JP2024070813A - Substrate processing device and substrate processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique of removing a residue of a chemical solution.SOLUTION: A substrate processing device includes a substrate holding part, a rotation driving part, a first rotation ring, a second rotation ring, and a first nozzle. The substrate holding part includes a horizontal base plate and a plurality of grip parts that grasp a periphery of the substrate. With the grip parts, the substrate is held horizontally apart from the base plate. The rotation driving part rotates the substrate holding part. The first rotation ring surrounds a periphery of a lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding part, and rotates together with the substrate holding part. The second rotation ring is provided outside the first rotation ring, surrounds a periphery of an upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding part, and rotates together with the substrate holding part. The first nozzle discharges a cleaning solution from above an entrance of a rotation flow channel formed between the first rotation ring and the second rotation ring toward the entrance of the rotation flow channel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

This disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method.

The substrate processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate horizontally, a rotation drive unit that rotates the substrate together with the substrate holding unit, a rotating cup that surrounds the substrate held by the substrate holding unit and rotates together with the substrate holding unit, a nozzle that supplies a processing liquid to the upper surface of the substrate, and a nozzle that supplies a processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate. The rotating cup has a first rotating ring that guides the processing liquid that is shaken off from the lower surface of the rotating substrate diagonally downward, and a second rotating ring that guides the processing liquid that is shaken off from the upper surface of the rotating substrate diagonally downward. The processing liquid includes a chemical liquid and a rinse liquid that removes the chemical liquid from the substrate.

JP 2007-335758 A

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a technique for removing residual chemicals.

The substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a substrate holding unit, a rotation drive unit, a first rotating ring, a second rotating ring, and a first nozzle. The substrate holding unit includes a horizontal base plate and a plurality of gripping units that grip the periphery of the substrate, and the substrate is held horizontally and spaced from the base plate by the plurality of gripping units. The rotation drive unit rotates the substrate holding unit. The first rotating ring surrounds the periphery of the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit and rotates together with the substrate holding unit. The second rotating ring is provided outside the first rotating ring, surrounds the periphery of the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit, and rotates together with the substrate holding unit. The first nozzle ejects a cleaning liquid from above an inlet of a rotating flow path formed between the first rotating ring and the second rotating ring toward the inlet of the rotating flow path.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, residual medicinal liquid can be removed.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a process for cleaning the exhaust flow path. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of the movement locus of the first nozzle and the movement locus of the third nozzle. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a residue of the chemical solution remaining in the rotary flow channel. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a process in which the first nozzle ejects the cleaning liquid into the rotational flow path. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a process in which the first nozzle ejects the cleaning liquid into the rotational flow path. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a process in which the second nozzle ejects the cleaning liquid into the rotational flow path. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a step of discharging the cleaning liquid after the step of FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a lowered position of the lift plate. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a raised position of the lift plate. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a residue of the chemical solution that has entered into the gap between the lift plate and the base plate. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a process in which the first nozzle ejects the cleaning liquid onto the base plate in a state in which the lifting unit separates the lifting plate from the base plate. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of the first nozzles and the third nozzles in the process of FIG. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a step in which the lifting section lowers the lifting plate after the step in FIG. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a step of drying the supply head after the step of FIG. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of cleaning of the gripping portion. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of timing for cleaning the gripping portion. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing another example of the timing for cleaning the gripper.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or corresponding configurations in each drawing are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof may be omitted.

A substrate processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The substrate processing apparatus 1 processes a substrate W by supplying a processing liquid to the substrate W. The substrate W is a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon wafer, or a glass substrate. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes, for example, a processing vessel 10, a substrate holding unit 20, a rotation drive unit 30, a nozzle 40, a supply unit 50, a supply head 60, a supply unit 70, a collection cup 80, and a control unit 90.

The processing vessel 10 accommodates a substrate W. A gate 11 and a gate valve 12 for opening and closing the gate 11 are provided on the side wall of the processing vessel 10. The substrate W is loaded into the processing vessel 10 through the gate 11 by a transport device (not shown). The substrate W is then processed with a processing liquid inside the processing vessel 10. Thereafter, the substrate W is unloaded from the processing vessel 10 through the gate 11 by the transport device.

The substrate holding part 20 holds the substrate W horizontally inside the processing vessel 10. The substrate holding part 20 has, for example, a horizontal base plate 21 and a plurality of gripping parts 22 that grip the periphery of the substrate W. The plurality of gripping parts 22 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the substrate W. The substrate holding part 20 holds the substrate W horizontally and away from the base plate 21 by the plurality of gripping parts 22. A through hole 21a is formed in the center of the base plate 21, and a supply pipe 71, described later, is provided in the through hole 21a.

The rotation drive unit 30 rotates the substrate holding unit 20, thereby rotating the substrate W together with the substrate holding unit 20. The rotation drive unit 30 has, for example, a hollow rotation shaft 31 extending downward from a central through hole 21a of the base plate 21, and a motor 32 that rotates the rotation shaft 31. The motor 32 rotates the substrate holding unit 20 by rotating the rotation shaft 31. The rotation center line of the substrate holding unit 20 and the center of the substrate W coincide with each other.

The nozzle 40 is disposed above the substrate W held by the substrate holder 20, and ejects the processing liquid toward the top surface of the substrate W. There is no particular limit to the number of nozzles 40, and a nozzle 40 may be provided for each type of processing liquid. One nozzle 40 may eject multiple types of processing liquid in sequence. The nozzle 40 may be a two-fluid nozzle, and the processing liquid may be ejected in a mist form using gas pressure.

The processing liquid includes a chemical liquid and a rinse liquid that removes the chemical liquid from the substrate W. The chemical liquid is, for example, SC1 (a mixture of ammonia water and hydrogen peroxide), SPM (a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide), or DHF (dilute hydrofluoric acid). The rinse liquid is, for example, pure water such as DIW (deionized water). The processing liquid may include an organic solvent such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol) that is replaced with the rinse liquid.

The supply unit 50 supplies the treatment liquid to the nozzle 40. The supply unit 50 includes, for example, a supply line that sends the treatment liquid, and various devices provided along the supply line. The supply unit 50 has, as the various devices, for example, an opening/closing valve, a flow meter, and a flow control valve. The supply unit 50 is provided for each nozzle 40.

The supply head 60 is disposed below the substrate W held by the substrate holder 20, and ejects a processing liquid toward the underside of the substrate W. The supply head 60 may eject a gas in addition to the processing liquid. The supply head 60 is provided at the upper end of a supply pipe 71 (described later) so as to block the central through-hole 21a of the base plate 21, and does not rotate together with the base plate 21.

The supply unit 70 has a supply pipe 71 that supplies the treatment liquid to the supply head 60. The supply pipe 71 is inserted inside the hollow rotating shaft 31 and does not rotate with the rotating shaft 31. The supply head 60 is provided at the upper end of the supply pipe 71. The supply unit 70 includes a supply line that sends the treatment liquid to the supply pipe 71 and various devices provided along the supply line. The supply unit 70 has, as various devices, for example, an opening/closing valve, a flow meter, and a flow control valve.

The recovery cup 80 recovers the processing liquid supplied to the substrate W. The recovery cup 80 surrounds the periphery of the substrate W held by the substrate holder 20, and receives the processing liquid that splashes from the periphery of the substrate W. The recovery cup 80 has, for example, an exhaust cup 81 and a drainage cup 82 that is positioned inside the exhaust cup 81.

The control unit 90 is, for example, a computer, and includes an arithmetic unit 91 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage unit 92 such as a memory. The storage unit 92 stores programs that control various processes executed in the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control unit 90 controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 by having the arithmetic unit 91 execute the programs stored in the storage unit 92.

Next, a substrate processing method using the substrate processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. First, a transport device (not shown) transports a substrate W from the outside to the inside of the processing vessel 10 and transfers the substrate W to the substrate holding unit 20. Next, the substrate holding unit 20 holds the substrate W horizontally, and the rotation drive unit 30 rotates the substrate W together with the substrate holding unit 20. Next, the supply unit 50 and the supply unit 70 supply a processing liquid to the substrate W. After that, the supply unit 50 and the supply unit 70 stop supplying the processing liquid, and the rotation drive unit 30 rotates the substrate W together with the substrate holding unit 20 to dry the substrate W. After that, the substrate holding unit 20 releases its hold on the substrate W and transfers the substrate W to the transport device. Finally, the transport device transfers the substrate W from the inside of the processing vessel 10 to the outside.

Next, an example of the first rotating ring 35 and the second rotating ring 36 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a first rotating ring 35 and a second rotating ring 36. The first rotating ring 35 surrounds the periphery of the lower surface of the substrate W held by the substrate holding part 20, and rotates together with the substrate holding part 20. The second rotating ring 36 is provided outside the first rotating ring 35, surrounds the periphery of the upper surface of the substrate W held by the substrate holding part 20, and rotates together with the substrate holding part 20.

The first rotating ring 35 has an inner peripheral surface 35a that slopes downward as it approaches the radial outside of the substrate W, and prevents the processing liquid from scattering by guiding the processing liquid that is spun off from the underside of the rotating substrate W diagonally downward. A gap is formed between the first rotating ring 35 and the base plate 21 to allow the processing liquid to be discharged.

The first rotating ring 35 has a horizontal upper surface 35b that is higher than the lower surface of the substrate W and lower than the upper surface of the substrate W. The processing liquid that is shaken off from the upper surface of the rotating substrate W passes over the upper surface 35b of the first rotating ring 35, is received by the inner surface 36a of the second rotating ring 36, and flows diagonally downward along the inner surface 36a.

The second rotating ring 36 has an inner peripheral surface 36a that slopes downward as it approaches the radial outside of the substrate W, and prevents the processing liquid from scattering by guiding the processing liquid that is spun off from the upper surface of the rotating substrate W diagonally downward. A gap is formed between the second rotating ring 36 and the base plate 21 to allow the processing liquid to be discharged.

The first rotating ring 35 and the second rotating ring 36 are preferably each formed of ceramic. The ceramic is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, aluminum oxide or silicon carbide. Ceramics have superior chemical resistance and heat resistance compared to resins. Therefore, deterioration such as whitening, swelling, or deformation can be suppressed, and the frequency of maintenance can be reduced.

The first rotating ring 35 and the second rotating ring 36 are fixed to the base plate 21 by spacers and connecting pins. These spacers and connecting pins are preferably made of a resin that is both flexible and chemical resistant, such as a fluororesin. A specific example of a fluororesin is PTFE (Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene).

The base plate 21 may be composed of multiple parts. Only some of the parts can be replaced, improving maintainability. Parts that are likely to come into contact with the chemical solution may be made of ceramic, and parts that are unlikely to come into contact with the chemical solution may be made of fluororesin. A specific example of fluororesin is PFA (perfluoroalkoxyalkane). The lifting plate 23, which will be described later, may also be composed of multiple parts, like the base plate 21.

Next, referring again to FIG. 2, an example of the collection cup 80 will be described. Unlike the first rotating ring 35 and the second rotating ring 36, the collection cup 80 does not rotate with the substrate holder 20. The collection cup 80 has an exhaust cup 81 and a drainage cup 82 disposed inside the exhaust cup 81. The exhaust cup 81 forms an exhaust flow path 81c between the second rotating ring 36 and the drainage cup 82.

The exhaust cup 81 has a vertical hollow cylindrical portion 81a and a ring-shaped inclined portion 81b provided at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 81a. The inclined portion 81b is inclined radially inward as it goes upward, and guides the gas diagonally downward. The exhaust flow path 81c is connected to an exhaust line 86, and various devices (such as an opening/closing valve or a flow control valve) are provided in the exhaust line 86.

The drainage cup 82 has a vertical hollow cylindrical portion 82a and a ring-shaped inclined portion 82b provided at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 82a. The inclined portion 82b is inclined radially inward as it goes upward, and guides the processing liquid diagonally downward. The drainage cup 82 has a chamber below it for storing the processing liquid. The chamber is connected to a drainage line 87, and various devices (such as an opening/closing valve or a flow control valve) are provided on the drainage line 87.

Next, an example of cleaning the exhaust flow path 81c will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. During processing of the substrate W, vaporized gas of the chemical liquid or a mist of the chemical liquid flows into the exhaust flow path 81c, and chemical residues (e.g., crystals) R adhere to the exhaust flow path 81c. The residues R can cause particles to adhere to the substrate W or cause the exhaust flow path 81c to become clogged.

The control unit 90 then places the nozzle 40 above the inlet of the exhaust flow path 81c and controls the nozzle 40 to eject cleaning liquid L toward the inlet of the exhaust flow path 81c. This control is performed periodically and in a state where the substrate holder 20 is not holding the substrate W. The cleaning liquid L is not particularly limited as long as it can remove the residue R, but is, for example, a rinse liquid such as DIW. The cleaning liquid L removes the residue R, for example, by dissolving the residue R.

When cleaning the exhaust flow path 81c, for example, the first nozzle 40A and the third nozzle 40C shown in FIG. 4 are used as the nozzles 40. The first nozzle movement unit 41A moves the first nozzle 40A in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line 20R of the substrate holding unit 20. The third nozzle movement unit 41C moves the third nozzle 40C in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line 20R of the substrate holding unit 20.

The first nozzle movement unit 41A has a swivel arm 42A that holds the first nozzle 40A, and a drive unit 43A that drives the swivel arm 42A. The drive unit 43A drives the swivel arm 42A to rotate and raise and lower the swivel arm 42A. Note that the swivel arm 42A does not have to be present, and the first nozzle 40A may move linearly along a guide.

The third nozzle movement unit 41C has a swivel arm 42C that holds the third nozzle 40C, and a drive unit 43C that drives the swivel arm 42C. The drive unit 43C drives the swivel arm 42C to swivel and raises and lowers the swivel arm 42C. Note that the swivel arm 42C does not have to be present, and the third nozzle 40C may move linearly along a guide.

When viewed from above, the movement trajectory M1 of the first nozzle 40A and the movement trajectory M2 of the third nozzle 40C intersect (preferably perpendicularly) at the rotation center line 20R of the substrate holding part 20. When viewed from above, the movement trajectories M1 and M2 are perpendicular to each other, meaning that the movement trajectories M1 and M2 intersect at an angle of 90°±10°.

When viewed from above, the movement trajectory M1 of the first nozzle 40A intersects with the inner circumference of the exhaust cup 81 at a first point P1 and a second point P2. When viewed from above, the movement trajectory M1 of the third nozzle 40C intersects with the inner circumference of the exhaust cup 81 at a third point P3 and a fourth point P4. The first point P1, the second point P2, the third point P3, and the fourth point P4 are preferably arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The control unit 90 controls the first nozzle 40A to eject cleaning liquid L toward the inlet of the exhaust flow path 81c at each of the first point P1 and the second point P2, and controls the third nozzle 40C to eject cleaning liquid L toward the inlet of the exhaust flow path 81c at each of the third point P3 and the fourth point P4. Compared to ejecting cleaning liquid L only at the first point P1, the second point P2, and the third point P3 excluding the fourth point P4, the cleaning liquid can be supplied over a wider area, and the residue R can be removed over a wider area.

The first nozzle 40A ejects cleaning liquid L while the first nozzle movement unit 41A stops the first nozzle 40A at the first point P1 or the second point P2. During this time, it is preferable that the rotation drive unit 30 rotates the second rotating ring 36 together with the substrate holding unit 20. The cleaning liquid L can be spread in the rotation direction of the second rotating ring 36.

When the second rotating ring 36 is rotated, the exhaust cup 81 does not rotate. By rotating the second rotating ring 36 inside the fixed exhaust cup 81, the cleaning liquid L can be spread in the rotation direction of the second rotating ring 36 along the inner circumference of the fixed exhaust cup 81.

It is preferable that the rotation drive unit 30 reverses the rotation direction of the second rotating ring 36 while the first nozzle 40A is ejecting the cleaning liquid L, with the first nozzle movement unit 41A stopping the first nozzle 40A at the first point P1 or the second point P2. By reversing the rotation direction, the cleaning liquid L can be spread in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

Similarly, while the third nozzle moving unit 41C stops the third nozzle 40C at the third point P3 or the fourth point P4, the third nozzle 40C ejects the cleaning liquid L. During this time, it is preferable for the rotation drive unit 30 to rotate the second rotating ring 36 together with the substrate holding unit 20, and it is more preferable to reverse the direction of rotation.

The process in which the first nozzle 40A ejects the cleaning liquid L at the first point P1 and the process in which the third nozzle 40C ejects the cleaning liquid L at the third point P3 preferably overlap at least partially (preferably entirely) in order to shorten the processing time. Also, the process in which the first nozzle 40A ejects the cleaning liquid L at the second point P2 and the process in which the third nozzle 40C ejects the cleaning liquid L at the fourth point P4 preferably overlap at least partially (preferably entirely) in order to shorten the processing time.

Next, an example of cleaning the rotary flow path 37 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 9. As shown in Figure 5, the rotary flow path 37 is formed between the outer peripheral surface 35c of the first rotary ring 35 and the inner peripheral surface 36a of the second rotary ring 36. During processing of the substrate W, a chemical solution flows into the rotary flow path 37, leaving behind a residue R of the chemical solution. The residue R can cause particles to adhere to the substrate W or cause the rotary flow path 37 to become clogged.

A rinsing liquid also flows into the rotating flow path 37 during processing of the substrate W. The rinsing liquid can remove residue R. However, because the rotating flow path 37 is rotating, the rinsing liquid is pressed against the inner circumferential surface 36a of the second rotating ring 36 by centrifugal force. Therefore, the flow of the rinsing liquid is weaker on the outer circumferential surface 35c of the first rotating ring 35 compared to the inner circumferential surface 36a of the second rotating ring 36, and residue R is more likely to remain.

Residue R is particularly likely to remain near the gripping portion 22 (see FIG. 7, etc.). This is because the gripping portion 22 blocks the flow of rinsing liquid that is spun off from the top surface of the rotating substrate W radially outward from the substrate W. The rinsing liquid is supplied to the center of the top surface of the rotating substrate W, spreads radially by centrifugal force, and is spun off from the entire periphery of the substrate W at the same time.

When the rinsing liquid is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W rotating together with the substrate holder 20, the rinsing liquid is dispersed radially on the upper surface of the substrate W and reaches the entire circumferential direction of the rotating flow path 37. Therefore, the flow of the rinsing liquid is weaker in the rotating flow path 37 than directly below the nozzle 40. This is also one of the reasons why residue R remains in the rotating flow path 37.

The control unit 90 places the first nozzle 40A above the inlet of the rotary flow path 37 as shown in FIG. 6, and controls the ejection of cleaning liquid L from the first nozzle 40A toward the inlet of the rotary flow path 37. This control is performed periodically and is performed when the substrate holder 20 is not holding a substrate W. The cleaning liquid L is not particularly limited as long as it can remove the residue R, but is, for example, a rinse liquid such as DIW.

The first nozzle 40A ejects cleaning liquid L from above the inlet of the rotating flow path 37 toward the inlet of the rotating flow path 37. The cleaning liquid L can be concentrated at the point where the first nozzle 40A and the rotating flow path 37 overlap when viewed from above, making the flow of cleaning liquid L stronger and allowing the residue R to be removed efficiently. In particular, as shown in FIG. 7, the flow of cleaning liquid L can be made stronger even in the vicinity of the gripping portion 22, making it possible to remove the residue R efficiently.

The first nozzle 40A is positioned, for example, directly above the inlet of the rotating flow path 37, and ejects the cleaning liquid L in a column shape directly downward. The flow of the cleaning liquid L can be made to enter the rotating flow path 37 while remaining downward, allowing the residue R to be removed efficiently. The first nozzle 40A supplies the cleaning liquid L to the inlet of the rotating flow path 37 and at the same time supplies the cleaning liquid L onto the second rotating ring 36. The second rotating ring 36 can also be cleaned.

With the first nozzle movement unit 41A stopping the first nozzle 40A, the control unit 90 controls the first nozzle 40A to eject the cleaning liquid L toward the inlet of the rotating flow path 37, and the rotation drive unit 30 to rotate the first rotating ring 35 and the second rotating ring 36 together with the substrate holding unit 20. Residue R can be removed from the entire circumference of the rotating flow path 37. The rotation direction of the substrate holding unit 20 may be constant and does not need to be reversed.

The control unit 90 may control the first nozzle movement unit 41A to move the first nozzle 40A in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line 20R of the substrate holding unit 20 while the first nozzle 40A ejects the cleaning liquid L toward the substrate holding unit 20, and the rotation drive unit 30 may rotate the substrate holding unit 20. A wide area of the substrate holding unit 20 can be cleaned with the cleaning liquid L. The movement direction of the first nozzle 40A may be either radially outward or radially inward, or may be reversed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the substrate processing apparatus 1 is equipped with a second nozzle 40B that ejects the cleaning liquid L in a mist form from above the inlet of the rotating flow path 37 toward the inlet of the rotating flow path 37. By atomizing the cleaning liquid L, the cleaning liquid L can easily enter the rotating flow path 37. The second nozzle 40B is preferably a two-fluid nozzle that ejects the cleaning liquid L in a mist form using gas pressure. The cleaning liquid L can be atomized by the gas pressure, and the flow of the cleaning liquid L can be strengthened by the gas pressure.

The second nozzle 40B moves together with the first nozzle 40A in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line 20R of the substrate holding part 20 (see FIG. 4). The first nozzle moving part 41A moves both the first nozzle 40A and the second nozzle 40B. The first nozzle 40A and the second nozzle 40B can be switched in a short time. The second nozzle 40B ejects the cleaning liquid L in a downward diverging mist. The second nozzle 40B is positioned, for example, diagonally above the inlet of the rotating flow path 37, and ejects the cleaning liquid L from a position radially inward of the inlet of the rotating flow path 37 toward the inlet of the rotating flow path 37.

With the first nozzle movement unit 41A stopping the second nozzle 40B, the control unit 90 controls the second nozzle 40B to eject the cleaning liquid L toward the inlet of the rotating flow path 37, and the rotation drive unit 30 to rotate the first rotating ring 35 and the second rotating ring 36 together with the substrate holding unit 20. Residue R can be removed from the entire circumference of the rotating flow path 37. The rotation direction of the substrate holding unit 20 may be constant and does not need to be reversed.

When the second nozzle 40B is a two-fluid nozzle, the flow of the cleaning liquid L is strong. Therefore, the rotation speed of the substrate holding part 20 is set to be low so that the cleaning liquid L does not bounce back due to the impact when the cleaning liquid L collides with the substrate holding part 20. However, if the rotation speed of the substrate holding part 20 is low, the cleaning liquid L is likely to accumulate on the substrate holding part 20. Once the cleaning liquid L has accumulated, the cleaning liquid L is likely to bounce back even if the rotation speed is low.

The control unit 90 therefore alternately repeats the following control (A) and the following control (B). (A) While the second nozzle 40B is ejecting the cleaning liquid L toward the inlet of the rotary flow path 37, the rotation drive unit 30 rotates the substrate holding unit 20 at a first rotation speed R1 (see FIG. 8). (B) With the second nozzle 40B stopping ejection of the cleaning liquid L, the rotation drive unit 30 rotates the substrate holding unit 20 at a second rotation speed R2 (see FIG. 9). The second rotation speed R2 is greater than the first rotation speed R1.

In the control of (A) above, while the second nozzle 40B is ejecting the cleaning liquid L, the rotation drive unit 30 rotates the substrate holding unit 20 at the first rotation speed R1, which is smaller than the second rotation speed R2. This makes it possible to suppress the impact when the cleaning liquid L collides with the substrate holding unit 20, and to suppress the rebound of the cleaning liquid L.

In the above control (B), while the second nozzle 40B stops ejecting the cleaning liquid L, the rotation drive unit 30 rotates the substrate holding unit 20 at a second rotation speed R2 that is greater than the first rotation speed R1. The strong centrifugal force allows the cleaning liquid to be discharged from above the substrate holding unit 20. By alternately repeating the above control (A) and the above control (B), the splashing of the cleaning liquid L can be suppressed.

Next, an example of the substrate holding unit 20 will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. In addition to the base plate 21 and gripping unit 22, the substrate holding unit 20 has, for example, a lift plate 23, lift pins 24, and a lift unit 25. The lift plate 23 is provided on the base plate 21 so as to be freely raised and lowered. The lift plate 23 is raised and lowered between a lowered position shown in Figure 10 and a raised position shown in Figure 11. The lift pins 24 protrude upward from the lift plate 23 and support the substrate W from below. The lift unit 25 raises and lowers the lift pins 24 together with the lift plate 23. The substrate W can be transferred between the substrate holding unit 20 and a transport device (not shown).

The lift plate 23 is formed in a disk shape. A through hole 23a is formed in the center of the lift plate 23. The through hole 23a of the lift plate 23 is formed concentrically with the through hole 21a of the base plate 21 and is larger than the through hole 21a of the base plate 21.

Multiple lift pins 24 (e.g., three) are provided on the upper surface of the lift plate 23. The multiple lift pins 24 are provided at equal intervals around the circumference of the lift plate 23, and support the underside of the substrate W as shown in FIG. 11. Note that, when the gripper 22 grips the periphery of the substrate W as shown in FIG. 10, the lift pins 24 are positioned below the underside of the substrate W.

The lifting section 25 has, for example, a rod 25a, a flange 25b, a spring 25c, and a cylinder 25d. The rod 25a passes through a through hole in the base plate 21 and abuts against the lower surface of the lifting plate 23. The flange 25b is provided at the lower end of the rod 25a. The rod 25a rises and falls together with the flange 25b. The spring 25c is interposed between the base plate 21 and the flange 25b, and always biases the flange 25b downward. The cylinder 25d is provided on the lower surface of the base plate 21 and houses the flange 25b and the spring 25c. A plurality of lifting sections 25 (for example, three) are provided at equal intervals around the circumference of the base plate 21.

The lifting unit 25 is driven by a drive unit 89. The drive unit 89 has multiple rods 89a corresponding to the multiple rods 25a, a ring-shaped disk 89b on whose upper surface the multiple rods 89a stand, and a drive source 89c that lifts and lowers the disk 89b. The rods 89a pass through a through hole in the lower surface of the cylinder 25d and abut against the lower surface of the flange 25b. The drive unit 89 does not rotate together with the substrate holding unit 20. Therefore, while the substrate holding unit 20 is rotating, the rods 89a of the drive unit 89 are pulled out to the outside of the cylinder 25d as shown in FIG. 10.

The gripping part 22 moves in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the lifting plate 23 between a gripping position where the substrate W is gripped as shown in FIG. 10 and a release position where the substrate W is released from its grip as shown in FIG. 11. While the lifting part 25 lowers the lifting plate 23 from the raised position to the lowered position, the gripping part 22 is pushed downward by the lower surface of the lifting plate 23. As a result, the gripping part 22 rotates around the rotation shaft 26 and moves from the release position to the gripping position.

The gripping part 22 has claw parts 22a that pinch the periphery of the substrate W from both the top and bottom, and a load receiving part 22b that is pressed downward by the underside of the lifting plate 23. While the lifting part 25 lowers the lifting plate 23 from the raised position to the lowered position, the load receiving part 22b is pressed downward by the underside of the lifting plate 23. As a result, the gripping part 22 rotates around the rotation shaft 26, and moves from the release position to the gripping position.

The substrate holding unit 20 has a biasing unit 27 that biases the gripping unit 22 from the gripping position toward the release position. The biasing unit 27 is, for example, a spring. While the lifting unit 25 raises the lifting plate 23 from the lowered position to the raised position, the biasing force of the biasing unit 27 moves the gripping unit 22 from the gripping position to the release position.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the gripping portion 22 grips the periphery of the substrate W, a recess 21b is provided on the upper surface of the base plate 21 so that the upper surface of the base plate 21 and the upper surface of the lifting plate 23 are flush with each other. The recess 21b is formed in a ring shape surrounding the through hole 21a and accommodates the lifting plate 23.

Next, an example of cleaning the substrate holder 20 will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 16. As shown in Figure 12, vaporized chemical gas or mist of chemical liquid may find its way into the gap between the lift plate 23 and the base plate 21, causing chemical residue R to adhere to the gap. If residue R adheres, there is a risk that the lift plate 23 will not be able to lower all the way to the lowered position, and the gripper 22 will not be able to move all the way to the gripping position, resulting in the gripper 22 being unable to adequately grip the periphery of the substrate W.

The control unit 90 controls the first nozzle 40A to eject cleaning liquid L onto the base plate 21 while the lifting unit 25 separates the lifting plate 23 from the base plate 21 as shown in FIG. 13. The first nozzle 40A ejects cleaning liquid L onto the base plate 21, avoiding the lifting plate 23. The first nozzle 40A ejects cleaning liquid L inside the lifting plate 23. The cleaning liquid L is stored in a recess 21b formed in the upper surface of the base plate 21. A ring-shaped bank portion 21c is provided at the upper end of the through hole 21a of the base plate 21.

When the lifting unit 25 has raised the lifting plate 23, the rod 89a of the drive unit 89 is inserted inside the cylinder 25d, and the rotation drive unit 30 cannot rotate the substrate holding unit 20. Therefore, the first nozzle 40A ejects the cleaning liquid L when the rotation drive unit 30 has stopped the rotation of the substrate holding unit 20. The rotation of the substrate holding unit 20 cannot be used to expand the supply range of the cleaning liquid L.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, it is preferable that the control unit 90 controls not only the first nozzle 40A but also the third nozzle 40C to eject the cleaning liquid L onto the base plate 21. The first nozzle 40A and the third nozzle 40C eject the cleaning liquid L to different positions in the circumferential direction of the base plate 21. The cleaning liquid L can be accumulated over a wide area of the base plate 21.

Next, as shown in FIG. 15, the control unit 90 controls the lifting unit 25 to lower the lifting plate 23, thereby bringing the lower surface of the lifting plate 23 into contact with the cleaning liquid L stored on the base plate 21. This allows the cleaning liquid L to be supplied to the gap between the lifting plate 23 and the base plate 21, and the residue R present in the gap can be removed.

However, as shown in FIG. 15, when the lifting unit 25 lowers the lifting plate 23, the lifting plate 23 crushes the cleaning liquid L, causing the cleaning liquid L to splash. As a result, the cleaning liquid L may adhere to the supply head 60.

As shown in FIG. 16, the control unit 90 preferably controls the second nozzle 40B to eject gas G toward the supply head 60 wetted with cleaning liquid L. For example, nitrogen gas is used as the gas G. When the second nozzle 40B is a two-fluid nozzle, the supply of the processing liquid to the second nozzle 40B is stopped, and only the supply of gas is performed.

The second nozzle 40B is disposed above the supply head 60 and ejects gas G toward the supply head 60. This can blow away the cleaning liquid L adhering to the supply head 60, thereby drying the supply head 60.

It is more preferable that the first nozzle moving part 41A moves the second nozzle 40B back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line 20R of the substrate holding part 20 while the second nozzle 40B ejects gas toward the supply head 60.

Next, an example of cleaning of the gripping parts 22 will be described mainly with reference to Figs. 17 to 19. As described above, each of the gripping parts 22 moves between a gripping position where the gripping part 22 grips the substrate W as shown in Fig. 10 and a release position where the gripping part 22 releases the substrate W as shown in Fig. 11. For example, the gripping parts 22 move between the gripping position and the release position by rotating about their respective rotation shafts 26. As shown in Fig. 17, vaporized gas of the chemical solution or atomized chemical solution may get around the sliding part of the gripping part 22 (e.g., the rotation shaft 26), causing chemical solution residue R to adhere to the sliding part of the gripping part 22. If the residue R adheres to the sliding part of the gripping part 22, the movement of the gripping part 22 may be hindered, and the gripping part 22 may not be able to adequately grip the periphery of the substrate W.

The control unit 90 controls the first nozzle 40A to eject the cleaning liquid L onto the gripping parts 22 when the gripping parts 22 are in the release position as shown in FIG. 17. When the gripping parts 22 are in the release position, that is, when the gripping parts 22 are not gripping the substrate W, the substrate W does not prevent the supply of the cleaning liquid L to the gripping parts 22. The cleaning liquid L can be efficiently supplied to the sliding parts of the gripping parts 22, and adhesion of the residue R can be suppressed. It is also possible to remove the residue R. The cleaning liquid L is not particularly limited as long as it can suppress adhesion of the residue R or can remove the residue R, and is, for example, a rinse liquid such as DIW. The cleaning liquid L suppresses adhesion of the residue R by dissolving, for example, the components of the residue R. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid L removes the residue R by dissolving the residue R.

When the control unit 90 controls the first nozzle 40A to eject cleaning liquid L onto the gripping units 22 while the multiple gripping units 22 are in the release position as shown in FIG. 17, the control unit 90 may control the rotation drive unit 30 to rotate the substrate holding unit 20, or may control the rotation drive unit 30 to stop the substrate holding unit 20 without rotating it. In the latter case, cleaning liquid L can be supplied intensively to one gripping unit 22 for a long period of time. In the latter case, after the supply of cleaning liquid L to one gripping unit 22 is completed, the rotation drive unit 30 may rotate the substrate holding unit 20 before the supply of cleaning liquid L to another gripping unit 22 is started.

The control unit 90 controls the first nozzle 40A to eject the cleaning liquid L onto the gripping parts 22 when the multiple gripping parts 22 are in the release position as shown in FIG. 17, but may also control the second nozzle 40B to eject the cleaning liquid L onto the gripping parts 22. The second nozzle 40B ejects the cleaning liquid L in a mist. By atomizing the cleaning liquid L, the cleaning liquid L can easily penetrate into the sliding parts of the gripping parts 22. The second nozzle 40B is preferably a two-fluid nozzle that ejects the cleaning liquid L in a mist using gas pressure. The cleaning liquid L can be atomized by the gas pressure, and the flow of the cleaning liquid L can be strengthened by the gas pressure.

As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the substrate processing apparatus 1 processes multiple substrates W constituting a lot one by one in sequence. One lot is composed of n substrates W stored in one cassette, for example. n may be a natural number equal to or greater than 2, and is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 25. As shown in Figures 18 and 19, after the processing of one lot is completed, there is a waiting time before the processing of another lot begins. During the waiting time, the chemical solution adhering to the gripping portion 22 evaporates, concentrating the components of the chemical solution and forming a residue R.

The control unit 90 may therefore clean the gripping unit 22 immediately before processing of another lot begins, as shown in FIG. 18. This allows the residue R to be removed. The control unit 90 may also clean the gripping unit 22 when the elapsed time from the end of processing of one lot reaches a set time Δt, as shown in FIG. 19. This allows the gripping unit 22 to be prevented from drying out, and the adhesion of residue R to the gripping unit 22 to be prevented.

Although the embodiments of the substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method according to the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and combinations are possible within the scope of the claims. Naturally, these also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

1 Substrate processing apparatus 20 Substrate holding section 21 Base plate 22 Grip section 30 Rotation drive section 35 First rotating ring 36 Second rotating ring 37 Rotational flow path 40A First nozzle

Claims (14)

a substrate holder having a horizontal base plate and a plurality of gripping portions for gripping a peripheral edge of a substrate, the substrate being horizontally held at a distance from the base plate by the plurality of gripping portions;
A rotation drive unit that rotates the substrate holder;
a first rotating ring that surrounds a periphery of a lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding portion and rotates together with the substrate holding portion;
a second rotating ring provided outside the first rotating ring, surrounding a periphery of an upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding portion, and rotating together with the substrate holding portion;
a first nozzle that ejects a cleaning liquid from above an inlet of a rotary flow passage formed between the first rotating ring and the second rotating ring toward the inlet of the rotary flow passage;
The substrate processing apparatus includes: a first nozzle moving unit that moves the first nozzle in a direction perpendicular to a rotation center line of the substrate holding unit; and a control unit,
2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the first nozzle to eject the cleaning liquid toward the inlet of the rotating flow path while the first nozzle moving unit stops the first nozzle, and the rotation drive unit to rotate the first rotating ring and the second rotating ring together with the substrate holding unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the first nozzle to eject the cleaning liquid toward the substrate holding unit while the first nozzle moving unit moves the first nozzle in a direction perpendicular to a rotation center line of the substrate holding unit, and the rotation drive unit rotates the substrate holding unit. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first nozzle supplies the cleaning liquid onto the second rotating ring at the same time as supplying the cleaning liquid to the inlet of the rotating flow path. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a second nozzle that ejects the cleaning liquid in a mist form from above the inlet of the rotary flow passage toward the inlet of the rotary flow passage. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second nozzle is a two-fluid nozzle that ejects the cleaning liquid in a mist form using gas pressure. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a control unit, the control unit alternately repeating control of the rotation drive unit to rotate the substrate holding unit at a first rotation speed while the second nozzle is discharging the cleaning liquid toward the inlet of the rotary flow path, and control of the rotation drive unit to rotate the substrate holding unit at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed while the second nozzle stops discharging the cleaning liquid. the substrate holding unit includes a lift plate that is provided on the base plate so as to be able to rise and fall freely, lift pins that protrude upward from the lift plate and support the substrate from below, and a lift unit that raises and lowers the lift pins together with the lift plate,
The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a control unit which performs the following controls: controlling the first nozzle to eject the cleaning liquid onto the base plate while the lifting unit separates the lifting plate from the base plate; and controlling the lifting unit to lower the lifting plate to bring the lower surface of the lifting plate into contact with the cleaning liquid accumulated on the base plate. the gripping portion moves between a gripping position where the substrate is gripped and a release position where the substrate is released from the gripping position in response to the lifting and lowering of the lifting plate;
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the substrate holding part includes a biasing part that biases the gripping part from the gripping position toward the release position. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a supply head that ejects a fluid toward the underside of the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a second nozzle that ejects a gas toward the supply head that is wet with the cleaning liquid. a first nozzle moving unit that moves the first nozzle in a direction perpendicular to a rotation center line of the substrate holding unit; an exhaust cup that surrounds the second rotating ring and forms an exhaust flow path between the second rotating ring and a third nozzle that ejects the cleaning liquid; a third nozzle moving unit that moves the third nozzle in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line of the substrate holding unit; and a control unit,
when viewed from above, a movement locus of the first nozzle and a movement locus of the third nozzle intersect at a rotation center line of the substrate holding part, the movement locus of the first nozzle and an inner periphery of the exhaust cup intersect at a first point and a second point, and the movement locus of the third nozzle and an inner periphery of the exhaust cup intersect at a third point and a fourth point;
The substrate processing apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit controls the first nozzle to eject the cleaning liquid toward an inlet of the exhaust flow path at each of the first point and the second point, and controls the third nozzle to eject the cleaning liquid toward an inlet of the exhaust flow path at each of the third point and the fourth point. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first rotating ring and the second rotating ring are each made of ceramic. a substrate holder having a horizontal base plate and a plurality of gripping parts for gripping a peripheral edge of a substrate, each of the plurality of gripping parts moving between a gripping position for gripping the substrate and a release position for releasing the gripping of the substrate, and for holding the substrate horizontally and away from the base plate by the plurality of gripping parts;
A rotation drive unit that rotates the substrate holder;
a first nozzle that ejects a cleaning liquid onto the gripping portions when the gripping portions are in the release position;
The substrate processing apparatus includes: A substrate processing method comprising processing a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 13.

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