Charging unit and substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

This invention provides a technology that allows both main surfaces of a substrate to be charged. [Solution] The charging unit 20 comprises a plurality of pins 26 and a charger 21. The plurality of pins 26 support the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. The charger 21 charges the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, which are supported by the plurality of pins 26.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a charging unit and a substrate processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a substrate processing apparatus that heats a substrate after discharging the substrate has been disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the substrate processing apparatus includes a hot plate that heats the substrate and an ionizer that discharges the substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, only one main surface of the substrate is discharged, and the main surface of the substrate cannot be charged. Naturally, both main surfaces of the substrate cannot be charged either.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique capable of charging both main surfaces of a substrate.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A first aspect is a charging unit including a plurality of pins that support a second main surface of a substrate having a first main surface and a second main surface, and a charger that charges the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of pins.

[0007] A second aspect is the charging unit according to the first aspect, wherein the charger includes an ionizer.

[0008] A third embodiment is a charging unit according to the second embodiment, comprising: a substrate placement section for supporting or holding the substrate; a pin drive section for raising a plurality of pins to lift the substrate from the substrate placement section and lowering the plurality of pins to pass the substrate to the substrate placement section; and a control section, wherein the control section raises the plurality of pins in the pin drive section to support the substrate, and charges the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate with the charger.

[0009] A fourth embodiment is a charging unit according to the second or third embodiment, wherein the ionizer supplies charged particles to the first main surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of pins and to the portion of the substrate outside the first main surface, and the charger includes a guide member that guides the charged particles flowing through the outer portion to the second main surface of the substrate.

[0010] A fifth embodiment is a charging unit according to the fourth embodiment, wherein the charger includes a moving drive unit that moves the induction member between a charging position and a standby position while the plurality of pins support the substrate, the charging position being a position in which a part of the induction member is interposed between the second main surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of pins and the substrate placement portion, and the standby position being a position outside the substrate.

[0011] A sixth embodiment is a charging unit according to the third embodiment, wherein the ionizer is provided at a position where the outlet of the ionizer faces the side surface of the substrate.

[0012] A seventh aspect is a charging unit according to the sixth aspect, wherein the charging unit includes a lifting drive unit that moves one of the ionizer and the substrate up and down relative to the other.

[0013] The eighth aspect is a substrate processing apparatus comprising a charging unit according to any one of the first to seventh aspects and a processing unit, wherein the charging unit positively charges the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate, and the processing unit has a processing chamber and performs processing including at least one of heating the substrate in the processing chamber and supplying a processing gas, and performing processing involving the generation of metal ions in the processing chamber.

[0014] The ninth embodiment is a substrate processing apparatus comprising a load port on which a carrier containing a substrate is placed, a plurality of processing units, and a transport unit for transporting the substrate between the load port and the plurality of processing units, each of the plurality of processing units including a charging unit according to any one of the first to seventh embodiments, a processing chamber, a processing unit that performs processing on the first main surface of the substrate within the processing chamber, and a local transport unit that has an insulating contact portion that contacts the substrate, and transports the substrate between the charging unit and the processing unit while the contact portion supports or holds the substrate.

[0015] A tenth embodiment is a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a load port on which a carrier containing a substrate is placed; a relay unit that relays the substrate and includes a charging unit according to any one of the first to seventh embodiments; a first transport unit that transports the substrate between the carrier and the relay unit; a plurality of processing units that perform processing on the first main surface of the substrate within a processing chamber; and a second transport unit that has an insulating contact portion that contacts the substrate and transports the substrate between the relay unit and the plurality of processing units while the contact portion supports or holds the substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the first embodiment, when the pins support the substrate, the entire first main surface and most of the second main surface of the substrate W are exposed to the charging unit 20. Therefore, the charger can charge the first and second main surfaces of the substrate more effectively.

[0017] According to the second aspect, the ionizer can supply charged particles to the substrate to charge the substrate. Therefore, the substrate can be easily charged.

[0018] According to the third aspect, when the substrate placement part supports or holds the substrate, the gap between the second main surface of the substrate and the substrate placement part may be narrow. However, the charger charges the substrate while the pins lift the substrate from the substrate placement part. Therefore, the charger can easily supply charged particles to the second main surface of the substrate, and the charger can more appropriately charge the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate.

[0019] According to the fourth aspect, the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate can be charged.

[0020] According to the fifth aspect, the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate can be charged while the induction member is located at the charging position. The substrate can be lowered while the induction member is located at the standby position.

[0021] According to the sixth aspect, the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate can be charged with a simple configuration.

[0022] According to the seventh aspect, both the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate can be more reliably charged.

[0023] According to the eighth aspect, metal ions repel the positively charged first main surface and second main surface of the substrate. Therefore, the processing unit can perform processing on the substrate while reducing the possibility of the substrate being contaminated by metal.

[0024] According to the ninth aspect, a charging unit and a processing unit are provided in the processing part. Therefore, the processing unit can perform processing promptly after the charging process by the charging unit.

[0025] According to the tenth aspect, since it is not necessary to provide a charging unit for each processing unit, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] [Figure 1] It is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the internal configuration of a control unit. [Figure 3] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of a dry processing unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a part of the configuration of a substrate placement unit. [Figure 5] It is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of an induction member. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a dry processing unit. [Figure 7] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of the state of a charging unit. [Figure 8] It is an enlarged view showing an example of the state of a gas bake unit. [Figure 9] It is a diagram schematically showing another example of the configuration of a charging unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of a charging unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of a tower of a substrate processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a diagram schematically showing another example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to the third embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that, for the purpose of ease of understanding, the dimensions and number of parts in the drawings are exaggerated or simplified as needed. Also, parts with similar configurations and functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted in the following description.

[0028] Furthermore, in the following explanations, similar components will be denoted by the same symbols, and their names and functions will also be the same. Therefore, detailed explanations of them may be omitted to avoid redundancy.

[0029] Furthermore, even if ordinal numbers such as "first" or "second" are used in the following descriptions, these terms are used for convenience to facilitate understanding of the embodiments and are not limited to the order that may result from these ordinal numbers.

[0030] When expressions indicating relative or absolute positional relationships are used (e.g., "in one direction," "along one direction," "parallel," "orthogonal," "center," "concentric," "coaxial," etc.), unless otherwise specified, such expressions shall not only strictly represent the positional relationship but also represent a state in which there is a relative displacement in terms of angle or distance within a tolerance or a range in which equivalent functionality is obtained. When expressions indicating equality are used (e.g., "identical," "equal," "homogeneous," etc.), unless otherwise specified, such expressions shall not only strictly represent a state in which there is a quantitatively exact equality but also represent a state in which there is a difference within a tolerance or a range in which equivalent functionality is obtained. When expressions indicating shape are used (e.g., "quadrilateral" or "cylindrical"), unless otherwise specified, such expressions shall not only strictly represent the geometrically exact shape but also represent a shape with features such as concavities or chamfers within a range in which equivalent effects are obtained. When expressions such as "possess," "equip," "include," or "have" a single component are used, such expressions are not exclusive expressions that exclude the existence of other components. When the expression "at least one of A, B, and C" is used, it includes A only, B only, C only, any two of A, B, and C, and all of A, B, and C.

[0031] <First Embodiment> <Overall configuration of the substrate processing equipment> Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100. The substrate processing apparatus 100 is a single-wafer processing apparatus that processes substrates W one at a time.

[0032] The substrate W is, for example, a semiconductor wafer, a substrate for liquid crystal displays, an organic electroluminescence (EL) substrate, a flat panel display (FPD) substrate, an optical display substrate, a magnetic disk substrate, an optical disk substrate, a magneto-optical disk substrate, a photomask substrate, or a solar cell substrate. The substrate W has a thin, flat shape. In the following, it is assumed that the substrate W is a semiconductor wafer. The substrate W has, for example, a disc shape. The diameter of the substrate W is, for example, about 300 mm, and the film thickness of the substrate W is, for example, about 0.5 mm or more and about 3 mm or less.

[0033] In the example shown in Figure 1, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes an indexer block 110, a processing block 120, and a control unit 90. The processing block 120 is primarily responsible for processing the substrate W, while the indexer block 110 is primarily responsible for transporting the substrate W between the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 100 and the processing block 120.

[0034] The indexer block 110 includes a load port 111 and a first transport section 112. A substrate carrier (hereinafter referred to as a carrier) C, which is brought in from the outside, is placed on the load port 111. Multiple substrates W are housed in the carrier C, for example, arranged with spacing between them in the vertical direction. In the example shown in Figure 1, multiple load ports 111 are arranged.

[0035] The first transport unit 112 is a transport robot capable of removing unprocessed substrates W from carriers C placed on each load port 111. The first transport unit 112 may also be called an indexer robot. The first transport unit 112 transports the unprocessed substrates W removed from the carriers C to the processing block 120. The processing block 120 can process the unprocessed substrates W. The first transport unit 112 can also receive processed substrates W from the processing block 120 and transport the processed substrates W to the carriers C on the load ports 111.

[0036] In the example shown in Figure 1, the processing block 120 includes a plurality of processing units 121 and a second transport unit 122. The second transport unit 122 is a transport robot that transports the substrate W between the first transport unit 112 and the plurality of processing units 121. In the example shown in Figure 1, the second transport unit 122 transfers the substrate W to the first transport unit 112 via a relay unit 123. The relay unit 123 may be a shelf on which the substrate W is placed, or it may be a shuttle-type transport unit.

[0037] In the example shown in Figure 1, multiple (e.g., four) processing units 121 are arranged to surround the second transport unit 122 in a plan view. This second transport unit 122 may also be called a center robot. At each position in the plan view, the multiple processing units 121 may be stacked vertically. In other words, multiple (four in the figure) towers TW, each composed of multiple processing units 121 stacked vertically, may be arranged to surround the second transport unit 122.

[0038] In the example shown in Figure 1, the multiple processing units 121 include a wet processing unit 121W and a dry processing unit (corresponding to a processing unit) 121D.

[0039] The wet treatment unit 121W performs various wet treatments on the substrate W. For example, the wet treatment unit 121W performs a chemical treatment by supplying a chemical solution to the main surface of the substrate W, followed by a rinsing treatment by supplying a rinsing solution to the main surface of the substrate W, in that order. As chemical treatments, for example, cleaning treatment and etching treatment can be applied. In addition, the wet treatment unit 121W also performs a drying treatment to dry the substrate W after the rinsing treatment.

[0040] In some cases, a pattern may be formed on the main surface of the substrate W immediately before it is fed into the wet processing unit 121W. In this case, the wet processing unit 121W may perform hydrophobic treatment and rinsing treatment in this order between rinsing and drying. Hydrophobic treatment is a process in which a hydrophobic solution, such as a silylation solution, is supplied to the main surface of the substrate W to make the main surface of the substrate W hydrophobic. Specifically, when the hydrophobic solution acts on the main surface of the substrate W, the hydrophobic groups in the hydrophobic solution bind to the main surface of the substrate W, and the main surface of the substrate W becomes hydrophobic. Rinsing treatment after hydrophobic treatment is a process in which the hydrophobic solution is washed away with rinsing liquid. By making the substrate W hydrophobic, the surface tension of the rinsing liquid can be reduced. Therefore, the collapse of the pattern in the subsequent drying treatment can be suppressed. In this case, organic matter (hydrophobic groups) is formed on the main surface of the substrate W after drying treatment by the wet processing unit 121W. Such organic matter is removed by the dry processing unit 121D described later.

[0041] Alternatively, the wet processing unit 121W may perform sublimation drying as a drying process. Specifically, the wet processing unit 121W supplies a processing liquid containing a sublimable substance to the main surface of the substrate W, dries the processing liquid to form a solidified film of the sublimable substance, and then dries the substrate W by sublimating the solidified film. The sublimable substance is an organic substance, such as cyclohexanone oxime. In this case, organic matter (sublimable substance) may remain on the main surface of the substrate W after drying by the wet processing unit 121W. Such organic matter is removed by the dry processing unit 121D described later.

[0042] The dry processing unit 121D performs a dry processing on the substrate W. Specifically, the dry processing unit 121D performs a processing that includes either heating the substrate W or supplying a processing gas. Hereinafter, this processing will also be referred to as gas baking. Here, the dry processing unit 121D will perform both heating and supplying a processing gas. As an example, the dry processing unit 121D will supply an oxidizing gas as the processing gas. The oxidizing gas is a gas that oxidizes organic matter on the substrate W, such as ozone gas. In this way, the dry processing unit 121D oxidizes and removes organic matter from the main surface of the substrate W.

[0043] In the example shown in Figure 1, the dry processing unit 121D includes a charging unit 20 and a gas bake unit (corresponding to a processing unit) 30. The charging unit 20 positively or negatively charges both main surfaces of the substrate W. Here, as an example, the charging unit 20 positively charges both main surfaces of the substrate W. A detailed example of the charging unit 20 and its operation will be described in detail later. The gas bake unit 30 performs the gas bake process on the positively charged main surfaces of the substrate W. A detailed example of the gas bake unit 30 will also be described in detail later. In the example shown in Figure 1, the dry processing unit 121D also includes a transport unit 40. The transport unit 40 transports the substrate W between the charging unit 20 and the gas bake unit 30. The transport unit 40 can also be called a local transport unit. An example of the transport unit 40 will also be described in detail later.

[0044] The control unit 90 comprehensively controls the substrate processing apparatus 100. More specifically, the control unit 90 controls the first transport unit 112, the second transport unit 122, and the processing unit 121. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the control unit 90. The control unit 90 is an electronic circuit and includes, for example, a data processing unit 91 and a storage unit 92. The data processing unit 91 and the storage unit 92 may be interconnected via a bus 93. The data processing unit 91 may be an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processor Unit). The storage unit 92 may include a non-temporary storage unit (e.g., ROM (Read Only Memory)) 921 and a temporary storage unit (e.g., RAM (Random Access Memory)) 922. The non-temporary storage unit 921 may store, for example, a program that defines the processing to be executed by the control unit 90. By executing this program, the data processing unit 91 enables the control unit 90 to execute the processing defined in the program. Of course, some or all of the processing performed by the control unit 90 may be performed by hardware such as dedicated logic circuits.

[0045] <Dry Processing Unit> Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the dry processing unit 121D. In the examples of Figures 1 and 3, the charging unit 20 is adjacent to the gas bake unit 30 in the horizontal direction. Hereafter, the two main surfaces of the substrate W will be referred to as the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb, respectively. The first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb are opposite surfaces of the substrate W in the thickness direction. Organic matter such as hydrophobic groups is present on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W.

[0046] <Charging Unit> The charging unit 20 positively or negatively charges the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. In the example shown in Figure 3, the charging unit 20 includes a charger 21 and a plurality of lifting pins 26. The dry processing unit 121D may include a chamber (not shown). The charger 21 and the lifting pins 26 are located inside the chamber.

[0047] Multiple lifting pins 26 have an elongated shape extending vertically, allowing them to support the substrate W in a horizontal position. Here, "horizontal position" refers to a position where the thickness direction of the substrate W is aligned with the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 3, the tip of each lifting pin 26 contacts the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, supporting the substrate W. In this state, the entirety of the first main surface Wa and almost the entirety of the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are exposed within the charging unit 20 (chamber). At least the contact portion (i.e., tip) of the lifting pin 26 with the substrate W is formed of an insulating material. For example, an organic resin or ceramics can be used as the insulating material.

[0048] In the example shown in Figure 3, each lifting pin 26 is provided so as to be able to vertically penetrate the substrate mounting section 22 and the cooling plate 251, which will be described later. In the example shown in Figure 3, the charging unit 20 also includes a pin drive unit 261. The pin drive unit 261 is controlled by the control unit 90 and moves the multiple lifting pins 26 up and down between a first pin upper position and a first pin lower position. The first pin upper position is the position where the upper end of the lifting pin 26 is above the upper surface 22a of the substrate mounting section 22, and the first pin lower position is the position where the lower end of the lifting pin 26 is below the upper surface 22a of the substrate mounting section 22. The pin drive unit 261 includes, for example, an air cylinder. By raising the multiple lifting pins 26 to the first pin upper position, the substrate W can be lifted from the substrate mounting section 22. At this time, the second main surface Wb of the substrate W comes into contact with the tips of the multiple lifting pins 26. With multiple lifting pins 26 positioned above the first pin, the substrate W is transferred between the second transport unit 122 and the lifting pins 26. Furthermore, by lowering the multiple lifting pins 26 to the position below the first pin while supporting the substrate W, the substrate W can be transferred to the substrate placement unit 22.

[0049] The substrate mounting section 22 supports or holds the substrate W in a horizontal position. In the example in Figure 3, the substrate mounting section 22 has a plate-like shape and is positioned so that its thickness direction is aligned with the vertical direction. In the example in Figure 3, the substrate mounting section 22 has an upper surface 22a, which supports the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. Such a substrate mounting section 22 can also be called a mounting base. The upper surface 22a of the substrate mounting section 22 may be wider than the substrate W in a plan view. Note that a plan view here means viewing the object along the vertical direction.

[0050] At least the portion of the substrate placement area 22 that contacts the substrate W is formed of an insulating material. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a part of the configuration of the substrate placement area 22. In the example of Figure 4, the substrate placement area 22 includes a main plate B1 and a plurality of support members P1. The main plate B1 has a plate-like shape and is provided in a position where its thickness direction is aligned with the vertical direction. In the example of Figure 4, the support members P1 are granular, and the plurality of support members P1 are dispersed on the upper surface of the main plate B1. The support members P1 protrude upward from the upper surface of the main plate B1. The second main surface Wb of the substrate W is in contact with the plurality of support members P1 and is supported by the plurality of support members P1. In other words, the support members P1 correspond to the contact portion of the substrate placement area 22 that contacts the substrate W. In the example of Figure 4, each support member P1 has a spherical shape. In the example of Figure 4, the lower part of the support member P1 is embedded in the main plate B1, and the upper part of the support member P1 protrudes from the main plate B1. The amount of protrusion of the support P1 from the upper surface of the main plate B1 may be, for example, 0.5 mm or less, and a specific example is about 0.1 mm. The support P1 (contact portion) is formed of an insulating material, for example, ceramics. The main plate B1 may be formed of an insulating material (ceramics or organic resin), or it may be formed of a conductive material such as metal.

[0051] In the example shown in Figure 3, the substrate placement portion 22 includes a plurality of positioning pins G1. The plurality of positioning pins G1 are provided on the upper surface of the main plate B1 and protrude upward from the upper surface of the main plate B1. The plurality of positioning pins G1 may be provided at equal intervals along the periphery of the substrate W. The amount of protrusion of the positioning pins G1 may be greater than the amount of protrusion of the support P1, and may be greater than, for example, the thickness of the substrate W. The positioning pins G1 abut against the side surface of the substrate W to determine the position of the substrate W in a plan view. The positioning pins G1 may also be formed from an insulating material. For example, the positioning pins G1 may be formed from ceramics or organic resin.

[0052] The charger 21 is controlled by the control unit 90 to positively or negatively charge the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W supported by the lifting pins 26. In the example in Figure 3, the charger 21 includes an ionizer 21A. In the example in Figure 3, the ionizer 21A is located above the substrate W supported by the lifting pins 26. The ionizer 21A supplies charged particles to the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W supported by the lifting pins 26, thereby charging the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. The charged particles are either positively charged particles or negatively charged particles. Positively charged particles are cations, and negatively charged particles contain at least one of electrons and anions. Hereafter, negatively charged particles will also be referred to as anions. Here, the ionizer 21A supplies cations to positively charge the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. If the ionizer 21A negatively charges the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, then in the following description, cations should be read as anions. This is also true for other embodiments.

[0053] The ionizer 21A is, for example, a corona discharge type ionizer for charging. For example, the ionizer 21A includes a housing (not shown) and discharge electrodes. The discharge electrodes are provided inside the housing. The ionizer 21A generates a discharge and produces positive ions by applying a voltage to the electrodes. An outlet is formed in the housing, and the ionizer 21A discharges the positive ions from the outlet of the housing. Although the ionizer 21A may also produce negative particles, it discharges a sufficiently large number of positive ions from the outlet compared with the negative particles. For example, a capture electrode for capturing negative particles may be provided inside the housing of the ionizer 21A. The ionizer 21A may also include a blower. The blower is, for example, a fan, which flows a carrier gas (e.g., air or nitrogen gas) inside the housing towards the outlet, causing the carrier gas to discharge from the outlet along with the positive ions.

[0054] In the example shown in Figure 3, multiple lifting pins 26 are positioned above the first pin and support the substrate W. In this state, the entire surface of the first main surface Wa and most of the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are exposed within the charging unit 20 (inside a chamber not shown). In this state, the charger 21 charges the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W.

[0055] In the example shown in Figure 3, the charger 21 further includes a guide member 23 and a moving drive unit 235. The guide member 23 is a member that guides (directs) cations from the ionizer 21A to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. The guide member 23 is formed of, for example, an insulating material. For example, ceramics or organic resins can be used as insulating materials. The moving drive unit 235 moves the guide member 23 between the charging position and the standby position, which will be described next, with a plurality of lifting pins 26 supporting the substrate W in the first pin position. The charging position is a position in which a part of the guide member 23 is interposed between the second main surface Wb of the substrate W and the substrate placement portion 22, and the part faces the second main surface Wb of the substrate W at a distance. In the example shown in Figure 3, the guide member 23 stopped in the charging position is shown. While in the charging position, the guide member 23 guides cations from the ionizer 21A to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. The standby position is a position where the guide member 23 does not face the substrate W in the vertical direction, for example, a position radially outward from the substrate W. The standby position is also a position where the guide member 23 does not interfere with the transport path of the substrate W. The moving drive unit 235 includes, for example, a drive source such as a motor, and a power transmission unit that transmits the driving force of the drive source to the guide member 23. The power transmission unit includes, for example, a ball screw mechanism.

[0056] In the example shown in Figure 3, the guide member 23 includes a face portion 231 and an inclined portion 232. The face portion 231 is the portion that partially faces the second main surface Wb of the substrate W when the guide member 23 is in the charged position. In other words, the face portion 231 is partially located between the substrate W and the transport plate 41. The surface of the face portion 231 that faces the second main surface Wb of the substrate W (in this case, the top surface) is, for example, a horizontal flat surface. The face portion 231 has, for example, a plate-like shape and is provided in a position where its thickness direction is aligned with the vertical direction. The face portion 231 faces the second main surface Wb of the substrate W in a region that does not collide with the plurality of lifting pins 26. That is, the face portion 231 does not come into contact with the lifting pins 26. Also, when the guide member 23 is in the charged position, the face portion 231 protrudes outward from the substrate W in a plan view. The face portion 231 may have, for example, a rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0057] The inclined portion 232 extends from the end of the opposing portion 231 that protrudes outward from the substrate W. The upper surface of the inclined portion 232 is inclined so that it moves away horizontally from the substrate W as it extends upward. The inclined portion 232 is located outside the substrate W when the induction member 23 is in the charged position. The upper end of the inclined portion 232 is located above the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. The upper end of the inclined portion 232 may be located below the ionizer 21A. In the example of Figure 3, the inclined portion 232 has a plate-like shape. The inclined portion 232 may have, for example, a rectangular shape in plan view.

[0058] The guide member 23 may have an elongated shape extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of the guide member 23. In the example in Figure 5, the opposing portion 231 is adjacent to the inclined portion 232 in the left-right direction of the paper, and the longitudinal direction of the guide member 23 is along the up-down direction of the paper. In other words, the longitudinal direction of the guide member 23 is perpendicular to the direction in which the opposing portion 231 and the inclined portion 232 are adjacent. The length of the guide member 23 in the longitudinal direction is greater than or equal to the diameter of the substrate W.

[0059] The ionizer 21A supplies positive ions to the first main surface Wa of the substrate W and to the portion of the substrate W outside the first main surface Wa (specifically, the upper surface of the induction member 23). For example, in a plan view, the supply range of positive ions from the ionizer 21A spans both the first main surface Wa of the substrate W and the upper surface of the induction member 23. The ionizer 21A discharges positive ions and carrier gas toward the substrate W and the induction member 23. As positive ions are supplied to the first main surface Wa of the substrate W, the first main surface Wa of the substrate W becomes positively charged.

[0060] Meanwhile, the carrier gas and cations flowing in the portion of the substrate W outside the first main surface Wa are supplied to the upper surface of the guide member 23. The cations supplied to the upper surface of the guide member 23 flow along the upper surface of the inclined portion 232 together with the carrier gas, and then flow between the opposing portion 231 and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. In other words, the cations are guided to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. The cations flow between the second main surface Wb of the substrate W and the opposing portion 231, and then flow between the second main surface Wb of the substrate W and the upper surface 22a of the transport plate 41. As a result, the cations act on the entire surface of the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W also becomes positively charged.

[0061] The distance between the upper surface of the opposing portion 231 and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W is narrower than the distance between the upper surface 22a of the transport plate 41 and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. The distance between the transport plate 41 and the substrate W may be set to 50 mm or less, 30 mm or less, or 10 mm or less. This makes it easier to supply cations to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W.

[0062] Here, since the tip of the lifting pin 26 is made of an insulating material, the tip is insulated from the substrate W. Therefore, even after the ionizer 21A stops supplying positive ions, the charge of the substrate W supported by the lifting pin 26 is properly maintained.

[0063] After the charging process of the substrate W is completed, the moving drive unit 235 moves the induction member 23 to the standby position, and the pin drive unit 261 lowers the lifting pin 26 to the first pin lowered position. As a result, the substrate W is placed on the substrate placement area 22. Here, the contact areas of the substrate placement area 22 (e.g., the support P1 and the positioning pin G1) are formed of insulating material, so these contact areas are insulated from the substrate W. Therefore, the charge of the substrate W on the substrate placement area 22 is properly maintained.

[0064] The technical significance of positively charging the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W will be discussed later. Also, although the charging unit 20 in the example in Figure 3 is equipped with a cooler 25, the cooler 25 will also be discussed later.

[0065] <Conveyor Unit> In the example shown in Figure 3, the substrate placement section 22 also functions as the transport plate 41 of the transport unit 40. In the following, the substrate placement section 22 may be described as the transport plate 41. The transport unit 40 transports the substrate W between the charging unit 20 and the gas bake unit 30 with an insulating contact section (here, a support P1) supporting or holding the substrate W. For example, the transport unit 40 includes a transport plate 41 and a transport drive unit 42. The transport drive unit 42 moves the transport plate 41 along, for example, the horizontal and vertical directions. In other words, the transport drive unit 42 may include a horizontal movement drive unit and a lifting drive unit. The transport drive unit 42 includes, for example, a drive source such as a motor and a power transmission unit that transmits the driving force of the drive source to the transport plate 41. The power transmission unit includes, for example, a ball screw mechanism. The transport drive unit 42 is controlled by a control unit 90.

[0066] The transport drive unit 42 moves the transport plate 41 on which the substrate W has been charged toward the gas bake unit 30. This allows the transport unit 40 to transport the substrate W to the gas bake unit 30. Since at least the contact portion (support P1 and positioning pin G1) of the transport plate 41 is insulated from the substrate W, the transport unit 40 can transport the substrate W while maintaining its charge.

[0067] The gas bake unit 30 performs a gas bake treatment on the substrate W, as will be described in detail later. The transport unit 40 transports the substrate W, after the gas bake treatment, from the gas bake unit 30 to the charging unit 20.

[0068] <Gas bake unit (processing unit)> The gas bake unit 30 includes a processing chamber 31. The internal space of the processing chamber 31 corresponds to the processing space for performing gas bake treatment on the substrate W. In the example in Figure 3, the processing chamber 31 has an opening and closing structure for loading and unloading the substrate W. As an example, the processing chamber 31 includes an upper member 311, a lower member 312, and an opening / closing drive unit 313. The upper member 311 is located above the lower member 312. The opening / closing drive unit 313 switches between a closed state in which the upper member 311 and the lower member 312 are in contact with each other in the vertical direction, and an open state in which the upper member 311 and the lower member 312 are separated from each other. In the closed state, the upper member 311 and the lower member 312 form a sealed internal space, and in the open state, the internal space communicates with the outside where the transport unit 40 is located. In the example in Figure 3, the opening / closing drive unit 313 moves the upper member 311 in the vertical direction. The opening / closing drive unit 313 may include a linear motion mechanism such as an air cylinder or a linear motor. Alternatively, the opening / closing drive unit 313 may include a motor and a power transmission unit (for example, a rack and pinion mechanism or a ball screw mechanism) that converts the rotation of the motor into linear motion.

[0069] The material of the processing chamber 31 may include metal. For example, a stainless steel alloy may be used for the material of the processing chamber 31. At least a portion of the inner wall of the processing chamber 31 is exposed to metal or a metal compound (e.g., oxide). The metal on the inner wall of the processing chamber 31 may be released into the internal space of the processing chamber 31 in an ionic state by gas baking, as described later.

[0070] As shown in Figure 3, the gas bake unit 30 includes a substrate placement section 32. The substrate placement section 32 supports or holds the substrate W in a horizontal position inside the processing chamber 31. In the example in Figure 3, the substrate placement section 32 is formed by a part of the lower member 312 and supports the second main surface Wb (here, the bottom surface) of the substrate W. The first main surface Wa (here, the top surface) of the substrate W is exposed inside the processing chamber 31. In the example in Figure 3, the substrate placement section 32 has a plate-like shape and is provided in a position where its thickness direction is aligned with the vertical direction. In the example in Figure 3, the substrate placement section 32 forms a part of the bottom of the processing chamber 31, and the upper surface of the substrate placement section 32 supports the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. Such a substrate placement section 32 can also be called a mounting platform. In the example in Figure 3, the upper surface of the substrate placement section 32 is wider than the substrate W in a plan view.

[0071] At least the portion of the substrate placement area 32 that contacts the substrate W is formed of an insulating material. The substrate placement area 32 may include a main plate B1 and a plurality of support members P1, similar to the substrate placement area 22 (see Figure 4). Therefore, the substrate placement area 32 can support or hold the substrate W while maintaining the charged state of the substrate W. As shown in Figure 3, the substrate placement area 32 may also include a plurality of positioning pins G1.

[0072] The substrate placement portion 32 supports the second main surface Wb of the substrate W with a plurality of support members P1 protruding from the upper surface of the main plate B1. Therefore, the upper surface of the main plate B1 corresponds to the opposing surface that faces the second main surface Wb of the substrate W with a gap in between. In other words, a gap is formed between the second main surface Wb of the substrate W and the main plate B1 (see also Figure 4).

[0073] In the example shown in Figure 3, the gas bake unit 30 also includes a plurality (e.g., three or more) of lifting pins 36 and a pin drive unit 361. Each lifting pin 36 has an elongated shape extending vertically and is provided so as to be able to vertically penetrate the substrate mounting section 32 and the heater 33 described later. The pin drive unit 361 is controlled by the control unit 90 and raises and lowers the plurality of lifting pins 36 between the second pin upper position and the second pin lower position. The second pin upper position is the position where the upper end of the lifting pin 36 is above the upper surface of the substrate mounting section 32, and the second pin lower position is the position where the lower end of the lifting pin 36 is below the upper surface of the substrate mounting section 32. The pin drive unit 361 includes, for example, an air cylinder. By raising the plurality of lifting pins 36 to the second pin upper position, the substrate W can be lifted from the substrate mounting section 32, and by lowering to the second pin lower position, the substrate W can be placed on the substrate mounting section 32. With multiple lifting pins 36 positioned above the second pin, the substrate W is transferred between the transport unit 40 and the lifting pins 36. At least the contact portion of the lifting pins 36 with the substrate W (i.e., the tip portion of the lifting pins 36) is made of an insulating material. For example, an organic resin or ceramics may be used as the insulating material.

[0074] In the example shown in Figure 3, a bellows 362 is provided on the lifting pin 36. This maintains the airtightness of the internal space of the processing chamber 31.

[0075] The gas bake unit 30 performs a gas bake treatment on the substrate W within the processing chamber 31. The gas bake treatment is a process that includes at least one of heating the substrate W and supplying a processing gas. In the example shown in Figure 3, the gas bake unit 30 includes a heater 33 and a processing gas supply unit 34. In other words, the gas bake unit 30 illustrated in Figure 3 performs both heating and supplying a processing gas to the substrate W.

[0076] The heater 33 heats the substrate W placed in the substrate placement section 32. The heater 33 is controlled by the control unit 90 and heats the substrate W so that its temperature is within a temperature range suitable for gas baking. This temperature is, for example, 100 degrees Celsius or higher. The heater 33 is, for example, an electrical resistance type or a radiant type heater. As an example, the heater 33 includes a heat source such as an electric heating wire and a heating plate. The heating plate is made of a material with high thermal conductivity (for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy). The heating plate has a plate-like shape and is installed with its thickness direction aligned with the vertical direction. The upper surface of the heating plate abuts the lower surface of the main plate B1 of the substrate placement section 32. The heat source is provided inside the heating plate and heats the heating plate. The heat generated by the heat source is transferred to the substrate W through the heating plate and the substrate placement section 32, and the substrate W is heated.

[0077] The heat generated by the heater 33 is transferred to the processing chamber 31, so the temperature of the processing chamber 31 may also rise. As a result, the processing chamber 31 becomes relatively reactive. Consequently, metals contained in the processing chamber 31 may leach into the processing chamber 31 in an ionic state due to their reaction with the gas inside the processing chamber 31. These metal ions are cations. The metal ions include, for example, at least one of manganese ions, iron ions, and copper ions.

[0078] The processing gas supply unit 34 supplies processing gas into the processing chamber 31. The processing gas acts on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W, performing an action on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W according to the type of processing gas. The processing gas is, for example, an oxidizing gas. As a specific example, the oxidizing gas is ozone gas. In this case, the processing gas oxidizes and removes organic matter from the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. The organic matter on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, hydrophobic groups. These hydrophobic groups can be formed on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W by processing in the wet processing unit 121W.

[0079] The processing gas supply unit 34 includes a supply pipe 341, a pressure adjustment unit 342, a supply valve 343, and an ozone generator 344. The downstream end of the supply pipe 341 is open inside the processing chamber 31. This downstream end of the supply pipe 341 functions as an air inlet 341a. In the example in Figure 3, the supply pipe 341 penetrates the ceiling of the processing chamber 31, and the air inlet 341a is located perpendicular to the center of the substrate W. The upstream end of the supply pipe 341 is connected to the ozone generator 344. The ozone generator 344 generates ozone gas, which is an example of a processing gas. The ozone generation method by the ozone generator 344 is not particularly limited, but at least one of the following can be applied: a silent discharge method, an electrolysis method, and an ultraviolet lamp method. The ozone generator 344 supplies ozone gas to the upstream end of the supply pipe 341.

[0080] The supply valve 343 is inserted into the supply pipe 341 and switches the supply pipe 341 open and closed. When the supply valve 343 is open, ozone gas from the ozone generator 344 flows through the inside of the supply pipe 341 toward the processing chamber 31 and into the internal space of the processing chamber 31. When the supply valve 343 is closed, the supply of ozone gas to the processing chamber 31 stops. The pressure adjustment unit 342 is, for example, an auto pressure controller. The pressure adjustment unit 342 adjusts the flow rate of the processing gas flowing through the supply pipe 341 so that the pressure inside the processing chamber 31 is within a predetermined pressure range. The pressure adjustment unit 342 and the supply valve 343 are controlled by the control unit 90.

[0081] At least a portion of the material in the longitudinal direction of the supply pipe 341 may contain metal. For example, that portion of the supply pipe 341 is formed of a stainless steel alloy. The inner wall of that portion of the supply pipe 341 is exposed to metal or a metal compound. When a processing gas (e.g., ozone gas) acts on the inner wall of the supply pipe 341, metal ions may flow into the interior of the supply pipe 341. The metal ions are cations and include, for example, at least one of iron ions, manganese ions, and copper ions. The metal ions flow into the interior of the processing chamber 31 along with the processing gas.

[0082] In the example shown in Figure 3, the gas bake unit 30 also includes a rectifier plate 35. The rectifier plate 35 has a plate-like shape and is installed with its thickness direction aligned with the vertical direction. The rectifier plate 35 is installed at a distance from the air intake port 341a in the vertical direction. The rectifier plate 35 is also installed at a distance from the substrate W in the vertical direction and faces the substrate W. In other words, the rectifier plate 35 is installed in the internal space of the processing chamber 31 between the downstream end of the supply pipe 341 and the substrate W. In plan view, the rectifier plate 35 has a shape that is concentric with the substrate W, for example, and its diameter is larger than the diameter of the substrate W. Multiple through holes 35a are formed in the rectifier plate 35. The multiple through holes 35a are arranged two-dimensionally in plan view, for example, in a matrix. The multiple through holes 35a penetrate the rectifier plate 35 in the vertical direction. In the example shown in Figure 3, the rectifier plate 35 is attached to the upper member 311.

[0083] The gas flowing into the internal space of the processing chamber 31 from the air inlet 341a of the supply pipe 341 passes through multiple through holes 35a of the rectifier plate 35. As the gas passes through the multiple through holes 35a, the gas is rectified and supplied more uniformly to the first main surface Wa of the substrate W.

[0084] As shown in Figure 3, the gas bake unit 30 also includes a discharge section 37. The discharge section 37 discharges the gas from the processing chamber 31 to the outside. The discharge section 37 includes a discharge pipe 371 and a discharge valve 372. In the example in Figure 3, the upstream end of the discharge pipe 371 is connected to the bottom of the processing chamber 31. Specifically, the upstream end of the discharge pipe 371 is connected to the lower member 312 radially outward from the substrate placement section 32. The downstream end of the discharge pipe 371 is connected to an external exhaust section. The exhaust section may be a factory utility. The discharge valve 372 is controlled by the control unit 90 to switch the opening and closing of the discharge pipe 371.

[0085] The ozone gas supplied into the processing chamber 31 through the supply pipe 341 reacts with the first main surface Wa of the substrate W to oxidize and remove organic matter from the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. The organic gas and other reactants such as water vapor produced by this reaction are discharged together with the ozone gas to the exhaust section outside the processing chamber 31 through the discharge pipe 371.

[0086] During the gas bake process using this gas bake unit 30, metal ions may flow out from the inner walls of the processing chamber 31 and the supply pipe 341. As a result, metal ions are generated inside the processing chamber 31. In other words, the gas bake process involves the generation of metal ions in the processing chamber 31. These metal ions may flow toward the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. Furthermore, metal ions may enter the gap between the second main surface Wb of the substrate W and the substrate placement area 32. However, the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are positively charged. Therefore, the metal ions repel the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. Thus, the possibility of the substrate W being contaminated by metal can be reduced.

[0087] By the way, in the example described above, the gas bake unit 30 heats the substrate W, so the substrate W becomes hot after the gas bake treatment. Therefore, in the example in Figure 3, the charging unit 20 is equipped with a cooler 25 to cool the substrate W. Conversely, the charging unit 20 (specifically the charger 21) is provided in the cooling unit 29, which includes the cooler 25.

[0088] In the example shown in Figure 3, the cooler 25 includes a cooling plate 251. The cooling plate 251 has a plate-like shape and is positioned so that its thickness direction is aligned with the vertical direction. The upper surface of the cooling plate 251 may contact the lower surface of the transport plate 41. The cooling plate 251 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity (e.g., a metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy). The upper surface of the cooling plate 251 may be wider than the substrate W in a plan view. The cooler 25 includes a cooling source (not shown) for cooling the cooling plate 251. The cooling source includes, for example, an internal flow path of the cooling plate 251 through which a refrigerant flows, refrigerant piping connected to the internal flow path, and a heat pump unit provided in the refrigerant piping for cooling the refrigerant. Alternatively, the cooling source may include a Peltier element provided on the cooling plate 251. The cooling source is controlled by the control unit 90.

[0089] <Example of operation of the dry processing unit> Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the dry processing unit 121D. This flowchart is executed by the control unit 90 controlling the dry processing unit 121D according to a predetermined procedure. First, the second transport unit 122 transports the substrate W into the charging unit 20 (step S1: transport process). As a result, the substrate W is placed on the transport plate 41. Organic matter is present on the first main surface Wa (in this case, the top surface) of the substrate W. For example, hydrophobic treatment by the wet processing unit 121W forms hydrophobic groups (organic matter) on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W.

[0090] Next, the charging unit 20 positively charges the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W (step S2: charging process). Specifically, first, the pin drive unit 261 raises the lifting pin 26 to the first pin position. This widens the gap between the main plate B1 and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. Next, the movement drive unit 235 moves the induction member 23 to the standby position. This causes a portion of the facing portion 231 of the induction member 23 to face the second main surface Wb of the substrate W with a gap between them. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the state of the charging unit 20 in step S2. Next, the control unit 90 activates the ionizer 21A. This causes the ionizer 21A to generate positive ions, which are then discharged from the outlet toward the first main surface Wa of the substrate W and the upper surface of the induction member 23. The ionizer 21A may also discharge carrier gas. In the example in Figure 7, the supply range of cations from the ionizer 21A is schematically shown by a dashed line, and the charge states of the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are schematically shown by enclosed "+" signs.

[0091] In the example shown in Figure 7, the cations flow in a manner that spreads out as they move away from the ionizer 21A, supplying them to the entire surface of the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. As a result, the entire surface of the first main surface Wa of the substrate W becomes positively charged. In addition, cations moving from the ionizer 21A toward the upper surface of the induction member 23 flow along the upper surface of the induction member 23 and are supplied to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. As a result, almost the entire surface of the second main surface Wb of the substrate W also becomes positively charged. When the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are sufficiently charged, the control unit 90 stops the ionizer 21A. As an example, the control unit 90 stops the ionizer 21A when a predetermined charging time has elapsed since the start of operation of the ionizer 21A. The control unit 90 measures the elapsed time using a timer circuit (not shown). The charging time is set in advance so that the potentials of the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are within a predetermined range. The minimum potential value in the potential distribution of the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W after charging treatment may be, for example, 1V or more, 5V or more, 10V or more, or 15V or more. The maximum potential value in the potential distribution of the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W after charging treatment may be, for example, 50V or less.

[0092] Next, the moving drive unit 235 moves the guide member 23 to the standby position, and the pin drive unit 261 lowers the lifting pin 26 to the first pin lower position. As a result, the substrate W is placed on the transport plate 41.

[0093] Next, the transport unit 40 transports the substrate W from the charging unit 20 to the gas bake unit 30 (step S3: local transport process). Since the contact portion of the transport plate 41 of the transport unit 40 is formed of an insulating material, the transport unit 40 can transport the substrate W to the gas bake unit 30 while maintaining its charged state. As an example, first, the opening / closing drive unit 313 opens the processing chamber 31, the transport unit 40 moves the substrate W directly above the lifting pins 36, and the pin drive unit 361 raises the multiple lifting pins 36 to the second pin upper position. As a result, the substrate W is lifted by the multiple lifting pins 36. Then, the transport plate 41 moves to the outside of the processing chamber 31. The transport plate 41 has a shape that does not collide with the lifting pins 36. Then, the pin drive unit 361 lowers the multiple lifting pins 36 to the second lower position. As a result, the substrate W is placed on the substrate placement section 32. Since the contact portion of the lifting pin 36 is made of an insulating material, the lifting pin 36 can place the substrate W on the substrate placement portion 32 while maintaining the charged state of the substrate W. The opening / closing drive unit 313 then closes the processing chamber 31. Since the contact portion of the substrate placement portion 32 is made of an insulating material, the substrate placement portion 32 can support the substrate W while maintaining the charged state of the substrate W.

[0094] Next, the gas bake unit 30 heats the substrate W while supplying a processing gas (ozone gas) to the substrate W (Step S4: Gas bake process). Specifically, first, the control unit 90 heats the substrate W with the heater 33. When the temperature of the substrate W reaches a temperature suitable for the gas bake process, the control unit 90 generates ozone gas in the ozone generator 344 and opens the supply valve 343 and the discharge valve 372. As a result, the ozone gas flows into the processing chamber 31 through the supply pipe 341. Figure 8 is an enlarged view showing an example of the gas bake unit 30 in Step S4. The ozone gas acts on the inner wall of the supply pipe 341, causing metal ions (manganese ions in Figure 8) to flow out from the inner wall of the supply pipe 341. Also, the ozone gas acts on the inner wall of the processing chamber 31, causing metal ions (manganese ions in Figure 8) to flow out from the inner wall of the processing chamber 31. Ozone gas and metal ions flow through the through-hole 35a of the rectifier plate 35 toward the first main surface Wa of the substrate W.

[0095] Ozone gas acts on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W, oxidizing and removing organic matter from the first main surface Wa of the substrate W, and flows into the discharge pipe 371 along with by-reactants. On the other hand, metal ions are repelled by the positively charged first main surface Wa and second main surface Wb of the substrate W. Therefore, metal ions do not approach the first main surface Wa of the substrate W very closely, nor do they approach the gap between the second main surface Wb of the substrate W and the substrate placement area 32 (main plate B1), and instead flow into the discharge pipe 371.

[0096] When organic matter is sufficiently removed from the first main surface Wa of the substrate W, the control unit 90 stops the heater 33 and the ozone generator 344 and closes the supply valve 343. For example, the control unit 90 stops the heater 33 and the ozone generator 344 and closes the supply valve 343 when a predetermined processing time has elapsed since the start of ozone gas supply. Next, the gas bake unit 30 may supply an inert gas such as nitrogen gas into the processing chamber 31 by an inert gas supply unit (not shown). This allows the ozone gas to be discharged from the processing chamber 31.

[0097] Next, the transport unit 40 transports the substrate W from the gas bake unit 30 to the charging unit 20 (Step S5: Local transport process). Specifically, the opening / closing drive unit 313 opens the processing chamber 31, and the lifting pin 36 lifts the substrate W from the substrate placement section 32. Then, the transport unit 40 receives the substrate W from the lifting pin 36 and moves the transport plate 41 onto the cooling plate 251.

[0098] Next, the charging unit 20 cools the substrate W (step S6: cooling process). Specifically, the control unit 90 activates the cooler 25. This cools the substrate W. When the substrate W is sufficiently cooled, the control unit 90 stops the cooler 25. For example, the control unit 90 stops the cooler 25 when a predetermined cooling time has elapsed since the start of operation of the cooler 25.

[0099] Next, the second transport unit 122 unloads the substrate W from the charging unit 20 (Step S7: Unloading process).

[0100] As described above, the charging unit 20 includes a charger 21 and a lifting pin 26. When the lifting pin 26 supports the substrate W, the entire first main surface Wa and most of the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are exposed within the charging unit 20 (i.e., within the chamber). Therefore, the charger 21 can charge the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W more effectively.

[0101] Furthermore, in the example described above, the charger 21 includes an ionizer 21A. The ionizer 21A can supply charged particles to the substrate W, thereby charging the substrate W. Therefore, the substrate W can be easily charged.

[0102] Furthermore, in the example described above, the charger 21 includes an inductive member 23. The inductive member 23 can guide cations from the ionizer 21A to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W through the inductive member 23. Therefore, the charger 21 can charge the second main surface Wb of the substrate W more effectively. In addition, compared to the case where the charger 21 charges the substrate W by inductive polarization, the charged state of the substrate W can be maintained even after the operation of the charger 21 has finished.

[0103] Furthermore, in the above example, a substrate placement section 22 is provided to support the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. When the substrate placement section 22 supports the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, it is difficult to supply positive ions to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. This is because the main plate B1 of the substrate placement section 22 faces the entire surface of the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, and the gap between the upper surface of the main plate B1 and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W is narrow, making it difficult for positive ions to enter the gap. In the above example, the ionizer 21A supplies positive ions when the lifting pin 26 lifts the substrate W and the induction member 23 moves to the charged position. As a result, the charger 21 can easily supply positive ions to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, and the charger 21 can charge the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W more appropriately.

[0104] Furthermore, in the above example, the charging unit 20 positively charges the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, and then the gas bake unit 30 performs the gas bake treatment on the substrate W. In other words, the gas bake unit 30 performs the gas bake treatment on the substrate W while the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W are positively charged. Although this gas bake treatment involves the generation of metal ions in the treatment chamber 31, since metal ions are cations, they repel the positively charged first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. Therefore, the gas bake unit 30 can perform the gas bake treatment on the substrate W while reducing the possibility of metal contamination of the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W.

[0105] Furthermore, in the example described above, ozone gas is supplied as the processing gas. The highly reactive ozone gas allows for more efficient oxidation and removal of organic matter from the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. On the other hand, the highly reactive ozone gas increases the risk of metal ions flowing out from the inner walls of the processing chamber 31 and the supply pipe 341. However, since these metal ions repel the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, the possibility of metal contamination during the oxidation and removal of organic matter is low.

[0106] Furthermore, in the example described above, the ionizer 21A is located outside the processing chamber 31. Therefore, even if the ionizer 21A contains metal, it will not function as a metal source within the processing chamber 31. Consequently, the possibility of metal contamination of the substrate W can be further reduced.

[0107] Furthermore, in the example described above, the dry processing unit 121D includes a charging unit 20 and a gas bake unit 30. In other words, the charging unit 20 is provided in a one-to-one relationship with the gas bake unit 30. Therefore, the dry processing unit 121D can charge the substrate W with the charging unit 20 immediately before processing by the gas bake unit 30 without causing any waiting time for charging. In other words, the gas bake unit 30 can perform the gas bake process quickly after the charging process by the charging unit 20.

[0108] In the example described above, the processing unit (gas bake unit 30) performs a process that includes at least one of heating and / or supplying a processing gas, but is not necessarily limited to this. The processing unit may perform any other process.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above example, both the first main surface Wa of the substrate W and the upper surface of the induction member 23 are included within the cation supply range of the ionizer 21A. However, this is not necessarily the case. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the charging unit 20. In the example of Figure 9, the charging unit 20 includes a displacement drive unit 27 that displaces the ionizer 21A. For example, the cation supply range of the ionizer 21A may be a long range having a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the induction member 23 (see Figure 9). The length of the longitudinal direction of the cation supply range is greater than or equal to the diameter of the substrate W. The displacement drive unit 27 displaces the ionizer 21A so that the cation supply range moves along its short direction (left-right direction in Figure 9).

[0110] The displacement drive unit 27 may be a movement drive unit that moves the ionizer 21A horizontally (in the shorter direction). The movement drive unit includes, for example, a drive source such as a motor and a power transmission unit such as a ball screw mechanism. Alternatively, the displacement drive unit 27 may be an oscillating drive unit that rotates (i.e., oscillates) the ionizer 21A in forward and reverse directions within a predetermined angular range around a rotation axis extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 9. The oscillating drive unit includes, for example, a drive source such as a motor and a power transmission unit such as a shaft.

[0111] More specifically, the displacement drive unit 27 displaces the ionizer 21A between a first position (see Figure 9) where the cation supply range is located on the induction member 23, and a second position where the cation supply range is located on the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. The second position is where the supply range is located on the end of the first main surface Wa of the substrate W opposite to the first position. When the ionizer 21A supplies cations at the first position, the induction member 23 guides the cations to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. This makes the second main surface Wb of the substrate W positively charged. Furthermore, by supplying cations while the ionizer 21A moves from the first position to the second position, the first main surface Wa of the substrate W can also be positively charged.

[0112] <Second Embodiment> The substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment differs from the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment in terms of the configuration of the charging unit 20. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the charging unit 20 according to the second embodiment. In the example of Figure 10, the ionizer 21A is provided at a position adjacent to the substrate W in the horizontal direction, with a plurality of lifting pins 26 supporting the substrate W. The outlet 21a of the ionizer 21A may face the side surface of the substrate W in the horizontal direction. The ionizer 21A is provided so as to avoid the transport path of the substrate W.

[0113] The vertical length of the outlet 21a of the ionizer 21A may be greater than the thickness of the substrate W. The ionizer 21A may discharge cations and carrier gas from the outlet 21a. Some of the cations discharged from the outlet 21a of the ionizer 21A may flow along the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. This allows the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W to be positively charged. The charger 21 can charge the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W with a simpler configuration.

[0114] As shown in Figure 10, the charger 21 may further include a lifting drive unit 212. The lifting drive unit 212 changes the relative positional relationship between the substrate W, which is supported by the lifting pins 26, and the ionizer 21A. Specifically, the lifting drive unit 212 raises or lowers one of the ionizer 21A and the substrate W relative to the other. In the example in Figure 10, the lifting drive unit 212 raises or lowers the ionizer 21A. The lifting drive unit 212 raises or lowers the ionizer 21A between the upper position and the lower position, which will be described below. The upper position is, for example, a position where the center of the outlet 21a of the ionizer 21A is above the first main surface Wa of the substrate W, and a position that supplies more cations to the first main surface Wa of the substrate W. The lower position is, for example, the position where the center of the outlet 21a of the ionizer 21A is below the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, and is the position that supplies more positive ions to the second main surface Wb of the substrate W. In the example in Figure 9, the ionizer 21A stopped at the upper and lower positions are schematically shown by dashed lines. The lifting drive unit 212 includes a drive source such as a motor and a power transmission unit that transmits the driving force of the drive source to the ionizer 21A. The power transmission unit includes, for example, a ball screw mechanism. The lifting drive unit 212 is controlled by the control unit 90.

[0115] An example of the operation of the dry processing unit 121D according to the second embodiment is the same as in Figure 6. However, in step S2, the control unit 90 may operate the ionizer 21A and move the ionizer 21A in one direction from one upper position to the other by the lifting drive unit 212. Alternatively, the control unit 90 may move the ionizer 21A back and forth between the upper position and the lower position by the lifting drive unit 212. This makes it possible to more appropriately positively charge the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W.

[0116] <Third Embodiment> In the first and second embodiments, the charging unit 20 (specifically, the charger 21) was provided on the cooling unit 29. However, the charging unit 20 is not necessarily limited to these. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a tower TW of the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment. In the example of Figure 11, the tower TW is composed of four dry processing units 121D stacked vertically. Note that the number of dry processing units 121D constituting the tower TW is not limited to four.

[0117] As shown in Figure 11, one of the multiple dry processing units 121D may include a charging unit 20 without including a cooling unit 29 and a gas bake unit 30. In the example in Figure 11, the lowest dry processing unit 121D is formed only of a charging unit 20. The charger 21 of the charging unit 20 includes an ionizer 21A. Also in the example in Figure 11, the other dry processing units 121D of the tower TW are not provided with charging units 20.

[0118] In this structure, the second transport unit 122 transports the substrate W from the wet processing unit 121W to the charging unit 20. This places the substrate W on the lifting pins 26 of the charging unit 20. The ionizer 21A of the charging unit 20 supplies positive ions to the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, thereby positively charging it. Then, the second transport unit 122 transports the substrate W from the charging unit 20 to the cooling unit 29 (transport unit 40). During this transport, the charged state of the substrate W must be maintained. Therefore, at least the contact portion of the handle of the second transport unit 122 with the substrate W is made of an insulating material. For example, ceramics or organic resin can be used as the insulating material. This allows the second transport unit 122 to transport the substrate W from the charging unit 20 to the cooling unit 29 (transport unit 40) while maintaining the charged state of the substrate W. Then, the transport unit 40 transports the substrate W to the gas bake unit 30, and the gas bake unit 30 performs the gas bake treatment on the substrate W. In this way, the gas bake unit 30 can perform the gas bake treatment while suppressing metal contamination.

[0119] The number of charging units 20 in each tower TW may be less than or equal to half the number of dry processing units 121D that make up the tower TW. For example, if a tower TW is composed of four dry processing units 121D, one charging unit 20 may be provided in the tower TW (see Figure 11). In this case, the charging unit 20 will be provided in accordance with multiple gas bake units 30. Since it is not necessary to provide a charging unit 20 for each gas bake unit 30, the manufacturing cost of the substrate processing apparatus 100 can be reduced.

[0120] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the eighth embodiment. As shown in Figure 12, the charging unit 20 may be provided in the relay section 123. The relay section 123 is provided between the first transport section 112 and the second transport section 122 and relays the substrate W. The relay section 123 is provided with a plurality of pins (not shown) on which the substrate W is positioned in a horizontal position. The charger 21 of the charging unit 20 includes an ionizer 21A. The ionizer 21A supplies positive ions to the first main surface Wa and the second main surface Wb of the substrate W, which are arranged on the plurality of pins, thereby positively charging them.

[0121] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 100 and the substrate processing method have been described in detail, but the above description is illustrative in all respects, and this disclosure is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the various modifications described above can be applied in combination as long as they do not contradict each other. And it is understood that a number of modifications not illustrated can be conceivable without falling outside the scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 111 Loadport 121D Dry Processing Unit 112 First Conveyor Unit (Conveyor Unit) 122 Second Conveyor Unit (Conveyor Unit) 123 Relay Unit 20 Charging Units 21. Charger 212 Lifting drive unit 21A Ionizer 23 Induction Member 235 Mobile drive unit 26. Lifting pin (pin) 261 Pin drive unit 30 Gas bake unit (processing unit) 31 Processing Chamber 40 Transport Units (Local Transport Units) W board Wa First Main Surface Wb 2nd principal surface

Claims

1. A plurality of pins supporting the second main surface of a substrate having a first main surface and a second main surface, A charger for charging the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of pins, A charging unit equipped with the following features.

2. A charging unit according to claim 1, The aforementioned charger is a charging unit including an ionizer.

3. A charging unit according to claim 2, A substrate mounting portion that supports or holds the aforementioned substrate, A pin drive unit that raises the plurality of pins to lift the substrate from the substrate mounting area, and lowers the plurality of pins to move the substrate to the substrate mounting area, Control unit and Equipped with, The control unit is a charging unit that raises the plurality of pins in the pin drive unit to support the substrate, and charges the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate with the charger.

4. A charging unit according to claim 2 or claim 3, The ionizer supplies charged particles to the first main surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of pins and to the portion of the substrate outside the first main surface. The charger is a charging unit that includes an induction member for guiding charged particles flowing through the outer portion to the second main surface of the substrate.

5. A charging unit according to claim 4, The charger includes a moving drive unit that moves the induction member between a charging position and a standby position while the plurality of pins support the substrate, The charging position is a position in which a part of the induction member is interposed between the second main surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of pins and the portion of the substrate to be placed. The standby position is a charging unit located outside the substrate.

6. A charging unit according to claim 3, The ionizer is a charging unit in which the outlet of the ionizer is located opposite the side surface of the substrate.

7. A charging unit according to claim 6, The charging unit includes a lifting drive unit that moves one of the ionizer and the substrate up and down relative to the other.

8. A charging unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, Processing unit and Equipped with, The charger positively charges the first main surface and the second main surface of the substrate. The processing unit comprises a processing chamber and includes at least one of heating the substrate in the processing chamber and supplying a processing gas, and performs processing that involves the generation of metal ions in the processing chamber.

9. A load port on which a carrier containing a circuit board is placed, Multiple processing units, A transport unit that transports the substrate between the load port and the plurality of processing units Equipped with, Each of the aforementioned plurality of processing units is: A charging unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A processing unit including a processing chamber, which performs processing on the first main surface of the substrate within the processing chamber, A local transport unit having an insulating contact portion that contacts the substrate, and transporting the substrate between the charging unit and the processing unit while the contact portion supports or holds the substrate, A substrate processing apparatus, including

10. A load port on which a carrier containing a circuit board is placed, A charging unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a relay unit that relays the substrate, A first transport unit transports the substrate between the carrier and the relay unit, A processing chamber is included, and within the processing chamber, a plurality of processing units perform processing on the first main surface of the substrate, A second transport unit having an insulating contact portion that contacts the substrate, and transporting the substrate between the relay unit and the plurality of processing units while the contact portion supports or holds the substrate. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

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