Development processing apparatus and development processing method

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to improve in-plane uniformity resulting from development processing, and to appropriately recover developing solution mist.　A resist development processing device (1) is provided with a developing solution supply unit (33) and a rinsing solution supply unit (36) for respectively supplying a developing solution and a rinsing solution onto a substrate that is being held by a substrate holding unit (20), a solution receiving unit (100) for receiving the developing solution and the rinsing solution from the substrate that is being held by the substrate holding unit, evacuating tubes (125, 127) which are connected to the solution receiving unit to evacuate the solution receiving unit, and an air suction unit (200) provided so as to surround an outer periphery of the solution receiving unit, the resist development processing device (1) being configured such that: the solution receiving unit is evacuated during the supply of the developing solution and / or during still development using a displacement lower than that during processing that employs the rinsing solution; and, during the supply of the developing solution and / or during still development, the air suction unit sucks air to recover a mist of the developing solution that has leaked to the outside of the solution receiving unit.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a development processing apparatus and a development processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a development processing apparatus including a developer supplying means for supplying a developer onto a substrate coated with resist, and a means for supplying a cleaning liquid onto the substrate onto which the resist pattern has been developed and to which the developer has been supplied. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-178942 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology according to the present disclosure improves the in-plane uniformity of the development process result and appropriately collects the developer mist. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a development processing apparatus that develops a resist film on a substrate, the development processing apparatus comprising: a substrate holding section that holds a substrate; a rotation mechanism that rotates the substrate holding section; a developer supply section that supplies a developer to the substrate held by the substrate holding section; a rinse liquid supply section that supplies a rinse liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding section; a liquid receiving section that receives the developer and rinse liquid from the substrate held by the substrate holding section; an exhaust pipe connected to the liquid receiving section for evacuating the interior of the liquid receiving section; and an intake section that is arranged to surround the outer periphery of the liquid receiving section, the intake section evacuating the interior of the liquid receiving section at a lower exhaust volume than during processing using the rinse liquid, and intakes air during at least one of the supply of the developer or during static development, and collects mist of the developer that has leaked outside the liquid receiving section. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the development process and to appropriately collect the developer mist. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of a development treatment device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B are a longitudinal sectional view and a sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of a development treatment device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of the developing treatment device during wafer processing; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of the developing treatment device during wafer processing; [Figure 6] 1 shows an example of a connection between a lifting mechanism and an exhaust mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a development processing apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a development treatment device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a development treatment device according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] In a photolithography process in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, etc., various processes are performed to form a desired resist pattern on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as a "wafer"), etc. The various processes include, for example, a resist coating process in which a resist liquid is supplied onto a substrate to form a resist film, an exposure process in which the resist film is exposed to light, and a development process in which a developer is supplied to the exposed resist film to develop it.

[0009] The above-mentioned developing process is carried out using a developing treatment device. The developing treatment device has a substrate holding part for holding a substrate, and a developing solution supplying part for supplying a developing solution to the substrate held by the substrate holding part, and supplies the developing solution from the developing solution supplying part onto the substrate held by the substrate holding part, forming a liquid film of the developing solution on the substrate surface, and developing the resist film on the substrate. The developing treatment device also has a liquid receiving part for receiving the developing solution and the like scattered from the substrate held by the substrate holding part.

[0010] However, when the developing solution is supplied to the substrate, a mist of the developing solution may be generated. This mist of the developing solution may leak out of the liquid receiving part and adhere to the inner wall surface of the housing that houses the liquid receiving part, causing various problems such as particles or adhering to the resist film, i.e., the resist pattern, after development on the substrate and adversely affecting it. For this reason, the inside of the liquid receiving section is evacuated and the mist of the developer is collected during development, etc. However, when the inside of the liquid receiving section is evacuated during development, a relatively strong air current is generated near the outer periphery of the substrate, which locally cools the outer periphery of the substrate. When using a resist liquid that has high temperature sensitivity during development, such as an i-line resist, if the outer periphery of the substrate is locally cooled as described above, the development results will differ between the outer periphery and the center of the substrate.

[0011] Therefore, the technology disclosed herein improves the in-plane uniformity of the development process and appropriately collects the developer mist.

[0012] Hereinafter, the configuration of the developing processing apparatus and the developing processing method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, elements having substantially the same functional configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0013] (First embodiment) <Developing treatment device> 1 and 2 are a vertical sectional view and a horizontal sectional view, respectively, which are schematic views showing an example of the configuration of a development processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a top view of an intake unit, which will be described later.

[0014] 1 and 2, the developing treatment device 1 has a housing 10 whose interior can be sealed. A loading / unloading port (not shown) for a wafer W serving as a substrate is formed on a side surface of the housing 10.

[0015] A spin chuck 20 serving as a substrate holding unit for horizontally holding the wafer W is provided within the housing 10. The spin chuck 20 is connected to a chuck driving unit 21 serving as a rotation mechanism, for example, via a shaft 22. The chuck driving unit 21 rotates the spin chuck 20 about a vertical axis, thereby rotating the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20 about the vertical axis. The chuck driving unit 21 has, for example, a motor or a cylinder as a driving source for generating a driving force for driving the rotation of the spin chuck 20.

[0016] In an area on the back side of the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20, for example, a plurality of (e.g., three) lift pins 23 are provided as lifting members for transferring the wafer W between a wafer transfer mechanism outside the developing treatment device 1 and the spin chuck 20. The lift pins 23 can be freely raised and lowered by a pin drive unit 24 having a motor, a cylinder, or the like.

[0017] Further, in an area on the back surface side of the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20, a circular plate 25 is provided so as to surround the shaft 22. The circular plate 25 is formed with a hole 25a through which the shaft 22 is inserted and a hole 25b through which the lift pin 23 is inserted.

[0018] A cup body 100 serving as a liquid receiving section is provided within the housing 10 so as to surround the spin chuck 20 in a plan view. The cup body 100 receives the developing liquid and the rinsing liquid that have been shaken off or dropped from the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20, and also guides the developing liquid and the rinsing liquid so that they can be discharged outside the developing treatment device 1. The cup body 100 will be described in detail later.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2, rails 30A and 30B extending along the Y direction (left and right direction in Fig. 2) are formed on the negative side in the X direction of the cup body 100 (the lower side in Fig. 2). The rails 30A and 30B are formed, for example, from the outside of the negative side in the Y direction of the cup body 100 (the left side in Fig. 2) to the outside of the positive side in the Y direction (the right side in Fig. 2). An arm 31 is provided on the rail 30A, and an arm 32 is provided on the rail 30B.

[0020] A developer supply nozzle 33 serving as a developer supply unit is supported on the first arm 31. The developer supply nozzle 33 supplies the developer to the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20. The developer supply nozzle 33 is formed in a rectangular tube shape having a developer outlet on the lower surface. The outlet of the developer supply nozzle 33 is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view, and the longitudinal length of the outlet is approximately the same as the diameter of the wafer W.

[0021] The developer supply nozzle 33 may be referred to as a liquid contact nozzle. The liquid contact nozzle is a nozzle having a discharge port for discharging the developer and a lower end surface that spreads laterally from the discharge port and is approximately parallel to the surface of the wafer W.

[0022] The first arm 31 is movable on the rail 30A by the nozzle driving unit 34. This allows the developer supply nozzle 33 to move from a waiting unit 35 installed outside the cup body 100 on the positive side in the Y direction to above the center of the wafer W in the cup body 100. The first arm 31 is also movable up and down by the nozzle driving unit 34, and the height of the developer supply nozzle 33 can be adjusted. The nozzle driving unit 34 has, for example, a motor or a cylinder as a driving source that generates a driving force for driving the movement of the first arm 31 along the rail 30A and the lifting and lowering of the first arm 31.

[0023] A rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 serving as a rinsing liquid supply unit is supported on the second arm 32. The rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 supplies a rinsing liquid to the wafer W held on the spin chuck 20. The rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a discharge port for the rinsing liquid on its lower surface. The second arm 32 is movable on the rail 30B by the nozzle driving unit 37. This allows the rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 to move from a waiting unit 38 installed outside the cup body 100 on the negative side in the Y direction to above the center of the wafer W in the cup body 100. The second arm 32 is also movable up and down by the nozzle driving unit 37, and the height of the rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 can be adjusted. The nozzle driving unit 37 has, for example, a motor or a cylinder as a driving source that generates a driving force for driving the movement of the second arm 32 along the rail 30B and the lifting and lowering of the second arm 32.

[0024] The developer supply nozzle 33 and the rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 are connected to supply sources of the developer and the rinsing liquid, respectively, via flow rate control units (not shown). The developer and the rinsing liquid from the supply sources have their flow rates adjusted by the flow rate control units, respectively, and are supplied to the developer supply nozzle 33 and the rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36, and are discharged onto the wafer W on the spin chuck 20 through the nozzles 33, 36. The flow rate control units include, for example, various valves and mass flow controllers.

[0025] 1, an exhaust port 11 is formed in the bottom wall of the housing 10. An exhaust pipe 12 for exhausting the inside of the housing 10 is connected to the exhaust port 11. The exhaust pipe 12 is connected via a main exhaust pipe 41 to an exhaust mechanism 40 having an exhaust pump and the like.

[0026] The cup body 100 has an open top, i.e., an opening 100a at the top, so that the wafer W can pass through when the wafer W is transferred between a wafer transfer mechanism outside the developing treatment device 1 and the spin chuck 20. The opening 100a is provided in the center of the top of the cup body 100 in a plan view.

[0027] The cup body 100 includes an inner cup 101, a lower cup 102, an upper cup 103 and an outer cup 104 as lifting bodies, and a ring 105.

[0028] In a plan view, the inner cup 101 is provided in the shape of an annular plate so as to surround the periphery of the circular plate 25. The inner cup 101 has a guide wall 110 that guides the developer and the like that has spilled from the wafer W downward and outward, and a cylindrical vertical wall 111 that extends vertically downward from the outer circumferential end of the guide wall 110.

[0029] The lower cup 102 is provided below the inner cup 101. The lower cup 102 has a bottom wall 120 in the shape of an annular plate located at the bottom, and cylindrical vertical walls 121 to 123 extending vertically upward from the bottom wall 120. The vertical wall 121 extends vertically upward from the outer circumferential end of the bottom wall 120, and the vertical wall 122 extends vertically upward from the inner circumferential end of the bottom wall 120. The vertical wall 123 extends vertically upward from a position between the outer circumferential end and the inner circumferential end of the bottom wall 120.

[0030] A drainage port 124 is formed between the vertical walls 122 and 123 in the bottom wall 120. A drainage pipe 125 for discharging the liquid received in the cup body 100 is connected to the drainage port 124. In addition, an exhaust port 126 is formed between the vertical walls 121 and 123 in the bottom wall 120. An exhaust pipe 127 for exhausting the inside of the cup body 100 (specifically, for exhausting the atmosphere around the wafer W) is connected to the exhaust port 126.

[0031] The exhaust pipe 127 is connected to an exhaust mechanism 40 via a main exhaust pipe 41, similar to the exhaust pipe 12 described above. The main exhaust pipe 41 is provided with a damper 42 that switches between exhausting the interior of the housing 10 via the exhaust pipe 12 (hereinafter referred to as "housing exhaust") and exhausting the interior of the cup body 100 via the exhaust pipe 127 (hereinafter referred to as "cup exhaust").

[0032] The liquid discharged from the drain port 124 and the gas discharged from the exhaust port 126 can be separated by the vertical wall 123. The vertical wall 111 of the inner cup 101 is formed to be located outside the vertical wall 123 so that the liquid guided by the guide wall 110 is discharged from the drain port 124.

[0033] The upper cup 103 is provided in a plan view so as to cover the outer peripheries of the inner cup 101 and the lower cup 102 from above in a circular plate shape. The upper cup 103 has an annular plate wall 130 formed in a circular plate shape having a circular opening 130a that is slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer W in a plan view. The annular plate wall 130 is inclined so as to gradually decrease in diameter toward the outer periphery.

[0034] Moreover, the upper cup 103 has a cylindrical vertical wall 131 extending vertically downward from the outer circumferential end of the annular plate wall 130, and an annular rib 132 extending outward from the lower end of the vertical wall 131. The vertical wall 131 and the rib 132 are provided so as to be located between the vertical walls 121 and 123 of the lower cup 102. A gap G1 between the inner circumferential surface of the upper cup 103 and the outer circumferential surfaces of the guide wall 110 and the vertical wall 111 of the inner cup 101 forms an exhaust flow path that communicates with the exhaust port 126, i.e., the exhaust pipe 127, and exhausts the inside of the cup body 100 (specifically, exhausts the atmosphere around the wafer W). The upper cup 103 as described above is configured to be movable up and down.

[0035] The outer cup 104 is provided so as to cover the outer periphery of the upper cup 103 from above in an annular shape. The outer cup 104 has an annular wall 140 formed in an annular shape with a circular opening 140a larger than the diameter of the wafer W in a plan view. In this embodiment, the inner periphery of the annular plate wall 130 of the upper cup 103 is inserted into the opening 140a. The outer periphery of the annular wall 140 is inclined so as to gradually become higher toward the outer periphery. The outer cup 104 also has a cylindrical outer periphery wall 141 extending upward from the outer periphery end of the annular wall 140. Furthermore, the outer cup 104 has an annular return portion 142 extending downward from the upper end of the outer periphery wall 141 toward the inner periphery.

[0036] Furthermore, the outer cup 104 is configured to be able to rise and fall, and has a cylindrical vertical wall 143 extending downward from the lower surface of the inner periphery of the annular wall 140. The vertical wall 143 is provided so as to be located outside the vertical wall 131 of the upper cup 103. Moreover, the vertical wall 143 is provided so as to be contained within the lower cup 102 when the outer cup 104 is lowered, and to be located inside the vertical wall 121 of the lower cup 102 and inside the ring 105.

[0037] The ring 105 is provided so as to cover, from above, the outer periphery of the lower cup 102 and the outer periphery of the rib 132 of the upper cup 103 in an annular shape. The ring 105 is fixed to the upper end of the vertical wall 121 of the lower cup 102, for example.

[0038] The intake unit 200 is provided to surround the outer periphery of the cup body 100 as described above. The intake unit 200 has an intake port 201 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The intake ports 201 are arranged in a circular ring shape concentric with the cup body 100 in a plan view, for example. The intake unit 200 has, for example, a hollow ring body 202 that is circular in a plan view, and the intake ports 201 are provided along the upper surface of the ring body 202. Each intake port 201 communicates with a hollow portion inside the ring body 202. By exhausting the inside of the ring body 202 by an exhaust mechanism (not shown), the intake unit 200 can suck in air through the intake port 201.

[0039] The height of the intake port 201 of the intake section 200 is, for example, equal to or lower than the height of the upper end of the cup body 100 , specifically, equal to or lower than the height of the upper end of the outer cup 104 . The intake unit 200 is also configured to be able to rise and fall, similar to the exterior cup 104, etc. In one embodiment, the intake unit 200 is configured to be able to rise and fall together with the upper cup 103 and the exterior cup 104.

[0040] The upper cup 103 , the outer cup 104 and the intake section 200 are connected to a common lifting mechanism 300 . The lifting mechanism 300 has a support member 301 that supports the exterior cup 104 and the intake unit 200. The upper cup 103 is fixed to the exterior cup 104, for example, by screwing, and is thereby supported by the support member 301 via the exterior cup 104. Furthermore, the lifting mechanism 300 has a drive unit 302 that raises and lowers the support member 301 to raise and lower the upper cup 103, the exterior cup 104, and the intake unit 200. The drive unit 302 has, for example, a motor, a cylinder, or the like, as a drive source that generates a drive force that drives the lifting and lowering of the support member 301.

[0041] Furthermore, a fan filter unit (FFU) 400 is provided above the cup body 100 in the housing 10, and supplies clean air toward the cup body 100, specifically toward the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20. The clean air supplied to the cup body 100 passes through the inside of the cup body 100 and is exhausted via the exhaust pipe 127.

[0042] The developing treatment device 1 described above is provided with a control unit U as shown in FIG. 2. The control unit U is, for example, a computer equipped with a CPU, a memory, etc., and has a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores a program for controlling the processing of the wafer W in the developing treatment device 1. The program may be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium and installed from the storage medium into the control unit U. The storage medium may be temporary or non-temporary. A part or all of the program may be realized by dedicated hardware (circuit board).

[0043] <Wafer processing> Next, an example of wafer processing performed using the developing treatment device 1 configured as above will be described. The following processing is performed under the control of the control unit U. The description will be given with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams showing the state of the developing treatment device 1 during the above-mentioned wafer processing, and show only the main parts. In the following description, it is assumed that a resist film is formed on the surface of the wafer W before it is carried into the developing treatment device 1, and that the exposure treatment and the subsequent heating treatment have been completed for the resist film.

[0044] (Step S1: Holding the wafer W) First, the wafer W passes through the opening 100 a of the cup body 100 and is held by the spin chuck 20 . Specifically, first, a wafer transfer mechanism (not shown) holding the wafer W is inserted into the housing 10 from outside the housing 10 through a loading / unloading opening (not shown) provided on the side of the housing 10. Then, the wafer W is transferred to above the spin chuck 20. Next, the lift pins 23 are lifted by driving the pin drive unit 24, and protrude a predetermined distance from the upper surface of the spin chuck 20, and the wafer W is transferred onto the lift pins 23.

[0045] Before the wafer W is transferred to the lift pins 23, the assembly of the upper cup 103, the outer cup 104 and the suction section 200, which moves together (hereinafter referred to as an integrally moving body), is moved to a first position by the driving of the lift mechanism 300. The first position is a position where the upper end of the upper cup 103 is lower than the surface of the wafer W on the spin chuck 20, as shown in FIG.

[0046] Next, the lift pins 23 are lowered by driving the pin driving unit 24. As a result, the wafer W is lowered, passes through the opening 100a, and is transferred to the upper surface of the spin chuck 20. Then, the wafer W is held by suction on the spin chuck 20. In this step, the damper 42 is adjusted so that the housing exhaust is performed out of the housing exhaust and the cup exhaust.

[0047] (Step S2: Processing using a developing solution) Next, the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20 is subjected to a process using a developer. Specifically, for example, supply of the developer (step S2A) and stationary development (step S2B) are performed.

[0048] (Step S2A: Supply of developing solution) In this step, a developer is supplied to the wafer W held by the spin chuck 20, and a developer film is formed on the wafer W. Specifically, the integrated moving body is subsequently placed at the first position, and the damper 42 is adjusted so that the housing is evacuated, and then the suction unit 200 performs suction. In this state, the nozzle drive unit 34 drives the developer supply nozzle 33 to above the wafer W, as shown in FIG. 4B. Then, the developer supply nozzle 33 starts supplying the developer onto the wafer W, and a developer film is formed. For example, when the developer film is formed, the developer supply nozzle 33 is driven by the nozzle drive unit 34 so that the destination of the developer from the developer supply nozzle 33 moves from one end to the other end of the wafer W in the extending direction of the rail 30A. At this time, the wafer W is not rotating and is stationary. When the destination of the developer from the developer supply nozzle 33 reaches the other end of the wafer W and a developer film is formed, the supply of the developer from the developer supply nozzle 33 is stopped, and the developer supply nozzle 33 is retracted from above the wafer W by the drive of the nozzle drive unit 34.

[0049] In addition, any part of the developer supplied from the developer supply nozzle 33 in this process that does not remain on the wafer W passes between the outer peripheral surface of the inner cup 101 and the outer peripheral surface of the upper cup 103, or between the outer peripheral surface of the upper cup 103 and the inner peripheral surface of the lower part of the outer cup 104, and is collected in the lower cup 102.

[0050] When the developer is supplied from the developer supply nozzle 33, the integrally movable body is disposed at the first position. That is, the upper end of the upper cup 103 is located at a position lower than the surface of the wafer W on the spin chuck 20. Therefore, when the developer supply nozzle 33 moves along the surface of the wafer W in a state close to the surface of the wafer W (for example, when the distance from the discharge port of the developer supply nozzle 33 to the surface of the wafer W is 3 mm or less), no interference occurs between the developer supply nozzle 33 and the upper cup 103. The outer cup 104 is designed so that no interference occurs between the developer supply nozzle 33 and the outer cup 104 during this movement.

[0051] In addition, when the developer is supplied from the developer supply nozzle 33, the damper 42 is adjusted so that the housing is ventilated but the cup is not ventilated, thereby preventing airflow from occurring around the peripheral edge of the wafer W when the developer is supplied.

[0052] Furthermore, when the developer is supplied from the developer supply nozzle 33, as described above, the suction unit 200 sucks in the developer. Therefore, the mist M of the developer, which is generated when the developer discharged from the developer supply nozzle 33 collides with the wafer W, and which passes above the cup body 100 (specifically, above the outer cup 104) and leaks out of the cup body 100, can be collected by the suction unit 200.

[0053] (S2B: Still development) In this process, the developer film formed in step S2A is maintained on the wafer W for a predetermined time, and static development of the resist film on the wafer W is performed. In addition, in this process, the damper 42 is adjusted so that the housing is evacuated and the cup is not evacuated, thereby preventing airflow from occurring around the periphery of the wafer W during stationary development. Furthermore, in this process, the suction by the suction unit 200 is also maintained. Therefore, the mist M leaking out to the outside of the cup body 100 during stationary development can be collected by the suction unit 200.

[0054] In this step, as shown in Fig. 5(A), the integrally movable body may be disposed at a position different from the first position. The different position is a position where the rib 132 of the upper cup 103 and the ring 105 are in close contact with each other, more specifically, a position where the rib 132 of the upper cup 103 and the ring 105 are in close contact with each other over substantially the entire circumference. This makes it possible to prevent mist of the developer caused by the above atmosphere from leaking out of the cup body 100 from between the lower cup 102 and the outer cup 104, etc., from inside the lower cup 102 where the developer is collected and where the developer vapor is present, that is, from inside the lower cup 102 where the developer gas atmosphere is created.

[0055] (Step S3: Treatment using rinsing liquid) Next, the wafer W held on the spin chuck 20 is subjected to a process using a rinse liquid, that is, a cleaning process.

[0056] Specifically, the integrally movable body is moved to the second position by the driving of the lifting mechanism 300. The second position is a position where the lower surface of the inner circumferential end of the annular plate wall 130 of the upper cup 103 is higher than the surface of the wafer W on the spin chuck 20, as shown in Fig. 5(B) . As long as this condition is satisfied, the second position may be another position where the rib 132 of the upper cup 103 and the ring 105 are in close contact with each other. Moreover, the air supply by the intake section 200 is stopped, and the damper 42 is adjusted to switch from housing exhaust to cup exhaust. Furthermore, the rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 is moved to above the center of the wafer W by the driving of the nozzle driving unit 37 .

[0057] Then, a rinse liquid is supplied onto the wafer W from the rinse liquid supply nozzle 36, and the wafer W is cleaned. For example, during this cleaning, the rinse liquid is supplied onto the wafer W from the rinse liquid supply nozzle 36 to the wafer W rotating at 100 to 500 rpm by driving the chuck driving unit 21, and the developer film on the wafer W is replaced with the rinse liquid. Thereafter, after stopping the supply of the rinse liquid, the rotation speed of the wafer W is increased by driving the chuck driving unit 21, and the rinse liquid is shaken off from the wafer W, and the wafer W is dried. During drying, the rinse liquid supply nozzle 36 is retracted from above the wafer W by driving the nozzle driving unit 37.

[0058] During the cleaning process, the integrally movable body is disposed at the second position. That is, the lower surface of the inner circumferential end of the annular plate wall 130 of the upper cup 103 is positioned at a position higher than the surface of the wafer W on the spin chuck 20. Therefore, during the cleaning process, the developer and rinse liquid shaken off from the wafer W on the spin chuck 20 can be received by the annular plate wall 130 of the upper cup 103 and collected by the cup body 100.

[0059] In addition, by providing the outer cup 104, during the cleaning process, if the rinsing liquid supplied from the rinsing liquid supply nozzle to the wafer W is largely bounced off the wafer W and splashes out of the upper cup 103 through the opening 130a, the rinsing liquid can be collected in the outer cup 104.

[0060] Furthermore, by performing cup exhaust during the cleaning process, mist of the rinsing liquid and developing liquid can be sucked and collected through the exhaust flow path R1 formed in the cup body 100 by the above-mentioned gap G1. Note that mist of the rinsing liquid and developing liquid during cleaning can be generated when the rinsing liquid supplied from the rinsing liquid supply nozzle 36 collides with the wafer W, or when the rinsing liquid or developing liquid shaken off from the wafer W collides with the annular plate wall 130 of the upper cup 103, etc.

[0061] (Step S4: Unload the wafer) Then, the wafer W is unloaded from the developing treatment device 1 by performing the procedure in reverse to that of step S1. This completes the series of development processes.

[0062] In the above example, in both step S2A when the developing solution is supplied and step S2B, the housing is evacuated without cup evacuation, and air is sucked in by the air intake unit 200 provided to surround the outer periphery of the cup body 100. Alternatively, in either step S2A when the developing solution is supplied or step S2B, the housing is evacuated without cup evacuation, and air may be sucked in by the air intake unit 200 provided to surround the outer periphery of the cup body 100.

[0063] As described above, in this embodiment, the cup is not evacuated during the process using the developer in step S2, but is evacuated only during the process using the rinse liquid in step S3. Specifically, the cup is not evacuated during at least one of the supply of the developer in step S2A and the static development in step S2B, but is evacuated only during the process using the rinse liquid in step S3. That is, the inside of the cup body 100 is evacuated at a lower exhaust rate than during the process using the rinse liquid during at least one of the supply of the developer in step S2A and the static development in step S2B. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the generation of an air flow near the outer periphery of the wafer during at least one of the supply of the developer in step S2A and the static development in step S2B, and it is possible to prevent the outer periphery of the wafer W from being locally cooled. Therefore, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the development process when a resist liquid having a high temperature sensitivity during development is used. In this embodiment, at least either during supply of the developing solution in step S2A or during stationary development in step S2B, air is sucked in by the air suction unit 200 provided to surround the outer periphery of the cup body 100. Therefore, even if mist of the developing solution leaks out to the outside of the cup body 100 as a result of the relatively low amount of exhaust air from inside the cup body 100, the leaked mist can be collected by the air suction unit 200. As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to improve the in-plane uniformity of the development process and to appropriately collect the developer mist.

[0064] In this embodiment, the height of the intake port 201 of the intake unit 200 is equal to or lower than the height of the upper end of the cup body 100. Specifically, the height of the intake port 201 during at least one of the supply of the developer in step S2A and the stationary development in step S2B, i.e., during intake, is equal to or lower than the height of the upper end of the outer cup 104. Therefore, the following effects (1) and (2) are obtained. (1) It is possible to prevent the mist of the developer that has leaked out of the cup body 100 through the upper side of the cup body 100 from being scattered through the lower side of the intake unit 200 due to gravity or the like without being collected by the intake port 201. (2) During processing using a developing solution, the air flow formed above the wafer W by the FFU 400 can be prevented from being disturbed by the intake air from the intake unit 200.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the portion constituting the upper end of the cup body 100, i.e., the exterior cup 104, is movable up and down, and the intake unit 200 is configured to be movable up and down together with the exterior cup 104. Therefore, regardless of the height of the exterior cup 104, the height of the intake unit 200 (specifically, the height of the intake port 201) relative to the upper end of the exterior cup 104 can be kept constant. As a result, the recovery performance of the developer mist can be stabilized.

[0066] Second embodiment 6 and 7 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a development processing apparatus according to the second embodiment, and show only the main parts. Also, Fig. 6 shows an example of a connection between the lifting mechanism 300 and an exhaust mechanism 500 described below, and Fig. 7 shows an example of an exhaust path of the exhaust mechanism 500.

[0067] The development processing apparatus according to this embodiment also has an intake unit 200, similar to the development processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. However, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, an exhaust mechanism 500 to which the intake unit 200 is connected is configured to be able to exhaust by a driving force that drives the lifting body of the cup body 100 (specifically, the outer cup 104 and the upper cup 103) to be lifted and lowered. The exhaust mechanism 500 may be configured to be able to exhaust by either a driving force that drives the lifting body of the cup body 100 to be lifted or a driving force that drives the lifting body of the cup body 100 to be lowered. However, in this embodiment, the exhaust mechanism 500 is configured to be able to exhaust by either a driving force that drives the lifting body of the cup body 100 to be lifted or a driving force that drives the lifting body of the cup body 100 to be lowered. The specific configuration of the exhaust mechanism 500 is as follows.

[0068] The exhaust mechanism 500 has, in order from the top, a top plate 501, a partition plate 502, and a bottom plate 503. The top plate 501 and the partition plate 502 are connected by a first telescopic tube 504 such as a bellows tube that is vertically telescopic. The top plate 501, the partition plate 502, and the first telescopic tube 504 define a first pump chamber P1.

[0069] The partition plate 502 and the bottom plate 503 are connected by a second telescopic tube 505 such as a bellows tube that is expandable and contractable in the vertical direction. The partition plate 502, the bottom plate 503, and the second telescopic tube 505 define a second pump chamber P2.

[0070] The top plate 501 and the bottom plate 503 are fixed and immovable. In contrast, the partition plate 502 is supported by a support member 301 that supports the intake section 200 and the like, and as the support member 301 moves up and down when driven by the drive section 302, the partition plate 502 also moves up and down. As the partition plate 502 moves up and down, the volumes of the first pump chamber P1 and the second pump chamber P2 change. When the partition plate 502 moves up, the volume of the first pump chamber P1 decreases and the volume of the second pump chamber P2 increases, whereas when the partition plate 502 moves down, the volume of the first pump chamber P1 increases and the volume of the second pump chamber P2 decreases.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 7 , the exhaust mechanism 500 has an upstream main exhaust pipe 510, a first upstream branch pipe 511, a second upstream branch pipe 512, a downstream main exhaust pipe 520, a first downstream branch pipe 521, and a second downstream branch pipe 522.

[0072] The upstream end of the upstream main exhaust pipe 510 communicates with the intake section 200, specifically, with a hollow portion inside the ring body 202 of the intake section 200. The downstream side of the upstream main exhaust pipe 510 branches into a first upstream branch pipe 511 and a second upstream branch pipe 512, which are connected to a first pump chamber P1 and a second pump chamber P2, respectively.

[0073] The upstream ends of the first downstream branch pipe 521 and the second downstream branch pipe 522 are connected to the first pump chamber P1 and the second pump chamber P2, respectively. The downstream sides of the first downstream branch pipe 521 and the second downstream branch pipe 522 join together and are connected to the upstream end of the downstream main exhaust pipe 520.

[0074] Check valves V1 and V2 are provided for the first pump chamber P1, and check valves V3 and V4 are provided for the second pump chamber P2. The check valve V1 is for preventing gas from flowing back from the first pump chamber P1 to the intake section 200, and the check valve V2 is for preventing gas from flowing back from the first downstream branch pipe 521 to the first pump chamber P1. The check valve V3 is for preventing gas from flowing back from the second pump chamber P2 to the intake section 200, and the check valve V4 is for preventing gas from flowing back from the second downstream branch pipe 522 to the second pump chamber P2.

[0075] The check valve V1 is provided, for example, at the downstream end of the first upstream branch pipe 511 located in the first pump chamber P1, and is opened by the pressure caused by the flow of gas into the first pump chamber P1 via the first upstream branch pipe 511, and is closed by gravity acting on the valve body V11.

[0076] The check valve V2 is provided, for example, upstream of the first downstream branch pipe 521 located outside the first pump chamber P1, and is opened by the pressure caused by the discharge of gas from the first pump chamber P1 through the first downstream branch pipe 521, and is closed by gravity acting on the valve body V12.

[0077] The check valve V3 is provided, for example, at the downstream end of the second upstream branch pipe 512 located in the second pump chamber P2, and is opened by the pressure caused by the flow of gas into the second pump chamber P2 via the second upstream branch pipe 512, and is closed by gravity acting on the valve body V13.

[0078] The check valve V4 is provided, for example, upstream of the second downstream branch pipe 522 located outside the second pump chamber P2, and is opened by the pressure caused by the discharge of gas from the second pump chamber P2 via the second downstream branch pipe 522, and is closed by gravity acting on the valve body V14.

[0079] The exhaust mechanism 500, which is composed of the above-mentioned components, is driven by the drive unit 302 so that the integral moving body including the exterior cup 104 and the intake unit 200 rises, and when the support member 301 rises, the partition plate 502 rises. When the partition plate 502 rises, the volume of the first pump chamber P1 decreases, and the gas in the first pump chamber P1 is discharged via the first downstream branch pipe 521 and the downstream main exhaust pipe 520. At the same time, the volume of the second pump chamber P2 increases, and the surroundings of the intake port 201 of the intake unit 200 are exhausted, and the surrounding gas flows into the second pump chamber P2 via the intake unit 200, the upstream main exhaust pipe 510, and the second upstream branch pipe 512.

[0080] On the other hand, when the integral moving body is driven by the driving unit 302 to move downward, and the support member 301 moves downward, the partition plate 502 moves downward. When the partition plate 502 moves downward, the volume of the second pump chamber P2 decreases, and the gas in the second pump chamber P2 is discharged through the second downstream branch pipe 522 and the downstream main exhaust pipe 520. At the same time, the volume of the first pump chamber P1 increases, and the surroundings of the intake port 201 of the intake unit 200 are exhausted, and the surrounding gas flows into the first pump chamber P1 through the intake unit 200, the upstream main exhaust pipe 510, and the first upstream branch pipe 511.

[0081] In this way, by configuring the exhaust mechanism 500 to be capable of exhausting using both driving forces, rather than just one of the driving forces driving the ascent or descent, air can be sucked in by the intake section 200 both when the integrated moving body is ascending and when it is descending.

[0082] When the exhaust mechanism 500 is used, during the processing using the developing solution in the above-mentioned step S2, the support member 301 is raised and lowered, specifically, the support member 301 is repeatedly raised and lowered. More specifically, during the stationary development in step S2B, the support member 301 is repeatedly raised and lowered, and with this repeated raising and lowering, the exhaust mechanism 500 continuously evacuates the hollow part of the ring body 202 of the intake unit 200, and the intake unit 200 continuously sucks air. During stationary development in step S2A, the support member 301 is repeatedly raised and lowered, and with this repeated raising and lowering, the exhaust mechanism 500 continuously evacuates the hollow portion of the ring body 202 of the intake unit 200, and the intake unit 200 may continuously suck air. In this case, the timing of raising the integrally moving body, the maximum height of the integrally moving body during repeated raising and lowering, and the like are adjusted so that interference between the developer supply nozzle 33 and the cup body 100 does not occur.

[0083] By using the exhaust mechanism 500 for intake from the intake section 200 as in this embodiment, an increase in the number of drive sections can be prevented, and an increase in costs can be suppressed.

[0084] Third embodiment FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a development processing apparatus according to the third embodiment, and shows only the essential parts.

[0085] Due to factors such as the generation of particles due to contact between the damper 42 and the inner peripheral surface of the main exhaust pipe 41, the main exhaust pipe 41 may not be sealed by the damper 42. In this case, even if the damper 42 is adjusted so that exhaust is performed to the housing, exhaust using the gap G1 as the exhaust flow path R1 described above will still be performed, although at a low exhaust volume.

[0086] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, the exhaust flow path in the cup body 100 has an expansion / contraction ring 600 as an opening / closing member for opening and closing the exhaust flow path. The expansion / contraction ring 600 is formed in a circular ring shape in a plan view. The expansion / contraction ring 600 is also configured to be freely expandable and contractible. For example, the expansion / contraction ring 600 expands when air is supplied to a hollow portion therein, and contracts when the hollow portion therein is exhausted.

[0087] Incidentally, the following gaps G2 and G3 when the upper cup 103 and the outer cup 104 are lowered can also form exhaust flow paths for exhausting the inside of the cup body 100 (specifically, for exhausting the atmosphere around the wafer W). That is, the gap G2 between the outer peripheral surface of the lower part of the guide wall 110 of the upper cup 103 and the inner peripheral surface of the lower part of the outer cup 104, and the gap G3 between the outer peripheral surface of the vertical wall 131 of the upper cup 103 and the inner peripheral surface of the vertical wall 121 of the lower cup 102 can form the exhaust flow path R2.

[0088] Exhaust flow paths R1 and R2 join at their downstream sides and communicate with exhaust pipe 127 via exhaust port 126. The upstream end of exhaust flow path R1 is located closer to spin chuck 20, which is inside, than the upstream end of exhaust flow path R2. Therefore, exhaust through exhaust flow path R1 has a large effect on the airflow around the periphery of wafer W, but exhaust through exhaust flow path R2 has a small effect on the airflow around the periphery of wafer W. Therefore, in this embodiment, expansion / contraction ring 600 is provided only in exhaust flow path R1 and not in exhaust flow path R2.

[0089] In this embodiment, in the case of processing using a rinse liquid, i.e., when the damper 42 is adjusted so that cup exhaust is performed, the integral moving body including the upper cup 103 and the outer cup 104 is raised, and only the exhaust flow path R1 is formed, and the exhaust flow path R2 is not formed. In this case, the expansion / contraction ring 600 is in a contracted state, and the exhaust flow path R1 is in an open state. This allows the mist of the developer or rinse liquid generated during processing using the rinse liquid to be collected via the exhaust flow path R1.

[0090] On the other hand, in the case of processing using a developing solution, that is, when the damper 42 is adjusted so that the housing is exhausted, the integral moving body including the upper cup 103 and the outer cup 104 is in a lowered state, and both the exhaust flow path R1 and the exhaust flow path R2 are formed. However, the expansion / contraction ring 600 is in an expanded state, and the exhaust flow path R1 is in a closed state. This makes it possible to suppress exhaust, which is unavoidable due to the structure of the damper 42, from being performed through the exhaust flow path R1 during processing using a developing solution, and to suppress the generation of a strong air flow at the peripheral portion of the wafer W. In addition, since exhaust, which is unavoidable due to the structure of the damper 42, is performed through the exhaust flow path R2, the mist of the developing solution can be collected not only by suction by the intake unit 200, but also by exhaust through the exhaust flow path R2.

[0091] Additionally, the expansion / contraction ring 600 may be fixed to either the inner cup 101 or the upper cup 103 . The fixing position of the expansion / contraction ring 600 when it is fixed to the upper cup 103 is, for example, the following position. That is, when the upper cup 103 is lowered and the expansion / contraction ring 600 expands, the exhaust flow path R1 is blocked, but when the upper cup 103 is raised and the expansion / contraction ring 600 expands, the exhaust flow path R1 is not blocked as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 9.

[0092] In this case, when the upper cup 103 is raised during processing using the rinse liquid, the expansion / contraction ring 600 is brought into a contracted state, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 9. This makes it possible to prevent the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust flow path R1 from being reduced by the expansion / contraction ring 600 during processing using the rinse liquid.

[0093] The expansion / contraction ring 600 may be formed integrally with either the inner cup 101 or the upper cup 103.

[0094] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. For example, the components of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. From such an arbitrary combination, the actions and effects of each of the components in the combination can be obtained as a matter of course, and other actions and effects that are obvious to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification can be obtained.

[0095] In addition, the effects described in this specification are merely explanatory or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification in addition to or in place of the above effects.

[0096] Note that the following configuration examples also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) A developing apparatus for developing a resist film on a substrate, comprising: A substrate holder for holding a substrate; A rotation mechanism that rotates the substrate holder; a developer supply unit that supplies a developer to the substrate held by the substrate holder; a rinse liquid supply unit that supplies a rinse liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holder; a liquid receiving portion for receiving a developing solution and a rinsing solution from the substrate held by the substrate holding portion; an exhaust pipe connected to the liquid receiving portion for exhausting the inside of the liquid receiving portion; an intake section provided so as to surround an outer periphery of the liquid receiving section, The suction section exhausts air from within the liquid receiving section at a lower exhaust volume than during processing using the rinsing liquid, and sucks air during at least one of supplying the developer and during stationary development, and recovers mist of the developer leaking out to the outside of the liquid receiving section. (2) The intake section has an intake port, The developing treatment apparatus according to (1), wherein the height of the air intake port during air supply is equal to or lower than the height of an upper end of the liquid receiving portion. (3) The developing treatment device according to (1) or (2), wherein the liquid receiving section has a lifting body configured to be capable of being raised and lowered. (4) The lifting body of the liquid receiving portion constitutes an upper end of the liquid receiving portion, The developing treatment device according to (3), wherein the suction section is configured to be capable of ascending and descending together with the ascending and descending body. (5) An exhaust mechanism configured to be able to exhaust air by a driving force that drives the lifting and lowering of the lifting body, The developing treatment apparatus according to (3) or (4), wherein the intake section is connected to the exhaust mechanism. (6) The development processing device according to (5), wherein the exhaust mechanism is configured to be capable of exhausting by a driving force that drives the lifting body to rise and is also configured to be capable of exhausting by a driving force that drives the lifting body to descend. (7) The development processing apparatus according to (5) or (6), wherein the lifting body is repeatedly raised and lowered during at least one of the supply of the developer or static development, and exhaust by the exhaust mechanism and intake by the intake section are performed in conjunction with the repeated raising and lowering. (8) The developing treatment apparatus according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the liquid receiving section has an exhaust passage communicating with the exhaust pipe, and an opening / closing member opening and closing the exhaust passage. (9) The exhaust passage includes a first exhaust passage and a second exhaust passage that join together downstream and communicate with the exhaust pipe, an upstream end of the first exhaust flow path is located closer to the substrate holding part than an upstream end of the second exhaust flow path; The developing treatment device according to (8), wherein the opening and closing member is provided in the first exhaust passage. (10) The liquid receiving portion has a lifting body configured to be liftable, The first exhaust passage and the second exhaust passage are partitioned by the lifting body, The opening and closing member is configured to be expandable and contractable and is fixed to the lifting body, a fixed position of the opening / closing member to the lifting body is a position where, when the lifting body is lowered and the opening / closing member expands, the first exhaust flow path is blocked, but when the lifting body is raised and the opening / closing member expands, the first exhaust flow path is not blocked, The developing treatment device according to (9), wherein, during treatment using the rinsing liquid, the lifting body is in a lifted state and the opening / closing member is in a contracted state. (11) A developing method for developing a resist film on a substrate, comprising the steps of: a step of holding the substrate on a substrate holder; supplying a developer to the substrate held by the substrate holder; statically developing the substrate held by the substrate holder; treating the substrate held by the substrate holder with a rinsing liquid; In at least one of the step of supplying a developer and the step of static development, The amount of exhaust from the liquid receiving portion is lower than that in the process using the rinse liquid, The developing processing method includes sucking air using an air suction section provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the liquid receiving section, and recovering the mist of the developer leaking from an opening of the liquid receiving section. (12) The developing method according to (11) above, wherein the suction by the suction unit is performed using an exhaust mechanism configured to be able to exhaust by a driving force that drives the elevation of the elevation body of the liquid receiving unit. (13) The developing method according to (11) or (12) above, wherein an exhaust flow path of the liquid receiving unit is closed by an opening / closing member that opens and closes the exhaust flow path in at least one of the step of supplying the developer or the step of static development. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1. Development processing equipment 20 Spin Chuck 21 Chuck drive unit 33 Developer supply nozzle 36 Rinse liquid supply nozzle 100 Cup Body 127 Exhaust pipe 200 Intake section M Mist W wafer

Claims

1. A developing apparatus for developing a resist film on a substrate, comprising: A substrate holder for holding a substrate; A rotation mechanism that rotates the substrate holder; a developer supply unit that supplies a developer to the substrate held by the substrate holder; a rinse liquid supply unit that supplies a rinse liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holder; a liquid receiving portion for receiving a developing solution and a rinsing solution from the substrate held by the substrate holding portion; an exhaust pipe connected to the liquid receiving portion for exhausting the inside of the liquid receiving portion; an intake section provided so as to surround an outer periphery of the liquid receiving section, The suction section exhausts air from within the liquid receiving section at a lower exhaust volume than during processing using the rinsing liquid, and sucks air during at least one of supplying the developer and during stationary development, and recovers mist of the developer leaking out to the outside of the liquid receiving section.

2. The intake section has an intake port, 2. The developing treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of said air intake port during air supply is equal to or lower than the height of an upper end of said liquid receiving portion.

3. The developing treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid receiving section has a lifting body configured to be capable of ascending and descending.

4. The lifting body of the liquid receiving portion constitutes an upper end of the liquid receiving portion, The developing treatment apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the air intake section is configured to be capable of ascending and descending together with the ascending and descending body.

5. 5. The developing processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an exhaust mechanism configured to be capable of exhausting air by a driving force that drives the elevation of said elevation body, said intake section being connected to said exhaust mechanism.

6. 6. The developing processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said exhaust mechanism is configured to be capable of exhausting by a driving force that drives said lifting body to ascend and to be capable of exhausting by a driving force that drives said lifting body to descend.

7. 6. The development processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lifting body is repeatedly raised and lowered during at least one of the supply of the developer and the stationary development, and exhaust by the exhaust mechanism and intake by the intake part are performed in conjunction with the repeated raising and lowering.

8. 5. The developing treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid receiving section has an exhaust passage communicating with the exhaust pipe, and an opening / closing member opening and closing the exhaust passage.

9. the exhaust passage includes a first exhaust passage and a second exhaust passage that join together downstream and communicate with the exhaust pipe, an upstream end of the first exhaust flow path is located closer to the substrate holding part than an upstream end of the second exhaust flow path; The developing treatment apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the opening and closing member is provided in the first exhaust passage.

10. The liquid receiving portion has a lifting body configured to be liftable, The first exhaust passage and the second exhaust passage are partitioned by the lifting body, The opening and closing member is configured to be expandable and contractable and is fixed to the lifting body, a fixed position of the opening / closing member to the lifting body is a position where, when the lifting body is lowered and the opening / closing member expands, the first exhaust flow path is blocked, but when the lifting body is raised and the opening / closing member expands, the first exhaust flow path is not blocked, 10. The developing treatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, during treatment using the rinsing liquid, the lifting body is in a lifted state and the opening / closing member is in a contracted state.

11. A developing method for developing a resist film on a substrate, comprising the steps of: a step of holding the substrate on a substrate holder; supplying a developer to the substrate held by the substrate holder; statically developing the substrate held by the substrate holder; treating the substrate held by the substrate holder with a rinsing liquid; In at least one of the step of supplying a developer and the step of static development, The amount of exhaust from the liquid receiving portion is lower than that in the process using the rinse liquid, The developing processing method includes sucking air using an air suction section provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the liquid receiving section, and recovering the mist of the developer leaking from an opening of the liquid receiving section.

12. 12. The development processing method according to claim 11, wherein the suction by the suction section is performed using an exhaust mechanism configured to be able to exhaust air by a driving force that drives the lifting and lowering of the lifting body of the liquid receiving section.

13. The development method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein an exhaust passage of the liquid receiving section is closed by an opening / closing member that opens and closes the exhaust passage in at least one of the developer supplying step and the static development step.

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