JP2024082069A - Substrate heat treatment apparatus and substrate heat treatment method - Google Patents

Abstract

When a substrate is sucked through a plurality of suction ports provided on the upper surface of a hot plate, a suction path for performing the suction can be easily connected to each of the suction ports.
[Solution] The substrate heat treatment apparatus comprises a hot plate for heating a substrate placed thereon, a plurality of suction ports opening on the upper surface of the hot plate, an isolation section formed below the hot plate and spaced apart from the hot plate, a plurality of openings provided in the isolation section, and an exhaust path forming section having an exhaust path to which each of the openings is connected, height displacement sections whose height relative to the exhaust path forming section is displaceable and which protrude above the isolation section and are provided for each of the openings, connection sections each connected to the upper side of the height displacement sections, suction paths provided from the upper end of the connection sections to the height displacement section so that a downstream end is connected to the exhaust path, and a second elastic member for biasing each of the height displacement sections upward and connecting each of the suction paths to the plurality of suction ports.
[Selected figure] Figure 3

Description

This disclosure relates to a substrate heat treatment apparatus and a substrate heat treatment method.

For example, a coating and developing apparatus for photolithography in semiconductor device manufacturing includes various processing modules that form and expose a resist film on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as a wafer), develop the exposed areas, and heat the wafer in order to form a circuit on the wafer. Patent Document 1 describes a PEB (Post Exposure Bake) apparatus that performs a baking process to promote chemical reactions in the resist film after exposure as one type of heating process. This PEB apparatus is configured to heat the substrate W while correcting the warp of the wafer by the action of a negative pressure generator connected to the suction port of the heating plate.

JP 2007-300047 A

This disclosure provides a technology that allows for easy connection of a suction path for suctioning a substrate through multiple suction ports provided on the upper surface of a heat plate to each of the suction ports.

The substrate heat treatment apparatus of the present disclosure includes a heat plate for heating a substrate placed thereon;
a plurality of suction ports formed on an upper surface of the heat plate for sucking the substrate;
An exhaust path forming part including a separating part formed below the hot plate and spaced apart from the hot plate, a plurality of openings provided in the separating part so as to open toward the hot plate, and an exhaust path to which each of the openings is connected;
a height variable portion that is variable in height relative to the exhaust path forming portion and that protrudes above the isolation portion and is provided for each of the openings;
a connecting portion connected to an upper side of each of the height displacement portions and formed by a first elastic member;
a suction passage provided from an upper end of the connection portion to the height displacement portion such that an upstream end is formed by each of the connection portions and a downstream end is connected to the exhaust passage;
a second elastic member for urging each of the height displacement portions upward and connecting each of the suction paths to the plurality of suction ports;
Equipped with.

This disclosure allows the substrate to be sucked through multiple suction ports provided on the upper surface of the heat plate, and makes it easy to connect the suction path for performing the suction to each of the suction ports.

1 is a vertical sectional front view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a hot plate and a suction structure of the substrate heat treatment apparatus. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the hot plate and the suction structure. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the function of the hot plate and the suction structure. FIG. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the suction structure according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the suction structure according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the suction structure according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the suction structure according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the suction structure according to the sixth embodiment. 1 is a plan view of a coating and developing apparatus in which a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure is provided. FIG.

First Embodiment
A substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the vertical sectional front view of FIG.
The substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 is a heat treatment apparatus for wafers W (hereinafter referred to as substrates W) which are provided in large numbers in a coating and developing apparatus 10 described later, and is an apparatus which performs PAB (Post Apply Bake) to dry a resist film after resist coating and before exposure.

The substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 comprises a housing 61 constituting an exterior body, and a substrate W transport port 62 and a partition plate 63 formed in the housing 61. The partition plate 63 separates the upper and lower parts of the housing 61. Inside the housing 61, there are provided a heat treatment mechanism 1H that heat treats the substrate W, and a substrate transfer mechanism 1T that transports the substrate W received from the external main transport mechanism via the transport port 62 to the heat treatment mechanism 1H. The heat treatment mechanism 1H is located at the rear side as viewed from the transport port 62, and the substrate transfer mechanism 1T is located at the front side of the heat treatment mechanism 1H as viewed from the transport port 62.

The substrate transfer mechanism 1T has a substrate placement table 64 on which the substrate W is placed and which has a function of cooling the substrate W after heat treatment, and cools the substrate W after heat treatment, for example to about 20°C. The substrate transfer mechanism 1T can move the substrate placement table 64 between the front and rear sides above the partition plate 63, and transport the substrate W onto the heat plate 2 (described below) which constitutes the heat treatment mechanism 1H.

The heat treatment mechanism 1H includes a lid 65, a cup body 66 attached to the partition plate 63 and positioned below the lid 65, a hot plate 2, and a support member 69. A circular opening 63a is formed in the partition plate 63. The circular hot plate 2 is positioned horizontally within the opening 63a, and an annular support member 69 is provided to surround the side periphery of the hot plate 2 and support the hot plate 2 within the opening 63a. The support member 69 is surrounded by the upper side of the side wall of the cup body 66. The upper end of the cup body 66 is connected to the partition plate 63.

As each component is arranged in this manner, the cup body 66 separates the area below the hot plate 2 from the surrounding area. The bottom wall of the cup body 66 is located away from the underside of the hot plate 2. The lid portion 65 is provided on the hot plate 2, and the lid portion 65, hot plate 2, and support member 69 form a processing vessel. This processing vessel can be opened and closed by an opening and closing mechanism 67 that raises and lowers the lid portion 65, and the lid portion 65 in the lowered state forms a processing chamber 71, which is an enclosed space.

An exhaust port 65a is provided in the center of the underside of the lid 65 for exhausting the processing chamber 71, and the exhaust port 65a is connected to one end of an exhaust path, the other end of which is connected to the exhaust system of the factory. When the substrate W is placed on the hot plate 2 and heat treatment is performed, a processing chamber 71 is formed, and the processing chamber 71 is evacuated. 74 shown in FIG. 1 is a lifting pin for transferring the substrate W between the substrate transfer mechanism 1T and the hot plate 2. The lifting pin 74 is arranged to penetrate the lower part of the cup body 66 and the hot plate 2, and is configured to be able to be raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism 75. The lifting pin 74 can appear and disappear above the placement area on the upper surface of the hot plate 2 where the substrate W is placed, and can be raised and lowered while supporting the substrate W.

Also, 76 is a lift pin for transferring the substrate W between the external main transport mechanism and the substrate transfer mechanism 1T. The lift pin 76 is arranged penetrating the partition plate 63 and the substrate placement table 64, and is configured to be capable of being raised and lowered by a lift mechanism 77. Therefore, the lift pin 76 can appear and disappear above the placement area of the substrate W of the substrate transfer mechanism 1T, and can support and raise and lower the substrate W. There are, for example, three lift pins each (only two are shown in FIG. 1) provided for each of the lift pins 74 and 76.

As described above, the substrate W is placed on the hot plate 2 and heat-treated. If the substrate W is warped during this process, the distance between the substrate W and the upper surface of the hot plate 2 will vary, causing variations in the temperature of the substrate W and potentially impairing the uniformity of the treatment. To prevent this, multiple suction ports 21a are formed on the upper surface of the hot plate 2, and the substrate W is sucked toward the hot plate 2 during heat treatment. A member (a suction structure V, described later) that forms a suction path 13 connected to the suction ports 21a is provided in the space surrounded by the cup body 66 below the hot plate 2.

The connection between the suction path 13 of the suction structure V and the suction port 21a of the hot plate 2 can be made without using fasteners such as screws or bolts, and the suction path 13 is connected to the above-mentioned multiple suction ports 21a all at once. This makes it easy to attach and detach the suction structure V to the hot plate 2, making maintenance of both the hot plate 2 and the suction structure V easy. As will be described in detail later, when making such a connection, the connection portion of the suction structure V that is in direct contact with the hot plate 2 is made of an elastic material.

When the substrate W is heat-treated on the heat plate 2, most of the sublimates generated from the resist film on the surface of the substrate W are exhausted from the exhaust port 65a of the lid 65, but some are sucked in from the suction port 21a of the heat plate 2. The suction structure V is also configured to discharge the liquid generated by cooling the sucked in sublimates and remove it to the outside of the heat treatment device 1.

The above-mentioned connection part forms the suction path 13, and therefore comes into contact with the sublimate. For this reason, it is preferable to use a connection part that prevents or suppresses deterioration even when it comes into contact with the material that constitutes the sublimate. Depending on this material, there are restrictions on the shape that can be manufactured. In other words, it may be difficult to make the connection part into a complex shape.

As will be described in detail later, the suction structure V is configured such that a member (inner cylinder 5) that is provided below this connection and forms the suction path 13 together with the connection is biased upward by a spring, which is an elastic member. As a result, the connection is pressed against the hot plate 2 and tightly adheres to it, even without a complex shape, and the suction port 21a and the suction path 13 are connected. This allows the shape of the connection to be simplified, while also allowing for easy attachment and detachment of the hot plate 2 to the suction structure V as described above.

The hot plate 2 will be described in detail below. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the hot plate 2 is composed of an upper plate 21, which defines the mounting area on its upper surface, and a plate support portion 22, which supports the upper plate 21 from below. The upper plate 21 is configured as a horizontal plate, and a plurality of heaters 23 (only one is shown in Figure 1) that generate heat when powered are provided at intervals on the lower surface of the upper plate 21. These heaters 23 adjust the temperature of each part of the mounting area of the hot plate 2 to a preset temperature, for example, 100 to 350°C, so that the substrate W placed thereon can be heat-treated with high uniformity.

In the mounting area on the top surface of the upper plate 21, multiple gap pins 24, which are protrusions that support the substrate W, are provided. The gap pins 24 form a small gap between them and the hot plate 2 to mount the substrate W, and the substrate W placed in a non-contact state with the hot plate 2 can be heated by radiant heat from the hot plate 2.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the upper plate 21 is formed with, for example, eight suction ports 21a. Each suction port 21a penetrates the upper plate 21 vertically and is circularly configured to suck in the substrate W placed on the upper surface of the upper plate 21. The multiple suction ports 21a are provided at intervals from each other in the placement area, and more specifically, are arranged at equal intervals along the periphery of the upper plate 21.

The plate support section 22 is provided with a horizontal lower plate 25 that is spaced apart from and faces the upper plate 21, and a number of supports 26 that are arranged on the upper surface of the lower plate 25 and support the lower surface of the upper plate 21. The lower plate 25 reflects the radiant heat of the upper plate 21 toward the upper plate 21, suppressing the temperature rise on the lower side. The thickness of the lower plate 25 is greater than the thickness of the upper plate 21, and the rigidity of the lower plate 25 is greater than the rigidity of the upper plate 21.

The lower plate 25 has, for example, eight lower plate through holes 27, each of which is provided below the suction port 21a of the upper plate 21. Each lower plate through hole 27 has a circular shape with a larger diameter than the suction port 21a, and is provided so as to overlap concentrically with the suction port 21a when viewed from above.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heat treatment mechanism 1H is equipped with a suction structure V for sucking the substrate W toward the suction port 21a of the hot plate 2. As described above, the suction structure V is detachable from the hot plate 2, and FIG. 2 shows it removed from the hot plate 2, while FIG. 3 shows it attached to the hot plate 2, but in the following explanation, it will be described as being attached to the hot plate 2 unless otherwise specified.

The suction structure V comprises an exhaust path forming part 3 arranged at a distance below the hot plate 2, and a rod part 40 extending vertically upward from the exhaust path forming part 3 so as to connect the exhaust path forming part 3 and the suction port 21a of the hot plate 2, and the suction path 13 described above is formed by this rod part 40. The rod part 40 is provided in a total of eight parts, the same number as the suction ports 21a and the lower plate through holes 27, one each. The rod part 40 comprises a connection pad 4, an inner cylinder 5 (first cylinder), a coil spring 6, and an outer cylinder 33 (second cylinder).

The exhaust path forming part 3 has a circular housing 31 in a plan view, and the inside of the housing 31 is configured as an exhaust space 12. The exhaust space 12 is connected to the exhaust source 11 (see FIG. 1) through an exhaust pipe 37 connected to the outer surface of the housing 31, and exhaust is performed during operation of the device, and suction is performed from the suction port 21a through the suction path 13 of the rod part 40. The exhaust source 11 is configured, for example, by an exhaust path of a factory in which the heat treatment device 1 is installed, and a valve (not shown) is interposed in the exhaust pipe 37, and it is possible to switch between a state in which the exhaust space 12 is exhausted by the exhaust source 11 and a state in which exhaust is stopped. In addition, a liquid suction port 31a is opened at the bottom of the housing 31, and a suction mechanism 17 is connected to the liquid suction port 31a through a pipe. The suction mechanism 17 is configured, for example, by an ejector, and suction (liquid suction) on the bottom of the housing 31 through the liquid suction port 31a and discharges the liquid to the outside of the heat treatment device 1, thereby preventing the liquid from accumulating in the exhaust space 12.

The upper surface 34 (opposing surface) of the housing 31 is formed horizontally so as to face the lower surface of the hot plate 2, and a circular upper surface hole 34a (through hole) is drilled vertically at a position overlapping the suction port 21 in a plan view, and the upper surface hole 34a opens into the exhaust space 12. The upper wall of the housing 31 including this upper surface 34 forms an isolation part formed below the hot plate 2. The upper surface 34 of the housing 31 is provided with an annular pedestal 32. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the annular pedestal 32 is a circular member disposed on the hole edge of each upper surface hole 34a and formed along the hole edge. The lower surface of the annular pedestal 32 is formed with an annular installation groove 32a along the circumference of the upper surface hole 34a. In this installation groove 32a, an annular seal member 35, which is an elastic body, is disposed in close contact with each of the upper surface 34 of the housing 31 and the annular pedestal 32. This prevents the atmosphere in the area between the hot plate 2 and the upper surface 34 of the housing 31 from being exhausted to the exhaust space 12 through the gap between the annular pedestal 32 and the upper surface 34 of the housing 31. In addition, the upper side of the hole formed by the annular pedestal 32 is expanded in diameter to form a step with respect to the lower side, and the area of the hole above this step is shown as the expanded diameter area 32b.

Next, each component that constitutes the rod portion 40 will be described. The outer tube 33 is a metal cylinder with the tube axis aligned vertically. As the outer tube 33 moves upward, its side surface projects outward to form a circular flange 33a, and the flange 33a is placed in close contact with the annular pedestal 32 so as to fit within the expanded diameter region 32b. The outer peripheral surface of the lower end of the outer tube 33 contacts the peripheral surface that forms the upper surface hole 34a and the inner peripheral surface of the annular pedestal 32. The inside of the outer tube 33 is connected to the exhaust space 12 of the housing 31, and together with the upper surface hole 34a, forms an opening 14 that opens upward in the upper wall of the housing 31. In addition, the upper part of the flange 33a of the outer tube 33 extends above the annular pedestal 32, and this part is called the extension part 33b.

The inner tube 5 is a metal cylinder whose axis coincides with the axis of the outer tube 33, and its lower side is located inside the outer tube 33, so that the inner tube 5 and the outer tube 33 form a double tube. The upper side of the inner tube 5 is arranged to protrude from the outer tube 33. That is, the inner tube 5 extends upward from the opening 14 formed by the outer tube. An installation groove 51 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower side of the inner tube 5 along the side circumference of the inner tube 5, and an elastic and annular tube seal member 56 (suction prevention part) is provided in the installation groove 51. In other words, the tube seal member 56 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the inner tube 5 so as to surround the inner tube 5, and corresponds to the first annular sealing body.

The cylinder seal member 56, which is, for example, a Y-packing, is in close contact with each of the inner cylinder 5 and the outer cylinder 33. Therefore, the gap between the inner cylinder 5 and the outer cylinder 33 below the cylinder seal member 56 and the area between the hot plate 2 and the upper surface 34 of the housing 31 are partitioned, and the atmosphere of the area is prevented from being exhausted to the exhaust space 12 through the gap. In addition, preventing exhaust from unnecessary places other than the suction path 13 to the exhaust space 12 in this way contributes to ensuring sufficient suction force from the suction port 21a. Therefore, the first annular body 56 partitions the area between the hot plate 2 and the housing 31 and the opening 14, and can prevent the opening 14 from suctioning the atmosphere of the area between the hot plate 2 and the housing 31. The inner cylinder 5 can be raised and lowered in the cylinder axis direction (i.e., vertical direction) relative to the outer cylinder 33, and the cylinder seal member 56 slides against the inner surface of the outer cylinder 33 during the raising and lowering.

As the inner tube 5 moves upward, its side projects outward to form a circular flange 52 (first flange), which is located above the upper end of the extension 33b of the outer tube 33. The outer diameter of the flange 52 is larger than the diameter of the lower plate through hole 27 of the hot plate 2, and the flange 52 is located below the lower plate 25 of the hot plate 2. If the part of the inner tube 5 above the flange 52 is the head 53, the diameter of the head 53 is smaller than the diameter of the lower plate through hole 27 of the lower plate 25, and this head 53 is inserted into the lower plate through hole 27 and located in the gap between the lower plate 25 and the upper plate 21. In the inner tube 5, the head 53 is made slightly thicker than the lower part of the flange 52, and therefore its outer diameter is larger than that of the lower part. The upper end of the head 53 is extended toward the axis of the inner tube 5, thereby reducing the size of the tube mouth. The rim of the reduced nozzle protrudes upward to form an annular protrusion 53a.

The connection pad 4, which is the connection part described above, is provided on the upper side of the head 53 of the inner tube 5. The general shape of this connection pad 4 is a short cylinder, and the connection pad 4 and the inner tube 5, which are configured as a connection cylinder, are connected so that their cylindrical axes coincide in a plan view, and the connection pad 4 is formed to fit within the upper surface of the head 53 when viewed from above.

The connection pad 4 has a base 41 that widens downward and a connection body 42 that widens upward. The base 41 is a portion that fits into the inner tube 5 and is provided to surround the annular protrusion 53a of the head 53. The inner peripheral surface of the base 41 extends vertically in a vertical cross-sectional view and is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the annular protrusion 53a. The diameter of the tube mouth formed by the connection body 42 expands upward. Therefore, the connection body 42 is formed in a horn shape. The upper end of the connection body 42 is positioned to surround the suction port 21a in a plan view. The connection body 42 forms the suction path 13 as described later, and by being formed in this way, even if droplets generated from the sublimate adhere to the inner peripheral surface of the connection body 42, they can be slid down by their own weight into the housing 31 of the exhaust path forming part 3 and removed from the liquid suction port 31a.

This connection pad 4 is the first elastic member. The upper end of the connection body 42 of the connection pad 4 is pressed from below against the periphery of the suction port 21a on the lower surface of the upper plate 21 of the hot plate 2 by the action of the coil spring 6 described below. More specifically, the pressing force of the coil spring 6 causes the connection body 42 to bend so as to reduce its height, and the restoring force of the connection pad 4 causes it to be in close contact with the periphery of the suction port 21a of the upper plate 21.

The space surrounded by the connection body 42 of the connection pad 4 and the inner tube 5 is the suction path 13 described above, which connects the suction port 21a to the exhaust space 12 of the exhaust path forming part 3. Therefore, the suction path 13 is formed to extend vertically from the upper end of the connection body 42 to the lower end of the inner tube 5, and the portion formed by the connection body 42 expands as it moves upward.

There are no particular restrictions on the material that constitutes the connection pad 4, so long as it can adhere to the hot plate 2 by utilizing the restoring force as described above, and can provide relatively large thermal insulation between the hot plate 2 and the inner tube 5 when connected to the hot plate 2. Specifically, it can be made of, for example, silicone rubber, fluororubber, or synthetic rubber such as Viton (trade name). It is preferable to use a perfluoroelastomer as the fluororubber, which has relatively high chemical resistance. This perfluoroelastomer is, for example, a tetrafluoroethylene perfluoromethylvinyl ether copolymer, or a tetrafluoroethylene perfluoroalkylvinyl ether copolymer.

The connection pad 4 is not limited to this shape, and may be bellows-shaped, for example, so that it has multiple sections that widen as they go upward, and it may have relatively high vertical flexibility. However, a simple configuration such as that shown for the connection pad 4 is advantageous because it does not require advanced molding techniques and allows for a wider range of materials to be selected.

Between the flange 52 (protruding portion) of the inner tube 5 and the flange 33a of the outer tube 33, a coil spring 6 made of metal, for example, is provided as a second elastic member. The winding axis of the coil spring 6 is aligned with the respective cylinder axes of the inner tube 5 and the outer tube 33. Therefore, the winding axis extends along each cylinder axis. The winding of the coil spring 6 surrounds the inner tube 5 and the outer tube 33. Therefore, the coil spring 6 is located on the side of the inner tube 5. The flange 52 is abutted against the lower plate 25 by the coil spring 6, and the flange 52 and therefore the inner tube 5 are in an upwardly biased state. By positioning the inner tube 5 at such a height, the connection pad 4 is pressed against the upper plate 21 and in close contact with it as described above. As described above, the lower plate 25 has a higher rigidity than the upper plate 21, and the influence of the abutment of the flange 52 is suppressed.

The coil spring 6 and the inner tube 5 will be further described assuming that the suction structure V is removed from the hot plate 2. When the height of the exhaust path forming part 3 is fixed and the inner tube 5 forming the height displacement part is pressed vertically downward, the flange 52 of the inner tube 5 presses the coil spring 6 downward, contracting the coil spring 6 toward the flange 33a of the outer tube 33, and the inner tube 5 can move vertically downward. At this time, the restoring force of the coil spring 6 urges the inner tube 5 vertically upward. When the downward pressing of the inner tube 5 is stopped, the coil spring 6 returns to its original length, and the inner tube 5 rises and returns to its original height. In this way, the height of the inner tube 5 relative to the exhaust path forming part 3 can be changed. For example, when the inner tube 5 is not pressed, the lower end of the inner tube 5 is located outside the exhaust space 12 of the housing 31 of the exhaust path forming part 3, and when pressed, the lower end of the inner tube 5 can enter the exhaust space 12. As the height of the inner tube 5 changes, the height of the connection pad 4 also changes. As described above, there are eight rod portions 40, but depending on the pressure applied to the inner tube 5, the height of the inner tube 5 and the connection pad 4 will be different depending on the pressure. In other words, the height of the inner tube 5 and the connection pad 4 changes independently between the rod portions 40.

The heat treatment apparatus 1 is equipped with a control unit 100 configured by a computer, and is equipped with a program and a memory. The program incorporates a group of steps so that the heat treatment of the substrate W described below can be performed in the heat treatment apparatus 1, and the control unit 100 outputs control signals to each part according to the program to control the operation. Specifically, each operation such as exhausting the suction structure V using the exhaust source 11, raising and lowering the lid part 65 by the opening and closing mechanism 67, raising and lowering the lifting pins 74 and 76 by the lifting mechanisms 75 and 77, and heating the heat plate 2 by the heater 23 is controlled by the control signal.

The procedure from the attachment of the suction structure V configured as above to the hot plate 2 to the processing of the substrate W will be described. The worker places the suction structure V below the hot plate 2. At that time, each rod portion 40 is positioned below the lower plate through-hole 27 of the lower plate 25 of the hot plate 2. Figure 4 (a) shows one of the rod portions 40 arranged in this manner. Then, the worker raises the exhaust path forming portion 3 of the suction structure V relative to the hot plate 2, inserts each rod portion 40 into the lower plate through-hole 27, and the connection pad 4 forming the upper end portion of one rod portion 40 comes into contact with the periphery of the suction port 21a on the lower surface of the upper plate 21 of the hot plate 2.

Furthermore, by raising the suction structure V relatively, the connection pad 4 of the one rod portion 40 bends, and the restoring force brings the lower surface of the upper plate 21 and the connection pad 4 into close contact, and the suction path 13 in the rod portion 40 and the suction port 21a are connected. Meanwhile, the connection pad 4 and inner tube 5 constituting the rod portion 40 from the upper plate 21 are subjected to a downward stress. By receiving such stress, the connection pad 4 and inner tube 5 move downward relative to the outer tube 33, thereby compressing the coil spring 6. The restoring force of this coil spring 6 biases the rod portion 40 upward, thereby maintaining the above-mentioned close contact between the connection pad 4 and the periphery of the suction port 21a.

Due to factors such as the variation in height between the rod parts 40 on the exhaust path forming part 3 due to manufacturing errors of the suction structure V and the slight inclination of the suction structure V with respect to the hot plate 2, for example, one rod part 40 is connected to the suction port 21a as described above, while the other rod parts 40 are not connected to the suction port 21a. Furthermore, as the suction structure V rises relatively, the other rod parts 40 are also connected to the suction port 21a in the same way as the first rod part 40. On the other hand, for the first rod part 40 that was previously connected, the coil spring 6 further contracts, so that the flange 52 provided on the inner tube 5 abuts against the hole edge of the lower plate through hole 27 of the lower plate 25, and the distance between the upper end of the inner tube 5 and the upper plate 21 is kept constant.

The relative ascent of the suction structure V continues until all rod parts 40 are connected to the suction ports 21a and the flanges 52 come into contact with the lower plate 25. Then, the relative ascent of the suction structure V is stopped, and the installation of the hot plate 2 and the suction structure V is completed. Figure 3, which was mentioned above, shows the rod parts 40 at the end of this operation.

To supplement the explanation of this installation work, when the suction structure V is raised relative to the hot plate 2 as described above, if the compression of the coil spring 6 becomes relatively large, the upward biasing force of the inner cylinder 5 becomes large. If the inner cylinder 5 approaches the upper plate 21 too closely and excessive stress is applied to the upper plate 21 through the connection pad 4, there is a risk of deformation or damage to the upper plate 21. However, since the flange 52 is configured to abut against the lower plate 25 as described above, excessive approach of the inner cylinder 5 to the upper plate 21 is prevented. Therefore, in addition to the role of receiving the biasing action of the coil spring 6, the flange 52 has the role of regulating the height of the inner cylinder 5 relative to the upper plate 21 and suppressing the load on the upper plate 21. In this way, the flange 52, which is the first flange, is configured as a height regulating part that regulates the height of the inner cylinder 5 and a protruding part that receives the biasing action of the coil spring 6. In addition, since the lower plate 25 has a higher rigidity than the upper plate 21 as described above, deformation and damage due to the abutment of the flange 52 are suppressed.

In addition, even if a relatively large impact is applied to the suction structure V during the installation work, causing the inner cylinder 5 to tilt momentarily, the outer cylinder 33 comes into contact with the inner cylinder 5, preventing the tilt from becoming larger. Therefore, the connection position of the connection pad 4 to the hot plate 2 is prevented from shifting from the desired position.

Referring to FIG. 4(b), the processing of the substrate W will be described. As described above, the exhaust space 12 of the exhaust path forming part 3 of the suction structure V attached to the hot plate 2 is exhausted, and the atmosphere above the hot plate 2 is exhausted from each suction port 21a through the suction path 13. With the exhaust from the suction port 21a in this state, the substrate W is placed on the gap pin 24 of the hot plate 2. If the substrate W is warped such that the peripheral portion is located above the center portion (shown by a two-dot chain line in the figure), the peripheral portion of the substrate W is sucked downward to correct the warp. Thus, the substrate W (shown by a solid line in the figure) whose distance from the flat upper plate 21 is uniform can be uniformly heat-treated over the entire surface. Then, when the substrate W leaves the hot plate 2, exhaust from the suction port 21a stops.

The suction mechanism 17 discharges the liquid from the housing 31 of the exhaust path forming part 3 at any time. This may be during the processing of the substrate W described above, or at a time when the substrate W is not being processed. This discharge of the liquid may be performed all at once after processing multiple substrates W, or may be performed after each substrate W is processed. When removing the suction structure V from the heat plate 2 for maintenance or the like, the reverse of the above-mentioned installation work is performed.

As described above, the heat treatment apparatus 1 includes a hot plate 2 having a plurality of suction ports 21a for sucking the substrate W, and a suction structure V. The suction structure V includes an exhaust path forming portion 3 and a plurality of rod portions 40 each extending upward from the exhaust path forming portion 3 and forming a suction path 13 connected to the suction port 21a. Each rod portion 40 can be displaced in height relative to the exhaust path forming portion 3 with respect to the inner tube 5 having the connection pad 4 on the upper side, and is biased upward by the coil spring 6 when the height is displaced downward. Therefore, when the suction structure V is raised relative to the hot plate 2 for installation, the variation in the difference in height between the connection pad 4 and the inner tube 5 relative to the hot plate 2 between the rod portions 40 is absorbed by displacing the height of the inner tube 5 relative to the exhaust path forming portion 3, and each connection pad 4 is pressed against the hot plate 2 so that an excessive load is not applied to the hot plate 2. Therefore, the suction path 13 of each rod part 40 can be connected to the suction port 21a collectively by the relative rise of the suction structure V. For example, compared to a case where the piping for forming the suction path is individually connected to the suction port 21a of the hot plate 2 using a fixing device, the suction structure V can be easily connected to the hot plate 2 and can be easily removed. Therefore, maintenance of the suction structure V and the hot plate 2 is easy.

(Modification)
The hot plate 2 is composed of the upper plate 21 and the plate support part 22, but it is not limited to this, and may be composed of only the upper plate 21 which is thickened to improve rigidity. The number of suction holes 21a is eight, but it is not limited to this as long as it is provided in a number sufficient to correct the substrate W. The layout of the suction holes 21a of the hot plate 2 can be any, for example, the suction hole 21a may be provided in the center of the hot plate 2. The rod part 40 may be arranged according to the arrangement of the suction holes 21a, and is not limited to the above-mentioned example. It is not limited to the above-mentioned shape of the substrate W to be processed. For example, the substrate W which is not warped may be processed, and the substrate W can be subjected to a highly uniform heat treatment from the viewpoint that the suction from the hot plate 2 prevents the substrate W from being displaced on the hot plate 2 due to the exhaust in the processing chamber 71.

The connection pad 4, inner tube 5, and outer tube 33 are cylindrical, but are not limited to this and may be other shapes such as a rectangular prism. Furthermore, the installation groove 51 and tube seal member 56 are not limited to being provided on the outer peripheral surface of the inner tube 5, but may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube 33. Hereinafter, an example will be shown in which the installation groove 51 and tube seal member 56 are provided on one side of the outer peripheral surface of the inner tube or the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube, but they can be provided on the other side without being limited to the shown example.

Depending on the strength of the coil spring 6, the flange 52 may be provided relatively below the inner tube 5 and may not abut the lower plate 25. In other words, a height restriction section that restricts the height of the inner tube 5 relative to the upper plate 21 may not be provided. However, by providing the flange 52 as a height restriction section, the load on the upper plate 21 can be reliably reduced as described above. In addition, a coil spring 6 with a relatively high strength can be used, which widens the range of material choices. The coil spring 6 and other springs described below are not limited to being made of metal and may be made of resin, etc.

Second Embodiment
The suction structure VA in the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In the following description of each embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted. Fig. 5 shows a partial cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4.

In the suction structure VA of this embodiment, instead of the rod portion 40, a rod portion 40A having a double-cylinder structure is provided. However, in the rod portion 40A, the inner cylinder is fixed to the upper surface 34 of the housing 31 of the exhaust path forming portion 3, the outer cylinder is biased by the coil spring 6 and is configured to be able to move up and down relative to the housing 31, and the connection pad 4 is provided on the outer cylinder. If the outer cylinder of this rod portion 40A is 81 and the inner cylinder is 82, the outer cylinder 81 is configured generally similarly to the inner cylinder 5 of the first embodiment, but the flanges are provided in two upper and lower stages separated from each other, with the upper flange (height regulation portion) shown as 83 and the lower flange (protruding portion) shown as 84. The suction structure VA is attached to the hot plate 2 so that the upper flange 83 abuts against the lower plate 25.

The inner cylinder 82 is generally configured in the same manner as the outer cylinder 33 of the first embodiment, but has an installation groove 51 and a cylinder seal member 56 on its outer circumferential surface, and the outer cylinder 81 can slide relative to the cylinder seal member 56. The coil spring 6 surrounds the inner cylinder 82 and is provided between the flange 33a of the inner cylinder 82 and the flange 84 of the outer cylinder 81. With the above configuration, when the outer cylinder 81 is moved downward relative to the inner cylinder 82, the coil spring 6 contracts, urging the outer cylinder 81 upward, and the connection pad 4 can be brought into close contact with the upper plate 21 of the hot plate 2 as in the first embodiment. With the above configuration, the suction path 13 is formed by the connection pad 4, the outer cylinder 81, and the inner cylinder 82 in the rod portion 40A.

This suction structure VA is attached to the hot plate 2 in the same manner as the suction structure V, and has the same effect. However, for the rod portion 40A, the upper end surface of the inner cylinder 82 becomes the wall when viewed from the gas flowing through the suction path 13. From the viewpoint of preventing the formation of a wall of the suction path 13 up to the exhaust space 12 of the exhaust path forming portion 3 and preventing liquefied or solidified sublimate from adhering to and remaining on the wall, it is preferable to configure the inner cylinder 5 to rise and fall relative to the exhaust path forming portion 3 as in the rod portion 40 of the first embodiment.

The flange for applying the biasing force of the coil spring 6 to the height displacement portion forming the suction passage 13 and the flange for regulating the height position of the height displacement portion are not limited to being a common component as in the rod portion 40, but may be separate components as in the rod portion 40A.

In this suction structure VA, a coil spring 6 is provided below the outer tube 81 and connection pad 4, which are the height displacement parts. The elastic member that applies a biasing force to the height displacement part in this manner is not limited to being located to the side of the height displacement part (inner tube 5 in the first embodiment) as shown in the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment
Based on Fig. 6, the suction structure VB in the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In this suction structure VB, if a member equivalent to the rod portion 40 (a member having a similar role) is the rod portion 40B, this rod portion 40B does not have an outer tube 33. Then, an installation groove 51 and a cylinder seal member 56 are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the annular seat 32 on the housing 31 of the exhaust path forming part 3, and the cylinder seal member 56 contacts the inner tube 5 and the inner peripheral surface of the annular seat 32 to seal the gap between them. The coil spring 6 is provided on the annular seat 32. Such a suction structure VB also has the same effect as the suction structure V.

The annular base 32 can also be considered as a tube, so that the annular base 32 and the inner tube 5 form a double tube structure in this suction structure VB as in each of the embodiments described above. The suction structure VB is not limited to such a double tube structure. The annular base 32 is not provided in this suction structure VB. Also, what was called the inner tube 5 will be called the tube 5. For example, the upper wall of the housing 31 is thick, and the installation groove 51 and the tube seal member 56 are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the upper hole 34a of this housing 31, and the tube 5 can be configured to move up and down so that its side surface slides against the tube seal member 56. The installation groove 51 and the tube seal member 56 may be provided on the side surface of the tube 5 instead of the side surface of the upper hole 34a.

However, the absence of the outer cylinder 33 and the annular base 32 may result in a large inclination of the inner cylinder 5 (cylinder 5) during the attachment to the hot plate 2 as described above. In order to reduce this inclination and align the connection positions of the connection pads 4 between each suction port 21a, it is preferable to use the double cylinder structure described above.

Fourth Embodiment
Based on Fig. 7, the suction structure VC in the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The suction structure VC includes a rod portion 40C equivalent to the rod portion 40. The rod portion 40C includes a metal bellows-shaped spring (bellows spring) 6C instead of the coil spring 6. The bellows spring 6C is configured by alternately stacking a large number of disc springs with opposite orientations and welding them together, and when both ends of the disc springs in the stacking direction are compressed (brought closer to each other), a repulsive force is generated similarly to the coil spring 6. The outer tube 33 of the rod portion 40C does not include an extension portion 33b, and the bellows spring 6C has its lower end connected to a flange 33a of the outer tube 33, and is provided so as to surround the inner tube 5 and to extend and contract in the vertical direction.

The head 53 of the inner cylinder 5 in the rod portion 40C is formed integrally with the body portion (belower side of the head 53) of the inner cylinder 5, and is formed to expand outward from the inner cylinder 5. In other words, the head 53 forms a flange (upper flange) formed on the outer peripheral surface (outer surface) of the inner cylinder 5. A vertically elongated circular flange (second flange) 50 including the head 53 is formed at the upper end of the inner cylinder 5, and the upper end of the bellows spring 6C is connected to this flange 50. This flange 50 is composed of the head 53 and a circular lower ring 57 provided below the head 53 and surrounding the inner cylinder 5. In addition, the lower end of the lower ring 57 protrudes outward to form a further flange 57b, which abuts against the lower plate 25 of the hot plate 2 in the same way as the flange 52 in the first embodiment, thereby regulating the height of the inner cylinder 5 relative to the upper plate 21 of the hot plate 2.

The lower ring 57 is coaxial with the inner cylinder 5 and is supported by the head 53, and the outer diameter of the lower ring 57 is the same as the outer diameter of the head 53. The hole edge on the upper surface of the lower ring 57 protrudes upward to form an annular protrusion 57a, the upper end of which contacts the underside of the head 53. Outside the annular protrusion 57a, between the underside of the head 53 and the upper surface of the lower ring 57, a seal member 56C, which is an annular elastic body, is provided so as to surround the inner cylinder 5 and is in close contact with the underside of the head 53 and the upper surface of the lower ring 57, respectively.

The inner cylinder 5 has an annular protrusion 53e on its body, which fits into a recess 57c on the inner circumferential surface of the lower ring 57, and the lower ring 57 is also supported by the inner cylinder 5 by the annular protrusion 53e. Note that since the lower ring 57 is separate from the inner cylinder 5, a gap is formed between the lower ring 57 and the outer circumferential surface of the inner cylinder 5.

In this suction structure VC, the height of the inner tube 5 relative to the exhaust passage forming part 3 changes as a result of the expansion and contraction of the bellows spring 6C instead of the coil spring 6, and it is attached to the hot plate 2 in the same manner as the suction structure V of the first embodiment, achieving the same effect. In addition, in this suction structure VC, a tube seal member 56 that slides against the inner tube 5 or the outer tube 33 is not provided. Not providing such sliding parts is preferable because it reduces the frequency of maintenance.

The space between the inner tube 5 and the bellows spring 6C, which communicates with the upper hole 34a in the housing 31 of the exhaust path forming part 3, the gap between the lower ring 57 and the inner tube 5, and the gap between the upper hole 34a and the inner tube 5 are all connected to each other. If these spaces and gaps are collectively called the communication space, this communication space is separated from the atmosphere between the hot plate 2 and the exhaust path forming part 3 by the above-mentioned sealing member 56C, and the suction of the atmosphere through the communication space is prevented. In addition to biasing the inner tube 5 upward, the bellows spring 6C, together with the sealing member 56C, which is the second annular body for sealing, plays a role in separating the atmosphere of this communication space from the atmosphere between the hot plate 2 and the exhaust path forming part 3.

Fifth Embodiment
Based on Fig. 8, the suction structure VD having the rod portion 40D in the fifth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Depending on the layout of the suction port 21a provided on the hot plate 2, the member forming the suction path 13 is not limited to being provided for one suction port 21a. In addition, the height displacement part forming the suction path 13 is not limited to being configured as a tube. The rod portion 40D has a vertically long block 5D instead of the inner tube 5 as a height displacement part whose height is displaced relative to the exhaust path forming part 3, and two through holes are provided to penetrate the block 5D in the vertical direction and are connected to the exhaust space 12 of the exhaust path forming part 3. A connection pad 4D is provided on the upper part of the block 5D so as to surround these through holes. In addition, the upper end of the connection pad 4D is provided so as to contact the hot plate 2 so as to surround the two suction ports 21a.

As described in the third embodiment, this suction structure VD does not have an outer cylinder 33 and annular seat 32, and the installation groove 51 and cylinder seal member 56 are provided on the side peripheral surface of the upper hole 34a. On the side of the block 5D, protrusions 58 and 59 are provided on the left and right sides in a vertical cross-sectional view in two stages, one above the other. The upper protrusion 58, like the flange 52 in the first embodiment, abuts against the lower plate 25 of the hot plate 2 to regulate the height of the height displacement part. The height regulation part that regulates the position of the height displacement part in this way is not limited to being formed as a flange that surrounds the entire circumference of the height displacement part. The lower protrusion 59 is provided to obtain the biasing force of a coil spring, like the flange 52, and a coil spring 6D is provided between this protrusion 58 and the upper surface 34 of the housing 31. As shown in the figure, in this example, the coil spring 6D is provided on the left and right sides of the block 5D. In this way, the spring that biases the height displacement part upward is not limited to being provided around the height displacement part.

Sixth Embodiment
Based on Fig. 9, the suction structure VE in the sixth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The exhaust path forming part 3 in this suction structure VE does not have a housing 31, and an opposing plate 36 is provided facing the lower surface of the hot plate 2, and a plurality of rod parts 40 of the first embodiment are provided on the opposing plate 36. The opposing plate 36 is provided with a through hole 38 that communicates with the inside of the outer tube 33 of the rod part 40. The upstream end of the exhaust pipe 37 is connected to the through hole 38 from the lower side of the opposing plate 36, and the downstream end of the exhaust pipe 37 is connected to the exhaust source 11. In this suction structure VE, the opposing plate 36 and the outer tube 33 correspond to the isolation part that is provided away from the hot plate 2, and the inside of the outer tube 33 corresponds to the opening 14 provided in the isolation part, and an exhaust path that is connected to the opening 14 by the through hole 38 and the exhaust pipe 37 is formed. In this way, the exhaust path is not limited to the one that has the exhaust space 12 in the housing 31.

The substrate W to be heat-treated is not limited to being coated with resist, but may be a film coated with a chemical solution such as an anti-reflection film or an insulating film other than resist. Furthermore, the substrate W is not limited to being a semiconductor wafer, but may be a rectangular substrate such as a substrate used in the manufacture of flat panel displays (FPDs).

Next, the configuration of the coating and developing apparatus 10 in which the substrate heat treatment apparatus 1 is provided as a heating module 1A will be described with reference to the plan view of FIG. 10 and the side view of FIG. 11. The coating and developing apparatus 10 is configured by connecting a carrier block D1, a processing block D2, and an interface block D3 in sequence in the left-right direction, and the interface block D3 is connected to an exposure machine D4. The carrier block D1 includes a stage 85 for a transport container C, an opening/closing section 86, and a transport mechanism 87 that transports a substrate W to the transport container C via the opening/closing section 86.

Processing block D2 is constructed by stacking levels E1 to E6 in order from the bottom up, with levels E1 to E3 being levels for forming resist films and constructed similarly to each other, and levels E4 to E6 being levels for development and constructed similarly to each other. Level E1 will be explained as a representative. A transport area 88 for substrates W is formed extending to the left and right, and a transport mechanism F1 is provided in this transport area 88. A heating module 1A is provided on the rear side of the transport area 88. A plurality of resist film forming modules 89 are provided lined up on the left and right in front of the transport area 88.

The levels E4 to E6 have the same configuration as the levels E1 to E3, except that a development module is provided instead of the resist film formation module 89, and the heating module 1A performs PEB (Post Exposure Bake). The transport mechanisms corresponding to the transport mechanism F1 on levels E2 to E6 are shown as F2 to F6. In addition, the processing block D2 is provided with a tower V1 on the carrier block D1 side of the transport region 88, spanning levels E1 to E6. The tower V1 is equipped with a number of transfer modules TRS stacked on top of each other. A transport mechanism 90 is provided to transport between these transfer modules TRS.

The interface block D3 includes towers V2, V3, and V4, which are constructed by stacking multiple modules on top of each other. A detailed description of the modules included in towers V2 to V4 will be omitted, but the modules of tower V2 include a transfer module TRS that is stacked in multiple stages. Reference numerals 91, 92, and 93 in the figure denote transport mechanisms that transfer substrates W between towers V2 and V3, between towers V3 and V4, and between tower V2 and exposure machine D4, respectively.

In the coating and developing apparatus 10, the substrate W is transported from the transport container C to tower V1 via transport mechanism 87, and then loaded into one of the floors E1 to E3 via transport mechanism 90. The substrate W is then transported by transport mechanisms F1 to F3 in the order resist film formation module 89 → heating module 1A → tower V2, whereby resist film formation and heat treatment are carried out in sequence. The substrate W is then transferred between towers V2 to V4 by transport mechanisms 91 to 93, and transported to exposure machine D4, where the resist film is exposed according to the circuit pattern.

The exposed substrate W is transferred between towers V2-V4 by transport mechanisms 91-93 and loaded onto levels E4-E6, and then transported by transport mechanisms F4-F6 to the heating module 1A and then the developing module, where it is subjected to PEB and development processing in that order, forming a resist pattern. The substrate W is then returned to the transport container C via tower V1 and transport mechanisms 90 and 87.

The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, modified, and combined in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

W substrate 2 heat plate 3 exhaust path forming portion 4 connection pad 5 inner cylinder 6 second elastic member 12 exhaust space 13 suction path 14 opening 21a suction port 31 housing

Claims (18)

A hot plate for heating the placed substrate;
a plurality of suction ports formed on an upper surface of the heat plate for sucking the substrate;
An exhaust path forming part including a separating part formed below the hot plate and spaced apart from the hot plate, a plurality of openings provided in the separating part so as to open toward the hot plate, and an exhaust path to which each of the openings is connected;
a height variable portion that is variable in height relative to the exhaust path forming portion and that protrudes above the isolation portion and is provided for each of the openings;
a connecting portion connected to an upper side of each of the height displacement portions and formed by a first elastic member;
a suction passage provided from an upper end of the connection portion to the height displacement portion such that an upstream end is formed by each of the connection portions and a downstream end is connected to the exhaust passage;
a second elastic member for urging each of the height displacement portions upward and connecting each of the suction paths to the plurality of suction ports;
A substrate heat treatment apparatus comprising: The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a suction prevention section that separates the area between the heat plate and the isolation section from the opening to prevent the opening from suctioning the atmosphere of the area between the heat plate and the isolation section. The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second elastic member is provided on the side of each of the height displacement sections. The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 3, wherein the height displacement portion extends upward from within the opening. the height displacement portion is a first cylindrical body provided for each of the suction ports,
the connecting portion is a connecting cylinder connected to the first cylinder,
A protrusion is provided on an outer surface of the first cylindrical body,
5. The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second elastic member is a spring provided between the protrusion and the isolation portion. The hot plate is
an upper plate in which the plurality of suction ports are formed and to which the connection portion is in close contact;
A plate support portion including a lower plate provided opposite to and spaced apart from the upper plate and supporting the upper plate from below;
a plurality of lower plate through holes each provided below the suction port in the lower plate;
The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the first cylinder is inserted into the lower plate through hole. The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 6, wherein the outer surface of the first cylinder is provided with a height regulating portion that regulates the height of the first cylinder by abutting against the hole edge of the lower plate through hole from below. The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 7, wherein the height restriction portion and the protrusion portion are a common first flange. The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rigidity of the lower plate is higher than the rigidity of the upper plate. The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 5, wherein the suction prevention part is configured by a first annular body that is provided on one of the inner surface of the opening and the first cylinder, surrounding the first cylinder, and is slidable relative to the other, and seals the gap between the first cylinder and the opening. The isolation unit includes:
An opposing surface facing the lower surface of the hot plate;
A plurality of through holes formed in the opposing surface;
a plurality of second cylindrical bodies extending upward from the edge of the through hole and surrounding the first cylindrical bodies respectively;
Equipped with
The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the opening is formed by a region surrounded by the second cylinder and the through hole. The spring has a winding shaft extending along each of the cylinder axes of the first cylinder body and the second cylinder body,
12. The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are surrounded by a coil spring. the protrusion is a second flange;
6. The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the spring is bellows-shaped, extends upward from the edge of the opening, surrounds the first cylindrical body, and is connected to the second flange. The second flange is
a lower ring provided on an outer surface of the first cylindrical body via a gap and connected to the spring;
an upper flange formed on the outer surface and positioned above the lower ring;
14. The substrate heat treatment apparatus of claim 13, wherein the suction prevention portion is configured by a second annular body provided to surround the first cylindrical body and to seal a gap between the lower ring and the upper flange. A substrate heat treatment apparatus as described in claim 5, in which each of the multiple connection cylinders has only one enlarged diameter portion that widens toward the top, forming the upper end of the connection cylinder. The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the connection cylinder is made of fluororubber. The exhaust passage forming portion is
a housing having an upper surface that faces the lower surface of the hot plate and an inside that forms the exhaust path;
a liquid suction port opening at a bottom portion of the housing for removing liquid that has flowed into the exhaust path;
Equipped with
2. The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a suction mechanism for suctioning the liquid from the suction port. placing a substrate on a hot plate;
a step of heating the substrate by sucking the substrate through a plurality of suction ports opened on the upper surface of a hot plate;
A step of exhausting the exhaust path in an exhaust path forming part, the exhaust path forming part including a separating part formed below the hot plate and spaced from the hot plate, a plurality of openings provided in the separating part so as to open toward the hot plate, and an exhaust path to which each of the openings is connected;
changing a height of a height change portion provided for each of the openings and protruding above the isolation portion with respect to the exhaust path forming portion;
a step of sucking gas from a suction passage provided from an upper end of the connection portion to the height displacement portion, the connection portion being connected to an upper side of each of the height displacement portions and formed of a first elastic member, such that an upstream end is formed by the connection portion and a downstream end is connected to the exhaust passage;
a step of biasing each of the height displacement portions upward by a second elastic member to connect the suction paths to the plurality of suction ports, respectively;
A method for heat treating a substrate comprising:

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