Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus, and a substrate processing method. The substrate processing apparatus comprises: a carrying platform, used for carrying the substrate and rotating with the substrate; a spray head, comprising a liquid outlet, and a gas outlet partially surrounding the liquid outlet, an orthographic projection of the gas outlet onto the carrying platform being located between the center of the carrying platform and an orthographic projection of the liquid outlet onto the carrying platform, the liquid outlet being used for spraying a chemical liquid to form a liquid column, so as to clean an edge of the substrate, and the gas outlet being used for spraying a gas to form a gas curtain. When the substrate rotates, the spray head is configured to move the liquid column and the air curtain around an edge washing line of the substrate, the air curtain partially surrounding the liquid column. The air curtain provided by the present invention compensates for the problem of centrifugal force under low-speed rotation not being enough to throw out a chemical liquid, making it impossible to complete edge washing. In addition, the air curtain may further block a splashed chemical liquid, so as to avoid a defect of chemical liquid splashed in a central area of the substrate.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor technology and relates to a substrate processing apparatus and method for substrates such as semiconductor wafers or FPDs (flat panel displays). Background Technology

[0002] In general, during the manufacturing process of semiconductor equipment, the photoresist coating of semiconductor wafers (hereinafter referred to as substrates) is formed by spin coating. Therefore, during the process of coating photoresist on the substrate surface, the centrifugal force of rotating the substrate will cause the photoresist on the substrate to flow to the edge and back of the substrate during spin coating, forming bulges.

[0003] In the substrate electroplating process, the electroplating solution forms a metal film on the substrate surface by spin plating. However, under the action of centrifugal force, the electroplating solution gradually moves towards the edge and back of the substrate and forms bulges.

[0004] To overcome the aforementioned problems, edge bead removal (EBR) is required to clean the substrate edges as thoroughly as possible. The substrate edge cleaning process uses a nozzle to spray a chemical solution onto the substrate edges to remove defects generated at the edges and back side. For circular substrates, the substrate rotates at high speed while the nozzle remains stationary, spraying the chemical solution. This allows the sprayed chemical solution to adhere to a cleaning line along the substrate edge, cleaning both the edges and back side. The chemical solution sprayed onto the circular substrate is then ejected outwards from the cleaning line by the centrifugal force generated by the substrate's high-speed rotation, completing the cleaning process. For non-circular substrates, the nozzle needs to extend and retract synchronously with the substrate's rotation to ensure the sprayed chemical solution adheres to the cleaning line. However, when the substrate is rotating at high speed, the nozzle cannot extend and retract synchronously due to limitations in the drive mechanism. Meanwhile, even if the problem of synchronous high-speed extension and retraction of the nozzle is solved, the contact point of the chemical liquid sprayed from the nozzle on the substrate surface will shift under the high-speed extension and retraction of the nozzle, resulting in uneven edge washing width. Therefore, providing a method that allows the substrate to rotate at a low speed, controls the edge washing width, makes the edge washing width of non-circular substrates uniform, and improves product yield has become one of the technical problems that urgently need to be solved by those skilled in the art.

[0005] Therefore, in view of the problems existing in the prior art, the designer of this invention, based on years of experience in this industry, actively researched and improved the technology, and thus the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method to solve the problem of uneven edge washing width of the substrate in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above and other related objectives, this application provides a substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

[0008] A support platform for supporting the substrate and rotating the substrate;

[0009] The nozzle includes a liquid outlet and a gas outlet partially surrounding the liquid outlet. The orthographic projection of the gas outlet on the support platform is located between the center of the support platform and the orthographic projection of the liquid outlet on the support platform. The liquid outlet is used to spray a chemical liquid to form a liquid column to clean the edge of the substrate, and the gas outlet is used to spray gas to form an air curtain.

[0010] As the substrate rotates, the nozzle is configured to move the liquid column and the air curtain along a perimeter of the substrate, with the air curtain partially surrounding the liquid column.

[0011] Optionally, the nozzles are provided on both the front and back sides of the substrate, respectively, for cleaning the edges of the substrate on the front and back sides.

[0012] Optionally, the gas outlet is arc-shaped, and the arc angle is greater than 30° and less than 180°.

[0013] Optionally, the liquid outlet is located on the centerline of the gas outlet.

[0014] Optionally, the annular width of the gas outlet is greater than or equal to the diameter of the liquid outlet.

[0015] Optionally, the nozzle is further configured to cause the liquid outlet to begin spraying a chemical liquid after the gas outlet has been spraying gas for a predetermined time.

[0016] Optionally, the predetermined time is 1 second to 3 seconds.

[0017] Optionally, the gas outlet ejects gas at a predetermined flow rate, wherein the predetermined flow rate is 3 LPM-10 LPM.

[0018] Optionally, the gas is an inert gas.

[0019] Optionally, the vertical height of the gas outlet is greater than or equal to the vertical height of the liquid outlet.

[0020] Optionally, the gas outlet is parallel to the liquid outlet.

[0021] Optionally, the horizontal distance between the gas outlet and the liquid outlet is less than 2 mm.

[0022] Optionally, the angle between the gas outlet and the substrate is smaller than the angle between the liquid outlet and the substrate, and the intersection of the gas outlet and the liquid outlet is lower than the height of the nozzle.

[0023] Optionally, the distance between the area of ​​the air curtain landing on the substrate and the liquid contact point is less than 2 mm.

[0024] Optionally, the distance between the nozzle and the substrate is 0.2mm-2mm.

[0025] Optionally, the substrate is a non-circular substrate, and when the substrate rotates, the nozzle is configured to move along the edge of the substrate by telescopic movement, so that the liquid column and the air curtain move along the washing line.

[0026] Optionally, the substrate is a circular substrate, and when the substrate rotates, the nozzle is configured to remain stationary so that the liquid column and the air curtain move along the washing line.

[0027] Optionally, the gas outlet is further connected to a manifold, and the gas flows from the manifold to the gas outlet. To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention also provides a substrate processing method, applicable to a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle and a support stage that carries the substrate and rotates the substrate. The nozzle includes a liquid outlet and a gas outlet partially surrounding the liquid outlet. The orthographic projection of the gas outlet on the support stage is located at the center of the support stage and the orthographic projection of the liquid outlet on the support stage. The method includes:

[0028] The substrate is kept rotating at a desired rotational speed;

[0029] The gas outlet sprays gas onto the substrate to form an air curtain on the substrate surface, and the liquid outlet sprays chemical liquid to form a liquid column to wash the edge of the substrate. The liquid column and the air curtain move along a circumference of the substrate, and the air curtain partially surrounds the liquid column.

[0030] Optionally, the linear velocity generated by the substrate rotating at the desired rotational speed is less than or equal to 2.8 m / s.

[0031] Optionally, the substrate is a square substrate with a side length of 500 mm, and the desired rotational speed is less than or equal to 109 rpm.

[0032] Optionally, the desired rotational speed is greater than or equal to 18 rpm.

[0033] Optionally, the substrate is a circular substrate with a diameter of 300 mm, and the desired rotational speed is less than or equal to 180 rpm.

[0034] Optionally, the desired rotational speed is greater than or equal to 40 rpm.

[0035] Optionally, after a predetermined time has ejaculated gas from the gas outlet, the liquid outlet begins to ejaculate chemical liquid.

[0036] Optionally, the predetermined time is 1s-3s.

[0037] Optionally, the distance between the nozzle and the substrate is 0.2mm-2mm.

[0038] Optionally, the gas outlet ejects gas at a predetermined flow rate, wherein the predetermined flow rate is 3 LPM-10 LPM.

[0039] Optionally, before the gas is ejected from the gas outlet, the height of the nozzle from the substrate is adjusted so that the distance between the area of ​​the air curtain landing on the substrate and the liquid contact point is less than 2 mm.

[0040] Optionally, before the gas is ejected from the gas outlet, the height of the nozzle from the substrate is adjusted so that the area of ​​the air curtain falling on the substrate is tangent to the shape of the liquid contact point.

[0041] Optionally, the gas is an inert gas.

[0042] Optionally, during the edge washing process of the substrate, a portion of the edge washing line is always located between the area where the air curtain falls on the substrate and the liquid contact point.

[0043] Optionally, after the substrate edge washing process is completed, the liquid outlet stops spraying chemical liquid, while the gas outlet continues to spray gas for a period of time.

[0044] Optionally, the circumference of the air curtain is greater than or equal to the diameter of the liquid column.

[0045] As described above, the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for edge washing of substrates. By reducing the rotational speed of the substrate, the chemical liquid sprayed from the nozzle can move along a circumferential washing line along the edge of the substrate, thereby making the edge washing width of the substrate uniform. The nozzle provided by the present invention sprays gas to form a liquid column while simultaneously spraying the chemical liquid to form an air curtain that partially surrounds the liquid column, guiding the chemical liquid to be removed from the substrate. This overcomes the problem that the centrifugal force is insufficient to dislodge the chemical liquid at low rotational speeds, thus failing to complete the edge washing. At the same time, the air curtain can also block splashed chemical liquid, preventing splashed chemical liquid from causing defects in the central area of ​​the substrate.

[0046] Overview of the attached figures

[0047] The features and performance of the present invention are further described by the following embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the spray nozzle rotating and extending with the substrate in this invention, so that the sprayed chemical liquid is kept on the edge of the substrate along a washing line.

[0051] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 5 is a bottom view of the nozzle in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the liquid contact point L of the sprayed chemical liquid on the substrate surface and the position of the air curtain G on the substrate surface in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the angle formed between the gas outlet and the liquid outlet in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 4 in this invention.

[0055] Preferred embodiments of the present invention

[0056] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0057] In the detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views illustrating the device structure may be partially enlarged and not to scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In actual fabrication, the three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth should be included.

[0058] For ease of description, spatial relation terms such as “below,” “under,” “lower,” “below,” “below,” “above,” “upper,” and “above” may be used herein to describe the relationship between an element or feature shown in the accompanying drawings and other elements or features. It will be understood that these spatial relation terms are intended to include directions other than those depicted in the drawings for devices in use or operation. Furthermore, when a layer is referred to as being “between” two layers, it can be the only layer between the two layers, or there may be one or more layers in between. The phrase “between” as used herein includes both endpoint values.

[0059] In the context of this application, the structure described above the first feature may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, or embodiments in which additional features are formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.

[0060] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape, and size of components in implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity, and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout may also be more complex. The edge cleaning apparatus and edge cleaning method described below are used for processing semiconductor wafers or substrates in the field of FPD (flat panel display).

[0061] Referring to Figure 1, the substrate processing apparatus provided by the present invention includes at least one edge-cleaning section 100 for cleaning the edge of a substrate W, a support section 200 for carrying the substrate W and rotating the substrate W, and a control section 300. The substrate W is non-circular; in some embodiments, the substrate W is square or rectangular, or may be other non-circular shapes. The control section 300 controls the operation of all functional components of the substrate processing apparatus (power units such as motors, electric cylinders, and pneumatic cylinders that drive the movement of structural components such as the edge-cleaning section 100 and the support section 200, a chemical liquid supply section for starting and stopping the chemical liquid supply, and a gas supply section for starting and stopping the gas supply). The control section 300 may be one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DAPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or combinations thereof.

[0062] As shown in Figure 1, in some embodiments, the edge cleaning section 100 includes a nozzle 110 for spraying chemical liquid to clean the edges of the substrate W. The edge cleaning section 100 also includes a swing arm 130 and a telescopic motion power unit 140 for driving the swing arm 130 to extend and retract. The nozzle 110 is located at the end of the swing arm 130, and the telescopic motion power unit 140 drives the swing arm 130 to extend and retract, so that the swing arm 130 moves the nozzle 110. Exemplarily, the telescopic motion power unit 140 includes a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a motor. That is, the telescopic motion power unit 140 can be configured as a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a motor connected to the swing arm 130. Referring to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, two edge cleaning sections 100 located at opposite positions on the front side of the substrate W can be provided for cleaning the edges of the front side of the substrate W, thereby accelerating the cleaning efficiency of the edges of the substrate W. It is understood that at least one edge cleaning section 100 can also be provided on the back side of the substrate W for cleaning the edges of the back side of the substrate W. For example, as shown in FIG1, two edge-washing sections 100 are provided at opposite positions on the back side of the substrate W to simultaneously clean the back side of the substrate W, thereby accelerating the cleaning efficiency of the back side of the substrate W. Here, the control unit 300 controls the extension and retraction of the nozzle 110 located at the end of the swing arm 130 by controlling the extension and retraction of the swing arm 130. Each edge-washing section 100 is provided with a nozzle 110 located on the front or back side of the substrate for spraying chemical liquid to clean the edges of the substrate W. Each nozzle 110 is driven by the corresponding edge-washing section 100, and each edge-washing section 100 independently drives the movement of one nozzle 110.

[0063] In other embodiments, referring to FIG2, the edge cleaning section 100 includes two nozzles 110 respectively disposed on the front and back sides of the substrate W, for cleaning the edges of the front and back sides of the substrate. The edge cleaning section 100 also includes a swing arm 130, a bracket 120 for connecting the two nozzles 110 to the swing arm 130, and a telescopic motion power unit 140 for driving the swing arm 130. In this example, the two nozzles 110 disposed in the edge cleaning section 100 can be driven to move through the same edge cleaning section 100.

[0064] During the edge washing process of the substrate in the edge washing section 100, the support platform 210 supports the substrate and keeps it rotating. Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG1, the support section 200 includes a support platform 210 for supporting the substrate W, a rotation shaft 220 for rotating the support platform 210, and a rotational power unit 230 for driving the rotation shaft 220 to rotate. The rotational power unit 230 drives the rotation shaft 220 to rotate, and the rotation shaft 220 drives the support platform 210 and the substrate W to rotate.

[0065] In some embodiments, the chemical solution is used to remove photoresist from the edges of the substrate. The chemical solution includes one or more of the following: photoresist remover, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and tetramethylammonium hydroxide. In other embodiments, the chemical solution is used to clean the edges of the electroplated substrate. The chemical solution may include at least one of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). A gas supply unit (not shown) supplies an inert gas to the nozzle 110 to form an air curtain on the substrate surface. This inert gas will not chemically react with the chemical solution and affect the edge cleaning treatment of the substrate. Exemplarily, the inert gas is nitrogen.

[0066] The control unit 300 controls the nozzle 110 to move along the edge of the substrate and spray chemical liquid onto the rotating substrate so that the edge cleaning width is always a preset width. The edge cleaning width is the distance from the point where the chemical liquid sprayed by the nozzle 110 touches the substrate surface to the outer edge of the substrate. For example, in Figure 3, the preset width for cleaning the substrate edge e is set to d. The substrate edge e has an outer edge e2 and an inner edge e1 that are oppositely arranged, where the inner edge e1 is the edge cleaning line. When the substrate W rotates, the control unit 300 controls the nozzle 110 to extend and retract so that the point where the chemical liquid sprayed by the nozzle 110 touches the substrate surface moves along a ring edge cleaning line e1 of the substrate edge e.

[0067] For square substrates, due to limitations of the drive mechanism, when the substrate maintains high-speed rotation, the nozzle cannot extend and retract synchronously to allow the contact point of the sprayed chemical liquid to move along the edge-washing line of the substrate. Therefore, it is necessary to slow down the substrate's rotation speed. The substrate maintains rotation at a desired speed, and the nozzle extends and retracts synchronously to allow the contact point of the sprayed chemical liquid to move along the edge-washing line. In this invention, the desired speed is a low speed, meaning that when the substrate rotates at the desired speed, the linear velocity is too low, and the resulting centrifugal force is insufficient to throw the chemical liquid out. In this embodiment, the linear velocity is less than or equal to 2.5 m / s. Because the substrate's rotation speed is slowed down, the centrifugal force generated by the substrate rotation cannot guarantee that the splashed chemical liquid droplets on the substrate surface will be thrown outwards from the substrate, and the chemical liquid cannot flow towards the substrate edge to complete the edge-washing process. At the same time, the splashed chemical liquid will damage the substrate surface. Therefore, the nozzle 110 sprays gas to form an air curtain that partially surrounds the chemical liquid column, which not only prevents the splashed chemical liquid droplets from damaging the substrate surface but also guides the chemical liquid towards the substrate edge.

[0068] As shown in Figure 4, the nozzle 110 is a dual-channel system, comprising a liquid channel 111 and a gas channel 112. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the liquid channel 111 includes a liquid channel body 1111, a liquid inlet 1112 at one end of the liquid channel body 1111, and a liquid outlet 1113 at the other end of the liquid channel body 1111. A chemical supply unit (not shown) is connected to the liquid inlet 1112 to supply chemical liquid into the liquid channel 111. The gas channel 112 includes a gas channel body 1121, a gas inlet 1122 at one end of the gas channel body 1121, and a gas outlet 1123 at the other end of the gas channel body 1121. A gas supply unit (not shown) is connected to the gas inlet 1122 to supply gas into the gas channel 112. Furthermore, referring to Figures 4 and 5, since the opening area of ​​the gas outlet 1123 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the gas channel body 1121, if the gas directly enters from the gas channel body 1121 and exits from the gas outlet 1123, it cannot form an air curtain of a certain length, and there may be a situation where it cannot partially surround the liquid column. Therefore, the gas channel 112 also includes a confluence channel 1124 located between the gas channel body 1121 and the gas outlet 1123. After the gas from the gas channel body 1121 gathers and fills the confluence channel 1124, it is ejected from the gas outlet 1123. It can be understood that the gas being ejected from the gas outlet 1123 after filling the confluence channel 1124 makes the gas ejected from the gas outlet 1123 more uniform, and the formed air curtain is more stable. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the liquid contact point L of the chemical liquid ejected from the liquid outlet 1113 on the substrate surface moves along the washing line as the nozzle 110 extends and retracts, and the gas ejected from the gas outlet 1123 forms an air curtain G on the substrate surface. Gas outlet 1123 partially surrounds liquid outlet 1113, so that the air curtain G formed by the gas ejected from gas outlet 1123 partially surrounds liquid point L, blocking splashed chemical droplets outside the wash line and preventing splashed chemical droplets from damaging the substrate surface inside the wash line. In this embodiment, gas outlet 1123 is arc-shaped with an arc angle greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than 180 degrees, such as 90 degrees, 120 degrees, or 135 degrees. If the arc angle is greater than 180 degrees, the air curtain may push the splashed chemical liquid to the inside of the substrate, so the arc angle is less than 180 degrees. To form a uniform surrounding effect on the liquid point, liquid outlet 1113 is located on the center line BB' of arc-shaped gas outlet 1123. In other embodiments, gas outlet 1123 can be other semi-enclosed shapes, such as V-shaped or U-shaped. To prevent the gas ejected from gas outlet 1123 from changing the direction of the chemical liquid column, as shown in Figure 6, the air curtain G is spaced a desired distance S from the liquid point L. In this embodiment, the desired distance S is less than 2mm. Since there is a certain wall thickness between the air curtain G and the liquid contact point L, the minimum desired distance S between the air curtain G and the liquid contact point L is the wall thickness.Preferably, to better block splashed chemical droplets, the area of ​​the air curtain G landing on the substrate surface is tangent to the shape of the liquid contact point L, i.e., the desired distance S is 0. In one embodiment, the gas outlet 1123 and the liquid outlet 1113 are arranged parallel to each other, and the interval between the gas outlet 1123 and the liquid outlet 1113 is the desired distance S, which is less than 2 mm. In another embodiment, referring to Figure 7 and Figure 4, the angle at which the gas is ejected from the gas outlet 1123 is smaller than the angle at which the liquid is ejected from the liquid outlet 1113, and the intersection of the gas outlet 1123 and the liquid outlet 1113 is lower than the height of the nozzle 110. When the nozzle 110 is set at different heights, the relative position of the liquid contact point L on the substrate surface and the area of ​​the air curtain G landing on the substrate will also change accordingly. Therefore, the angle θ between the liquid outlet and the gas outlet is configured based on the relative position of the area where the air curtain G falls on the substrate and the liquid contact point L on the substrate surface, as well as the preset height of the nozzle 110. Alternatively, the height of the nozzle 110 is adjusted during the process based on the relative position of the air curtain G and the liquid contact point L on the substrate surface, as well as the angle θ between the liquid outlet and the gas outlet, so that the distance between the area where the air curtain G falls on the substrate and the liquid contact point is a desired distance S, which is less than 2 mm. To ensure the air curtain isolates and guides the splashed chemical liquid, the ring width of the air curtain is preferably greater than or equal to the diameter of the liquid column. It is understood that the nozzle 110 is connected to the chemical liquid supply unit so that the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid supply unit is supplied to the nozzle 110, and the nozzle 110 is connected to the gas supply unit so that the gas in the gas supply unit is supplied to the nozzle 110.

[0069] As shown in Figure 4, in the actual process, the distance W between the nozzle 110 and the substrate is 0.2mm-2mm. The vertical height of the gas outlet 1123 is greater than or equal to that of the liquid outlet 1113 to ensure that the air curtain formed inside the washing line completely covers the liquid column ejected from the liquid outlet 1113 in the vertical direction. The gas outlet ejects gas at a predetermined flow rate to form an air curtain on the substrate surface. In this embodiment, the predetermined flow rate is 3LPM-10LPM (Liter Per Minute).

[0070] In summary, from another perspective, the present invention also provides a substrate processing method, comprising the following steps:

[0071] (1) Keep the substrate rotating at the desired speed;

[0072] (2) The gas outlet of the nozzle sprays gas onto the substrate to form an air curtain on the substrate surface, and the liquid outlet of the nozzle sprays chemical liquid to form a liquid column to wash the substrate edge. The liquid column and the air curtain move along a circumference of the substrate edge washing line, and the air curtain partially surrounds the liquid column in the horizontal direction.

[0073] In step (2), the orthographic projection of the gas outlet 1123 on the support platform 210 is located between the center of the support platform and the orthographic projection of the liquid outlet 1113 on the support platform 210. After the gas outlet 1123 sprays gas onto the substrate for a predetermined time, the liquid outlet 1113 begins to spray chemical liquid onto the substrate. In this embodiment, the predetermined time is 1s-3s. The nozzle 110 first sprays gas to form an air curtain, and then sprays chemical liquid to wash the edge of the substrate, avoiding damage to the substrate surface from splashed chemical liquid before the air curtain is formed. For non-circular substrates, the nozzle 110 performs a telescopic movement so that the contact point of the chemical liquid on the substrate surface moves along the edge washing line around the substrate edge. It should be noted that the air curtain partially surrounds the liquid column to effectively block the chemical liquid and prevent the chemical liquid from damaging the substrate. At the same time, it enables the chemical liquid to flow towards the edge of the substrate when the centrifugal force generated by the low-speed rotation of the substrate is insufficient to throw out the chemical liquid. When the linear velocity generated by the substrate rotation reaches 2.8 m / s, the resulting centrifugal force is sufficient to eject the chemical liquid towards the substrate edge, completing the edge washing process. When the substrate rotates at a low speed, the reduced centrifugal force, compensated by an air curtain, guides the chemical liquid to the substrate edge. In one embodiment, for a square substrate with a side length of 500 mm, a rotational speed of less than or equal to 109 rpm is desired. If the substrate rotational speed is too low, the generated centrifugal force is too small, and the air curtain cannot guide the chemical liquid to the substrate edge. Therefore, for a square substrate with a side length of 500 mm, a rotational speed of greater than or equal to 18 rpm is also desired. In another embodiment, the substrate can also be a circular substrate. The reduced substrate speed utilizes an air curtain to compensate for the reduced centrifugal force and guide the chemical liquid to the substrate edge. For example, for a circular substrate with a diameter of 300 mm, a rotational speed of less than or equal to 180 rpm is desired. If the substrate rotational speed is too low, the generated centrifugal force is too small, and the air curtain cannot guide the chemical liquid to the substrate edge. Therefore, for a circular substrate with a diameter of 300 mm, a rotational speed of greater than or equal to 40 rpm is also desired. To ensure effective barrier of the chemical liquid by the air curtain, the gas outlet maintains an air curtain formed by ejecting gas at a predetermined flow rate of 3 LPM-10 LPM.

[0074] During the edge cleaning process of the substrate, a portion of the edge cleaning line on the substrate is always located between the area where the air curtain falls on the substrate and the liquid contact point, so as to ensure that the substrate edge corresponding to the edge cleaning line is cleaned. By adjusting the gas flow rate and / or the flow rate of the chemical liquid, the area of ​​action of the chemical liquid on the substrate is always kept in the edge cleaning area from the edge cleaning line to the edge of the substrate.

[0075] Furthermore, after the substrate edge washing process is completed, the liquid outlet stops spraying chemical liquid, while the gas outlet continues spraying gas for a period of time. This prevents any remaining chemical liquid from flowing to the inner edge of the substrate and damaging it. More details of this method embodiment can be found in the preceding description of the substrate processing apparatus, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0076] The substrate processing apparatus and method of this invention are used for edge cleaning of non-circular substrates. The substrate rotates at a desired speed so that the contact points of the chemical liquid sprayed by the nozzle during synchronous extension and retraction remain along the edge cleaning line of the substrate, resulting in a uniform edge cleaning width. Simultaneously with the spraying of the chemical liquid, the nozzle sprays gas to form an air curtain inside the contact points to block chemical droplets and prevent them from splashing onto the inner side of the edge cleaning line and damaging the substrate surface. This also allows for the use of the air curtain to compensate and guide the chemical liquid towards the wafer edge when the centrifugal force generated by the low-speed rotation of the substrate is insufficient to eject the chemical liquid. This invention primarily solves the problem that in edge cleaning of non-circular substrates, the nozzle cannot synchronously extend and retract during high-speed substrate rotation, relying solely on centrifugal force to clean the substrate edges. The substrate processing apparatus and method provided by this invention are also applicable to processes requiring low-speed rotation for edge cleaning of circular substrates.

[0077] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: A support platform for supporting the substrate and rotating the substrate; The nozzle includes a liquid outlet and a gas outlet partially surrounding the liquid outlet. The orthographic projection of the gas outlet on the support platform is located between the center of the support platform and the orthographic projection of the liquid outlet on the support platform. The liquid outlet is used to spray a chemical liquid to form a liquid column to clean the edge of the substrate, and the gas outlet is used to spray gas to form an air curtain. As the substrate rotates, the nozzle is configured to move the liquid column and the air curtain along a perimeter of the substrate, with the air curtain partially surrounding the liquid column.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzles are provided on both the front and back sides of the substrate, respectively, for cleaning the edges of the front and back sides of the substrate.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas outlet is arc-shaped, with an angle greater than 30° and less than 180°.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The liquid outlet is located on the centerline of the gas outlet.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The annular width of the gas outlet is greater than or equal to the diameter of the liquid outlet.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle is also configured to cause the liquid outlet to start spraying chemical liquid after the gas outlet has sprayed gas for a predetermined time.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The predetermined time is 1 to 3 seconds.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas outlet ejects gas at a predetermined flow rate, which is 3 LPM-10 LPM.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas is an inert gas.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical height of the gas outlet is greater than or equal to the vertical height of the liquid outlet.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas outlet is parallel to the liquid outlet.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The horizontal distance between the gas outlet and the liquid outlet is less than 2 mm.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the gas outlet and the substrate is smaller than the angle between the liquid outlet and the substrate, and the intersection of the gas outlet and the liquid outlet is lower than the height of the nozzle.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that, The distance between the area where the air curtain falls on the substrate and the contact point of the chemical liquid on the substrate surface is less than 2 mm.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the nozzle and the substrate is 0.2mm-2mm.

16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate is a non-circular substrate. When the substrate is rotated, the nozzle is configured to move along the edge of the substrate by telescopic movement, so that the liquid column and the air curtain move along the washing line.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate is a circular substrate. When the substrate rotates, the nozzle is configured to remain stationary so that the liquid column and the air curtain move along the washing line.

18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas outlet is also connected to a manifold, from which the gas flows to the gas outlet.

19. A substrate processing method, applicable to a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate processing apparatus comprising a nozzle and a support stage that carries the substrate and rotates the substrate, the nozzle comprising a liquid outlet and a gas outlet partially surrounding the liquid outlet, wherein the orthographic projection of the gas outlet on the support stage is located at the center of the support stage and the orthographic projection of the liquid outlet on the support stage, characterized in that, The method includes: The substrate is kept rotating at a desired rotational speed; The gas outlet sprays gas onto the substrate to form an air curtain on the substrate surface, and the liquid outlet sprays chemical liquid to form a liquid column to wash the edge of the substrate. The liquid column and the air curtain move along a circumference of the substrate, and the air curtain partially surrounds the liquid column.

20. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The linear velocity generated by the substrate rotating at the desired rotation speed is less than or equal to 2.8 m / s.

21. The substrate processing method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The substrate is a square substrate with a side length of 500mm, and the desired rotational speed is less than or equal to 109rpm.

22. The substrate processing method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The desired rotational speed is greater than or equal to 18 rpm.

23. The substrate processing method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The substrate is a circular substrate with a diameter of 300 mm, and the desired rotational speed is less than or equal to 180 rpm.

24. The substrate processing method according to claim 23, characterized in that, The desired rotational speed is greater than or equal to 40 rpm.

25. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, After a predetermined time has ejaculated gas from the gas outlet, the liquid outlet begins to ejaculate chemical liquid.

26. The substrate processing method according to claim 25, characterized in that, The predetermined time is 1s-3s.

27. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The distance between the nozzle and the substrate is 0.2mm-2mm.

28. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The gas outlet ejects gas at a predetermined flow rate, which is 3 LPM-10 LPM.

29. The substrate processing method according to claim 20, characterized in that, Before the gas is ejected from the gas outlet, the height of the nozzle from the substrate is adjusted so that the distance between the area of ​​the air curtain landing on the substrate and the contact point of the chemical liquid on the substrate surface is less than 2 mm.

30. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, Before the gas is ejected from the gas outlet, the height of the nozzle from the substrate is adjusted so that the area of ​​the air curtain falling on the substrate is tangent to the shape of the contact point of the chemical liquid on the substrate surface.

31. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The gas is an inert gas.

32. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, During the edge washing process of the substrate, a portion of the edge washing line always lies between the area where the air curtain falls on the substrate and the point where the chemical liquid touches the substrate surface.

33. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, After the substrate edge washing process is completed, the liquid outlet stops spraying chemical liquid, while the gas outlet continues to spray gas for a period of time.

34. The substrate processing method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The circumference of the air curtain is greater than or equal to the diameter of the liquid column.

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