Substrate Processing Equipment

Abstract

To efficiently heat a peripheral edge part of an undersurface of a substrate.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises a holding part, a heating mechanism, and a ring-shape lower cup. The holding part holds a center part of an undersurface of a substrate. The heating mechanism supplies heated fluid to the substrate. The lower cup is arranged outside the heating mechanism. The heating mechanism includes a body part, a plurality of fins, a heat source, a fluid introduction part, a fluid discharge part, and a plurality of seal members. The body part has a circular ring shape. The plurality of fins is formed along a circumferential direction of an outer peripheral part of the body part. The heat source heats the plurality of fins. The fluid introduction part introduces fluid to the plurality of fins. The fluid discharge part discharges the fluid heated by passing through the plurality of fins to the substrate. The plurality of seal members is located above and below the fins. The heating mechanism and the lower cup are in contact with each other with the plurality of seal members therebetween.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in semiconductor manufacturing processes, wet etching using a chemical solution is performed on substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for performing wet etching while heating the peripheral edge portion of a substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-54932 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique that can efficiently heat the peripheral portion of the lower surface of a substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a holding unit, a heating mechanism, and an annular lower cup. The holding unit holds a central portion of a lower surface of a substrate. The heating mechanism supplies a heated fluid to the substrate. The lower cup is disposed outside the heating mechanism. The heating mechanism includes a main body, a plurality of fins, a heat source, a fluid introduction unit, a fluid discharge unit, and a plurality of seal members. The main body has an annular shape. The plurality of fins are formed along a circumferential direction of an outer periphery of the main body. The heat source heats the plurality of fins. The fluid introduction unit introduces a fluid to the plurality of fins. The fluid discharge unit discharges the fluid, which has been heated by passing through the plurality of fins, to the substrate. The plurality of seal members are located above and below the fins, respectively. The heating mechanism and the lower cup are in contact with each other via the plurality of seal members. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate can be efficiently heated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating mechanism according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the heating mechanism according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the heating mechanism according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the heating mechanism according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic bottom view of the heating mechanism according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a heating mechanism according to a first modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional plan view of a heating mechanism according to a second modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a fin included in a heating mechanism according to a second modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, a mode for carrying out a substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure (hereinafter, referred to as an "embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, each embodiment can be appropriately combined within a range that does not cause a contradiction in the processing contents. In addition, the same parts in each of the following embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0010] In addition, in the drawings referred to below, for ease of understanding, an orthogonal coordinate system may be shown in which the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are defined as being orthogonal to each other, and the Z-axis positive direction is the vertically upward direction. Also, the direction of rotation about the vertical axis may be referred to as the θ direction.

[0011] <Overall configuration of substrate processing apparatus> First, the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figures 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment includes a processing container 10, a holding unit 20, a heating mechanism 30, a lower supply unit 40, a lower cup 50, an outer cup 60, and an upper supply unit 70.

[0013] The processing vessel 10 houses a holder 20, a heating mechanism 30, a lower feeder 40, a lower cup 50, an outer cup 60 and an upper feeder 70.

[0014] The holding unit 20 holds the wafer W rotatably. Specifically, the holding unit 20 includes a vacuum chuck 21, a shaft unit 22, and a drive unit 23. The vacuum chuck 21 suction-holds the wafer W by vacuum suction. The vacuum chuck 21 has a smaller diameter than the wafer W, and suction-holds the central portion of the lower surface of the wafer W. The shaft unit 22 horizontally supports the vacuum chuck 21 at its tip. The drive unit 23 is connected to the base end of the shaft unit 22, and rotates the shaft unit 22 around a vertical axis.

[0015] The heating mechanism 30 is disposed below the wafer W and outside the holder 20. Specifically, the heating mechanism 30 is disposed between the holder 20 and the lower cup 50.

[0016] The heating mechanism 30 heats the peripheral portion of the underside of the wafer W by supplying a heated fluid to the underside of the wafer W held by the holding part 20. Specifically, the heating mechanism 30 includes a plurality of discharge ports 35b arranged in a line in the circumferential direction of the wafer W, and supplies the heated fluid to the underside of the wafer W from the plurality of discharge ports 35b.

[0017] The peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W refers to a ring-shaped region having a width of, for example, about 1 to 5 mm from the end face of the wafer W.

[0018] The underside supply unit 40 etches the peripheral portion of the underside of the wafer W by supplying a chemical liquid to the peripheral portion of the underside of the wafer W. This makes it possible to remove a film formed on the peripheral portion of the underside of the wafer W, or to clean the peripheral portion of the underside of the wafer W, for example.

[0019] 2, the underside supply unit 40 includes a underside nozzle 41, a pipe 42, a valve 43, a flow rate regulator 44, and a chemical liquid supply source 45. The underside nozzle 41 is disposed below the wafer W and discharges the chemical liquid upward toward the peripheral portion of the underside of the wafer W. The pipe 42 connects the underside nozzle 41 and the chemical liquid supply source 45. The valve 43 is provided in the middle of the pipe 42 and opens and closes the pipe 42. The flow rate regulator 44 is provided in the middle of the pipe 42 and adjusts the flow rate of the chemical liquid flowing through the pipe 42. The chemical liquid supply source 45 is, for example, a tank that stores the chemical liquid.

[0020] As the chemical solution, for example, hydrofluoric acid (HF), dilute hydrofluoric acid (DHF), hydrofluoric nitric acid, etc. can be used. Hydrofluoric nitric acid is a mixture of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and nitric acid (HNO 3 ) is a mixture of

[0021] The underside supply unit 40 may include a movement mechanism for horizontally moving the underside nozzle 41. In this case, the underside supply unit 40 can move the underside nozzle 41 between a processing position below the wafer W and a retracted position outside the wafer W.

[0022] The lower cup 50 is an annular member disposed outside the heating mechanism 30 below the wafer W. The lower cup 50 is formed of a highly chemical-resistant member such as a fluororesin such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or PFA (perfluoroalkoxyalkane).

[0023] The outer cup 60 is an annular member provided to surround the wafer W, and receives the chemical liquid and the like scattered from the wafer W. A drainage port 61 is formed at the bottom of the outer cup 60. The chemical liquid and the like received by the outer cup 60 is stored in a space formed by the outer cup 60 and the lower cup 50, and then discharged from the drainage port 61 to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0024] The upper surface supply unit 70 includes an upper surface nozzle 71, an arm 72, and a moving mechanism 73. The upper surface nozzle 71 is disposed above the wafer W with its outlet facing downward, and ejects a chemical liquid or a rinsing liquid onto the upper surface of the wafer W. DIW (deionized water) is used as the rinsing liquid, for example. The arm 72 extends in the horizontal direction, and supports the upper surface nozzle 71 at its tip. The moving mechanism 73 is connected to the base end of the arm 72, and moves the arm 72, for example, along the horizontal direction (here, the X-axis direction). This allows the upper surface nozzle 71 to move between a processing position above the wafer W and a retreat position outside the wafer W.

[0025] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment includes a control device 100. The control device 100 is, for example, a computer, and includes a control unit 101 and a storage unit 102. The storage unit 102 is, for example, realized by a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk, and stores programs for controlling various processes executed in the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control unit 101 includes a microcomputer having a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an input / output port, and various circuits, and controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 by reading and executing the programs stored in the storage unit 102.

[0026] Such a program may be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium and installed from the storage medium into the storage unit 102 of the control device 100. Examples of computer-readable storage media include a hard disk (HD), a flexible disk (FD), a compact disk (CD), a magnet optical disk (MO), and a memory card.

[0027] <Heating mechanism configuration> Next, the configuration of the heating mechanism 30 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 7. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating mechanism 30 according to the embodiment. Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the heating mechanism 30 according to the embodiment, and Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of the heating mechanism 30 according to the embodiment. Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view of the heating mechanism 30 according to the embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a schematic bottom view of the heating mechanism 30 according to the embodiment.

[0028] 3, the heating mechanism 30 includes a main body 31, a plurality of fins 32, a heat source 33, a fluid introduction portion 34, and a fluid discharge portion 35. The heating mechanism 30 also includes a heat insulating material 36 and a plurality of second labyrinth members 37.

[0029] (Main body 31) The main body 31 is formed of a material having high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, etc. The main body 31 has an annular shape (see FIG. 4) and is disposed between the holder 20 and the lower cup 50.

[0030] An annular first flange portion 31a is formed on the upper portion of the main body portion 31, extending radially outward from the main body portion 31. A plurality of discharge ports 35b are opened on the upper surface of the first flange portion 31a (see Figs. 4 and 6). The first flange portion 31a is also provided with a cutout portion 31b cut radially inward from an end portion of the first flange portion 31a. A lower surface nozzle 41 is disposed in the cutout portion 31b (see Fig. 1).

[0031] Further, an annular second flange portion 31c extending radially inward (i.e., toward the holding portion 20) of the main body portion 31 is formed on the inner periphery of the main body portion 31. A plurality of second labyrinth members 37 are formed on the upper surface of the second flange portion 31c.

[0032] 3, the main body 31 has a plurality of seal members 31d on the outer periphery thereof, and contacts the lower cup 50 via the plurality of seal members 31d. The plurality of seal members 31d are, for example, O-rings, and are provided above and below a plurality of fins 32, which will be described later.

[0033] At least the upper surface of the main body 31, in other words, at least the surface facing the lower surface of the wafer W, may be coated with, for example, a chemically resistant material. Examples of the chemically resistant material that can be used include fluororesins such as PTFE and PFA. In this way, by coating the areas to which the chemical solution may adhere with a highly chemically resistant material, it is possible to increase the heating efficiency while suppressing corrosion of the main body 31 caused by the chemical solution.

[0034] (Fin 32) The multiple fins 32 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer W below the wafer W and outside the holder 20. Specifically, the multiple fins 32 are formed on the outer periphery of the main body 31. Moreover, the multiple fins 32 are arranged radially inward from the peripheral edge of the wafer W.

[0035] Each of the multiple fins 32 extends along the circumferential direction of the main body 31 (i.e., the circumferential direction of the wafer W) (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The multiple fins 32 are also arranged side by side at intervals in the height direction (see FIGS. 3 and 5). As a result, a flow path portion 32a extending along the circumferential direction of the main body 31 is formed between the fins 32 adjacent in the height direction. The multiple fins 32 are also arranged side by side at intervals in the circumferential direction. As a result, a flow path portion 32b extending along the vertical direction is formed between the fins 32 adjacent in the circumferential direction.

[0036] (heat source 33) The heat source 33 is disposed near the fins 32 and heats the fins 32. The heat source 33 has a plurality of heating elements 33a extending along the stacking direction (Z-axis direction) of the fins 32. The heating elements 33a are, for example, rod-shaped members formed by covering a nichrome wire with a metal pipe, and are inserted into the main body 31 from below.

[0037] 3, when inserted into the main body 31, the heating element 33a extends above the fin 32 arranged in the uppermost row and below the fin 32 arranged in the lowermost row among the multiple fins 32. In addition, as shown in FIG 7, the multiple heating elements 33a are arranged side by side at intervals from one another along the circumferential direction of the main body 31.

[0038] In this manner, by arranging the multiple heating elements 33a extending in the stacking direction of the multiple fins 32 side by side in the circumferential direction of the main body 31, the multiple fins 32 can be heated evenly.

[0039] Moreover, the plurality of heating elements 33a are disposed radially inward of the main body 31 relative to the plurality of fins 32. In other words, the plurality of fins 32 are disposed radially outward of the main body 31 relative to the plurality of heating elements 33a. In this manner, by disposing the plurality of fins 32 on the outer periphery side of the main body 31, the surface area of ​​the plurality of fins 32 can be made larger than when the plurality of fins 32 are disposed on the inner periphery side of the main body 31. Therefore, for example, the heating efficiency of the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W can be improved without increasing the size of the main body 31.

[0040] (Fluid introduction section 34) The fluid introduction section 34 includes a plurality of introduction ports 34a, a pipe 34b, a valve 34c, a flow rate regulator 34d, and a fluid supply source 34e.

[0041] 7, the multiple inlets 34a are opened on the lower surface of the main body 31 and are arranged at intervals from one another along the circumferential direction of the main body 31. Here, an example is shown in which three inlets 34a are formed, but the number of inlets 34a is not limited to three. It is sufficient for the fluid introduction section 34 to have at least one inlet 34a.

[0042] The pipe 34b connects the multiple inlets 34a to a fluid supply source 34e. The valve 34c is provided in the middle of the pipe 34b and opens and closes the pipe 34b. The flow rate regulator 34d is provided in the middle of the pipe 34b and adjusts the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the pipe 34b. The fluid supply source 34e is, for example, a tank that stores a fluid. In the embodiment, the fluid supply source 34e stores N2 gas at room temperature.

[0043] The fluid introduction section 34 is configured as described above, and room temperature N2 gas stored in the fluid supply source 34e is supplied to the multiple inlets 34a via piping 34b and discharged from the multiple inlets 34a toward the underside of the lowest fin 32 (see FIG. 3).

[0044] (Fluid discharge section 35) The fluid discharge portion 35 includes a plurality of inlets 35a, a plurality of discharge ports 35b, and a plurality of flow paths 35c.

[0045] The inlets 35a are disposed radially inward from the peripheral edge of the wafer W, and the fluid heated by passing through the fins 32 flows into the inlets 35a.

[0046] Specifically, the multiple inlets 35a open on a surface facing the fin 32 that is arranged in the uppermost row among the multiple fins 32, and are arranged in a row at intervals from each other along the circumferential direction of the main body 31.

[0047] The multiple outlet ports 35b are formed on the upper surface of the first flange portion 31a of the main body portion 31, and are arranged at intervals from one another along the circumferential direction of the main body portion 31 (see FIGS. 4 and 6). The flow path 35c communicates between the inlet 35a and the outlet port 35b.

[0048] 3, the multiple discharge ports 35b are formed radially outward of the multiple inlets 34a of the main body 31. That is, in the radial direction of the wafer W, the multiple discharge ports 35b are disposed at positions closer to the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W than the multiple inlets 35a.

[0049] (Insulation 36) The heat insulating material 36 is disposed outward from the holding portion 20 and inward from the multiple fins 32 and the heat source 33. Specifically, the heat insulating material 36 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 31 and the lower surface of the second flange portion 31c. The heat insulating material 36 may also be provided inside the second flange portion 31c. By providing the heat insulating material 36 in this manner, it is possible to suppress the heat generated from the main body portion 31 heated by the heat source 33 from being transmitted to the holding portion 20.

[0050] (Second labyrinth member 37) The second labyrinth members 37 have an annular shape and are concentrically arranged at intervals from one another (see FIGS. 4 and 6).

[0051] A plurality of first labyrinth members 25 are formed on the lower surface of the vacuum chuck 21. The plurality of first labyrinth members 25 have an annular shape, and are concentrically arranged at intervals from each other.

[0052] The second labyrinth members 37 overlap the first labyrinth members 25 in the height direction and are arranged in a staggered manner.

[0053] When the holding part 20 and the wafer W rotate, a swirling flow caused by the rotation may cause cold (unheated) air to enter the gap between the wafer W and the main body part 31 through the gap between the vacuum chuck 21 and the main body part 31, which may reduce the heating efficiency of the heating mechanism 30.

[0054] In contrast, the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment is provided with a labyrinth structure formed by a plurality of first labyrinth members 25 and a plurality of second labyrinth members 37 in the gap between the holding part 20 and the main body part 31. By providing the labyrinth structure at such a position, cold (unheated) air is less likely to enter the gap between the wafer W and the main body part 31, so that a decrease in the heating efficiency of the heating mechanism 30 can be suppressed.

[0055] (Operation of heating mechanism 30) 3, the heating mechanism 30 and the lower cup 50 are in contact with each other via a ring-shaped seal member 31d provided on the outer periphery of the heating mechanism 30. The ring-shaped seal members 31d are provided above and below the multiple fins 32. Therefore, the multiple fins 32 are disposed in a space surrounded by the heating mechanism 30, the lower cup 50, and the upper and lower seal members 31d (hereinafter referred to as the "heated space").

[0056] In the heating mechanism 30, first, the main body 31 is heated by the heat source 33. As the main body 31 is heated, the multiple fins 32 formed on the main body 31 are heated.

[0057] Next, N2 gas at room temperature is discharged from the inlet 34a toward the lower surface of the lowest fin 32 among the plurality of fins 32. In this manner, in the heating mechanism 30, N2 gas at room temperature is supplied from below the heating space.

[0058] The room temperature N2 gas supplied to the heating space is heated by the multiple fins 32 arranged in the heating space. At this time, the N2 gas is diffused evenly in the heating space by passing through the flow path portion 32a, which is the gap between the fins 32 adjacent in the height direction, and the flow path portion 32b, which is the gap between the fins 32 adjacent in the circumferential direction. In this way, by diffusing the N2 gas evenly in the heating space, the multiple fins 32 can efficiently heat the N2 gas.

[0059] In addition, the inlet 34a, which is the inlet of the heating space, is formed below the heating space, and the inlet 35a, which is the outlet of the heating space, is formed above the heating space. Therefore, a flow of N2 gas from below to above is formed in the heating space. This allows the N2 gas introduced into the heating space to more reliably come into contact with the multiple fins 32 arranged in the height direction. This also allows the multiple fins 32 to efficiently heat the N2 gas.

[0060] In addition, as described above, the heating space is sealed by the lower cup 50 and the seal member 31d, so that the heated N2 gas is prevented from leaking out from places other than the inlet 35a. This allows the N2 gas to be efficiently heated by the multiple fins 32.

[0061] In addition, since the lower cup 50 is made of a material having high chemical resistance such as fluororesin, the thermal conductivity of the lower cup 50 is lower than that of the main body 31. Therefore, the lower cup 50 also functions as a heat insulator for the heating space. Therefore, it is possible to suppress heat radiation from the heating space without providing a separate heat insulator.

[0062] The heated N2 gas (hereinafter referred to as "hot N2 gas") that flows into inlet 35a passes through flow path 35c and is discharged from outlet 35b toward the underside of wafer W. As a result, hot N2 gas is supplied to the peripheral portion of the underside of wafer W, and the peripheral portion of the underside of wafer W is heated. By supplying a chemical liquid to the peripheral portion of the underside of wafer W from underside nozzle 41 while heating the peripheral portion of the underside of wafer W, etching of the peripheral portion of the underside of wafer W using the chemical liquid can be completed in a short time.

[0063] The discharge port 35b is disposed radially outward of the inlet 35a of the wafer W. By disposing the discharge port 35b at a position closer to the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W than the inlet 35a in the radial direction of the wafer W, it is possible to reduce as much as possible the heat loss of the heated N2 gas until it reaches the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W. Therefore, it is possible to heat the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W more efficiently.

[0064] In this manner, according to the heating mechanism 30 according to the embodiment, the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W can be heated efficiently.

[0065] In recent years, as substrates have become thinner and larger in diameter, they are more susceptible to warping, and vacuum chucks have become larger in diameter in order to correct the warping of substrates and make them flat. In addition, in recent years, there has been a demand to etch a wider area of ​​the lower peripheral edge of the substrate, and as a result, the lower nozzle tends to be positioned further inside the substrate than before. Under these circumstances, the installation space for the heating mechanism positioned between the holder and the lower nozzle tends to become narrower.

[0066] In contrast, according to the heating mechanism 30 of the embodiment, the peripheral portion of the underside of the wafer W can be efficiently heated, so that the main body 31 can be made smaller and the main body 31 can be easily installed in a small space.

[0067] (Modification) Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a heating mechanism according to a first modified example. As shown in Fig. 8, a heating mechanism 30A according to the first modified example includes a main body 31A. The main body 31A has a similar shape to the main body 31 according to the above-described embodiment.

[0068] The main body portion 31A according to the first modification is divided into a first main body portion 31A1 in which a plurality of fins 32 are formed, and a second main body portion 31A2 in which a fluid discharge portion 35A is formed. The first main body portion 31A1 has a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of fins 32 are formed on the outer periphery. The second main body portion 31A2 has a cylindrical shape that is larger in diameter and thinner than the first main body portion 31A1, and the main body portion 31A having the same shape as the main body portion 31 is formed by attaching the second main body portion 31A2 to the upper portion of the first main body portion 31A1.

[0069] The fluid discharge unit 35A according to the first modification has a first flow path 35c1 formed in the first body portion 31A1 and a second flow path 35c2 formed in the second body portion 31A2. The first flow path 35c1 is a linear flow path extending along the vertical direction. The first flow path 35c1 and the second flow path 35c2 are connected to each other by assembling the second body portion 31A2 to the first body portion 31A1, and become a flow path having the same shape as the flow path 35c according to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0070] In this manner, the main body portion 31A is configured to be separable into a first main body portion 31A1 in which the multiple fins 32 are formed, and a second main body portion 31A2 in which the fluid discharge portion 35A is formed. By configuring the main body portion 31A to be separable, for example, it is only necessary to form in the first main body portion 31A1 the first flow path 35c1, which is linear, of the first flow path 35c1 and the second flow path 35c2, and therefore the first main body portion 31A1 can be easily manufactured.

[0071] Furthermore, by configuring the main body portion 31A to be separable into the first main body portion 31A1 and the second main body portion 31A2, it becomes possible to form the first main body portion 31A1 and the second main body portion 31A2 from different materials.

[0072] For example, the first body portion 31A1 may be formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the second body portion 31A2, and the second body portion 31A2 may be formed of a material having a higher chemical resistance than the first body portion 31A1. In this case, the first body portion 31A1 is formed of a metal such as aluminum, and the second body portion 31A2 is formed of a fluororesin such as PTFE or PFA.

[0073] With this configuration, for example, it is possible to improve the heating efficiency and suppress corrosion of main body 31A due to the chemical solution.

[0074] In addition, since the second body portion 31A2 is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the first body portion 31A1, the heat loss caused when the hot N2 gas flows through the first flow passage 35c1 can be reduced, and the heating efficiency of the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the wafer W can be improved.

[0075] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which each fin 32 has a shape extending along the circumferential direction, but each fin 32 may extend along the height direction.

[0076] Fig. 9 is a schematic plan view of a heating mechanism according to a second modified example, and Fig. 10 is a schematic perspective view of fins included in the heating mechanism according to the second modified example.

[0077] 9 and 10, a heating mechanism 30B according to the second modification includes a plurality of fins 32B extending along the height direction. The plurality of fins 32B are formed on the outer periphery of a main body 31B of the heating mechanism 30B and are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0078] 10, each fin 32B has a plurality of flow passages 321 formed by recessing the fin 32B from the outer edge toward the inside, and the flow passages 321 are arranged at intervals in the height direction. By forming a plurality of flow passages 321 in the fin 32B in this manner, the N2 gas can be diffused evenly in the heating space.

[0079] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes an annular main body 31, and the multiple fins 32 are arranged in an annular shape. However, the main body 31 and the multiple fins 32 need only be arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer W, and do not necessarily need to be annular. For example, the main body of the heating mechanism may be formed in an arc shape in a plan view, and in this case, the multiple fins may be arranged in an arc shape on the outer or inner periphery of the arc-shaped main body.

[0080] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes the lower nozzle 41, and the lower peripheral portion of the wafer W is etched by supplying a chemical liquid to the lower peripheral portion of the wafer W from the lower nozzle 41. However, the substrate processing apparatus 1 may etch the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the wafer W by, for example, heating the lower peripheral portion of the wafer W using the heating mechanisms 30, 30A, and 30B, while supplying a chemical liquid to the upper peripheral portion of the wafer W using the upper nozzle 71. The substrate processing apparatus 1 may also supply a chemical liquid to the central portion of the upper surface of the wafer W using the upper nozzle 71, while heating the lower peripheral portion of the wafer W using the heating mechanisms 30, 30A, and 30B. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the temperature of the chemical liquid at the outer periphery of the wafer W, thereby suppressing a decrease in the in-plane uniformity of the etching process.

[0081] In the above embodiment, an example in which room temperature N2 gas is supplied from the fluid introduction part 34 has been described, but the fluid supplied from the fluid introduction part 34 may be an inert gas other than N2 gas (for example, argon gas). The fluid supplied from the fluid introduction part 34 is not limited to an inert gas, and may be air such as dry air or other gases. The fluid supplied from the fluid introduction part 34 may be steam such as water vapor, or a liquid such as water.

[0082] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment (for example, the substrate processing apparatus 1) includes a holder (for example, the holder 20) and a heating mechanism (for example, the heating mechanisms 30, 30A, and 30B). The holder rotatably holds the center of the lower surface of the substrate (for example, the wafer W). The heating mechanism supplies a heated fluid (for example, hot N2 gas) to the lower surface of the substrate held by the holder. The heating mechanism includes a plurality of fins (for example, the plurality of fins 32), a heat source (for example, the heat source 33), a fluid introduction section (for example, the fluid introduction section 34), and a fluid discharge section (for example, the fluid discharge section 35 and 35A). The plurality of fins are disposed below the substrate and outside the holder along the circumferential direction of the substrate. The heat source heats the plurality of fins. The fluid introduction section introduces a fluid (for example, N2 gas at room temperature) to the plurality of fins. The fluid ejection section ejects the fluid, which has been heated by passing through a plurality of fins, onto the underside of the substrate.

[0083] By arranging a plurality of fins along the circumferential direction of the substrate below the substrate and outside the holder, the fluid heated by the plurality of fins can be efficiently supplied to the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate. Therefore, the heating efficiency of the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate can be improved. In addition, since the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate can be efficiently heated, the heating mechanism can be made smaller, and the heating mechanism can be easily installed in a small space.

[0084] The fins may be arranged in a row with intervals in the height direction. This allows the size of the heating mechanism in the radial direction of the substrate to be kept small, for example, compared to a case in which the fins are arranged in a row along the radial direction of the substrate. Therefore, even if the installation space for the heating mechanism is narrow in the radial direction of the substrate, the heating mechanism can be easily installed in such a narrow space.

[0085] The multiple fins may be arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction. By arranging them in this manner, a flow path (for example, flow path section 32b) can be formed along the height direction between fins adjacent in the circumferential direction. When the fluid flows along the flow path section 32b, the fluid comes into contact evenly with the multiple fins arranged in the circumferential direction. This allows the fluid to be heated efficiently, and the heating efficiency of the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the substrate can be further improved.

[0086] The heat source may have a heating element (for example, heating element 33a) that extends in the height direction, which allows the multiple fins aligned in the height direction to be heated evenly.

[0087] The fins may be disposed outward from the heat source. By disposing the fins outward from the heat source, the surface area of ​​the fins can be increased compared to when the fins are disposed inward from the heat source. Therefore, for example, the heating efficiency of the lower surface peripheral portion of the substrate can be improved without increasing the size of the heating mechanism.

[0088] The substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment may further include a heat insulating material (for example, heat insulating material 36) disposed outside the holding unit and inside the fins and the heat source, thereby preventing the heat generated by the heating mechanism from being transmitted to the holding unit.

[0089] The fluid discharge section may include an inlet (for example, inlet 35a), an outlet (for example, outlet 35b), and a flow path (for example, flow path 35c). The inlet is located inward from the peripheral edge of the substrate, and fluid heated by passing through a plurality of fins flows in. The outlet is located outward from the inlet, and opens toward the underside of the substrate. The flow path connects the inlet and the outlet.

[0090] In this way, by arranging the outlet at a position closer to the peripheral edge of the lower surface of the substrate in the radial direction of the substrate than the inlet, it is possible to reduce as much as possible the heat loss that occurs when the heated fluid reaches the peripheral edge of the lower surface of the substrate, thereby making it possible to heat the peripheral edge of the lower surface of the substrate more efficiently.

[0091] The heating mechanism (for example, main body 31A) may include a first main body (for example, first main body 31A1) in which a plurality of fins are formed, and a second main body (for example, second main body 31A2) that is separate from the first main body and in which a fluid discharge part (for example, fluid discharge part 35A) is formed. In this case, the first main body may be formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the second main body, and the second main body may be formed of a material having a higher chemical resistance than the first main body. This can increase the heating efficiency while suppressing corrosion of the heating mechanism due to chemicals.

[0092] At least the surface of the heating mechanism (main body 31, for example) facing the lower surface of the substrate may be coated with a material having chemical resistance. By coating the area where chemicals may adhere with a material having high chemical resistance, it is possible to increase the heating efficiency while suppressing corrosion of the heating function caused by the chemicals.

[0093] The substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment may include a nozzle (for example, underside nozzle 41) that discharges a chemical solution onto the peripheral portion of the underside of the substrate. By supplying the chemical solution to the peripheral portion of the underside of the substrate from the nozzle while heating the peripheral portion of the underside of the substrate by a heating mechanism, etching of the peripheral portion of the underside of the substrate using the chemical solution can be completed in a short time.

[0094] The holding portion may include a plurality of first labyrinth members (for example, first labyrinth member 25) extending in the circumferential direction and arranged at intervals from each other. In this case, the heating mechanism may include a plurality of second labyrinth members (for example, second labyrinth member 37) extending in the circumferential direction and arranged alternately with the plurality of first labyrinth members.

[0095] By providing a labyrinth structure in the gap between the holding part and the heating mechanism, it is difficult for cold (unheated) air to enter the gap between the substrate and the heating mechanism, thereby preventing a decrease in the heating efficiency of the heating mechanism.

[0096] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. Indeed, the above-described embodiments may be embodied in various forms. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] W wafer 1. Substrate Processing Equipment 10 Processing vessel 20 Holding part 21 Vacuum chuck 30 Heating mechanism 31 Main body 32 Finn 33 Heat source 34 Fluid introduction section 35 Fluid discharge section

Claims

1. a holding portion that holds a central portion of a lower surface of the substrate; a heating mechanism for supplying a heated fluid to the substrate; a lower annular cup disposed outside the heating mechanism; Equipped with The heating mechanism includes: A main body portion having an annular shape; A plurality of fins formed along a circumferential direction of an outer periphery of the main body; A heat source for heating the plurality of fins; a fluid introduction portion that introduces the fluid into the plurality of fins; a fluid discharge unit that discharges the fluid that has been heated by passing through the plurality of fins onto the substrate; a plurality of seal members respectively positioned above and below the fin; Equipped with The heating mechanism and the lower cup are in contact with each other via the plurality of seal members.

2. The plurality of fins include The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate processing apparatuses are arranged at intervals in the height direction.

3. The plurality of fins include The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the substrates are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction.

4. The plurality of fins include The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , which is disposed outside the heat source.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a flow path portion formed between fins adjacent in the height direction and extending along the circumferential direction.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a flow path portion formed between the fins adjacent in the circumferential direction and extending along a vertical direction.

7. The fluid discharge unit includes: an inlet that is disposed inside a peripheral portion of the substrate and through which the fluid that has been heated by passing through the plurality of fins flows; a discharge port that is disposed outward from the inlet and opens toward a lower surface of the substrate; a flow path communicating the inlet and the outlet; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, comprising:

8. 8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower cup has a lower thermal conductivity than the main body.

Images