Substrate processing device

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing device which suppresses particles from leaking from the inside of a rotating body into a space for processing a substrate and suppresses a process liquid atmosphere from entering the rotating body.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device 1 has a holding unit 30 for holding a substrate W, a rotating body 10 which has a cylindrical skirt unit 13 that covers the surroundings of the lower region of the substrate W held by the holding unit 30 and is rotatably provided together with the substrate W held by the holding unit 30, a rotating mechanism 20 for rotating the rotating body 10, a supply part for supplying a process liquid to the substrate rotatable with the rotating body 10, a cylindrical protective part 50 provided inside the skirt part 13, coaxially with and non-contact with the skirt part 13, a discharge port 60 provided so as to be capable of discharging a liquid R toward the inner surface of the skirt part 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A single-wafer substrate processing apparatus is an apparatus that processes substrates one by one by supplying a processing liquid to the surface of a substrate while rotating the substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The single-wafer substrate processing apparatus has an advantage that the processing can be finely adjusted according to differences in film thickness and the like formed on each substrate as compared with a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that immerses a plurality of substrates in a processing liquid all at once.

[0003] Such a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus has a rotating body that holds a substrate and rotates it by a driving mechanism, and nozzles or the like that supply a processing liquid to the rotating substrate in a chamber. In the space below the substrate, movable parts of a mechanism for rotating the substrate, movable parts of a mechanism for holding and releasing the substrate, a sensor for detecting the holding of the substrate, and the like are arranged. When the processing liquid adheres to such movable parts or sensors, corrosion and deterioration are caused. To prevent this, the rotating body has a shape that covers a part of the space below the substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the inside of the rotating body tends to be in a negative pressure due to the rotation of the driving mechanism. Therefore, an atmosphere containing vapor or mist of the processing liquid (hereinafter referred to as the processing liquid atmosphere) may enter the inside of the rotating body from the gap for enabling rotation.

[0006] To address this, it is conceivable to prevent the intrusion of the processing liquid atmosphere by discharging gas from the inside of the rotating body to the outside through the gap. However, even if gas is simply discharged from the inside of the rotating body to the outside, particles generated in the drive mechanism may leak from the inside of the rotating body into the substrate processing space. If such particles adhere to the substrate, there is a risk of deterioration in the quality of the substrate.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing leakage of particles from the inside of a rotating body into a space for processing a substrate and suppressing intrusion of a processing liquid atmosphere into the inside of the rotating body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a holding unit that holds a substrate, a cylindrical skirt portion that covers the periphery of a region below the substrate held by the holding unit, a rotating body that is rotatably provided together with the substrate held by the holding unit, a rotation mechanism that rotates the rotating body, a supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to the substrate that rotates together with the rotating body, a cylindrical protection unit that is provided coaxially and in non-contact with the skirt portion inside the skirt portion, and a liquid discharge port that is provided so as to be able to discharge liquid toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to suppress leakage of particles from the inside of the rotating body into a space for processing a substrate and to suppress intrusion of a processing liquid atmosphere into the inside of the rotating body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Overview] As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment processes the substrate W by rotating the substrate W held by the holding part 30 together with the rotating body 10 and supplying the processing liquid L from the supply part 40 to the substrate W. The space below the substrate W in the rotating body 10 is covered by a cylindrical skirt part 13 provided on the rotating body 10 and a cylindrical protection part 50 arranged at an interval inside the skirt part 13, thereby preventing the intrusion of the processing liquid L.

[0012] Further, the liquid R is discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 13 (see FIG. 6). Thereby, it is possible to suppress particles from leaking from the inside of the rotating body 10 into the space for processing the substrate W, and to suppress the processing liquid atmosphere from entering the inside of the rotating body 10.

[0013] The substrate W processed according to the present embodiment is, for example, a silicon wafer having a resist formed on its surface. As the processing liquid L, for example, SPM (sulfuric acid hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution) for removing the resist, an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for cleaning (hereinafter referred to as hydrogen peroxide solution), and pure water (H2O) are supplied. That is, the processing includes cleaning in addition to resist removal processing and the like, and the processing liquid L includes not only so-called chemical liquids used for resist removal and the like, but also so-called cleaning liquids used for cleaning.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the rotating body 10, the holding portion 30, the protection portion 50, etc. are housed in the chamber 1a. The chamber 1a is a rectangular parallelepiped container. A blower 1b for generating a downflow is installed on the ceiling of the chamber 1a. As the blower 1b, for example, an FFU (Fan Filter Unit) provided with an air filter such as a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) or a ULPA filter (Ultra Low Penetration Air Filter) is used. By the blower 1b continuously supplying clean air from above the chamber 1a and exhausting it from below the chamber 1a, the cleanliness inside the chamber 1a can be maintained.

[0015] [Configuration] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a rotating body 10, a rotation mechanism 20, a holding portion 30, a supply portion 40, a protection portion 50, a liquid discharge port 60, a gas discharge port 70, a liquid receiving portion 80, and a control portion 90. In FIG. 1, the lower part of the chamber 1a and the liquid receiving portion 80 are omitted. In FIG. 2, the chamber 1a, the processing liquid supply mechanism 41, the processing liquid holding portion 42, and the heating portion 44 are omitted. FIGS. 3 and 4 are the same as FIG. 2.

[0016] <Rotating body> The rotating body 10 is a member that can rotate together with the substrate W held by the holding portion 30. The rotating body 10 includes a cover 11, a table 12, and a skirt portion 13. The cover 11 is a cylindrical member whose upper end is covered by the opposing surface 111. The opposing surface 111 is a circular surface with a diameter larger than that of the substrate W and faces the substrate W with a gap therebetween. A circular through-hole 11a is formed at the center of the opposing surface 111.

[0017] The table 12 is a cylindrical member whose upper end is closed by the shielding portion 121. The shielding portion 121 is a circular plate having a diameter that can be accommodated inside the side surface 112 of the cover 11 and faces the opposing surface 111 with a gap therebelow. The shielding portion 121 is a disk parallel to the opposing surface 111 and blocks the downward outflow of the processing liquid L flowing in from the through-hole 11a. A circular through-hole 12a is formed at the center of the shielding portion 121. A cylindrical protruding portion 121a is raised along the through-hole 12a on the shielding portion 121. The side surface 122 of the table 12 is fitted into the lower portion of the side surface 112 of the cover 11.

[0018] The skirt portion 13 is a cylindrical member that covers the periphery of the region below the substrate W. The skirt portion 13 of the present embodiment is provided so as to be continuous with the lower end of the outer periphery of the table 12 and covers the periphery of the space below the shielding portion 121. The outer peripheral surface of the skirt portion 13 is flush with the outer peripheral surface of the side surface 112 of the cover 11.

[0019] The cover 11, the table 12, and the skirt portion 13 that constitute the rotating body 10 are formed of a material having resistance to the processing liquid L. For example, it is preferable to form the rotating body 10 from a fluorine-based resin such as PTFE or PCTFE.

[0020] <Rotating mechanism> The rotating mechanism 20 is a mechanism for rotating the rotating body 10. The rotating mechanism 20 includes a rotating cylinder 21 and a drive source 22. The rotating cylinder 21 is a cylindrical member arranged coaxially with the rotating body 10. The upper end of the rotating cylinder 21 is fixed to the lower surface of the table 12 so as to be coaxial with the through hole 12a of the table 12. Thereby, the table 12, the cover 11, and the skirt portion 13 rotate together with the rotation of the rotating cylinder 21. The rotating cylinder 21 is fixed to the rotor 22a of the drive source 22 described later.

[0021] The drive source 22 is a hollow motor having a hollow rotor 22a and a stator 22b for rotating the rotor 22a. The drive source 22 rotates the rotor 22a by energizing the coil of the stator 22b. The lower end of the rotating cylinder 21 is fixed to the upper end of the rotor 22a. Since the rotating cylinder 21 rotates with the rotation of the rotor 22a, the table 12, the cover 11, and the skirt portion 13 rotate together with the rotating cylinder 21.

[0022] The drive source 22 is supported by the bottom plate 14. The bottom plate 14 is a circular plate fixed to an installation surface (not shown) or a gantry installed on the installation surface. A through hole 14a is provided at the center of the bottom plate 14, and the drive source 22 passes through and is fixed to the through hole 14a.

[0023] (Holding portion) The holding portion 30 holds the substrate W. The substrate W held by the holding portion 30 faces parallel to and spaced apart from the opposing surface 111. The holding portion 30 includes a rotating member 31, holding pins 32, and a drive mechanism 33. The rotating members 31 are cylindrical members arranged at equal intervals along the periphery of the substrate W (see FIG. 5). The rotating members 31 are provided so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the rotating cylinder 21. The top surface of the rotating member 31 is exposed from the opposing surface 111.

[0024] The holding pin 32 is erected at a position eccentric from the center of rotation of the top surface of the rotating member 31. The holding pin 32 has a cylindrical shape and, although not shown in the drawing, has a constriction into which the edge of the substrate W fits. The holding pin 32 moves between a holding position (see FIG. 2) where it holds the substrate W by contacting the edge of the substrate W as the rotating member 31 rotates, and a release position (see FIG. 4) where it releases the substrate W by moving away from the edge of the substrate W.

[0025] The drive mechanism 33 moves the holding pin 32 between the holding position and the release position by rotating the rotating member 31. The drive mechanism 33 includes a drive shaft 331, a small gear 332, and a large gear 333.

[0026] The drive shaft 331 is a cylindrical member provided coaxially with the axis of rotation of the rotating member 31 on the side opposite to the top surface of the rotating member 31. The drive shaft 331 penetrates the table 12. The small gear 332 is a sector gear provided at the end of the drive shaft 331 on the side opposite to the rotating member 31. The large gear 333 is a gear in which gear grooves are intermittently formed corresponding to the small gear 332. The large gear 333 is rotatably provided on the outer periphery of the rotating cylinder 21 by a bearing (not shown). The large gear 333 has six convex portions formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction at an interval corresponding to the small gear 332, and gear grooves meshing with the small gear 332 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip of each convex portion.

[0027] The large gear 333 is biased in the rotational direction (counterclockwise) indicated by the arrow α in FIG. 5(A) by a biasing member such as a spring (not shown). As a result, the small gear 332 is biased in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow β1, so that the rotating member 31 is interlocked with the rotation of the small gear 332, and the holding pin 32 moves toward the center of the rotating body 10 and is maintained in the holding position where it contacts the substrate W. During substrate processing, the rotating member 31, the drive shaft 331, the holding pin 32, the small gear 332, and the large gear 333 rotate together with the rotating body 10 while maintaining this holding position.

[0028] Further, the large gear 333 is prevented from rotating by a stopper mechanism (not shown). When the rotating body 10 is rotated in the direction of arrow γ as shown in FIG. 5(B) with the rotation of the large gear 333 being prevented, the small gear 332 meshing with the large gear 333 whose rotation is prevented rotates counterclockwise as indicated by arrow β2. As a result, the rotating member 31 rotates, so that the holding pin 32 moves in a direction away from the edge of the substrate W and comes to the release position.

[0029] (Supply Unit) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the supply unit 40 supplies the processing liquid L to the front and back surfaces of the substrate W. The front surface of the substrate W is the surface opposite to the facing surface 111 of the substrate W held by the holding unit 30. The back surface of the substrate W is the surface facing the facing surface 111 of the substrate W held by the holding unit 30. The supply unit 40 includes a processing liquid supply mechanism 41, a processing liquid holding unit 42, a heating unit 44, and a fixing cylinder 45.

[0030] The processing liquid supply mechanism 41 includes processing liquid supply units 411, 412, and 413 that supply three types of processing liquid L. The processing liquid supply unit 411 supplies SPM as the processing liquid L. The processing liquid supply unit 412 supplies hydrogen peroxide water as the processing liquid L. The processing liquid supply unit 413 supplies pure water as the processing liquid L. The processing liquid supply units 411, 412, and 413 each have a processing liquid tank 41a that stores the corresponding processing liquid L. An individual feed pipe 41b is connected to each processing liquid tank 41a, and each individual feed pipe 41b is connected in parallel to the processing liquid supply pipe 41c.

[0031] Each individual feed pipe 41b is provided with a flow rate adjustment valve 41d and a flow meter 41e, respectively. By adjusting each flow rate adjustment valve 41d, the amount of the processing liquid L flowing from the corresponding processing liquid tank 41a into the processing liquid supply pipe 41c is adjusted. The amount of the processing liquid L flowing through each individual feed pipe 41b is detected by the corresponding flow meter 41e. Note that the production equipment and production method of the processing liquid L stored in each processing liquid tank 41a are not limited to specific ones.

[0032] The processing liquid supply pipe 41c is connected to the upper nozzle 41f and the lower nozzle 41g. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper nozzle 41f faces the vicinity of the center of the upper surface of the substrate W. Thereby, the upper nozzle 41f can supply the processing liquid L from each processing liquid tank 41a to the surface of the substrate W via the individual feed-through pipe 41b and the processing liquid supply pipe 41c. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper nozzle 41f penetrates the processing liquid holding portion 42 described later.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the lower nozzle 41g faces the vicinity of the center of the lower surface of the substrate W. Thereby, the lower nozzle 41g can supply the processing liquid L from each processing liquid tank 41a to the back surface of the substrate W via the individual feed-through pipe 41b and the processing liquid supply pipe 41c. The lower nozzle 41g penetrates the nozzle head 451 described later.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the processing liquid holding portion 42 is circular with a diameter larger than that of the substrate W, and has a bowl shape formed by a wall rising on the opposite side of the peripheral portion from the rotating body 10. The processing liquid holding portion 42 has a double structure in order to achieve both heat resistance and chemical resistance. That is, a base is formed of a material having heat resistance, and the periphery thereof is covered with a material resistant to the processing liquid L. The outer bottom surface of the processing liquid holding portion 42 faces the substrate W.

[0035] The upper nozzle 41f is inserted into the processing liquid holding portion 42, and its tip faces the substrate W held by the holding portion 30. The upper nozzle 41f is provided at a position deviated from the axis of rotation of the rotating body 10. This is to contribute to the uniformization of the temperature of the processing liquid L by sequentially changing the opposing portion of the substrate W with the upper nozzle 41f as the substrate W rotates.

[0036] Note that the processing liquid holding portion 42 is provided so as to be movable in a direction of approaching and separating from the substrate W by a lifting mechanism (not shown). As the lifting mechanism, for example, various mechanisms for moving the processing liquid holding portion 42 in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotating body 10, such as a cylinder and a ball screw mechanism, can be applied, but the details are omitted.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, a space is provided between the processing liquid holding part 42 waiting above and the facing surface 111 such that a substrate W supported by a hand H (see FIG. 4) of the transfer robot can be carried in. Further, the lowered processing liquid holding part 42 approaches the surface of the substrate W, but non-contact is maintained so that the processing liquid L can flow.

[0038] The heating part 44 heats the processing liquid L supplied by the supply part 40. The heating part 44 has a heater 441 provided on the surface opposite to the surface facing the substrate W of the processing liquid holding part 42. The heater 441 is in the shape of a circular sheet. Note that the heater 441 may be composed of a plurality of heater pieces whose calorific value can be individually controlled. For example, the heater 441 may be composed of three heater pieces. That is, two annular heater pieces may be arranged concentrically outside the circular heater piece. According to such a heater 441, by individually controlling the calorific value of the three heater pieces arranged concentrically, the temperature of the processing liquid L can be changed for each concentric region. Note that the diameter of the heating part 44 is preferably equal to or larger than the diameter of the substrate W in order to suppress the temperature drop on the outer peripheral side of the substrate W.

[0039] Note that the processing liquid L is supplied to the substrate W and heated by the heating part 44. Thereby, the processing liquid L supplied to the substrate W can be spread over the entire surface of the substrate W while maintaining a preset temperature. In particular, by making the outer peripheral heater 441 at a high temperature, an effect of raising the temperature of the outer peripheral side of the substrate W where the temperature easily drops can be obtained.

[0040] The fixed cylinder 45 is inserted into the rotor 22a and the rotating cylinder 21 in a non-contact manner. The fixed cylinder 45 is supported and fixed to the gantry independently of the rotor 22a and does not rotate even when the rotating body 10 or the like rotates. A nozzle head 451 is provided at the upper end of the fixed cylinder 45. The nozzle head 451 is a ring-shaped member arranged such that the central hole 451a faces the through-hole 11a of the cover 11. An inclined surface in the shape of a funnel (inverted conical shape, mortar shape) that becomes lower toward the hole 451a is formed on the upper surface of the nozzle head 451. A lower nozzle 41g penetrates through the nozzle head 451. The lower nozzle 41g is provided to discharge the processing liquid L toward the vicinity of the center of the substrate W by opening on the inclined surface.

[0041] An annular groove 451b is formed on the lower surface of the nozzle head 451 to accommodate the protruding portion 121a of the shielding portion 121 with a gap therebetween. As a result, a labyrinth structure, which is a bent path, is formed between the fixed nozzle head 451 and the rotating shielding portion 121 while keeping them non-contact. For this reason, the inflow of the processing liquid L that has flowed in through the through-hole 11a of the opposing surface 111 into the inside of the rotating cylinder 21 is suppressed.

[0042] (Protective part) The protective part 50 is a cylindrical member provided coaxially and in a non-contact manner inside the skirt part 13. The protective part 50 covers the space inside the rotating body 10. The protective part 50 has a cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the skirt part 13. The protective part 50 is integrally formed with the receiving plate 820 of the liquid receiving part 80 described later.

[0043] (Liquid discharge port, gas discharge port) As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid discharge port 60 is an opening formed to face the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 13. The liquid discharge hole 60 is provided so as to be able to discharge the liquid R toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 13. The gas discharge port 70 is an opening formed to face the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 13. The gas discharge port 70 is provided so as to be able to discharge gas toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 13 as shown by the arrow of the dotted line in the figure. Further, the gas discharge port 70 is provided closer to the inner space S4 of the rotating body 10 than the liquid discharge port 60 in the continuous space from the space S1 for processing the substrate W to the inner space S4 of the rotating body 10 (see FIG. 10). In the embodiment, the space S1 for processing the substrate W is a space in which the substrate W is held by the holding portion 30, and more specifically, it is a space above the surface of the rotating body 10 facing the substrate W, that is, the surface 111 of the cover 11 and surrounded by the cup portion 81. The liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge port 70 are provided on a common base body 100. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the base body 100 has a ring shape disposed inside the skirt portion 13. The base body 100 is coaxial with the protection portion 50 and is fixed to the upper end of the protection portion 50.

[0044] A plurality of liquid discharge ports 60 are provided in the circumferential direction. Each liquid discharge port 60 has a slit shape. The slit shape means that an opening elongated in the circumferential direction is formed. In the present embodiment, a plurality of slit-shaped liquid discharge ports 60 are formed in a row at equal intervals over the entire circumference of the side surface of the base body 100.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 8(A), the liquid discharge port 60 communicates with a communication passage 61 and a supply passage 62 provided inside the base body 100. The communication passage 61 is a ring-shaped continuous flow path, and all the liquid discharge ports 60 communicate with each other through the communication passage 61. The supply passage 62 is a flow path that communicates with the communication passage 61 from the lower part of the base body 100. Four supply passages 62 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each supply passage 62 is connected to a liquid supply device 62b via a pipe 62a (see FIG. 2).

[0046] The liquid supply device 62b includes a valve, a pump, a liquid supply source, etc. (not shown). The liquid R supplied from the liquid supply device 62b is discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 through the supply path 62 and the communication path 61 (see FIG. 6). As the liquid R, for example, pure water is used.

[0047] The gas discharge ports 70 are provided in a plurality in the circumferential direction above the liquid discharge port 60. Each gas discharge port 70 is slit-shaped. In the present embodiment, a plurality of slit-shaped gas discharge ports 70 are formed in a row at equal intervals over the entire circumference of the side surface of the base body 100. That is, the liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge ports 70 are provided in the common base body 100.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 8(B), the gas discharge ports 70 communicate with a communication path 71 and a supply path 72 provided inside the base body 100. The communication path 71 is a ring-shaped continuous ventilation path, and all the gas discharge ports 70 communicate with each other through the communication path 71. The supply path 72 is a ventilation path that communicates with the communication path 71 from the lower part of the base body 100. Four supply paths 72 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each supply path 72 is connected to an air supply device 72b through a pipe 72a (see FIG. 2).

[0049] The air supply device 72b includes a valve, a pump, an air supply source, etc. (not shown). By the air supply device 72b, gas is discharged from the gas discharge ports 70 through the supply path 72 and the communication path 71 (see the dotted arrow in FIG. 6). As the gas, for example, N2 gas is used. Note that inert gases such as argon gas and CO2 gas can also be used as the discharged gas.

[0050] Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the substrate 100, on the side opposite to the gas discharge port 70 side with respect to the liquid discharge port 60 in the direction in which the liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge port 70 are arranged, a first protruding portion 101 that narrows the distance from the skirt portion 13 is provided. Also, on the outer peripheral surface of the substrate 100, on the side opposite to the liquid discharge port 60 side with respect to the gas discharge port 70 in the direction in which the liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge port 70 are arranged, a second protruding portion 102 that narrows the distance from the skirt portion 13 is provided. The first protruding portion 101 and the second protruding portion 102 of the present embodiment are ring-shaped flanges provided over the entire circumference of the substrate 100. By the first protruding portion 101 and the second protruding portion 102, the distance from the skirt portion 13 is narrowed, and it becomes easier to shield particles and the processing liquid atmosphere.

[0051] (Liquid receiving portion) As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid receiving portion 80 receives the processing liquid L scattered from the rotating substrate W around the substrate W and drops it downward. The liquid receiving portion 80 includes a cup portion 81 and a receiving portion 82. The cup portion 81 includes a first cup 811, a second cup 812, and a drive mechanism 813. The first cup 811 is a cylindrical body that covers the periphery of the rotating body 10 with a gap and is bent so that the diameter of the upper portion is narrowed. A cylindrical depression 811a is provided at the lower portion of the first cup 811. The second cup 812 is a cylindrical body that covers the periphery of the first cup 811 with a gap and is bent so that the diameter of the upper portion is narrowed.

[0052] The first cup 811 and the second cup 812 are provided so as to be individually movable up and down by the drive mechanism 813. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the cup portion 81 is provided so as to be movable between a loading / unloading position where it descends to expose the cover 11 so that the substrate W can be loaded and unloaded, and a cover position where it ascends to cover the periphery of the substrate W as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As the drive mechanism 813, for example, various mechanisms that move the cup portion 81 in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotating body 10, such as a cylinder and a ball screw mechanism, can be applied, but the details are omitted.

[0053] The receiving part 82 has a receiving plate 820, a first protective wall 821, a second protective wall 822, and a third protective wall 823. The receiving plate 820 is a ring-shaped plate continuously fixed to the outer periphery of the bottom plate 14 so as to receive the processing liquid L that has fallen downward from the first cup 811 or the second cup 812. The innermost edge of the receiving plate 820 is integrally formed with the lower end of the protection part 50.

[0054] The first protective wall 821, the second protective wall 822, and the third protective wall 823 are cylindrical members with different diameters and are erected coaxially from the receiving plate 820. The innermost first protective wall 821 is arranged outside the skirt part 13 with a gap from the skirt part 13. Thereby, the skirt part 13 is arranged non-contactly between the protection part 50 and the first protective wall 821. Thereby, a labyrinth structure which is a bent path is formed, making it difficult for the processing liquid L to enter the space below the cover 11.

[0055] The second protective wall 822 is arranged outside the first protective wall 821 with a gap from the first protective wall 821. The upper part of the second protective wall 822 is inserted into the depression 811a below the first cup 811 non-contactly. The third protective wall 823 is arranged outside the second cup 812 with a gap from the second cup 812.

[0056] Drain ports 820a, 820b, and 820c are formed between the skirt part 13 and the first protective wall 821, between the first protective wall 821 and the second protective wall 822, and between the second protective wall 822 and the third protective wall 823 on the receiving plate 820 respectively. Each drain port 820a, 820b, 820c is connected to a discharge path (not shown) via a drain pipe 820d for discharging the processing liquid L.

[0057] The first cup 811 and the second cup 812 receive the processing liquid L scattered from the rotating substrate W from around the substrate W. The processing liquid L received by the first cup 811 and the second cup 812 falls onto the receiving plate 820 and is discharged to the discharge path through the drain ports 820b and 820c.

[0058] The liquid R discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 flows down as a liquid film between the skirt portion 13 and the protection portion 50. This liquid R drops onto the receiving plate 820 and is discharged into the discharge path through the drain port 820a.

[0059] Since the first cup 811 and the second protective wall 822 overlap without contact, and the second cup 812 and the third protective wall 823 overlap without contact, a labyrinth structure with a bent path is formed, making it difficult for the processing liquid L to leak outside the liquid receiving portion 80.

[0060] (Control unit) The control unit 90 controls each part of the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control unit 90 includes a processor that executes a program, a memory that stores various information such as programs and operating conditions, and a drive circuit that drives each element in order to realize various functions of the substrate processing apparatus 1. That is, the control unit 90 controls the blower 1b, the rotation mechanism 20, the drive mechanism 33, the processing liquid supply mechanism 41, the heating unit 44, the liquid supply device 62b, the air supply device 72b, the drive mechanism 813, etc.

[0061] [Operation] The operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9 and the partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 10 in addition to FIGS. 1 to 8 above. In FIG. 10, S1 is the space for processing the substrate W, S2 is the space below the cup portion 81, S3 is the space between the protection portion 50 and the skirt portion 13, and S4 is the space inside the rotating body 10. Note that a substrate processing method for processing the substrate W according to the following procedure is also an aspect of the present embodiment.

[0062] First, as shown by the dotted arrow in FIG. 1, a downflow is generated in the chamber 1a by supplying clean air from the blower 1b on the ceiling. When the substrate W is carried in, as shown in FIG. 1, the processing liquid holding portion 42 of the supply portion 40 is in the upper standby position, and as shown in FIG. 4, the cup portion 81 descends to the lower loading / unloading position. Also, by energizing the heater 441 in advance, the surface of the processing liquid holding portion 42 opposite to the surface facing the substrate W is heated, and the processing liquid holding portion 42 is maintained at a predetermined temperature.

[0063] In this state, as shown in FIG. 4, the substrate W mounted on the hand H of the transfer robot is carried between the processing liquid holding unit 42 and the rotating body 10, and its periphery is supported by a plurality of holding pins 32, so that it is held on the opposing surface 111 of the rotating body 10 (step S01). At this time, the center of the substrate W is positioned so as to coincide with the axis of rotation of the rotating body 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the cup portion 81 rises to the cover position (step S02).

[0064] Next, the rotating body 10 rotates. As a result, the substrate W rotates together with the holding portion 30 (step S03). Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the liquid R from the liquid supply device 62b is discharged from the liquid discharge port 60, and the gas from the air supply device 72b (see the dotted arrow in the figure) is discharged from the gas discharge port 70 (step S04). At this time, it is preferable to control the liquid supply device 62b so that the flow rate of the liquid R discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 per unit time is such that the gap between the protection portion 50 and the skirt portion 13 is blocked by the liquid R in the circumferential direction.

[0065] The processing liquid holding unit 42 descends to a position where a predetermined interval is formed between it and the surface of the substrate W (step S05). Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the supply unit 40 supplies the processing liquid L to the substrate W (step S06). Note that the supply of the processing liquid L may be performed from the upper nozzle 41f near the center of the surface of the substrate W, or the processing liquid L may be supplied from the upper nozzle 41f and the lower nozzle 41g near the centers of the front and back surfaces of the substrate W. When the processing liquid L is supplied to the rotating substrate W, the processing liquid L sequentially moves toward the outer periphery of the substrate W, so that the front and back surfaces of the substrate W are processed. Then, the supply of the processing liquid L by the supply unit 40 is stopped (step S07).

[0066] In this embodiment, the resist removal process and the cleaning process are performed by sequentially switching and supplying SPM, hydrogen peroxide solution, and pure water. Note that the SPM supplied between the processing liquid holding unit 42 and the surface of the substrate W is heated by the processing liquid holding unit 42 heated by the heater 441 and is at a high temperature. For this reason, the SPM is continuously supplied from the upper nozzle 41f inserted into the processing liquid holding unit 42 and sequentially moves toward the outer periphery of the surface of the substrate W, thereby removing the resist.

[0067] After the supply of the SPM is stopped, hydrogen peroxide solution is supplied to the substrate W. The supplied hydrogen peroxide solution sequentially moves toward the outer periphery of the surface of the substrate W, thereby flushing the SPM on the surface of the substrate W. After the supply of the hydrogen peroxide solution is stopped, pure water is supplied to the front and back surfaces of the substrate W from the upper nozzle 41f and the lower nozzle 41g. The supplied pure water sequentially moves toward the outer peripheries of the front and back surfaces of the substrate W, thereby flushing the hydrogen peroxide solution on the front and back surfaces of the substrate W. Then, the supply unit 40 stops the supply of pure water.

[0068] Here, the processing liquid L flowing out toward the outer periphery of the substrate W is discharged to the outside through the gap of the holding pin 32. The processing liquid L flowing downward along the side surface 112 and the skirt portion 13 of the cover 11 falls between the protection unit 50 and the first protective wall 821 and is discharged from the drain port 820a. Further, the processing liquid L flowing downward after hitting the inner wall of the first cup 811 falls between the first protective wall 821 and the second protective wall 822 and is discharged from the drain port 820b. Furthermore, the processing liquid L flowing downward after hitting the inner wall of the second cup 812 falls between the second protective wall 822 and the third protective wall 823 and is discharged from the drain port 820c.

[0069] Also, between the protection part 50 and the skirt part 13, as shown in FIG. 6, when the liquid R is discharged from the liquid discharge port 60, a film of the liquid R is formed. That is, at least a part of the gap between the protection part 50 and the skirt part 13, or at least a part of the gap between the protection part 50 and the substrate 100 (the first protruding part 101) can be blocked by the liquid R. Thereby, a processing liquid atmosphere (indicated by the white arrow in the figure) containing vapor and mist of the high-temperature processing liquid L is suppressed from entering the space S4 inside the rotor 10 from the space S1 for processing the substrate W. Further, the film of the liquid R suppresses the atmosphere (indicated by the black arrow in the figure) containing particles generated from inside the rotor 10 from leaking into the space S1 for processing the substrate W. Furthermore, when the gas is discharged from the gas discharge port 70, the liquid R discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 is suppressed from entering the inside of the rotor 10.

[0070] After the supply of the processing liquid L stops, the processing liquid holding part 42 rises and the rotation of the substrate W stops (step S08). When the rotation of the substrate W completely stops, the liquid supply device 62b is stopped to stop the discharge of the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60, and the gas supply device 72b is stopped to stop the discharge of the gas from the gas discharge port 70 (step S09). Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the cup part 81 descends to the loading / unloading position (step S10). Then, the hand H of the transfer robot is inserted under the substrate W, the holding of the substrate W by the holding part 30 is released, and the substrate W is unloaded by the hand H of the transfer robot (step S11).

[0071] [Effect] (1) The substrate processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment as described above has a holding part 30 for holding the substrate W, a cylindrical skirt part 13 that covers the periphery of the region below the substrate W held by the holding part 30, a rotor 10 provided rotatably together with the substrate W held by the holding part 30, a rotation mechanism 20 for rotating the rotor 10, a supply part 40 for supplying the processing liquid L to the substrate W that rotates together with the rotor 10, a cylindrical protection part 50 provided coaxially and non-contactingly inside the skirt part 13, and a liquid discharge port 60 provided to be able to discharge the liquid toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt part 13.

[0072] Therefore, the film of the liquid R formed by being discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 can suppress the leakage of particles from the inside of the rotating body 10 into the space S1 for processing the substrate W. As a result, it is possible to suppress the particles generated in the movable part from adhering to the substrate W and causing quality degradation. Even if the particles generated in the movable part leak to the outside of the protection part 50, they are captured by the liquid R discharged from the liquid discharge port 60. Then, together with the liquid R, they are discharged to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 1. For this reason, the flow of particles into the space S1 for processing the substrate W is prevented. Furthermore, the cleaning effect of washing away the substances adhering to the side surfaces such as the protection part 50 can also be obtained by the liquid R.

[0073] Also, the film of the liquid R can suppress the intrusion of the processing liquid atmosphere generated by the processing of the substrate W into the space S4 inside the rotating body 10. As a result, it is possible to suppress the processing liquid L from adhering to the movable part or sensor inside the rotating body 10 and causing corrosion or deterioration. In particular, when the processing liquid L is SPM, sulfuric acid becomes fuming sulfuric acid and easily enters the inside of the rotating body 10. However, in this embodiment, a high shielding effect against fuming sulfuric acid can be obtained by the liquid R discharged from the liquid discharge port 60.

[0074] Although a downflow occurs inside the chamber 1a, even if there is a processing liquid atmosphere that cannot be completely exhausted in the downflow, the intrusion into the inside of the rotating body 10 can be prevented. In addition, in order to prevent the processing liquid atmosphere from entering the inside of the rotating body 10, simply discharging gas from the inside of the rotating body 10 to the outside will disturb the air flow inside the chamber 1a and may cause particles and mist to adhere to the substrate W. In this embodiment, since the liquid R is discharged instead of gas, the disturbance of the air flow inside the chamber 1a can be suppressed. Therefore, the substrate W can be processed cleanly.

[0075] (2) A plurality of liquid discharge ports 60 are provided in the circumferential direction. For this reason, the intrusion of the processing liquid atmosphere can be suppressed along the circumferential direction by discharging the liquid R from a plurality of locations.

[0076] (3) The liquid discharge port 60 is slit-shaped. Therefore, the liquid R can be discharged uniformly in the circumferential direction.

[0077] (4) The liquid discharge port 60 is provided on a ring-shaped base body 100 disposed inside the skirt portion 13. Therefore, it is possible to discharge the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60 over the entire circumference of the ring-shaped base body 100 to prevent the intrusion of the processing liquid atmosphere.

[0078] (5) It has a gas discharge port 70 provided so as to be able to discharge gas toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 13. The gas discharge port 70 is provided on the side closer to the space S4 inside the rotating body 10 than the liquid discharge port 60 in a continuous space from the space S1 for processing the substrate W to the space S4 inside the rotating body 10. By discharging gas from the gas discharge port 70 provided at such a position, it is possible to prevent the liquid R discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 from entering the inside of the rotating body 10.

[0079] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, the space S1 for processing the substrate W, the space S2 below the cup portion 81, the space S3 between the protection portion 50 and the skirt portion 13, and the space S4 inside the rotating body 10 are continuous. Therefore, the gas can flow bidirectionally along the path C indicated by the bidirectional arrow in the figure. However, in the present embodiment, in such a path C, the gas discharge port 70 is provided on the side closer to the space S4 inside the rotating body 10 than the liquid discharge port 60. Thereby, when gas is discharged from the gas discharge port 70, it becomes difficult for the liquid R discharged from the liquid discharge port 60 to flow upward. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the liquid R from entering the space S4 inside the rotating body 10.

[0080] Also, even if the film of the liquid R is interrupted at a part in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral side of the skirt portion 13, it is possible to suppress the processing liquid atmosphere from entering the space S4 inside the rotating body 10 by the gas discharged from the gas discharge port 70.

[0081] (6) The gas discharge ports 70 are provided in plurality in the circumferential direction. Therefore, by discharging gas from a plurality of locations, intrusion of the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60 can be suppressed along the circumferential direction.

[0082] (7) The gas discharge ports 70 are slit-shaped. Therefore, gas can be discharged uniformly in the circumferential direction.

[0083] (8) The gas discharge ports 70 are provided in a ring-shaped base body 100 disposed inside the skirt portion 13. Therefore, gas can be discharged from the gas discharge ports 70 over the entire circumference of the ring-shaped base body 100 to prevent intrusion of the liquid R into the inside of the rotating body 10.

[0084] (9) The liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge ports 70 are provided in a common base body 100. Therefore, the liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge ports 70 can be provided with a simple structure. Thereby, assembly and maintenance of the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be easily performed by attaching or detaching the base body 100. In addition, increase in size of the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be suppressed.

[0085] (Modification example) (1) As shown in FIG. 11, a storage portion 200 capable of storing the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60 may be provided between the skirt portion 13 and the first protective wall 821. For example, a valve 820e and a suction pump 820f are connected to a drain pipe 820d connected to the drain port 820a. Further, a liquid level sensor 820g is provided on the first protective wall 821. The control unit 90 adjusts the discharge amount of the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60 and the opening degree of the valve 820e so that the water level detected by the liquid level sensor 820g is maintained at a position higher than the lower end of the skirt portion 13. For example, two liquid level sensors 820g are provided vertically. When the liquid level is detected by the upper liquid level sensor 820g, the opening degree of the valve 820e is increased to promote drainage. When the liquid level is detected by the lower liquid level sensor 820g, the opening degree of the valve 820e is decreased to store the liquid R. Thereby, since the space between the skirt portion 13 and the protection portion 50 is maintained in a state filled with the liquid R, particles and the processing liquid atmosphere can be shielded.

[0086] In addition, in this embodiment, since the liquid R is stored in the storage unit 200 over the entire circumference, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of liquid discharge ports 60 or arrange them in a ring shape. Also, it is not necessary to provide the liquid level sensor 820g. In this case, the discharge amount in which an appropriate amount of the liquid R is stored in the storage unit 200 may be obtained in advance through experiments or the like, and the discharge amount of the liquid discharge port 60 may be controlled by the control unit 90. An opening may be provided at a position lower than the liquid discharge port 60 of the first protective wall 821 and higher than the lower end of the skirt portion 13, and overflow may be caused so that the liquid level is maintained at an appropriate position.

[0087] (2) The shape of the liquid discharge port 60 is not limited to a slit shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the liquid discharge port 60 may be a plurality of holes having a short circumferential length. Also in this case, it is preferable to provide the liquid discharge ports 60 at equal intervals over the entire circumference. Further, the shape of the opening of the liquid discharge port 60 is not limited to a rectangle. For example, it may be a circular opening. Also, the shapes of the plurality of liquid discharge ports 60 do not have to be the same. Further, the liquid discharge port 60 may be a single one formed in a slit shape over the entire circumference.

[0088] (3) The gas discharge port 70 is not limited to a slit shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the gas discharge port 70 may be a plurality of holes having a short circumferential length. Also in this case, it is preferable to provide the gas discharge ports 70 at equal intervals over the entire circumference. Further, the shape of the opening of the gas discharge port 70 is not limited to a rectangle. For example, it may be a circular opening. Also, the shapes of the plurality of gas discharge ports 70 do not have to be the same. Further, the gas discharge port 70 may be a single one formed in a slit shape over the entire circumference. Note that it is not necessary for the shape of the liquid discharge port 60 and the shape of the gas discharge port 70 to be the same. The liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge port 70 may be provided with different shapes.

[0089] (4) The liquid discharge port 60 and the gas discharge port 70 do not necessarily have to be provided on a common substrate. That is, they may be provided on separate substrates respectively. The substrate may be integrally formed with the protection part 50 and may be configured as a part of the protection part 50.

[0090] (5) The gas discharge port 70 does not have to be provided. Even in this case, the discharge of the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60 can prevent the leakage of particles from the movable part and the intrusion of the processing liquid atmosphere.

[0091] (6) The discharge of the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60 may start at least before the start of the supply of the processing liquid L to the substrate W. For example, the timing of starting the discharge of the liquid R from the liquid discharge port 60 may be before the start of the rotation of the substrate W by the rotation of the rotating body 10, or may be before the substrate W is carried into the chamber 1a.

[0092] (7) The content of the processing of the substrate processing apparatus 1 and the processing liquid L are not limited to those exemplified above. For example, it may be configured as a cleaning apparatus for cleaning the substrate W. Also, as the processing liquid L, for example, an aqueous solution containing hydrogen fluoride (HF) (to be a hydrofluoric acid solution) may be used, or an aqueous solution containing phosphoric acid (H3PO4) (phosphoric acid solution) may be used as the processing liquid L that needs to be at a high temperature. Depending on the type of the processing liquid L and the processing on the substrate W, a heating device for heating the processing liquid L to a preset temperature may be provided in the supply unit 40. The substrate W and the film to be processed are also not limited to those exemplified above.

[0093] [Other Embodiments] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention and the modified examples of each part have been described. However, these embodiments and the modified examples of each part are presented as an example 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, replacements, combinations, and changes 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 also included in the invention described in the claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0094] 1 Substrate processing apparatus 1a Chamber 1b Blower 10 Rotating body 11 Table 11a Through hole 12 Cover 12a Through hole 13 Skirt portion 14 Bottom plate 14a Through hole 20 Rotation mechanism 21 Rotating cylinder 22 Drive source 22a Rotor 22b Stator 30 Holding portion 31 Rotating member 32 Holding pin 33 Drive mechanism 40 Supply portion 41 Processing liquid supply mechanism 41a Processing liquid tank 41b Individual feed-through pipe 41c Processing liquid supply pipe 41d Flow rate adjustment valve 41e Flow meter 41f Upper nozzle 41g Lower nozzle 42 Processing liquid holding portion 44 Heating portion 45 Fixed cylinder 50 Protection portion 60 Liquid discharge port 61 Communication path 62 Supply path 62a Pipe 62b Liquid supply device 70 Gas discharge port 71 Communication path 72 Supply path 72a Pipe 72b Gas supply device 80 Liquid receiving portion 81 Cup portion 82 Receiving portion 90 Control portion 100 Substrate 101 First protruding part 102 Second protruding part 111 Opposing surface 112 Side surface 121 Shielding part 121a Protruding part 122 Side surface 200 Storage part 331 Drive shaft 332 Small gear 333 Large gear 411, 412, 413 Processing liquid supply part 441 Heater 451 Nozzle head 451a Hole 451b Annular groove 811 First cup 811a Depression 812 Second cup 813 Drive mechanism 820 Receiving plate 820a, 820b, 820c Drain ports 820d Drain pipe 820e Valve 820f Suction pump 820g Liquid level sensor 821 First protective wall 822 Second protective wall 823 Third protective wall

Claims

1. a holding part for holding a substrate; a rotating body having a cylindrical skirt part that covers the periphery of the area below the substrate held by the holding part and is provided rotatably together with the substrate held by the holding part; a rotation mechanism for rotating the rotating body; a supply part for supplying a processing liquid to the substrate that rotates together with the rotating body; a cylindrical protection part provided coaxially and in non-contact with the skirt part inside the skirt part; a liquid discharge port provided so as to be able to discharge liquid toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt part; A substrate processing apparatus, characterized by comprising the above.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the liquid discharge ports are provided in the circumferential direction.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid discharge port is slit-shaped.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid discharge port is provided in a ring-shaped base body disposed inside the skirt part.

5. having a gas discharge port provided so as to be able to discharge gas toward the inner peripheral surface of the skirt part, The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gas discharge port is provided closer to the inner space of the rotating body than the liquid discharge port in a continuous space from the space for processing the substrate to the inner space of the rotating body.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of the gas discharge ports are provided in the circumferential direction.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gas discharge port is slit-shaped.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gas discharge port is provided in a ring-shaped base body disposed inside the skirt part.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the liquid discharge port and the gas discharge port are provided in a common base body.

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