Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

To improve uniformity of an etching processing in technique for collectively etching a plurality of substrates.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, comprises: a processing tank; a flow speed adjustment portion; and a control portion. The processing tank performs an etching processing by implanting a plurality of substrates into processing liquid. The flow speed adjustment portion adjusts a flow speed at a plurality of locations of the processing liquid in the processing tank. The control portion controls each portion. In addition, the control portion includes: an acquisition portion; and an adjustment portion. The acquisition portion acquires information in which the flow speed of the processing liquid at a plurality of locations in the processing tank and the etching amount of the plurality of locations of the substrate are made to correspond to each other. The adjustment portion adjusts the flow speed of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in a substrate processing system, a technique is known in which various thin films formed on a substrate are etched by immersing the substrate in an etching solution (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-180253 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for simultaneously etching a plurality of substrates, which can improve the uniformity of the etching process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a processing tank, a flow rate adjustment unit, and a control unit. The processing tank immerses multiple substrates in a processing liquid to perform an etching process. The flow rate adjustment unit adjusts the flow rate of the processing liquid at multiple locations in the processing tank. The control unit controls each unit. The control unit also includes an acquisition unit and an adjustment unit. The acquisition unit acquires information that associates the flow rate of the processing liquid at multiple locations in the processing tank with the etching amount at multiple locations on the substrate. The adjustment unit adjusts the flow rate of the processing liquid at multiple locations in the processing tank based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, in a technique for simultaneously etching a plurality of substrates, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the etching process. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a substrate processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the etching processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a top view of the bubbling gas supply unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the etching amounts under various discharge conditions in slot 1, slot 25, and slot 50. In FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of an etching liquid circulator according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an etching liquid circulating unit according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of a control process executed by the substrate processing system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements may differ from the actual situation. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios may differ between the drawings.

[0009] In a conventional substrate processing system, a technique is known in which various thin films formed on a substrate are etched by immersing the substrate in an etching solution. The conventional technique aims to improve the uniformity of the etching process by alternately increasing and decreasing the flow rate of the processing solution discharged from multiple nozzles.

[0010] On the other hand, the above-mentioned conventional techniques have room for further improvement in terms of improving the uniformity of the etching process, and therefore, there is a need for a technique that can overcome the above-mentioned problems and improve the uniformity of the etching process.

[0011] <Configuration of substrate processing system> First, the configuration of a substrate processing system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the substrate processing system 1 according to an embodiment. The substrate processing system 1 is an example of a substrate processing apparatus.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, a substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment includes a carrier loading / unloading section 2, a lot forming section 3, a lot placing section 4, a lot transport section 5, a lot processing section 6, and a control device .

[0013] The carrier loading / unloading section 2 includes a carrier stage 20, a carrier transport mechanism 21, carrier stocks 22 and 23, and a carrier placement table 24.

[0014] The carrier stage 20 places multiple FOUPs H that have been transported from outside. The FOUP H is a container that accommodates multiple (e.g., 25) wafers W arranged one above the other in a horizontal position. The carrier transport mechanism 21 transports the FOUPs H between the carrier stage 20, carrier stocks 22 and 23, and the carrier mounting table 24.

[0015] A plurality of wafers W before processing are transferred from the FOUP H placed on the carrier mounting table 24 to the lot processing section 6 by the substrate transfer mechanism 30, which will be described later. Furthermore, a plurality of processed wafers W are transferred from the lot processing section 6 to the FOUP H placed on the carrier mounting table 24 by the substrate transfer mechanism 30.

[0016] The lot formation unit 3 has a substrate transfer mechanism 30 and forms lots. A lot is made up of a plurality of (for example, 50) wafers W that are simultaneously processed by combining wafers W housed in one or more FOUPs H. The plurality of wafers W that form one lot are arranged at a fixed interval with their plate surfaces facing each other.

[0017] The substrate transfer mechanism 30 transfers a plurality of wafers W between the FOUP H placed on the carrier placement table 24 and the lot placement unit 4.

[0018] The lot placement unit 4 has a lot transfer table 40 on which lots transferred by the lot transfer unit 5 between the lot formation unit 3 and the lot processing unit 6 are temporarily placed (on standby). The lot transfer table 40 has an in-side placement table 41 on which lots formed in the lot formation unit 3 before being processed are placed, and an out-side placement table 42 on which lots processed in the lot processing unit 6 are placed. A plurality of wafers W for one lot are placed in an upright position, lined up front and back, on the in-side placement table 41 and the out-side placement table 42.

[0019] The lot transport unit 5 has a lot transport mechanism 50, and transports lots between the lot placement unit 4 and the lot processing unit 6 and inside the lot processing unit 6. The lot transport mechanism 50 has rails 51, a moving body 52, and a substrate holder 53.

[0020] Rails 51 are arranged along the X-axis direction across lot mounting section 4 and lot processing section 6. Moving body 52 is configured to be able to move along rails 51 while holding a plurality of wafers W. Substrate holders 53 are arranged on moving body 52 and hold a plurality of wafers W lined up in front and behind each other in an upright position.

[0021] The lot processing section 6 collectively performs etching, cleaning, drying, and other processes on one lot of wafers W. In the lot processing section 6, two etching processing sections 60, a cleaning processing section 70, a cleaning processing section 80, and a drying processing section 90 are arranged side by side along rails 51.

[0022] The etching processing device 60 performs etching processing on one lot of multiple wafers W in a batch. The cleaning processing device 70 performs cleaning processing on one lot of multiple wafers W in a batch. The cleaning processing device 80 performs cleaning processing on the substrate holder 53. The drying processing device 90 performs drying processing on one lot of multiple wafers W in a batch. The numbers of the etching processing devices 60, cleaning processing devices 70, cleaning processing devices 80, and drying processing devices 90 are not limited to the example in FIG. 1.

[0023] The etching treatment device 60 includes a treatment tank 61 for etching treatment, a treatment tank 62 for rinsing treatment, and substrate lifting mechanisms 63 and 64 .

[0024] The processing tank 61 can accommodate one lot of wafers W arranged in an upright position, and stores a chemical liquid for etching (hereinafter also referred to as "etching liquid"). The processing tank 61 will be described in detail later.

[0025] A processing liquid (deionized water, etc.) for rinsing is stored in the processing bath 62. The substrate lifting mechanisms 63 and 64 hold a plurality of wafers W forming a lot, aligned in front and behind each other in an upright position.

[0026] In the etching processing device 60, the lot transported by the lot transport unit 5 is held by the substrate lifting mechanism 63 and immersed in the etching solution in the processing bath 61 to perform the etching process. The etching process is carried out for, for example, about 1 hour to 3 hours.

[0027] The lot that has been etched in the processing tank 61 is transferred to the processing tank 62 by the lot transfer unit 5. Then, the etching processing device 60 holds the transferred lot by the substrate lifting mechanism 64 and performs a rinse process by immersing it in the rinse liquid in the processing tank 62. The lot that has been rinsed in the processing tank 62 is transferred by the lot transfer unit 5 to the processing tank 71 of the cleaning processing device 70.

[0028] The cleaning processing device 70 includes a cleaning processing tank 71, a rinsing processing tank 72, and substrate lifting mechanisms 73 and 74. A cleaning chemical (hereinafter also referred to as a "cleaning chemical") is stored in the cleaning processing tank 71. The cleaning chemical is, for example, SC1 (a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and water).

[0029] A processing liquid for rinsing (deionized water, etc.) is stored in the processing bath 72 for rinsing. The substrate lifting mechanisms 73 and 74 hold a plurality of wafers W for one lot in an upright position, lined up front and rear.

[0030] The cleaning processing device 70 holds the lot transferred by the lot transfer unit 5 with a substrate lifting mechanism 73 and immerses it in a cleaning liquid in a processing bath 71 to perform a cleaning process.

[0031] The lot that has been cleaned in the processing bath 71 is transferred to the processing bath 72 by the lot transfer unit 5. The cleaning processing device 70 then holds the transferred lot with the substrate lifting mechanism 74 and performs a rinse process by immersing the lot in the rinse liquid in the processing bath 72. The lot that has been rinsed in the processing bath 72 is transferred by the lot transfer unit 5 to the processing bath 91 of the drying processing device 90.

[0032] The drying processing device 90 includes a processing tank 91 and a substrate lifting mechanism 92. A processing gas for drying processing is supplied to the processing tank 91. The substrate lifting mechanism 92 holds a plurality of wafers W for one lot in an upright position, lined up front and rear.

[0033] The drying processing device 90 holds the lot transported by the lot transport unit 5 with a substrate lifting mechanism 92 and performs a drying process using a processing gas for drying process supplied into the processing tank 91. The lot that has been dried in the processing tank 91 is transported to the lot mounting unit 4 by the lot transport unit 5.

[0034] The cleaning processing device 80 performs a cleaning process on the substrate holder 53 of the lot transfer mechanism 50 by supplying a cleaning processing liquid to the substrate holder 53 and further supplying a dry gas.

[0035] The control device 7 controls the operation of each part (such as the carrier loading / unloading part 2, the lot forming part 3, the lot placing part 4, the lot transporting part 5, and the lot processing part 6) of the substrate processing system 1. The control device 7 controls the operation of each part of the substrate processing system 1 based on signals from switches, various sensors, etc.

[0036] The control device 7 includes a microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), input / output ports, etc., and various other circuits. The control device 7 controls the operation of the substrate processing system 1 by, for example, reading and executing a program stored in a storage unit 8 (see FIG. 4). The control device 7 will be described in detail later.

[0037] <Configuration of etching treatment device> Next, the configuration of an etching processing apparatus 60 that performs etching processing on a wafer W will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of an etching processing apparatus 60 according to an embodiment.

[0038] The etching processing apparatus 60 includes an etching liquid supply unit 100 and a substrate processing unit 110. The etching liquid supply unit 100 supplies an etching liquid L to the substrate processing unit 110. The etching liquid L is an example of a processing liquid.

[0039] The etching liquid supply unit 100 includes an etching liquid supply source 101 , an etching liquid supply path 102 , and a flow rate regulator 103 .

[0040] The etching liquid supply source 101 is, for example, a tank that stores the etching liquid L. The etching liquid L according to the embodiment includes, for example, at least one of phosphoric acid, SC1, TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide), a mixed acid containing acetic acid and nitric acid, and a mixed acid containing phosphoric acid and acetic acid.

[0041] The etching liquid supply path 102 connects the etching liquid supply source 101 to an outer tank 112 of the processing tank 61 , and supplies the etching liquid L from the etching liquid supply source 101 to the outer tank 112 .

[0042] The flow rate adjuster 103 is disposed in the etching liquid supply path 102 and adjusts the flow rate of the etching liquid L supplied to the outer tank 112. The flow rate adjuster 103 includes an on-off valve, a flow rate control valve, a flow meter, and the like.

[0043] The substrate processing unit 110 immerses the wafer W in the etching solution L supplied from the etching solution supply unit 100, and performs an etching process on the wafer W. The wafer W is an example of a substrate. In the embodiment, for example, of a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film formed on the wafer W, the silicon nitride film can be selectively etched.

[0044] The substrate processing unit 110 includes a processing tank 61, a substrate lifting mechanism 63, an etching liquid circulating unit 120, and a bubbling gas supplying unit 140. The processing tank 61 has an inner tank 111 and an outer tank 112.

[0045] The inner tank 111 is a tank for immersing the wafer W in the etching liquid L, and contains the immersion etching liquid L. The inner tank 111 has an opening 111a at the top, and the etching liquid E is stored up to the vicinity of the opening 111a.

[0046] In the inner tank 111, a plurality of wafers W are immersed in the etching solution L using the substrate lifting mechanism 63, and etching is performed on the wafers W. The substrate lifting mechanism 63 is configured to be able to move up and down, and holds the plurality of wafers W aligned in front and behind in a vertical position.

[0047] The outer tank 112 is disposed outside the inner tank 111 so as to surround the inner tank 111, and receives the etching solution L flowing out from the opening 111a of the inner tank 111. As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid level in the outer tank 112 is maintained lower than the liquid level in the inner tank 111.

[0048] The etching liquid circulation unit 120 circulates the etching liquid L between the inner tank 111 and the outer tank 112. The etching liquid circulation unit 120 includes a circulation path 121, a pump 122, a heater 123, a filter 124, and a plurality of (three in the figure) processing liquid nozzles 125.

[0049] The circulation path 121 connects the outer bath 112 and the inner bath 111. One end of the circulation path 121 is connected to the bottom of the outer bath 112, and the other end of the circulation path 121 is connected to a processing liquid nozzle 125 located in the inner bath 111. In the circulation path 121, a pump 122, a heater 123, and a filter 124 are located in this order from the outer bath 112 side.

[0050] The pump 122 forms a circulating flow of the etching liquid L that is sent from the outer bath 112 through the circulation path 121 to the inner bath 111. The etching liquid L also overflows from the opening 111a of the inner bath 111 and flows back into the outer bath 112. In this way, a circulating flow of the etching liquid L is formed in the substrate processing unit 110. That is, this circulating flow is formed in the outer bath 112, the circulation path 121, and the inner bath 111.

[0051] The heater 123 adjusts the temperature of the etching solution L circulating through the circulation path 121. The filter 124 filters the etching solution L circulating through the circulation path 121. The processing solution nozzle 125 discharges the etching solution L circulating through the circulation path 121 upward inside the inner tank 111, thereby forming an upward flow inside the inner tank 111.

[0052] The bubbling gas supply unit 140 discharges bubbles of an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen gas) into the etching solution L stored in the inner tank 111. The bubbling gas supply unit 140 includes a gas supply source 141, a gas supply path 142, a flow rate regulator 143, and a plurality of (six in the figure) gas nozzles 144. The plurality of gas nozzles 144 are an example of a flow rate regulator.

[0053] The gas supply path 142 connects the gas supply source 141 to the plurality of gas nozzles 144, and supplies an inert gas (for example, nitrogen gas) from the gas supply source 141 to the plurality of gas nozzles 144.

[0054] The flow rate regulator 143 is disposed in the gas supply path 142 and regulates the amount of inert gas supplied to the plurality of gas nozzles 144. The flow rate regulator 143 includes an on-off valve, a flow rate control valve, a flow meter, and the like.

[0055] The gas nozzles 144 are located, for example, below the wafer W and the processing liquid nozzles 125 in the inner tank 111. The gas nozzles 144 eject bubbles of inert gas upward into the etching liquid L stored in the inner tank 111, thereby forming an upward flow inside the inner tank 111.

[0056] The etching processing apparatus 60 according to the embodiment can supply a fast flow of etching solution L to the gaps between the plurality of wafers W arranged side by side in the inner tank 111 by discharging bubbles of inert gas from the plurality of gas nozzles 144. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the plurality of wafers W can be etched efficiently and uniformly.

[0057] 3 is a top view of the bubbling gas supply unit 140 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the bubbling gas supply unit 140 includes a plurality of gas nozzles 144, which are, for example, cylindrical members and extend along the arrangement direction (Y-axis direction) of the plurality of wafers W.

[0058] A plurality of outlets 145 are provided in the upper part of gas nozzle 144 along the extension direction of gas nozzle 144. Note that the plurality of outlets 145 do not necessarily have to be provided in the upper part of gas nozzle 144. For example, the plurality of outlets 145 may be provided in the lower part of gas nozzle 144 and configured to discharge gas obliquely downward.

[0059] The multiple gas nozzles 144 are connected to a gas supply source 141 via a gas supply path 142. The gas supply path 142 has an upper flow path 142a on the upstream side (i.e., on the gas supply source 141 side) and a branch path 142b on the downstream side (i.e., on the multiple gas nozzles 144 side). A flow rate regulator 143 is provided in the upper flow path 142a.

[0060] The branch path 142b branches so as to be connected to a plurality of gas nozzles 144_1 to 144_6, respectively. Furthermore, a plurality of flow rate regulators 147_1 to 147_6 are provided in the branch path 142b connected to the plurality of gas nozzles 144_1 to 144_6, respectively.

[0061] The plurality of flow rate regulators 147_1 to 147_6 regulate the supply amount of the inert gas supplied to the plurality of gas nozzles 144_1 to 144_6, respectively. Each of the plurality of flow rate regulators 147_1 to 147_6 includes an on-off valve, a flow rate control valve, a flow meter, and the like.

[0062] The control unit 9 (see FIG. 4) controls the plurality of flow rate regulators 147_1 to 147_6, respectively, to individually control the amounts of the inert gas discharged from the plurality of gas nozzles 144_1 to 144_6. That is, the control unit 9 controls the plurality of flow rate regulators 147_1 to 147_6, respectively, to adjust the flow velocities of the etching solution L at a plurality of locations in the inner tank 111.

[0063] <Embodiment> Next, details of the etching process according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device 7 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the control device 7 includes a storage unit 8 and a control unit 9. In addition, an etching liquid circulation unit 120 and a bubbling gas supply unit 140 are connected to the control device 7.

[0064] In addition to the functional units shown in FIG. 4, the control device 7 may also have various functional units that known computers have, such as various input devices and audio output devices.

[0065] The storage unit 8 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk. The storage unit 8 has an etching information storage unit 8a. The storage unit 8 also stores information used in processing by the control unit 9.

[0066] The etching information storage unit 8a stores information (hereinafter also referred to as etching information) in which the flow speed of the etching liquid at a plurality of locations inside the inner tank 111 is associated with the etching amount at a plurality of locations on the wafer W.

[0067] In the embodiment, for example, information in which the flow rates of the inert gases discharged from the gas nozzles 144_1 to 144_6 are associated with the etching amounts at multiple locations (for example, 49 locations) on the wafer W is stored as etching information in the etching information storage unit 8a.

[0068] In the embodiment, individual etching information corresponding to the positions of 50 wafers W held by the substrate lifting mechanism 63 (hereinafter also referred to as slots 1 to 50) is stored in the etching information storage unit 8a.

[0069] 5 is a diagram showing the etching amount under various discharge conditions in slot 1, slot 25, and slot 50. As shown in Fig. 5, even when the inert gas is discharged under the same discharge conditions, the etching amount distribution within the surface of the wafer W differs between slot 1, slot 25, and slot 50. This is because the concentration, temperature, flow rate, etc. of the etching solution L around each slot inside the inner tank 111 are not necessarily constant.

[0070] 5, the flow rate of the inert gas (i.e., the flow rate of the etching liquid L) in the gas nozzle 144 on one side (the right side in the figure) is set to be larger than that in the other side. On the other hand, under the discharge condition B, the flow rate of the inert gas (i.e., the flow rate of the etching liquid L) in the gas nozzle 144 on the other side (the left side in the figure) is set to be larger than that in the one side.

[0071] In this embodiment, the etching amounts at a plurality of locations (corresponding to the locations of black dots shown in FIG. 5) on the wafer W under various discharge conditions are stored as individual etching information in the etching information storage unit 8a for each slot.

[0072] In addition, one piece of etching information stores not only the flow rate of the inert gas discharged from each of the gas nozzles 144_1 to 144_6 and the etching amount at multiple locations on the wafer W, but also the etching time (hereinafter also referred to as part time) that resulted in such etching amount.

[0073] Returning to the explanation of Fig. 4, the control unit 9 is realized by, for example, a CPU, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or the like executing a program stored in the storage unit 8 using the RAM as a working area.

[0074] Furthermore, the control unit 9 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0075] The control unit 9 has an acquisition unit 9a and an adjustment unit 9b, and realizes or executes the functions and actions of the control processing described below. Note that the internal configuration of the control unit 9 is not limited to the configuration shown in Fig. 4, and may be any other configuration as long as it is capable of performing the control processing described below.

[0076] The acquiring unit 9a acquires a plurality of pieces of etching information stored in the etching information storage unit 8a of the storage unit 8. The acquiring unit 9a acquires, for example, all of the plurality of pieces of etching information stored for each slot and for each discharge condition.

[0077] The adjusting unit 9b adjusts the flow rates of the etching solution L at multiple locations inside the inner tank 111 based on the multiple pieces of etching information acquired by the acquiring unit 9a. For example, the adjusting unit 9b adjusts the flow rates of the inert gases discharged from the gas nozzles 144_1 to 144_6 based on the multiple pieces of etching information acquired by the acquiring unit 9a. Details of the processing performed by the adjusting unit 9b will be described below.

[0078] As a result of extensive research by the inventors of the present application, it became clear that in batch processing in which multiple wafers W are immersed together, when multiple discharge conditions are combined, a very high correlation can be obtained between the measured values ​​and the calculated values.

[0079] For example, as shown in Figure 5, there is a very high correlation between the actual measured value of the etching amount when discharge condition A and discharge condition B are applied for half the period and the calculated value of the etching amount when the actual measured values ​​of discharge condition A and discharge condition B are superimposed at 50(%) each.

[0080] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a high correlation between the measured values ​​and the calculated values ​​is obtained in all slots, including slot 1, slot 25, and slot 50. Therefore, in the embodiment, it can be considered that a high correlation between the measured values ​​and the calculated values ​​is obtained in each slot.

[0081] That is, in the embodiment, by selecting and superimposing a plurality of pieces of etching information in which a plurality of discharge conditions are respectively stored, it is possible to approach the desired etching amount in all slots.

[0082] For example, in the embodiment, the adjustment unit 9b can select and combine multiple pieces of etching information under optimal conditions by using a solution to a problem known as the knapsack problem. Specifically, the adjustment unit 9b calculates the weight w of each etching condition so as to satisfy the following equation (1).

[0083]

number

[0084] ER target : Desired etching amount w: weight of one etching information ER: Etching amount of one etching information

[0085] Furthermore, the constraints for determining this formula (1) are the following formulas (2) and (3).

[0086]

number

[0087]

number

[0088] t MAX : Total etching time t parts:One etching information part time

[0089] Thus, in an embodiment, the etching time is t MAX When the etching information is superimposed with the weight w on the etching conditions set as above, the superimposed etching amount (corresponding to w·ER) and the desired etching amount ER target Find the smallest difference between

[0090] For example, in the embodiment, the knapsack problem expressed by the above equations (1) to (3) can be solved by a solution method called a genetic algorithm or an MIP (Mixed Integer Programming) solver.

[0091] As a result, the adjustment unit 9b can bring the selected and superimposed pieces of etching information closer to the desired etching amount. Then, the adjustment unit 9b performs etching processing under the discharge conditions stored in each piece of etching information for each processing time corresponding to the weight w calculated for each piece of etching information.

[0092] This makes it possible to approach the desired etching amounts for the plurality of wafers W. Therefore, according to the embodiment, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the etching process.

[0093] The desired etching amount in the present disclosure may be set, for example, to be uniform across the entire surface of the wafer W, or may be set to be larger or smaller at a specific portion of the wafer W (for example, the center, middle, or peripheral portion of the wafer W).

[0094] In an embodiment, for example, when the desired etching amount is set to be uniform over the entire surface of the wafer W, it is preferable to adjust the discharge amounts of the multiple gas nozzles 144 so that the difference between the maximum and minimum etching amounts at multiple locations on the wafer W is equal to or less than a given threshold value.

[0095] This allows the wafer W to be processed so that the etching amount is uniform over the entire surface of the wafer W.

[0096] In addition, in an embodiment, when the desired etching amount is set to be larger or smaller at a specific portion of the wafer W, it is preferable to adjust the discharge amount of the multiple gas nozzles 144 so that the difference from the profile of the desired etching amount is minimized.

[0097] This allows the wafer W to be processed so that the desired portion of the wafer W is etched to a desired extent.

[0098] In addition, in the embodiment, the weight w may be optimized so that the etching amount is optimized equally in all slots, or the weight w may be optimized so that the etching amount is most optimized in a particular slot.

[0099] By optimizing the weight w so that the etching amount is uniformly optimized in all slots, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the etching process for all wafers W that are processed simultaneously.

[0100] Furthermore, by optimizing the weight w so that the etching amount in a particular slot is most optimized, the uniformity of the etching process for a particular wafer W can be further improved.

[0101] In addition, in the embodiment, etching processes can be performed under various discharge conditions by independently controlling the flow rates of the inert gas discharged from the plurality of gas nozzles 144. This allows a large amount of etching information to be stored in the etching information storage unit 8a.

[0102] Therefore, according to the embodiment, the selected and superimposed plural pieces of etching information can be made to be closer to the desired etching amount, so that the uniformity of the etching process can be further improved.

[0103] Although the example of FIG. 3 shows an example in which six gas nozzles 144 are arranged inside the inner tank 111, the present disclosure is not limited to this example, and it is sufficient that two or more gas nozzles 144 are arranged.

[0104] In the embodiment, at least one of a nitride film, a silicon film, and a molybdenum film may be formed on the surface of the wafer W. This allows the films formed on the multiple wafers W to be etched well.

[0105] In an embodiment, the etching solution L may contain at least one of phosphoric acid, SC1, TMAH, a mixed acid containing acetic acid and nitric acid, and a mixed acid containing phosphoric acid and acetic acid, thereby enabling a satisfactory etching process of films formed on the wafers W.

[0106] In the embodiment, the temperature of the etching solution L inside the inner tank 111 is preferably 10° C. to 170° C. This allows the films formed on the plurality of wafers W to be etched satisfactorily.

[0107] <Modification> Next, a modified example of the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. In the above embodiment, an example in which a plurality of gas nozzles 144 are used as the flow rate adjusting unit has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an example, and a plurality of processing liquid nozzles 125 may be used as the flow rate adjusting unit.

[0108] Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of an etching liquid circulation unit 120 according to a modified example of the embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the etching liquid circulation unit 120 according to the modified example. As shown in Fig. 6, an etching processing apparatus 60 according to the modified example includes an inner tank 111, an outer tank 112, a substrate lifting mechanism 63, and the etching liquid circulation unit 120.

[0109] As in the above embodiment, the etching liquid circulation unit 120 includes a circulation path 121, a pump 122, a heater 123, a filter 124, and a plurality of (three in the figure) processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3. Note that, hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3, they may be simply referred to as processing liquid nozzles 125.

[0110] The processing liquid nozzle 125 is another example of a flow rate adjusting part, and is disposed inside the inner tank 111 below the plurality of wafers W, and discharges the etching liquid L into the inner tank 111. As shown in FIG. 7, the processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3 have main bodies 125a_1 to 125a_3.

[0111] The main bodies 125a_1 to 125a_3 are, for example, cylindrical members, and extend along the arrangement direction (Y-axis direction) of the plurality of wafers W. A plurality of discharge ports 125b are provided on the upper portions of the main bodies 125a_1 to 125a_3 along the extension direction of the main bodies 125a_1 to 125a_3.

[0112] The discharge port 125b is, for example, circular, and has an opening diameter of, for example, about 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. The discharge port 125b discharges the etching liquid L, for example, vertically upward (positive direction of the Z axis).

[0113] The main bodies 125a_1 to 125a_3 are connected to branch paths 121b_1 to 121b_3, respectively, and eject the etching liquid L supplied from the branch paths 121b_1 to 121b_3 from the plurality of ejection ports 125b.

[0114] Returning to the explanation of Figure 6, the circulation path 121 connects the outer bath 112 and the processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3. The circulation path 121 includes an upstream flow path 121a on the upstream side, branch paths 121b_1 to 121b_3 on the downstream side, and multiple bypass paths 127_1 to 127_3. One end of the upstream flow path 121a is connected to the bottom of the outer bath 112.

[0115] The upstream flow path 121a is provided with a pump 122, a heater 123, and a filter 124. The pump 122, the heater 123, and the filter 124 have the same functions as those in the above-described embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0116] The plurality of branch paths 121b_1 to 121b_3 branch off from the upstream path 121a downstream of the filter 124. Among these, the branch path 121b_1 is connected to the processing liquid nozzle 125_1, the branch path 121b_2 is connected to the processing liquid nozzle 125_2, and the branch path 121b_3 is connected to the processing liquid nozzle 125_3.

[0117] The plurality of bypass paths 127_1 to 127_3 respectively connect the plurality of branch paths 121b_1 to 121b_3 and the outer tank 112. The bypass path 127_1 branches off from the branch path 121b_1 and is connected to the outer tank 112, the bypass path 127_2 branches off from the branch path 121b_2 and is connected to the outer tank 112, and the bypass path 127_3 branches off from the branch path 121b_3 and is connected to the outer tank 112.

[0118] Furthermore, a plurality of flow rate adjusters 128_1 to 128_3 are provided in the plurality of bypass paths 127_1 to 127_3. The flow rate adjusters 128_1 to 128_3 adjust the flow rates of the etching liquid L supplied to the processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3, respectively.

[0119] That is, the flow rate adjusters 128_1 to 128_3 adjust the flow rates of the etching liquid L discharged from the plurality of discharge ports 125b_1 to 125b_3 provided in the processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3, respectively.

[0120] Specifically, the flow rate adjuster 128_1 is provided in the bypass path 127_1, and adjusts the flow rate of the etching liquid L flowing through the bypass path 127_1, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the etching liquid L supplied from the branch path 121b_1 to the processing liquid nozzle 125_1.

[0121] The flow rate adjuster 128_2 is provided in the bypass path 127_2 and adjusts the flow rate of the etching liquid L flowing through the bypass path 127_2, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the etching liquid L supplied from the branch path 121b_2 to the processing liquid nozzle 125_2.

[0122] The flow rate adjuster 128_3 is provided in the bypass path 127_3, and adjusts the flow rate of the etching liquid L flowing through the bypass path 127_3, thereby changing the adjustment of the etching liquid L supplied from the branch path 121b_3 to the processing liquid nozzle 125_3.

[0123] The etching information storage unit 8a (see FIG. 4) of the modified example stores, as etching information, information associating the flow rates of the etching liquid L discharged from the processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3 with the etching amounts at multiple locations on the wafer W.

[0124] Furthermore, the acquiring unit 9a (see FIG. 4) acquires a plurality of pieces of etching information stored in the etching information storage unit 8a. For example, the acquiring unit 9a acquires a plurality of pieces of etching information stored for each discharge condition and for each slot.

[0125] Furthermore, the adjusting unit 9b (see FIG. 4) adjusts the flow rates of the etching liquid L at multiple locations inside the inner tank 111 based on the multiple pieces of etching information acquired by the acquiring unit 9a. In the modified example, the adjusting unit 9b adjusts the flow rates of the etching liquid L discharged from each of the processing liquid nozzles 125_1 to 125_3 based on the multiple pieces of etching information acquired by the acquiring unit 9a.

[0126] As a result, in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, in the modified example, the adjustment unit 9b can bring the multiple pieces of etching information that have been selected and superimposed closer to the desired etching amount. Then, the adjustment unit 9b performs etching processing for each processing time corresponding to the weight w calculated for each piece of etching information under the discharge conditions stored in each piece of etching information.

[0127] This makes it possible to approach the desired etching amounts for the plurality of wafers W. Therefore, according to this modification, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the etching process.

[0128] In the examples of Figures 6 and 7, an example is shown in which three processing liquid nozzles 125 are arranged inside the inner tank 111, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an example, and it is sufficient that two or more processing liquid nozzles 125 are arranged.

[0129] In the above embodiment and modified examples, the flow velocities at multiple locations inside the inner tank 111 are controlled by individually controlling either the multiple gas nozzles 144 or the multiple processing liquid nozzles 125. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. For example, the flow velocities at multiple locations inside the inner tank 111 may be controlled by individually controlling both the multiple gas nozzles 144 and the multiple processing liquid nozzles 125.

[0130] This allows the number of pieces of etching information stored in the etching information storage unit 8a to be further increased, thereby further improving the uniformity of the etching process.

[0131] The substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment includes a processing tank 61, a flow rate adjusting unit (gas nozzle 144, processing liquid nozzle 125), and a controller 9. The processing tank 61 immerses multiple substrates (wafers W) in a processing liquid (etching liquid L) to perform an etching process. The flow rate adjusting unit (gas nozzle 144, processing liquid nozzle 125) adjusts the flow rate of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at multiple locations in the processing tank 61. The controller 9 controls each component. The controller 9 also includes an acquiring unit 9a and an adjusting unit 9b. The acquiring unit 9a acquires information (etching information) that associates the flow rates of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at multiple locations in the processing tank 61 with the etching amounts at multiple locations on the substrates (wafers W). The adjusting unit 9b adjusts the flow rates of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at multiple locations in the processing tank 61 based on the information (etching information) acquired by the acquiring unit 9a. This improves the uniformity of the etching process.

[0132] In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the acquisition unit 9a acquires a plurality of pieces of information (etching information) in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each other. The adjustment unit 9b adjusts the flow rates of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at a plurality of locations in the processing tank 61 by combining the plurality of pieces of information (etching information) to minimize the difference between the etching amount at a plurality of locations on the substrate (wafer W) and the desired etching amount. This allows the wafer W to be processed so that the desired portion of the wafer W is etched to approach the desired etching amount.

[0133] In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the acquisition unit 9a acquires a plurality of pieces of information (etching information) in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each other. The adjustment unit 9b combines the plurality of pieces of information (etching information) to adjust the flow rates of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at a plurality of locations in the processing tank 61 so that the difference between the maximum and minimum etching amounts at a plurality of locations on the substrate (wafer W) is equal to or less than a given threshold. This allows the wafer W to be processed so that the etching amount is uniform across the entire surface of the wafer W.

[0134] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the acquisition unit 9a acquires a plurality of pieces of information (etching information) in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each substrate (wafer W) placed in the processing tank 61. The adjustment unit 9b adjusts the flow rates of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at multiple locations in the processing tank 61 by combining the plurality of pieces of information (etching information) so that the difference between the etching amount at multiple locations on all substrates (wafers W) and the desired etching amount is minimized. This allows the processing of all wafers W being processed simultaneously so that the desired portions are etched to approach the desired etching amount.

[0135] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the acquisition unit 9a acquires a plurality of pieces of information (etching liquid L) in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each substrate (wafer W) placed in the processing tank 61. The adjustment unit 9b adjusts the flow rates of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at multiple locations in the processing tank 61 by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information (etching information) so that the difference between the maximum and minimum etching amounts at multiple locations on all substrates (wafers W) is equal to or less than a given threshold value. This allows the wafers W to be processed so that the etching amounts are uniform across the entire surfaces of all wafers W being processed simultaneously.

[0136] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the flow rate adjusting unit includes at least one of a plurality of gas nozzles 144 that inject an inert gas into the processing tank 61 and a plurality of processing liquid nozzles 125 that inject a processing liquid into the processing tank 61. This makes it possible to effectively control the flow rate at a plurality of locations in the processing tank 61.

[0137] In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, at least one of a nitride film, a silicon film, and a molybdenum film is formed on the surface of the substrate (wafer W). This allows the films formed on the multiple wafers W to be etched satisfactorily.

[0138] In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the processing liquid (etchant L) is at least one of phosphoric acid, SC1, TMAH, a mixed acid containing acetic acid and nitric acid, and a mixed acid containing phosphoric acid and acetic acid, thereby enabling films formed on a plurality of wafers W to be etched satisfactorily.

[0139] In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the temperature of the processing liquid (etchant L) in the processing tank 61 is 10°C to 170°C. This allows films formed on the multiple wafers W to be etched satisfactorily.

[0140] <Control processing procedure> Next, the procedure of the control process according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the control process executed by the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0141] In the control process according to the embodiment, first, the control unit 9 loads a plurality of wafers W into the inner tank 111 of the processing tank 61 at once (step S101). Then, the control unit 9 etches the plurality of wafers W at once in the processing tank 61 (step S102).

[0142] Next, the control unit 9 acquires a plurality of pieces of etching information stored in the storage unit 8 (step S103). The control unit 9 acquires a plurality of pieces of etching information stored for each discharge condition and for each slot, for example.

[0143] Next, the control unit 9 adjusts the flow rates of the etching solution L at multiple locations inside the inner tank 111 based on the multiple pieces of etching information acquired in the process of step S103 (step S104).Then, the control unit 9 unloads the multiple wafers W for which the etching process has been completed from the processing tank 61 (step S105), thereby completing the series of substrate processing steps.

[0144] The substrate processing method according to the embodiment includes an etching step (step S102), an acquisition step (step S103), and an adjustment step (step S104). In the etching step (step S102), multiple substrates (wafers W) are immersed in a processing liquid (etching liquid L) in a processing tank 61. In the acquisition step (step S103), information (etching information) is acquired that associates the flow velocities of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at multiple locations in the processing tank 61 with the etching amounts at multiple locations on the substrates (wafers W). In the adjustment step (step S104), the flow velocities of the processing liquid (etching liquid L) at multiple locations in the processing tank 61 are adjusted based on the information (etching information) acquired in the acquisition step (step S103). This improves the uniformity of the etching process.

[0145] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, in the above embodiments, an example in which the technology of the present application is applied to a case in which multiple wafers W are collectively etched is shown, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. For example, the technology of the present application may be applied to a case in which multiple wafers W are collectively plated.

[0146] The disclosed embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Indeed, the above-described embodiments may be embodied in various forms. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0147] 1. Substrate processing system (an example of a substrate processing device) 7 Control Device 8 Memory section 8a Etching information storage unit 9 Control Unit 9a Acquisition part 9b Adjustment part 61 Treatment tank 125 Processing liquid nozzle (an example of a flow rate adjusting unit) 144 Gas nozzle (an example of a flow rate adjusting part) W wafer (an example of a substrate) L Etching solution (an example of a processing solution)

Claims

1. a processing tank in which a plurality of substrates are immersed in a processing solution to perform an etching process; a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank; a control unit that controls each unit; Equipped with The control unit an acquiring unit that acquires information in which the flow velocities of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank are associated with the etching amounts at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the treatment liquid at a plurality of points in the treatment tank based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit; and the acquiring unit acquires a plurality of pieces of information in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each other; The adjusting unit adjusts the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information together so that the difference between the etching amount at the plurality of locations on the substrate and a desired etching amount is minimized. Substrate processing equipment.

2. A processing tank in which a plurality of substrates are immersed in a processing solution to perform an etching process; a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank; a control unit that controls each unit; Equipped with The control unit an acquiring unit that acquires information in which the flow velocities of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank are associated with the etching amounts at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the treatment liquid at a plurality of points in the treatment tank based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit; and the acquiring unit acquires a plurality of pieces of information in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each other; The adjusting unit adjusts the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information so that the difference between the maximum and minimum etching amounts at the plurality of locations on the substrate is equal to or less than a given threshold value. Substrate processing equipment.

3. A processing tank for performing an etching process by immersing a plurality of substrates in a processing solution; a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank; a control unit that controls each unit; Equipped with The control unit an acquiring unit that acquires information in which the flow velocities of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank are associated with the etching amounts at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the treatment liquid at a plurality of points in the treatment tank based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit; and the acquisition unit acquires a plurality of pieces of information, each of which corresponds to a different flow rate and an etching amount, for each of the substrates placed in the processing tank; The adjusting unit adjusts the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information together so that the difference between the etching amount at the plurality of locations on all of the substrates and a desired etching amount is minimized. Substrate processing equipment.

4. A processing tank for performing an etching process by immersing a plurality of substrates in a processing solution; a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank; a control unit that controls each unit; Equipped with The control unit an acquiring unit that acquires information in which the flow velocities of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank are associated with the etching amounts at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting unit that adjusts the flow rate of the treatment liquid at a plurality of points in the treatment tank based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit; and the acquisition unit acquires a plurality of pieces of information, each of which corresponds to a different flow rate and an etching amount, for each of the substrates placed in the processing tank; The adjusting unit adjusts the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information together so that the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the etching amounts at the plurality of locations on all of the substrates is equal to or less than a given threshold value. Substrate processing equipment.

5. The flow rate adjusting unit includes at least one of a plurality of gas nozzles that discharge an inert gas into the processing tank and a plurality of processing liquid nozzles that discharge the processing liquid into the processing tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. At least one of a nitride film, a silicon film, and a molybdenum film is formed on the surface of the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The treatment solution contains at least one of phosphoric acid, SC1, TMAH, a mixed acid containing acetic acid and nitric acid, and a mixed acid containing phosphoric acid and acetic acid. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The temperature of the processing solution in the processing tank is 10 (°C) to 170 (°C). The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

9. an etching step of immersing a plurality of substrates in a processing solution in a processing tank; an acquiring step of acquiring information in which the flow velocity of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank is associated with the etching amount at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting step of adjusting the flow velocity of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank based on the information acquired in the acquiring step; Including, The acquiring step acquires a plurality of pieces of information in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each other, The adjusting step includes adjusting the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information so that the difference between the etching amount at the plurality of locations on the substrate and a desired etching amount is minimized. Substrate processing method.

10. An etching step in which a plurality of substrates are immersed in a processing solution in a processing tank; an acquiring step of acquiring information in which the flow velocity of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank is associated with the etching amount at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting step of adjusting the flow velocity of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank based on the information acquired in the acquiring step; Including, The acquiring step acquires a plurality of pieces of information in which different flow rates and etching amounts are associated with each other, The adjusting step adjusts the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information so that the difference between the maximum and minimum etching amounts at the plurality of locations on the substrate is equal to or less than a given threshold value. Substrate processing method.

11. An etching step in which a plurality of substrates are immersed in a processing solution in a processing tank; an acquiring step of acquiring information in which the flow velocity of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank is associated with the etching amount at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting step of adjusting the flow velocity of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank based on the information acquired in the acquiring step; Including, the acquiring step acquires a plurality of pieces of information, each of which corresponds to a different flow rate and an etching amount, for each of the substrates placed in the processing tank; The adjusting step adjusts the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information so that the difference between the etching amount at the plurality of locations on all the substrates and the desired etching amount is minimized. Substrate processing method.

12. An etching step in which a plurality of substrates are immersed in a processing solution in a processing tank; an acquiring step of acquiring information in which the flow velocity of the processing liquid at a plurality of points in the processing tank is associated with the etching amount at a plurality of points on the substrate; an adjusting step of adjusting the flow velocity of the processing solution at a plurality of points in the processing tank based on the information acquired in the acquiring step; Including, the acquiring step acquires a plurality of pieces of information, each of which corresponds to a different flow rate and an etching amount, for each of the substrates placed in the processing tank; The adjusting step adjusts the flow velocities of the processing liquid at the plurality of locations in the processing tank by superimposing the plurality of pieces of information so that the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the etching amounts at the plurality of locations on all of the substrates is equal to or less than a given threshold value. Substrate processing method.

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