Substrate processing equipment

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of uniformly supplying bubbles to a front surface of a substrate while suppressing interference with a lifter.SOLUTION: A laminar flow of a processing liquid directed upward is formed inside of a processing tank, and a substrate W is immersed in the processing liquid. Eight bubble supply pipes 51 are arranged inside of the processing tank, and these eight bubble supply pipes 51 supply bubbles into the processing liquid from below the substrate W. The two of the eight bubble supply pipes 51, which are positioned at the innermost side are arranged inside of a concave part 65 of a punching plate 60, and a height position of these two bubble supply pipes 51 is made lower than the height position of the other bubble supply pipes 51. When a lifter 20 lowers the substrate W to an immersion position, a tip end part 22a of a back plate 22 is prevented from being crashed to each bubble supply pipe 51 as well. In addition, since the eight bubble supply pipes 51 including the two innermost bubble supply pipes 51 are provided, bubbles can be uniformly supplied to a front surface of the substrate W.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs surface processing such as etching on a substrate with a processing liquid. Substrates to be processed include, for example, semiconductor substrates, substrates for liquid crystal display devices, substrates for flat panel displays (FPDs), substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, or substrates for solar cells.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, substrate processing apparatuses that perform various processes on substrates such as semiconductor substrates have been used. As one such substrate processing apparatus, a batch-type substrate processing apparatus is known in which a processing liquid is stored in a processing tank, and a plurality of substrates are collectively immersed in the processing liquid to perform etching processing or the like.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses providing a processing liquid discharge portion that discharges a processing liquid below a plurality of substrates held by a substrate holding portion in a processing tank and a bubble supply portion that supplies bubbles. By supplying bubbles into the processing liquid in addition to discharging the processing liquid, the flow rate of the processing liquid in the processing tank increases, and the efficiency of surface processing of the substrate is improved.

[0004] On the other hand, in recent years, efforts towards sustainable development goals (SDGs) have also attracted attention, and liquid saving that reduces the amount of processing liquid to be discarded as much as possible is required. In response to such requirements, a processing tank that can perform substrate processing with a smaller amount of processing liquid has been developed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In processing tanks with reduced capacity, the smaller dimensions of the tank restrict the placement of the bubble supply unit. Specifically, it is not possible to place the bubble supply unit within the movable range of the lifter that holds and raises multiple substrates. As a result, the placement of the bubble supply unit becomes uneven, making it impossible to uniformly supply bubbles to the surface of the substrates, thus compromising the in-plane uniformity of the substrate processing.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can uniformly supply bubbles to the surface of a substrate while suppressing interference with a lifter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 is: multiple A substrate processing apparatus for performing surface treatment on a substrate using a processing liquid, comprising: a processing tank for storing the processing liquid; a processing liquid supply unit for supplying the processing liquid into the processing tank; and provided within the processing tank, Through the processing liquid holes that penetrate in the vertical direction, A perforated plate that forms a laminar flow of the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supply unit, The aforementioned multiple circuit board At predetermined intervals in the direction of arrangement It is held and raised and lowered, and the processing liquid stored in the processing tank is multiple A lifter for immersing the substrate, and inside the processing tank, above the punching plate So that it extends in the direction of the arrangement The lifter is positioned and held by the lifter multiple The system includes a plurality of tubular bubble supply tubes that supply bubbles to the processing liquid stored in the processing tank from below the substrate, The processing liquid supply unit has a nozzle provided below the perforated plate for discharging the processing liquid, and the perforated plate includes an upper plate having an opening formed in the center that penetrates vertically along the arrangement direction, and a bottom plate provided to close the lower side of the opening of the upper plate. The punching plate has The opening and the bottom plate A recess is formed, A portion of the plurality of bubble supply pipes is characterized by being positioned inside the recess.

[0009] Furthermore, the invention of claim 2 is, The invention of claim 1 In a substrate processing apparatus, The substrate processing apparatus processes the plurality of substrates having circular main surfaces, and the lifter holds the plurality of substrates such that the center of each main surface of each substrate passes through an axis perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the lower center of each substrate is at a constant height, and when the lifter is in the immersion position, the lower center of each substrate faces the bottom plate of the punching plate. Furthermore, the invention of claim 3 is a substrate processing apparatus for performing surface treatment on a substrate with a processing liquid, comprising: a processing tank for storing the processing liquid; a processing liquid supply unit for supplying the processing liquid into the processing tank; a punching plate provided in the processing tank for forming a laminar flow of the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supply unit; a lifter that holds the substrate and moves up and down to immerse the substrate in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank; and a plurality of tubular bubble supply pipes positioned above the punching plate inside the processing tank and supplying bubbles to the processing liquid stored in the processing tank from below the substrate held by the lifter. The lower end of the lifter is formed in a V-shape. The aforementioned perforated plate has a recess connected to it. The recess is formed in the central part of the punching plate. Some of the aforementioned bubble supply pipes are positioned inside the recess.characterized by the following.

[0010] Also, the invention according to claim 4 is Any of claims 1 to 3 In a substrate processing apparatus according to the invention, the plurality of bubble supply pipes are formed of a fluororesin, and further includes a support member that supports each of the plurality of bubble supply pipes above the punching plate, characterized by the above.

Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the invention of claims 1 to claim 4 Since a recess is formed in the punching plate and a part of the plurality of bubble supply pipes is arranged inside the recess, it is possible to arrange the plurality of bubble supply pipes while suppressing interference with the lifter and supply bubbles uniformly to the surface of the substrate.

[0012] In particular, according to the invention of claim 4 Since the plurality of bubble supply pipes are formed of a fluororesin and further includes a support member that supports each of the plurality of bubble supply pipes above the punching plate, it is possible to suppress the bending of the bubble supply pipes and improve the straightness.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. <000008​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, expressions indicating relative or absolute positional relationships (for example, "in one direction", "along one direction", "parallel", "orthogonal", "center", "concentric", "coaxial", etc.) are, unless otherwise specified, not only to strictly represent the positional relationship, but also to represent a state in which the angle or distance is displaced within a tolerance or a range in which the same function can be obtained. Also, expressions indicating an equal state (for example, "identical", "equal", "homogeneous", etc.) are, unless otherwise specified, not only to strictly represent a quantitatively equal state, but also to represent a state in which there is a difference within a tolerance or a range in which the same function can be obtained. Further, expressions indicating a shape (for example, "circular shape", "square shape", "cylindrical shape", etc.) are, unless otherwise specified, not only to geometrically strictly represent the shape, but also to represent a shape within a range in which the same effect can be obtained, and may have, for example, concavities and convexities or chamfers. Also, each expression such as "comprising", "having", "including", "containing", "possessing" a component is not an exclusive expression excluding the existence of other components. Also, the expression "at least one of A, B, and C" includes "only A", "only B", "only C", "any two of A, B, and C", and "all of A, B, and C".

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the present invention. The substrate processing apparatus 100 is a batch-type substrate processing apparatus that collectively performs surface treatment on a substrate W such as a plurality of semiconductor substrates with a processing liquid. In FIG. 1 and each subsequent figure, for ease of understanding, the dimensions and numbers of each part are exaggerated or simplified as necessary. Also, in FIG. 1 and each subsequent figure, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is appropriately attached with the Z-axis direction as the vertical direction and the XY plane as the horizontal plane to clarify their directional relationships.

[0016] The substrate processing apparatus 100 mainly comprises a load port 110, an loading / unloading robot 140, a posture changing mechanism 150, a pusher 160, a main transport robot 180, a substrate processing group 120, a transfer cassette 170, and a control unit 70.

[0017] The load port 110 is located at the end of the substrate processing apparatus 100, which is formed in a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. A carrier C, which holds multiple substrates (hereinafter simply referred to as "substrates") W to be processed by the substrate processing apparatus 100, is placed on the load port 110. Carriers C containing unprocessed substrates W are transported by automated guided vehicles (AGVs, OHTs, etc.) and placed on the load port 110. Carriers C containing processed substrates W are also removed from the load port 110 by automated guided vehicles.

[0018] Carrier C is typically a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) that houses substrates W in a sealed space. Carrier C holds multiple substrates W in a horizontal orientation (orientation with the normal aligned with the vertical direction) stacked at regular intervals in the vertical direction (Z direction) using multiple holding shelves formed inside. The maximum number of substrates that can be housed in carrier C is 25 or 50. In addition to FOUP, carrier C may also take the form of an SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) pod or an open cassette (OC) that exposes the stored substrates W to the outside air.

[0019] A pod opener (not shown) and the like are provided at the boundary between the main body of the substrate processing device 100 and the load port 110. The pod opener opens and closes the front cover of the carrier C placed on the load port 110.

[0020] The loading / unloading robot 140 loads unprocessed substrates W from the carrier C, which is placed on the load port 110, into the main body of the substrate processing apparatus 100, and loads processed substrates W from the main body of the substrate processing apparatus 100 into the carrier C, with the carrier C's lid open. More specifically, the loading / unloading robot 140 transports the substrates W between the carrier C and the attitude changing mechanism 150. The loading / unloading robot 140 is configured to rotate in a horizontal plane and is equipped with batch hands (not shown) that can move forward and backward, each of which is made up of multiple stacked hand elements, each capable of holding one substrate W.

[0021] The attitude changing mechanism 150 rotates the substrate W received from the loading / unloading robot 140 by 90°, changing the orientation of the substrate W from a horizontal orientation to an upright orientation (an orientation in which the normal vector is aligned with the horizontal direction). In addition, before handing the substrate W to the loading / unloading robot 140, the attitude changing mechanism 150 changes the orientation of the substrate W from an upright orientation to a horizontal orientation.

[0022] The pusher 160 is positioned between the attitude changing mechanism 150 and the transfer cassette 170. The pusher 160 transfers the upright substrate W between the attitude changing mechanism 150 and the lifting stage (not shown) provided on the transfer cassette 170.

[0023] The transfer cassette 170 and the substrate processing group 120 are arranged in a line along the X direction. The substrate processing group 120 comprises five processing units 121, 122, 123, 124, and 125. Processing units 121 to 125 are the main parts of the substrate processing apparatus 100 that perform various surface treatments on the substrate W. As shown in Figure 1, within the substrate processing apparatus 100, processing units 121, 122, 123, 124, and 125 are arranged in that order from the (+X) side. Each of the processing units 121, 122, 123, and 124 is equipped with a processing tank 10 for storing processing liquid.

[0024] Processing units 121 and 123 each store the same or different chemical solutions and immerse multiple substrates W in the solution at once to perform chemical treatment such as etching. Processing units 122 and 124 each store a rinsing solution (typically pure water) and immerse multiple substrates W in the rinsing solution at once to perform rinsing.

[0025] In the substrate processing unit group 120, processing unit 121 and processing unit 122 are paired, and processing unit 123 and processing unit 124 are paired. A dedicated transport mechanism, a lifter 20, is provided for the pair of processing unit 121 and processing unit 122. The lifter 20 is movable along the X direction between processing unit 121 and processing unit 122. Similarly, a dedicated transport mechanism, a lifter 20, is provided for the pair of processing unit 123 and processing unit 124.

[0026] The lifter 20 holds multiple substrates W received from the main transport robot 180 and immerses the substrates W in the chemical solution stored in the processing tank 10 of the processing unit 121. After the chemical treatment is complete, the lifter 20 lifts the substrates W from the processing unit 121 and transfers them to the processing unit 122, where the substrates W are immersed in the rinsing solution stored in the processing tank of the processing unit 122. After the rinsing treatment is complete, the lifter 20 lifts the substrates W from the processing unit 122 and hands them over to the main transport robot 180.

[0027] The processing unit 125 includes a mechanism for reducing the pressure inside a sealed drying chamber to below atmospheric pressure, a mechanism for supplying an organic solvent (e.g., isopropyl alcohol (IPA)) into the drying chamber, and a lifter 20. The processing unit 125 places the substrate W received from the main transport robot 180 by the lifter 20 into the drying chamber, and dries the substrate W by supplying the organic solvent to the substrate W while maintaining a reduced pressure atmosphere inside the drying chamber. After the drying process, the substrate W is transferred to the main transport robot 180 via the lifter 20.

[0028] The transfer cassette 170 is positioned below the main transport robot 180 in its standby position (the position of the main transport robot 180 in Figure 1). The transfer cassette 170 includes a lifting stage (not shown). This lifting stage raises the substrate W received from the pusher 160 in an upright position and hands it over to the main transport robot 180. The lifting stage also lowers the substrate W received from the main transport robot 180 and hands it over to the pusher 160.

[0029] The main transport robot 180 is configured to slide along the X direction, as shown by arrow AR1 in Figure 1. The main transport robot 180 transports the substrate W between a standby position above the transfer cassette 170 and a processing position above any of the processing units 121, 122, 123, 124, or 125.

[0030] The main transport robot 180 is equipped with a pair of substrate chucks 181 that grip multiple substrates W at once. The main transport robot 180 can grip multiple substrates W at once by narrowing the distance between the pair of substrate chucks 181, and can release the gripping state by widening the distance between the substrate chucks 181. With this configuration, the main transport robot 180 This allows for the transfer of the substrate W to the lifting stage of the transfer cassette 170, and also allows for the transfer of the substrate W to each lifter 20 provided in the substrate processing unit group 120.

[0031] Next, the configuration of the processing unit 121 provided in the substrate processing apparatus 100 will be described. Here, the processing unit 121 will be described, but the processing unit 123 has a similar configuration. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the processing unit 121. As shown in Figure 2, the processing unit 121 mainly comprises a processing tank 10 for storing processing liquid, a lifter 20 that holds multiple substrates W and moves up and down, a processing liquid supply unit 30 for supplying processing liquid into the processing tank 10, a drainage unit 40 for discharging processing liquid from the processing tank 10, and a bubble supply unit 50 for supplying bubbles into the processing liquid stored in the processing tank 10.

[0032] The treatment tank 10 is a storage container made of a chemical-resistant material such as quartz. The treatment tank 10 has a double-tank structure including an inner tank 11 that stores the treatment liquid and immerses the substrate W inside, and an outer tank 12 formed on the outer circumference of the upper end of the inner tank 11. The inner tank 11 and the outer tank 12 each have an upper opening that opens upward. The height of the upper edge of the outer tank 12 is higher than the height of the upper edge of the inner tank 11. When the treatment liquid is stored up to the upper end of the inner tank 11 and more treatment liquid is supplied from the treatment liquid supply unit 30, the treatment liquid overflows from the top of the inner tank 11 into the outer tank 12. The treatment tank 10 of this embodiment is a liquid-saving specification that reduces the amount of treatment liquid used, and the capacity of the inner tank 11 is relatively small.

[0033] In this specification, "processing solution" is a conceptual term that includes various chemical solutions and pure water. Chemical solutions include, for example, solutions for etching or solutions for removing particles, and specifically, tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), SC-1 solution (a mixed solution of ammonium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and pure water), SC-2 solution (a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and pure water), or phosphoric acid. Chemical solutions also include those diluted with pure water.

[0034] The lifter 20 is a transport mechanism for transporting substrates W vertically while holding them. The lifter 20 has a back plate 22 extending vertically (Z direction) and three holding rods 21 extending horizontally (Y direction) from the lower end of the back plate 22. The lower end of the back plate 22 is formed in a V shape. That is, the tip 22a located in the center of the lower end of the back plate 22 is at the lowest position, and the lower end of the back plate 22 is formed to slope diagonally upward from the tip 22a toward both sides of the back plate 22. Each of the three holding rods 21 extending from the lower end of the back plate 22 has multiple (for example, 50) holding grooves engraved at a predetermined pitch. Multiple substrates W are held in an upright position parallel to each other at a predetermined distance apart on the three holding rods 21 with their respective peripheral edges fitted into the holding grooves.

[0035] Furthermore, the lifter 20 is connected to a drive mechanism 24 conceptually shown in Figure 2 and moves up and down. Figures 3 and 4 show the up and down movement of the lifter 20. When the drive mechanism 24 is operated, the lifter 20 moves up and down, and the substrate W held by the lifter 20 moves up and down between an immersion position inside the processing tank 10 (position in Figure 4) and a lifted position above the processing tank 10 (position in Figure 3), as shown by arrow AR2 in Figure 2. With the processing liquid stored in the processing tank 10, the substrate W is lowered to the immersion position, so that the substrate W is immersed in the processing liquid and surface treatment is performed.

[0036] Returning to Figure 2, the processing liquid supply unit 30 comprises a nozzle 31 and a piping system for supplying the processing liquid to it. The nozzle 31 is located at the bottom of the inner tank 11 of the processing tank 10. A dispersion plate 15 is provided directly above the nozzle 31, facing the nozzle 31. Furthermore, a perforated plate 60 is provided above the dispersion plate 15.

[0037] Figure 5 shows the nozzle 31, dispersion plate 15, and perforated plate 60 as viewed from the bottom of the processing tank 10. The tip portion of the piping 32 of the processing liquid supply unit 30 (the portion extending into the processing tank 10) constitutes piping 132. Multiple nozzles 31 are formed on the upper side of piping 132. Each nozzle 31 is connected in communication with piping 132. A dispersion plate 15 is provided above each of the multiple nozzles 31. The dispersion plate 15 is a disc-shaped member provided parallel to the horizontal plane. The nozzles 31 protrude vertically upward from piping 132 toward the dispersion plate 15. Further above the dispersion plate 15, a perforated plate 60 is provided across the entire horizontal cross-section of the inner tank 11. Multiple processing liquid holes 61 are perforated across the entire surface of the perforated plate 60.

[0038] The processing liquid supplied to the piping 132 is discharged from the nozzle 31 towards the dispersion plate 15 directly above it. When the processing liquid is discharged upward from the nozzle 31 while the processing liquid is stored in the processing tank 10, the flow of the processing liquid hits the dispersion plate 15, dispersing the liquid pressure and causing the processing liquid to spread horizontally along the surface of the dispersion plate 15. The processing liquid that has spread horizontally by the dispersion plate 15 then rises from the multiple processing liquid holes 61 of the perforated plate 60, forming a laminar flow in the processing tank 10 that flows from bottom to top. In other words, the perforated plate 60 forms a laminar flow of processing liquid in the processing tank 10.

[0039] Returning to Figure 2, the piping system that supplies the processing liquid to the nozzle 31 is configured with a pump 33, heater 34, filter 35, flow control valve 36, and valve 37 in piping 32. The pump 33, heater 34, filter 35, flow control valve 36, and valve 37 are arranged in this order from upstream to downstream (from the outer tank 12 to the inner tank 11) in piping 32.

[0040] The tip of pipe 32 extends into the processing tank 10 to form pipe 132 (Figure 5), and the base end of pipe 32 is connected to the outer tank 12. Pipe 32 guides the processing liquid that has flowed out of the outer tank 12 back into the inner tank 11. In other words, the processing liquid supply unit 30 circulates the processing liquid in the processing tank 10. Pump 33 discharges the processing liquid from the outer tank 12 into pipe 32 and sends the processing liquid to nozzle 31. Heater 34 heats the processing liquid flowing through pipe 32. When phosphoric acid or the like is used as the processing liquid, the heating unit 34 heats the processing liquid, and the heated processing liquid is stored in the processing tank 10.

[0041] The filter 35 filters the processing liquid flowing through the piping 32 to remove impurities and other contaminants. The flow rate adjustment valve 36 adjusts the flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the piping 32. The valve 37 opens and closes the flow path of the piping 32. By operating the pump 33 and opening the valve 37, the processing liquid discharged from the outer tank 12 flows through the piping 32 and is supplied to the nozzle 31, and its flow rate is controlled by the flow rate adjustment valve 36.

[0042] The chemical supply unit 80 includes a chemical supply source 81, a valve 82, a nozzle 83, and piping 84. The tip of the piping 84 is connected to the nozzle 83, and the base end is connected to the chemical supply source 81. A valve 82 is provided in the middle of the piping 84. When the valve 82 is opened, chemical is supplied from the chemical supply source 81 to the nozzle 83, and the chemical is discharged from the nozzle 83 toward the outer tank 12 of the treatment tank 10. The chemical supplied from the chemical supply unit 80 to the outer tank 12 is supplied into the inner tank 11 by the treatment liquid supply unit 30. The nozzle 83 of the chemical supply unit 80 is connected to the inner tank 11 It is also possible to supply the medication directly.

[0043] The pure water supply unit 90 includes a pure water supply source 91, a valve 92, a nozzle 93, and piping 94. The leading end of the piping 94 is connected to the nozzle 93, and the base end is connected to the pure water supply source 91. A valve 92 is provided in the middle of the piping 94. When the valve 92 is opened, pure water is supplied from the pure water supply source 91 to the nozzle 93, and the pure water is discharged from the nozzle 93 toward the outer tank 12 of the treatment tank 10. The chemical solution is supplied to the treatment tank 10 from the chemical solution supply unit 80, and the pure water is supplied from the pure water supply unit 90, thereby diluting the chemical solution.

[0044] The drainage section 40 includes a pipe 41 and a valve 45. The leading end of the pipe 41 is connected to the bottom wall of the inner tank 11 of the processing tank 10. A valve 45 is provided along the path of the pipe 41. The base end of the pipe 41 is connected to the substrate processing apparatus. 100 It is connected to the drainage system of the factory where it is installed. When valve 45 is opened, the treatment liquid stored in the inner tank 11 is rapidly discharged from the bottom of the inner tank 11 into the pipe 41 and treated in the drainage system.

[0045] The bubble supply unit 50 comprises a plurality of bubble supply pipes (bubblers) 51 and a piping system for supplying gas to them. In this embodiment, the bubble supply unit 50 comprises eight bubble supply pipes 51. The eight bubble supply pipes 51 are positioned inside the inner tank 11 of the processing tank 10, above the punching plate 60 and below the substrate W held in the immersion position by the lifter 20. Each of the eight bubble supply pipes 51 discharges gas into the processing liquid stored in the processing tank 10. When gas is supplied into the processing liquid from the eight bubble supply pipes 51 while the processing liquid is stored in the processing tank 10, the gas rises in the processing liquid as bubbles. The gas supplied by the bubble supply unit 50 is, for example, an inert gas. The inert gas is, for example, nitrogen or argon (nitrogen is used in this embodiment).

[0046] The piping system for supplying gas to the eight bubble supply pipes 51 includes pipes 52, a gas supply mechanism 53, and a gas supply source 54. The tip end of one pipe 52 is connected to each of the eight bubble supply pipes 51. The base end of the pipes 52 is connected to the gas supply source 54. A gas supply mechanism 53 is provided for each of the pipes 52. In other words, one gas supply mechanism 53 is provided for each of the eight bubble supply pipes 51. The gas supply source 54 delivers gas to each pipe 52. The gas supply mechanism 53 includes a mass flow controller and on / off valves (not shown), and supplies gas to the bubble supply pipes 51 via the pipes 52 and adjusts the flow rate of the supplied gas.

[0047] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of eight bubble supply pipes 51 relative to the punching plate 60. Figure 7 is a front view showing the configuration of the punching plate 60 and the eight bubble supply pipes 51. The punching plate 60 is constructed by bonding a bottom plate 63 to an upper plate 62. An opening is formed in the center of the upper plate 62, penetrating vertically. The bottom plate 63 is bonded to the upper plate 62 so as to close the lower side of this opening. The bottom plate 63 is fixed to the upper plate 62, for example, using screws and hexagonal nuts. By closing the lower side of the opening in the upper plate 62 with the bottom plate 63, a recess 65 is formed in the center of the punching plate 60. Multiple processing liquid holes 61 are drilled in both the upper plate 62 and the bottom plate 63. Therefore, multiple processing liquid holes 61 are drilled over almost the entire surface of the punching plate 60.

[0048] In this embodiment, the two innermost of the eight bubble supply pipes 51 are positioned inside the recess 65 of the punching plate 60. The remaining six bubble supply pipes 51 are positioned outside the recess 65 and on the top plate 62. Therefore, the two bubble supply pipes 51 positioned inside the recess 65 have the lowest height. Similarly, for the six bubble supply pipes 51 positioned on the top plate 62, the height increases as they move outwards (as they are further from the recess 65).

[0049] Each of the eight bubble supply tubes 51 is a long, cylindrical member with a row of bubble holes (not shown) along its upper side. The bubble supply tubes 51 are made of a material that has chemical resistance to the processing liquid, such as PFA (perfluoroalkoxyalkane), PEEK (polyetheretherketone), or quartz (PFA is used in this embodiment). PFA, a type of fluororesin, has excellent chemical resistance but is easily bent, so the long bubble supply tubes 51 are relatively prone to warping. For this reason, each of the multiple bubble supply tubes 51 is supported and fixed above the punching plate 60 by a support guide 58. The support guide 58 is a rod-shaped support member. Specifically, pairs of support guides 58 are erected at multiple locations on the punching plate 60, and these support guides 58 support the PFA bubble supply tubes 51. 51 This can suppress deflection and improve straight-line stability.

[0050] Furthermore, each of the multiple bubble holes provided in each bubble supply pipe 51 is positioned between adjacent substrates W held by the lifter 20. Therefore, bubbles formed by the discharge of gas from the multiple bubble holes formed in each bubble supply pipe 51 will rise between adjacent substrates W.

[0051] As shown in Figure 7, in the liquid-saving treatment tank 10 which uses less treatment liquid, when the lifter 20 is lowered to the immersion position where the entire substrate W is submerged in the treatment liquid, the tip 22a of the back plate 22 is considerably lowered to the bubble supply pipe. 51 It approaches the bubble supply pipes. Of the eight bubble supply pipes 51, the two innermost bubble supply pipes 51 whose tips 22a approach are located inside the recesses 65 of the punching plate 60, so the height position of these two bubble supply pipes 51 is lower than the height position of the other bubble supply pipes 51. Therefore, even when the lifter 20 is lowered to the immersion position, collision between the tip 22a of the back plate 22 and the bubble supply pipes 51 can be prevented.

[0052] The control unit 70 controls various operating mechanisms provided in the substrate processing apparatus 100. The control unit 70 also controls the operation of the processing unit 121. The hardware configuration of the control unit 70 is the same as that of a general computer. That is, the control unit 70 includes a CPU, which is a circuit that performs various calculations, a ROM, which is a read-only memory that stores basic programs, a RAM, which is a read-write memory that stores various information, and a storage unit (for example, a magnetic disk) that stores control software and data. The control unit 70 is electrically connected to the valve 37 and gas supply mechanism 53 of the processing liquid supply unit 30, and controls their operation.

[0053] Furthermore, the memory unit of the control unit 70 stores a recipe (hereinafter referred to as "processing recipe") that defines the procedure and conditions for processing the substrate W. The processing recipe can be stored in the memory unit by, for example, the operator of the device inputting it via the GUI, thereby enabling the substrate processing apparatus. 100 It is obtained by multiple substrate processing devices. 100 The board processing unit is managed by a host computer. 100 The processing recipe may be transmitted via communication and stored in the memory unit. The control unit 70 controls the operation of the gas supply mechanism 53 and the like based on the description of the processing recipe stored in the memory unit, thereby carrying out the surface treatment of the substrate W as described in the processing recipe.

[0054] Next, the processing operation in the processing unit 121 having the above configuration will be described. In the processing unit 121 of this embodiment, the processing liquid circulates by overflowing from the inner tank 11 of the processing tank 10 to the outer tank 12, and the processing liquid that flows out of the outer tank 12 returning to the inner tank 11. Specifically, the processing liquid that flows out of the outer tank 12 into the piping 32 is sent to the nozzle 31 by the pump 33. At this time, the processing liquid flowing through the piping 32 is heated by the heater 34 as needed. The flow rate of the processing liquid flowing through the piping 32 is also controlled by the flow rate adjustment valve 36. Furthermore, the drainage unit 40 discharges the used processing liquid from the processing tank 10 as needed, and the chemical supply unit 80 and the pure water supply unit 90 supply new liquid to the processing tank 10. In this embodiment, polysilicon etching is performed using strongly alkaline TMAH as the processing liquid.

[0055] The processing liquid supplied to the nozzle 31 is discharged upward into the inner tank 11. The processing liquid discharged from the nozzle 31 strikes the dispersion plate 15 and spreads horizontally along the surface of the dispersion plate 15. The processing liquid, spread horizontally by the dispersion plate 15, reaches the punching plate 60, passes through multiple processing liquid holes 61, and rises from these processing liquid holes 61, forming a laminar flow upward within the inner tank 11. The processing liquid that reaches the upper end of the inner tank 11 overflows into the outer tank 12.

[0056] The substrates W are immersed in the processing liquid while a laminar flow of the processing liquid rising in the processing tank 10 is formed. Specifically, the lifter 20 receives multiple substrates W, which have been transported by the main transport robot 180, at a lifting position above the processing tank 10. The substrates W are placed on three holding rods 21 and held by the lifter 20. Subsequently, the control unit 70 operates the drive mechanism 24 to lower the lifter 20, lowering the substrates W to the immersion position in the processing tank 10 and immersing the substrates W in the processing liquid. The two innermost bubble supply pipes 51 are positioned inside the recesses 65 of the punching plate 60 and are at a relatively low height, so even when the lifter 20 lowers the substrates W to the immersion position, collision between the tip 22a of the back plate 22 and the bubble supply pipes 51 is prevented.

[0057] With a laminar flow of processing liquid formed in the processing tank 10, the substrate W is held in the immersion position by the lifter 20. As a result, the laminar flow of processing liquid flows between the substrates W, exposing the surface of the substrate W to the processing liquid, and the surface treatment of the substrate W (etching in this embodiment) proceeds.

[0058] Furthermore, the gas supply mechanism 53 of the bubble supply unit 50 supplies gas to the corresponding bubble supply pipe 51. The gas supplied to the bubble supply pipe 51 is discharged into the processing liquid from a plurality of bubble holes provided on the upper side of the bubble supply pipe 51, forming bubbles. Since the plurality of bubble holes are positioned between adjacent substrates W held by the lifter 20, the bubbles discharged from the bubble supply pipe 51 rise between the adjacent substrates W. In other words, a large number of bubbles rise near the surface of the substrates W.

[0059] In this embodiment, when the processing solution is alkaline TMAH, the etching rate increases as the dissolved oxygen concentration in the processing solution decreases. By supplying nitrogen bubbles into the processing solution from multiple bubble supply tubes 51, the dissolved oxygen concentration in the processing solution decreases, and as a result, the etching rate of the substrate W can be increased. Even if the processing solution is something other than TMAH (for example, phosphoric acid), by supplying nitrogen bubbles into the processing solution from multiple bubble supply tubes 51, a large number of bubbles rise along the surface of the substrate W in the processing solution, increasing the flow rate of the processing solution and improving the efficiency of the substrate surface treatment.

[0060] After the etching process for a predetermined time is completed, the control unit 70 operates the drive mechanism 24 to raise the lifter 20 and lift the substrate W out of the processing tank 10. Subsequently, the main transport robot 180 receives the processed substrate W from the lifter 20. In this way, the series of processes in the processing unit 121 is completed.

[0061] In this embodiment, a recess 65 is formed in the punching plate 60, and the two innermost bubble supply pipes 51 of the eight bubble supply pipes 51 are placed inside the recess 65, with the height of these two bubble supply pipes 51 being lower than the height of the other six bubble supply pipes 51. If, in a relatively small processing tank 10, the height of the two innermost bubble supply pipes 51 were the same as the height of the other bubble supply pipes 51, the tip 22a of the back plate 22 would collide with the two innermost bubble supply pipes 51 when the lifter 20 descends to the immersion position. Therefore, it would not be possible to provide the innermost bubble supply pipes 51, and it would become impossible to uniformly supply bubbles to the surface of the substrate W. In other words, the amount of bubbles supplied to the lower center of the substrate W would be relatively small. As a result, the etching rate in the lower center of the substrate W would be lower compared to other areas, and the in-plane uniformity of the etching amount would be impaired.

[0062] In this embodiment, the two innermost bubble supply pipes 51 are positioned inside the recesses 65 of the punching plate 60, and the height of these two bubble supply pipes 51 is lower than that of the other six bubble supply pipes 51. Therefore, even when the lifter 20 lowers the substrate W to the immersion position in the relatively small processing tank 10, the tip 22a of the back plate 22 is prevented from colliding with the bubble supply pipes 51. In addition, since eight bubble supply pipes 51 are provided, including the two innermost ones, bubbles can be supplied uniformly to the surface of the substrate W while suppressing interference with the lifter 20. As a result, the etching rate across the entire surface of the substrate W becomes uniform, improving the in-plane uniformity of the surface treatment.

[0063] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications can be made to this invention without departing from its spirit. For example, in the above embodiment, a bottom plate 63 was bonded to an upper plate 62 having an opening to form a recess 65 of the punching plate 60, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, a bottomed recess 65 may be formed by cutting a single plate-shaped punching plate 60. In short, any form that forms a recess 65 that is lower in height than other areas is acceptable.

[0064] Furthermore, although the above embodiment involved etching using TMAH as the surface treatment for the substrate W, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the substrate W may be cleaned using other treatment solutions. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1. Substrate processing device 10 Processing tanks 11 Inner tank 12 Outer tank 15 Dispersion plate 20 Lifters 22 Back plate 22a Tip 30 Processing liquid supply unit 31 nozzles 33 pumps 50 Bubble supply unit 51 Bubble supply pipe 53 Gas supply mechanism 58 Support Guide 60 perforated plates 61 Processing liquid holes 65 recess 70 Control Unit 80 Chemical solution supply unit 90 Pure water supply section W board

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for performing surface treatment on multiple substrates with a processing solution, A treatment tank for storing the treated liquid, A processing liquid supply unit that supplies processing liquid into the processing tank, A perforated plate provided in the processing tank, with processing liquid holes penetrating vertically, forms a laminar flow of the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supply unit, A lifter that holds the plurality of substrates at predetermined intervals in the arrangement direction and moves them up and down, and immerses the plurality of substrates in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, A plurality of tubular bubble supply pipes are arranged inside the processing tank so as to extend in the direction of the arrangement above the punching plate and supply bubbles to the processing liquid stored in the processing tank from below the plurality of substrates held by the lifter, Equipped with, The processing liquid supply unit is located below the punching plate and has a nozzle for discharging the processing liquid. The perforated plate includes an upper plate having an opening formed in the center that penetrates vertically along the arrangement direction, and a bottom plate provided to close the lower side of the opening in the upper plate. The punching plate has a recess formed by the opening and the bottom plate. A substrate processing apparatus characterized in that some of the plurality of bubble supply pipes are arranged inside the recess.

2. In the substrate processing apparatus according to Claim 1, The substrate processing apparatus processes the plurality of substrates having a circular main surface, The lifter holds the plurality of substrates such that the center of each of the main surfaces of the plurality of substrates passes through an axis perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the lower center of each of the plurality of substrates is at a constant height. A substrate processing apparatus characterized in that, when the lifter is in the immersion position, the lower central portions of the plurality of substrates face the bottom plate of the punching plate.

3. A substrate processing apparatus for performing surface treatment on a substrate with a processing solution, A treatment tank for storing the treated liquid, A processing liquid supply unit that supplies processing liquid into the processing tank, A perforated plate provided in the processing tank, which forms a laminar flow of the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supply unit, A lifter that holds the substrate and moves it up and down, immersing the substrate in the processing liquid stored in the processing tank, A plurality of tubular bubble supply pipes are positioned inside the processing tank above the perforated plate and supply bubbles to the processing liquid stored in the processing tank from below the substrate held by the lifter, Equipped with, The lower end of the lifter is formed in a V-shape. The aforementioned perforated plate has a recess connected to it. The recess is formed in the central part of the perforated plate. A substrate processing apparatus characterized in that some of the plurality of bubble supply pipes are arranged inside the recess.

4. In the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The aforementioned plurality of bubble supply tubes are made of fluororesin, A substrate processing apparatus further comprising a support member that supports each of the plurality of bubble supply pipes above the punching plate.

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