Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus (14) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with: a substrate holding unit (30) that holds a substrate; a front surface supply unit (40) that supplies a processing liquid to a front surface (Wa) of the substrate; a back surface supply unit (50) that supplies a processing liquid to a back surface (Wb) of the substrate; and a control unit (15) that controls those units. In addition, the control unit (15) executes: processing for supplying, to the front surface (Wa) of the substrate, a film-formation processing liquid that contains a polymer that is soluble in an organic solvent, and solidifying or curing the film-formation processing liquid so as to form a process film; processing for supplying, to the front surface (Wa) of the substrate, a removal processing liquid for removing the process film; processing for supplying, to the front surface (Wa) of the substrate, a dissolution processing liquid for dissolving and removing the residue of the process film; and processing for supplying, to the back surface (Wb) of the substrate, a heated thermal processing liquid in parallel with at least one of the processing for supplying the removal processing liquid and the processing for supplying the dissolution processing liquid.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. [Background Art]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a substrate processing apparatus that removes particles attached to a substrate such as a silicon wafer or a compound semiconductor wafer. For example, a technique is disclosed that removes particles attached to the surface of a substrate by supplying a film-forming treatment liquid for forming a treatment film to the substrate, supplying a stripping treatment liquid for stripping the treatment film from the substrate, and supplying a dissolving treatment liquid for dissolving the treatment film. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0003] [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-119164 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique capable of achieving high particle removal performance. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0005] A substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a substrate holding unit, a front surface supply unit, a back surface supply unit, and a control unit. The substrate holding unit holds the substrate. The front surface supply unit supplies a processing liquid to the front surface of the substrate. The back surface supply unit supplies a processing liquid to the back surface of the substrate. The control unit controls each unit. The control unit also performs a process of forming a processing film, a process of supplying a peeling processing liquid, a process of supplying a dissolving processing liquid, and a process of supplying a heating processing liquid. The process of forming a processing film involves supplying a film-forming processing liquid containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent to the front surface of the substrate to form a processing film formed by the solidification or hardening of the film-forming processing liquid. The process of supplying a peeling processing liquid involves supplying a peeling processing liquid to the front surface of the substrate to peel off the processing film. The process of supplying a dissolving processing liquid involves supplying a dissolving processing liquid to the front surface of the substrate to dissolve and remove the residue of the processing film. The process of supplying the heat treatment liquid involves supplying heated heat treatment liquid to the back surface of the substrate in parallel with at least one of the processes of supplying the stripping treatment liquid and supplying the dissolving treatment liquid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to this disclosure, high particle removal performance can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A is an explanatory diagram of the substrate processing method according to an embodiment. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B is an explanatory diagram of the substrate processing method according to an embodiment. [Figure 1C] Figure 1C is an explanatory diagram of the substrate processing method according to the embodiment. [Figure 1D] Figure 1D is an explanatory diagram of the substrate processing method according to the embodiment. [Figure 1E] Figure 1E is an explanatory diagram of the substrate processing method according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the substrate processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3]Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a substrate processing procedure performed by the substrate processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the pretreatment according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the pretreatment according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the process of forming the treated film according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the process of forming the treated film according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the process of supplying the stripping treatment liquid and the process of supplying the heat treatment liquid according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows the relationship between the IPA concentration in the stripping solution and the surface tension of the stripping solution. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows the relationship between the temperature of IPA and the surface tension of IPA. [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows the relationship between the IPA concentration in the stripping solution and the particle removal rate. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the rinsing process according to an embodiment. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the process of supplying the dissolution treatment solution according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a flowchart showing an example of a substrate processing procedure performed by the substrate processing system according to the modified embodiment 1. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the supply process of the stripping treatment liquid according to a modified example 1 of the embodiment. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating the supply process of the dissolution treatment liquid and the supply process of the heat treatment liquid according to Modification 1 of the embodiment. [Figure 18]FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a substrate processing procedure performed by a substrate processing system according to Modification 2 of the embodiment. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method disclosed in the present application will be described in detail. It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship of dimensions of each element, the ratio of each element, and the like may differ from actual situations. In addition, even between the drawings, portions may be included where the dimensional relationships and ratios differ from each other.

[0009] Conventionally, substrate processing apparatuses that remove particles adhering to substrates such as silicon wafers and compound semiconductor wafers are known. For example, a technique is disclosed in which a film-forming treatment liquid for forming a treatment film is supplied onto a substrate, a stripping treatment liquid for stripping the treatment film from the substrate is supplied, and a dissolving treatment liquid for dissolving the treatment film is supplied, thereby removing particles adhering to the surface of the substrate.

[0010] However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, depending on the type of the underlying film of the substrate, the type of available stripping treatment liquid is limited. In this case, since there is a possibility that the treatment film formed on the substrate cannot be sufficiently stripped, sufficient particle removal performance may not be obtained in some cases.

[0011] Therefore, it is expected to realize a technology that overcomes the above-mentioned problems and can achieve high particle removal performance without damaging the underlying film of the substrate.

[0012] <Outline of Substrate Processing Method> First, an outline of the substrate processing method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1E. FIGS. 1A to 1E are explanatory diagrams of the substrate processing method according to the embodiment.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1A, in the substrate processing method according to this embodiment, a processing liquid containing volatile components for forming a film on a wafer W, such as a silicon wafer or a compound semiconductor wafer (hereinafter also referred to as "film-forming processing liquid"), is supplied to the pattern-forming surface of the wafer W. The wafer W is an example of a substrate.

[0014] The film-forming solution supplied to the pattern-forming surface of the wafer W solidifies or hardens while undergoing volume contraction due to the volatilization of volatile components, forming a treated film. As a result, the pattern formed on the wafer W and the particles P attached to the pattern are covered with this treated film (see Figure 1B). In this disclosure, "solidification" means becoming solid, and "hardening" means that molecules link together to form polymers (for example, crosslinking or polymerization).

[0015] Next, as shown in Figure 1B, a stripping solution is supplied to the processed film on the wafer W. The stripping solution is a processing solution that removes the aforementioned processed film from the wafer W.

[0016] Specifically, after being supplied onto the processing film, the stripping solution penetrates into the processing film and reaches the interface of the wafer W. The stripping solution that reaches the interface of the wafer W penetrates into the pattern-forming surface, which is the interface of the wafer W.

[0017] In this way, as the stripping solution penetrates between the wafer W and the processed film, the processed film is peeled off from the wafer W in a "film" state, and consequently, the particles P attached to the pattern-forming surface are peeled off from the wafer W along with the processed film (see Figure 1C).

[0018] Furthermore, the film-forming solution can detach particles P attached to patterns, etc., from the patterns, etc., due to the strain (tensile force) caused by the volume contraction resulting from the volatilization of volatile components.

[0019] Next, a dissolving solution is supplied to the treated film that has been peeled off the wafer W. As a result, the treated film dissolves, and the particles P that were incorporated into the treated film become suspended in the dissolving solution (see Figure 1D). Subsequently, the particles P are removed from the wafer W by removing the dissolving solution and the dissolved treated film (see Figure 1E).

[0020] Thus, in the substrate processing method according to this embodiment, the processed film formed on the wafer W is peeled off from the wafer W in the form of a "film," thereby removing particles P attached to patterns and the like from the wafer W along with the processed film.

[0021] Therefore, according to the substrate processing method of the embodiment, particle removal is performed without utilizing chemical action, thus suppressing erosion of the underlying film due to etching and other actions.

[0022] Furthermore, the substrate processing method according to the embodiment can remove particles P with weaker force compared to conventional substrate processing methods that utilize physical force, thus suppressing pattern deformation.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the substrate processing method of the embodiment, it is possible to easily remove small particle sizes P, which were difficult to remove with conventional substrate processing methods that utilize physical force.

[0024] In the substrate processing method according to this embodiment, the processing film is completely removed from the wafer W after it has been formed on the wafer W, without performing pattern exposure. Therefore, the wafer W after substrate processing is in the state before the film formation solution was applied, that is, the state in which the pattern formation surface is exposed.

[0025] <Overview of the PCB Processing System> Next, the schematic configuration of the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment. In the following, in order to clarify the positional relationships, the X, Y, and Z axes are defined as being orthogonal to each other, and the positive direction of the Z axis is defined as the vertically upward direction.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the substrate processing system 1 comprises an input / output station 2 and a processing station 3. The input / output station 2 and the processing station 3 are located adjacent to each other.

[0027] The loading / unloading station 2 comprises a carrier mounting section 11 and a transport section 12. Multiple transport containers (hereinafter also referred to as "carriers C") capable of accommodating multiple wafers W in a horizontal position are mounted on the carrier mounting section 11.

[0028] The transport unit 12 is provided adjacent to the carrier mounting unit 11. Inside the transport unit 12 are a substrate transport device 121 and a transfer unit 122.

[0029] The substrate transport device 121 is equipped with a wafer holding mechanism for holding the wafer W. The substrate transport device 121 is also capable of moving horizontally and vertically, as well as rotating about the vertical axis, and transports the wafer W between the carrier C and the transfer unit 122 using the wafer holding mechanism.

[0030] The processing station 3 is located adjacent to the transport unit 12. The processing station 3 comprises a transport unit 13 and a plurality of substrate processing devices 14. The plurality of substrate processing devices 14 are arranged side by side on both sides of the transport unit 13.

[0031] The transport unit 13 includes a substrate transport device 131 inside. The substrate transport device 131 includes a wafer holding mechanism for holding wafers W. The substrate transport device 131 is capable of moving horizontally and vertically, as well as rotating about a vertical axis, and transports wafers W between the transfer unit 122 and the substrate processing device 14 using the wafer holding mechanism.

[0032] The substrate processing apparatus 14 is a device that performs substrate processing based on the substrate processing method described above. The specific configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 14 will be described later.

[0033] Furthermore, the substrate processing system 1 includes a control device 4. The control device 4 is a device that controls the operation of the substrate processing system 1. Such a control device 4 is, for example, a computer and comprises a control unit 15 and a storage unit 16. The storage unit 16 stores programs that control various processes of substrate processing. The control unit 15 controls the operation of the substrate processing system 1 by reading and executing the programs stored in the storage unit 16.

[0034] Such a program may have been recorded on a computer-readable storage medium and installed from that storage medium to the storage unit 16 of the control device 4. Examples of computer-readable storage mediums include hard disks (HDs), flexible disks (FDs), compact disks (CDs), magnetic optical disks (MOs), and memory cards.

[0035] In the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, first, the substrate transport device 121 of the loading / unloading station 2 takes out a wafer W from the carrier C and places the removed wafer W on the transfer unit 122. The wafer W placed on the transfer unit 122 is taken out of the transfer unit 122 by the substrate transport device 131 of the processing station 3 and transported to the substrate processing device 14, where the substrate processing device 14 performs substrate processing. After substrate processing, the wafer W is transported out of the substrate processing device 14 by the substrate transport device 131, placed on the transfer unit 122, and then returned to the carrier C by the substrate transport device 121.

[0036] <Configuration of substrate processing equipment> Next, the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 14 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 14. As shown in Figure 3, the substrate processing apparatus 14 comprises a chamber 20, a substrate holding section 30, a front surface supply section 40, a back surface supply section 50, and a collection cup 60.

[0037] Chamber 20 houses a substrate holding section 30, a front surface supply section 40, a back surface supply section 50, and a collection cup 60. An FFU (Fan Filter Unit) 21 is provided on the ceiling of chamber 20. The FFU 21 creates a downflow within chamber 20.

[0038] The FFU 21 is connected to the downflow gas supply source 23 via a flow regulator 22. The FFU 21 discharges the downflow gas (e.g., nitrogen or dry air) supplied from the downflow gas supply source 23 into the chamber 20. The flow regulator 22 regulates the flow rate of the downflow gas supplied to the FFU 21. The flow regulator 22 includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter, etc.

[0039] The substrate holding unit 30 comprises a holding unit 31, a support column 32, and a drive unit 33, and holds the wafer W that has been brought in. The holding unit 31 holds the wafer W horizontally. Multiple gripping units 31a are provided on the upper surface of the holding unit 31 to grip the peripheral edge of the wafer W.

[0040] The wafer W is held horizontally by the gripping portion 31a, slightly separated from the upper surface of the holding portion 31. The wafer W is held in the holding portion 31 with the side on which the pattern shown in Figure 1A is formed facing upwards.

[0041] The support column 32 is a member that extends vertically and supports the holding portion 31 from below. The drive unit 33 rotates the support column 32 around a vertical axis.

[0042] The substrate holding section 30 rotates the support column section 32 using the drive section 33, thereby rotating the holding section 31 supported by the support column section 32, and thereby rotating the wafer W held in the holding section 31.

[0043] The front surface supply unit 40 supplies various processing liquids to the front surface Wa (see Figure 5) of the wafer W held in the substrate holding unit 30. The front surface supply unit 40 is connected to the pre-treatment liquid supply source 42a via a flow rate regulator 41a and to the film deposition processing liquid supply source 42b via a flow rate regulator 41b.

[0044] Furthermore, the front surface supply unit 40 is connected to the DIW supply source 42c via the flow regulator 41c, and also connected to the IPA supply source 42d via the flow regulator 41d.

[0045] The pretreatment liquid supply source 42a is, for example, a tank for storing the pretreatment liquid. The flow regulator 41a adjusts the flow rate of the pretreatment liquid supplied to the front supply unit 40. The flow regulator 41a includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter, etc.

[0046] Examples of the pretreatment solution according to this embodiment include solvents such as alcohol-based solvents, ether-based solvents, ketone-based solvents, amide-based solvents, ester-based solvents, and hydrocarbon-based solvents.

[0047] Examples of alcoholic solvents include monohydric alcohols with 1 to 18 carbon atoms, dihydric alcohols with 2 to 12 carbon atoms, or partial ethers thereof.

[0048] Examples of monohydric alcohols with 1 to 18 carbon atoms include ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, 4-methyl-2-pentanol, cyclohexanol, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanol, and furfuryl alcohol. Other examples of monohydric alcohols with 1 to 18 carbon atoms include benzyl alcohol and diacetone alcohol.

[0049] Examples of dihydric alcohols with 2 to 12 carbon atoms include ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and tripropylene glycol.

[0050] Examples of ether-based solvents include dialkyl ether solvents, cyclic ether solvents, or aromatic ring-containing ether solvents.

[0051] Examples of dialkyl ether solvents include diethyl ether, dipropyl ether, dibutyl ether, and diisoamyl ether. Examples of cyclic ether solvents include tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran. Examples of aromatic ring-containing ether solvents include diphenyl ether and anisole.

[0052] Examples of ketone solvents include linear ketone solvents, cyclic ketone solvents, 2,4-pentanedione, acetonylacetone, and acetophenone.

[0053] Examples of linear ketone solvents include acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl-n-propyl ketone, methyl-n-butyl ketone, diethyl ketone, methyl-iso-butyl ketone, 2-heptanone, and ethyl-n-butyl ketone. Other examples of linear ketone solvents include methyl-n-hexyl ketone, di-iso-butyl ketone, and trimethylnonanone.

[0054] Examples of cyclic ketone solvents include cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, cycloheptanone, cyclooctanone, and methylcyclohexanone.

[0055] Examples of amide solvents include cyclic amide solvents and linear amide solvents. Examples of cyclic amide solvents include N,N'-dimethylimidazolidinone and N-methylpyrrolidone. Examples of linear amide solvents include N-methylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-diethylformamide, acetamide, N-methylacetamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, and N-methylpropionamide.

[0056] Examples of ester solvents include monohydric alcohol carboxylate solvents, polyhydric alcohol partial ether carboxylate solvents, cyclic ester solvents, carbonate solvents, and polyhydric carboxylate alkyl ester solvents.

[0057] Examples of monohydric alcohol carboxylate solvents include ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, benzyl acetate, cyclohexyl acetate, and ethyl lactate. Examples of polyhydric alcohol partial ether carboxylate solvents include monocarboxylates of alkylene glycol monoalkyl ethers and monocarboxylates of dialkylene glycol monoalkyl ethers.

[0058] Examples of cyclic ester solvents include butyrolactone. Examples of carbonate solvents include diethyl carbonate. Examples of polycarboxylic acid alkyl ester solvents include diethyl oxalate and diethyl phthalate.

[0059] Examples of hydrocarbon solvents include aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents. Aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents include n-pentane, iso-pentane, n-hexane, iso-hexane, n-heptane, iso-heptane, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, n-octane, iso-octane, and cyclohexane. Methylcyclohexane is another example of an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent.

[0060] Examples of aromatic hydrocarbon solvents include benzene, toluene, xylene, mesitylene, ethylbenzene, trimethylbenzene, methylethylbenzene, n-propylbenzene, iso-propylbenzene, diethylbenzene, and iso-butylbenzene. Other examples of aromatic hydrocarbon solvents include triethylbenzene, di-iso-propylbencene, and n-amylnaphthalene.

[0061] In the embodiment, organic solvents are preferred among the various solvents described above. As organic solvents, alcohol-based solvents and ether-based solvents are preferred, and monoalcohol-based solvents and dialkyl ether-based solvents are more preferred. Furthermore, 4-methyl-2-pentanol, diisoamyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethoxypropanol, and ethyl lactate are even more preferred as organic solvents.

[0062] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, the film-forming liquid supply source 42b is, for example, a tank for storing the film-forming liquid. The flow regulator 41b adjusts the flow rate of the film-forming liquid supplied to the front surface supply unit 40. The flow regulator 41b includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter, etc.

[0063] The film-forming solution according to the embodiment contains the solvent that constitutes the pretreatment solution described above (hereinafter also referred to as [A] solvent) and the polymer described below (hereinafter also referred to as [B] polymer). [B] polymer is a polymer that dissolves in [A] solvent. [B] polymer has a substructure represented by the following formula (1).

[0064] [ka]

[0065] In equation (1) above, R 1 , R 2 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, and an alkyl group or fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms. However, R 1 or R 2At least one of these is a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms. * indicates a bonding site with other atoms constituting the polymer.

[0066] The type of polymer is not particularly limited, but cyclic polyolefins and poly(meth)acrylates are preferred from the viewpoint of ease of synthesis and improved removeability. When using poly(meth)acrylates, preferred polymers include polymers having a structural unit containing a fluorine atom represented by the following formula (2) (hereinafter also referred to as "structural unit (I)").

[0067] [ka]

[0068] In formula (2) above, R' is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a methyl group, or a trifluoromethyl group. Rf is a group represented by formula (1) above or a group containing a substructure represented by formula (1) above.

[0069] From the viewpoint of copolymerization of the monomer that gives structural unit (I), hydrogen atoms and methyl groups are preferred for R', and methyl groups are more preferred.

[0070] Examples of the group represented by Rf above include hydroxy-substituted fluorinated linear hydrocarbon groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, hydroxy-substituted fluorinated alicyclic hydrocarbon groups, and hydroxy-substituted fluorinated aromatic hydrocarbon groups.

[0071] Examples of hydroxy-substituted fluorinated linear hydrocarbon groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms include hydroxydi(trifluoromethyl)methyl, hydroxydi(trifluoromethyl)ethyl, and hydroxydi(trifluoromethyl)propyl groups. Additionally, hydroxydi(trifluoromethyl)butyl groups are also examples of hydroxy-substituted fluorinated linear hydrocarbon groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

[0072] Examples of hydroxy-substituted fluorinated alicyclic hydrocarbon groups include the hydroxytetrafluorocyclopentyl group and the hydroxytetrafluorocyclohexyl group. Examples of hydroxy-substituted fluorinated aromatic hydrocarbon groups include the hydroxyphenyldifluoromethyl group.

[0073] As for Rf, among the various groups mentioned above, a hydroxy-substituted fluorinated linear hydrocarbon group is preferred, and a hydroxydi(trifluoromethyl)butyl group is more preferred.

[0074] The content of structural unit (I) is preferably 10 mol% to 100 mol%, more preferably 50 mol% to 100 mol%, even more preferably 90 mol% to 100 mol%, and particularly preferably 95 mol% to 100 mol%, relative to the total structural units constituting the [B] polymer. By setting the content of structural unit (I) within the above range, the removeability of the treated film can be further improved.

[0075] [B] The polymer may further have structural units (II) such as a structural unit containing a fluoroalkyl group, a structural unit containing a β-diketone structure, a structural unit containing a carboxyl group, a structural unit containing a sulfo group, or a structural unit containing a sulfonamide group.

[0076] Furthermore, the [B] polymer may also have structural units (II) such as structural units derived from alkyl (meth)acrylate, structural units containing a monocyclic or polycyclic lactone skeleton, structural units containing a hydroxyl group, structural units containing an aromatic ring, or structural units containing an acid-dissociable group.

[0077] When structural unit (II) contains a fluoroalkyl group, the content of structural unit (II) in the polymer is preferably 50 mol% or less, more preferably less than 30 mol%, and particularly preferably less than 10 mol%. When the proportion of structural unit (II) containing a fluoroalkyl group exceeds 50 mol%, the removalability of the treated film tends to decrease, especially when the organic acid described later (C) is not added.

[0078] [B] The acid dissociation constant of the polymer is preferably smaller than that of the organic acid [C] described later. By making the acid dissociation constant of the polymer [B] smaller than that of the organic acid [C], the removeability of the treated film from the substrate surface can be further improved.

[0079] [B] The acid dissociation constants of polymers and [C] organic acids can be determined by known titration methods. For evaluating the relative magnitudes of acid dissociation constants, a simpler method than titration is to obtain them from calculations using chemical calculation software. For example, this can be done using a program provided by ChemAxon.

[0080] The lower limit of the [B] polymer content in the film formation solution is preferably 0.1% by mass, more preferably 0.5% by mass, and still more preferably 1% by mass. The upper limit of the above content is preferably 50% by mass, more preferably 30% by mass, and still more preferably 15% by mass. By setting the above content between the lower limit and the upper limit, the removeability of the treated film from the substrate surface can be further improved.

[0081] The lower limit of the content of [B] polymer relative to the total solid content in the film-forming solution is preferably 30% by mass, more preferably 40% by mass, and even more preferably 50% by mass. The upper limit of the above content is preferably 99% by mass, more preferably 98% by mass, and even more preferably 96% by mass.

[0082] The film-forming solution may further contain a [C]organic acid. Adding a [C]organic acid makes it easier to remove the treated film formed on the substrate surface. The [C]organic acid is preferably a non-polymer. Here, "non-polymer" means that it does not have repeating units.

[0083] [C] The upper limit of the molecular weight of the organic acid is, for example, 500, preferably 400, and more preferably 300. [C] The lower limit of the molecular weight of the organic acid is, for example, 50, preferably 55.

[0084] [C] Examples of organic acids include monocarboxylic acids such as monocarboxylic acids, fluorine atom-containing monocarboxylic acids, heteroatom-containing monocarboxylic acids, and double bond-containing monocarboxylic acids, as well as polycarboxylic acids or partial esters of the above polycarboxylic acids.

[0085] Examples of monocarboxylic acids include acetic acid, propionic acid, butanoic acid, pentanoic acid, hexanoic acid, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, cyclohexylacetic acid, 1-adamantanecarboxylic acid, benzoic acid, and phenylacetic acid.

[0086] Examples of fluorine-containing monocarboxylic acids include difluoroacetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, pentafluoropropanoic acid, heptafluorobutanoic acid, fluorophenylacetic acid, and difluorobenzoic acid.

[0087] Examples of heteroatom-containing monocarboxylic acids include 10-hydroxydecanoic acid, thiolacetic acid, 5-oxohexanoic acid, 3-methoxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid, camphorcarboxylic acid, dinitrobenzoic acid, and nitrophenylacetic acid.

[0088] Examples of monocarboxylic acids containing double bonds include (meth)acrylic acid, crotonic acid, and cinnamic acid.

[0089] Examples of polycarboxylic acids include oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, dodecanedicarboxylic acid, propanetricarboxylic acid, butanetetracarboxylic acid, hexafluoroglutaric acid, and cyclohexanehexacarboxylic acid. Additionally, 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid is another example of a polycarboxylic acid.

[0090] [C] The lower limit of the solubility of the organic acid in water at 25°C is preferably 5% by mass, more preferably 7% by mass, and still more preferably 10% by mass. The upper limit of the solubility is preferably 50% by mass, more preferably 40% by mass, and still more preferably 30% by mass. By setting the solubility between the lower and upper limits, the removal of the formed treatment film can be made easier.

[0091] [C] The organic acid is preferably solid at 25°C. When the [C] organic acid is solid at 25°C, it is thought that the solid [C] organic acid precipitates in the treated film formed from the film-forming solution, which further improves its removal efficiency.

[0092] [C] As for the organic acid, polycarboxylic acids are preferred from the viewpoint of making it easier to remove the treated film, and oxalic acid, malic acid, and citric acid are more preferred.

[0093] The lower limit of the content of [C] organic acid in the film-forming solution is preferably 0.01% by mass, more preferably 0.05% by mass, and still more preferably 0.1% by mass. The upper limit of the above content is preferably 30% by mass, more preferably 20% by mass, and still more preferably 10% by mass.

[0094] The lower limit of the content of [C] organic acid relative to the total solid content in the film-forming solution is preferably 0.5% by mass, more preferably 1% by mass, and still more preferably 3% by mass. The upper limit of the above content is preferably 30% by mass, more preferably 20% by mass, and still more preferably 10% by mass.

[0095] [C] By setting the content of organic acids between the above lower limit and upper limit, the removal of the treated film can be made easier.

[0096] The film-forming solution may contain any components other than the above-mentioned components [A] to [C]. Examples of such optional components include surfactants.

[0097] Examples of surfactants include polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, and polyoxyethylene n-octylphenyl ether. Nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene n-nonylphenyl ether, polyethylene glycol dilaurate, and polyethylene glycol distearate are also examples of surfactants.

[0098] The content of the above-mentioned surfactant is usually 2% by mass or less, and preferably 1% by mass or less.

[0099] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, the DIW supply source 42c is, for example, a tank for storing DIW (Deionized Water). DIW is an example of pure water. The flow regulator 41c adjusts the flow rate of DIW supplied to the front supply unit 40. The flow regulator 41c includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter.

[0100] The IPA supply source 42d is, for example, a tank for storing IPA (isopropyl alcohol). The flow regulator 41d adjusts the flow rate of IPA supplied to the front supply unit 40. The flow regulator 41d includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter, etc.

[0101] The back surface supply unit 50 supplies various processing fluids to the back surface Wb (see Figure 5) of the wafer W held by the substrate holding unit 30. The back surface supply unit 50 is inserted through the hollow portions of the holding unit 31 and the support column 32. A flow channel extending vertically is formed inside the back surface supply unit 50.

[0102] Such a flow path is connected to a nitrogen gas supply source 52a via a flow regulator 51a, to a DIW supply source 52b via a heater 53 and a flow regulator 51b, and to an IPA supply source 52c via a heater 54 and a flow regulator 51c.

[0103] The nitrogen gas supply source 52a is, for example, a tank for storing nitrogen (N2) gas. The flow regulator 51a adjusts the flow rate of nitrogen gas supplied to the rear supply unit 50. The flow regulator 51a includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter.

[0104] The DIW supply source 52b is, for example, a tank for storing DIW. The DIW supply source 52b may be the same supply source as the DIW supply source 42c.

[0105] The flow regulator 51b adjusts the flow rate of DIW supplied to the back supply unit 50. The flow regulator 51b includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter. The heater 53 raises the temperature of the DIW supplied to the back supply unit 50 to a given temperature.

[0106] IPA source 52c is, for example, a tank for storing IPA. Note that IPA source 52c may be the same source as IPA source 42d.

[0107] The flow regulator 51c adjusts the flow rate of IPA supplied to the back supply unit 50. The flow regulator 51c includes an on-off valve, a flow control valve, and a flow meter. The heater 54 raises the temperature of the IPA supplied to the back supply unit 50 to a given temperature.

[0108] The recovery cup 60 is positioned to surround the holding unit 31 and collects the processing liquid scattered from the wafer W as the holding unit 31 rotates. A drain port 61 is formed at the bottom of the recovery cup 60, and the processing liquid collected by the recovery cup 60 is discharged to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 14 through this drain port 61. An exhaust port 62 is also formed at the bottom of the recovery cup 60 to discharge the gas supplied from the FFU 21 to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus 14.

[0109] <Details of substrate processing> Next, the details of the substrate processing according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 15. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for substrate processing performed by the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0110] In the substrate processing according to this embodiment, first, the control unit 15 controls the transport units 12, 13, etc., to transport the wafer W into the substrate processing apparatus 14 (step S101). The transported wafer W is held in the holding unit 31 with its front surface Wa facing upwards.

[0111] Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the back surface supply unit 50, etc., to perform pre-processing on the wafer W (step S102). Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the pre-processing according to the embodiment.

[0112] As shown in Figure 5, the control unit 15 (see Figure 2) supplies pretreatment liquid to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40a of the front surface supply unit 40, and supplies DIW to the back surface Wb of the wafer W from the discharge port 50a of the back surface supply unit 50.

[0113] Then, as shown in Figure 6, the control unit 15 rotates the wafer W while supplying nitrogen gas to the back surface Wb of the wafer W from the discharge port 50b of the back surface supply unit 50, spreading the pre-treatment liquid supplied to the front surface Wa. As a result, a film F1 of the pre-treatment liquid is formed over the entire front surface Wa of the wafer W.

[0114] In this way, by pre-spreading solvent [A], which has affinity for the film-forming solution, onto the wafer W, the film-forming solution becomes easier to spread across the upper surface of the wafer W during the subsequent process of supplying the film-forming solution, and also easier to penetrate into the gaps in the pattern.

[0115] This reduces the amount of film-forming solution used and allows for more reliable removal of particles P (see Figure 1A) that have entered the gaps in the pattern. Furthermore, it shortens the processing time required for forming the treated film.

[0116] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the control unit 15 then controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to perform the process of forming a processed film on the wafer W (step S103). Figures 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating the process of forming a processed film according to the embodiment.

[0117] As shown in Figure 7, the control unit 15 (see Figure 2) supplies the film-forming solution to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40b of the front surface supply unit 40. Then, as shown in Figure 8, the control unit 15 rotates the wafer W to spread and dry the film-forming solution supplied to the front surface Wa. As a result, a processed film is formed over the entire front surface Wa of the wafer W.

[0118] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the control unit 15 then controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to supply the peeling treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S104). In parallel with the process in step S104, the control unit 15 also controls the back surface supply unit 50 and the like to supply the heating treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S105).

[0119] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the process of supplying the stripping liquid and the process of supplying the heat treatment liquid according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the control unit 15 (see Figure 2) supplies DIW to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40c of the front surface supply unit 40, and supplies IPA to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40d.

[0120] In other words, in the substrate processing according to the embodiment, the stripping solution used to remove the processing film on the wafer W is a mixture of IPA and DIW.

[0121] Figure 10 shows the relationship between the IPA concentration in the stripping solution and the surface tension of the stripping solution. As shown in Figure 10, in a stripping solution using DIW as the solvent, the surface tension of the stripping solution decreases as the IPA concentration increases.

[0122] In the substrate processing according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1C, the peeling solution is introduced into the interface between the wafer W and the processing film, thereby peeling the processing film from the wafer W in a "film" state. During this peeling phenomenon, pressure (surface tension) is generated at the interface between the wafer W and the processing film, causing the processing film to be pushed up.

[0123] Therefore, in the substrate processing according to the embodiment, it is estimated that the better the wettability of the wafer W (i.e., the lower the surface tension of the stripping solution), the better the stripping performance of the processed film.

[0124] Therefore, in this embodiment, by using a stripping solution to which IPA is added to DIW, the surface tension of the stripping solution is reduced. This improves the stripping performance of the treated film. In addition, since IPA has little effect on the metal film on the wafer W, damage to the underlying film of the wafer W can be suppressed.

[0125] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, in parallel with the supply process of the stripping liquid, the control unit 15 supplies heated DIW (Hot DIW) from the discharge port 50a of the back surface supply unit 50 to the back surface Wb of the wafer W. The heated DIW is an example of a heat treatment liquid.

[0126] In this way, by supplying heated DIW to the back surface Wb of the wafer W in parallel with the supply process of the stripping solution, the temperature of the stripping solution located on the front surface Wa is increased. As a result, the surface tension of the stripping solution can be further reduced, as shown in Figure 11. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature of the IPA and the surface tension of the IPA.

[0127] Therefore, according to the embodiment, the peeling performance of the treated film can be improved, and thus high particle removal performance can be obtained.

[0128] Furthermore, if DIW alone is used as a stripping solution, even if the temperature of the stripping solution is increased directly or indirectly, the surface tension of the stripping solution will hardly decrease, and therefore the stripping performance of the treated film will hardly improve.

[0129] In other words, in this embodiment, by using a stripping solution to which IPA is added to DIW, a significant improvement in stripping performance when the temperature is raised becomes apparent for the first time.

[0130] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by not directly heating the stripping liquid supplied from the surface supply unit 40, it is possible to suppress the inclusion of impurities in the IPA during the heating process. Therefore, according to this embodiment, contamination of the surface Wa by heated IPA can be suppressed.

[0131] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by supplying heated DIW to the back surface Wb of the wafer W in parallel with the supply process of the stripping treatment liquid, the treatment film attached to the back surface Wb can be removed.

[0132] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the temperature of the DIW supplied to the back surface Wb of the wafer W during step S105 is preferably 50°C to 80°C. This further improves the peeling performance of the processed film, thereby achieving even higher particle removal performance.

[0133] Figure 12 shows the relationship between the IPA concentration in the stripping solution and the particle removal rate. As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment, the IPA concentration in the stripping solution is preferably 20% by volume or less.

[0134] If the concentration of IPA in the stripping solution is higher than 20% by volume, the phenomenon of the treated film dissolving due to the stripping solution becomes significant, making it difficult to float particles P (see Figure 1A) together with the treated film.

[0135] Therefore, in this embodiment, high particle removal performance can be obtained by setting the concentration of IPA in the stripping solution to 20% by volume or less.

[0136] Furthermore, in the embodiment, the concentration of IPA in the stripping solution is preferably 2% by volume or more. If the concentration of IPA in the stripping solution is less than 2% by volume, the surface tension of the stripping solution will not decrease sufficiently, resulting in a decrease in the stripping performance of the treated film.

[0137] Therefore, in this embodiment, high particle removal performance can be obtained by setting the concentration of IPA in the stripping solution to 2% by volume or more.

[0138] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the process of removing the treated film is not limited to using a stripping solution with one type of IPA concentration as described above, but may also be performed using stripping solutions with multiple types of IPA concentrations.

[0139] For example, in the process of supplying the stripping solution, the control unit 15 first performs a first process in which it supplies a stripping solution with an IPA concentration of a given first concentration (for example, about 17% to 18% by volume) to the front surface Wa of the wafer W. This allows the stripping solution to efficiently penetrate the interface between the processed film and the wafer W.

[0140] Next, the control unit 15 performs a second process after the first process, in which it supplies a stripping solution with a second concentration of IPA (for example, about 9% to 10% by volume) lower than the first concentration to the front surface Wa of the wafer W. As a result, the treatment film that has lifted from the wafer W is peeled off with almost no dissolution, thus efficiently stripping the treatment film.

[0141] Therefore, according to the embodiment, the peeling performance of the treated film can be further improved, and thus even higher particle removal performance can be obtained.

[0142] In the above example, an example of changing the IPA concentration of the stripping solution in two stages was shown, but this disclosure is not limited to such an example, and the IPA concentration of the stripping solution may be changed in three or more stages. By doing so, even higher particle removal performance can be obtained by gradually decreasing the IPA concentration of the stripping solution.

[0143] In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, the stripping liquid may be discharged from separate nozzles 40c and 40d, respectively, and mixed on the wafer W. This prevents the IPA and DIW from mixing inside the piping.

[0144] In another embodiment, the IPA and DIW may be mixed inside the piping (for example, inside a valve) to generate a stripping solution, and this stripping solution may be supplied to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from a single nozzle.

[0145] This allows for flexible adjustment of the IPA concentration in the stripping solution and suppresses splashing of the stripping solution on the front surface Wa of the wafer W. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a well-mixed stripping solution can be produced. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the stripping process of the treated film can be carried out stably.

[0146] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the control unit 15 then controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the back surface supply unit 50, etc., to perform a rinsing process on the wafer W (step S106). Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the rinsing process according to this embodiment.

[0147] As shown in Figure 13, the control unit 15 (see Figure 2) supplies DIW to the front surface Waa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40c of the front surface supply unit 40, and also supplies DIW to the back surface Wb of the wafer W from the discharge port 50a of the back surface supply unit 50.

[0148] This allows the peeled-off treatment film to be washed away as much as possible from the front surface Wa of the wafer W, and also allows the treatment film adhering to the back surface Wb of the wafer W to be washed away. However, some of the treatment film remains on the front surface Wa of the wafer W.

[0149] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the control unit 15 then controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the back surface supply unit 50, etc., to supply the dissolution treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S107). Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the process of supplying the dissolution treatment liquid according to the embodiment.

[0150] As shown in Figure 14, the control unit 15 (see Figure 2) supplies IPA to the front surface Waa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40d of the front surface supply unit 40, and also supplies IPA to the back surface Wb of the wafer W from the discharge port 50c of the back surface supply unit 50. The IPA supplied from the front surface supply unit 40 is an example of a dissolution treatment solution.

[0151] As a result, as shown in Figure 1D, the treated film dissolves, and the particles P that were incorporated into the treated film become suspended in the dissolution solution.

[0152] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the control unit 15 then controls the substrate holding unit 30 and the like to perform a drying process on the wafer W by spin drying (step S108). As a result, as shown in Figure 1E, the dissolution treatment liquid, the dissolved treatment film, and particles P are removed from the wafer W.

[0153] Finally, the control unit 15 controls the transport units 12 and 13, etc., to discharge the wafer W from the substrate processing apparatus 14 (step S109), thus completing the series of substrate processing operations.

[0154] <Various variations> Next, various modifications of the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 15 to 18. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the substrate processing procedure performed by the substrate processing system 1 according to modification 1 of the embodiment.

[0155] In the substrate processing according to Modification 1, first, the control unit 15 controls the transport units 12, 13, etc. to load the wafer W into the substrate processing apparatus 14 (step S201). Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the back surface supply unit 50, etc. to perform pre-processing on the wafer W (step S202).

[0156] Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to perform the process of forming a processed film on the wafer W (step S203). Since the processes in steps S201 to S203 are the same as the processes in steps S101 to S103 of the embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0157] Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to supply the stripping liquid to the wafer W (step S204). Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the stripping liquid supply process according to a modified example 1 of the embodiment.

[0158] As shown in Figure 16, the control unit 15 (see Figure 2) supplies DIW to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40c of the front surface supply unit 40, and also supplies IPA to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40d. In other words, in the modified example 1, as in the embodiment described above, a mixture of IPA and DIW is supplied to the front surface Wa of the wafer W as a stripping solution.

[0159] Furthermore, in parallel with the supply process of the stripping treatment liquid, in the modified example 1, room temperature (i.e., unheated) DIW is supplied to the back surface Wb of the wafer W from the discharge port 50a of the back surface supply unit 50. This makes it possible to remove the treatment film attached to the back surface Wb.

[0160] Returning to the explanation of Figure 15, the control unit 15 then controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the back surface supply unit 50, etc., to perform a rinsing process on the wafer W (step S205). Since the process in step S205 is the same as the process in step S106 of the embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0161] Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to supply the dissolution treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S206). In parallel with the process in step S206, the control unit 15 controls the back surface supply unit 50 and the like to supply the heat treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S207).

[0162] Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating the process of supplying the dissolution treatment liquid and the process of supplying the heat treatment liquid according to a modified example 1 of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 17, the control unit 15 (see Figure 2) supplies IPA as a dissolution treatment liquid to the front surface Wa of the wafer W from the nozzle 40d of the front surface supply unit 40.

[0163] As a result, the treated film dissolves, and the particles P that were incorporated into the treated film become suspended in the dissolution solution.

[0164] In parallel with the dissolution treatment liquid supply process, the control unit 15 supplies heated IPA (Hot IPA) from the discharge port 50c of the back surface supply unit 50 to the back surface Wb of the wafer W. Heated IPA is another example of a heat treatment liquid.

[0165] In this way, by supplying heated IPA to the back surface Wb of the wafer W in parallel with the dissolution solution supply process, the temperature of the dissolution solution located on the front surface Wa increases. This improves the dissolution capacity of the dissolution solution. Therefore, according to Modification 1, residue from the processed film can be efficiently removed, resulting in high particle removal performance.

[0166] Furthermore, in Modification 1, by not directly heating the dissolution treatment liquid supplied from the front surface supply unit 40, it is possible to suppress the inclusion of impurities in the IPA during the heating treatment of the IPA. Therefore, according to Modification 1, contamination of the front surface Wa with heated IPA can be suppressed.

[0167] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the temperature of the IPA supplied to the back surface Wb of the wafer W during step S207 is preferably 50°C to 80°C. This allows for more efficient removal of residue from the processed film, thereby achieving even higher particle removal performance.

[0168] Returning to the explanation of Figure 15, the control unit 15 then controls the substrate holding unit 30 and the like to perform a spin drying process on the wafer W (step S208). Finally, the control unit 15 controls the transport units 12 and 13 and the like to unload the wafer W from the substrate processing apparatus 14 (step S209), thus completing the series of substrate processing operations.

[0169] Figure 18 is a flowchart showing an example of a substrate processing procedure performed by the substrate processing system 1 according to modified embodiment 2.

[0170] In the substrate processing according to the modified example 2, first, the control unit 15 controls the transport units 12 and 13, etc., to load the wafer W into the substrate processing apparatus 14 (step S301). Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the back surface supply unit 50, etc., to perform pre-processing on the wafer W (step S302).

[0171] Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to perform the process of forming a processed film on the wafer W (step S303). Since the processes in steps S301 to S303 are the same as the processes in steps S101 to S103 of the embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0172] Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to supply the peeling treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S304). In parallel with the process in step S304, the control unit 15 controls the back surface supply unit 50 and the like to supply the heating treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S305).

[0173] Since the processes in steps S304 and S305 are the same as those in steps S104 and S105 of the embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0174] In this way, by supplying heated DIW to the back surface Wb of the wafer W in parallel with the supply process of the stripping solution, the temperature of the stripping solution located on the front surface Wa increases. This further reduces the surface tension of the stripping solution.

[0175] Therefore, according to Modification 2, the peeling performance of the treated film can be improved, and thus high particle removal performance can be obtained.

[0176] Next, the control unit 15 controls the front surface supply unit 40 and the like to supply the dissolution treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S306). In parallel with the process in step S306, the control unit 15 controls the back surface supply unit 50 and the like to supply the heating treatment liquid to the wafer W (step S307).

[0177] Since the processes in steps S306 and S307 are the same as those in steps S206 and S207 of the embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0178] In this way, by supplying heated IPA to the back surface Wb of the wafer W in parallel with the dissolution treatment process, the temperature of the dissolution treatment solution located on the front surface Wa increases. This improves the dissolution capacity of the dissolution treatment solution. Therefore, according to Modification 2, residue of the treated film can be efficiently removed, and high particle removal performance can be obtained.

[0179] Next, the control unit 15 controls the substrate holding unit 30 and the like to perform a drying process on the wafer W by spin drying (step S308). Finally, the control unit 15 controls the transport units 12, 13 and the like to unload the wafer W from the substrate processing apparatus 14 (step S309), thus completing the series of substrate processing operations.

[0180] In this modified example 2, the processing film on the wafer W can be efficiently removed by the processing in steps S305 and S307. Therefore, in modified example 2, the rinsing process (steps S106, S205) that was performed in the above-described embodiment and modified example 1 can be omitted. Consequently, according to modified example 2, the processing time of the wafer W can be shortened, and thus the throughput of the wafer W can be improved.

[0181] The substrate processing apparatus 14 according to this embodiment comprises a substrate holding unit 30, a front surface supply unit 40, a back surface supply unit 50, and a control unit 15. The substrate holding unit 30 holds the substrate (wafer W). The front surface supply unit 40 supplies processing liquid to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W). The back surface supply unit 50 supplies processing liquid to the back surface Wb of the substrate (wafer W). The control unit 15 controls each unit. The control unit 15 also performs the following processes: forming a processing film, supplying a peeling processing liquid, supplying a dissolving processing liquid, and supplying a heating processing liquid. The process of forming a processing film involves supplying a film-forming processing liquid containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W) to form a processing film formed by the solidification or hardening of the film-forming processing liquid. The process of supplying a peeling processing liquid involves supplying a peeling processing liquid to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W) to peel off the processing film. The dissolution treatment process involves supplying a dissolution treatment solution to the front surface Waa of the substrate (wafer W) to dissolve and remove any residue of the treatment film. The heating treatment process involves supplying a heated heating treatment solution to the back surface Wb of the substrate (wafer W) in parallel with at least one of the stripping treatment process and the dissolution treatment process. This allows for high particle removal performance.

[0182] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 14 according to the embodiment, the stripping solution is a mixture of IPA and pure water (DIW), and the concentration of IPA in the stripping solution is 20% by volume or less. This makes it possible to obtain even higher particle removal performance.

[0183] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 14 according to the embodiment, the stripping liquid is supplied to the substrate (wafer W) after the IPA and pure water (DIW) are mixed before being discharged from the nozzle. This prevents the IPA and DIW from mixing inside the piping.

[0184] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 14 according to the embodiment, the stripping liquid consists of IPA and pure water, which are discharged from separate nozzles and mixed on the substrate (wafer W). This allows for stable stripping of the processing film.

[0185] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 14 according to the embodiment, the process of supplying a heat treatment liquid in parallel with the process of supplying a stripping treatment liquid involves supplying pure water (DIW) at 50°C to 80°C to the back surface Wb of the substrate (wafer W). This makes it possible to obtain even higher particle removal performance.

[0186] Furthermore, in the substrate processing apparatus 14 according to the embodiment, the process of supplying a heating treatment liquid in parallel with the process of supplying a dissolving treatment liquid supplies IPA at 50°C to 80°C to the back surface Wb of the substrate (wafer W). This makes it possible to obtain even higher particle removal performance.

[0187] Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 14 according to the embodiment includes a substrate holding unit 30, a front surface supply unit 40, and a control unit 15. The substrate holding unit 30 holds the substrate (wafer W). The front surface supply unit 40 supplies processing liquid to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W). The control unit 15 controls each unit. The control unit 15 also performs a process of forming a processing film and a process of supplying a peeling processing liquid. The process of forming a processing film involves supplying a film-forming processing liquid containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W) to form a processing film formed by the solidification or hardening of the film-forming processing liquid. The process of supplying a peeling processing liquid involves supplying a peeling processing liquid, which is a mixture of IPA and pure water, to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W) to peel off the processing film. Furthermore, the process of supplying a peeling processing liquid includes a first process and a second process. The first process involves supplying a stripping solution with a given first concentration of IPA to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W). The second process involves supplying a stripping solution with a second concentration of IPA, which is lower than the first concentration, to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W) after the first process. This allows for high particle removal performance.

[0188] Furthermore, the substrate processing method according to the embodiment includes a step of forming a processing film, a step of supplying a peeling processing liquid, a step of supplying a dissolving processing liquid, and a step of supplying a heating processing liquid. In the step of forming a processing film (steps S103, S203, S303), a film-forming processing liquid containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent is supplied to the front surface Wa of the substrate held by the substrate holding part 30, and a processing film is formed when the film-forming processing liquid solidifies or hardens. In the step of supplying a peeling processing liquid (steps S104, S204, S304), a peeling processing liquid for peeling off the processing film is supplied to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W). In the step of supplying a dissolving processing liquid (steps S107, S206, S306), a dissolving processing liquid for dissolving and removing the residue of the processing film is supplied to the front surface Wa of the substrate (wafer W). The step of supplying the heat treatment liquid (steps S105, S207, S305, S307) supplies heated heat treatment liquid to the back surface Wb of the substrate (wafer W) in parallel with at least one of the steps of supplying the peeling treatment liquid and supplying the dissolving treatment liquid. This makes it possible to obtain high particle removal performance.

[0189] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, in the above embodiments, an example was shown in which a mixture of DIW and IPA is used as the peeling solution for peeling the processed film on the wafer W, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an example, and peeling solutions having other compositions may be used.

[0190] This also allows for improved peeling performance of the treated film by supplying a heat treatment solution to the back surface Wb in parallel with the supply of the peeling treatment solution, thereby achieving high particle removal performance.

[0191] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. Indeed, the embodiments described above can be embodied in a variety of forms. Furthermore, the embodiments described above may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0192] W wafer (an example of a substrate) Wa Front Wb back side 14. Substrate Processing Equipment 15 Control Unit 30 Board holding part 40 Front surface supply section 50 Back supply section

Claims

1. A substrate holding section that holds the substrate, A front surface supply unit that supplies processing liquid to the front surface of the substrate, A back surface supply unit that supplies processing liquid to the back surface of the substrate, A control unit that controls each part, Equipped with, The control unit, A process in which a film-forming solution containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent is supplied to the front surface of the substrate, and a treated film is formed when the film-forming solution solidifies or hardens. A process of supplying a peeling liquid to the front surface of the substrate to peel off the treated film, A process of supplying a dissolving treatment solution to the front surface of the substrate to dissolve and remove the residue of the treatment film, In parallel with at least one of the processes of supplying the stripping solution and supplying the dissolving solution, the process of supplying heated heat treatment solution to the back surface of the substrate is performed. The aforementioned stripping treatment solution is a mixture of IPA and pure water. The concentration of IPA in the stripping solution is 20% by volume or less. Circuit board processing equipment.

2. A substrate holding part for holding a substrate, A front surface supply unit that supplies processing liquid to the front surface of the substrate, A back surface supply unit that supplies processing liquid to the back surface of the substrate, A control unit that controls each part, Equipped with, The control unit, A process in which a film-forming solution containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent is supplied to the front surface of the substrate, and a treated film is formed when the film-forming solution solidifies or hardens. A process of supplying a peeling liquid to the front surface of the substrate to peel off the treated film, A process of supplying a dissolving treatment solution to the front surface of the substrate to dissolve and remove the residue of the treatment film, In parallel with at least one of the processes of supplying the stripping solution and supplying the dissolving solution, the process of supplying heated heat treatment solution to the back surface of the substrate is performed. The process of supplying the heat treatment liquid in parallel with the process of supplying the dissolution treatment liquid involves supplying IPA at 50°C to 80°C to the back surface of the substrate. Circuit board processing equipment.

3. The stripping solution is a mixture of IPA and pure water, which is then supplied to the substrate before being discharged from the nozzle. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The stripping solution is formed by discharging IPA and pure water from separate nozzles and mixing them on the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The process of supplying the heat treatment liquid in parallel with the process of supplying the stripping treatment liquid involves supplying pure water at 50°C to 80°C to the back surface of the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A substrate holding section that holds the substrate, A front surface supply unit that supplies processing liquid to the front surface of the substrate, A control unit that controls each part, Equipped with, The control unit, A process in which a film-forming solution containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent is supplied to the front surface of the substrate, and a treated film is formed when the film-forming solution solidifies or hardens. The process involves supplying a peeling solution, which is a mixture of IPA and pure water, to the front surface of the substrate to peel off the treated film. The process of supplying the aforementioned stripping treatment liquid is: A first treatment involves supplying the stripping solution, in which the concentration of IPA is a given first concentration, to the front surface of the substrate. The process includes, after the first process, supplying the stripping solution, having a second concentration of IPA lower than the first concentration, to the front surface of the substrate. Circuit board processing equipment.

7. A step of supplying a film-forming treatment solution containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent to the front surface of a substrate held in a substrate holding section, thereby forming a treated film when the film-forming treatment solution solidifies or hardens. A step of supplying a peeling liquid for peeling off the processed film to the front surface of the substrate, A step of supplying a dissolving treatment solution to the front surface of the substrate to dissolve and remove the residue of the treatment film, In parallel with at least one of the steps of supplying the stripping treatment liquid and supplying the dissolving treatment liquid, a step of supplying heated heat treatment liquid to the back surface of the substrate, Includes, The aforementioned stripping treatment solution is a mixture of IPA and pure water. The concentration of IPA in the stripping solution is 20% by volume or less. Substrate processing method.

8. A step of supplying a film-forming treatment solution containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent to the front surface of a substrate held by a substrate holding part, and forming a treated film when the film-forming treatment solution solidifies or hardens, A step of supplying a peeling liquid for peeling off the processed film to the front surface of the substrate, A step of supplying a dissolving treatment solution to the front surface of the substrate to dissolve and remove the residue of the treatment film, In parallel with at least one of the steps of supplying the stripping treatment liquid and supplying the dissolving treatment liquid, a step of supplying heated heat treatment liquid to the back surface of the substrate, Includes, The step of supplying the heat treatment liquid in parallel with the step of supplying the dissolution treatment liquid involves supplying IPA at 50°C to 80°C to the back surface of the substrate. Substrate processing method.

9. A step of supplying a film-forming treatment solution containing a polymer soluble in an organic solvent to the front surface of a substrate held by a substrate holding part, thereby forming a treated film when the film-forming treatment solution solidifies or hardens, The process involves supplying a stripping solution, which is a mixture of IPA and pure water, to the front surface of the substrate to strip the treated film. Includes, The step of supplying the aforementioned stripping treatment liquid is: A first step of supplying the stripping solution, in which the concentration of IPA is a given first concentration, to the front surface of the substrate, The process includes, after the first step, a second step of supplying the stripping solution, having a second concentration of IPA lower than the first concentration, to the front surface of the substrate. Substrate processing method.

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