Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

To provide a technology for suppressing a temperature change in the processing liquid without increasing the size of a device.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device includes a processing liquid nozzle for discharging processing liquid onto a substrate held by a substrate holding unit, an inner tube through which the processing liquid flows, and an outer tube that surrounds the inner tube while providing a gap space between the inner tube and the outer tube, and further includes a supply piping for supplying the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle, at least one gas processing portion in which gas processing using compressed gas is performed and that exhausts the compressed gas used in the gas processing as gas after the processing, and a control portion that controls the temperature of the processing liquid using post-processing gas.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to substrate processing technology. Substrates to be processed include, for example, semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for liquid crystal display devices, substrates for flat panel displays (FPDs) such as organic EL (electroluminescence) display devices, substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, substrates for magneto-optical disks, glass substrates for photomasks, ceramic substrates, substrates for field emission displays (i.e., FEDs), or substrates for solar cells, etc.

Background Art

[0002] In substrate processing, the accuracy of substrate processing is maintained by discharging a processing liquid kept at a certain temperature onto the substrate.

[0003] For example, in the case disclosed in Patent Document 1, measures such as winding a heat insulating material around the pipe through which the chemical solution flows or making the pipe a double pipe and making the gap space a vacuum state are taken so that the temperature of the chemical solution does not easily change during liquid feeding.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, simply winding a heat insulating material around the pipe as described above may not be able to sufficiently suppress the temperature change of the processing liquid. Also, in order to make the gap space of the double pipe a vacuum state, a separate decompression device etc. is required, which enlarges the device.

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification was developed in consideration of the problems described above, and is a technology for suppressing temperature changes of the processing liquid without increasing the size of the apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A substrate processing apparatus, which is a first aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, comprises a substrate holding section for holding a substrate, a processing liquid nozzle for discharging a processing liquid onto the substrate held by the substrate holding section, an inner tube through which the processing liquid flows, and an outer tube surrounding the inner tube with a gap space between it and the inner tube, and further comprises a supply pipe for supplying the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle, at least one gas processing section for performing gas processing using compressed gas and exhausting the compressed gas used in the gas processing as processed gas, and a control section for controlling the temperature of the processing liquid using the processed gas. A second embodiment of the technology disclosed in this specification, a substrate processing apparatus relating to the first embodiment, wherein the control unit controls the temperature of the processing liquid by creating a negative pressure in the gap space of the supply piping using the flow of the processed gas that is exhausted. A third aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, a substrate processing apparatus, is related to the second aspect of the substrate processing apparatus and further comprises an exhaust pipe for the processed gas exhausted from the gas processing unit to flow through, and a connecting pipe that branches off from the exhaust pipe and connects the gap space to the exhaust pipe. A fourth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, a substrate processing apparatus relating to the third aspect of the substrate processing apparatus, further comprises an ejector provided at the connection portion between the exhaust pipe and the connecting pipe, and a control valve provided in the connecting pipe, wherein the ejector uses the processed gas as a driving fluid to create a negative pressure in the gap space, and the control unit adjusts the pressure in the gap space by controlling the degree of opening and closing of the control valve. A fifth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, a substrate processing apparatus, is related to the first aspect of the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the control unit controls the temperature of the processing liquid by supplying the post-processed gas to the gap space of the supply piping. A sixth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, a substrate processing apparatus relating to the fifth aspect, further comprises at least one exhaust pipe through which the post-processed gas exhausted from the gas processing unit flows and which is connected to the gap space. A seventh aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification is a substrate processing apparatus relating to a sixth aspect of the substrate processing apparatus, comprising a plurality of gas processing units, a plurality of exhaust pipes corresponding to each of the gas processing units, the temperatures of the processed gas flowing through the plurality of exhaust pipes being different from each other, the substrate processing apparatus further comprising control valves for controlling the flow rate of the processed gas supplied from each of the exhaust pipes to the gap space, and the control unit mixes the processed gas supplied from each of the exhaust pipes by controlling the degree of opening and closing of each of the control valves, thereby adjusting the temperature of the processed gas supplied to the gap space. An eighth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification is a substrate processing apparatus relating to any one of the first to seven aspects, wherein the post-processing gas contains nitrogen. A substrate processing apparatus, which is a ninth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, relates to a substrate processing apparatus, which is any one of the first to eight aspects, wherein the gas processing section is a heater for heating the processing liquid, and the gas processing is a process of air-cooling the heater using compressed gas. A substrate processing apparatus, which is a tenth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, relates to a substrate processing apparatus, which is any one of the first to nine aspects, wherein the gas processing unit is a pump for flowing the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle, and the gas processing is a process of driving the pump using the compressed gas. An eleventh aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification is a substrate processing apparatus relating to any one of the first to ten aspects of a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the gas processing unit is a storage tank for storing the processing liquid, and the gas processing is a process of using compressed gas to discharge the atmosphere in the storage tank to the outside. A substrate processing apparatus, which is a twelfth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, relates to a substrate processing apparatus, which is one of the first to eleven aspects, wherein the supply piping is located downstream of the gas processing unit. A substrate processing method, which is a thirteenth aspect of the technology disclosed in this specification, is a substrate processing method performed using a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing liquid nozzle for discharging a processing liquid onto a substrate held in a substrate holding section; an inner tube through which the processing liquid flows; an outer tube surrounding the inner tube while providing a gap space between itself and the inner tube; a supply pipe for supplying the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle; and at least one gas processing section for performing gas processing using compressed gas and exhausting the compressed gas used in the gas processing as processed gas, the method comprising: controlling the temperature of the processing liquid using the processed gas; and discharging the temperature-controlled processing liquid onto the substrate to perform substrate processing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to at least the first and thirteenth aspects of the technology disclosed in this specification, temperature changes in the processing liquid can be suppressed without increasing the size of the apparatus by controlling the temperature of the processing liquid using the post-processing gas.

[0009] Furthermore, the purposes, features, aspects, and advantages related to the technology disclosed in this specification will become even clearer from the detailed description and accompanying drawings provided below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram conceptually illustrates an example of the control unit configuration shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically shows an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus, particularly regarding the supply path of the processing liquid. [Figure 4] This diagram shows an example of a supply piping structure. [Figure 5] This diagram shows an example of an ejector configuration. [Figure 6] This figure schematically shows an example of a processing unit and related configurations in a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram schematically shows an example of the configuration of the supply path for the processing liquid according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In the following embodiments, detailed features will be shown for the purpose of explaining the technology, but these are illustrative, and not all of them are necessarily essential features for the embodiments to be implementable.

[0012] Please note that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only, and for the sake of clarity, some components may be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Furthermore, the relative sizes and positions of components shown in different drawings are not necessarily accurately represented and may be modified as appropriate. In addition, hatching may be added to drawings other than cross-sectional views, such as plan views, to facilitate understanding of the embodiment.

[0013] Furthermore, in the following explanations, similar components will be denoted by the same symbols, and their names and functions will also be the same. Therefore, detailed explanations of them may be omitted to avoid redundancy.

[0014] In addition, in the description set forth in the specification of the present application, when a certain component is described as "including", "comprising", or "having", etc., unless otherwise specified, it is not an exclusive expression that excludes the presence of other components.

[0015] In addition, in the description set forth in the specification of the present application, even when ordinal numbers such as "first" or "second" are used, these terms are used for convenience in order to facilitate understanding of the content of the embodiments, and the content of the embodiments is not limited to the order that may be caused by these ordinal numbers.

[0016] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0017] <Regarding the Configuration of the Substrate Processing Apparatus> Hereinafter, a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0018] <Regarding the Configuration of the Substrate Processing Apparatus> FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a load port 601, an indexer robot 602, a center robot 603, a control unit 90, and at least one processing unit 600 (four processing units in FIG. 1).

[0019] The processing unit 600 is a single wafer type apparatus that can be used for substrate processing. Specifically, it is an apparatus that performs a process of removing organic substances adhering to a substrate W. The organic substances adhering to the substrate W are, for example, used resist films. The resist film is, for example, one used as an implantation mask for an ion implantation process. Note that the processing unit 600 is not limited to being a single wafer type apparatus that processes substrates one by one, and may be a batch type apparatus that processes a plurality of substrates collectively.

[0020] The processing unit 600 may also have a chamber 80. In that case, by controlling the atmosphere inside the chamber 80 with the control unit 90, the processing unit 600 can perform substrate processing in a desired atmosphere.

[0021] The control unit 90 can control the operation of each component in the substrate processing apparatus 1 (such as the pump 14, temperature control unit 16, valve, or spin motor 251D of the spin chuck 251, as described later). Carrier C is a container for housing substrates W. Load port 601 is a container holding mechanism that holds multiple carriers C. Indexer robot 602 can transport substrates W between load port 601 and substrate mounting unit 604. Center robot 603 can transport substrates W between substrate mounting unit 604 and processing unit 600.

[0022] With the above configuration, the indexer robot 602, the substrate mounting unit 604, and the center robot 603 function as a transport mechanism that transports the substrate W between the respective processing unit 600 and the load port 601.

[0023] The unprocessed substrate W is removed from the carrier C by the indexer robot 602. The unprocessed substrate W is then transferred to the center robot 603 via the substrate mounting unit 604.

[0024] The central robot 603 loads the unprocessed substrate W into the processing unit 600. The processing unit 600 then processes the substrate W.

[0025] The processed substrates W in the processing unit 600 are removed from the processing unit 600 by the center robot 603. The processed substrates W are then passed through other processing units 600 as needed, and then transferred to the indexer robot 602 via the substrate mounting unit 604. The indexer robot 602 loads the processed substrates W into the carrier C. Through this process, the substrates W are processed.

[0026] Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control unit 90, which is illustrated in Figure 1. The control unit 90 may be composed of a general computer having electrical circuits. Specifically, the control unit 90 includes a central processing unit (i.e., CPU) 91, read-only memory (i.e., ROM) 92, random access memory (i.e., RAM) 93, storage device 94, input unit 96, display unit 97, and communication unit 98, and a bus line 95 connecting them to each other.

[0027] ROM92 stores the basic program. RAM93 is used as a workspace for the CPU91 when performing predetermined processing. Storage device94 consists of a non-volatile storage device such as flash memory or a hard disk drive. Input unit96 consists of various switches or a touch panel and receives input setting instructions such as processing recipes from the operator. Display unit97 consists of, for example, a liquid crystal display device and lamps and displays various information under the control of the CPU91. Communication unit98 has a data communication function via a local area network (LAN) or the like.

[0028] The storage device 94 has multiple modes pre-configured for controlling each configuration of the substrate processing device 1 shown in Figure 1. When the CPU 91 executes the processing program 94P, one of the above multiple modes is selected, and each configuration is controlled in that mode. The processing program 94P may also be stored on a recording medium. Using this recording medium, the processing program 94P can be installed in the control unit 90. Furthermore, some or all of the functions performed by the control unit 90 do not necessarily have to be implemented by software, but may be implemented by hardware such as dedicated logic circuits.

[0029] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1, particularly the configuration related to the supply path of the processing liquid. The processing liquid includes chemicals used for substrate processing, cleaning liquid for cleaning the substrate, or rinsing liquid.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a storage tank 12 for storing processing liquid, a supply pipe 100 for supplying processing liquid from the storage tank 12, a supply pipe 101 connected to the supply pipe 100 and branching to each processing unit 600, a drain pipe 107 through which the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 flows, and a circulation pipe 108 connected to the drain pipe 107 and returning to the storage tank 12.

[0031] The storage tank 12 stores the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supply source 35A via piping 109 and the processing liquid recovered via circulation piping 108, and supplies the stored processing liquid to each processing unit 600 via supply piping 100. The storage tank 12 also has an exhaust mechanism (not shown here) for purging the atmosphere (including the processing liquid) inside the storage tank 12 to the outside using compressed gas. The gas exhausted from the storage tank 12 after the gas treatment (i.e., the processed gas used in the purging process, which is the main purpose) flows into the exhaust piping 200 and is then discharged to the outside of the substrate processing device 1 from the exhaust section 300.

[0032] Here, the exhaust pipe 200 is provided with a connecting pipe 210 that branches off from the exhaust pipe 200 and connects to the supply pipe 101. The connecting pipe 210 is provided with a valve 220, and the opening and closing of the valve 220 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the connecting pipe 210.

[0033] Furthermore, an ejector 230 is provided at the point where the connecting pipe 210 branches off from the exhaust pipe 200. The ejector 230 uses the treated gas flowing from the storage tank 12 as a driving gas to draw in the gas in the connecting pipe 210, and then discharges the gas toward the exhaust section 300.

[0034] The supply piping 100 is equipped with a pump 14 that brings the processed liquid from the storage tank 12 into the supply piping 100, a temperature control unit 16 that controls the temperature of the processed liquid flowing through the supply piping 100, a filter 18 made of a resin with countless pores to remove particles and other contaminants from the processed liquid flowing through the supply piping 100, and a concentration meter 20 that measures the concentration of the processed liquid flowing through the supply piping 100. The supply piping 100 is made of, for example, perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA).

[0035] Pump 14 is, for example, an air-driven bellows pump, which is driven to expand the bellows by being supplied with compressed gas generated by a compressor (not shown here) and to contract the bellows by being exhausted. The gas exhausted from pump 14 after the above gas treatment (i.e., the treated gas that has been used for the main purpose of driving the pump) flows into the exhaust pipe 202 and is further discharged to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 1 from the exhaust section 300. Note that pump 14 is not limited to a bellows pump, and may be, for example, a diaphragm pump.

[0036] Here, the exhaust pipe 202 is provided with a connecting pipe 212 that branches off from the exhaust pipe 202 and connects to the supply pipe 101. The connecting pipe 212 is provided with a valve 222, and the opening and closing of the valve 222 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the connecting pipe 212.

[0037] Furthermore, an ejector 232 is provided at the point where the connecting pipe 212 branches off from the exhaust pipe 202. The ejector 232 uses the treated gas flowing from the pump 14 side as the driving gas to draw in the gas in the connecting pipe 212, and then discharges the gas toward the exhaust section 300 side.

[0038] The temperature control unit 16 is, for example, a conduction heater that directly or indirectly heats the processing liquid flowing through the supply pipe 100. The temperature control unit 16, which is housed in a casing, is cooled after operation by a cooling mechanism (not shown here) that blows compressed gas onto it. The gas used for cooling (i.e., the processed gas used after the cooling process, which is the primary purpose of the cooling treatment) exhausted from the casing housing the temperature control unit 16 after the gas treatment flows into the exhaust pipe 204 and is then discharged to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 1 from the exhaust section 300.

[0039] Here, the exhaust pipe 204 is provided with a connecting pipe 214 that branches off from the exhaust pipe 204 and connects to the supply pipe 101. The connecting pipe 214 is provided with a valve 224, and the opening and closing of the valve 224 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the connecting pipe 214.

[0040] Furthermore, an ejector 234 is provided at the point where the connecting pipe 214 branches off from the exhaust pipe 204. The ejector 234 uses the processed gas flowing from the temperature control unit 16 as a driving gas to draw in the gas in the connecting pipe 214, and then discharges the gas toward the exhaust section 300.

[0041] One end of the piping 109 is connected to the processing liquid supply source 35A, and the other end is connected to the storage tank 12. Furthermore, the opening and closing operation of the valve 25 provided on the piping 109 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby supplying the processing liquid to the storage tank 12.

[0042] The drainage pipe 107 is equipped with a valve 48 that switches whether or not to drain the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600.

[0043] The circulation piping 108 is equipped with a valve 52 that switches whether or not to return the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 from the drainage piping 107 to the circulation piping 108 and then back to the storage tank 12.

[0044] The supply pipe 101 is a double pipe. Specifically, the supply pipe 101 comprises an inner pipe and an outer pipe, with a gap space between the inner and outer pipes. The supply pipe 101 also includes a pressure gauge 102 capable of measuring the pressure in the gap space. The supply pipe 101 is composed of, for example, perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA). In Figure 3, the range of the double pipe supply pipe 101 is limited to the area downstream of the concentration meter 20 and upstream of the valve 46. However, the range of the double pipe (i.e., the range in which the supply pipe 101 is provided) is not limited to this range. For example, it may reach the upstream side of the temperature control unit 16, or it may reach the tip of the nozzle that discharges the processing liquid to the processing unit 600, or the drain pipe 107 and circulation pipe 108 may be included in that range. By having the range of the double pipe (i.e., the range in which the supply pipe 101 is provided) located downstream of the processing liquid supply path, the processing liquid can be delivered to the processing liquid nozzle while maintaining its temperature.

[0045] Figure 4 shows an example of the structure of a supply pipe 101. As shown in the example in Figure 4, the supply pipe 101 comprises an inner pipe 101A and an outer pipe 101B that surrounds the inner pipe 101A in the circumferential direction. Also, as shown in the example in Figure 4, the inner pipe 101A and the outer pipe 101B are spaced apart from each other, and a gap space 101C is formed between the inner pipe 101A and the outer pipe 101B.

[0046] The connecting pipe 210 is connected to the outer pipe 101B of the supply pipe 101, communicating with the gap space 101C. Similarly, the connecting pipe 212 is connected to the outer pipe 101B of the supply pipe 101, communicating with the gap space 101C. Similarly, the connecting pipe 214 is connected to the outer pipe 101B of the supply pipe 101, communicating with the gap space 101C.

[0047] Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of ejector 230. The configurations of ejectors 232 and 234 may be the same as those shown in Figure 5.

[0048] As shown in Figure 5, the ejector 230 comprises a nozzle section 230B located within the body and a diffusion section 230C located downstream of the body.

[0049] According to the ejector 230, the treated gas supplied from the storage tank 12 becomes the driving gas, and low pressure is generated at the nozzle section 230B, causing the treated gas to be ejected at high speed, thereby drawing in the gas in the connecting pipe 210. The high-speed ejected treated gas is then exhausted to the exhaust section 300 along with the gas in the connecting pipe 210.

[0050] In other words, the ejector 230 can use the treated gas supplied from the storage tank 12 to suck out the gas in the gap space 101C, thereby reducing the pressure inside the gap space 101C.

[0051] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a processing unit 600 and related configurations in a substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment. Although Figure 6 shows an example of the configuration of a processing unit 600 located downstream of valve 66A in Figure 3, the configuration of a processing unit 600 located downstream of the other valves 66B, 66C, or 66D is the same as the example shown in Figure 6.

[0052] As shown in Figure 6, the processing unit 600 comprises a box-shaped chamber 80 having an internal space, a spin chuck 251 that holds a single substrate W in a horizontal position within the chamber 80 and rotates the substrate W around a vertical axis of rotation Z1 passing through the center of the substrate W, and a cylindrical processing cup 511 that surrounds the spin chuck 251 around the axis of rotation Z1 of the substrate W.

[0053] Chamber 80 is surrounded by a box-shaped wall 250A. The wall 250A has an opening 250B formed therein for loading and unloading substrates W into and out of chamber 80.

[0054] The opening 250B is opened and closed by a shutter 250C. The shutter 250C is raised and lowered by a shutter lifting mechanism (not shown here) between a closed position that covers the opening 250B (shown by a dashed line in Figure 6) and an open position that opens the opening 250B (shown by a solid line in Figure 6).

[0055] As shown in Figure 6, the spin chuck 251 comprises a disc-shaped spin base 251A provided opposite to a horizontally positioned substrate W, a plurality of chuck pins 251B protruding upward from the outer periphery of the upper surface of the spin base 251A and gripping the peripheral edge of the substrate W, a rotating shaft 251C extending downward from the center of the spin base 251A, and a spin motor 251D that rotates the substrate W adsorbed to the spin base 251A by rotating the rotating shaft 251C.

[0056] The spin chuck 251 is not limited to the clamping type chuck shown as an example in Figure 6, but may also be a vacuum suction type chuck equipped with a spin base that vacuum-suctions the lower surface of the substrate W.

[0057] As shown in Figure 6, the processing unit 600 has multiple pipes connected to it. A chemical nozzle 252, which serves as a processing liquid nozzle, is connected to the tip of pipe 51C connected to the processing unit 600. The chemical nozzle 252 discharges the chemical solution toward the upper surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck 251. As the chemical solution, for example, an organic solvent such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol), or an inorganic solvent such as hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, or ammonia can be used.

[0058] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a rinse liquid nozzle 60, which serves as a processing liquid nozzle, is connected to the tip of the piping 51B connected to the processing unit 600. The rinse liquid nozzle 60 discharges the rinse liquid toward the upper surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck 251. Deionized water (DIW) or the like is used as the rinse liquid.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a cleaning liquid nozzle 64, which serves as a processing liquid nozzle, is connected to the tip of the piping 51A connected to the processing unit 600. The cleaning liquid nozzle 64 discharges cleaning liquid towards a predetermined location inside the chamber 80 (for example, the spin base 251A). Ozone water or the like is used as the cleaning liquid.

[0060] The supply pipe 101 shown in Figure 3 may be connected to any of the following: the chemical nozzle 252, the rinse nozzle 60, or the cleaning nozzle 64.

[0061] The processing cup 511 is positioned to surround the spin chuck 251 and moves vertically up and down by a lifting mechanism (motor or cylinder, etc.) not shown. The upper part of the processing cup 511 moves up and down between an upper position where its upper end is above the substrate W held by the spin base 251A and a lower position where it is below the substrate W.

[0062] The processing liquid that splashes outward from the top surface of the substrate W is collected on the inner surface of the processing cup 511. The processing liquid collected in the processing cup 511 is then appropriately drained to the outside of the chamber 80 through a drain port 513 located at the bottom of the chamber 80 and inside the processing cup 511, and further through a drain pipe 51D. In addition, the atmosphere inside the processing cup 511 is exhausted by a cup exhaust mechanism (not shown).

[0063] Furthermore, an exhaust port 515 is provided on the side of the chamber 80. The atmosphere inside the chamber 80 is appropriately discharged to the outside of the chamber 80 through the exhaust port 515.

[0064] <About the operation of the substrate processing unit> Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus will be described. The substrate processing method using the substrate processing apparatus according to this embodiment comprises the steps of: performing a chemical treatment on the substrate W transported to the processing unit 600; performing a cleaning treatment on the substrate W that has undergone the chemical treatment; performing a drying treatment on the substrate W that has undergone the cleaning treatment; and removing the substrate W that has undergone the drying treatment from the processing unit 600.

[0065] The chemical treatment included in the operation of the substrate processing apparatus described above will be explained below with reference to Figures 3 to 6. The operations shown below are performed by the control unit 90 controlling the operation of each component in the substrate processing apparatus 1 (such as the pump 14, temperature control unit 16, valve, or spin motor 251D of the spin chuck 251).

[0066] First, under the control of the control unit 90, the processing liquid that had been previously supplied from the processing liquid supply source 35A to the storage tank 12 is drawn up by the pump 14 and supplied from the supply pipe 100 to the supply pipe 101.

[0067] In this process, the temperature of the processing liquid is controlled by the temperature control unit 16 in the supply piping 100 (for example, the processing liquid is heated by a heater), and after particles and other contaminants in the processing liquid are removed by the filter 18, the concentration of the processing liquid is checked by the concentration meter 20.

[0068] Next, at the timing when substrate processing (for example, chemical treatment) is performed in each processing unit 600, the control unit 90 controls valve 46 and the valves corresponding to each processing unit 600 (valve 66A, valve 66B, valve 66C, and valve 66D) to open, and the processing liquid is supplied to each processing unit 600. Then, the processing liquid is discharged from the processing liquid nozzle of the corresponding processing unit 600.

[0069] Next, when the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 flows into the drainage pipe 107, the control unit 90 closes valve 48 and opens valve 52. In this way, the processing liquid in the drainage pipe 107 flows into the circulation pipe 108.

[0070] If the processing liquid used in each processing unit 600 is not suitable for recovery (for example, if it is excessively contaminated), the control unit 90 opens valve 48 and closes valve 52. In this way, the processing liquid in the drainage pipe 107 is drained.

[0071] The processed liquid recovered from each processing unit 600 and flowing into the circulation pipe 108 returns to the storage tank 12.

[0072] In Figure 3, the processing liquids used in each processing unit 600 are combined in the drainage pipe 107. However, a piping structure may also be used in which it is determined independently whether or not the processing liquid used in each processing unit 600 is recovered into the circulation pipe 108.

[0073] Here, the temperature of the processing liquid may fluctuate in the piping path it passes through from the temperature control unit 16 to each processing unit 600. Since the temperature of the processing liquid affects the accuracy of substrate processing, it is important to suppress temperature changes in the processing liquid in order to achieve uniform substrate processing or substrate processing with high accuracy.

[0074] In this embodiment, the supply pipe 101 that supplies the processing liquid to the processing unit 600 is a double pipe with a gap space 101C. Therefore, since the inner pipe 101A and the outer pipe 101B are separated by the gap space 101C, temperature changes of the processing liquid flowing through the inner pipe 101A can be suppressed.

[0075] In addition, the gas in the gap space 101C flows into the exhaust pipe 200 along with the gas (treated gas) exhausted from the storage tank 12 via the connecting pipe 210 which is connected to the gap space 101C. Specifically, an ejector 230, which is installed at the branching point between the connecting pipe 210 and the exhaust pipe 200, uses the gas exhausted from the storage tank 12 as a driving gas to draw in the gas in the gap space 101C, and then discharges the gas toward the exhaust section 300, thereby reducing the pressure inside the gap space 101C.

[0076] Similarly, the gas in the gap space 101C flows into the exhaust pipe 202 along with the gas exhausted from the pump 14 (treated gas) via the connecting pipe 212 which is connected to the gap space 101C. Specifically, the ejector 232, which is provided at the branching point between the connecting pipe 212 and the exhaust pipe 202, uses the gas exhausted from the pump 14 as a driving gas to draw in the gas in the gap space 101C, and then discharges the gas toward the exhaust section 300, thereby reducing the pressure inside the gap space 101C.

[0077] Similarly, the gas in the gap space 101C flows into the exhaust pipe 204 along with the gas exhausted from the temperature control unit 16 (treated gas) via the connecting pipe 214 which is connected to the gap space 101C. Specifically, an ejector 234, provided at the branching point between the connecting pipe 214 and the exhaust pipe 204, uses the gas exhausted from the temperature control unit 16 as a driving gas to draw in the gas in the gap space 101C, and then discharges the gas toward the exhaust section 300, thereby reducing the pressure inside the gap space 101C.

[0078] As described above, by reducing the pressure inside the gap space 101C, heat transfer in the gap space 101C is further suppressed (i.e., the thermal insulation is improved), which makes it possible to suppress temperature changes of the processing liquid flowing inside the inner tube 101A.

[0079] In this case, the control unit 90 can control the opening and closing operations of valves 220, 222, and 224 while referring to the output of the pressure gauge 102. That is, the control unit 90 can adjust the degree to which the above-mentioned valves are open or closed relative to each other so that the output of the pressure gauge 102 reaches a desired pressure.

[0080] <Second Embodiment> A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method according to this embodiment will be described. In the following description, components similar to those described in the embodiments described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their detailed descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0081] <About the configuration of the substrate processing unit> Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the processing liquid supply path according to this embodiment.

[0082] As shown in Figure 7, the supply path for the processing liquid includes a storage tank 12 for storing the processing liquid, a supply pipe 100 for supplying the processing liquid from the storage tank 12, a supply pipe 101 connected to the supply pipe 100 and branching to each processing unit 600, a drain pipe 107 through which the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 flows, and a circulation pipe 108 connected to the drain pipe 107 and returning to the storage tank 12.

[0083] The storage tank 12 has an exhaust mechanism for discharging the atmosphere inside the storage tank 12 to the outside using compressed gas. The gas exhausted from the storage tank 12 (treated gas) flows into the exhaust pipe 200 and is then discharged to the outside of the substrate processing device 1 from the exhaust section 300.

[0084] Here, the exhaust pipe 200 is provided with a connecting pipe 210 that branches off from the exhaust pipe 200 and connects to the supply pipe 101. The connecting pipe 210 is provided with a valve 220, and the opening and closing of the valve 220 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the connecting pipe 210.

[0085] Furthermore, a valve 240 is provided downstream of the point where the connecting pipe 210 branches off from the exhaust pipe 200. The opening and closing of the valve 240 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 200 downstream of the point where it branches off to the connecting pipe 210.

[0086] The supply piping 100 is equipped with a pump 14 that brings the processed liquid from the storage tank 12 into the supply piping 100, a temperature control unit 16 that controls the temperature of the processed liquid flowing through the supply piping 100, a filter 18 that removes particles and other contaminants from the processed liquid flowing through the supply piping 100, and a concentration meter 20 that measures the concentration of the processed liquid flowing through the supply piping 100.

[0087] The gas exhausted from pump 14 (treated gas) flows into exhaust piping 202 and is then discharged to the outside of the substrate processing device 1 from exhaust section 300. The treated gas exhausted from pump 14 is a gas that has undergone adiabatic expansion of compressed gas, and is therefore a relatively low-temperature gas.

[0088] Here, the exhaust pipe 202 is provided with a connecting pipe 212 that branches off from the exhaust pipe 202 and connects to the supply pipe 101. The connecting pipe 212 is provided with a valve 222, and the opening and closing of the valve 222 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the connecting pipe 212.

[0089] Furthermore, a valve 242 is provided downstream of the point where the connecting pipe 212 branches off from the exhaust pipe 202. The opening and closing of the valve 242 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 202 downstream of the point where it branches off to the connecting pipe 212.

[0090] The temperature control unit 16 has a cooling mechanism (not shown here) for cooling the temperature control unit 16 by blowing compressed gas onto it. The gas used for cooling (processed gas) exhausted from the cooling mechanism flows into the exhaust pipe 204 and is then discharged to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 1 from the exhaust section 300. The processed gas exhausted from the temperature control unit 16, such as a heater, is a gas that has become relatively hot due to being blown onto a high-temperature heater or the like.

[0091] Here, the exhaust pipe 204 is provided with a connecting pipe 214 that branches off from the exhaust pipe 204 and connects to the supply pipe 101. The connecting pipe 214 is provided with a valve 224, and the opening and closing of the valve 224 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the connecting pipe 214.

[0092] Furthermore, a valve 244 is provided downstream of the point where the connecting pipe 214 branches off from the exhaust pipe 204. The opening and closing of the valve 244 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby adjusting the flow rate of gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 204 downstream of the point where it branches off to the connecting pipe 214.

[0093] One end of the piping 109 is connected to the processing liquid supply source 35A, and the other end is connected to the storage tank 12. Furthermore, the opening and closing operation of the valve 25 provided on the piping 109 is controlled by the control unit 90, thereby supplying the processing liquid to the storage tank 12.

[0094] The drainage pipe 107 is equipped with a valve 48 that switches whether or not to drain the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600.

[0095] The circulation piping 108 is equipped with a valve 52 that switches whether or not to return the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 from the drainage piping 107 to the circulation piping 108 and then back to the storage tank 12.

[0096] The supply pipe 101 is a double-walled pipe. Specifically, the supply pipe 101 comprises an inner pipe and an outer pipe, with a gap space between the inner and outer pipes. The supply pipe 101 also includes a thermometer 104 capable of measuring the temperature in the gap space.

[0097] <About the operation of the substrate processing unit> Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus will be described. Below, the chemical treatment included in the operation of the substrate processing apparatus described above will be explained. Note that the operations shown below are performed by the control unit 90 controlling the operation of each component in the substrate processing apparatus 1 (such as the pump 14, temperature control unit 16, valve, or spin motor 251D of the spin chuck 251).

[0098] First, under the control of the control unit 90, the processing liquid that had been previously supplied from the processing liquid supply source 35A to the storage tank 12 is drawn up by the pump 14 and supplied from the supply pipe 100 to the supply pipe 101.

[0099] In this process, the temperature of the processing liquid is controlled by the temperature control unit 16 in the supply piping 100 (for example, the processing liquid is heated by a heater), and after particles and other contaminants in the processing liquid are removed by the filter 18, the concentration of the processing liquid is checked by the concentration meter 20.

[0100] Next, at the timing when substrate processing (for example, chemical treatment) is performed in each processing unit 600, the control unit 90 controls valve 46 and the valves corresponding to each processing unit 600 (valve 66A, valve 66B, valve 66C, and valve 66D) to open, and the processing liquid is supplied to each processing unit 600. Then, the processing liquid is discharged from the processing liquid nozzle of the corresponding processing unit 600.

[0101] Next, when the processing liquid used for substrate processing in each processing unit 600 flows into the drainage pipe 107, the control unit 90 closes valve 48 and opens valve 52. In this way, the processing liquid in the drainage pipe 107 flows into the circulation pipe 108.

[0102] If the processing liquid used in each processing unit 600 is not suitable for recovery (for example, if it is excessively contaminated), the control unit 90 opens valve 48 and closes valve 52. In this way, the processing liquid in the drainage pipe 107 is drained.

[0103] The processed liquid recovered from each processing unit 600 and flowing into the circulation pipe 108 returns to the storage tank 12.

[0104] Here, the temperature of the processing liquid may fluctuate in the piping path it passes through from the temperature control unit 16 until it reaches each processing unit 600.

[0105] In this embodiment, the supply pipe 101 that supplies the processing liquid to the processing unit 600 is a double pipe with a gap space 101C. Therefore, since the inner pipe 101A and the outer pipe 101B are separated by the gap space 101C, temperature changes of the processing liquid flowing through the inner pipe 101A can be suppressed.

[0106] In addition, gas exhausted from the storage tank 12 (treated gas) is supplied to the gap space 101C through a connecting pipe 210 that communicates with the gap space 101C. Specifically, the control unit 90 closes the valve 240 downstream of the point where the connecting pipe 210 branches off from the exhaust pipe 200, and opens the valve 220 in the connecting pipe 210, allowing the gas exhausted from the storage tank 12 to flow into the gap space 101C.

[0107] Similarly, the gas exhausted from the pump 14 (treated gas) is supplied to the gap space 101C through the connecting pipe 212 which is connected to the gap space 101C. Specifically, the control unit 90 closes valve 242 downstream of the point where the connecting pipe 212 branches off from the exhaust pipe 202, and opens valve 222 in the connecting pipe 212, thereby allowing the gas exhausted from the pump 14 to flow into the gap space 101C.

[0108] Similarly, the gas exhausted from the temperature control unit 16 (treated gas) is supplied to the gap space 101C through the connecting pipe 214 which is connected to the gap space 101C. Specifically, the control unit 90 closes the valve 244 downstream of the point where the connecting pipe 214 branches off from the exhaust pipe 204, and opens the valve 224 in the connecting pipe 214, allowing the gas exhausted from the temperature control unit 16 to flow into the gap space 101C.

[0109] Furthermore, by having the control unit 90 control the temperature of the processed gas flowing into the gap space 101C as described above, it is possible to suppress temperature changes in the processed liquid flowing through the inner tube 101A.

[0110] Specifically, the control unit 90 can control the opening and closing operations of valves 220, 222, and 224 while referring to the output of the thermometer 104. That is, the control unit 90 can control the mixing ratio of the high-temperature treated gas exhausted from the temperature control unit 16 and the low-temperature treated gas exhausted from the pump 14 by adjusting the degree of opening and closing of the above-mentioned valves, so that the output of the thermometer 104 (i.e., the temperature in the gap space 101C) reaches a desired temperature. Note that the temperature of the supplied treated gas does not need to match the desired temperature of the processing liquid; it is sufficient if it is sufficiently close to the desired temperature. Even in such cases, the effect of reducing the temperature change of the processing liquid is still achieved.

[0111] Furthermore, by filling the gap space 101C with the treated gas, it is possible to suppress the permeation of the treated liquid atmosphere inside the inner tube 101A into the gap space 101C.

[0112] Here, the treated gas supplied to the gap space 101C may be an inert gas such as nitrogen (N2). When the treated gas is nitrogen (N2), it is possible to suppress the penetration of moisture or oxygen into the treatment liquid from the air outside the outer tube 101B, etc.

[0113] If the flow rate of the treated gas supplied to the gap space 101C is too high, the valve 240 downstream of the exhaust pipe 200, the valve 242 downstream of the exhaust pipe 202, and the valve 244 downstream of the exhaust pipe 204 may be opened as appropriate to allow a portion of the treated gas to flow to the exhaust section 300. Alternatively, an exhaust port for exhausting the treated gas supplied to the gap space 101C may be appropriately provided in the supply pipe 101.

[0114] Furthermore, if it is not necessary to flow the treated gas to the exhaust section 300, the exhaust piping downstream of the connection point between each exhaust pipe and the connecting pipe may not be provided. In other words, the exhaust piping equipped with a valve may be directly connected to the gap space 101C.

[0115] <Regarding the effects resulting from the multiple embodiments described above> Next, examples of the effects produced by the multiple embodiments described above will be shown. In the following description, the effects will be described based on the specific configurations illustrated in the multiple embodiments described above, but they may be replaced with other specific configurations illustrated in this specification to the extent that similar effects are produced. That is, for convenience, in the following, only one of the corresponding specific configurations may be described as representative, but the specific configuration described as representative may be replaced with other corresponding specific configurations.

[0116] Furthermore, such substitutions may be made across multiple embodiments. That is, the configurations exemplified in different embodiments may be combined to produce similar effects.

[0117] According to the embodiment described above, the substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate holding unit, a processing liquid nozzle, a supply pipe 101, at least one gas processing unit, and a control unit 90. Here, the substrate holding unit corresponds to, for example, a spin chuck 251. The processing liquid nozzle corresponds to at least one of, for example, a chemical solution nozzle 252, a rinse solution nozzle 60, or a cleaning solution nozzle 64. The gas processing unit corresponds to at least one of, for example, a storage tank 12, a pump 14, or a temperature control unit 16. The spin chuck 251 holds the substrate W. The chemical solution nozzle 252 discharges the processing liquid onto the substrate W held by the spin chuck 251. The supply pipe 101 comprises an inner pipe 101A through which the processing liquid flows, and an outer pipe 101B surrounding the inner pipe 101A while providing a gap space 101C between it and the inner pipe 101A. The supply pipe 101 supplies the processing liquid to the chemical solution nozzle 252. The gas processing unit performs gas processing using compressed gas and exhausts the compressed gas used in the gas processing as post-processed gas. The control unit 90 uses the post-processed gas to control the temperature of the processing liquid.

[0118] With this configuration, by controlling the temperature of the processed liquid using the treated gas, it is possible to suppress temperature changes in the processed liquid without increasing the size of the apparatus.

[0119] Furthermore, the same effect can be achieved even if other configurations exemplified in this specification are added to the above configuration as appropriate, that is, if other configurations in this specification that were not mentioned as the above configuration are added as appropriate.

[0120] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the control unit 90 controls the temperature of the processed liquid by creating a negative pressure in the gap space 101C of the supply pipe 101 using the flow of the exhausted processed gas. With this configuration, the thermal insulation of the supply pipe 101 is improved by creating a negative pressure in the gap space 101C, and temperature changes of the processed liquid can be suppressed.

[0121] Furthermore, according to the embodiments described above, the substrate processing apparatus includes an exhaust pipe 200 (or exhaust pipes 202, exhaust pipes 204) through which the processed gas exhausted from the gas processing unit flows, and a connecting pipe 210 (or connecting pipes 212, connecting pipes 214) that branches off from the exhaust pipe and connects the gap space 101C to the exhaust pipe. With this configuration, the gas in the gap space 101C can be exhausted by flowing the gas in the gap space 101C to the exhaust pipe 200 via the connecting pipe 210.

[0122] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the substrate processing apparatus includes an ejector 230 (or ejector 232, ejector 234) provided at the connection portion between the exhaust pipe 200 (or exhaust pipe 202, exhaust pipe 204) and the connecting pipe 210 (or connecting pipe 212, connecting pipe 214), and a control valve provided in the connecting pipe 210. Here, the control valve corresponds to at least one of, for example, valve 220, valve 222, or valve 224. The ejector uses the processed gas as a driving fluid to create negative pressure in the gap space 101C. The control unit 90 then adjusts the pressure in the gap space 101C by controlling the degree of opening and closing of valve 220 (or valve 222, valve 224). With this configuration, the ejector 230 operates using the processed gas as the driving fluid, allowing the gas in the gap space 101C to flow effectively into the exhaust pipe 200 via the connecting pipe 210, thereby creating a negative pressure in the gap space 101C.

[0123] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the control unit 90 controls the temperature of the processed liquid by supplying the processed gas to the gap space 101C of the supply pipe 101. With this configuration, the temperature inside the gap space 101C can be controlled by supplying the processed gas to the gap space 101C, thereby indirectly controlling the temperature of the processed liquid.

[0124] Furthermore, according to the embodiments described above, the substrate processing apparatus includes an exhaust pipe 200 (or exhaust pipes 202, exhaust pipes 204) through which the processed gas exhausted from the gas processing unit flows and which is connected to the gap space 101C. With this configuration, the temperature inside the gap space 101C can be controlled by supplying the processed gas to the gap space 101C via the exhaust pipe 200.

[0125] Furthermore, according to the embodiments described above, the substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of gas processing units. The substrate processing apparatus also includes exhaust pipes 200 (or exhaust pipes 202, exhaust pipes 204) corresponding to each gas processing unit. Here, the temperatures of the processed gas flowing through the plurality of exhaust pipes 200 (or exhaust pipes 202, exhaust pipes 204) are different from each other. The substrate processing apparatus also includes control valves for controlling the flow rate of the processed gas supplied from each exhaust pipe to the gap space 101C. Here, the control valves correspond to at least one of, for example, valves 220, 222, 224, 240, 242, or 244. The control unit 90 mixes the processed gas supplied from each exhaust pipe by controlling the degree of opening and closing of each control valve, and adjusts the temperature of the processed gas supplied to the gap space 101C. With this configuration, the control unit 90 can control the temperature of the treated gas supplied to the gap space 101C with high precision by controlling the mixing ratio of the treated gas supplied from multiple gas processing units.

[0126] Furthermore, according to the embodiments described above, the gas after treatment contains nitrogen. With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the penetration of moisture or oxygen from the air outside the outer tube 101B into the treatment liquid.

[0127] Furthermore, according to the embodiments described above, the gas processing unit is a heater for heating the processing liquid. The gas processing is a process of air-cooling the heater using compressed gas. With this configuration, the processed gas exhausted from the temperature control unit 16, which is a heater, can be used to draw in or supply gas into the gap space 101C, thereby suppressing temperature changes in the processing liquid without adding any new equipment.

[0128] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the gas processing unit is a pump 14 for flowing the processing liquid to the chemical nozzle 252. The gas processing is a process that drives the pump 14 using compressed gas. With this configuration, the processed gas exhausted from the pump 14 can be used to draw in or supply gas into the gap space 101C, thus suppressing temperature changes in the processing liquid without adding any new equipment.

[0129] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the gas processing unit is a storage tank 12 for storing the processing liquid. The gas processing is a process of using compressed gas to discharge the atmosphere inside the storage tank 12 to the outside. With this configuration, the processed gas exhausted from the storage tank 12 can be used to draw in or supply gas into the gap space 101C, thus suppressing temperature changes in the processing liquid without adding any new equipment.

[0130] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the supply pipe 101 is located downstream of the gas processing unit. With this configuration, by having the supply pipe 101 located downstream of the processing liquid supply path, the processing liquid can reach the processing liquid nozzle while maintaining its temperature. Therefore, changes in the temperature of the processing liquid discharged onto the substrate W can be suppressed, and the accuracy of the substrate processing can be maintained at a high level.

[0131] According to the embodiments described above, a substrate processing method performed using a substrate processing apparatus comprising a chemical nozzle 252, a supply pipe 101, and a gas processing unit comprises the steps of controlling the temperature of the processing liquid using the processed gas, and discharging the temperature-controlled processing liquid onto the substrate W to perform substrate processing.

[0132] With this configuration, by controlling the temperature of the processed liquid using the treated gas, it is possible to suppress temperature changes in the processed liquid without increasing the size of the apparatus.

[0133] Furthermore, the same effect can be achieved even if other configurations exemplified in this specification are appropriately added to the above configuration, that is, if other configurations in this specification that are not mentioned as the above configuration are appropriately added.

[0134] <Modifications of the multiple embodiments described above> In the various embodiments described above, the material, dimensions, shape, relative arrangement, or implementation conditions of each component may also be described, but these are all examples and not limiting.

[0135] Accordingly, countless variations and equivalents not shown are envisioned within the scope of the art disclosed herein. These include, for example, modifications, additions, or omissions of at least one component, as well as the extraction of at least one component from at least one embodiment and its combination with a component from another embodiment.

[0136] Furthermore, in at least one embodiment described above, if a material name or the like is mentioned without further specification, it is assumed that the material includes other additives, such as an alloy, unless otherwise specified, to avoid any inconsistencies. [Explanation of symbols]

[0137] 1. Substrate processing device 12 Storage tanks 14 pumps 25 valves 46 valves 48 valves 51A Piping 51B Piping 51C Piping 52 valves 66A valve 66B valve 66C valve 66D bulb 90 Control Unit 100 supply piping 101 Supply Piping 101A Inner tube 101B Outer tube 101C Interstitial space 109 Piping 200 Exhaust piping 202 Exhaust piping 204 Exhaust piping 210 Connection piping 212 Connecting pipes 214 Connecting pipes 220 valves 222 Valve 224 valves 230 Ejector 232 Ejector 234 Ejector 240 valves 242 valves 244 valves W board

Claims

1. A substrate holding section for holding the substrate, A processing liquid nozzle for discharging processing liquid onto the substrate held in the substrate holding portion, The device comprises an inner pipe through which the processing liquid flows, an outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe while providing a gap space between them, and a supply pipe for supplying the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle. A gas treatment is performed using compressed gas, and at least one gas treatment unit is provided for exhausting the compressed gas used in the gas treatment as a treated gas, The system includes a control unit for controlling the temperature of the processed liquid using the processed gas. Circuit board processing equipment.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The control unit controls the temperature of the processed liquid by using the flow of the exhausted processed gas to create a negative pressure in the gap space of the supply piping. Circuit board processing equipment.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, An exhaust pipe through which the treated gas exhausted from the gas processing unit flows, The system further includes a connecting pipe that branches off from the exhaust pipe and connects the gap space to the exhaust pipe. Circuit board processing equipment.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, An ejector is provided at the connection point between the exhaust pipe and the connecting pipe, The system further includes a control valve provided in the aforementioned connecting pipe, The ejector uses the processed gas as a driving fluid to create a negative pressure in the gap space. The control unit adjusts the pressure in the gap space by controlling the degree of opening and closing of the control valve. Circuit board processing equipment.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The control unit controls the temperature of the processed liquid by supplying the processed gas to the gap space of the supply pipe. Circuit board processing equipment.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, The system further comprises at least one exhaust pipe through which the treated gas exhausted from the gas processing unit flows and which is connected to the gap space, Circuit board processing equipment.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, The gas processing unit comprises multiple such units, Each of the aforementioned gas processing units is provided with a plurality of exhaust pipes, The temperatures of the treated gas flowing through the multiple exhaust pipes are different from each other. The substrate processing apparatus further comprises a control valve for controlling the flow rate of the processed gas supplied from each of the exhaust pipes to the gap space, The control unit controls the degree of opening and closing of each of the control valves to mix the treated gases supplied from each of the exhaust pipes and adjust the temperature of the treated gases supplied to the gap space. Circuit board processing equipment.

8. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The treated gas contains nitrogen. Circuit board processing equipment.

9. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The gas processing unit is a heater for heating the processing liquid, The gas treatment is a process of air-cooling the heater using the compressed gas. Circuit board processing equipment.

10. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The gas processing unit is a pump for flowing the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle, The gas treatment is a process of driving the pump using the compressed gas. Circuit board processing equipment.

11. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The gas processing unit is a storage tank for storing the processing liquid, The gas treatment is a process of using the compressed gas to discharge the atmosphere inside the storage tank to the outside. Circuit board processing equipment.

12. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The supply piping is located downstream of the gas processing unit. Circuit board processing equipment.

13. A processing liquid nozzle for dispensing processing liquid onto a substrate held in a substrate holding section, The device comprises an inner pipe through which the processing liquid flows, an outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe while providing a gap space between them, and a supply pipe for supplying the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle. A substrate processing method is performed using a substrate processing apparatus that includes a gas processing unit that uses compressed gas, and at least one gas processing unit for exhausting the compressed gas used in the gas processing as processed gas. A step of controlling the temperature of the processing liquid using the processed gas, The process includes a step of discharging the temperature-controlled processing liquid onto the substrate to perform substrate processing, Substrate processing method.

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