Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technique for increasing precision of flow rate control for processing fluid.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing part having a processing space capable of storing a substrate having a surface wet with liquid; a fluid supply device for supplying processing fluid into the processing space; and a control part. The fluid supply device includes: a supply line connected to the processing part; a pressurizing part provided at the supply line to increase the pressure of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line; a supply flow-rate measurement part provided on a secondary side of the pressurizing part in the supply line; and a supply flow-rate adjustment part provided on a secondary side of the supply flow-rate measurement part in the supply line. The control part includes controlling of the supply flow-rate adjustment part based on a supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow-rate measurement part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] A technique for drying a substrate using a processing fluid in a supercritical state is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which the flow rate of the processing fluid supplied into a processing vessel is adjusted by controlling a back pressure valve provided in a circulation line. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-101053 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique that can improve the accuracy of flow rate control of a processing fluid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a processing unit having a processing space capable of accommodating a substrate whose surface is wetted with a liquid, a fluid supply device that supplies a processing fluid to the processing space, and a control unit, wherein the fluid supply device has a supply line connected to the processing unit, a pressurizing unit provided in the supply line to increase the pressure of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line, a supply flow rate measuring unit provided on the supply line secondary side of the pressurizing unit, and a supply flow rate adjusting unit provided on the supply line secondary side of the supply flow rate measuring unit, and the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjusting unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measuring unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, the accuracy of flow rate control of the processing fluid can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus having a piping configuration according to a first example. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram (1) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram (2) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram (3) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram (4) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram (5) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram (6) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus having a piping configuration according to the second example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus having a piping configuration according to the third example. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram (1) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram (2) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram (3) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram (4) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram (5) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram (6) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 17]FIG. 17 is a diagram (7) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus having a piping configuration according to the fourth example. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram (1) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram (2) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram (3) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a diagram (4) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a diagram (5) showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the relationship between density and pressure when the volume of the processing space is constant. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing the time changes in the pressure in the processing space and the mass flow rate of the fluid. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In all the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding reference numerals are used to designate the same or corresponding members or components, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0009] [Substrate Processing Apparatus] A substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment.

[0010] The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a processing unit 110 , a fluid supply unit 120 , a discharge unit 130 , and a control unit 140 .

[0011] The processing section 110 has a processing space capable of accommodating a substrate whose surface is wetted with a liquid. The processing section 110 is connected to a fluid supply device 120 and a discharge section .

[0012] The fluid supply device 120 supplies a processing fluid from a processing fluid supply source S11 to the processing unit 110. The fluid supply device 120 includes a supply line 121, a pressurizing unit 122, a supply flow rate measuring unit 123, a supply flow rate adjusting unit 124, a heating unit 125, an opening / closing unit 126, a first circulation unit 127, a pressure adjusting unit 128, and a second circulation unit 129.

[0013] The supply line 121 connects the processing fluid supply source S11 and the processing section 110. The supply line 121 supplies the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 to the processing section 110.

[0014] The pressurizing unit 122 is provided in the supply line 121. The pressurizing unit 122 increases the pressure of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line 121. The pressurizing unit 122 is, for example, a pump. The pressurizing unit 122 may also be a pressure tank.

[0015] The supply flow rate measuring unit 123 is provided on the secondary side of the pressurizing unit 122 in the supply line 121. The supply flow rate measuring unit 123 measures the supply flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line 121. The supply flow rate measuring unit 123 is, for example, a pressure-controlled flow meter. The supply flow rate measuring unit 123 may also be a mass flow meter.

[0016] The supply flow rate adjusting unit 124 is provided on the secondary side of the supply flow rate measuring unit 123 in the supply line 121. The supply flow rate adjusting unit 124 adjusts the supply flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line 121 based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measuring unit 123. The supply flow rate adjusting unit 124 includes, for example, a back pressure valve.

[0017] The heating unit 125 is provided on the secondary side of the supply flow rate adjusting unit 124 in the supply line 121. The heating unit 125 heats the processing fluid flowing through the supply line 121. The heating unit 125 is, for example, a heater including a heater.

[0018] The opening / closing unit 126 is provided on the secondary side of the heating unit 125 in the supply line 121. The opening / closing unit 126 may be provided on the primary side of the heating unit 125 in the supply line 121. The opening / closing unit 126 switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the opening / closing unit 126 is in an open state, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when the opening / closing unit 126 is in a closed state, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side. The opening / closing unit 126 includes, for example, an opening / closing valve.

[0019] The first circulation unit 127 is provided on the primary side of the supply flow rate adjustment unit 124. The first circulation unit 127 branches off from the supply line 121 at a position between the pressurizing unit 122 and the supply flow rate measurement unit 123, and merges with the supply line 121 at a position on the primary side of the pressurizing unit 122. The first circulation unit 127 circulates the treatment fluid from the secondary side of the pressurizing unit 122 to the primary side of the pressurizing unit 122.

[0020] The pressure adjustment unit 128 is provided in the first circulation unit 127. The pressure adjustment unit 128 is provided on the primary side of the supply flow rate adjustment unit 124. The pressure adjustment unit 128 maintains the pressure on the primary side of the supply flow rate measurement unit 123 (supply flow rate adjustment unit 124) at a set pressure. This allows the pressure on the primary side of the supply flow rate adjustment unit 124 to be maintained constant, thereby improving the accuracy of flow rate control of the processing fluid supplied to the processing unit 11. The pressure adjustment unit 128 includes, for example, a back pressure valve.

[0021] The second circulation unit 129 branches off from the supply line 121 at a position between the heating unit 125 and the opening / closing unit 126, and joins the supply line 121 at a position on the primary side of the pressurizing unit 122. The second circulation unit 129 circulates the treatment fluid from the secondary side of the heating unit 125 to the primary side of the pressurizing unit 122. When the opening / closing unit 126 is provided on the primary side of the heating unit 125, the second circulation unit 129 may branch off from the supply line 121 at a position between the supply flow rate adjustment unit 124 and the opening / closing unit 126, and joins the supply line 121 at a position on the primary side of the pressurizing unit 122.

[0022] The discharge unit 130 discharges the processing fluid from the processing unit 110 .

[0023] The control unit 140 is an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc. The control unit 140 executes various control operations described in this specification by executing instruction codes stored in a memory or by being a circuit designed for a specific application.

[0024] As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus 100, the supply flow rate measuring unit 123 and the supply flow rate adjusting unit 124 are provided in series in this order on the supply line 121. This improves the accuracy of flow rate control of the processing fluid supplied to the processing unit 11.

[0025] [Substrate Processing Apparatus Having Piping Configuration According to First Example] 2, a substrate processing apparatus 10 having a piping configuration according to a first example will be described as an example of the substrate processing apparatus 100. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the substrate processing apparatus 10 having the piping configuration according to the first example.

[0026] The substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a processing section 11, a fluid supplying device 12, a discharge section 13, and a control section 14. The processing section 11, the fluid supplying device 12, the discharge section 13, and the control section 14 correspond to the processing section 110, the fluid supplying device 120, the discharge section 130, and the control section 140 in FIG. 1, respectively.

[0027] The processing unit 11 has a processing vessel 11a and a holding unit 11b. The processing vessel 11a is a vessel having a processing space formed therein that can accommodate a substrate W. In the processing space, a substrate having, for example, a liquid film formed thereon is processed. The substrate W is, for example, a semiconductor wafer. The holding unit 11b is provided inside the processing vessel 11a. The holding unit 11b holds the substrate W horizontally. The holding unit 11b is, for example, configured integrally with the processing vessel 11a. The holding unit 11b may also be a holding plate configured separately from the processing vessel 11a. The processing unit 11 may also have a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor.

[0028] The fluid supply device 12 has a supply line L11, a branch line L12, a first circulation line L13, a second circulation line L14, and a depressurization line L15.

[0029] The supply line L11 connects the processing fluid supply source S11 and the processing vessel 11a. The supply line L11 supplies the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 into the processing vessel 11a. The processing fluid is, for example, carbon dioxide (CO2) in a gaseous or liquid state. The supply line L11 corresponds to the supply line 121 in FIG. 1. The supply line L11 is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pump P11, a supply flow rate measuring unit M11, a backpressure valve BV11, a pressure sensor PS11c, a heater HE11, and an on-off valve V11. The supply line L11 may be provided with a line heater for heating the supply line L11. On-off valves, orifices, filters, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors may also be provided at various positions on the supply line L11.

[0030] The pump P11 sends the processing fluid to the secondary side of the supply line L11. The pump P11 corresponds to the pressurizing unit 122 in FIG.

[0031] The supply flow rate measuring unit M11 includes a pressure sensor PS11a, an orifice OR11, and a pressure sensor PS11b.

[0032] The pressure sensor PS11a is provided on the primary side of the orifice OR11. The pressure sensor PS11a is provided in the supply line L11 between the pump P11 and the orifice OR11. The pressure sensor PS11a measures the pressure on the primary side of the orifice OR11. The pressure sensor PS11a is an example of a first pressure sensor.

[0033] The orifice OR11 serves to reduce the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the supply line L11 and adjust the pressure. The orifice OR11 causes the process fluid with adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side. The orifice OR11 is an example of a first throttle.

[0034] The pressure sensor PS11b is provided on the secondary side of the orifice OR11. The pressure sensor PS11b is provided in the supply line L11 between the orifice OR11 and the back pressure valve BV11. The pressure sensor PS11b measures the pressure on the secondary side of the orifice OR11. The pressure sensor PS11b is an example of a second pressure sensor.

[0035] The supply flow rate measurement unit M11 calculates the supply flow rate of the process fluid based on the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS11a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS11b. The process fluid flowing through the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 is, for example, liquid carbon dioxide. In this case, the orifice OR11 is located in the part where the liquid process fluid flows. Therefore, the relationship between the flow rate and the differential pressure is a quadratic function, allowing the supply flow rate of the process fluid to be measured with high accuracy. In addition, changes in the temperature of the process fluid due to adiabatic expansion can be prevented. The supply flow rate measurement unit M11 corresponds to the supply flow rate measurement unit 123 in Figure 1.

[0036] The supply flow rate measurement unit M11 calculates the supply flow rate Q of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line L11 using, for example, equation (1).

[0037] Q = Cd (ΔP) 1 / 2 ···(1) In equation (1), ΔP is the value obtained by subtracting the second pressure P2 from the first pressure P1 (ΔP=P1−P2), and Cd is the flow coefficient.

[0038] The flow coefficient Cd can be calculated using equation (2), for example, when the processing fluid is circulated within the processing vessel 11a under specified conditions, and the first pressure P1, the second pressure P2, and the discharge flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the flow meter F16 become stable.

[0039] Qs = Cd (ΔPs) 1 / 2 ···(2) In equation (2), Qs is the discharge flow rate of the process fluid measured by the flow meter F16 when the first pressure P1, the second pressure P2, and the discharge flow rate of the process fluid measured by the flow meter F16 become stable. In equation (2), ΔPs is the differential pressure between the first pressure P1 and the second pressure P2 (ΔPs=P1-P2) when the first pressure P1, the second pressure P2, and the discharge flow rate of the process fluid measured by the flow meter F16 become stable.

[0040] When the pressure on the primary side of the supply line L11 exceeds a set pressure, the back pressure valve BV11 adjusts the valve opening to allow the process fluid to flow to the secondary side, thereby maintaining the pressure on the primary side at the set pressure. The set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 is adjusted, for example, based on the supply flow rate of the process fluid measured by a supply flow rate measurement unit M11. The set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 is adjusted, for example, by the control unit 14. The back pressure valve BV11 corresponds to the supply flow rate adjustment unit 124 in FIG. 1.

[0041] The pressure sensor PS11c is provided on the secondary side of the back pressure valve BV11. The pressure sensor PS11c is provided in the supply line L11 between the back pressure valve BV11 and the heater HE11. The pressure sensor PS11c measures the pressure on the secondary side of the back pressure valve BV11.

[0042] The heater HE11 is provided on the primary side of the on-off valve V11 in the supply line L11. The heater HE11 heats and vaporizes the processing fluid flowing through the supply line L11, and supplies gas at a predetermined temperature to the secondary side. The predetermined temperature is, for example, 40°C to 120°C. The heater HE11 corresponds to the heating unit 125 in FIG. 1.

[0043] The on-off valve V11 is provided on the supply line L11 on the secondary side of the heater HE11. The on-off valve V11 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V11 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side. The on-off valve V11 corresponds to the on-off unit 126 in FIG. 1.

[0044] The branch line L12 branches off from the supply line L11 between the heater HE11 and the on-off valve V11 and joins the supply line L11 on the secondary side of the on-off valve V11. The branch line L12 supplies the processing fluid vaporized by the heater HE11 into the processing vessel 11a. The branch line L12 is provided with an on-off valve V12 and an orifice OR12, in this order from the upstream side.

[0045] The on-off valve V12 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V12 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0046] The orifice OR12 serves to adjust the pressure by reducing the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the branch line L12, and causes the process fluid with adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side.

[0047] The first circulation line L13 branches off from the supply line L11 at a position between the pump P11 and the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 and merges with the supply line L11 at the position of the primary side of the pump P11. The first circulation line L13 circulates the processing fluid from the secondary side of the pump P11 to the primary side of the pump P11. The first circulation line L13 corresponds to the first circulation unit 127 in FIG. 1. A back pressure valve BV13 is provided in the first circulation line L13. An on-off valve, an orifice, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor may further be provided at various positions on the first circulation line L13.

[0048] When the pressure on the secondary side of the pump P11 exceeds the set pressure, the back pressure valve BV13 adjusts the valve opening to allow the process fluid to flow to the primary side of the pump P11, thereby maintaining the pressure on the secondary side of the pump P11 at the set pressure. The set pressure of the back pressure valve BV13 is adjusted by, for example, the control unit 14. The back pressure valve BV13 corresponds to the pressure adjustment unit 128 in FIG. 1.

[0049] The second circulation line L14 branches off from the supply line L11 at a position between the heater HE11 and the on-off valve V11 and joins the supply line L11 at a position on the primary side of the pump P11. The second circulation line L14 corresponds to the second circulation section 129 in FIG. 1. The second circulation line L14 is provided with an on-off valve V14. On-off valves, orifices, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors may also be provided at various positions on the second circulation line L14.

[0050] The on-off valve V14 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V14 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0051] The depressurization line L15 branches off from the supply line L11 at a position between the heater HE11 and the on-off valve V11. The depressurization line L15 discharges the treated fluid from the supply line L11. The depressurization line L15 is provided with, in order from the upstream side, an on-off valve V15 and an orifice OR15.

[0052] The on-off valve V15 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V15 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0053] The orifice OR15 serves to adjust the pressure by reducing the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the depressurization line L15. The orifice OR15 allows the process fluid with adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side.

[0054] The exhaust unit 13 has an exhaust line L16. The exhaust line L16 is connected to the processing vessel 11a. The exhaust line L16 is provided with, in this order from the upstream side, a pressure sensor PS16, a flow meter F16, a back pressure valve BV16, and an on-off valve V16. The exhaust line L16 may be provided with a line heater for heating the exhaust line L16. On-off valves, orifices, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors may also be provided at various positions on the exhaust line L16.

[0055] The pressure sensor PS16 measures the pressure of the processing fluid flowing through the exhaust line L16 immediately after the processing vessel 11a, thereby measuring the pressure inside the processing vessel 11a.

[0056] The flow meter F16 measures the discharge flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the discharge line L16. The output of the flow meter F16 is sent to the control unit 14. The flow meter F16 is, for example, a mass flow meter.

[0057] When the pressure on the primary side of the discharge line L16 exceeds the set pressure, the back pressure valve BV16 adjusts the valve opening to allow the processing fluid to flow to the secondary side, thereby maintaining the pressure on the primary side at the set pressure. For example, the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV16 is adjusted by the control unit 14 based on the output of the pressure sensor PS16.

[0058] The on-off valve V16 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V16 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0059] The control unit 14 is, for example, a computer. The control unit 14 includes an arithmetic unit 14a and a storage unit 14b. The storage unit 14b stores programs that control various processes executed in the substrate processing apparatus 10. The arithmetic unit 14a controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 10 by reading and executing the programs stored in the storage unit 14b. The programs may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium and installed from the storage medium into the storage unit 14b of the control unit 14. Examples of computer-readable storage media include a hard disk (HD), a flexible disk (FD), a compact disk (CD), a magnetic optical disk (MO), and a memory card.

[0060] The control unit 14 receives measurement signals from various sensors (pressure sensor PS11a, pressure sensor PS11b, pressure sensor PS11c, pressure sensor PS16, flow meter F16, etc.) and transmits control signals to various functional elements. The control signals include, for example, open / close signals for on-off valves V11, V12, V14, V15, and V16, set pressure signals for back pressure valves BV11, BV13, and BV16, and set temperature signals for heater HE11.

[0061] A substrate processing method executed using the substrate processing apparatus 10 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 8. Figures 3 to 8 are diagrams showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 10 of Figure 2. The substrate processing method described below is automatically executed under the control of the control unit 14 based on the processing recipe and control program stored in the storage unit 14b.

[0062] In the following description, it is assumed that the substrate W is accommodated in the processing container 11a in advance. The substrate W is subjected to a cleaning process, and is held by the holder 11b in a state where the recesses of the pattern on the surface are filled with isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

[0063] <Standby process> 3, in the standby process, the heater HE11 is set to a first temperature, for example, 120°C, the on-off valve V14 is opened, and the on-off valves V11, V12, V15, and V16 are closed. This causes the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 to circulate through the supply line L11, the second circulation line L14, and the supply line L11, in this order. The processing fluid is heated in the heater HE11 in the supply line L11. As the processing fluid circulates through the supply line L11, the second circulation line L14, and the supply line L11, in this order, the temperatures of the supply line L11 and the second circulation line L14 approach the first temperature. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the standby process, the standby process is terminated, and the supply preparation process is initiated.

[0064] During this series of operations, the control unit 14 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV11 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS11a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS11b.

[0065] <Supply preparation process> 4, in the supply preparation step, the on-off valve V14 is switched from an open state to a closed state, and the on-off valve V15 is switched from a closed state to an open state. This stops the circulation of the processing fluid through the second circulation line L14, and the processing fluid in the supply line L11 is discharged through the depressurization line L15. This reduces the pressure in the supply line L11. In this case, high-pressure processing fluid is prevented from being supplied into the processing vessel 11a immediately after the on-off valve V12 is opened. This prevents the processing fluid from being supplied to the substrate W at high speed, thereby preventing pattern collapse. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the supply preparation step, the supply preparation step is terminated, and the first pressurization step is started.

[0066] During this series of operations, the control unit 14 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV11 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS11a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS11b.

[0067] <First pressure increase step> As shown in FIG. 5, in the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V12 is switched from a closed state to an open state. The processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 is heated to a first temperature by the heater HE11 and supplied into the processing vessel 11a via the branch line L12, to which the on-off valve V12 is attached. Therefore, the processing fluid at the first temperature is supplied into the processing vessel 11a. In the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V15 is open, so a portion of the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 is discharged through the depressurization line L15. In the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V16 is closed, so the processing fluid does not flow out of the processing vessel 11a. Therefore, the pressure in the processing vessel 11a gradually increases. As a result, pattern collapse can be suppressed. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the first pressurization step, the first pressurization step is terminated, and the second pressurization step is initiated.

[0068] During this series of operations, the control unit 14 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV11 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS11a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS11b.

[0069] <Second pressure increase step> As shown in FIG. 6, in the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V15 is switched from an open state to a closed state, and the on-off valve V11 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 is heated to a first temperature by the heater HE11 and supplied into the processing vessel 11a via the supply line L11, which is provided with the on-off valve V11, and the branch line L12, which is provided with the on-off valve V12. Therefore, the processing fluid at the first temperature is supplied into the processing vessel 11a at a larger flow rate than in the first pressurization step. In the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V16 is closed, so the processing fluid does not flow out of the processing vessel 11a. Therefore, the pressure in the processing vessel 11a gradually increases. In the second pressurization step, the processing fluid is pressurized at a larger flow rate than in the first pressurization step, and therefore the pressurization speed is faster than in the first pressurization step. Therefore, the time required for pressurization can be shortened.

[0070] In the second pressurization step, the pressure of the processing fluid supplied into the processing vessel 11a is lower than the critical pressure. Therefore, the processing fluid is supplied into the processing vessel 11a in a gaseous state. Thereafter, as the processing vessel 11a is filled with the processing fluid, the pressure inside the processing vessel 11a increases. When the pressure inside the processing vessel 11a exceeds the critical pressure, the processing fluid present in the processing vessel 11a enters a supercritical state. When the pressure inside the processing vessel 11a reaches the processing pressure, the second pressurization step is terminated and the flow step is initiated.

[0071] During this series of operations, the control unit 14 receives the output from the pressure sensor PS16 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 11a gradually increases at a predetermined rate.

[0072] <Distribution process> 7, in the circulation step, the on-off valve V16 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 is supplied into the processing chamber 11a via a supply line L11 provided with the on-off valve V11 and a branch line L12 provided with the on-off valve V12, and is discharged from the processing chamber 11a via a discharge line L16. In the circulation step, IPA is replaced with the processing fluid in the recesses of the pattern on the substrate W in the processing chamber 11a. When the replacement of IPA with the processing fluid in the recesses of the pattern is completed, the circulation step is ended and the depressurization step is started.

[0073] During this series of operations, the control unit 14 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV11 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS11a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS11b.

[0074] The control unit 14 also receives an output from the pressure sensor PS16 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV16 so that the pressure inside the processing chamber 11a is maintained at the processing pressure.

[0075] <Decompression process> 8, in the depressurization step, the on-off valves V11 and V12 are switched from an open state to a closed state. As a result, the processing fluid remaining in the processing vessel 11a is discharged through the discharge line L16. When the pressure in the processing vessel 11a becomes lower than the critical pressure of the processing fluid, the processing fluid in a supercritical state vaporizes and desorbs from the surface of the substrate W. This completes the drying process for one substrate W. In the depressurization step, the on-off valve V14 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S11 circulates through the supply line L11, the second circulation line L14, and the supply line L11 in this order.

[0076] During this series of operations, the control unit 14 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV11 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV11 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M11 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS11a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS11b.

[0077] Furthermore, the control unit 14 receives an output from the pressure sensor PS16 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV16 so that the pressure inside the processing chamber 11a gradually changes at a predetermined rate.

[0078] As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus 10, the supply flow rate measuring unit M11 and the back pressure valve BV11 are provided in series in this order on the supply line L11, thereby improving the accuracy of flow rate control of the processing fluid supplied to the processing unit 11.

[0079] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 10, the primary and secondary sides of the back pressure valve BV11 are always filled with the processing fluid in a liquid state, which makes it difficult for a pressure difference to occur inside the back pressure valve BV11. As a result, particle generation can be reduced.

[0080] Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 10 is configured such that pressure is always applied to the primary side of the back-pressure valve BV11 and the processing fluid can be supplied to the secondary side during the standby process, supply preparation process, first pressure increase process, second pressure increase process, circulation process, and depressurization process. This prevents the seal portion of the back-pressure valve BV11 from being jammed. As a result, the initial operation of the back-pressure valve BV11 is improved.

[0081] [Substrate Processing Apparatus Having Piping Configuration According to Second Example] 9, a substrate processing apparatus 20 having a piping configuration according to a second example will be described as an example of the substrate processing apparatus 100. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the substrate processing apparatus 20 having the piping configuration according to the second example.

[0082] The substrate processing apparatus 20 differs from the substrate processing apparatus 10 in that it includes a fluid supply device 22 instead of the fluid supply device 12. Other configurations may be similar to those of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The following description will focus on the configurations that differ from the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0083] The fluid supply device 22 has a supply line L11, a branch line L12, a first circulation line L13, a second circulation line L14, and a depressurization line L15.

[0084] The supply line L11 is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pump P11, a supply flow rate measuring unit M21, a back pressure valve BV11, a pressure sensor PS11c, a heater HE11, and an on-off valve V11.

[0085] The supply flow rate measuring unit M21 includes a first supply line L21a and a second supply line L21b.

[0086] The first supply line L21a is a part of the supply line L11. The first supply line L21a is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pressure sensor PS21a, an on-off valve V21a, an orifice OR21a, and a pressure sensor PS21b.

[0087] The pressure sensors PS21a and PS21b may have the same configuration as the pressure sensors PS11a and PS11b, respectively.

[0088] The on-off valve V21a is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V21a is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0089] The orifice OR21a serves to reduce the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the first supply line L21a and adjust the pressure. The orifice OR21a causes the process fluid, the pressure of which has been adjusted, to flow to the secondary side. The orifice OR21a is an example of a first throttle.

[0090] The second supply line L21b is provided in parallel with the first supply line L21a. The second supply line L21b branches off from the first supply line L21a between the pump P11 and the pressure sensor PS21a and joins the first supply line L21a between the pressure sensor PS21b and the back pressure valve BV11. The second supply line L21b is provided with, in order from the upstream side, an on-off valve V21b and an orifice OR21b.

[0091] The on-off valve V21b is provided in parallel with the on-off valve V21a. The on-off valve V21b is a valve that switches the flow of the treatment fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V21b is open, it allows the treatment fluid to flow to the secondary side, and when it is closed, it does not allow the treatment fluid to flow to the secondary side.

[0092] The orifice OR21b is provided in parallel with the orifice OR21a. The orifice OR21b serves to reduce the flow velocity of the processing fluid flowing through the second supply line L21b and adjust the pressure. The orifice OR21b causes the processing fluid with adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side. The orifice OR21b is an example of a second throttle.

[0093] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 20 provides the same effects as the substrate processing apparatus 10.

[0094] Furthermore, according to the substrate processing apparatus 20, a second supply line L21b is provided in parallel to the first supply line L21a. The first supply line L21a is provided with an on-off valve V21a and an orifice OR21a, and the second supply line L21b is provided with an on-off valve V21b and an orifice OR21b. In this case, the supply flow rate of the processing fluid can be adjusted over a wide range.

[0095] [Substrate Processing Apparatus Having Piping Configuration According to Third Example] 10, a substrate processing apparatus 30 having a piping configuration according to a third example will be described as an example of the substrate processing apparatus 100. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the substrate processing apparatus 30 having the piping configuration according to the third example.

[0096] The substrate processing apparatus 30 includes a processing section 31, a fluid supply device 32, a discharge section 33, and a control section 34. The processing section 31, the fluid supply device 32, the discharge section 33, and the control section 34 correspond to the processing section 110, the fluid supply device 120, the discharge section 130, and the control section 140 in FIG. 1, respectively.

[0097] The processing section 31 may have the same configuration as the processing section 11. The processing section 31 includes a processing vessel 31a and a holding section 31b.

[0098] The fluid supply device 32 has a supply line L31, a branch line L32, a first circulation line L33, and a second circulation line L34.

[0099] The supply line L31 connects the processing fluid supply source S31 and the processing vessel 31a. The supply line L31 supplies the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 into the processing vessel 31a. The processing fluid is, for example, carbon dioxide in a gaseous or liquid state. The supply line L31 corresponds to the supply line 121 in FIG. 1. The supply line L31 is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pump P31, a supply flow rate measurement unit M31, a backpressure valve BV31, a pressure sensor PS31c, an on-off valve V31a, an orifice OR31b, a heater HE31, and an on-off valve V31b. The supply line L31 may be provided with a line heater for heating the supply line L31. On-off valves, orifices, filters, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors may also be provided at various positions on the supply line L31.

[0100] The pump P31 may have the same configuration as the pump P11. The pump P31 corresponds to the pressurizing unit 122 in FIG.

[0101] The supply flow rate measuring unit M31 may have the same configuration as the supply flow rate measuring unit M11. The supply flow rate measuring unit M31 includes a pressure sensor PS31a, an orifice OR31a, and a pressure sensor PS31b. The pressure sensor PS31a is an example of a first pressure sensor. The orifice OR31a is an example of a first restriction. The pressure sensor PS31b is an example of a second pressure sensor. The supply flow rate measuring unit M31 corresponds to the supply flow rate measuring unit 123 in FIG. 1.

[0102] The back pressure valve BV31 may have the same configuration as the back pressure valve BV11. The back pressure valve BV31 corresponds to the supply flow rate adjusting unit 124 in FIG.

[0103] The pressure sensor PS31c is provided on the secondary side of the back pressure valve BV31. The pressure sensor PS31c is provided in the supply line L31 between the back pressure valve BV31 and the on-off valve V31a. The pressure sensor PS31c measures the pressure on the secondary side of the back pressure valve BV31.

[0104] The on-off valve V31a is provided on the primary side of the heater HE31 in the supply line L31. The on-off valve V31a is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V31a is open, it allows the processing fluid to flow to the secondary side, and when it is closed, it does not allow the processing fluid to flow to the secondary side. The on-off valve V31 corresponds to the on-off unit 126 in FIG. 1.

[0105] The orifice OR31b serves to adjust the pressure by reducing the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the supply line L31, and causes the process fluid with the adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side.

[0106] The heater HE31 is provided on the secondary side of the on-off valve V31a in the supply line L31. The heater HE31 heats and vaporizes the treatment fluid flowing through the supply line L31, and supplies gas at a first temperature to the secondary side. The first temperature may be 40°C to 90°C. The first temperature is, for example, 80°C. The heater HE31 corresponds to the heating unit 125 in FIG. 1.

[0107] The on-off valve V31b is provided on the supply line L31 on the secondary side of the heater HE31. The on-off valve V31b is a valve that switches the flow of the treatment fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V31b is open, the treatment fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the treatment fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0108] The branch line L32 branches off from the supply line L31 between the orifice OR31b and the heater HE31 and joins the supply line L31 on the secondary side of the on-off valve V31b. The branch line L32 is provided with the heater HE32 and the on-off valve V32 in this order from the upstream side.

[0109] The heater HE32 is provided in parallel with the heater HE31. The heater HE32 heats and vaporizes the treatment fluid flowing through the branch line L32, and supplies the gas at a second temperature to the secondary side. The second temperature is higher than the first temperature. The second temperature may be 100°C to 120°C. The second temperature is, for example, 120°C. The heater HE32 corresponds to the heating section 125 in FIG. 1.

[0110] The on-off valve V32 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V32 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0111] The first circulation line L33 may have a configuration similar to that of the first circulation line L13. The first circulation line L33 corresponds to the first circulation section 127 in FIG. 1. A back pressure valve BV33 is provided in the first circulation line L33. Opening and closing valves, orifices, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors may also be provided at various positions on the first circulation line L33.

[0112] The back pressure valve BV33 may have the same configuration as the back pressure valve BV13. The back pressure valve BV33 corresponds to the pressure adjustment unit 128 in FIG.

[0113] The second circulation line L34 branches off from the supply line L31 between the backpressure valve BV31 and the on-off valve V31a and joins the supply line L31 at a position on the primary side of the pump P31. The second circulation line L34 corresponds to the second circulation section 129 in FIG. 1. The second circulation line L34 is provided with, in this order from upstream, an orifice OR34 and an on-off valve V34. On-off valves, orifices, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors may also be provided at various positions on the second circulation line L34.

[0114] The orifice OR34 serves to adjust the pressure by reducing the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the second circulation line L34, and causes the process fluid with the adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side.

[0115] The on-off valve V34 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V34 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0116] The discharge unit 33 may have the same configuration as the discharge unit 13. The discharge unit 33 has a discharge line L36. The discharge line L36 is provided with, in this order from the upstream side, a pressure sensor PS36, a flow meter F36, a back pressure valve BV36, and an on-off valve V36.

[0117] The control unit 34 may have the same configuration as the control unit 14. The control unit 34 includes a calculation unit 34a and a storage unit 34b.

[0118] The control unit 34 receives measurement signals from various sensors (pressure sensor PS31a, pressure sensor PS31b, pressure sensor PS31c, pressure sensor PS36, flow meter F36, etc.) and transmits control signals to various functional elements. The control signals include, for example, open / close signals for on-off valves V31a, V31b, V32, V34, and V36, set pressure signals for back pressure valves BV31, BV33, and BV36, and set temperature signals for heating mechanisms HE31 and HE32.

[0119] 11 to 17, a substrate processing method executed using the substrate processing apparatus 30 will be described. Figures 11 to 17 are diagrams showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 30 of Figure 10. The substrate processing method described below is automatically executed under the control of the control unit 34, based on the processing recipe and control program stored in the storage unit 34b.

[0120] In the following description, it is assumed that the substrate W is accommodated in the processing container 31a in advance. The substrate W is subjected to a cleaning process, and is held by the holder 31b in a state in which the recesses of the pattern on the surface are filled with IPA.

[0121] <Standby process> 11, in the standby step, the set temperature of the heater HE31 is set to a first temperature, for example, 80°C, and the set temperature of the heater HE32 is set to a second temperature, for example, 120°C. Furthermore, the on-off valve V34 is opened, and the on-off valves V31a, V31b, V32, and V36 are closed. This causes the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 to circulate through the supply line L31, the second circulation line L34, and the supply line L31, in that order. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the standby step, the standby step is terminated, and the supply preparation step is started.

[0122] During this series of operations, the control unit 34 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M31 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV31 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV31 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M31 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS31a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS31b.

[0123] <Supply preparation process> 12, in the supply preparation step, the on-off valve V34 is maintained in an open state, and the on-off valves V31a, V31b, V32, and V36 are maintained in a closed state. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the supply preparation step, the supply preparation step is ended, and the first pressurization step is started.

[0124] During this series of operations, the control unit 34 receives the output from the pressure sensor PS31c and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV31 so that the pressure on the secondary side of the back pressure valve BV31 becomes a preset pressure.

[0125] <First pressure increase step> As shown in FIG. 13, in the first pressurization step, the on-off valves V31a and V31b are switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 is heated to a first temperature by the heater HE31 and supplied into the processing vessel 31a. During the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V34 is open, so a portion of the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 is returned to the primary side of the pump P31 in the supply line L31 via the second circulation line L34. During the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V36 is closed, so the processing fluid does not flow out of the processing vessel 31a. Therefore, the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a gradually increases. As a result, pattern collapse can be suppressed. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the first pressurization step, the first pressurization step is terminated and the second pressurization step is initiated.

[0126] During this series of operations, the control unit 34 receives the output from the pressure sensor PS31c and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV31 so that the pressure on the secondary side of the back pressure valve BV31 becomes a preset pressure.

[0127] <Second pressure increase step> As shown in FIG. 14, in the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V34 is switched from an open state to a closed state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 is heated to a first temperature by the heater HE31 and supplied into the processing vessel 31a. In the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V36 is closed, so the processing fluid does not flow out of the processing vessel 31a. As a result, the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a gradually increases. In the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V34 is closed, so the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 does not flow into the second circulation line L34. As a result, the processing fluid is pressurized at a larger flow rate than in the first pressurization step, so the pressurization speed can be increased. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the second pressurization step, the third pressurization step is started.

[0128] During this series of operations, the control unit 34 receives the output from the pressure sensor PS36 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV31 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a gradually increases at a predetermined rate.

[0129] <Third pressure increase step> 15, in the third pressurization step, the on-off valve V31b is switched from an open state to a closed state, and the on-off valve V32 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 is heated to a second temperature by the heater HE32 and supplied into the processing vessel 31a. In the third pressurization step, the on-off valve V36 is closed, so the processing fluid does not flow out of the processing vessel 31a. Therefore, the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a gradually increases. In the third pressurization step, the on-off valve V34 is closed, so the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 does not flow into the second circulation line L34. Therefore, the processing fluid is pressurized at a larger flow rate than in the first pressurization step, so the pressurization speed can be increased.

[0130] In the third pressurization step, the pressure of the processing fluid supplied into the processing vessel 31a is lower than the critical pressure. Therefore, the processing fluid is supplied into the processing vessel 31a in a gaseous state. Thereafter, as the processing vessel 31a is filled with the processing fluid, the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a increases. When the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a exceeds the critical pressure, the processing fluid present in the processing vessel 31a becomes supercritical. When the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a reaches the processing pressure, the third pressurization step is completed and the flow step is initiated.

[0131] During this series of operations, the control unit 34 receives the output from the pressure sensor PS36 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV31 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a gradually increases at a predetermined rate.

[0132] <Distribution process> 16, in the circulation process, the on-off valve V36 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 is heated to a second temperature by the heating mechanism HE32, supplied into the processing vessel 31a, and discharged from the processing vessel 31a via the discharge line L36. In the circulation process, IPA is replaced with the processing fluid in the recesses of the pattern on the substrate W in the processing vessel 31a. When the replacement of IPA with the processing fluid in the recesses of the pattern is completed, the circulation process is terminated and the depressurization process is initiated.

[0133] During this series of operations, the control unit 34 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M31 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV31 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV31 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M31 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS31a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS31b.

[0134] The control unit 34 also receives an output from the pressure sensor PS36 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV36 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a is maintained at the processing pressure.

[0135] <Decompression process> 17, in the depressurization step, the on-off valves V31a and V32 are switched from an open state to a closed state. As a result, the processing fluid remaining in the processing vessel 31a is discharged through the discharge line L36. When the pressure in the processing vessel 31a becomes lower than the critical pressure of the processing fluid, the processing fluid in a supercritical state vaporizes and desorbs from the surface of the substrate W. This completes the drying process for one substrate W. In the depressurization step, the on-off valve V34 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S31 circulates through the supply line L31, the second circulation line L34, and the supply line L31 in this order.

[0136] During this series of operations, the control unit 34 receives output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M31 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV31 so that the supply flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV31 becomes a preset flow rate. The output from the supply flow rate measurement unit M31 is the supply flow rate of the process fluid calculated based on, for example, the difference between the first pressure P1 measured by the pressure sensor PS31a and the second pressure P2 measured by the pressure sensor PS31b.

[0137] Furthermore, the control unit 34 receives an output from the pressure sensor PS36 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV36 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 31a gradually changes at a predetermined rate.

[0138] As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus 30, the supply flow rate measuring unit M31 and the back pressure valve BV31 are provided in series in this order on the supply line L31, thereby improving the accuracy of flow rate control of the processing fluid supplied to the processing unit 31.

[0139] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 30, the primary and secondary sides of the back pressure valve BV31 are always filled with the processing fluid in a liquid state, which makes it difficult for a pressure difference to occur inside the back pressure valve BV31. As a result, particle generation can be reduced.

[0140] Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 30 is configured such that pressure is always applied to the primary side of the back-pressure valve BV31 and processing fluid can be supplied to the secondary side during the standby process, supply preparation process, first pressurization process, second pressurization process, third pressurization process, circulation process, and depressurization process. This prevents the seal portion of the back-pressure valve BV31 from being jammed. As a result, the initial operation of the back-pressure valve BV31 is improved.

[0141] [Substrate Processing Apparatus Having Piping Configuration According to Fourth Example] 18, a substrate processing apparatus 40 having a piping configuration according to a fourth example will be described as an example of the substrate processing apparatus 100. Fig. 18 is a diagram showing the substrate processing apparatus 40 having the piping configuration according to the fourth example.

[0142] The substrate processing apparatus 40 differs from the substrate processing apparatus 30 in that it includes a fluid supply device 42 instead of the fluid supply device 32. Other configurations may be similar to those of the substrate processing apparatus 30. The following description will focus on the configurations that differ from the substrate processing apparatus 30.

[0143] The fluid supply device 42 has a supply line L31, a branch line L32, a first circulation line L33, and a second circulation line L34.

[0144] The supply line L31 is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pump P31, a supply flow rate measuring unit M41, a back pressure valve BV31, a pressure sensor PS31c, an on-off valve V31a, an orifice OR31b, a heater HE31, and an on-off valve V31b.

[0145] The supply flow rate measurement unit M41 includes a first supply line L41a and a second supply line L41b.

[0146] The first supply line L41a is a part of the supply line L41. The first supply line L41a is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pressure sensor PS41a, an on-off valve V41a, an orifice OR41a, and a pressure sensor PS41b.

[0147] The pressure sensors PS41a and PS41b may have the same configuration as the pressure sensors PS31a and PS31b, respectively.

[0148] The on-off valve V41a is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V41a is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0149] The orifice OR41a serves to reduce the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through the first supply line L41a and adjust the pressure. The orifice OR41a causes the process fluid with adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side. The orifice OR41a is an example of a first throttle.

[0150] The second supply line L41b is provided in parallel with the first supply line L41a. The second supply line L41b branches off from the first supply line L41a between the pump P31 and the pressure sensor PS41a and joins the first supply line L41a between the pressure sensor PS41b and the back pressure valve BV31. The second supply line L41b is provided with, in order from the upstream side, an on-off valve V41b and an orifice OR41b.

[0151] The on-off valve V41b is provided in parallel with the on-off valve V41a. The on-off valve V41b is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V41b is open, it allows the processing fluid to flow to the secondary side, and when it is closed, it does not allow the processing fluid to flow to the secondary side.

[0152] The orifice OR41b is provided in parallel with the orifice OR41a. The orifice OR41b serves to reduce the flow velocity of the processing fluid flowing through the second supply line L41b and adjust the pressure. The orifice OR41b causes the processing fluid with adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side. The orifice OR41b is an example of a second throttle.

[0153] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 40 provides the same effects as the substrate processing apparatus 30.

[0154] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 40, a second supply line L41b is provided in parallel to the first supply line L41a. The first supply line L41a is provided with an on-off valve V41a and an orifice OR41a, and the second supply line L41b is provided with an on-off valve V41b and an orifice OR41b. In this case, the supply flow rate of the processing fluid can be adjusted over a wide range.

[0155] [Modification] A substrate processing apparatus 50 according to a modified example of the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 19. Fig. 19 is a diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus 50 according to a modified example of the embodiment.

[0156] The substrate processing apparatus 50 includes a processing section 51, a fluid supplying section 52, a discharge section 53, and a control section .

[0157] The processing section 51 may have the same configuration as the processing section 11. The processing section 51 includes a processing container 51a and a holding section 51b.

[0158] The fluid supply device 52 has a supply line L51, a first circulation line L53, and a second circulation line L54.

[0159] The supply line L51 connects the processing fluid supply source S51 and the processing vessel 51a. The supply line L51 supplies the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S51 into the processing vessel 51a. The processing fluid is, for example, carbon dioxide in a gaseous or liquid state. The supply line L51 is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pump P51, a first flow rate control unit FC51, a flow meter F51, a pressure sensor PS51, a second flow rate control unit FC52, and a heater HE51. The supply line L51 may be provided with a line heater for heating the supply line L51. An on-off valve, an orifice, a filter, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor may also be provided at various positions on the supply line L51.

[0160] The pump P51 may have a similar configuration to the pump P11.

[0161] The first flow rate adjustment unit FC51 adjusts the flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line L51. The first flow rate adjustment unit FC51 has an orifice OR51a, an orifice OR51b, and an on-off valve V51b.

[0162] The orifice OR51a and the orifice OR51b are connected in parallel to each other. The orifice OR51a and the orifice OR51b serve to reduce the flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line L51 and adjust the pressure. The orifice OR51a and the orifice OR51b send the processing fluid with adjusted pressure to the secondary side.

[0163] The on-off valve V51b is connected in series to the orifice OR51b. The on-off valve V51b is a valve that switches the flow of the process fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V51b is open, it allows the process fluid to flow to the secondary side, and when it is closed, it does not allow the process fluid to flow to the secondary side.

[0164] The flow meter F51 is provided on the secondary side of the first flow rate adjustment unit FC51. The flow meter F51 is provided in the supply line L51 between the first flow rate adjustment unit FC51 and the second flow rate adjustment unit FC52. The flow meter F51 may be provided in the supply line L51 between the second flow rate adjustment unit FC52 and the heater HE51. The flow meter F51 measures the supply flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line L51. The output of the flow meter F51 is sent to the control unit 54. The flow meter F51 is, for example, a mass flow meter.

[0165] The pressure sensor PS51 is provided on the secondary side of the flow meter F51. The pressure sensor PS51 measures the pressure on the secondary side of the first flow rate adjustment unit FC51. The output of the pressure sensor PS51 is sent to the control unit .

[0166] The second flow rate adjuster FC52 adjusts the supply flow rate of the processing fluid supplied into the processing chamber 51a. The second flow rate adjuster FC52 includes an on-off valve V52a, an on-off valve V52b, an orifice OR52a, and an orifice OR52b.

[0167] The on-off valves V52a and V52b are connected in parallel to each other. The on-off valves V52a and V52b are valves that adjust the flow of the processing fluid on and off. The on-off valve V52a allows the processing fluid to flow through the orifice OR52a when open, and does not allow the processing fluid to flow through the orifice OR52a when closed. The on-off valve V52b allows the processing fluid to flow through the orifice OR52b when open, and does not allow the processing fluid to flow through the orifice OR52b when closed.

[0168] Orifice OR52a is connected in series to on-off valve V52a. Orifice OR52b is connected in series to on-off valve V52b. Orifice OR52a and orifice OR52b serve to reduce the flow rate of the process fluid flowing through supply line L51 and adjust the pressure. Orifice OR52a and orifice OR52b allow the process fluid with adjusted pressure to flow to the secondary side.

[0169] The heater HE51 may have the same configuration as the heater HE11.

[0170] The first circulation line L53 may have the same configuration as the first circulation line L13. A back pressure valve BV53 is provided in the first circulation line L53. Open / close valves, orifices, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors may also be provided at various positions in the first circulation line L53.

[0171] The back pressure valve BV53 may have a similar configuration to the back pressure valve BV13.

[0172] The second circulation line L54 branches off from the supply line L51 between the pressure sensor PS51 and the second flow rate control unit FC52 and joins the supply line L51 at the primary side of the pump P51. The second circulation line L54 is provided with, in this order from upstream, an on-off valve V54 and a back pressure valve BV54. The second circulation line L54 may further be provided with on-off valves, orifices, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors at various positions.

[0173] The on-off valve V54 is a valve that switches the flow of the processing fluid on and off. When the on-off valve V54 is open, the processing fluid flows to the secondary side, and when it is closed, the processing fluid does not flow to the secondary side.

[0174] When the pressure on the primary side of the second circulation line L54 exceeds the set pressure, the back pressure valve BV54 adjusts the valve opening to allow the process fluid to flow to the secondary side, thereby maintaining the pressure on the primary side at the set pressure. The set pressure of the back pressure valve BV54 is adjusted based on the supply flow rate of the process fluid measured by, for example, the flow meter F51. The set pressure of the back pressure valve BV54 is adjusted by, for example, the control unit 54.

[0175] The discharge unit 53 may have the same configuration as the discharge unit 13. The discharge unit 53 has a discharge line L56. The discharge line L56 is provided with, in order from the upstream side, a pressure sensor PS56, a flow meter F56, a back pressure valve BV56, and an on-off valve V56.

[0176] The control unit 54 may have the same configuration as the control unit 14. The control unit 54 includes a calculation unit 54a and a storage unit 54b.

[0177] The control unit 54 receives measurement signals from various sensors (pressure sensor PS51, pressure sensor PS56, flow meter F51, flow meter F56, etc.) and transmits control signals to various functional elements. The control signals include, for example, open / close signals for on-off valves V51b, V52a, V52b, V54, and V56, set pressure signals for back pressure valves BV53, BV54, and BV56, and set temperature signals for the heating mechanism HE51.

[0178] 20 to 24, a substrate processing method executed using the substrate processing apparatus 50 will be described. Figures 20 to 24 are diagrams showing the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 50 of Figure 19. The substrate processing method described below is automatically executed under the control of the control unit 54, based on the processing recipe and control program stored in the storage unit 54b.

[0179] In the following description, it is assumed that the substrate W is accommodated in the processing container 51a in advance. The substrate W is subjected to a cleaning process, and is held by the holder 51b in a state in which the recesses of the pattern on the surface are filled with IPA.

[0180] <Standby process> 20, in the standby step, the set temperature of the heater HE51 is set to a first temperature, for example, 120°C, the on-off valves V51b and V54 are opened, and the on-off valves V52a, V52b, and V56 are closed. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S51 circulates through the supply line L51, the second circulation line L54, and the supply line L51 in this order.

[0181] During this series of operations, the control unit 54 receives the output from the flow meter F51 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV54 so that the supply flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV54 becomes a preset flow rate. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the standby process, the standby process ends and the first pressurization process starts.

[0182] <First pressure increase step> As shown in FIG. 21, in the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V52a is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S51 reaches the heater HE51 via the orifice OR52a, is heated to a first temperature by the heater HE51, and is supplied into the processing vessel 51a. As a result, the processing fluid at the first temperature is supplied into the processing vessel 51a. In the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V51b is switched from an open state to a closed state. In the first pressurization step, the on-off valve V56 is closed, so the processing fluid does not flow out of the processing vessel 51a. Therefore, the pressure inside the processing vessel 51a gradually increases. As a result, pattern collapse can be suppressed. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the first pressurization step, the first pressurization step is terminated and the second pressurization step is started.

[0183] During this series of operations, the control unit 54 receives the output from the flow meter F51 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV54 so that the supply flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV54 becomes a preset flow rate.

[0184] <Second pressure increase step> As shown in FIG. 22, in the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V52b is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S51 reaches the heater HE51 via the orifices OR52a and OR52b, is heated to a first temperature by the heater HE51, and is supplied into the processing vessel 51a. Therefore, the processing fluid at the first temperature is supplied into the processing vessel 51a at a larger flow rate than in the first pressurization step. In the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V56 is closed, so the processing fluid does not flow out of the processing vessel 51a. Therefore, the pressure in the processing vessel 51a gradually increases. In the second pressurization step, the processing fluid is pressurized at a larger flow rate than in the first pressurization step, and therefore the pressurization speed is faster than in the first pressurization step. Therefore, the time required for pressurization can be shortened.

[0185] In the second pressurization step, the pressure of the processing fluid supplied into the processing vessel 51a is lower than the critical pressure. Therefore, the processing fluid is supplied into the processing vessel 51a in a gaseous state. Thereafter, as the processing vessel 51a is filled with the processing fluid, the pressure inside the processing vessel 51a increases. When the pressure inside the processing vessel 51a exceeds the critical pressure, the processing fluid present in the processing vessel 51a becomes supercritical. When the pressure inside the processing vessel 51a reaches the processing pressure, the second pressurization step ends and the circulation step begins. In the second pressurization step, the on-off valve V52b may be switched from a closed state to an open state during the pressurization.

[0186] During this series of operations, the control unit 54 receives the output from the pressure sensor PS56 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV54 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 51a gradually increases at a predetermined rate.

[0187] <Distribution process> 23, in the circulation step, the on-off valve V56 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S51 is supplied into the processing vessel 51a via the supply line L51 and discharged from the processing vessel 51a via the discharge line L56. In the circulation step, IPA is replaced with the processing fluid in the recesses of the pattern on the substrate W in the processing vessel 51a. When the replacement of IPA with the processing fluid in the recesses of the pattern is completed, the circulation step is ended and the depressurization step is started.

[0188] During this series of operations, the control unit 54 receives the output from the flow meter F51 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV54 so that the supply flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV54 becomes a preset flow rate.

[0189] The control unit 54 also receives an output from the pressure sensor PS56 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV56 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 51a is maintained at the processing pressure.

[0190] <Decompression process> 24, in the depressurization step, the on-off valves V52a and V52b are switched from an open state to a closed state. As a result, the processing fluid remaining in the processing vessel 51a is discharged through the discharge line L56. When the pressure in the processing vessel 51a becomes lower than the critical pressure of the processing fluid, the processing fluid in a supercritical state vaporizes and desorbs from the surface of the substrate W. This completes the drying process for one substrate W. In the depressurization step, the on-off valve V54 is switched from a closed state to an open state. As a result, the processing fluid from the processing fluid supply source S51 circulates through the supply line L51, the second circulation line L54, and the supply line L51 in this order.

[0191] During this series of operations, the control unit 54 receives the output from the flow meter F51 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV54 so that the supply flow rate of the processing fluid flowing through the primary side of the back pressure valve BV54 becomes a preset flow rate.

[0192] Furthermore, the control unit 54 receives an output from the pressure sensor PS56 and adjusts the set pressure of the back pressure valve BV56 so that the pressure inside the processing vessel 51a gradually changes at a predetermined rate.

[0193] As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus 50, the flow meter F51 is provided in the supply line L51, and the back pressure valve BV54 is provided in the second circulation line L54. In this case, the constant pressure valve can be installed at a position away from the supply line, thereby reducing the risk of particles flowing into the supply line due to operation of the constant pressure valve.

[0194] [Supply flow rate control] 25 and 26, the mass flow rate of the fluid supplied to the processing space of the processing unit 110 and the pressure of the processing space of the processing unit 110 change over time when the control unit 140 controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit 124 based on the supply flow rate of the fluid measured by the supply flow rate measurement unit 123 are described.

[0195] The mass m of the processing fluid in the processing space of the processing unit 110 at time t when the processing fluid is flowed into the processing space at a constant supply flow rate is expressed by the following equation (3): In equation (3), the mass flow rate is expressed by placing a dot (·) above m, but in this disclosure, the mass flow rate may be expressed as m·.

[0196]

number

[0197] The density of the processing fluid in the processing space at time t is expressed by the following equation (4) based on equation (3).

[0198]

number

[0199] The relationship between pressure, density and temperature of carbon dioxide, including the supercritical state, is known, and the state of the treatment fluid can be calculated using, for example, a Mollier diagram (not shown).

[0200] Here, since the volume of the processing space is constant, when the temperature (T) of the processing space is constant, the pressure (P) in the processing space is a function of only the density (ρ), as expressed by the following equation (5).

[0201]

number

[0202] Based on equation (5), the relationship between density and pressure when the temperature T and the volume of the processing space are constant is shown in Figure 25. Equation (6) indicates that the slope of the curve showing the time change in the pressure in the processing space correlates with the mass flow rate of the fluid flowing into the processing space. As shown in Figure 25, the pressure increases smoothly with an increase in density. In other words, by controlling the mass flow rate of the fluid flowing into the processing space to a constant value, the pressure value in the processing space can be increased smoothly. Therefore, it is believed that the accuracy of flow rate control of the processing fluid supplied to the processing unit 110 can be improved.

[0203] FIG. 26 shows the change over time in the pressure P in the processing space and the mass flow rate m· of the fluid. The upper graph in FIG. 26 shows the change over time in the pressure P in the processing space. In the upper graph in FIG. 26, the horizontal axis represents time t, and the vertical axis represents the pressure P in the processing space. In the upper graph in FIG. 26, the solid line represents the measured value of the pressure P in the processing space, and the dashed line represents the target value of the pressure P in the processing space. The lower graph in FIG. 26 shows the mass flow rate m· of the fluid flowing into the processing space. In the lower graph in FIG. 26, the horizontal axis represents time t, and the vertical axis represents the mass flow rate m· of the fluid flowing into the processing space. In the lower graph in FIG. 26, the solid line represents the measured value of the mass flow rate m· of the fluid flowing into the processing space, and the dashed line represents the target value of the mass flow rate m· of the fluid flowing into the processing space.

[0204] As shown in the lower diagram of Figure 26, by controlling the mass flow rate m of the fluid flowing into the processing space to be approximately constant, it can be seen that the pressure in the processing space changes linearly along the target value, as shown in the upper diagram of Figure 26. This allows for smooth control of the pressure in the processing space, for example, during pressure increase.

[0205] In contrast, consider a case where the supply flow rate adjuster 124 is controlled based on the pressure in the processing space. The pressure in the processing space changes over time as shown in the upper diagram of Fig. 26. For this reason, the response of the supply flow rate adjuster 124 when adjusting the supply flow rate adjuster 124 is poor, making it difficult to smoothly change the pressure in the processing space.

[0206] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive, and the above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0207] 110 Processing section 120 Fluid supply device 121 Supply Line 122 Pressure section 123 Supply flow rate measurement section 124 Supply flow rate adjustment section

Claims

1. a processing section having a processing space capable of accommodating a substrate whose surface is wetted with a liquid; a fluid supply device for supplying a processing fluid to the processing space; A control unit; Equipped with The fluid supply device is a supply line connected to the processing unit; a pressurizing unit provided in the supply line and configured to increase the pressure of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line; a supply flow rate measuring unit provided on the secondary side of the pressurizing unit in the supply line; a supply flow rate adjusting unit provided on the supply line at a secondary side of the supply flow rate measuring unit; and the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measurement unit. Substrate processing equipment.

2. The supply flow rate measuring unit a first throttle that reduces the flow velocity of the processing fluid; a first pressure sensor provided on the primary side of the first throttle; a second pressure sensor provided on the secondary side of the first throttle; and the supply flow rate measurement unit calculates the supply flow rate of the processing fluid based on a difference between a first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor and a second pressure measured by the second pressure sensor. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit (a) performing a step of waiting without supplying the processing fluid to the processing space and circulating the processing fluid in the fluid supply device; the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measurement unit in the step (a). The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The control unit (b) draining the process fluid from the supply line; the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measurement unit in the step (b). The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The control unit (c) circulating the processing fluid in the fluid supply device and supplying the processing fluid from the fluid supply device to the processing space to increase the pressure of the processing space; the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measurement unit in the step (c). The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The control unit (d) increasing the pressure of the processing space to a processing pressure by supplying the processing fluid from the fluid supply device to the processing space; In the step (d), the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the pressure of the processing space. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

7. a discharge part that discharges the processing fluid from the processing space, the exhaust unit has a pressure adjusting unit that adjusts the pressure of the processing space, The control unit (e) supplying the processing fluid from the fluid supply device to the processing space and discharging the processing fluid from the discharge unit in the processing space; In the step (e), the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measurement unit, and controls the pressure adjustment unit based on the pressure of the processing space. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

8. a discharge part that discharges the processing fluid from the processing space, the exhaust unit has a pressure adjusting unit that adjusts the pressure of the processing space, The control unit (f) stopping the supply of the processing fluid from the fluid supply device to the processing space and discharging the processing fluid from the discharging unit in the processing space; In the step (f), the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the supply flow rate measurement unit, and controls the pressure adjustment unit based on the pressure of the processing space. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The fluid supply device is a heater provided on the supply line at a secondary side of the supply flow rate adjuster and configured to heat the treatment fluid flowing through the supply line; an on-off valve provided in the supply line on the secondary side of the heater; a circulation line branching from the supply line at a position between the heater and the on-off valve and joining the supply line at a position on the primary side of the pressurizing unit; having The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 .

10. Step (a) includes flowing the treatment fluid through the heater; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 .

11. the fluid supply device has a pressure adjusting unit that is provided on the upstream side of the supply flow rate adjusting unit in the supply line and that maintains a pressure on the upstream side of the supply flow rate adjusting unit at a set pressure. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

12. a processing section having a processing space capable of accommodating a substrate whose surface is wetted with a liquid; a fluid supply device for supplying a processing fluid to the processing space; A control unit; Equipped with The fluid supply device is a supply line connected to the processing unit; a pressurizing unit provided in the supply line and configured to increase the pressure of the processing fluid flowing through the supply line; a mass flow meter provided on the secondary side of the pressurizing section in the supply line; a circulation line that branches off from the supply line at a position on the secondary side of the pressurizing unit and branches off into the supply line at a position on the primary side of the pressurizing unit; a supply flow rate adjusting unit provided in the circulation line; and the control unit controls the supply flow rate adjustment unit based on the supply flow rate of the processing fluid measured by the mass flow meter. Substrate processing equipment.

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