Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing adhesion of a liquid to a substrate by a reverse flow received by a liquid reception member, and provide a method.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus 1 includes: a liquid reception member 8 that can be elevated and dropped from a lower side stop position to an upper side stop position, and includes an annular side wall part 8a and an annular expansion part 8b that is extended to an inner peripheral side and an upper side of a rotational table 4 from an upper end part of the side wall part in order to receive a liquid scattered to an outer peripheral side of the rotational table while surrounding an outer periphery of a substrate 3 held by the rotational table at the upper side stop position; a liquid collection member 9 that is formed of an annular bottom wall 9a that surrounds the outer periphery of a rotational driving device 5 on the lower side of the liquid reception member, an annular inner wall 9b that communicates with the bottom wall, and an annular outer wall 9c that communicates with the bottom wall on the outer peripheral side of the inner wall, and collects the liquid to an annular concave part 10 formed of them; an exhaust device 11 that exhausts a gas from a lower part of a housing 2 via the housing on the outer peripheral side of the liquid collection member; and a sub-exhaust device 12 that exhausts the gas from the annular concave part via the inner wall of the liquid collection member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] There has been known a substrate processing apparatus including an annular liquid receiving member that can be lowered to a lower stop position and raised to an upper stop position, surrounds an outer periphery of a substrate held by a rotary table at the upper stop position, and receives liquid scattered toward the outer peripheral side of the rotary table (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Prior Art Literature Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent No. 6642597 Summary of the Invention Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the substrate processing apparatus as described above, it is preferable to suppress as much as possible adhesion of liquid to the substrate caused by backflow of the liquid received by the liquid receiving member.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can suppress adhesion of liquid to a substrate caused by backflow of liquid received by a liquid receiving member. Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is as follows.

[0007] [1] a housing; a rotary table disposed in the housing, that holds and rotates the substrate; a rotation driving device that holds and rotates the rotary table; a liquid supply device that supplies liquid to an upper surface of the substrate; An air supply device that supplies gas from the upper side of the substrate toward the upper surface of the substrate, An annular liquid receiving member that can be lowered to a lower stop position and raised to an upper stop position, and at the upper stop position, surrounds the outer circumference of the substrate held by the rotating table and receives the liquid splashed toward the outer circumference of the rotating table, the liquid receiving member having an annular side wall portion and an annular protrusion portion extending from the upper end of the side wall portion toward the inner circumference and upward of the rotating table, A liquid recovery member comprising an annular bottom wall surrounding the outer circumference of the rotary drive device below the liquid receiving member, an annular inner wall connected to the bottom wall, and an annular outer wall connected to the bottom wall on the outer circumference side of the inner wall, wherein the liquid recovery member recovers liquid into an annular recess formed by the bottom wall, the inner wall, and the outer wall, An exhaust device located on the outer periphery side of the liquid recovery member, which discharges gas from the lower part of the housing through the housing, A substrate processing apparatus having a secondary exhaust device that discharges gas from the annular recess through the inner wall of the liquid recovery member.

[0008] [2] The substrate processing apparatus according to [1], wherein the liquid receiving member has a diameter size such that it does not collide with the outer wall of the liquid recovery member when it descends from the upper stopping position to the lower stopping position.

[0009] [3] The substrate processing apparatus according to [1] or [2], further comprising a secondary air supply device that supplies gas to the annular recess through the inner wall of the liquid recovery member.

[0010] [4] The liquid receiving member in the upper stop position is surrounded by an annular partition member that extends from the housing toward the inner circumference, The liquid receiving member has a diameter that does not collide with the partition member when it descends from the upper stopping position to the lower stopping position. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein an inner peripheral edge portion of a lower surface of said partition member is located on the lower side than said upper surface of said rotary table, and is located on the upper side than said side wall portion of said liquid receiving member at said lower stop position.

[0011] [5] The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [4], comprising a liquid draining device that drains liquid from said annular recess through the bottom wall of said liquid recovery member.

[0012] [6] A method of processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein A substrate processing method comprising an auxiliary exhausting step of exhausting gas by said auxiliary exhausting device when said liquid receiving member descends from said upper stop position to said lower stop position.

[0013] [7] The substrate processing method according to [6], wherein said substrate processing apparatus comprises an auxiliary air supply device that supplies gas to said annular recess through an inner wall of said liquid recovery member, A substrate processing method comprising an auxiliary air supply step of supplying gas by said auxiliary air supply device when said liquid receiving member ascends from said lower stop position to said upper stop position.

[0014] [8] The substrate processing method according to [6] or [7], wherein said substrate is a silicon wafer.

Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can suppress adhesion of liquid to a substrate caused by reverse flow of the liquid received by the liquid receiving member.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a cross-sectional view showing the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where the liquid receiving member is at the upper stop position. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view showing the substrate processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the liquid receiving member is at the lower stop position. [Figure 3] It is a graph showing the relationship between the height position of the liquid receiving member and time. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in one embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing apparatus 1 comprises: a housing 2; a rotary table 4 disposed in the housing 2, which holds and rotates a substrate 3; a rotation driving device 5 which holds and rotates the rotary table 4; a liquid supply device 6 which supplies liquid to the upper surface 4a of the substrate 3; a gas supply device 7 which supplies gas from above the substrate 3 toward the upper surface 4a of the substrate 3; and an annular liquid receiving member 8, which is capable of descending to a lower stop position (see FIG. 2) and ascending to an upper stop position (see FIG. 1), surrounds the outer periphery of the substrate 3 held by the rotary table 4 at the upper stop position, and receives liquid scattered toward the outer peripheral side of the rotary table 4, the liquid receiving member 8 having an annular side wall portion 8a and an annular projecting portion 8b extending from the upper end of the side wall portion 8a toward the inner peripheral side and upper side of the rotary table 4; a liquid recovery member 9 consisting of an annular bottom wall 9a surrounding the outer periphery of the rotation driving device 5 below the liquid receiving member 8, an annular inner wall 9b connected to the bottom wall 9a, and an annular outer wall 9c connected to the bottom wall 9a on the outer peripheral side of the inner wall 9b, the liquid recovery member 9 recovering liquid into an annular recess 10 formed by the bottom wall 9a, the inner wall 9b and the outer wall 9c; an exhaust device 11 which discharges gas from the lower part inside the housing 2 through the housing 2 on the outer peripheral side of the liquid recovery member 9; and an auxiliary exhaust device 12 which discharges gas from the annular recess 10 through the inner wall 9b of the liquid recovery member 9.

[0019] With the above configuration, the substrate 3 is held on the rotary table 4, and with the liquid receiving member 8 in the upper stop position, the rotary table 4 is rotated by the rotary drive unit 5 while the liquid supply device 6 supplies liquid to the upper surface 4a of the substrate 3, thereby cleaning the upper surface 4a of the substrate 3 with liquid. After that, the substrate 3 can be dried by rotating the rotary table 4 at high speed. During the above cleaning and drying, the liquid receiving member 8 in the upper stop position catches the liquid that splashes outwards on the outer circumference of the rotary table 4, and the liquid can be collected in the annular recess 10 located below the liquid receiving member 8. After the above drying, the liquid receiving member 8 is moved to the lower stop position, the processed substrate 3 is removed from the rotary table 4, the next substrate 3 to be processed is placed on the rotary table 4, the liquid receiving member 8 is returned to the upper stop position, and the next processing can be started. Furthermore, by constantly supplying gas from the upper side of the substrate 3 toward the upper surface 4a of the substrate 3 via the air supply device 7, and by exhausting gas from the lower part of the housing 2 through the housing 2 on the outer periphery side of the liquid recovery member 9 via the exhaust device 11, even if the liquid becomes in the form of minute droplets during washing and drying, it can be discharged along with the gas, keeping the inside of the housing 2 clean.

[0020] Furthermore, when the liquid receiving member 8 descends to its lower stopping position, the auxiliary exhaust device 12 can discharge gas from the annular recess 10, which collects liquid below the liquid receiving member 8, through the inner wall 9b of the liquid recovery member 9, as shown by the dashed-dot line with white arrow in Figure 2. This suppresses the increase in pressure within the annular recess 10 due to the descent of the liquid receiving member 8. Therefore, the backflow of gas, as shown by the dashed-dot line with arrow in Figure 2, which flows upward along the inner circumference of the annular protrusion 8b of the liquid receiving member 8, can be suppressed. As a result, the liquid received by the liquid receiving member 8 can be prevented from adhering to the substrate 3 after processing due to the backflow of gas, thereby suppressing quality defects of the substrate 3 due to liquid adhesion. The number of exhaust ports 12a of the auxiliary exhaust device 12 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to provide multiple exhaust ports 12a at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The orientation of the exhaust ports 12a of the auxiliary exhaust device 12 is not particularly limited. The gas is not particularly limited, for example, air. The liquid is not particularly limited, for example, water or a cleaning agent.

[0021] The liquid receiving member 8 has a diameter that prevents it from colliding with the outer wall 9c of the liquid recovery member 9 when it descends from the upper stopping position to the lower stopping position. With this configuration, collision can be avoided with a simple structure. In this embodiment, the diameter of the liquid receiving member 8 is smaller than the outer wall 9c of the liquid recovery member 9, but it is not limited to this, and it may be configured to be larger than the outer wall 9c of the liquid recovery member 9.

[0022] The substrate processing apparatus 1 has a secondary air supply device 13 that supplies gas to the annular recess 10 through the inner wall 9b of the liquid recovery member 9. With the above configuration, when the liquid receiving member 8 rises to the upper stopping position, the secondary air supply device 13 can supply gas to the annular recess 10, which recovers liquid below the liquid receiving member 8, through the inner wall 9b of the liquid recovery member 9 as shown by the white dotted line arrow in Figure 2, thereby suppressing the decrease in pressure inside the annular recess 10 due to the rise of the liquid receiving member 8. Therefore, backflow of gas from the exhaust device 11 to the inside of the housing 2, as shown by the white dotted line arrow in Figure 2, can be suppressed, and substances that cause contamination can be prevented from entering the housing 2 from the exhaust device 11. The number of air inlets 13a of the secondary air supply device 13 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to provide multiple air inlets 13a at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In the examples shown in Figures 1 and 2, the air intake port 13a is located below the exhaust port 12a, but it is not limited to this configuration; it may be located at the same height as the exhaust port 12a or above the exhaust port 12a. The air intake port 13a of the auxiliary air supply device 13 may also be used interchangeably with the exhaust port 12a of the auxiliary exhaust device 12. The orientation of the air intake port 13a of the auxiliary air supply device 13 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing backflow of gas towards the substrate side, it is preferable that it be oriented downwards.

[0023] The substrate processing apparatus 1 has an annular partition member 14 that surrounds the outer circumference of the liquid receiving member 8 at the upper stop position and extends inward from the housing 2. The liquid receiving member 8 has a diameter that does not collide with the partition member 14 when it descends from the upper stop position to the lower stop position. The inner peripheral edge 14a of the lower surface of the partition member 14 is located below the upper surface 4a of the rotary table 4 and above the side wall 8a of the liquid receiving member 8 at the lower stop position. With this configuration, since the annular partition member 14 surrounds the outer circumference of the liquid receiving member 8 at the upper stop position and extends inward from the housing 2, as shown in Figure 1, when the gas supplied from the air supply device 7 to the upper surface 4a of the substrate 3 passes inward from the liquid receiving member 8 and is discharged from the exhaust device 11, the flow of gas passing outward from the liquid receiving member 8 can be suppressed, so that minute droplets can be efficiently discharged. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the inner peripheral edge 14a of the lower surface of the partition member 14 is located below the upper surface 4a of the rotary table 4 and above the side wall 8a of the liquid receiving member 8 at the lower stop position. Therefore, after the drying process, by retracting the liquid receiving member 8 to the lower stop position, the gas supplied from the air supply device 7 to the upper surface 4a of the substrate 3 can be discharged from the exhaust device 11 through the space between the liquid receiving member 8 and the partition member 14. Thus, the backflow of gas from the exhaust device 11, indicated by the dashed-dot arrow in Figure 2, can be suppressed. In addition, even if a pressure drop occurs above the protruding portion 8b of the liquid receiving member 8 due to the formation of a gas flow path between the liquid receiving member 8 and the partition member 14 when the liquid receiving member 8 descends, the exhaust by the secondary exhaust device 12 suppresses the pressure rise below the protruding portion 8b of the liquid receiving member 8, thereby suppressing the backflow indicated by the dashed-dot arrow in Figure 2.

[0024] The substrate processing apparatus 1 has a drainage device 15 that discharges liquid from the annular recess 10 through the bottom wall 9a of the liquid recovery member 9. With this configuration, continuous liquid recovery into the annular recess 10 can be achieved by discharging the liquid from the annular recess 10. Furthermore, efficient drainage can be achieved by draining the liquid through the bottom wall 9a.

[0025] The rotary table 4 has a substrate holding portion 4b that holds a substrate 3 positioned along the upper surface 4a of the rotary table 4, and the substrate holding portion 4b consists of a plurality of protrusions 4b1 arranged around the central axis O of the rotary table 4. With the above configuration, the substrate 3 can be held with a simple structure.

[0026] In this embodiment, the substrate processing method is a method of processing a substrate 3 using a substrate processing apparatus 1, and includes a secondary exhaust step in which gas is discharged by a secondary exhaust device 12 when the liquid receiving member 8 descends from an upper stop position to a lower stop position (see Figure 3). With the above configuration, the secondary exhaust step can suppress the rise in pressure in the annular recess 10 due to the descent of the liquid receiving member 8, thereby suppressing the backflow of gas shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 2 and the resulting adhesion of liquid to the substrate 3 after processing.

[0027] The substrate processing method includes a substrate processing apparatus 1 which has a secondary air supply device 13 that supplies gas to the annular recess 10 through the inner wall 9b of the liquid recovery member 9, and a secondary air supply step in which gas is supplied by the secondary air supply device 13 when the liquid receiving member 8 rises from the lower stop position to the upper stop position (see Figure 3). With the above configuration, the secondary air supply step can suppress the decrease in pressure inside the annular recess 10 due to the rise of the liquid receiving member 8, and thus can suppress the backflow of gas from the exhaust device 11, indicated by the white dotted line arrow in Figure 2, into the inside of the housing 2.

[0028] The substrate 3 is a silicon wafer. With the above configuration, a substrate 3 processing method can be realized that can suppress the adhesion of liquid to the silicon wafer due to backflow of the liquid received by the liquid receiving member 8.

[0029] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence. [Examples]

[0030] In the substrate processing apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, a substrate processing apparatus equipped with a secondary exhaust system and a secondary supply system was manufactured. Six exhaust ports for the secondary exhaust system and six supply ports for the secondary supply system, connected to the annular recess, were arranged circumferentially, with a diameter of 5 mm. Exhaust began from the secondary exhaust system simultaneously with the start of descent of the liquid receiving member from its upper stop position, and ended when it reached the lower stop position. The descent distance of the liquid receiving member was 50 mm, and the descent time was 1 second.

[0031] The liquid receiving member was repeatedly lowered while varying the exhaust volume, and the flow velocity of the airflow passing between the liquid receiving member and the rotating table was measured using a flow meter during the descent. When the exhaust volume was 0 L / min, an airflow of 3.4 m / s was measured as the liquid receiving member descended. As the exhaust volume was increased, a decrease in airflow velocity was observed, and when the exhaust volume was increased to a total of 35 L / min, the airflow velocity became 0.2 m / s or less, confirming that the upward blow-up was suppressed.

[0032] The supply of air by the auxiliary air supply device was started simultaneously with the rise of the liquid receiving member, and the supply of air was stopped when the liquid receiving member rose to the upper stopping position. The rising distance and rising time of the liquid receiving member were the same as during the descent. The flow velocity of the airflow passing between the liquid receiving member and the rotary table was measured using a flow meter. When the supply air amount was 0 L / min, a downward airflow of 1.2 m / s was measured when the liquid receiving member rose. As the supply air amount was increased, a decrease in the airflow velocity was observed, and when the supply air amount was increased to 10 L / min, the airflow velocity became 0.2 m / s or less, confirming that the downward airflow was suppressed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 1. Substrate processing apparatus 2 cabinets 3 circuit boards 4 Rotating Table 4a Top side 4b Board holder 4b1 protrusion 5. Rotary drive device 6 Liquid supply device 7. Air supply system 8. Liquid receiving member 8a Side wall part 8b Overhang 9. Liquid recovery member 9a Bottom wall 9b Inner wall 9c Exterior wall 10 Annular recess 11 Exhaust system 12. Auxiliary exhaust system 12a Exhaust port 13. Auxiliary air supply device 13a Air supply port 14 Partition members 14a Inner peripheral edge 15. Drainage device O center axis

Claims

1. The casing and A rotating table is placed inside the aforementioned housing and holds and rotates the circuit board, A rotary drive device that holds and rotates the aforementioned rotary table, A liquid supply device that supplies liquid to the upper surface of the substrate, An air supply device that supplies gas from the upper side of the substrate toward the upper surface of the substrate, An annular liquid receiving member that can be lowered to a lower stop position and raised to an upper stop position, and at the upper stop position, surrounds the outer circumference of the substrate held by the rotating table and receives the liquid splashed toward the outer circumference of the rotating table, the liquid receiving member having an annular side wall portion and an annular protrusion portion extending from the upper end of the side wall portion toward the inner circumference and upward of the rotating table, A liquid recovery member comprising an annular bottom wall surrounding the outer circumference of the rotary drive device below the liquid receiving member, an annular inner wall connected to the bottom wall, and an annular outer wall connected to the bottom wall on the outer circumference side of the inner wall, wherein the liquid recovery member recovers liquid into an annular recess formed by the bottom wall, the inner wall, and the outer wall, An exhaust device located on the outer periphery side of the liquid recovery member, which discharges gas from the lower part of the housing through the housing, A substrate processing apparatus having a secondary exhaust device that discharges gas from the annular recess through the inner wall of the liquid recovery member.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid receiving member has a diameter size such that it does not collide with the outer wall of the liquid recovery member when it descends from the upper stopping position to the lower stopping position.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a secondary air supply device that supplies gas to the annular recess through the inner wall of the liquid recovery member.

4. The liquid receiving member in the upper stop position is surrounded by an annular partition member that extends from the housing toward the inner circumference, The liquid receiving member has a diameter that does not collide with the partition member when it descends from the upper stopping position to the lower stopping position. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner peripheral edge of the lower surface of the partition member is located below the upper surface of the rotating table and above the side wall of the liquid receiving member at the lower stop position.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drainage device for discharging liquid from the annular recess through the bottom wall of the liquid recovery member.

6. A method for processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus described in claim 1, A substrate processing method comprising a secondary exhaust step in which gas is discharged by the secondary exhaust device when the liquid receiving member descends from the upper stop position to the lower stop position.

7. A substrate processing method according to claim 6, The substrate processing apparatus has a secondary air supply device that supplies gas to the annular recess through the inner wall of the liquid recovery member, A substrate processing method comprising a sub-air supply step in which gas is supplied by the sub-air supply device when the liquid receiving member rises from the lower stop position to the upper stop position.

8. The substrate processing method according to claim 6, wherein the substrate is a silicon wafer.

Images