Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

In substrate processing technology that involves supplying a processing solution to the peripheral edge of the substrate, the generation of particles is effectively suppressed. [Solution] With the nozzle's discharge port close to the peripheral edge of the substrate held by the substrate holder, a reservoir of processing liquid is formed between the discharge port and the peripheral edge of the substrate. Then, while the reservoir is maintained, the substrate rotates and the processing liquid is supplied from the discharge port to the peripheral edge, thereby coating it. The peripheral edge is thus treated with the coated processing liquid. As a result, splashing of the processing liquid supplied to the peripheral edge of the substrate is less likely to occur, and as a result, the generation of particles can be effectively suppressed.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing technique for supplying and processing a processing liquid to the peripheral portion of a substrate. Here, the substrate includes semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for liquid crystal display devices, glass substrates for plasma display panels, substrates for optical discs, substrates for magnetic discs, substrates for magneto-optical discs, glass substrates for photomasks, substrates for solar cells, etc. (hereinafter simply referred to as "substrate"). Further, the processing includes bevel processing.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a processing liquid to the peripheral portion of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and performs chemical liquid processing or cleaning processing. For example, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, so-called bevel processing is performed by discharging a processing liquid such as a chemical liquid or a rinse liquid from a nozzle to the peripheral portion of a rotating substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Spray of the processing liquid discharged toward the peripheral portion of the substrate (so-called "liquid splash") occurred on the substrate, which could be a source of particles. In particular, with the miniaturization of patterns formed on the substrate, it has been desired to suppress the generation of even minute liquid splash. However, sufficient effects have not necessarily been obtained.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to effectively suppress the generation of particles in a substrate processing technique for supplying and processing a processing liquid to the peripheral portion of a substrate.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A first aspect of this invention is a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate holding unit for holding a substrate in a horizontal position; a rotating unit for rotating the substrate holding unit about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction; a nozzle for discharging a processing liquid from a discharge port; a nozzle moving unit for moving the nozzle; and a control unit for controlling the nozzle moving unit and the rotating unit such that the nozzle is moved and positioned at a processing position where the discharge port is close to the peripheral edge of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and after a liquid reservoir of processing liquid is formed between the discharge port and the peripheral edge of the substrate at the processing position, the processing liquid is applied to the peripheral edge by supplying the processing liquid from the nozzle while the substrate rotates, while maintaining the liquid reservoir.

[0007] Furthermore, a second aspect of this invention is a substrate processing method for processing the peripheral edge of a substrate held in a horizontal position by a substrate holding part with a processing liquid, characterized by comprising the steps of: moving and positioning a nozzle so that the nozzle's discharge port is close to the peripheral edge of the substrate held by the substrate holding part and forming a liquid reservoir of processing liquid between the discharge port and the peripheral edge; and applying the processing liquid from the nozzle to the peripheral edge while rotating the substrate around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction, while maintaining the liquid reservoir.

[0008] In this configuration, the nozzle's discharge port is positioned close to the peripheral edge of the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a reservoir of processing liquid is formed between the discharge port and the peripheral edge of the substrate. Then, while the reservoir is maintained, the substrate rotates, and the processing liquid is supplied from the discharge port to the peripheral edge, thereby coating it. The peripheral edge is then treated with the applied processing liquid. As a result, splashing of the processing liquid supplied to the peripheral edge of the substrate is suppressed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this invention, when the processing liquid is supplied to the peripheral edge of the substrate, splashing of the liquid is less likely to occur compared to the conventional technology described above, and as a result, the generation of particles can be effectively suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows a substrate processing system equipped with a first embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure schematically shows the configuration of a first embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a plan view of a part of a substrate processing device, seen from above. [Figure 4A] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the nozzle for the processing liquid. [Figure 4B] This diagram schematically illustrates the supply mechanism of the processing liquid from the nozzle to the periphery of the substrate. [Figure 4C] This figure shows the cross-sectional structure of the nozzle shown in Figure 4A. [Figure 5] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing a beveling process as an example of a substrate processing operation performed by the substrate processing apparatus shown in Figure 2. [Figure 6A] This is a schematic diagram showing the various parts of the apparatus during beveling. [Figure 6B] This is a schematic diagram showing the various parts of the apparatus during beveling. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the beveling process performed in a second embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the various parts of the apparatus during beveling in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows a third embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart showing the beveling process performed in the fourth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing the various parts of the apparatus during beveling in the fourth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a substrate processing system equipped with a first embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. The substrate processing system 200 includes a substrate processing unit 210 that performs processing on a substrate S, and an indexer unit 220 coupled to the substrate processing unit 210. The indexer unit 220 can hold a plurality of containers C (such as a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), a SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) pod, an OC (Open Cassette), etc., that house a plurality of substrates S in a sealed state) for housing the substrate S, and an indexer robot 222 for accessing the container C held by the container holding unit 221 to take out an unprocessed substrate S from the container C or store a processed substrate S in the container C. A plurality of substrates S are housed in each container C in a substantially horizontal posture.

[0012] In this specification, the pattern formation surface (one main surface) on which a pattern is formed among the two main surfaces of the substrate S is referred to as the "front surface", and the other main surface on which no pattern is formed on the opposite side is referred to as the "back surface". Also, the surface directed downward is referred to as the "lower surface", and the surface directed upward is referred to as the "upper surface". Further, in this specification, the "pattern formation surface" means a surface on which a concavo-convex pattern is formed in an arbitrary region on the substrate.

[0013] The indexer robot 222 includes a base portion 222a fixed to the apparatus housing, an articulated arm 222b provided rotatable about a vertical axis with respect to the base portion 222a, and a hand 222c attached to the tip of the articulated arm 222b. The hand 222c has a structure capable of placing and holding the substrate S on its upper surface. Since an indexer robot having such an articulated arm and a hand for holding a substrate is known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0014] The substrate processing unit 210 includes a substrate transfer robot 211 disposed substantially at the center in a plan view, and a plurality of processing units 1 disposed so as to surround the substrate transfer robot 211. Specifically, the plurality of processing units 1 are disposed facing the space where the substrate transfer robot 211 is disposed. The main components of the processing unit 1 are installed inside the processing chamber 100. The substrate transfer robot 211 accesses the plurality of processing units 1 in a timely manner to transfer the substrate S. On the other hand, each processing unit 1 executes a predetermined process on the substrate S. In the present embodiment, one of these processing units 1 corresponds to the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a part of the substrate processing apparatus as viewed from above. In FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and each of the figures referred to below, for ease of understanding, the dimensions and numbers of each part may be exaggerated or simplified in the drawings. Also, in each figure, a coordinate system with the Z-axis as the vertical direction and the XY plane as the horizontal plane is appropriately attached for clarity of the direction relationship.

[0016] The substrate processing apparatus (processing unit) 1 includes a rotation mechanism 2, a scattering prevention mechanism 3, a processing mechanism 4, a processing liquid removal mechanism 5, and an imaging mechanism 6. These are electrically connected to a control unit 9 that controls the entire apparatus while being housed in the internal space 101 of the processing chamber 100. Then, the rotation mechanism 2, the scattering prevention mechanism 3, the processing mechanism 4, the processing liquid removal mechanism 5, and the imaging mechanism 6 operate in accordance with instructions from the control unit 9 which is an example of the "control unit" of the present invention.

[0017] The control unit 9 can be, for example, one similar to that of a general-purpose computer. That is, in the control unit 9, the CPU, acting as the arithmetic processing unit 91, performs arithmetic processing according to the procedures described in the program, thereby controlling each part of the substrate processing device 1. As a result, the substrate processing device 1 supplies processing liquid to the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the substrate S within the processing chamber to perform beveling. The detailed configuration and operation of the control unit 9 will be described in detail later. In this embodiment, a control unit 9 is provided for each substrate processing device 1, but it is also possible to configure the system so that one control unit controls multiple substrate processing devices 1. Alternatively, the substrate processing device 1 may be controlled by a control unit (not shown) that controls the entire substrate processing system 200.

[0018] The rotation mechanism 2 rotates the substrate S in the rotation direction AR (Figures 3, 4B, and 4C) while holding it in a substantially horizontal position with its surface facing upward. The rotation mechanism 2 rotates the substrate S around a rotation axis AX that passes through the center of the main surface of the substrate S and extends vertically. The rotation mechanism 2 is equipped with a spin chuck 21, which is a disc-shaped member smaller than the substrate S. The spin chuck 21 is positioned so that its upper surface is substantially horizontal and its central axis coincides with the rotation axis AX. A rotation shaft portion 22 is connected to the lower surface of the spin chuck 21. The rotation shaft portion 22 extends vertically with its axis coincided with the rotation axis AX. A rotation drive unit (e.g., a motor) 23 is also connected to the rotation shaft portion 22. The rotation drive unit 23 rotates the rotation shaft portion 22 around its axis in response to a rotation command from the control unit 9. Therefore, the spin chuck 21 is rotatable together with the rotating shaft portion 22 around the rotation axis AX. The rotation drive unit 23 and the rotating shaft portion 22 are responsible for rotating the spin chuck 21 around the rotation axis AX. Thus, in this embodiment, the spin chuck 21 and the rotation drive unit 23 correspond to examples of the "substrate holding portion" and "rotating portion" of the present invention, respectively.

[0019] A through-hole (not shown) is provided in the center of the spin chuck 21, communicating with the internal space of the rotating shaft 22. A pump 24 is connected to the internal space via piping with a valve (not shown) interposed therein. The pump 24 and valve are electrically connected to the control unit 9 and operate in response to commands from the control unit 9. This allows negative and positive pressure to be selectively applied to the spin chuck 21. For example, when the pump 24 applies negative pressure to the spin chuck 21 while the substrate S is placed on the upper surface of the spin chuck 21 in a nearly horizontal position, the spin chuck 21 attracts and holds the substrate S from below. On the other hand, when the pump 24 applies positive pressure to the spin chuck 21, the substrate S becomes removable from the upper surface of the spin chuck 21. Also, when the suction of the pump 24 is stopped, the substrate S becomes able to move horizontally on the upper surface of the spin chuck 21.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the splash prevention mechanism 3 includes a roughly cylindrical cup 31 that surrounds the outer circumference of the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21, and a liquid receiving portion 32 provided below the outer circumference of the cup 31. The cup 31 moves up and down when the guard drive unit 33 is activated in response to a control command from the control unit 9. When the cup 31 is positioned in the lower position, as shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the cup 31 is positioned below the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21. Conversely, when the cup 31 is positioned in the upper position, the upper end of the cup 31 is positioned above the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S.

[0021] When the cup 31 is in the lower position, as shown in Figure 2, the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21 is exposed to the outside of the cup 31. This prevents the cup 31 from becoming an obstacle when, for example, loading or unloading the substrate S into or out of the spin chuck 21.

[0022] On the other hand, when the cup 31 is in the upper position, the inner surface of the cup 31 surrounds the outer circumference of the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21. This prevents droplets of the processing liquid from the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S from scattering into the processing chamber 100 during the beveling process described later. It also ensures that the processing liquid is reliably collected. Specifically, as will be described in detail later, when the processing liquid applied to the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S is removed from the peripheral edge Ss by nitrogen gas, droplets of processing liquid scattered from the substrate S adhere to the inner surface of the cup 31 and flow downward, where they are collected by the liquid receiving section 32 located below the cup 31.

[0023] The processing mechanism 4 comprises a base 41, a pivot shaft 42, an arm 43, and a nozzle 44. The base 41 is fixed to the processing chamber 100. The pivot shaft 42 is rotatably mounted on the base 41. An arm 43 extends horizontally from the pivot shaft 42, and a nozzle 44 is attached to its tip. When the pivot shaft 42 rotates in response to a control command from the control unit 9, the arm 43 swings, and the nozzle 44 at the tip of the arm 43 moves between a retracted position, where it is moved laterally from above the substrate S, and a processing position Pt above the peripheral edge of the substrate S. In Figure 3, the nozzle 44 shown by the dashed line represents the retracted position, and the nozzle 44 shown by the solid line represents the processing position. Thus, in this embodiment, the pivot shaft 42 corresponds to an example of the "nozzle moving part" of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4A is a perspective view showing the configuration of the nozzle for the processing liquid. Figure 4B is a schematic diagram showing the supply mode of the processing liquid from the nozzle to the periphery of the substrate. Figure 4C is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of the nozzle shown in Figure 4A. As shown in Figures 4A and 4C, the nozzle 44 has a first main body portion 441 and a second main body portion 442. Each of these components is machined from a metal block such as stainless steel or aluminum. The nozzle 44 is constructed by connecting the first main body portion 441 and the second main body portion 442 with a connecting member 440 such as a bolt, with the two main body portions facing each other in the X1 direction. In addition, a first port 443 for the processing liquid is connected to the nozzle 44 from the X1 direction, and a second port 444 for processing liquid purging and suck-back is connected from the Z direction.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4C, the first main body 441 has a through-hole 441a in the X1 direction. This through-hole 441a has three main parts in the X1 direction: the (-X1) part 441b, the central part 441c, and the (+X1) part 441d. The first port 443 (Figure 4A) is connected to the (-X1) part 441b, while the (+X1) part 441d faces the second main body 442. The central part 441c is finished in a manifold shape that allows for the temporary storage of processing liquid. A through-hole 441e extends vertically from this central part 441c and is connected to the upper surface of the first main body 441. The second port 444 is connected to the upper end of the through-hole 441e.

[0026] On the (+X1) side, the lower part of the first main body portion 441 protrudes downward in a tapered shape to form the first lip portion 441f. Opposite to this first lip portion 441f, the lower part of the second main body portion 442 protrudes downward in a tapered shape to form the second lip portion 442a. On the surface of the first lip portion 441f facing the second lip portion 442a, a groove of a predetermined width Wn is provided in the horizontal direction Y1 perpendicular to the X1 direction so as to connect with the (+X1) portion 441d. Correspondingly, on the surface of the second lip portion 442a facing the first lip portion 441f, a groove of a predetermined width Wn is provided in the horizontal direction Y1. This groove extends to a position opposite the (+X1) portion 441d. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4C, when the first main body portion 441 and the second main body portion 442 are joined facing each other in the X1 direction, a slit-shaped discharge port 445 having a predetermined width Wn is formed in the nozzle 44.

[0027] As shown in Figures 3 and 4B, the nozzle 44 positioned at the processing position Pt is in a position suitable for forming a meniscus M (liquid reservoir) of the processing liquid and for continuous supply of the processing liquid. In other words, the nozzle 44 is positioned above the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S, with the width direction of its discharge port 445 parallel to the radial direction D of the substrate S. Furthermore, for the nozzle 44 positioned at the processing position Pt, the distance between the discharge port 445 and the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S, the so-called gap GP, in the vertical direction Z is set to a value suitable for forming the desired meniscus M.

[0028] The formation of the meniscus M is performed by stopping the rotation of the substrate S and closing the second port 444, while the processing liquid supply unit 45 (Figure 2), connected via the first port 443, supplies processing liquid in response to a command from the control unit 9. The supplied processing liquid is then discharged from the discharge port 445 of the nozzle 44 at the processing position Pt. This forms a meniscus M (a liquid reservoir on the peripheral edge Ss) at the processing position Pt. Following the formation of the meniscus, the rotation of the substrate S is started and processing liquid is supplied via the first port 443, so that the processing liquid is supplied over a predetermined etching width We on the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S while maintaining the meniscus M, as shown in Figures 4B and 4C, and is applied to the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss. Here, the processing liquid supply point is a single point on the path along which the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S moves. As the nozzle 44 discharges the processing liquid and the spin chuck 21 rotates, each part of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S receives and is coated with the processing liquid as it passes through the processing liquid supply point. Furthermore, the rotation speed of the substrate S is kept lower than that used during beveling in conventional devices so that the applied processing liquid remains on the peripheral edge Ss. As a result, beveling with the processing liquid is performed on the entire peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S.

[0029] On the other hand, after the beveling process is complete, with the first port 443 closed, the maintenance unit (not shown), connected via the second port 444, sucks the nozzle 44 in response to a command from the control unit 9, and so-called suck-back is performed, in which excess processing liquid is drawn back into the nozzle 44 via the discharge port 445.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, after the nozzle 44 is returned to its retracted position, the maintenance unit connected via the second port 444, with the first port 443 closed, sends nitrogen gas or the like to the nozzle 44 in response to a command from the control unit 9, thereby purging any remaining processing liquid from the nozzle 44.

[0031] In this embodiment, since the beveling process is performed by the processing solution applied to the peripheral edge Ss, it is necessary to stop the beveling process by appropriate means. For example, after continuously applying the processing solution while rotating the substrate S multiple times, the rotation speed of the substrate S may be increased to shake off the applied processing solution. In this case, from the second rotation onward, new processing solution is applied on top of the peripheral edge Ss to which the processing solution has already been applied. As a result, there is an excess of processing solution on the peripheral edge Ss, and it becomes difficult to obtain the desired etching width We as it wets and spreads toward the rotation axis AX. In addition, from the second rotation onward, since the reacted processing solution remains on the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss, the fresh processing solution applied most recently has difficulty reaching the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss, which can lead to a decrease in the reaction rate.

[0032] Therefore, in this embodiment, the beveling process by the processing liquid is stopped before the area of ​​the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S to which the processing liquid has been applied returns to the processing position Pt. More specifically, in this embodiment, a processing liquid removal mechanism 5 is provided as an example of the "processing liquid removal unit" of the present invention. The processing liquid removal mechanism 5 is basically configured the same as the processing mechanism 4, except that it purges the processing liquid to the radially outer side of the substrate S by discharging nitrogen gas from the nozzle 54 through the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss to the outside of the substrate S. In other words, the processing liquid removal mechanism 5 has a base (not shown), a pivot shaft (not shown), an arm 53, and a nozzle 54. The base is fixed to the processing chamber 100. The pivot shaft is rotatably provided relative to this base. The arm 53 extends horizontally from the pivot shaft, and the nozzle 54 is attached to its tip. The pivot shaft rotates in response to a control command from the control unit 9, causing the arm 53 to swing. As shown in Figure 3, the nozzle 54 at the tip of the arm 53 moves between a retracted position, where it is moved laterally from above the substrate S, and a removal position Pr, which is above the peripheral edge of the substrate S and different from the processing position Pt. In Figure 3, the dashed line indicates the nozzle 54 in the retracted position, and the solid line indicates the nozzle 54 in the removal position Pr. In this embodiment, the removal position Pr is set to a position approximately 340° ahead of the processing position Pt in the rotation direction AR, with a predetermined removal start rotation angle (symbol θp in Figure 6A, which will be explained later). However, the removal start rotation angle θp is not limited to this and can be any angle greater than 0° and less than 360°.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, at the removal position Pr, the nozzle 54 is positioned above the substrate S with its discharge port 541 facing the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S. This nozzle 54 is connected to the nitrogen gas supply unit 55. When the nitrogen gas supply unit 55 supplies nitrogen gas to the nozzle 54 in response to a nitrogen gas supply command from the control unit 9, nitrogen gas is discharged from the nozzle 54 toward the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S at the removal position Pr. As a result, the processing liquid applied to the substrate S is removed from the substrate S to the outside, and the beveling process by the processing liquid is stopped. The timing of the supply and stop of the processing liquid and the nitrogen gas for removal will be described in detail later.

[0034] The imaging mechanism 6 has the function of acquiring an image of the peripheral portion Ss of the substrate S and sending the image data to the control unit 9, and is configured similarly to the apparatus described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-153470. Therefore, in this specification, the configuration of the imaging mechanism 6 will be briefly described, and details will be omitted. The imaging mechanism 6 includes a base 6A, a pivot shaft 6B, an arm 6C, an observation head drive unit (not shown), an illumination optical system 6E, an observation optical system 6F, and a head unit 6G. The base 6A is fixed to the processing chamber 100. The pivot shaft 6B is rotatably provided on the base 6A. The arm 6C extends horizontally from the pivot shaft 6B, and the head unit 6G is attached to its tip. When a control command is given from the control unit 9 to the observation head drive unit that drives the arm 6C, the observation head drive unit swings the arm 6C in response to the command as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3. As a result, the head unit 6G attached to the tip of the arm 6C moves back and forth between a retracted position P1, where it is moved laterally from above the substrate S, and an imaging position P2, where it images the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S. In Figure 3, the dashed line shows the head unit 6G in the retracted position P1, and the solid line shows the head unit 6G in the imaging position P2. At the imaging position P2, the head unit 6G is positioned close to the (-Y) side edge of the substrate S.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the illumination optical system 6E and the observation optical system 6F are provided at a spaced position P3, which is spaced in the X direction from the imaging position P2. This spaced position P3 is spaced apart from the parts that perform beveling on the substrate S and cup 31 (rotation mechanism 2, splash prevention mechanism 3, processing liquid removal mechanism 5). The illumination optical system 6E irradiates illumination light L1 from the outside of the cup 31 toward the imaging position P2. At this time, the cup 31 is positioned in a downward position, and the head unit 6G is positioned at the imaging position P2, so that the illumination light L1 is incident on the head unit 6G. This illumination light L1 is diffusely reflected by the head unit 6G. The peripheral part Ss of the substrate S is illuminated by the diffuse light thus generated. Then, the reflected light L2 reflected from the peripheral part Ss of the substrate S is further reflected by the head unit 6G. The reflected light L2 is guided from the head unit 6G toward the spaced position P3 and incident on the observation optical system 6F. As a result, the observation optical system 6F acquires an image of the peripheral area Ss of the substrate S and sends the image data to the control unit 9.

[0036] The control unit 9 has the function of controlling the rotation mechanism 2, the splash prevention mechanism 3, the processing mechanism 4, the processing liquid removal mechanism 5, and the imaging mechanism 6. As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 9 has an arithmetic processing unit 91 that performs various calculations, a storage unit 92 that stores basic programs and image data, and a motor control unit 93 that controls the motors provided in each part of the device. In the control unit 9, the arithmetic processing unit 91, which acts as the main control unit, performs calculations according to the procedures described in the program, thereby controlling each part of the substrate processing device 1 as follows.

[0037] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a beveling process performed as an example of substrate processing operation by the substrate processing apparatus shown in Figure 2. Figures 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams showing the various parts of the apparatus during the beveling process. In Figures 6A and 6B (and Figures 8 and 11, which will be explained later), the upper part shows a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the substrate S, the processing liquid supply nozzle 44, and the processing liquid removal nozzle 54 as seen from above, while the lower part shows a side view of the processing liquid supply nozzle 44 and its vicinity. Furthermore, Figures 6A and 6B illustrate a case in which the beveling process is completed by applying the coating to the entire periphery of the substrate S in one pass, as will be explained in detail later.

[0038] Before the substrate processing device 1 bevels the substrate S, the calculation processing unit 91 positions the cup 31 in a lower position using the guard drive unit 33, positions the nozzle 44 in a retracted position (dotted line in Figure 3) using the pivot shaft 42 of the processing mechanism 4, positions the nozzle 54 in a retracted position (dashed line in Figure 3) using the pivot shaft (not shown) of the processing liquid removal mechanism 5, and positions the head unit 6G in a retracted position P1 using the observation head drive unit (not shown). This creates a transport space above the spin chuck 21 sufficient for the hand of the substrate transport robot 111 to enter. Once the completion of the transport space is confirmed, the calculation processing unit 91 requests the substrate transport robot 111 to load the substrate S, and waits for the unprocessed substrate S to be brought into the substrate processing device 1 and placed on the upper surface of the spin chuck 21, as shown in Figure 2. Then the substrate S is placed on the spin chuck 21 (step S1). At this point, the suction by the pump 24 has stopped, and the substrate S can move horizontally on the upper surface of the spin chuck 21.

[0039] Once the loading of the substrate S is complete, the substrate transport robot 111 retracts from the substrate processing device 1. Subsequently, the arithmetic processing unit 91 performs a centering process using a centering mechanism (not shown). Any centering mechanism that can align the center of the substrate S with the center of the spin chuck 21 may be used, but in this embodiment, the centering mechanism is configured similarly to the device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-114594. In other words, the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls the centering drive unit so that the three contact members are close to the substrate S. This eliminates the eccentricity of the substrate S relative to the spin chuck 21, and the center of the substrate S coincides with the center of the spin chuck 21 (step S2). Once the centering process is complete, the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls the centering drive unit so that the three contact members are separated from the substrate S, and also operates the pump 24 to apply negative pressure to the spin chuck 21. As a result, the spin chuck 21 holds the substrate S by suction from below. To facilitate understanding of the invention, we will assume that the rotation angle θ of the substrate S at this point is zero.

[0040] Furthermore, the arithmetic processing unit 91 positions the cup 31 in an upward position using the guard drive unit 33, and surrounds the substrate S with the cup 31.

[0041] Next, the arithmetic processing unit 91 positions the nozzle 44 from the retracted position to the processing position Pt (solid line in Figure 3) using the pivot shaft 42 of the processing mechanism 4. As a result, the discharge port 445 of the nozzle 44 is separated from the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S by a gap GP in the vertical direction Z. Also, as shown in Figure 4B, when viewed from above, a part of the slit-shaped discharge port 445 protrudes radially D of the substrate S by an amount ΔW. More specifically, the width of the discharge port 445 of the nozzle 44 facing the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S is shorter than the predetermined width Wn of the discharge port 445 by an overhang amount ΔW. In other words, in this embodiment, (Etching width We) = (Defined width Wn of discharge port 445) - (Overflow amount ΔW) The following equation is satisfied. Of course, the overflow amount ΔW can be set to zero, but in this case, the application of the processing liquid to the edges of the substrate S may not be stable. Considering this point, it is preferable to make the overflow amount ΔW greater than zero.

[0042] Once the nozzle 44 is positioned at the processing position Pt, the calculation processing unit 91 issues a meniscus formation command to the processing liquid supply unit 45. As a result, the amount of processing liquid necessary for meniscus formation is sent to the nozzle 44, and as shown in column (a) of Figure 6A, a meniscus M, or liquid reservoir of processing liquid, is formed between the discharge port 445 and the substrate S at the processing position Pt (step S3).

[0043] Next, the arithmetic processing unit 91 issues a rotation command to the rotation drive unit 23, and the spin chuck 21 holding the substrate S by suction starts rotating (step S4). As a result, the substrate S also rotates, but its rotation speed is kept lower than that of conventional devices during bevel processing. Also, synchronized with the start of rotation, the arithmetic processing unit 91 issues a coating command to the processing liquid supply unit 45. Then, as shown in column (b) of Figures 4B, 4C and 6A, the processing liquid is supplied to the peripheral edge Ss as the substrate S rotates while maintaining the meniscus M, thereby performing the coating of the processing liquid to the peripheral edge Ss. In these drawings, dots are placed in the area corresponding to the processing liquid to indicate it. The bevel processing proceeds with an etching width We by this coating of processing liquid. In column (b) of Figure 6A, the supply state of the processing liquid is schematically shown when the substrate S has rotated by a rotation angle θ less than the removal start rotation angle θp from the start of substrate rotation. Here, the removal start rotation angle θp is information indicating the relative positional relationship between the removal position Pr and the processing position Pt.

[0044] In the next step S5, the arithmetic processing unit 91 determines whether the rotation angle θ of the substrate S has reached the removal start rotation angle θp. Here, the discharge of nitrogen gas from the nozzle 54 is stopped until the rotation angle θ reaches the removal start rotation angle θp, while the supply of processing liquid from the nozzle 44 continues. On the other hand, when the rotation angle θ of the substrate S reaches the removal start rotation angle θp, the arithmetic processing unit 91 gives a nitrogen gas supply command to the nitrogen gas supply unit 55 (step S6). Then, the nitrogen gas supplied from the nitrogen gas supply unit 55 is discharged from the nozzle 54 positioned at the removal position Pr toward the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S. As a result, the processing liquid that was initially supplied to the substrate S at the time of meniscus M formation is removed from the substrate S to the outside (purging process), and the beveling process by the processing liquid is stopped. In addition, droplets of processing liquid scattered from the substrate S by the purging process are collected and recovered by the cup 31. Here, the purging process may be started simultaneously with the rotation of the substrate. However, as in this embodiment, it is preferable to refrain from discharging nitrogen gas until the area to which the treatment liquid was first applied reaches the removal position Pr, thereby reducing the amount of nitrogen gas consumed and lowering the environmental burden.

[0045] Furthermore, as the rotation of the substrate S progresses and the rotation angle θ reaches the coating completion angle θce, the application of the processing liquid from the nozzle 44 and the removal of the processing liquid by nitrogen gas discharged from the nozzle 54 (purging) are performed in parallel.

[0046] In step S7, when it is determined that the rotation angle θ has reached the coating end angle θce, the calculation processing unit 91 issues a supply stop command to the processing liquid supply unit 45. This stops the supply of processing liquid from the nozzle 44. For example, when the coating end angle θce is set to 360°, that is, when the processing liquid is applied only once to the entire circumference of the peripheral edge of the substrate S to perform beveling, the supply of processing liquid is stopped when the substrate S has completed one rotation, as shown in column (a) in Figure 6B (step S8).

[0047] At this stage, the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S includes areas where the processing solution remains applied. Therefore, as shown in column (b) of Figure 6B, nitrogen gas is discharged from the nozzle 54 until the substrate S rotates further by the removal start rotation angle θp, that is, until the substrate S rotates by the removal end angle θpe (=360°+θp) from the start of rotation.

[0048] When the calculation processing unit 91 determines in step S9 that the rotation angle θ has reached the removal end angle θpe, it issues a removal stop command to the nitrogen gas supply unit 55. As a result, the discharge of nitrogen gas from the nozzle 54 is stopped (step S10), and the beveling process is completed. Note that when the beveling process is completed by applying the coating to the entire periphery of the substrate S n times in a row, the calculation processing unit 91 determines that the coating end angle θce, which is the criterion for determination in step S7, is 360° × n, and the removal end angle θpe, which is the criterion for determination in step S9, is 360° × n + θp.

[0049] Following the completion of the beveling process, the arithmetic processing unit 91 issues a rotation stop command to the rotation drive unit 23, stopping the rotation of the spin chuck 21 (step S11).

[0050] In the next step S12, the arithmetic processing unit 91 observes the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S to inspect the results of the beveling process. More specifically, the arithmetic processing unit 91 positions the cup 31 in a lower position using the guard drive unit 33, positions the nozzle 44 in a retracted position (dotted line in Figure 3) using the pivot shaft 42 of the processing mechanism 4, and positions the nozzle 54 in a retracted position (dashed line in Figure 3) using the pivot shaft (not shown) of the processing liquid removal mechanism 5. After that, the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls the observation head drive unit to bring the head unit 6G closer to the substrate S. Once the peripheral edge Ss is imaged by the head unit 6G, the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls the observation head drive unit to retract the head unit 6G from the substrate S. In parallel with this, the arithmetic processing unit 91 inspects whether the beveling process was performed well based on the image of the peripheral edge Ss that was captured.

[0051] After inspection, the arithmetic processing unit 91 requests the substrate transport robot 111 to unload the substrate S, and the processed substrate S is discharged from the substrate processing device 1 (step S13). This series of steps is repeated.

[0052] As described above, in the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 6A, the discharge port 445 of the nozzle 44 is in close proximity to the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21, and a meniscus M (liquid reservoir) of processing liquid is formed between the discharge port 445 and the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S. Then, while maintaining the meniscus M, the substrate S is rotated in the rotational direction AR, and the processing liquid is supplied from the discharge port 445 to the peripheral edge Ss, thereby coating the entire circumference of the peripheral edge. The peripheral edge Ss is then processed with the processing liquid thus coated. As a result, splashing of the processing liquid supplied to the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S is less likely to occur. As a result, the generation of particles can be effectively suppressed.

[0053] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when performing beveling by continuously applying the processing solution while rotating the substrate S multiple times, a processing solution removal mechanism 5 is provided to prevent overlapping of the processing solution. This prevents the wetting and spreading of the processing solution, allowing for good beveling with the desired etching width We.

[0054] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, a heating mechanism may be added to heat the substrate S during the beveling process. In this case, not only the substrate S but also the processing solution applied to the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S is heated and its temperature rises. That is, the processing solution applied to the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S remains on the peripheral edge Ss until it is removed by the processing solution removal mechanism 5, and its temperature continues to rise. As a result, the processing rate (for example, the etching rate when an etching solution is used as the processing solution) increases, and excellent processing efficiency is obtained.

[0055] Incidentally, in the first embodiment, the warping of the substrate S is not taken into consideration. That is, the beveling process is performed on the premise that the gap GP between the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S held by the spin chuck 21 and the discharge port 445 of the nozzle 44 positioned at the processing position Pt is constant. Therefore, if the substrate S is warped relatively significantly, the meniscus M may not be formed, or the meniscus M may collapse while the substrate S is rotating, preventing proper application of the processing solution, which may result in a decrease in the accuracy of the etching width We.

[0056] Therefore, as described below, the amount of warping of the substrate S may be measured in advance, and the position of the nozzle 44 in the vertical direction Z may be adjusted accordingly (second embodiment). Alternatively, the position of the nozzle 44 in the vertical direction Z may be adjusted while measuring the distance from the nozzle 44 to the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S (third embodiment).

[0057] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the beveling process performed in the second embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the various parts of the apparatus during the beveling process in the second embodiment. The main differences between this second embodiment and the first embodiment are that the nozzle 44 is connected to the arm 43 (Figure 2) via the nozzle height adjustment unit 46, the amount of warpage of the substrate S is measured and stored before the beveling process, and the nozzle height adjustment unit 46 adjusts the height position of the nozzle 44 according to the amount of warpage during meniscus formation and beveling. Other configurations and operations are basically the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences, and identical configurations and operations will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted. The nozzle height adjustment unit 46 can be positioned so as not to interfere with the second port 444.

[0058] The nozzle height adjustment unit 46 has the function of adjusting the height position of the nozzle 44 by raising and lowering the nozzle 44 in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, in order to raise and lower the nozzle 44 to an extent that can cover the maximum amount of warpage of the substrate S, a fine adjustment stage that raises and lowers the nozzle 44 using, for example, a piezoelectric element or a micromotor as a driving source can be used as the nozzle height adjustment unit.

[0059] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the imaging mechanism 6 was used to determine the quality of the beveling process. However, the amount of warping of the substrate S, that is, height information relating to the upper surface position of the peripheral edge Ss in the vertical direction Z, can be obtained from the image of the peripheral edge Ss captured by the imaging mechanism 6. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls each part of the apparatus as shown in Figure 7 to perform the beveling process.

[0060] In the second embodiment, after loading the substrate S (step S1) and centering the substrate S (step S2), the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls each part of the apparatus so that the amount of warpage of the substrate S is measured by the imaging mechanism 6 (step S20). The amount of warpage measured here is upper surface position information (height information) for each part of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S, and this upper surface position information is associated with a numerical value indicating the upper surface position of the peripheral edge Ss for each rotation angle θ. Note that the measurement of the amount of warpage is described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-153470, so the explanation is omitted here.

[0061] Then, the arithmetic processing unit 91 starts gap adjustment corresponding to the rotation angle (step S21). As shown in Figure 8, this gap adjustment means adjusting the gap GP to a predetermined value by controlling the nozzle height adjustment unit 46 based on the upper surface position information corresponding to zero rotation angle θ during the meniscus formation stage, and adjusting the gap GP to a predetermined value by controlling the nozzle height adjustment unit 46 based on the upper surface position information corresponding to the rotation angle θ during the beveling process. By adjusting the gap, meniscus formation and beveling can be performed stably without being affected by the warping of the substrate S.

[0062] Gap adjustment is performed in parallel with the execution of a series of operations from meniscus formation (step S3) to cessation of nitrogen gas discharge (step S10), similar to the first embodiment. Following the cessation of nitrogen gas discharge, the gap adjustment is completed (step S22).

[0063] Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, the rotation of the spin chuck 21 is stopped (step S11), the quality of the beveling is checked (step S12), and the substrate S is unloaded (step S13).

[0064] As described above, in the second embodiment, the amount of warpage of the substrate S is measured in advance by the imaging mechanism 6, and the height position of the nozzle 44 is adjusted based on the height information obtained from the measurement, so that the gap GP is always a constant value. As a result, bevel processing can be performed stably and with high precision without being affected by the warpage of the substrate S. Thus, in the second embodiment, the imaging mechanism 6 not only has an inspection function for checking the quality of the bevel processing, but also functions as the "upper surface position information acquisition unit" and "warpage measurement unit" of the present invention.

[0065] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the amount of warping of the substrate S is measured in advance by the imaging mechanism 6, but the amount of eccentricity of the substrate S can also be measured from the image captured by the imaging mechanism 6. Therefore, a function to fine-tune the fine adjustment stage in the horizontal direction may be added, and the nozzle 44 may be moved horizontally according to the amount of eccentricity. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of coating the processing liquid to the peripheral edge Ss and further improve the accuracy of the beveling process.

[0066] Figure 9 shows a third embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. The main differences between this third embodiment and the first embodiment are that the nozzle 44 is connected to the arm 43 (Figure 2) via a nozzle height adjustment unit 46, a distance measuring unit 47 is attached to the (-AR) side of the nozzle 44 to measure the distance to the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S, and the nozzle height adjustment unit 46 adjusts the height position of the nozzle 44 according to the measurement result by the distance measuring unit 47 during meniscus formation and bevel processing. Other configurations and operations are basically the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences, and identical configurations and operations will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0067] The distance measuring unit 47 is composed of a conventional displacement meter or the like. The distance measuring unit 47 is movable integrally with the nozzle 44, and can accurately measure the distance from the nozzle 44 to the upper surface of the peripheral edge regardless of the height position of the nozzle 44 in the vertical direction Z.

[0068] Therefore, in the third embodiment, distance information indicating the distance from the nozzle 44 measured by the distance measuring unit 47 to the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S is acquired as the "height information" of the present invention. Then, during meniscus formation and beveling, the gap GP is adjusted to a predetermined value by controlling the nozzle height adjustment unit 46 based on the distance information. As a result, beveling can be performed stably and with high precision without being affected by the warping of the substrate S. Thus, in the third embodiment, the distance measuring unit 47 corresponds to an example of the "upper surface position information acquisition unit" of the present invention.

[0069] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, although the height information acquisition position Ph, where the distance measuring unit 47 acquires height information of the nozzle 44, does not coincide with the processing position Pt, the difference between the two is small compared to the entire circumference of the substrate S, and it is assumed that the height positions of the nozzle 44 at the height information acquisition position Ph and the processing position Pt are almost the same. Here, in order to perform more precise control, the height information at the height information acquisition position Ph may be acquired and temporarily stored in the storage unit 92, and the height information of the nozzle 44 may be read from the storage unit 92 when the substrate S has moved by the difference between the height information acquisition position Ph and the processing position Pt.

[0070] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the distance measuring unit 47 is directly attached to the nozzle 44, but the distance measuring unit 47 may also be attached to a bracket or the like attached to the nozzle 44. In short, the distance measuring unit 47 can be one that is provided integrally with the nozzle 44 and is movable, and capable of measuring the distance to the upper surface of the peripheral edge Ss of the substrate S.

[0071] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, a typical example of a substrate S is a semiconductor wafer. In a semiconductor wafer, notches or orientation flats may be provided in a specific region of its peripheral edge Ss. It can be difficult to form a meniscus M (liquid reservoir) in this specific region. Therefore, the invention may be configured to measure a specific region of the substrate S from an image captured by the imaging mechanism 6 and to form a meniscus M while avoiding that specific region (fourth embodiment).

[0072] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the beveling process performed in the fourth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the various parts of the apparatus during the beveling process in the fourth embodiment. The main differences between the fourth embodiment and the first embodiment are that the notch NT (specific region) of the substrate S is detected from the image captured by the imaging mechanism 6 before meniscus formation, and that the meniscus M is formed while the notch NT is outside the processing position Pt. Other configurations and operations are basically the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the following explanation will focus on the differences, and identical configurations and operations will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their explanations will be omitted.

[0073] In the fourth embodiment, after loading the substrate S (step S1) and centering the substrate S (step S2), the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls the various parts of the apparatus so that the position of the notch NT on the substrate S is measured by the imaging mechanism 6 (step S30). The notch NT measured here corresponds to an example of the "specific region" of the present invention. Then, as shown in Figure 11, the arithmetic processing unit 91 controls the various parts of the apparatus so that the notch NT is located at a notch position Pn that is away from the processing position Pt (step S31).

[0074] Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, the formation of the meniscus M (step S3), beveling (steps S4-S10), stopping the rotation of the spin chuck 21 (step S11), quality inspection of the beveling (step S12), and unloading of the substrate S (step S13) are performed.

[0075] As described above, in the fourth embodiment, since the beveling process is performed after forming the meniscus M while avoiding specific regions such as the notch NT, the beveling process can be performed stably and with high precision.

[0076] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the treatment liquid removal mechanism 5 discharges nitrogen gas to purge the treatment liquid from the peripheral portion Ss of the substrate S in order to remove the treatment liquid applied to the peripheral portion Ss. However, other fluids, such as a rinsing liquid such as DIW (deionized water), may also be discharged to remove the treatment liquid from the peripheral portion Ss. [Industrial applicability]

[0077] This invention can be applied to all substrate processing technologies that involve supplying a processing solution to the peripheral edge of a substrate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1…Substrate processing equipment 5…Processing liquid removal mechanism (processing liquid removal section) 6…Imaging mechanism (upper surface position information acquisition unit, curvature measurement unit) 9…Control unit (control unit) 21... Spin chuck (substrate holder) 23... Rotary drive unit (rotating part) 42...Rotating pivot shaft (nozzle movement part) 44… Nozzle 46... Nozzle height adjustment section 47…Distance measurement unit (top position information acquisition unit) 91... Arithmetic Processing Unit (Control Unit) 445…Discharge port AR…Direction of rotation AX... Axis of rotation D...Radial direction Pt... Processing position M...Meniscus (liquid reservoir) NT... Notch (specific region) S... Circuit board Ss…Periphery Z...Vertical direction

Claims

1. A substrate holder that holds the substrate in a horizontal position, A rotating part that rotates the substrate holding part around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction, A nozzle that discharges the processing liquid from the outlet, A nozzle moving unit for moving the aforementioned nozzle, A control unit controls the nozzle moving unit and the rotating unit such that the nozzle moves and is positioned in a processing position where the discharge port is close to the peripheral edge of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and after a reservoir of the processing liquid is formed between the discharge port and the peripheral edge of the substrate at the processing position, the processing liquid is applied to the peripheral edge by supplying the processing liquid from the nozzle while the substrate rotates, while maintaining the reservoir. A substrate processing apparatus characterized by comprising:

2. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The nozzle moving unit has a nozzle height adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the nozzle in the vertical direction. A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the control unit controls the nozzle height adjustment unit so that the distance between the discharge port and the peripheral edge of the substrate remains constant when the liquid reservoir is formed and when the processing liquid is applied to the peripheral edge.

3. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, The system includes an upper surface position information acquisition unit that acquires height information relating to the upper surface position of the peripheral edge of the substrate in the vertical direction, The control unit controls the nozzle height adjustment unit according to the height information acquired by the upper surface position information acquisition unit, and is a substrate processing apparatus.

4. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, The substrate processing apparatus includes a warpage measuring unit that, before the formation of the liquid reservoir and the application of the processing liquid to the peripheral edge, measures the amount of warpage of the peripheral edge of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit as height information over the entire circumference of the substrate and outputs it to the control unit.

5. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, The substrate processing apparatus comprises a distance measuring unit which is provided integrally with the nozzle to move freely and measures the distance from the upper surface of the peripheral edge of the substrate to the upper surface and outputs the distance information obtained as height information to the control unit.

6. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, A substrate processing apparatus further comprising a processing liquid removal unit that removes the processing liquid from the peripheral edge of the substrate at a removal position different from the processing position.

7. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the control unit controls the rotating unit and the processing liquid removal unit so as to perform the application of the processing liquid and the removal of the processing liquid while rotating the substrate holding unit that holds the substrate multiple times.

8. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, When an orientation flat or notch is provided in a specific region of the peripheral edge of the substrate, A substrate processing apparatus comprising a control unit that controls the nozzle moving unit and the rotating unit so that a liquid reservoir of the processing liquid is formed when the specific region is outside the processing position.

9. A substrate processing method comprising processing the peripheral edge of a substrate held in a horizontal position by a substrate holding part with a processing liquid, The process involves moving and positioning the nozzle so that its discharge port is close to the peripheral edge of the substrate held by the substrate holding portion, and forming a liquid reservoir of the processing liquid between the discharge port and the peripheral edge, The process involves applying the processing liquid to the peripheral edge from the nozzle while rotating the substrate around a vertically extending axis of rotation, while maintaining the liquid reservoir. A substrate processing method characterized by comprising:

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