to an actuator and the other end of which engages with the shaft-shaped portion, to move the nozzle body; At least one bearing is configured to support the shaft-shaped portion when the nozzle body is moved to the outermost position in the radial direction; and The receiving and fixing part secures the actuator and the bearing, and accommodates them to at least cover the portion from the side of the actuator connected to the shaft to the bearing. The shaft and the bearing are arranged coaxially.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing is a sleeve-type bearing that extends in the radial direction. The shaft-shaped portion is inserted from the outer end of the sleeve bearing in the radial direction, and the shaft is inserted from the inner end of the sleeve bearing in the radial direction, wherein the shaft-shaped portion engages with the shaft inside the sleeve bearing.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The actuator and the bearing are fixed to the receiving and fixing part by an interference fit.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shaft-shaped portion has a shaft hole for inserting the shaft, the shaft hole opening inward in the radial direction and extending outward in the radial direction. A nut is fixed to the shaft hole with an interference fit. A thread is formed on the outer circumference of the shaft for the nut to engage.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing ring is disposed on the outer side of the bearing in the radial direction to seal the annular space between the bearing and the shaft-shaped portion. An annular groove for arranging the sealing ring is formed in the receiving and fixing part. The sealing ring has: An annular sliding contact portion that slides in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft-shaped portion throughout its entire circumference; and The annular tight contact portion is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the groove throughout its entire circumference.

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