Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of impact at the moment in which a valve closes.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus 100 processes a substrate W by a processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a pipe 9, a valve 6, and a valve control mechanism 7. The processing liquid flows through the pipe 9. The valve 6 is arranged in the pipe 9 and opens and closes a channel 90 of the pipe 9. The valve control mechanism 7 controls the opening and closing of the valve 6. When the flow path of the pipe 9 is closed by the valve 6, the valve control mechanism 7 drives the valve 6 with a first driving force acting in the valve closing direction DC, and a second driving force acting in the valve closing direction DC is applied to the valve 6 after the valve 6 is driven by the first driving force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] The valve described in Patent Document 1 has an inner piston space and an outer piston space. The valve can be pneumatically opened or closed by supplying excess pressure to the outer piston space or the inner piston space. The inner piston space contains a piston for closing the flow path and a spring for driving the piston. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-78175 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the valve described in Patent Document 1, if the driving force of the spring and the driving force of the air pressure in the internal piston space are applied to the piston simultaneously, the driving force is so large that an impact may occur at the moment the valve is closed, which may result in dust generation and / or water hammer.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of suppressing the occurrence of an impact at the moment when a valve is closed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus processes a substrate with a processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus includes a pipe, a valve, and a valve control mechanism. The processing liquid flows through the pipe. The valve is disposed in the pipe and opens and closes a flow path of the pipe. The valve control mechanism controls the opening and closing of the valve. When closing the flow path of the pipe with the valve, the valve control mechanism drives the valve with a first driving force acting in a valve closing direction, and applies a second driving force acting in the valve closing direction to the valve after the valve has been driven by the first driving force. The second driving force may be applied to the valve after the valve has been driven closed by the first driving force.

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus, the valve preferably includes a valve body portion that opens and closes the flow path of the piping, and an elastic member that drives the valve body portion. The first driving force is preferably an elastic force of the elastic member. The second driving force is preferably a gas pressure.

[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus, the valve preferably includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a first port, and a second port. The second chamber preferably accommodates the elastic member. The second chamber is preferably located farther from the valve body than the first chamber. The first port preferably communicates the inside and outside of the first chamber. The second port preferably communicates the inside and outside of the second chamber. When closing the flow path of the piping by the valve, it is preferable that the valve control mechanism applies the first driving force, which is the elastic force of the elastic member, to the valve by discharging the gas from the first chamber through the first port, and applies the second driving force, which is the pressure of the gas, to the valve by supplying the gas to the second chamber through the second port after the first driving force is applied to the valve.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, in a substrate processing apparatus, it is preferable that the valve control mechanism sets the closing speed of the valve in accordance with a flow rate value indicating the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the piping, or sets the closing speed of the valve in accordance with a flow rate value that is preset as the flow rate of the processing liquid.

[0010] In one aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus, it is preferable that the valve control mechanism reduces the closing speed of the valve as the flow rate value increases.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing method includes processing a substrate with a processing liquid, the substrate processing method including the steps of driving a valve with a first driving force acting in a valve closing direction when closing a flow path of a pipe through which the processing liquid flows, and applying a second driving force acting in the valve closing direction to the valve after the valve has been driven by the first driving force. The step of applying the valve may include applying the second driving force to the valve after the valve has been driven closed by the first driving force.

[0012] In the substrate processing method according to an aspect of the present invention, the first driving force is preferably an elastic force of an elastic member that drives a valve body of the valve, and the second driving force is preferably a gas pressure.

[0013] In one aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing method, the valve preferably includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a first port, and a second port. The second chamber preferably accommodates the elastic member. The second chamber is preferably located farther from the valve body than the first chamber. The first port preferably communicates the inside and outside of the first chamber. The second port preferably communicates the inside and outside of the second chamber. In the step of driving the valve by the first driving force, the first driving force, which is the elastic force of the elastic member, is preferably applied to the valve by discharging the gas from the first chamber through the first port. In the step of applying the second driving force to the valve, the second driving force, which is the pressure of the gas, is preferably applied to the valve by supplying the gas to the second chamber through the second port after the first driving force is applied to the valve.

[0014] In one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the substrate processing method further includes a step of setting a closing speed of the valve in accordance with a flow rate value indicating a flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the piping, or a step of setting a closing speed of the valve in accordance with a flow rate value that is preset as the flow rate of the processing liquid.

[0015] In one aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing method, in the step of adjusting the closing speed of the valve, the closing speed of the valve is preferably made slower as the flow rate value increases. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of shock at the moment when the valve is closed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing the inside of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a side view showing the inside of the processing unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a valve and a valve control mechanism according to a comparative example. [Figure 4] 5 is a time chart showing the operation of a valve control mechanism according to a comparative example. [Diagram 5] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a state of the treatment liquid in the nozzle when the valve is closed in the comparative example. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a valve and a valve control mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 4 is a time chart showing the operation of the valve control mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a state of a treatment liquid in a nozzle when a valve according to the first embodiment is closed. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the closing speed of the valve and the opening degree of the first speed controller in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart showing a substrate processing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a valve and a valve control mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 6 is a time chart showing the operation of the valve control mechanism according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference symbols and the description will not be repeated. For convenience of explanation, the drawings also appropriately depict a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system (X, Y, Z). In the drawings, the X-axis and Y-axis are parallel to the horizontal direction, and the Z-axis is parallel to the vertical direction.

[0019] (Embodiment 1) First, a substrate processing apparatus 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the inside of the substrate processing apparatus 100. The substrate processing apparatus 100 shown in Fig. 1 processes a substrate W with a processing liquid.

[0020] The substrate W is, for example, a semiconductor wafer, a substrate for a liquid crystal display device, a substrate for a plasma display, a substrate for a field emission display (FED), a substrate for an optical disk, a substrate for a magnetic disk, a substrate for a magneto-optical disk, a substrate for a photomask, a ceramic substrate, or a substrate for a solar cell.

[0021] The processing liquid is, for example, a chemical liquid or a rinse liquid.

[0022] The chemical solution may be, for example, dilute hydrofluoric acid (DHF), hydrofluoric acid (HF), hydronitric acid (a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid (HNO3)), buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF), ammonium fluoride, HFEG (a mixture of hydrofluoric acid and ethylene glycol), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), sulfuric acid, acetic acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, ammonia water, hydrogen peroxide water, organic acids (e.g., citric acid, oxalic acid), organic alkalis (e.g., TMAH: tetramethylammonium hydroxide), sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide water mixture (SPM), ammonia-hydrogen peroxide water mixture (SC1), hydrochloric acid-hydrogen peroxide water mixture (SC2), isopropyl alcohol (IPA), a surfactant, or a corrosion inhibitor.

[0023] The rinse liquid is, for example, deionized water, carbonated water, electrolytic ionized water, hydrogen water, ozone water, or hydrochloric acid water with a diluted concentration (for example, about 10 ppm to 100 ppm).

[0024] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a plurality of load ports LP, an indexer robot IR, a center robot CR, a plurality of processing units 1, a controller 2, a plurality of fluid boxes 3, and a processing liquid cabinet 4. The controller 2 controls the load ports LP, the indexer robot IR, the center robot CR, and the processing units 1.

[0025] Each load port LP accommodates a stack of substrates W. The indexer robot IR transports the substrates W between the load port LP and the center robot CR. The center robot CR transports the substrates W between the indexer robot IR and the processing units 1. Each processing unit 1 supplies a processing liquid to the substrate W to process the substrate W. Each fluid box 3 accommodates fluidic equipment. The processing liquid cabinet 4 accommodates a processing liquid.

[0026] Specifically, the multiple processing units 1 form multiple towers TW (four towers TW in embodiment 1) arranged to surround the center robot CR in a plan view. Each tower TW includes multiple processing units 1 (three processing units 1 in embodiment 1) stacked vertically. The multiple fluid boxes 3 correspond to the multiple towers TW, respectively. The processing liquid in the processing liquid cabinet 4 is supplied to all processing units 1 included in the tower TW corresponding to the fluid box 3 via any of the fluid boxes 3.

[0027] The control device 2 controls the load port LP, the indexer robot IR, the center robot CR, the processing unit 1, the fluid box 3, and the processing liquid cabinet 4. The control device 2 is, for example, a computer.

[0028] The control device 2 includes a control unit 21 and a memory unit 22. The control unit 21 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory unit 22 includes a storage device and stores data and computer programs. Specifically, the memory unit 22 includes a main storage device such as a semiconductor memory, and an auxiliary storage device such as a semiconductor memory, a solid state drive, and / or a hard disk drive. The memory unit 22 may include removable media. The memory unit 22 corresponds to an example of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0029] Next, the processing unit 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the inside of the processing unit 1.

[0030] 2, the processing unit 1 includes a chamber 11, a spin chuck 12, a spin motor 13, a nozzle 14, a nozzle moving part 15, and a cup 16. The substrate processing apparatus 100 further includes a valve 6, a valve control mechanism 7, a flow meter 8, and piping 9. The valve 6, the valve control mechanism 7, the flow meter 8, and a part of the piping 9 are housed in a fluid box 3. The valve 6 may be housed in the chamber 11, for example.

[0031] The chamber 11 has a substantially box-like shape. The chamber 11 accommodates a spin chuck 12, a spin motor 13, a nozzle 14, a nozzle moving unit 15, and a cup 16. The spin motor 13 rotates the spin chuck 12 about a rotation axis AX. Thus, the spin chuck 12 rotates the substrate W about the rotation axis AX while holding the substrate W horizontally. Specifically, the spin chuck 12 includes a spin base 121 and a plurality of chuck members 122. The spin base 121 is substantially disk-shaped and supports the plurality of chuck members 122 in a horizontal position. The plurality of chuck members 122 hold the substrate W in a horizontal position.

[0032] The nozzle 14 supplies the processing liquid toward the substrate W. The nozzle moving unit 15 raises and lowers the nozzle 14 and rotates the nozzle 14 horizontally around a rotation axis along the vertical direction. In order to raise and lower the nozzle 14, the nozzle moving unit 15 includes, for example, a ball screw mechanism and an electric motor that provides a driving force to the ball screw mechanism. The nozzle moving unit 15 also includes, for example, an electric motor in order to rotate the nozzle 14 horizontally. The cup 16 has a substantially cylindrical shape. The cup 16 receives the processing liquid discharged from the substrate W.

[0033] The pipe 9 supplies the processing liquid to the nozzle 14. Thus, the processing liquid flows through the pipe 9. The valve 6 and the flow meter 8 are disposed in the pipe 9. The valve 6 opens and closes the flow path of the pipe 9, and switches between supplying and stopping the processing liquid to the nozzle 14. In the first embodiment, the valve 6 is a double-acting air-operated valve. The double-acting type refers to a type having two ports (a first port 61 and a second port 62 described below) through which air passes. The valve control mechanism 7 controls the opening and closing of the valve 6. The flow meter 8 measures the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the pipe 9.

[0034] Before describing the details of the valve 6 and the valve control mechanism 7 according to the first embodiment, a valve 80 and a valve control mechanism 85 according to a comparative example will be briefly described with reference to FIGS.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a valve 80 and a valve control mechanism 85 according to a comparative example. As shown in FIG. 3, the valve 80 opens and closes the flow path of the pipe 110. In FIG. 3, the valve 80 is shown in a closed state. A flow meter 89 is disposed in the pipe 110. Specifically, the valve 80 includes a first port 801, a second port 802, a first chamber 803, a second chamber 804, an elastic member 805, and a valve body portion 806. The elastic member 805 is, for example, a compression coil spring. The elastic member 805 is accommodated in the second chamber 804. The first port 801 communicates the inside and the outside of the first chamber 803. The second port 802 communicates the outside and the inside of the second chamber 804. The valve control mechanism 85 controls the valve 80.

[0036] Specifically, the valve control mechanism 85 includes an electromagnetic valve 86, a first speed controller 87, and a second speed controller 88. One end of the first pipe 111 is connected to the first port 801, and the other end of the first pipe 111 is connected to the electromagnetic valve 86. One end of the second pipe 112 is connected to the second port 802, and the other end of the second pipe 112 is connected to the electromagnetic valve 86. The electromagnetic valve 86 switches the connection destination of the first pipe 111 between the air supply pipe AR and the air exhaust pipe EX. In addition, the electromagnetic valve 86 switches the connection destination of the second pipe 112 between the air supply pipe AR and the air exhaust pipe EX. The air supply pipe AR is a pipe for supplying air to the valve 80. The air exhaust pipe EX is a pipe for exhausting air from the valve 80.

[0037] Fig. 4 is a time chart showing the operation of the valve control mechanism 85 according to the comparative example. In the charts CT10 and CT20 in Fig. 4, the horizontal axis represents time.

[0038] The vertical axis of chart CT10 indicates the state of air supply to first chamber 803. Specifically, on the vertical axis, "on" indicates a state in which air is supplied from first piping 111 to first chamber 803, and "off" indicates a state in which air is not supplied from first piping 111 to first chamber 803. In other words, when the air supply state is "on", it indicates a state in which air is not discharged from first chamber 803 via first piping 111, and when the air supply state is "off", it indicates a state in which air is discharged from first chamber 803.

[0039] The vertical axis of chart CT20 indicates the state of air supply to the second chamber 804. Specifically, on the vertical axis, "on" indicates a state in which air is supplied from the second piping 112 to the second chamber 804, and "off" indicates a state in which air is not supplied from the second piping 112 to the second chamber 804. In other words, when the air supply state is "on", it indicates a state in which air is not discharged from the second chamber 804 via the second piping 112, and when the air supply state is "off", it indicates a state in which air is discharged from the second chamber 804.

[0040] 4, in a period T10 from time t0 to time t1, the valve 80 is open and the flow path of the pipe 110 is also open. Specifically, the solenoid valve 86 connects the second pipe 112 to the air exhaust pipe EX and connects the first pipe 111 to the air supply pipe AR. As a result, air is supplied from the air supply pipe AR to the first chamber 803, pushing up the valve body 806 and opening the flow path of the pipe 110.

[0041] Next, at time t1, the solenoid valve 86 connects the first pipe 111 to the air exhaust pipe EX and the second pipe 112 to the air supply pipe AR at the same time. Therefore, air is exhausted from the first chamber 803 toward the air exhaust pipe EX, and air is introduced from the air supply pipe AR to the second chamber 804. As a result, a first driving force, which is the elastic force of the elastic member 805, and a second driving force, which is the air pressure in the second chamber 804, are simultaneously applied to the valve 80 in the valve closing direction DC. That is, the first driving force and the second driving force are simultaneously applied to the valve body portion 806 in the valve closing direction DC. Therefore, an impact force may occur at the moment the valve 80 (specifically, the valve body portion 806) closes. As a result, dust may be generated or a water hammer may occur.

[0042] During a period T20 from time t1 to time t3, the valve 80 is closed by the first driving force and the second driving force.

[0043] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the state of the processing liquid LQ in the nozzle NZ when the valve 80 according to the comparative example is closed. In Fig. 5, the occurrence of water hammer in the nozzle NZ is indicated by "zigzag straight lines."

[0044] 5, when the first driving force (the elastic force of the elastic member 805) and the second driving force (the air pressure in the second chamber 804) are applied to the valve 80 simultaneously, a water hammer may occur in the nozzle NZ due to the impact at the moment the valve 80 closes. When a water hammer occurs, droplets of the processing liquid LQ may scatter from the nozzle NZ. As a result, the droplets may contaminate the inside of the chamber or adhere to the substrate W. In addition, the impact at the moment the valve 80 closes may cause dust to be generated in the flow path of the pipe 110.

[0045] Therefore, in the first embodiment, the timing at which a first driving force (elastic force) is applied to the valve 6 (FIG. 2) is made different from the timing at which a second driving force (air pressure) is applied to the valve 6, thereby suppressing the occurrence of an impact at the moment the valve 6 closes. Hereinafter, the valve 6 and the valve control mechanism 7 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

[0046] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the valve 6 and the valve control mechanism 7 according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 6, the valve 6 opens and closes a flow path 90 of a pipe 9. Fig. 6 shows the valve 6 in a closed state.

[0047] The valve 6 has a housing 60, a first port 61, a second port 62, a first storage chamber 63, a second storage chamber 64, an elastic member 65, a partition portion 66, a connecting portion 67, a valve body portion 68, and a valve seat portion 69. The first storage chamber 63 and the second storage chamber 64 are formed in the housing 60.

[0048] The first storage chamber 63 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical space and stores the valve body portion 68 and a part of the connecting portion 67. The valve seat portion 69 is disposed at a portion where the first storage chamber 63 and the flow path 90 intersect. The valve seat portion 69 is, for example, substantially annular. In the example of FIG. 6, the valve seat portion 69 is substantially truncated cone. The valve body portion 68 opens and closes the flow path 90. Specifically, the valve body portion 68 is displaced in a valve closing direction DC to come into contact with the valve seat portion 69 and close the flow path 90. The valve closing direction DC indicates a direction in which the valve 6 closes the flow path 90 of the pipe 9. On the other hand, the valve body portion 68 is displaced in a valve opening direction DO to move away from the valve seat portion 69 and open the flow path 90. The valve opening direction DO indicates a direction in which the valve 6 opens the flow path 90 of the pipe 9. The valve body portion 68 is, for example, a valve body. The type of valve 6 is not particularly limited, and the valve body 68 may be a diaphragm, for example.

[0049] The second storage chamber 64 is located farther from the flow path 90 than the first storage chamber 63. The second storage chamber 64 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical space and accommodates the elastic member 65, the partition portion 66, and a part of the connecting portion 67. The second storage chamber 64 has a first chamber 641 and a second chamber 642. Specifically, the partition portion 66 divides the second storage chamber 64 to form the first chamber 641 and the second chamber 642. The partition portion 66 is, for example, substantially columnar or cylindrical. The partition portion 66 is, for example, a piston.

[0050] The second chamber 642 is located farther from the valve body portion 68 and the flow path 90 than the first chamber 641. The second chamber 642 accommodates an elastic member 65. The elastic member 65 has elasticity. The elastic member 65 is, for example, a spring. For example, the spring is a compression coil spring. The elastic member 65 drives the valve body portion 68. Specifically, the elastic member 65 drives the partition portion 66 and the connecting portion 67 to drive the valve body portion 68.

[0051] The connecting portion 67 connects the partition portion 66 and the valve body portion 68. The connecting portion 67 is, for example, a rod. When the partition portion 66 and the connecting portion 67 are driven, the valve body portion 68 is displaced in the valve closing direction DC or the valve opening direction DO. Note that, when the valve body portion 68 closes the flow path 90, the partition portion 66 may be located at the bottom of the first chamber 641.

[0052] The first port 61 communicates between the inside and the outside of the first chamber 641. The second port 62 communicates between the inside and the outside of the second chamber 642.

[0053] The valve control mechanism 7 controls the opening and closing of the valve 6. Specifically, the valve control mechanism 7 has a first solenoid valve 71, a second solenoid valve 72, a first speed controller 73, and a second speed controller 74. In addition, the substrate processing apparatus 100 further includes a first pipe 91 and a second pipe 92.

[0054] One end of the first pipe 91 is connected to the first port 61, and the other end of the first pipe 91 is connected to the first solenoid valve 71. The first pipe 91 is connected to the air supply pipe AR or the air exhaust pipe EX via the first solenoid valve 71. Specifically, the first solenoid valve 71 is connected to the air supply pipe AR by a pipe 911. In addition, the first solenoid valve 71 is connected to the air exhaust pipe EX by a pipe 912.

[0055] The air supply pipe AR is a pipe for supplying air to the second storage chamber 64. For example, an air compressor (not shown) that generates compressed air is connected to the air supply pipe AR. The air exhaust pipe EX is a pipe for exhausting air from the second storage chamber 64. For example, a suction pump (e.g., a vacuum pump) is connected to the air exhaust pipe EX.

[0056] In this specification, air is an example of a “gas.” Therefore, instead of air, an inert gas such as nitrogen may be used as the “gas.”

[0057] The first solenoid valve 71 switches between supplying air to the first chamber 641 via the first pipe 91 and the first port 61 and discharging air from the first chamber 641 via the first pipe 91 and the first port 61. Specifically, the first solenoid valve 71 supplies air to the first chamber 641 by separating the air exhaust pipe EX and the pipe 912 from the first pipe 91 and connecting the air supply pipe AR to the first pipe 91 via the pipe 911. On the other hand, the first solenoid valve 71 discharges air from the first chamber 641 by separating the air supply pipe AR and the pipe 911 from the first pipe 91 and connecting the air exhaust pipe EX to the first pipe 91 via the pipe 912.

[0058] The first speed controller 73 is disposed in the first pipe 91 between the first port 61 and the first solenoid valve 71. The first speed controller 73 adjusts the discharge speed of air discharged from the first chamber 641 through the first pipe 91, thereby adjusting the closing speed of the valve 6. The closing speed of the valve 6 indicates the moving speed of the partition portion 66 and the connecting portion 67 in the valve closing direction DC. In other words, the closing speed of the valve 6 indicates the displacement speed of the valve body portion 68 in the valve closing direction DC.

[0059] Specifically, the first speed controller 73 has a throttle valve 731 and a check valve 732. The throttle valve 731 and the check valve 732 are connected in parallel. The check valve 732 prohibits the movement of air from the first port 61 toward the air discharge pipe EX. Therefore, the air discharged from the first chamber 641 via the first pipe 91 passes through the throttle valve 731. The throttle valve 731 adjusts the flow rate of the air discharged from the first chamber 641, thereby adjusting the discharge speed of the air. The throttle valve 731 is, for example, a motor needle valve.

[0060] The second speed controller 74 is disposed in the first pipe 91 between the first port 61 and the first solenoid valve 71. The second speed controller 74 adjusts the supply speed of air supplied to the first chamber 641 through the first pipe 91, thereby adjusting the opening speed of the valve 6. The opening speed of the valve 6 indicates the movement speed of the partition portion 66 and the connecting portion 67 in the valve opening direction DO. In other words, the opening speed of the valve 6 indicates the displacement speed of the valve body portion 68 in the valve opening direction DO.

[0061] Specifically, the second speed controller 74 has a throttle valve 741 and a check valve 742. The throttle valve 741 and the check valve 742 are connected in parallel. The check valve 742 prohibits the movement of air from the air supply pipe AR toward the first port 61. Therefore, the air supplied to the first chamber 641 via the first pipe 91 passes through the throttle valve 741. The throttle valve 741 adjusts the flow rate of the air supplied to the first chamber 641, thereby adjusting the supply speed of the air. The throttle valve 741 is, for example, a motor needle valve.

[0062] The first speed controller 73 and the second speed controller 74 are disposed in series in the first pipe 91. The first speed controller 73 is disposed closer to the first solenoid valve 71 than the second speed controller 74. It should be noted that the second speed controller 74 may be disposed closer to the first solenoid valve 71 than the first speed controller 73.

[0063] One end of the second pipe 92 is connected to the second port 62, and the other end of the second pipe 92 is connected to the second solenoid valve 72. The second pipe 92 is connected to the air supply pipe AR or the air exhaust pipe EX via the second solenoid valve 72. Specifically, the second solenoid valve 72 is connected to the air supply pipe AR by a pipe 921. In addition, the second solenoid valve 72 is connected to the air exhaust pipe EX by a pipe 922.

[0064] The second solenoid valve 72 switches between supplying air to the second chamber 642 via the second pipe 92 and the second port 62 and discharging air from the second chamber 642 via the second pipe 92 and the second port 62. Specifically, the second solenoid valve 72 supplies air to the second chamber 642 by separating the air exhaust pipe EX and the pipe 922 from the second pipe 92 and connecting the air supply pipe AR to the second pipe 92 via the pipe 921. On the other hand, the second solenoid valve 72 separates the air supply pipe AR and the pipe 921 from the second pipe 92 and connects the air exhaust pipe EX to the second pipe 92 via the pipe 922, thereby discharging air from the second chamber 642.

[0065] Fig. 7 is a time chart showing the operation of the valve control mechanism 7. In the charts CT1 and CT2 in Fig. 7, the horizontal axis represents time.

[0066] The vertical axis of chart CT1 indicates the state of air supply to first chamber 641. Specifically, on the vertical axis, "on" indicates a state in which air is supplied from first piping 91 to first chamber 641, and "off" indicates a state in which air is not supplied from first piping 91 to first chamber 641. In other words, when the air supply state is "on", it indicates a state in which air is not exhausted from first chamber 641 via first piping 91, and when the air supply state is "off", it indicates a state in which air is exhausted from first chamber 641.

[0067] The vertical axis of chart CT2 indicates the state of air supply to second chamber 642. Specifically, on the vertical axis, "on" indicates a state in which air is supplied from second piping 92 to second chamber 642, and "off" indicates a state in which air is not supplied from second piping 92 to second chamber 642. In other words, when the air supply state is "on", it indicates a state in which air is not discharged from second chamber 642 via second piping 92, and when the air supply state is "off", it indicates a state in which air is discharged from second chamber 642.

[0068] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the valve 6 closes the flow path 90 of the pipe 9, at time t1, the valve control mechanism 7 drives the valve 6 with a first driving force (elastic force of the elastic member 65) acting in the valve closing direction DC. Therefore, the valve 6 is closed by the first driving force, and the flow path 90 is closed. After the valve 6 is driven by the first driving force, at time t2, a second driving force (air pressure) acting in the valve closing direction DC is applied to the valve 6. Therefore, the valve 6 can maintain the closed state not only by the first driving force but also by the second driving force. In other words, the valve 6 can close the flow path 90 with a stronger force.

[0069] That is, according to the first embodiment, the timing at which the first driving force is applied to the valve 6 is different from the timing at which the second driving force is applied to the valve 6. In other words, the second driving force is applied to the valve 6 at time t2 when the delay time T1 has elapsed from time t1 at which the first driving force is applied to the valve 6. Therefore, compared to the case where the first driving force and the second driving force are applied to the valve 6 simultaneously, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of an impact at the moment the valve 6 closes. As a result, it is possible to suppress the generation of dust and the occurrence of water hammer.

[0070] Particularly, in the first embodiment, the elastic member 65 generates the first driving force. That is, the first driving force is the elastic force of the elastic member 65. In addition, the second driving force is the air pressure in the second chamber 642. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, the first driving force and the second driving force can be easily generated by the elastic force and the air pressure. The air pressure corresponds to an example of "gas pressure".

[0071] Specifically, when the flow path 90 of the pipe 9 is closed by the valve 6, the valve control mechanism 7 applies a first driving force, which is an elastic force of the elastic member 65, to the valve 6 by discharging air from the first chamber 641 through the first port 61 at time t1. Then, after the first driving force is applied to the valve 6, the valve control mechanism 7 applies a second driving force, which is an air pressure, to the valve 6 by supplying air to the second chamber 642 through the second port 62 at time t2. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, the timing at which the first driving force by the elastic member 65 is applied to the valve 6 is different from the timing at which the second driving force by the air pressure is applied to the valve 6. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of an impact at the moment the valve 6 is closed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of dust generation and water hammer.

[0072] More specifically, in a period T0 from time t0 to time t1, the valve 6 is open and the flow path 90 is open. That is, in the period T0, the first solenoid valve 71 supplies air from the air supply pipe AR, the first pipe 91, and the first port 61 to the first chamber 641, and the second solenoid valve 72 discharges air from the second chamber 642 to the air discharge pipe EX through the second pipe 92 and the second port 62. As a result, the partition portion 66 and the connecting portion 67 move in the valve opening direction DO, and the valve body portion 68 is displaced in the valve opening direction DO. As a result, the flow path 90 is open. That is, in the period T0, the air pressure in the first chamber 641 pushes up the partition portion 66, the connecting portion 67, and the valve body portion 68 in the valve opening direction DO against the elastic force of the elastic member 65, and the flow path 90 is opened.

[0073] Next, at time t1, in a state in which the second solenoid valve 72 is discharging air from the second chamber 642 toward the air discharge pipe EX via the second pipe 92 and the second port 62, the first solenoid valve 71 switches from a state in which air is supplied from the air supply pipe AR to the first chamber 641 via the first pipe 91 and the first port 61 to a state in which air is discharged from the first chamber 641 toward the air discharge pipe EX. In other words, at time t1, in a state in which the second solenoid valve 72 is discharging air from the second chamber 642, the first solenoid valve 71 starts discharging air from the first chamber 641.

[0074] Therefore, at time t1, the elastic member 65 drives the partition portion 66 and the connecting portion 67 in the valve closing direction DC to displace the valve body portion 68 in the valve closing direction DC. As a result, the valve body portion 68 closes the flow path 90. That is, in the period T1 from time t1 to time t2, the first driving force, which is the elastic force of the elastic member 65, acts on the partition portion 66, the connecting portion 67, and the valve body portion 68 in the valve closing direction DC. On the other hand, in the period T1 including time t1, the second driving force, which is the air pressure, does not act on the partition portion 66, the connecting portion 67, and the valve body portion 68 in the valve closing direction DC. This is because, in the period T1, the second solenoid valve 72 continues to discharge air from the second chamber 642 from the period T0.

[0075] Next, at time t2, while the first solenoid valve 71 is discharging air from the first chamber 641 toward the air exhaust pipe EX via the first pipe 91 and the first port 61, the second solenoid valve 72 switches from a state in which air is discharged from the second chamber 642 via the second pipe 92 and the second port 62 to a state in which air is supplied from the air supply pipe AR to the second chamber 642. In other words, at time t2, while the first solenoid valve 71 is discharging air from the first chamber 641, the second solenoid valve 72 starts supplying air to the second chamber 642.

[0076] Therefore, at time t2, in addition to the first driving force which is the elastic force of the elastic member 65, the second driving force which is the air pressure in the second chamber 642 further acts in the valve closing direction DC on the partition portion 66, the connecting portion 67, and the valve body portion 68. Therefore, in the period T2 from time t2 to time t3, the elastic force and the air pressure cause the valve body portion 68 to close the flow path 90. As a result, in the period T2, the valve body portion 68 can close the flow path 90 with a stronger force.

[0077] During the periods T1 and T2, the first solenoid valve 71 discharges air from the first chamber 641 through the first pipe 91 and the first port 61 toward the air discharge pipe EX.

[0078] Here, as long as the timing at which the first driving force by the elastic member 65 is applied to the valve 6 differs from the timing at which the second driving force by the air pressure is applied to the valve 6, the length of each of the periods T0 to T2 is not particularly limited.

[0079] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the state of the treatment liquid LQ in the nozzle 14 when the valve 6 according to the first embodiment is closed. As shown in Fig. 8, by making the timing at which the first driving force (elastic force) is applied to the valve 6 different from the timing at which the second driving force (air pressure) is applied to the valve 6, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of water hammer (Fig. 5) in the nozzle 14. In other words, scattering of droplets due to water hammer is prevented, and the treatment liquid LQ falls in a continuous state.

[0080] Next, the closing speed of the valve 6 and the opening degree of the first speed controller 73 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the closing speed of the valve 6 and the opening degree of the first speed controller 73. In graphs GP1 to GP3 in Fig. 9, the horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents the state of the valve 6. In graphs GP1 to GP3, times t0 to t3 and periods T0 to T2 respectively represent times t0 to t3 and periods T0 to T2 shown in Fig. 7.

[0081] For example, as shown in graph GP1, when the opening of the first speed controller 73 is large, the closing speed of the valve 6 is large. For example, as shown in graph GP2, when the opening of the first speed controller 73 is medium, the closing speed of the valve 6 is medium. For example, as shown in graph GP3, when the opening of the first speed controller 73 is small, the closing speed of the valve 6 is small. The opening of the first speed controller 73 indicates the opening of the throttle valve 731. The opening indicates the degree to which the throttle valve 731 is open.

[0082] That is, the smaller the opening of the first speed controller 73, the slower the closing speed of the valve 6. In other words, the larger the opening of the first speed controller 73, the faster the closing speed of the valve 6.

[0083] 9, according to the first embodiment, by differentiating the timing (time t1) at which the first driving force by the elastic member 65 is applied to the valve 6 and the timing (time t2) at which the second driving force by the air pressure is applied to the valve 6, it is possible to effectively adjust the closing speed of the valve 6 by adjusting the opening of the first speed controller 73. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, in the comparative example, the timing (time t1) at which the first driving force by the elastic member 805 is applied to the valve 80 and the timing (time t1) at which the second driving force by the air pressure is applied to the valve 80 are simultaneous, making it difficult or impossible to adjust the closing speed of the valve 80 by adjusting the opening of the first speed controller 87.

[0084] Next, a more preferred example of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. That is, it is preferable that the valve control mechanism 7 (specifically, the first speed controller 73) adjusts the closing speed of the valve 6 according to a flow rate value indicating the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the pipe 9, or adjusts the closing speed of the valve 6 according to a flow rate value preset as the flow rate of the processing liquid. According to this preferred example, the closing speed of the valve 6 can be set to an appropriate value according to the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the pipe 9. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively suppress the occurrence of an impact at the moment when the valve 6 is closed. The "flow rate value indicating the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the pipe 9" indicates the flow rate value of the processing liquid measured by the flowmeter 8. Moreover, the "flow rate value preset as the flow rate of the processing liquid" indicates, for example, the flow rate value of the processing liquid determined in a recipe stored in the storage unit 22. The recipe is information that specifies the processing content and processing procedure of the substrate W. In other words, the recipe is information that specifies the processing conditions for the substrate W.

[0085] In particular, in the first embodiment, it is more preferable that the valve control mechanism 7 slows the closing speed of the valve 6 as the flow rate of the treatment liquid flowing through the pipe 9 increases. This is because, when the flow rate of the treatment liquid is high, if the closing speed of the valve 6 is increased, a water hammer may easily occur in the nozzle 14. On the other hand, when the flow rate of the treatment liquid is low, if the closing speed of the valve 6 is decreased, the liquid column may become too thin in the nozzle 14, causing the treatment liquid to continue to drip down. Therefore, it is more preferable that the valve control mechanism 7 speeds up the closing speed of the valve 6 as the flow rate of the treatment liquid flowing through the pipe 9 decreases.

[0086] Specifically, the control unit 21 obtains a flow rate value indicating the flow rate of the treatment liquid from the flow meter 8. Then, the control unit 21 sets the opening degree of the first speed controller 73 based on the flow rate value. The smaller the opening degree of the first speed controller 73, the slower the closing speed of the valve 6 (FIG. 9).

[0087] Therefore, in more detail, the control unit 21 sets the opening degree of the first speed controller 73 smaller as the flow rate value of the treatment liquid flowing through the pipe 9 increases. Therefore, the closing speed of the valve 6 decreases as the flow rate value of the treatment liquid flowing through the pipe 9 increases. As a result, the occurrence of water hammer in the nozzle 14 can be effectively suppressed. On the other hand, the control unit 21 sets the opening degree of the first speed controller 73 larger as the flow rate value of the treatment liquid flowing through the pipe 9 decreases, thereby suppressing the liquid column in the nozzle 14 from becoming too thin.

[0088] Alternatively, the control unit 21 obtains a flow rate value that is predetermined as the flow rate of the processing liquid from a recipe stored in the memory unit 22. The control unit 21 then sets the aperture of the first speed controller 73 based on the flow rate value. More specifically, the control unit 21 sets the aperture of the first speed controller 73 to be smaller as the predetermined flow rate value increases. Thus, the closing speed of the valve 6 decreases as the predetermined flow rate value increases. As a result, the occurrence of water hammer in the nozzle 14 can be effectively suppressed. On the other hand, the control unit 21 sets the aperture of the first speed controller 73 to be larger as the predetermined flow rate value decreases, thereby suppressing the liquid column from becoming too thin in the nozzle 14.

[0089] Next, a substrate processing method according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6 and Fig. 10. The substrate processing method is a method for processing a substrate W with a processing liquid. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the substrate processing method. As shown in Fig. 10, the substrate processing method includes steps S1 to S5.

[0090] 6 and 10, first, in step S1, the control unit 21 controls the valve 6 to open the valve 6. Thus, the valve 6 opens and the flow path 90 opens. Thus, the nozzle 14 (FIG. 2) ejects the processing liquid toward the substrate W. As a result, the substrate W is processed with the processing liquid.

[0091] Next, in step S2, the control unit 21 receives, from the recipe stored in the storage unit 22, an instruction to end the discharge of the processing liquid.

[0092] Next, in step S3, the control unit 21 acquires the flow rate value of the treatment liquid from the flowmeter 8, and sets the closing speed of the valve 6 according to the flow rate value of the treatment liquid flowing through the pipe 9. Specifically, the control unit 21 sets the opening degree of the first speed controller 73 according to the flow rate value of the treatment liquid flowing through the pipe 9. As a result, the closing speed of the valve 6 is set according to the flow rate value of the treatment liquid.

[0093] Alternatively, in step S3, the control unit 21 acquires a predetermined flow rate value as the flow rate of the processing liquid from a recipe stored in the memory unit 22, and sets the closing speed of the valve 6 according to the predetermined flow rate value. Specifically, the control unit 21 sets the opening degree of the first speed controller 73 according to the predetermined flow rate value. As a result, the closing speed of the valve 6 is set according to the predetermined flow rate value.

[0094] Next, in step S4, the control unit 21 controls the valve control mechanism 7 (specifically, the first solenoid valve 71) to drive the valve 6 (specifically, the valve body 68) with a first driving force (for example, the elastic force of the elastic member 65) acting in the valve closing direction DC. As a result, the valve 6 (specifically, the valve body 68) closes, and the flow path 90 is closed.

[0095] Next, in step S5, the control unit 21 controls the valve control mechanism 7 (specifically, the second solenoid valve 72) to apply a second driving force (e.g., air pressure) acting in the valve closing direction DC to the valve 6 (specifically, the valve body 68). As a result, the first driving force and the second driving force maintain the valve 6 (specifically, the valve body 68) in a closed state. Then, the substrate processing method ends.

[0096] As described above with reference to FIG. 10, by executing step S5 after step S4, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of impact at the moment when valve 6 is closed.

[0097] (Embodiment 2) A substrate processing apparatus 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The overall configurations of the substrate processing apparatus 100 and the processing unit 1 according to the second embodiment are similar to those of the substrate processing apparatus 100 and the processing unit 1 according to the first embodiment described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, respectively. In particular, the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment is mainly different from the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment in that air pressure is used as the first driving force and the second driving force. The following mainly describes the differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment.

[0098] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a valve 6A and a valve control mechanism 7A according to embodiment 2. As shown in Fig. 11, the valve 6A differs from the valve 6 shown in Fig. 6 in that it does not have the elastic member 65 shown in Fig. 6. Furthermore, the valve control mechanism 7A has a pressure adjustment mechanism 75 in addition to the configuration of the valve control mechanism 7 shown in Fig. 6. The pressure adjustment mechanism 75 adjusts the pressure of the air supplied from the second port 62 to the second chamber 642. The pressure adjustment mechanism 75 is, for example, a regulator.

[0099] In embodiment 2, the timing at which a first driving force (first air pressure P1) is applied to the valve 6A is made different from the timing at which a second driving force (second air pressure P2) is applied to the valve 6A, thereby suppressing the occurrence of an impact at the moment the valve 6A closes.

[0100] FIG. 12 is a time chart showing the operation of the valve control mechanism 7A. In the charts CT11 and CT12 in FIG. 12, the horizontal axis indicates time. The vertical axis of the chart CT11 is the same as the vertical axis of the chart CT1 shown in FIG. 7. The vertical axis of the chart CT12 indicates the state of air supply to the second chamber 642. Specifically, on the vertical axis, "P1" indicates a state in which air is supplied from the second pipe 92 to the second chamber 642 at the first air pressure P1. "P1+P2" indicates a state in which air is supplied from the second pipe 92 to the second chamber 642 at the first air pressure P1+second air pressure P2. "Off" indicates a state in which air is not supplied from the second pipe 92 to the second chamber 642. Therefore, when the air supply state is "off", it indicates a state in which air is discharged from the second chamber 642.

[0101] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the flow path 90 of the pipe 9 is closed by the valve 6A, at time t1, the valve control mechanism 7A drives the valve 6A with a first driving force (first air pressure P1) acting in the valve closing direction DC. Therefore, the valve 6A is closed by the first driving force, and the flow path 90 is closed. After the valve 6A is driven by the first driving force, at time t2, a second driving force (second air pressure P2) acting in the valve closing direction DC is further applied to the valve 6A. Therefore, the valve 6A can maintain the closed state not only by the first driving force but also by the second driving force. In other words, the valve 6A can close the flow path 90 with a stronger force.

[0102] That is, according to the second embodiment, the timing at which the first driving force is applied to the valve 6A is different from the timing at which the second driving force is applied to the valve 6A. Therefore, compared to the case where the first driving force and the second driving force are applied to the valve 6A simultaneously, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of an impact at the moment the valve 6A is closed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the generation of dust and the occurrence of water hammer.

[0103] Specifically, when the flow path 90 of the pipe 9 is closed by the valve 6A, the valve control mechanism 7A exhausts air from the first chamber 641 through the first port 61 and supplies air to the second chamber 642 through the second port 62 at time t1, thereby providing a first driving force, which is a first air pressure P1 in the second chamber 642, to the valve 6A. In this case, the pressure adjustment mechanism 75 sets the pressure of the air flowing in the second pipe 92 to the first air pressure P1.

[0104] Then, after the first driving force is applied to the valve 6A, at time t2, air is supplied to the second chamber 642 through the second port 62, thereby further applying a second driving force, which is the second air pressure P2, to the valve 6A. In this case, the pressure adjustment mechanism 75 sets the pressure of the air flowing through the second pipe 92 to the first air pressure P1+the second air pressure P2.

[0105] Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the timing at which the first driving force by the first air pressure P1 is applied to the valve 6A is different from the timing at which the second driving force by the second air pressure P2 is further applied to the valve 6A. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of an impact at the moment the valve 6A is closed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the generation of dust and the occurrence of water hammer.

[0106] More specifically, the operation of the valve 6A and the valve control mechanism 7A during the period T0 from time t0 to time t1 is similar to the operation of the valve 6 and the valve control mechanism 7 during the period T0 shown in FIG.

[0107] At time t1, the first solenoid valve 71 switches from a state in which air is supplied from the air supply pipe AR to the first chamber 641 via the first pipe 91 and the first port 61 to a state in which air is discharged from the first chamber 641 to the air exhaust pipe EX. In addition, at time t1, the second solenoid valve 72 switches from a state in which air is discharged from the second chamber 642 to the air exhaust pipe EX via the second pipe 92 and the second port 62 to a state in which air is supplied from the air supply pipe AR to the second chamber 642 at a first air pressure P1.

[0108] Therefore, at time t1, the partition portion 66 and the connecting portion 67 are driven in the valve closing direction DC by the first air pressure P1, and the valve portion 68 is displaced in the valve closing direction DC. As a result, the valve portion 68 closes the flow path 90. In other words, during the period T1 from time t1 to time t2, the first driving force by the first air pressure P1 acts on the partition portion 66, the connecting portion 67, and the valve portion 68 in the valve closing direction DC.

[0109] Next, at time t2, the pressure adjustment mechanism 75 sets the pressure of the air flowing through the first pipe 91 to the first air pressure P1+the second air pressure P2. Therefore, in addition to the first driving force by the first air pressure P1, the second driving force by the second air pressure P2 is applied to the partition portion 66, the connecting portion 67, and the valve body portion 68 in the valve closing direction DC. Therefore, in the period T2 from time t2 to time t3, the valve body portion 68 closes the flow path 90 by the first air pressure P1 and the second air pressure P2. As a result, in the period T2, the valve body portion 68 can close the flow path 90 with a stronger force.

[0110] During the periods T1 and T2, the first solenoid valve 71 discharges air from the first chamber 641 through the first pipe 91 and the first port 61 toward the air discharge pipe EX.

[0111] Here, as long as the timing at which the first driving force by the first air pressure P1 is applied to the valve 6A and the timing at which the second driving force by the second air pressure P2 is further applied to the valve 6A are different, the lengths of each of the periods T0 to T2 are not particularly limited.

[0112] The substrate processing method according to the second embodiment is similar to the substrate processing method according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

[0113] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various aspects without departing from the gist of the present invention. In addition, the components disclosed in the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate. For example, a certain component among all the components shown in one embodiment may be added to a component of another embodiment, or some components among all the components shown in one embodiment may be deleted from the embodiment.

[0114] The drawings show each component diagrammatically to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may differ from the actual ones due to the convenience of creating the drawings. Furthermore, the configurations of each component shown in the above embodiment are merely examples, and are not particularly limited, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within a range that does not substantially deviate from the effects of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0115] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method, and has industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 6, 6A valve 7, 7A Valve control mechanism 9 Piping 61 Port 1 62 Second Port 65 Elastic Members 68 Valve body 641 Room 1 642 Room 2 100 Substrate processing apparatus W substrate

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid, comprising: A pipe through which the treatment liquid flows; a valve disposed in the piping and configured to open and close a flow path of the piping; a valve control mechanism for controlling opening and closing of the valve; Equipped with In a substrate processing apparatus, when the valve closes the flow path of the piping, the valve control mechanism drives the valve with a first driving force acting in a valve closing direction, and after the valve is driven and closed by the first driving force, applies a second driving force to the valve acting in the valve closing direction.

2. The valve includes a valve body portion that opens and closes a flow path of the pipe, and an elastic member that drives the valve body portion, the first driving force is an elastic force of the elastic member, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second driving force is a gas pressure.

3. The valve is The first room; a second chamber in which the elastic member is accommodated and which is located farther from the valve body than the first chamber; a first port communicating the inside and the outside of the first chamber; a second port communicating the inside and the outside of the second chamber; Including, 3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the valve closes the flow path of the piping, the valve control mechanism applies the first driving force, which is the elastic force of the elastic member, to the valve by discharging the gas from the first chamber through the first port, and applies the second driving force, which is the pressure of the gas, to the valve by supplying the gas to the second chamber through the second port after the first driving force has been applied to the valve.

4. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate with a processing liquid, comprising: A pipe through which the treatment liquid flows; a valve disposed in the piping and configured to open and close a flow path of the piping; a valve control mechanism for controlling opening and closing of the valve; Equipped with When closing a flow path of the pipe by the valve, the valve control mechanism drives the valve with a first driving force acting in a valve closing direction, and imparts to the valve a second driving force acting in the valve closing direction after the valve is driven by the first driving force; The valve control mechanism sets the closing speed of the valve according to a flow rate value indicating the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the piping, or sets the closing speed of the valve according to a flow rate value that is preset as the flow rate of the processing liquid.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the valve control mechanism reduces a closing speed of the valve as the flow rate value increases.

6. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate with a processing liquid, comprising the steps of: driving the valve by a first driving force acting in a valve closing direction when closing a flow path of a pipe through which the processing liquid flows; applying a second driving force to the valve acting in a valve closing direction after the valve has been driven and closed by the first driving force; A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

7. the first driving force is an elastic force of an elastic member that drives a valve body portion of the valve, The substrate processing method according to claim 6 , wherein the second driving force is a gas pressure.

8. The valve is The first room; a second chamber in which the elastic member is accommodated and which is located farther from the valve body than the first chamber; a first port communicating the inside and the outside of the first chamber; a second port communicating the inside and the outside of the second chamber; Including, In the step of driving the valve by the first driving force, the gas is discharged from the first chamber through the first port, thereby applying the first driving force, which is the elastic force of the elastic member, to the valve; 8. The substrate processing method of claim 7, wherein in the step of applying the second driving force to the valve, after the first driving force is applied to the valve, the gas is supplied to the second chamber through the second port, thereby applying the second driving force, which is a pressure of the gas, to the valve.

9. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate with a processing liquid, comprising the steps of: driving the valve by a first driving force acting in a valve closing direction when closing a flow path of a pipe through which the processing liquid flows; applying a second driving force to the valve, the second driving force acting in a valve closing direction, after the valve has been driven by the first driving force; A substrate processing method comprising: a step of setting a closing speed of the valve in accordance with a flow rate value indicating a flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the piping; or a step of setting a closing speed of the valve in accordance with a flow rate value that is preset as the flow rate of the processing liquid.

10. The substrate processing method according to claim 9 , wherein in the step of adjusting the closing speed of the valve, the closing speed of the valve is made slower as the flow rate value increases.

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