Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

To prevent liquid from re-adhering to a substrate when the liquid is removed from the substrate by the processing fluid.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device performs processing by making processing fluid flow onto an upper surface of the substrate supported by a support tray. The support tray includes: a tray member which has a substrate-opposing surface opposing to a lower surface of the substrate; and multiple support members which are attached to the tray member so as to surround the substrate-opposing surface, and supports the substrate in such a state that the substrate is separated upwards from the substrate-opposing surface by the support member. The tray member includes: a downstream side erected portion which is erected on the upper side with respect to the substrate-opposing surface while being located close to the peripheral surface on the downstream side of the substrate supported by the multiple support members; a groove which is provided in the downstream side adjacent region adjacent to the downstream side erected portion in the outer peripheral region of the substrate-opposing surface and collects liquid that has entered the downstream side adjacent region from the gap between the substrate and the downstream side erected portion; and a discharge part which connects the inside of the groove with the internal space and discharges the liquid collected by the groove into the internal space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2B

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for processing a substrate with a liquid adhered thereto by a processing fluid in a supercritical state.

Background Art

[0002] When a substrate is wet-processed with a liquid, the liquid adheres to the surface of the substrate. As a substrate processing apparatus for drying the substrate after this wet processing, for example, the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this apparatus, a shallow depression is provided in a flat support tray. And in the depression, the substrate is horizontally supported with a minute gap between the upper surface of the support tray while being in a face-up posture with its surface facing upward. In this state, the support tray is carried into a processing chamber, and the substrate is processed (supercritical processing) by filling the chamber with a processing fluid in a supercritical state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The liquid constituting the liquid film covering the substrate at the time of loading is assumed to be replaced by the processing fluid and removed from the substrate surface. However, a part of the liquid may enter the narrow gap between the lower surface of the substrate and the upper surface of the support tray. The liquid remaining in the gap, that is, the residual liquid, may flow backward onto the surface of the substrate. As a result, a problem may occur in that the residual liquid re-adheres to the upper surface of the substrate.

[0005] Therefore, in supercritical processing, it is required to prevent the residual liquid from flowing backward onto the upper surface of the substrate. In this regard, it can be said that there is room for improvement in the above conventional technology.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can prevent the liquid from re-adhering to the substrate when the liquid is removed from the substrate by the processing fluid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate on which liquid adheres to its upper surface with a supercritical processing fluid, comprising: a tray member having a substrate-facing surface facing the lower surface of the substrate; a plurality of support members attached to the tray member so as to surround the substrate-facing surface, and a support tray supporting the substrate in a state where the substrate is separated upward from the substrate-facing surface by the support members; a chamber having an internal space capable of housing the support tray that supports the substrate; and a fluid supply that supplies the processing fluid from one end of the internal space into the internal space, thereby forming a laminar flow of the processing fluid that flows along the upper surface of the substrate supported by the support tray to the other end of the internal space. The tray member comprises a downstream upright portion that is erected above the substrate-facing surface while being close to the downstream circumferential surface of the substrate supported by a plurality of support members, and a groove provided in the downstream adjacent region adjacent to the downstream upright portion within the outer peripheral region of the substrate-facing surface, for collecting liquid that has entered the downstream adjacent region from the gap between the substrate and the downstream upright portion, and a discharge portion that connects the inside of the groove to the internal space and discharges the liquid collected by the groove into the internal space.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing method for processing a substrate on which liquid adheres to its upper surface with a supercritical processing fluid, comprising: a housing step of housing a support tray in the internal space of a chamber, wherein the substrate is supported at an upward distance from the substrate-facing surface by a plurality of support members attached to a tray member having a substrate-facing surface facing the lower surface of the substrate, so as to surround the substrate-facing surface; a supply step of supplying the processing fluid into the internal space from one end of the internal space to form a laminar flow of the processing fluid that flows along the upper surface of the substrate supported by the support tray to the other end of the internal space; and a discharge step, wherein the laminar flow passes through the center of the substrate-facing surface. With respect to a first imaginary line extending in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction, and with the other end of the internal space being the downstream side, the discharge process is characterized by including the steps of: discharging the liquid along with the processing fluid from the upper surface of the substrate by laminar flow to the other end of the internal space via the upper surface of a downstream upright portion erected above the substrate-facing surface while being close to the downstream circumferential surface of the substrate; and collecting the liquid that has entered through the gap between the substrate and the downstream upright portion in a groove provided in the downstream adjacent region adjacent to the downstream upright portion in the outer peripheral region of the substrate-facing surface, and discharging the liquid collected by the groove into the internal space via a discharge section that connects the inside of the groove and the internal space.

[0009] In this configuration, the support tray supports the substrate while maintaining an upward distance from its surface facing the substrate. Furthermore, the support tray has a downstream upright portion located close to the downstream circumferential surface of the substrate. As a result, some of the liquid penetrates between the substrate and the surface facing the substrate through the gap between the substrate and the downstream upright portion, but this penetrated liquid, i.e., residual liquid, is collected in the groove. The collected residual liquid is then discharged into the internal space through the discharge portion. As a result, backflow of residual liquid is effectively prevented, and re-adhesion of residual liquid to the upper surface of the substrate is prevented. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] As described above, in the present invention, the support tray is configured such that residual liquid that has entered between the lower surface of the substrate and the surface facing the substrate from the gap between the substrate and the downstream upright portion is collected in a groove, and then discharged from the groove into the internal space via a discharge section. Therefore, when the liquid is removed from the substrate by the processing fluid, the amount of residual liquid is greatly reduced, and it is possible to effectively prevent the liquid from re-adhering to the substrate. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1A] This figure shows the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. [Figure 1B] This figure shows the configuration of the transfer unit equipped in the substrate processing device shown in Figure 1A. [Figure 2A] This is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the support tray. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A is a plan view of the support tray. This figure includes a schematic enlarged view illustrating how liquid is discharged through the through holes and notches provided in the support tray. [Figure 2C] Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view along the CC line. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically shows the structure of a support tray in the conventional technology. [Figure 4A] This is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the support tray. [Figure 4B] Figure 4A is a plan view of the support tray. [Figure 4C] Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view along line CC. B is [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing a third embodiment of the support tray. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the support tray. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of the support tray. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The following describes several embodiments of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. Although the structure of the support tray, which will be described later, differs slightly between each embodiment, the basic apparatus configuration is common. Therefore, the overall configuration of the substrate processing apparatus will be described first, and then the characteristic parts of each embodiment will be explained separately.

[0013] <Overall configuration of the device> Figure 1A shows the overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. Figure 1B shows the configuration of a transfer unit equipped in the substrate processing apparatus of Figure 1A. This substrate processing apparatus 1 is a device for processing the upper surface of various substrates, such as semiconductor substrates, with a supercritical fluid. For example, this substrate processing apparatus 1 can perform a supercritical drying process in which the liquid adhering to the substrate (indicated by L in Figures 2A, 4A, and 6) is replaced with a supercritical processing fluid to dry the substrate. In order to consistently show the directions in the following figures, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is set up as shown in Figures 1A and 1B. Here, the XY plane is the horizontal plane, and the Z direction represents the up and down direction. More specifically, the (-Z) direction represents downward.

[0014] In this embodiment, the "substrate" can be various types of substrates, including semiconductor wafers, photomask glass substrates, liquid crystal display glass substrates, plasma display glass substrates, FED (Field Emission Display) substrates, optical disk substrates, magnetic disk substrates, and magneto-optical disk substrates. The following explanation will primarily use a substrate processing apparatus used for semiconductor wafer processing as an example, referring to the drawings, but the method is similarly applicable to processing the various substrates exemplified above. Furthermore, in the following explanation, a substrate S with a circuit pattern formed only on one main surface will be used as an example. Here, the side with the circuit pattern formed will be referred to as the "front surface," and the opposite side without a circuit pattern will be referred to as the "back surface." The side of the substrate S facing downwards will be referred to as the "bottom surface," and the side of the substrate S facing upwards will be referred to as the "top surface." In the following explanation, the process will be described using an example where the surface of the substrate S is facing upwards, i.e., the substrate S with that surface as the top surface.

[0015] The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a processing unit 10, a transfer unit 30, a supply unit 50, and a control unit 90. The processing unit 10 is the main body for executing supercritical drying processing. The transfer unit 30 receives an unprocessed substrate conveyed by an external transfer device (not shown), loads it into the processing unit 10, and delivers the processed substrate from the processing unit 10 to the external transfer device. The supply unit 50 supplies the chemicals and power necessary for processing to the processing unit 10 and the transfer unit 30.

[0016] The control unit 90 controls each part of these devices to realize a predetermined process. For this purpose, the control unit 90 includes a CPU 91 that executes various control programs, a memory 92 that temporarily stores processing data, a storage 93 that stores the control programs executed by the CPU 91, and an interface 94 for exchanging information with a user or an external device. The operations of the devices described later are realized by the CPU 91 executing the control programs written in advance in the storage 93 to cause each part of the device to perform a predetermined operation.

[0017] The processing unit 10 includes a processing chamber 12. The processing chamber 12 includes a first member 12a, a second member 12b, and a third member 12c each formed of a metal block. The first member 12a and the second member 12b are coupled in the vertical direction by a coupling member (not shown), and the third member 12c is coupled to the (+Y) - side surface thereof by a coupling member (not shown), thereby constituting a processing chamber 12 having a structure with a cavity inside. The internal space of this cavity becomes an internal space SP where processing on the substrate S is executed. The substrate S to be processed is carried into the internal space SP and undergoes processing. A slit - shaped opening 101 extending elongated in the X - direction is formed in the (-Y) - side surface of the processing chamber 12, and the internal space SP and the external space communicate with each other through the opening 101.

[0018] A lid member 13 is provided on the (-Y) side of the processing chamber 12 to close the opening 101. A flat support tray 15 is mounted horizontally on the (+Y) side of the lid member 13, and the upper surface of the support tray 15 is a support surface on which a substrate S can be placed. The various embodiments of the support tray 15 will be described in detail later.

[0019] The lid member 13 is supported so as to be able to move horizontally in the Y direction by a support mechanism (not shown). The lid member 13 is also able to move forward and backward relative to the processing chamber 12 by a reciprocating mechanism 53 provided in the supply unit 50. Specifically, the reciprocating mechanism 53 has a linear motion mechanism such as a linear motor, linear guide, ball screw mechanism, solenoid, or air cylinder, and such a linear motion mechanism moves the lid member 13 in the Y direction. The reciprocating mechanism 53 operates in response to control commands from the control unit 90.

[0020] When the lid member 13 moves in the (-Y) direction, the support tray 15 is pulled out from the internal space SP through the opening 101, allowing access to the support tray 15 from the outside. That is, it becomes possible to place a substrate S on the support tray 15 and to remove a substrate S that is placed on the support tray 15. On the other hand, when the lid member 13 moves in the (+Y) direction, the support tray 15 is housed in the internal space SP. If a substrate S is placed on the support tray 15, the substrate S is carried into the internal space SP together with the support tray 15.

[0021] In supercritical drying, which primarily aims to dry a substrate while preventing pattern collapse due to the surface tension of the liquid, the substrate S is brought in with its upper surface Sa covered by a liquid film to prevent the upper surface Sa from being exposed and causing pattern collapse. Suitable liquids for the liquid film include organic solvents with relatively low surface tension, such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and acetone.

[0022] The lid member 13 moves in the (+Y) direction and closes the opening 101, thereby sealing the internal space SP. A sealing member 16 is provided between the (+Y) side surface of the lid member 13 and the (-Y) side surface of the processing chamber 12, maintaining the airtight state of the internal space SP. As the sealing member 16, an annular one made of an elastic resin material, such as rubber, can be used. In addition, the lid member 13 is fixed to the processing chamber 12 by a locking mechanism (not shown). With the internal space SP thus airtight, processing of the substrate S is performed within the internal space SP.

[0023] In this embodiment, a fluid of a substance usable for supercritical processing, such as carbon dioxide, is supplied to the processing unit 10 in gaseous or liquid form from a fluid supply unit 57 provided in the supply unit 50. Carbon dioxide is a suitable chemical substance for supercritical drying processing because it becomes supercritical at relatively low temperatures and pressures, and also has the property of readily dissolving organic solvents that are frequently used in substrate processing.

[0024] More specifically, the fluid supply unit 57 outputs a supercritical fluid, or a fluid supplied in gaseous or liquid form that subsequently becomes supercritical when given a predetermined temperature and pressure, as a processing fluid for processing the substrate S. For example, gaseous or liquid carbon dioxide is output under pressure. The fluid is pumped through piping 571 and valves 572 and 573 inserted in the piping to input ports 102 and 103 provided on the (+Y) side of the processing chamber 12. That is, the fluid is sent from the fluid supply unit 57 to the processing chamber 12 when valves 572 and 573 are opened in response to a control command from the control unit 90.

[0025] The fluid flow path 17 from input ports 102 and 103 to the internal space SP functions as an introduction flow path that introduces the processing fluid supplied from the fluid supply unit 57 into the internal space SP. Specifically, a flow path 171 is connected to input port 102. At the end of the flow path 171 opposite to input port 102, a buffer space 172 is provided, which is formed so that the flow path cross-sectional area expands rapidly.

[0026] A flow path 173 is further provided to connect the buffer space 172 and the internal space SP. The flow path 173 has a wide cross-sectional shape that is narrow in the vertical direction (Z direction) and long in the horizontal direction (X direction), and its cross-sectional shape is substantially constant in the flow direction of the processed fluid. The end of the flow path 171 opposite to the buffer space 172 is an outlet 174 that opens facing the internal space SP, and the processed fluid is introduced into the internal space SP from this outlet 174.

[0027] Preferably, the height of the flow path 173 is equal to the distance between the ceiling surface of the internal space SP and the upper surface Sa of the substrate S when the support tray 15 is housed in the internal space SP. The discharge port 174 opens facing the gap between the ceiling surface of the internal space SP and the upper surface of the support tray 15. For example, the ceiling surface of the flow path 173 and the ceiling surface of the internal space SP can be made to be on the same plane. In this way, the discharge port 174 opens in a horizontally elongated slit shape facing the internal space SP.

[0028] A fluid channel for the processing fluid is similarly formed below the support tray 15. Specifically, a channel 175 is connected to the input port 103. At the end of the channel 175 opposite to the input port 103, a buffer space 176 is provided, which is formed so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the channel expands rapidly.

[0029] The buffer space 176 and the internal space SP are in communication via a flow path 175. The flow path 175 has a wide cross-sectional shape that is narrow in the vertical direction (Z direction) and long in the horizontal direction (X direction), and its cross-sectional shape is substantially constant in the direction of flow of the processed fluid. The end of the flow path 177 opposite to the buffer space 176 is an outlet 178 that opens facing the internal space SP, and the processed fluid is introduced into the internal space SP from this outlet 178.

[0030] Preferably, the height of the flow path 177 is equal to the distance between the bottom surface of the internal space SP and the bottom surface of the support tray 15. The discharge port 178 opens facing the gap between the bottom surface of the internal space SP and the bottom surface of the support tray 15. For example, the bottom surface of the flow path 177 and the bottom surface of the internal space SP can be made to be on the same plane. In other words, the discharge port 178 opens in a horizontally elongated slit shape facing the internal space SP.

[0031] In the Z direction, it is desirable that the locations of the flow path 171 and the flow path 173 are different. When they are at the same height, some of the processed fluid that flows from the flow path 171 into the buffer space 172 will continue straight into the flow path 173. In this case, in the width direction of the flow path perpendicular to the flow direction, i.e., the X direction, there is a risk that differences will occur in the flow rate and velocity of the processed fluid flowing into the flow path 173 between the position corresponding to the flow path 171 and other positions. This will cause non-uniformity in the X direction of the flow of the processed fluid that flows from the flow path 173 into the internal space SP, leading to turbulence.

[0032] By arranging the flow paths 171 and 173 differently in the Z direction, the straight-line flow of the processing fluid from flow path 171 to flow path 173 is eliminated, making it possible to introduce the processing fluid into the internal space SP as a uniform laminar flow in the width direction.

[0033] The processing fluid introduced from the introduction channel 17 configured in this way flows along the upper and lower surfaces of the support tray 15 within the internal space SP and is discharged outside the chamber via a channel 18 configured as follows. On the (-Y) side of the substrate S, both the ceiling surface of the internal space SP and the upper surface of the support tray 15 form a horizontal plane, and the two are parallel to each other while maintaining a certain gap. This gap functions as an upper channel 181 that guides the processing fluid that has flowed along the upper surface of the support tray 15 and the upper surface Sa of the substrate S to the discharge channel described later. That is, the upper channel 181 has a wide cross-sectional shape that is narrow in the vertical direction (Z direction) and long in the horizontal direction (X direction).

[0034] The end of the upper flow path 181 opposite to the internal space SP is connected to the buffer space 182. The detailed structure will be described later, but the buffer space 182 is a space enclosed by the chamber 100, the lid 14, and the sealing member 16. The width of the buffer space 182 in the X direction is equal to or greater than the width of the upper flow path 181, and the height of the buffer space 182 in the Z direction is greater than the height of the upper flow path 181. Therefore, the buffer space 182 has a larger flow path cross-sectional area than the upper flow path 181.

[0035] A discharge channel 183 is connected to the upper part of the buffer space 182. The discharge channel 183 is a through-hole provided through the first member 12a, which is the upper block constituting the chamber 100. Its upper end forms an output port 104 that opens to the upper surface of the chamber 100, and its lower end opens facing the buffer space 182.

[0036] Similarly, the bottom surface of the internal space SP and the lower surface of the support tray 15 are both horizontal planes, and they face each other parallel to maintain a certain gap. This gap functions as a lower channel 185 that guides the processed fluid flowing along the lower surface of the support tray 15 to the discharge channel. In other words, the lower channel 185 has a wide cross-sectional shape that is narrow in the vertical direction (Z direction) and long in the horizontal direction (X direction).

[0037] The end of the lower channel 185 opposite to the internal space SP is connected to the buffer space 186. Similar to the buffer space 182, the buffer space 186 is a space enclosed by the chamber 100, the lid 14, and the sealing member 16. The width of the buffer space 186 in the X direction is equal to or greater than the width of the lower channel 185, and the height of the buffer space 186 in the Z direction is greater than the height of the lower channel 185. Therefore, the buffer space 186 has a larger channel cross-sectional area than the lower channel 185.

[0038] A discharge channel 187 is connected to the upper part of the buffer space 186. The discharge channel 187 is a through-hole provided through the second member 12b, which is the lower block constituting the chamber 100. Its lower end constitutes an output port 105 that opens to the lower surface of the chamber 100, and its lower end opens facing the buffer space 186.

[0039] The processed fluid that flows over the support tray 15 in the internal space SP is sent to the output port 104 via the upper flow path 181, buffer space 182, and discharge flow path 183. The output port 104 is connected to the fluid recovery unit 55 by piping 551, and a valve 552 is interposed in the middle of the piping 551.

[0040] Similarly, the processed fluid that flows below the support tray 15 in the internal space SP is sent to the output port 105 via the lower flow path 185, buffer space 186, and discharge flow path 187. The output port 105 is connected to the fluid recovery unit 55 by piping 553, and a valve 554 is interposed in the middle of the piping 553.

[0041] Valves 552 and 554 are controlled by the control unit 90. When valves 552 and 554 open in response to a control command from the control unit 90, the processed fluid in the internal space SP is recovered to the fluid recovery unit 55 via the pipes 551 and 553.

[0042] The processing fluid, which is pumped from the fluid supply unit 57 to the input port 102, is released into the buffer space 172, which is a relatively large space, via the flow path 171. Even when the fluid is supplied as a liquid, it may vaporize and expand within the flow path due to fluctuations in pressure loss along the flow path. If such a rapid expansion occurs near the substrate S, it may damage the substrate S.

[0043] To avoid this, a section of the flow path 171 leading to the internal space SP is provided where the pressure loss fluctuates significantly, so that any vaporization and expansion that may occur will take place in this section. A buffer space 172 is provided for this purpose. The buffer space 172 also acts as a manifold to straighten the fluid flowing through the tubular flow path 171 so that it can be supplied to the internal space SP in a thin layer. The function of the buffer space 176 is similar.

[0044] The processing fluid supplied from the buffer space 172 through the channel 173 having a constant channel cross-sectional area and then from the discharge port 174 to the internal space SP passes over the upper surface Sa of the substrate S as a laminar flow maintaining a constant width and thickness. Similarly, the processing fluid supplied from the buffer space 176 through the channel 177 having a constant channel cross-sectional area and then from the discharge port 178 to the internal space SP flows along the lower surface of the support tray 15 as a laminar flow maintaining a constant width and thickness.

[0045] The processing fluid that has passed around the substrate S flows further downstream through the upper channel 181 and the lower channel 185. Here too, the cross-sectional shape of the channels is maintained to be roughly the same, so a laminar flow state is preserved. The processing fluid that has flowed through the upper channel 181 and the lower channel 185 is released into buffer spaces 182 and 186, and then discharged outside the chamber through discharge channels 183 and 187. In this way, the processing fluid in the internal space SP flows in one direction, specifically in the (-Y) direction. Therefore, the generation of turbulence in the processing fluid around the substrate S is avoided.

[0046] When viewing the internal space SP from the opening 101, the processing fluid flows within the internal space SP as a nearly uniform and continuous laminar flow from the (+Y) side (back side) to the (-Y) side (front side) of the substrate S. Clean processing fluid is constantly supplied from the back side of the internal space SP, and the processing fluid that has passed around the substrate S flows downstream, that is, towards the opening 101. Therefore, any residual liquid components released from the substrate S are pushed in one direction to the opening 101 along with the processing fluid, preventing them from being carried by turbulence around the substrate S and re-adhering to the substrate S.

[0047] The transfer unit 30 is responsible for transferring the substrate S between the external transport device and the support tray 15. For this purpose, the transfer unit 30 comprises a main body 31, a lifting member 33, a base member 35, and multiple lift pins 37, each of which are provided. The lifting member 33 is a columnar member extending in the Z direction and is supported by the main body 31 so as to be movable in the Z direction.

[0048] A base member 35 having a substantially horizontal upper surface is attached to the upper part of the lifting member 33, and a plurality of lift pins 37 are erected upward from the upper surface of the base member 35. Each of the lift pins 37 supports the substrate S in a horizontal position from below by its upper end contacting the lower surface of the substrate S. To stably support the substrate S, it is desirable to provide three or more lift pins 37 whose upper end heights are equal to each other.

[0049] The lifting member 33 is controlled by a lifting control unit (not shown) provided in the supply unit 50, allowing it to move up and down. Specifically, the main body 31 of the transfer unit 30 is equipped with a linear motion mechanism (not shown), such as a linear motor, linear guide, ball screw mechanism, solenoid, or air cylinder, and such a linear motion mechanism is controlled by the lifting control unit to move the lifting member 33 in the Z direction. The lifting control unit operates in response to control commands from the control unit 90.

[0050] The base member 35 moves up and down as the lifting member 33 moves up and down, and multiple lift pins 37 move up and down in conjunction with it. This enables the transfer of the substrate S between the transfer unit 30 and the support tray 15. Specifically, it is as follows.

[0051] As will be described later, the support tray 15 is provided with through holes corresponding to the lift pins 37 of the transfer unit 30. That is, when the support tray 15 is pulled out of the processing chamber 12, a through hole is formed at a position corresponding to directly above each lift pin 37. When the base member 35 rises due to the raising and lowering of the lifting member 33, the lift pins 37 pass through the through holes in the support tray 15 and reach a position where their tips are higher than the upper surface of the support tray 15. In this state, an unprocessed substrate S, transported by an external transport means, such as a transport robot with a hand capable of holding substrates, is handed over to the lift pins 37.

[0052] As the lift pins 37 supporting the substrate S descend, the substrate S also descends. Once the substrate S is in contact with the upper surface of the support tray 15, the lift pins 37 descend further, transferring the substrate S from the lift pins 37 to the support tray 15, where it is supported. In this way, the substrate S is loaded into the substrate processing apparatus 1. Finally, the lift pins 37 descend to a position where they do not interfere with the opening and closing operation of the lid member 13.

[0053] The unloading of the processed substrate S from the substrate processing apparatus 1 is achieved by the reverse operation described above. That is, with the substrate S supported on the support tray 15, the lift pin 37 rises, lifting the substrate S. The hand of the transport robot is then inserted between the bottom surface of the substrate S and the top surface of the support tray 15, allowing the substrate S to be transferred from the lift pin 37 to the transport robot.

[0054] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 1 performs supercritical drying on the substrate S. The sequence of this process is as follows: First, the substrate S, whose upper surface Sa is covered with a liquid film, is brought in from the outside and placed on the support tray 15. The support tray 15 enters the internal space SP of the processing chamber 12, and the substrate S is housed in the internal space SP (housed step). Then, with the internal space SP closed by the lid member 13, a gaseous or liquid processing fluid is supplied to the internal space SP from the fluid supply unit 57 (supply step). The processing fluid flows along the upper surface Sa of the substrate S supported by the support tray 15 from the (+Y) direction to the (-Y) direction. This laminar flow processing fluid is pressurized in the internal space SP and becomes supercritical, thereby replacing the liquid on the substrate S with the supercritical processing fluid. By continuing the supply of processing fluid from the fluid supply unit 57 and discharge by the fluid recovery unit 55 for a certain period of time, the liquid separated from the substrate S is discharged (discharge step). Ultimately, the processing fluid undergoes a phase transition from a supercritical state to a gaseous phase without passing through a liquid phase and is discharged, resulting in a dry state for the substrate S.

[0055] Next, several embodiments (support trays 15A to 15E) of the support tray 1 in the substrate processing apparatus 1 described above will be explained. Although the structure of the support tray 15 differs in part between each embodiment, they are common in other respects, and their operation is as described above. In the following descriptions of each embodiment, common or similar reference numerals will be used for components with common or similar structures and functions, and their descriptions will not be repeated. In addition, reference numerals may be omitted in some drawings for components where the correspondence between them is clear.

[0056] <First Embodiment> Figure 2A is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the support tray. Figure 2B is a plan view of the support tray shown in Figure 2A. This figure includes a schematic enlarged section showing how liquid is discharged through through holes and notches provided in the support tray. Figure 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of Figure 2B. Note that in Figures 2B and 2C (and later in Figures 3, 4C, and 5), dots are added for reference to indicate residual liquid. The support tray 15A of the first embodiment has a tray member 151 and a plurality of support pins 152. The tray member 151 has a structure in which, for example, a flat plate-shaped structure has a horizontal and flat upper surface with a recess 153 that corresponds to the planar size of the substrate S, more specifically, a recess with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the circular substrate S. The bottom surface 153a of the recess 153 is a horizontal plane and corresponds to an example of the "substrate-facing surface" of the present invention. The entire circumference of the outer peripheral region of this bottom surface 153a is recessed further than the central region, thereby forming a groove 153e.

[0057] The recess 153 partially extends to the side surface 154 of the tray member 151 (Figure 2A). In other words, the side wall surface of the recess 153 is not circular, but partially cut out. More specifically, this cut-out portion (hereinafter referred to as "notch 153b") cuts out the side surface of the groove 153e and connects directly to the side surface 154. In this example, such notches 153b are provided at both ends on the X side and the (+Y) side of the support tray 15A, and at these notches 153b, the groove 153e communicates with the outside of the support tray 15A. Therefore, as will be described later, the liquid L (more specifically, the residual liquid La, which will be described later) collected in the groove 153e can be discharged to the outside of the support tray 15A via the notches 153b. In this way, the notches 153b function as the "discharge portion" of the present invention.

[0058] Furthermore, the notch 153b provides three upright portions 155 to 157 to the tray member 151. The tray member 151 is a flat base plate, and the upright portions 155 to 157 are flat plates installed on or integrally formed on the tray member (base plate) 151. Their detailed structure and function will be described later.

[0059] Furthermore, through holes 158 are drilled in the bottom surface 153a at positions corresponding to the lift pins 37 of the transfer unit 30 for inserting the lift pins 37. As the lift pins 37 move up and down through the through holes 158, the substrate S can be positioned in the recess 153 and lifted above it. In this embodiment, all four through holes 158 are located in grooves 153e, which correspond to the outer peripheral region of the bottom surface 153a. Therefore, as shown in the partially enlarged view of Figure 2B, the liquid L (residual liquid La, which will be explained in more detail later) collected in the grooves 153e can be discharged downwards through the through holes 158 to the support tray 15A. Thus, the through holes 158 correspond to an example of the "second through hole" of the present invention and function not only to raise and lower the lift pins 37 but also as a "discharge section" of the present invention.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in addition to the through-hole 158 for the lift pin 37 described above, a through-hole 153d is provided that penetrates downward from the bottom surface of the groove 153e, as shown in Figure 2B. Therefore, the liquid L (residual liquid La, which will be described in more detail later) collected in the groove 153e can be discharged downward to the support tray 15A through the through-hole 153d. Thus, the through-hole 153d, which functions specifically as a "discharge section" in this invention, corresponds to an example of the "first through-hole" in this invention.

[0061] Multiple support pins 152 are arranged around the periphery of the recess 153. The number of support pins 152 is arbitrary, but it is desirable to have three or more in order to stably support the substrate S. In this embodiment, three support pins 152 are attached to the upright portions 155 to 157, respectively, so as to surround the bottom surface 153a when viewed from above. As shown in the partially enlarged view in Figure 2A, the support pins 152 have a height-restricting portion 152a and a horizontal position-restricting portion 152b.

[0062] The height-restricting portion 152a has a flat upper surface and supports the substrate S by contacting the peripheral edge of the lower surface Sb of the substrate S, thereby restricting its position in the vertical direction Z (hereinafter referred to as "height position"). On the other hand, the horizontal position-restricting portion 152b extends above the upper end of the height-restricting portion 152a and restricts the position of the substrate S in the horizontal direction (XY direction) by contacting the side surface of the substrate S. With these support pins 152, as shown in Figure 2C, the substrate S is supported in a horizontal position facing the bottom surface 153a of the recess 153, but spaced upward from the bottom surface 153a.

[0063] As shown in Figure 2C, the upper surface Sa and lower surface Sb of the substrate S, which are thus supported, are located at height positions H1 and H2 in the vertical direction Z, respectively. Furthermore, the central region of the bottom surface 153a is located directly below the lower surface Sb of the substrate S, and the bottom surface of the groove 153e is located at a position H5 that is even lower than the height position of the central region (reference numeral H4 in Figure 5) in the vertical direction Z. Here, the size of the gap GP0 between the substrate S and the groove 153e, that is, the distance from the lower surface Sb of the substrate S to the bottom surface of the groove 153e, is arbitrary, but in this embodiment it is set to 3.5 mm.

[0064] Next, the configuration and function of the upright sections 155 to 157 will be explained with reference to Figures 2A to 2C. Here, in order to clarify the positional relationship of the upright sections 155 to 157, as shown in Figure 2B, the first virtual line VL1 and the second virtual line VL2 are defined in this specification. That is, the first virtual line VL1 means a line that passes through the center 153c of the bottom surface 153a and extends in the horizontal direction X perpendicular to the laminar flow direction Y of the processing liquid. The second virtual line VL2 means a line that passes through the center 153c of the bottom surface 153a and extends parallel to the flow direction Y.

[0065] The upright portions 155 and 156 are both located on the (+Y) side of the internal space SP with respect to the first virtual line VL1, and are distributed to the (+X) and (-X) sides, respectively, with respect to the second virtual line VL2. Furthermore, the upright portions 155 and 156 are provided close to the circumferential surface of the substrate S such that their upper surfaces 155a and 156a coincide with the height position H1 of the upper surface Sa of the substrate S, which is supported by the support pins 152, in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, when the processing fluid flows from the upper surfaces 155a and 156a of the upright portions 155 and 156 to the upper surface Sa of the substrate S, turbulence does not occur in the laminar flow formed by the processing fluid, and the liquid L on the substrate S is efficiently replaced by the supercritical processing fluid. In this specification, in the flow direction Y of the processing fluid, the (+Y) side and the (-Y) side of the internal space SP with respect to the first virtual line VL1 are referred to as "upstream" and "downstream," respectively.

[0066] The upright portion 157 is located on the (-Y) side of the internal space SP with respect to the first virtual line VL1, i.e., the downstream side, and is provided close to the circumferential surface of the substrate S, similar to the upright portions 155 and 156, such that its upper surface 157a coincides with the height position H1 of the upper surface Sa of the substrate S. Therefore, the processing fluid and liquid L that have passed over the upper surface Sa of the substrate S are discharged via the upper surface 157a of the upright portion 157. However, as previously described, some of the liquid L may get into the narrow gap between the lower surface Sb of the substrate S and the bottom surface 153a of the recess 153. However, in this embodiment, since the support tray 15A has a groove 153e and a discharge section (=notch 153b, through hole 153d, 158), the following effects can be obtained. Here, a configuration without a groove and a discharge section, as in the prior art, is shown in Figure 3 as a conventional example, and the effects will be explained in comparison with the conventional example.

[0067] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a support tray in the prior art. The prior art shown in Figure 3 has the same configuration as the first embodiment, except that the support tray 15 does not have a configuration corresponding to the groove 153e and discharge section of the first embodiment. In particular, the upright portion 157 is provided close to the circumferential surface of the substrate S so as to coincide with the height position H1 of the upper surface Sa of the substrate S supported by the support pins 152. As a result, residual liquid La can enter through the gap GP1 between the substrate S and the downstream upright portion 157 and easily get into the narrow gap between the lower surface Sb of the substrate S and the bottom surface 153a of the support tray 15 and remain there. When this residual liquid La flows back, some of the residual liquid La may reattach to the upper surface Sa of the substrate S.

[0068] In contrast, in the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 2A to 2C, residual liquid La enters from the gap GP1 between the substrate S and the downstream upright portion 157, but this residual liquid La is collected in the groove 153e. Then, as shown by the dotted arrow in Figure 2B and the solid arrow in Figure 2C, it flows through the groove 153e and is discharged into the internal space SP through the through holes 153d, 158 and the notch 153b, which function as discharge points. As a result, the amount of residual liquid La remaining between the lower surface Sb of the substrate S and the bottom surface 153a of the support tray 15 is significantly reduced compared to the conventional technology, and backflow of residual liquid La into the substrate S is effectively prevented. As a result, the substrate S can be dried well by the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0069] Furthermore, although this embodiment provides three types of discharge sections, the type and number of discharge sections are arbitrary. However, since there are three notches 153b, three through holes 153d, and four through holes 158, residual liquid La can be efficiently discharged from the groove 153e. Moreover, since these discharge sections are arranged symmetrically with respect to the second imaginary line VL2, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, residual liquid La flowing within the groove 153e, which has an annular shape in a plan view from above, is discharged in a balanced manner. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent residual liquid La from accumulating in the groove 153e.

[0070] Thus, in the first embodiment, the support pin 152 corresponds to an example of the "support member" of the present invention. Also, the (+Y) direction side and the (-Y) direction side of the internal space SP correspond to the "one end side of the internal space" and the "other end side of the internal space" of the present invention, respectively. The erected parts 155 and 156 correspond to an example of the "upstream erected part" of the present invention, while the erected part 157 corresponds to an example of the "downstream erected part" of the present invention.

[0071] <Second Embodiment> Figure 4A is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the support tray. Figure 4B is a plan view of the support tray shown in Figure 4A. This figure includes a schematic enlarged section showing the vicinity of the through-hole 158 and how the liquid is discharged through the through-hole 158. Figure 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of Figure 4B. The main difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is the addition of a first block portion 159a in the groove 153e; the other configurations are basically the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0072] The first block portion 159a is a component of the support tray 15B and is positioned on a virtual circle (not shown) formed by connecting the centers of the through holes 153d and 158 along the groove 153e. In other words, the first block portion 159a is provided projecting upward from the bottom surface of the groove 153e between adjacent through holes 153d and 158 and between adjacent through holes 158 and 158. As shown in Figure 4C, each first block portion 159a is erected from the bottom surface of the groove 153e such that its upper end is located near the lower surface Sb of the substrate S supported by the support pins 152. However, in this embodiment, the first block portion 159a is provided such that, in the vertical direction Z, the height H3 (see Figure 5) of its upper end is higher than the central region of the bottom surface 153a. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4C, the inside of the groove 153e is divided into two areas by the first block portion 159a. The first area is located radially outside the first block portion 159a of the substrate S and is the main collection zone ZN1, facing the gap GP1 between the substrate S and the upright portions 155-157. The second area is located radially inside the first block portion 159a of the substrate S and is the secondary collection zone ZN2, facing the gap GP2 between the substrate S and the upper end of the first block portion 159a. In other words, the main collection zone ZN1 is connected to the gap GP1. Therefore, most of the liquid that enters from the gap GP1 is guided to the main collection zone ZN1 by the first block portion 159a and collected there. To ensure reliable collection, it is desirable that the recess 153 be higher than the bottom surface 153a (surface facing the substrate) in the vertical direction Z, and also close to the lower surface Sb of the substrate S. In this embodiment, the distance D1 (see Figure 4C) from the lower surface Sb of the substrate S supported by the support pin 152 to the upper end of the first block portion 159a is set to 1.5 mm.

[0073] Furthermore, any liquid that slips through the gap GP2 is guided to the secondary collection zone ZN2 and collected there. In this way, residual liquid La is collected in two stages, and the residual liquid La collected by the main collection zone ZN1 and the secondary collection zone ZN2 flows through the groove 153e and is discharged into the internal space SP from the discharge section (=notch 153b, through hole 153d, 158), similar to the first embodiment.

[0074] According to the second embodiment configured in this way, liquid that has entered through the gap GP1 can be efficiently collected and discharged through the discharge section. In addition, the first block section 159a reliably prevents residual liquid La from entering the central region of the bottom surface 153a. Therefore, the amount of residual liquid La remaining between the lower surface Sb of the substrate S and the bottom surface 153a of the support tray 15 can be reduced compared to the first embodiment. As a result, the effect of preventing backflow of residual liquid La is enhanced compared to the first embodiment, and the substrate S can be dried well by the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0075] Furthermore, much of the liquid that seeps through the gap GP2 moves along the lower surface Sb of the substrate S. Therefore, if the upper end of the first block portion 159a is set lower than the central region of the bottom surface 153a of the support tray 15 in the vertical direction Z, there is a high possibility that it will not be collected in the sub-collection zone ZN2 and will instead get trapped between the bottom surface 153a of the support tray 15 and the lower surface of the substrate S. In this embodiment, the protrusion amount (=H3-H5) of the first block portion 159a is set such that the height position of its upper end (reference numeral H3 in Figure 5) is the same as the height position of the bottom surface 153a of the support tray 15 (reference numeral H4 in Figure 5). The same applies to the second block portion, which will be described next.

[0076] <Third Embodiment> In the second embodiment described above, the inside of the groove 153e is divided into a main collection zone ZN1 and a secondary collection zone ZN2. However, one or more block sections may be added to the secondary collection zone ZN2 to further divide the secondary collection zone ZN2 into multiple zones. For example, in the third embodiment shown in Figure 5, one second block section 159b is added to the secondary collection zone ZN2.

[0077] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the support tray. The second block portion 159b is positioned inward of the first block portion 159a in the radial direction of the substrate S. The second block portion 159b is provided projecting upward from the bottom surface of the groove 153e, similar to the first block portion 159a, between adjacent through holes 153d, 158 and between adjacent through holes 158, 158. Therefore, as shown in the partially enlarged view in the figure, each second block portion 159b is erected from the bottom surface of the groove 153e such that its upper end is located near the lower surface Sb of the substrate S, which is supported by the support pins 152. Therefore, the interior of the sub-collection zone ZN2 is divided into two areas by the second block portion 159b, i.e., • First sub-collection zone ZN2a… Located between the first block section 159a and the second block section 159b in the radial direction of the substrate S, this area is for collecting liquid that has seeped in through the gap GP2. • Second secondary collection zone ZN2b… Located inside the second block portion 159b in the radial direction of the substrate S, this area is for collecting liquid that has seeped in through the gap GP3 between the lower surface Sb of the substrate S and the upper end of the second block portion 159b. It is divided into sections. In this way, it is possible to reliably collect any remaining liquid La that could not be collected in the main collection zone ZN1.

[0078] <Fourth Embodiment> Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the support tray. The difference between this fourth embodiment and the first embodiment is the shape of the upper surface 157a of the upright portion 157. In other words, in the support tray 15A of the first embodiment, the upper surface 157a is a single horizontal plane with a height position H1 in all regions. In contrast, in the support tray 15D of the fourth embodiment, the upper surface 157a is composed of an inclined surface. This inclined surface has a height position H1 in the adjacent region adjacent to the substrate S, similar to the first embodiment, but it becomes lower as it moves in the flow direction Y of the processing fluid, i.e., from the (+Y) direction to the (-Y) direction. Furthermore, when the (+X) and (-X) directions of the first virtual line VL1 are considered to be the left and right sides, respectively, with respect to the second virtual line VL2, the upper surface 157a of the upright portion 157 has a left-side sloping region 157a1 that becomes lower as it moves to the left from the second virtual line VL2, and a right-side sloping region 157a2 that becomes lower as it moves to the right from the second virtual line VL2. As a result, the processing fluid that has passed through the upper surface Sa of the substrate S, as well as the residual liquid La that has flowed back, can be efficiently discharged from the (+X) side end face and the (-X) side end face of the support tray 15 while being distributed to the left and right, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 6. As a result, backflow of residual liquid La into the substrate S can be prevented even more effectively than in the first embodiment.

[0079] <Fifth Embodiment> Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of the support tray. The support tray 15E of the fifth embodiment is modified from the support tray 15D of the fourth embodiment by adding a downstream through-hole 157b. In this support tray 15D of the fifth embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the portion of the left-side inclined region 157a1 located on the (+X) and (-Y) sides (hereinafter referred to as the "left-side low portion") is the lowest in the vertical direction Z, and the left-side through-hole 157b is provided in this portion. Similarly, the portion of the right-side inclined region 157a2 located on the (-X) and (-Y) sides (hereinafter referred to as the "right-side low portion") is the lowest in the vertical direction Z, and the right-side through-hole 157b is provided in this portion. The processing fluid and residual liquid La that have flowed into the adjacent region R are collected along the upper surface 157a of the upright portion 157 to the left-side low portion and the right-side low portion, and then discharged downwards to the support tray 15 through the through-holes 157b, 157b. As a result, the backflow of residual liquid La into the substrate S can be prevented even more effectively than in the fourth embodiment.

[0080] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made to those described above without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the inclined surface structure adopted in the fourth embodiment may be additionally applied to the first to third embodiments. Similarly, the through hole 157b adopted in the fifth embodiment may also be additionally applied to the first to third embodiments.

[0081] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, grooves 153e are formed around the entire outer circumference of the bottom surface 153a. However, continuous grooves may be provided only in areas where the intrusion of liquid L is a problem, such as areas adjacent to the upright portion 157 or areas located downstream of the first virtual line VL1.

[0082] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the substrate S is supported by the support pins 152 in a state where it is spaced apart from the bottom surface 153a of the support tray 15. However, instead of installing the support pins 152, the substrate may be supported by a projection on the bottom surface 153a. In this case, the projection would correspond to the "support member" of the present invention.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a through hole 158 for inserting the lift pin 37 into the support tray 15 is provided on the bottom surface of the groove 153e, but the groove 153e may be removed and a through hole 158 for raising and lowering the lift pin may be provided instead. The present invention may also be applied to substrate processing apparatuses that do not have such a through hole for raising and lowering the lift pin. In these substrate processing apparatuses, the through hole for raising and lowering the lift pin does not function as the "discharge section" of the present invention, so it is essential to provide a through hole 153d and / or a notch 153b.

[0084] Furthermore, the various chemical substances in the above embodiments, such as IPA and carbon dioxide, are listed as representative examples of substances that may be used, and this does not mean that the application of the present invention is limited to technologies using these substances. [Industrial applicability]

[0085] This invention can be applied to all substrate processing technologies that involve processing a substrate with liquid adhering to its surface using a supercritical processing fluid. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 1…Substrate processing equipment 12… Processing Chamber 15, 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 15E… Support trays 37…Lift pin 57...Fluid supply section 151...Tray component 152...Support pin (support member) 153a…Bottom surface (surface facing the substrate) of the support tray 153b... Notch (discharge section) 153c… (center of the base) 153d, 158...Through hole (discharge part) 155, 156… (Upstream side) Elevated sections 157…(downstream side) erection point 157a…Upper surface of (downstream erection section) 159a...Block 1 159b... Block 2 GP1…Gap (between the circuit board and the downstream mounting section) GP2… (The gap between the circuit board and the upper edge of the first block) GP3…(Gap between the circuit board and the upper edge of the second block) H1… (Height position on the top surface of the circuit board) H2… (Height position on the underside of the circuit board) H3… (Height position of the first and second block sections) H4… (Height position on the opposite side of the circuit board) L…liquid La... remaining liquid S... Circuit board Sa... (Top surface of the circuit board) Sb... (Underside of the circuit board) SP…Internal space VL1…First virtual line VL2...Second virtual line X…Horizontal direction Y...Direction of flow Z…Vertical direction ZN1...Main collection zone ZN2, ZN2a, ZN2b... Sub-collection zones

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate having a liquid adhering to its upper surface with a supercritical processing fluid, comprising: A tray member having a substrate facing surface facing the lower surface of the substrate, and a plurality of support members attached to the tray member so as to surround the substrate facing surface, and a support tray for supporting the substrate in a state where the substrate is spaced upward from the substrate facing surface by the support members; A chamber having an internal space capable of accommodating the support tray for supporting the substrate; A fluid supply unit that forms a laminar flow of the processing fluid flowing from the other end side of the internal space along the upper surface of the substrate supported by the support tray by supplying the processing fluid into the internal space from one end side of the internal space; With respect to a first virtual line that passes through the center of the substrate facing surface and extends in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the flow direction of the laminar flow, when the other end side of the internal space is the downstream side, The tray member includes: A downstream standing portion that stands upward from the substrate facing surface while being close to the circumferential surface on the downstream side of the substrate supported by the plurality of support members; A groove provided in a downstream adjacent region adjacent to the downstream standing portion in the outer peripheral region of the substrate facing surface, for collecting the liquid that has entered the downstream adjacent region from the gap between the substrate and the downstream standing portion; A discharge portion that communicates the inside of the groove with the internal space and discharges the liquid collected by the groove into the internal space; A substrate processing apparatus, characterized by comprising the above.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The discharge portion is a first through hole that penetrates downward from the bottom surface of the groove.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The discharge portion has a plurality of the first through holes.

4. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, A substrate processing apparatus wherein the first through-hole is arranged symmetrically with respect to a second imaginary line that passes through the center of the substrate-facing surface and extends parallel to the flow direction.

5. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The tray member further comprises a plurality of lift pins whose upper ends protrude above the surface facing the substrate through a second through-hole provided in the tray member and abut against the lower surface of the substrate, thereby enabling support of the substrate from below. A substrate processing apparatus wherein at least one of the second through-holes penetrates the bottom surface of the groove and functions as the discharge section.

6. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, The substrate processing apparatus has an upper surface of the downstream erected portion which is an inclined surface that becomes lower as it progresses in the flow direction.

7. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, With respect to the first virtual line, when one end of the internal space is considered the upstream side, The tray member has an upstream upright portion that is erected above the surface facing the substrate, while being close to the upstream circumferential surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of support members. A substrate processing apparatus in which the upper surface of the upstream erected portion is at the same height in the vertical direction as the upper surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of support members.

8. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, A substrate processing apparatus wherein the groove is provided around the entire circumference of the outer peripheral region of the surface facing the substrate, such that it has an annular shape when viewed from above in plan.

9. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, The upstream erected portion and the downstream erected portion are spaced apart from each other in the flow direction, so that a notch is provided in which the side surface of the groove is cut out. The aforementioned notch is provided so that the liquid collected by the groove can be discharged horizontally from the tray member, and functions as a discharge section in the substrate processing apparatus.

10. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The support tray has a first block portion that protrudes from the bottom surface of the groove such that its upper end is close to the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the substrate supported by the plurality of support members, The substrate processing apparatus comprises a first block portion which divides the inside of the groove into a main collection zone that collects the liquid that has entered the downstream adjacent region by communicating with the gap between the substrate and the downstream upright portion, and a secondary collection zone that collects the liquid that has entered the downstream adjacent region beyond the first block portion by communicating with the gap between the substrate and the upper end of the first block portion.

11. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, A substrate processing apparatus wherein, in the vertical direction, the height position of the upper end of the first block portion is lower than the height position of the lower surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of support members, and higher than the height position of the surface facing the substrate.

12. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, The support tray has a second block portion erected from the bottom surface of the groove in the sub-collection zone. The second block section is a substrate processing apparatus that divides the interior of the sub-collection zone into multiple sections.

13. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12, A substrate processing apparatus wherein, in the vertical direction, the height position of the upper end of the second block portion is lower than the height position of the lower surface of the substrate supported by the plurality of support members, and higher than the height position of the surface facing the substrate.

14. A substrate processing method in which a substrate with liquid adhering to its upper surface is processed with a supercritical processing fluid, A housing step of housing a support tray into the internal space of a chamber, wherein the substrate is supported by a plurality of support members attached to a tray member having a substrate-facing surface that faces the lower surface of the substrate, so as to surround the substrate-facing surface, and the substrate is supported so as to be spaced upward from the substrate-facing surface. A supply step of supplying the processing fluid to the internal space from one end to the internal space, thereby forming a laminar flow of the processing fluid along the upper surface of the substrate supported by the support tray to the other end of the internal space, Equipped with a discharge process, With respect to a first virtual line that passes through the center of the substrate-facing surface and extends in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the laminar flow direction, when the other end of the internal space is considered the downstream side, The aforementioned discharge process is, The process involves discharging the liquid, along with the processing fluid, from the upper surface of the substrate by laminar flow, via the upper surface of a downstream upright portion erected above the substrate-facing surface while approaching the downstream circumferential surface of the substrate, to the other end of the internal space; A substrate processing method characterized by comprising the steps of: collecting the liquid that has entered through the gap between the substrate and the downstream erected portion in a groove provided in the downstream adjacent region adjacent to the downstream erected portion in the outer peripheral region of the surface facing the substrate; and discharging the liquid collected in the groove into the internal space via a discharge portion that connects the inside of the groove and the internal space.

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