Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving a uniformity of a processing rate in a surface of a substrate.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus 1 comprises: a holding part 10 that holds a substrate W, and makes the substrate to be rotated; a processing liquid supply part 21 that supplies a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid of which a temperature is lower than that of the first processing liquid to the substrate W; an annular-shaped ring member 31 including an inner peripheral edge having a shape along an outer peripheral edge of the substrate W, and integrally formed over a whole periphery, and includes a flow channel 33 in which a liquid flows to their peripheral direction; and a liquid supply part 34 that supplies the liquid to the flow channel 33. The liquid supply part 34 adjusts a temperature of the ring member 31 to a predetermined temperature set to be lower than the temperature of the first processing liquid and to be higher than the temperature of the second processing liquid by supplying the liquid to the flow channel 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices and flat panel displays, a desired pattern is formed by supplying an etching liquid to a film provided on the surface of a substrate such as a wafer or glass substrate. As an apparatus for performing such etching, a substrate processing apparatus has been proposed that supplies an etching liquid to a central region of a rotating substrate. In this case, the etching liquid supplied to the central region of the substrate spreads toward the outer edge of the substrate due to centrifugal force, so that the surface of the substrate is etched with the supplied etching liquid.

[0003] Here, since the etching process is performed by a chemical reaction between the etching solution and the part to be removed, it is necessary to ensure that the etching solution is in contact with the part to be removed. In this case, if the number of rotations of the substrate per unit time is increased, the flow rate of the etching solution increases, and the etching reaction does not proceed. Therefore, when performing the etching process, the number of rotations of the substrate is made lower than in the case of a cleaning process using a cleaning solution such as pure water. If the number of rotations of the substrate is reduced, the flow rate of the etching solution decreases, and the time that the etching solution is in contact with the part to be removed can be increased. This can promote the etching reaction on the part to be removed.

[0004] However, at the outer periphery of the substrate, the etching liquid is difficult to be discharged outward due to surface tension. Moreover, when the rotation speed of the substrate is reduced, the centrifugal force acting radially outward is reduced, and the etching liquid is difficult to be discharged from the substrate. Therefore, the etching liquid is likely to remain at the outer periphery of the substrate. Here, the etching liquid supplied to the central region of the substrate flows toward the outer periphery of the substrate while undergoing a chemical reaction with the removed portion. The etching liquid that has flowed to the outer periphery of the substrate is an etching liquid that has already been used, that is, an etching liquid with reduced reactivity with the removed portion. When the etching liquid with reduced reactivity remains at the outer periphery of the substrate, the processing rate at the outer periphery of the substrate is reduced, and the uniformity of the processing rate within the surface of the substrate is impaired.

[0005] For this reason, a substrate processing apparatus has been proposed in which an annular ring member having an inner peripheral edge formed along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate is provided around the outer periphery of the substrate, and the surface of the substrate is expanded by the ring member (Patent Document 1). As a result, surface tension is no longer applied to the etching liquid that has flowed to the outer peripheral edge of the substrate, and the etching liquid can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the substrate. In this way, the etching liquid with reduced reactivity can be prevented from accumulating around the outer peripheral edge of the substrate, and the uniformity of the processing rate within the surface of the substrate can be improved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-155377 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in such a substrate processing apparatus in which a ring member is provided on the outer periphery of a substrate, the high-temperature etching liquid supplied to the substrate during the etching process spreads to the outer periphery of the substrate as the substrate rotates, causing the ring member to heat to a high temperature. After the etching process, the etching liquid is replaced with a low-temperature cleaning liquid, and the low-temperature cleaning liquid supplied to the substrate spreads to the outer periphery of the substrate as the substrate rotates, causing the ring member to cool. Such temperature fluctuations cause the ring member to thermally expand and contract. This can cause the ring member to become distorted. If the ring member becomes distorted, it becomes difficult for the ring member to come into uniform proximity with the outer periphery of the substrate.

[0008] If there are any locations where the ring member and the outer peripheral edge of the substrate are not close to each other, the surface of the substrate will not expand at those locations, i.e., it will be the same as if the ring member were not provided, causing the etching liquid to stagnate at the outer peripheral edge of the substrate, resulting in a decrease in the processing rate at the outer peripheral edge of the substrate.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving the uniformity of the processing rate within the surface of a substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a holding section for holding and rotatably holding a substrate, a processing liquid supply section for supplying a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid having a lower temperature than the first processing liquid to the substrate, a circular ring member having an inner edge shaped to conform to the outer edge of the substrate and integrally formed around the entire circumference, the ring member having a flow path through which liquid flows in the circumferential direction, and a liquid supply section for supplying liquid to the flow path, wherein the liquid supply section supplies liquid to the flow path to adjust the temperature of the ring member to a predetermined temperature that is set to be lower than the temperature of the first processing liquid and higher than the temperature of the second processing liquid. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the processing rate within the surface of the substrate. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 2A is a schematic plan view illustrating the ring member, and FIG. 2B is a view of the ring member in FIG. 2A as viewed from the direction of arrow A. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view illustrating the positions of each component during an etching process, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the positions of each component during a cleaning process. [Figure 4] 2(A) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a flow state of an etching solution during an etching process at a cross-sectional position of line BB in FIG. 2(A). [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for substrate processing according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] [composition] A substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4. The surface of a substrate W to be processed is referred to as the front surface, and the opposite surface is referred to as the back surface. Note that, for example, a nitride film is formed on the front surface of the substrate W to be processed in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a holding unit 10, a supply unit 20, a ring unit 30, a rotation mechanism 40, a recovery unit 50, and a control unit 60.

[0014] The holder 10 horizontally holds and rotatably supports the substrate W. The holder 10 includes a placement portion 11, a shaft 12, a holding pin 13, and a pin opening and closing mechanism 14.

[0015] The mounting portion 11 has a cylindrical shape and a radial size larger than that of the substrate W. The mounting portion 11 has a surface 11a facing the rear surface of the substrate W. Furthermore, the central region of the surface 11a is open.

[0016] The shaft 12 is cylindrical with a smaller diameter than the mounting part 11, and is connected to the surface opposite to the surface 11a of the mounting part 11 so that its axis coincides with the surface. The shaft 12 is hollow, and is formed so that the opening of the surface 11a and the hollow of the shaft 12 overlap in a plan view.

[0017] The holding pins 13 contact the outer periphery of the substrate W to horizontally hold the substrate W. A plurality of holding pins 13 are provided at equal intervals on the surface 11a of the mounting section 11. As shown in Fig. 2(A) , in this embodiment, six holding pins 13 are provided.

[0018] The pin opening and closing mechanism 14 moves the multiple holding pins 13 between an open position where they are spaced apart from the substrate W and a closed position where they contact the outer periphery of the substrate W to hold the substrate W.

[0019] 1, the supply unit 20 is provided above the holding unit 10. The supply unit 20 includes a processing liquid supply unit 21, a heating unit 22, and a supply unit lifting mechanism 23.

[0020] The processing liquid supply unit 21 supplies a processing liquid to the surface of the substrate W held by the holder 10. In this embodiment, the processing liquids are a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid. The first processing liquid is, for example, an etching liquid Lp such as an aqueous solution containing phosphoric acid (hereinafter, referred to as a phosphoric acid solution) or an aqueous solution containing hydrogen fluoride. The second processing liquid is, for example, a cleaning liquid Lw such as pure water or IPA. The temperature of the first processing liquid can be, for example, 160° C., and the temperature of the second processing liquid can be, for example, 25° C. In this embodiment, a phosphoric acid solution is used as the etching liquid Lp, and pure water is used as the cleaning liquid Lw. The processing liquid supply unit 21 includes a processing liquid nozzle 211, a processing liquid tank 212, a processing liquid supply pipe 213, a pump 214, a valve 215, and a flow meter 216.

[0021] The processing liquid nozzle 211 includes a first processing liquid nozzle 211a and a second processing liquid nozzle 211b. The first processing liquid nozzle 211a supplies an etching liquid Lp to the surface of the substrate W. The second processing liquid nozzle 211b supplies a cleaning liquid Lw to the surface of the substrate W.

[0022] The processing liquid tank 212 stores a plurality of processing liquids for each processing liquid. The processing liquid tank 212 includes a first processing liquid tank 212a for storing an etching liquid Lp and a second processing liquid tank 212b for storing a cleaning liquid Lw. The first processing liquid tank 212a is provided therein with a heating unit (not shown). The heating unit heats the etching liquid Lp in accordance with the processing of the substrate W, and adjusts the temperature of the etching liquid Lp. In this embodiment, the heating unit heats the phosphoric acid solution to, for example, about 160°C.

[0023] The processing liquid supply pipe 213 is a pipe for sending the processing liquid stored in the processing liquid tank 212 to the processing liquid nozzle 211. That is, one end of the processing liquid supply pipe 213 is connected to the processing liquid nozzle 211, and the other end of the processing liquid supply pipe 213 is connected to the processing liquid tank 212. The processing liquid supply pipe 213 includes a first processing liquid supply pipe 213a and a second processing liquid supply pipe 213b. The first processing liquid supply pipe 213a has one end connected to the first processing liquid tank 212a and the other end connected to the first processing liquid nozzle 211a. The second processing liquid supply pipe 213b has one end connected to the second processing liquid tank 212b and the other end connected to the second processing liquid nozzle 211b.

[0024] The pump 214 is provided in the processing liquid supply pipe 213. The pump 214 supplies the processing liquid stored in the processing liquid tank 212 to the processing liquid nozzle 211.

[0025] The valve 215 is provided in the processing liquid supply pipe 213. The valve 215 has a function of starting and stopping the supply of the processing liquid and a function of adjusting the flow rate.

[0026] The flow meter 216 is provided in the treatment liquid supply pipe 213. The flow meter 216 detects the flow rate of the treatment liquid flowing through the treatment liquid supply pipe 213.

[0027] The heating unit 22 heats the etching liquid Lp on the surface of the substrate W to, for example, 180° C. Note that, heating the etching liquid Lp supplied to the surface of the substrate W includes a mode in which the substrate W is heated and the etching liquid Lp is indirectly heated via the substrate W. The heating unit 22 includes a plate 221 and a heater 222.

[0028] The plate 221 has a circular shape and is horizontally disposed facing the surface of the substrate W. The outer diameter of the plate 221 is larger than that of the substrate W. The plate 221 is preferably heat-resistant and chemical-resistant, and is made of, for example, quartz. In this embodiment, the plate 221 has two supply ports 221a. The supply ports 221a are formed for each processing liquid nozzle 211 at positions on the plate 221 slightly shifted from the position corresponding to the rotation axis of the substrate W. Thereby, the opposing positions of the supply ports 221a on the substrate W change successively as the substrate W rotates, and the temperature of the etching liquid Lp can be made uniform. In addition, the tips of the first processing liquid nozzle 211a and the second processing liquid nozzle 211b are inserted into the two supply ports 221a, respectively.

[0029] The heater 222 is circular and sheet-shaped. A plurality of heaters 222 may be provided concentrically. In this case, a plurality of annular heater pieces are provided outside a circular heater piece. The heater 222 generates heat by energizing it. The plurality of heaters 222 may generate heat such that the temperature increases toward the radially outer side. This prevents the temperature of the outer periphery of the substrate W from decreasing due to heat dissipation. The heater 222 has a through hole 222a. The through hole 222a is located in the heater 222 slightly offset from the rotation axis of the substrate W and is formed for each processing liquid nozzle 211 at the same position as the supply port 221a in a plan view. The first processing liquid nozzle 211a and the second processing liquid nozzle 211b are inserted into the two through holes 222a, respectively.

[0030] The supply unit lifting mechanism 23 moves the supply unit 20 in a direction toward or away from the substrate W. For example, the supply unit lifting mechanism 23 moves the supply unit 20 between a waiting position away from the substrate W so that the substrate W can be loaded and unloaded, as shown in Fig. 1, and a heating position close to the substrate W with a predetermined gap therebetween so that the etching liquid Lp can be heated during the etching process, as shown in Fig. 3(A).

[0031] The ring unit 30 includes a ring member 31, a ring member lifting mechanism 32, a flow path 33, a liquid supply unit , a liquid discharge pipe 35, and a detection unit .

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2(A), the ring member 31 is an annular member whose inner periphery is integrally formed over the entire circumference and conforms to the outer periphery of the substrate W. The ring member 31 is plate-shaped, and its outer diameter is smaller than that of the plate 221 of the heating unit 22. The ring member 31 is preferably heat-resistant and chemical-resistant, and its material can be, for example, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). The ring member 31 is provided on the surface 11a of the mounting unit 11 so as to be movable up and down by a ring member lifting mechanism 32 described later. The ring member 31 comes close to the outer periphery of the substrate W without contacting it, and smoothly discharges the etching solution Lp that has spread to the outer periphery of the substrate W due to the rotation of the substrate W to the outside of the substrate W. The surface of the ring member 31 that faces the plate 221 of the heating unit 22 is called the front surface, and the opposite surface is called the back surface. The front surface of the ring member 31 is preferably a horizontal surface. The ring member 31 has a cover portion 31a, a notch 31b, and a hole 31c.

[0033] 4, the cover portion 31a is a member that protrudes integrally around the entire outer periphery of the ring member 31 toward the mounting portion 11. When the ring member 31 is close to the outer periphery of the substrate W, the cover portion 31a prevents the etching liquid Lp that has scattered radially outward from the ring member 31 from flowing around to the rear surface of the substrate W.

[0034] The notches 31b are recesses provided on the side surface on the inner circumference side of the ring member 31. As shown in FIG. 2(A), the notches 31b are shaped to receive the retaining pin 13 in the closed position so as to avoid interference with the retaining pin 13. In this embodiment, a U-shape is shown as an example, but the shape is not limited to this. The notches 31b are provided in the same positions as the retaining pins 13 in a plan view, and in the same number as the retaining pins 13. Thus, in this embodiment, six notches 31b are provided.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 2(B), the hole 31c is formed on the side surface including the cover portion 31a on the outer circumferential side of the ring member 31. One end of the hole 31c is connected to the tip of a first flow path 33a or the tip of a second flow path 33b, which will be described later. The other end of the hole 31c is connected to the tip of a first liquid supply pipe 341a or the tip of a second liquid supply pipe 341b, which will be described later. Note that in Fig. 2(B), illustration of a liquid supply pipe 341 and a liquid discharge pipe 35, which will be described later, is omitted.

[0036] The ring member lifting mechanism 32 moves the position of the ring member 31 in the direction of the rotation axis of the substrate W. For example, the ring member lifting mechanism 32 moves the ring member 31 between an approach position where the inner peripheral edge of the ring member 31 approaches the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W, as shown in Fig. 3(A), and a retracted position where the inner peripheral edge of the ring member 31 is retracted from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W, as shown in Fig. 3(B).

[0037] The close position specifically refers to a position where the inner peripheral edge of the ring member 31 and the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W are close enough to prevent the etching liquid Lp from dropping from the gap between the substrate W and the ring member 31. When the ring member 31 is in the close position, the surface of the ring member 31 is flush with the surface of the substrate W or is slightly lower than the surface of the substrate W.

[0038] Specifically, the retracted position refers to a position where the substrate W can be loaded and unloaded and where the ring member 31 is separated from the outer periphery of the substrate W so that the outer periphery of the substrate W and the processing liquid near the outer periphery of the substrate W are not heated by radiant heat from the ring member 31. When the ring member 31 is in the retracted position, a gap is formed between the surface 11a of the mounting part 11 and the ring member 31, through which a liquid supply pipe 341 and a liquid discharge pipe 35, which will be described later, pass.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the flow path 33 is provided inside the ring member 31. More preferably, the flow path 33 is provided around the entire circumference of the inside of the outer periphery including the cover portion 31a of the ring member 31. The flow path 33 keeps the ring member 31 at a predetermined temperature by flowing the processing liquid. The predetermined temperature is a temperature set to be lower than the temperature of the processing liquid when processing at the highest temperature and higher than the temperature of the processing liquid when processing at the lowest temperature among the multiple processing liquids supplied to the substrate W. In addition, the predetermined temperature is preferably the highest temperature among the temperatures that do not cause unintended etching processing of the substrate W due to radiant heat of the ring member 31 when the ring member 31 is in the retracted position. The flow path 33 has a first flow path 33a and a second flow path 33b.

[0040] The first flow path 33a is supplied with the etching liquid Lp stored in the first processing liquid tank 212a. The second flow path 33b is supplied with the cleaning liquid Lw stored in the second processing liquid tank 212b. The first flow path 33a is preferably provided at a position closer to the inner peripheral edge of the ring member 31 in terms of linear distance than the second flow path 33b so that heat can be easily transferred to the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, of the two flow paths 33 arranged side by side in the rotation axis direction of the ring member 31, the one closer to the surface of the ring member 31 is the first flow path 33a, and the one closer to the placement part 11 is the second flow path 33b. Also, a plurality of the first flow paths 33a and the second flow paths 33b may be provided. In this case, it is preferable that the first flow paths 33a and the second flow paths 33b are alternately arranged.

[0041] The liquid supply unit 34 includes a liquid supply pipe 341 , a pump 342 , a valve 343 and a flow meter 344 .

[0042] The liquid supply pipe 341 is a pipe for supplying liquid to the flow path 33. In this embodiment, the liquid supplied to the flow path 33 is the processing liquid stored in the processing liquid tank 212. That is, one end of the liquid supply pipe 341 is connected to the processing liquid tank 212, and the other end is connected to the flow path 33 via the hole 31c. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid supply pipe 341 is inserted through the opening of the surface 11a and the hollow of the shaft 12. A rotary joint (not shown) is provided in the middle of the liquid supply pipe 341 so as not to hinder the rotation of the mounting unit 11. In addition, the liquid supply pipe 341 is connected so as to supply the processing liquid to the flow path 33 through a gap between the mounting unit 11 and the back surface of the ring member 31. The liquid supply pipe 341 has a first liquid supply pipe 341a and a second liquid supply pipe 341b. One end of the first liquid supply pipe 341a is connected to the first processing liquid tank 212a, and the other end is connected to the first flow path 33a. Moreover, one end of the second liquid supply pipe 341b is connected to the second processing liquid tank 212b, and the other end is connected to the second flow path 33b.

[0043] The pump 342 is provided in the liquid supply pipe 341. The pump 342 supplies the processing liquid stored in the processing liquid tank 212 to the flow path 33.

[0044] The valve 343 is provided in the liquid supply pipe 341. The valve 343 has a function of starting and stopping the supply of the processing liquid, and a function of adjusting the flow rate.

[0045] The flow meter 344 is provided in the liquid supply pipe 341. The flow meter 344 detects the flow rate of the treatment liquid flowing through the liquid supply pipe 341.

[0046] The liquid discharge pipe 35 is a pipe for recovering the liquid that has flowed through the flow path 33. In this embodiment, the liquid that flows through the flow path 33 is the treatment liquid stored in the treatment liquid tank 212. The liquid recovered through the liquid discharge pipe 35 is sent to the treatment liquid tank 212. That is, one end of the liquid discharge pipe 35 is connected to the flow path 33 through the hole 31c, and the other end is connected to the treatment liquid tank 212. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid discharge pipe 35 is inserted through the opening of the surface 11a and the hollow of the shaft 12. The liquid discharge pipe 35 is connected so as to discharge the treatment liquid from the flow path 33 through the gap between the mounting portion 11 and the back surface of the ring member 31. In addition, the liquid discharge pipe 35 is provided with a rotary joint (not shown) so as not to hinder the rotation of the mounting portion 11. The liquid discharge pipe 35 has a first liquid discharge pipe 35a and a second liquid discharge pipe 35b. The first liquid discharge pipe 35a has one end connected to the first flow path 33a and the other end connected to the first processing liquid tank 212a, and the second liquid discharge pipe 35b has one end connected to the second flow path 33b and the other end connected to the second processing liquid tank 212b.

[0047] The detection unit 36 ​​detects the temperature of the ring member 31 in a state in which the processing liquid is supplied to the flow path 33. The detection unit 36 ​​is preferably provided at a position not directly affected by radiant heat from the heating unit 22, for example, on the back surface of the ring member 31. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the detection unit 36 ​​is preferably provided at a position not directly affected by radiant heat from the substrate W and the etching liquid Lp supplied to the substrate W, for example, near the cover portion 31a on the back surface of the ring member 31. For example, a thermocouple or a resistance temperature detector can be used as the detection unit 36. Also, when the detection unit 36 ​​is a thermocouple that requires a conductor (not shown) or the like, the conductor is inserted through the opening of the surface 11a and the hollow of the shaft 12, similarly to the liquid supply pipe 341 and the liquid discharge pipe 35.

[0048] The rotation mechanism 40 rotates both the holding portion 10 and the ring member 31 at a predetermined number of rotations. The rotation mechanism 40 has a drive source (not shown) such as a motor, and the drive source rotates the holding portion 10 and the ring member 31.

[0049] The collection section 50 includes a cup 51 and a cup lifting mechanism 52 .

[0050] The cup 51 has a cylindrical shape and is provided so as to surround the holding part 10 and the ring member 31. The upper part of the peripheral wall of the cup 51 is inclined radially inward and is open so as to expose the holding part 10. The cup 51 collects the processing liquid that has been scattered radially outward from the holding part 10 due to the rotation of the substrate W. The cup 51 also sends the collected processing liquid to a collection tank (not shown) via piping (not shown).

[0051] The cup lifting mechanism 52 moves the position of the cup 51 in the direction of the rotation axis of the substrate W. For example, the cup lifting mechanism 52 moves the cup 51 to a lowered position as shown in Fig. 1, where the cup 51 is lowered so that the substrate W can be loaded and unloaded, and to an elevated position as shown in Fig. 3, where the cup 51 is elevated so that the scattered processing liquid can be collected.

[0052] The control unit 60 controls each part of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control unit 60 has a calculation unit (not shown) that executes a program, a storage unit (not shown) that stores various information such as the program and operating conditions, an input unit (not shown) that inputs various information, a display unit (not shown) that displays various information, and a drive circuit (not shown) that drives each element. That is, the control unit 60 controls the pin opening and closing mechanism 14, the supply unit lifting mechanism 23, the ring member lifting mechanism 32, the rotation mechanism 40, the cup lifting mechanism 52, the pumps 214 and 342, the valves 215 and 343, and the heater 222.

[0053] For example, the control unit 60 controls the valves 215, 343 so that the processing liquid flowing through the processing liquid supply pipe 213 and the liquid supply pipe 341 is at a predetermined flow rate. It is preferable that the control unit 60 controls the valve 343 so that the flow rate of the etching liquid Lp flowing through the first liquid supply pipe 341a is greater than the flow rate of the cleaning liquid Lw flowing through the second liquid supply pipe 341b.

[0054] Furthermore, when the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the processing liquid supply pipe 213 or the liquid supply pipe 341 detected by the flowmeter 216, 344 is less than a predetermined flow rate, the control unit 60 controls the valve 215, 343 to satisfy the predetermined flow rate, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the processing liquid supplied to the surface of the substrate W or the flow path 33. For example, when the flow rate of the etching liquid Lp detected by the flowmeter 216 is less than the predetermined flow rate, the control unit 60 controls the valve 215 to increase the flow rate of the etching liquid Lp supplied to the surface of the substrate W, thereby controlling the flow rate to satisfy the predetermined flow rate.

[0055] Furthermore, the control unit 60 adjusts the flow rate of at least one of the etching liquid Lp and the cleaning liquid Lw supplied to the flow path 33 by controlling the valve 343 in accordance with the temperature of the ring member 31 detected by the detection unit 36. For example, when the temperature detected by the detection unit 36 ​​during operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is lower than a predetermined temperature, the control unit 60 controls the valve 343 to increase the flow rate of the high-temperature etching liquid Lp supplied to the first flow path 33a, or to decrease the flow rate of the low-temperature cleaning liquid Lw supplied to the second flow path 33b.

[0056] [Operation] The operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 5 in addition to Figs. 1 to 4. During operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1, the etching liquid Lp and the cleaning liquid Lw are constantly supplied from the processing liquid tank 212 to the flow path 33 provided in the ring member 31 through the liquid supply pipe 341. That is, the ring member 31 is kept at a predetermined temperature by the etching liquid Lp and the cleaning liquid Lw flowing through the flow path 33 even before the substrate W is loaded therein.

[0057] First, the supply unit 20 is placed in the standby position, the holding pins 13 are in the open position, the ring member 31 is in the retracted position, and the cup 51 is in the lowered position. The plate 221 is maintained at, for example, 180° C. by previously energizing the heater 222 of the heating unit 22. In this state, the substrate W is carried between the holding unit 10 and the supply unit 20 (step S01), and the holding pins 13 are moved from the open position to the closed position, so that the substrate W is held by the holding unit 10 as shown in FIG. 1 (step S02). Thereafter, the cup 51 is moved from the lowered position to the raised position by the cup lifting mechanism 52. The ring member 31 is moved from the retracted position to the approaching position by the ring member lifting mechanism 32 (step S03).

[0058] When the ring member 31 moves to the approaching position, the substrate W, the holder 10 and the ring member 31 are rotated at a predetermined rotation speed by the rotation mechanism 40 (step S04). The rotation speed at this time is, for example, 100 rpm or less. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3(A), the supply unit 20 moves to the heating position, and the processing liquid supply unit 21 supplies the etching liquid Lp to the central region of the surface of the substrate W (step S05). In addition, the etching liquid Lp on the surface of the substrate W is heated by the heating unit 22 provided in the supply unit 20. At this time, the ring member 31 is kept at a predetermined temperature by the etching liquid Lp and the cleaning liquid Lw flowing in the flow path 33 in advance. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the thermal expansion of the ring member 31 caused by the sudden heating by the heating unit 22 located at the heating position.

[0059] The supplied etching liquid Lp flows from the central region of the substrate W toward the outer periphery due to the rotation of the substrate W. As a result, the etching liquid Lp spreads over the entire surface of the substrate W, and the nitride film formed on the substrate W is removed by the heated etching liquid Lp. The etching liquid Lp that flows to the outer periphery of the substrate W does not stagnate at the outer periphery of the substrate W but flows to the surface of the ring member 31, as shown in FIG. 4, because the change in flow rate at the outer periphery of the substrate W is reduced by the ring member 31. At this time, the ring member 31 is previously kept at a predetermined temperature by the etching liquid Lp and the cleaning liquid Lw in the flow path 33. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the thermal expansion of the ring member 31 caused by the sudden heating by the high-temperature etching liquid Lp. In addition, since the ring member 31 is kept at a predetermined temperature, the temperature of the outer periphery of the substrate W and the temperature of the etching liquid Lp on the outer periphery of the substrate W are less likely to drop. Therefore, the processing rate at the outer periphery of the substrate W is improved. Then, the etching liquid Lp that flows on the surface of the ring member 31 is discharged outward from the outer periphery of the ring member 31.

[0060] After a predetermined time has elapsed, the processing liquid supply unit 21 stops supplying the etching liquid Lp to the substrate W (step S06). After the supply of the etching liquid Lp is stopped, the ring member 31, which is in the approach position, is moved to the retreat position by the ring member lifting mechanism 32 (step S07). This makes it possible to prevent the etching liquid Lp remaining on the substrate W or the cleaning liquid Lw, which is supplied to the surface of the substrate W and spreads to the outer periphery of the substrate W, from being heated by the radiant heat of the ring member 31, and to prevent unintended etching from occurring at the outer periphery of the substrate W. In addition, the etching liquid Lp remaining on the bevel portion of the substrate W after the etching process can be washed away by the cleaning liquid Lw during the cleaning process.

[0061] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3(B), the cleaning liquid Lw is supplied to the central region of the surface of the substrate W by the processing liquid supply unit 21 (step S08). The supplied cleaning liquid Lw flows from the central region of the substrate W toward the outer periphery due to the rotation of the substrate W. This washes away the etching liquid Lp on the surface of the substrate W. The rotation speed at this time is, for example, about 150 rpm to 300 rpm. In addition, the ring member 31 is previously maintained at a predetermined temperature by the etching liquid Lp and cleaning liquid Lw in the flow path 33. Therefore, it is possible to suppress thermal contraction of the ring member 31 caused by rapid cooling by the low-temperature cleaning liquid Lw. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the processing liquid supply unit 21 stops supplying the cleaning liquid Lw, and the supply unit 20 moves to the standby position (step S09).

[0062] After the supply of the cleaning liquid Lw is stopped, the rotation of the substrate W and the ring member 31 is stopped by the rotation mechanism 40 (step S10). Then, the cup 51 moves from the raised position to the lowered position. Also, the holding pins 13 move from the closed position to the open position (step S11). Then, the substrate W is unloaded (step S12).

[0063] [effect] Thus, the substrate processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a holder 10 for holding and rotatably holding the substrate W, a processing liquid supply unit 21 for supplying a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid having a temperature lower than that of the first processing liquid to the substrate W, an annular ring member 31 having an inner peripheral edge shaped along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W and integrally formed around the entire circumference, the ring member 31 having a flow path 33 through which liquid flows in the circumferential direction, and a liquid supply unit 34 for supplying liquid to the flow path 33, and the liquid supply unit 34 supplies liquid to the flow path 33 to adjust the temperature of the ring member 31 to a predetermined temperature set to be lower than the temperature of the first processing liquid and higher than the temperature of the second processing liquid. That is, the liquid supply unit 34 supplies liquid to the flow path 33 provided in the circumferential direction of the ring member 31, thereby allowing the ring member 31 to maintain a predetermined temperature.

[0064] This makes it possible to suppress the etching liquid Lp and cleaning liquid Lw supplied to the substrate W from spreading to the outer periphery of the substrate W, or to suppress rapid heating and cooling of the ring member 31 caused by the heating unit 22 being located at the heating position. That is, it is possible to suppress thermal expansion and thermal contraction of the ring member 31. Therefore, the ring member 31 can be uniformly close to the outer periphery of the substrate W, and it is possible to suppress the etching liquid Lp from stagnation at the outer periphery of the substrate W. Therefore, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the processing rate within the surface of the substrate W.

[0065] The flow path 33 has a first flow path 33a through which a first liquid having a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature flows, and a second flow path 33b through which a second liquid having a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature flows. The substrate processing apparatus 1 also includes a control unit 60 that adjusts the temperature of the ring member 31 to a predetermined temperature by controlling the flow rate of the first liquid supplied to the first flow path 33a and the flow rate of the second liquid supplied to the second flow path 33b. In this embodiment, the first liquid is an etching liquid Lp, and the second liquid is a cleaning liquid Lw. This allows the ring member 31 to maintain a predetermined temperature, and the thermal expansion and thermal contraction of the ring member 31 can be suppressed.

[0066] The ring member 30 includes a detection unit 36 ​​for detecting the temperature of the ring member 31, and the control unit 60 controls at least one of the flow rate of the etching liquid Lp supplied to the first flow path 33a and the flow rate of the cleaning liquid Lp supplied to the second flow path 33b according to the temperature detected by the detection unit 36. For example, when the temperature of the ring member 31 detected by the detection unit 36 ​​during substrate processing is lower than a predetermined temperature, the control unit 60 controls the flow rate of the etching liquid Lp supplied to the first flow path 33a to be increased. Alternatively, the control unit 60 controls the flow rate of the cleaning liquid Lw supplied to the second flow path 33b to be decreased. As a result, even if the temperature of the ring member 31 deviates from the predetermined temperature, the temperature of the ring member 31 can be adjusted to the predetermined temperature based on the temperature detected by the detection unit 36. Therefore, the thermal expansion and thermal contraction of the ring member 31 can be further suppressed.

[0067] The control unit 60 controls the flow rate of the etching liquid Lp supplied to the first flow path 33a so that it is greater than the flow rate of the cleaning liquid Lw supplied to the second flow path 33b. As a result, the temperature of the ring member 31 is kept relatively high, so that the etching liquid Lp on the outer periphery of the substrate W and on the surface of the substrate W is heated, and the processing rate of the outer periphery of the substrate W during the etching process can be improved.

[0068] The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a ring member lifting mechanism 32 that can lift and lower the ring member 31. The ring member lifting mechanism 32 moves the ring member 31 between a close position where the inner peripheral edge of the ring member 31 is close to the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W and a retracted position where the inner peripheral edge of the ring member 31 is retracted from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W. For example, if the ring member 31, which is kept at a relatively high temperature by the etching liquid Lp and the cleaning liquid Lw flowing through the flow path 33, is in the close position even during the cleaning process, the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W is heated. The cleaning liquid Lw flows from the center region of the substrate W toward the heated outer peripheral edge of the substrate W, and the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W is etched. Thus, even if the entire surface of the substrate W is kept warm by the heating unit 22 and the ring member 31 during the etching process, only the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W is heated during the cleaning process, which may cause the processing rate within the surface of the substrate W to be non-uniform.

[0069] Therefore, in this embodiment, the ring member 31 is moved to the approach position during the etching process, and to the retracted position during the cleaning process. At the approach position, the ring member 31, which is kept at a predetermined temperature, can uniformly approach the outer periphery of the substrate W, and the etching liquid Lp is prevented from stagnation at the outer periphery of the substrate W. Therefore, the uniformity of the processing rate within the surface of the substrate W can be improved. At the retracted position, the etching liquid Lp remaining on the substrate W, or the cleaning liquid Lw supplied to the surface of the substrate W and spread to the outer periphery of the substrate W, is heated by the radiant heat of the ring member 31, and the occurrence of unintended etching at the outer periphery of the substrate W can be prevented. In addition, the etching liquid Lp remaining on the bevel portion of the substrate W after the etching process can be washed away by the cleaning liquid Lw during the cleaning process. Therefore, the uniformity of the processing rate within the surface of the substrate W can be improved.

[0070] The substrate processing apparatus 1 has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the substrate W and includes a heating section 22 facing the surface of the substrate W. The heating section 22 heats the etching liquid Lp supplied to the surface of the substrate W. This promotes the reaction between the etching liquid Lp and the portion to be removed, and the processing rate within the surface of the substrate W can be improved.

[0071] The first liquid supplied to the first flow path 33a by the liquid supply unit 34 can be the first processing liquid. This eliminates the need to provide a tank for storing the first liquid to be supplied to the first flow path 33a, separate from the processing liquid tank 212, making it possible to simplify the configuration and save space.

[0072] [Variations] Hereinafter, modified examples of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0073] The liquid supplied to the flow path 33 does not have to be the processing liquid supplied to the substrate W, so long as it can keep the ring member 31 at a predetermined temperature. For example, a liquid having a temperature equivalent to the predetermined temperature of the ring member 31 may be supplied.

[0074] The flow rate of the liquid supplied to the flow path 33 does not need to be controlled according to the temperature of the ring member 31, so long as the ring member 31 can be kept at a predetermined temperature. For example, the liquid may be supplied to the flow path 33 at an optimal flow rate obtained in advance by performing experiments or simulations.

[0075] The number of flow paths 33 provided in the ring member 31 does not need to be multiple, as long as the ring member 31 can be kept at a predetermined temperature. For example, one type of liquid or etching liquid Lp at a predetermined temperature or higher may be supplied to one flow path 33, and the predetermined temperature may be maintained by controlling the flow rate. Also, high-temperature liquid and low-temperature liquid may be selectively supplied to one flow path 33 so as to reach the predetermined temperature. Furthermore, a liquid in which high-temperature liquid and low-temperature liquid are mixed may be supplied to one flow path 33 so as to reach the predetermined temperature.

[0076] The flow path 33 provided in the ring member 31 does not have to be inside the ring member 31. For example, the flow path 33 may be provided so as to be in contact with the back surface of the ring member 31, so as to keep the ring member 31 at a predetermined temperature.

[0077] The flow path 33 provided in the ring member 31 does not have to be provided around the entire circumference of the ring member 31 as long as the entire ring member 31 can be kept at a predetermined temperature. For example, the flow path 33 may be provided around only half of the circumference of the ring member 31.

[0078] The shape of the flow passage 33 provided in the ring member 31 does not have to be similar to the outer periphery of the ring member 31. For example, the flow passage 33 may have a meandering shape.

[0079] The method of supplying the treatment liquid to the flow path 33 provided in the ring member 31 is not limited to the method using a rotary joint. In other words, it is sufficient if the treatment liquid can be supplied to and discharged from the flow path 33 without impeding the rotation of the mounting part 11.

[0080] The processing contents of the substrate processing apparatus 1 and the processing liquid supplied to the substrate W are not limited to those exemplified above. The substrate W and the film to be processed are also not limited to those exemplified above.

[0081] [Other embodiments] Although the embodiment of the present invention and the modified examples of each part have been described above, these embodiments and the modified examples of each part are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Substrate Processing Equipment 10 Holding part 11 Placement section 11a side 12 Shaft 13 Retaining pin 14 pin opening and closing mechanism 20 Supply section 21 Processing liquid supply unit 22 Heating section 23 Supply section lifting mechanism 30 Ring section 31 Ring member 31a Cover part 31b Notch 31c hole 32 Ring member lifting mechanism 33 Flow Path 33a First flow path 33b Second flow path 34 Liquid supply section 35 Liquid drain pipe 35a First liquid discharge pipe 35b Second liquid discharge pipe 36 Detection unit 40 Rotation mechanism 50 Collection Department 51 Cups 52 Cup lifting mechanism 60 Control section 211 Processing liquid nozzle 211a first processing liquid nozzle 211b Second processing liquid nozzle 212 Processing liquid tank 212a First processing liquid tank 212b Second processing liquid tank 213 Processing liquid supply pipe 213a first processing liquid supply pipe 213b second processing liquid supply pipe 214 Pump 215 Valve 216 Flow meter 221 Plate 221a Supply port 222 Heater 222a Through hole 341 Liquid supply pipe 341a first liquid supply pipe 341b Second liquid supply pipe 342 Pump 343 Valve 344 Flow meter

Claims

1. A holding part for holding a substrate and enabling rotation, A processing liquid supply part for supplying a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid having a lower temperature than the first processing liquid to the substrate, An annular ring member having an inner peripheral edge along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate and integrally formed over the entire circumference, and having a flow path through which a liquid flows in the circumferential direction, A liquid supply part for supplying the liquid to the flow path, comprising: A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the liquid supply part supplies the liquid to the flow path to adjust the temperature of the ring member to a predetermined temperature set to be lower than the temperature of the first processing liquid and higher than the temperature of the second processing liquid.

2. The flow path has a first flow path through which a first liquid at a temperature higher than the predetermined temperature flows and a second flow path through which a second liquid at a temperature lower than the predetermined temperature flows, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply part supplies the first liquid to the first flow path and the second liquid to the second flow path to adjust the temperature of the ring member to the predetermined temperature.

3. The liquid supply part further comprises a control part for controlling the flow rate of the first liquid supplied to the first flow path and the flow rate of the second liquid supplied to the second flow path, The ring member has a detection part for detecting the temperature of the ring member, The control part controls at least one of the flow rate of the first liquid supplied to the first flow path and the flow rate of the second liquid supplied to the second flow path according to the temperature of the ring member detected by the detection part. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The liquid supply part further comprises a control part for controlling the flow rate of the first liquid supplied to the first flow path and the flow rate of the second liquid supplied to the second flow path, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls such that the flow rate of the first liquid supplied to the first flow path is greater than the flow rate of the second liquid supplied to the second flow path.

5. further comprising a ring member lifting mechanism that enables the ring member to move up and down, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ring member lifting mechanism moves the ring member between a proximity position where the inner peripheral edge of the ring member is close to the outer peripheral edge of the substrate and a retracted position where the inner peripheral edge of the ring member is retracted from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the substrate and facing the surface of the substrate.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supplied by the liquid supply unit to the flow path is the first processing liquid.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first liquid supplied by the liquid supply unit to the first flow path is the first processing liquid.

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