JP2004128016A - Substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize uniform processing of a material to be processed, such as, a formation, etc. of a uniform plating film by always maintaining a processing liquid (electroless plating liquid) in an optimum state while an amount of using processing liquid, such as, for example, the electroless plating liquid, etc. is suppressed as small as possible. <P>SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder 50 for holding a substrate W, a processing head 52 for processing the substrate W by bringing the substrate W into contact with the processing liquid 54 supplied to an interior and held, a temperature holding tank 58 watertightly surrounding the holder 50 and holding a temperature of the liquid 54 held in the head 52 together with the holder 50 via a heating medium 130 at a predetermined temperature, and a processing liquid supply unit 56 for supplying the liquid 54 of the predetermined temperature to the head 52. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and particularly, embeds a conductor such as copper, silver or gold in a fine recess for wiring provided on the surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to form an embedded wiring, The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus used as an electroless plating apparatus for forming a wiring protection layer for protecting a surface of a buried wiring formed by the above method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a wiring forming process of a semiconductor device, a process (so-called damascene process) in which a metal (conductor) is embedded in a wiring groove and a contact hole is being used. This is a process of embedding a metal such as aluminum, recently copper or silver in a wiring groove or a contact hole previously formed in an interlayer insulating film, and then removing and flattening excess metal by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). Technology.
[0003]
In the case of this type of wiring, for example, copper wiring using copper as a wiring material, after flattening, the surface of the wiring made of copper is exposed to the outside to prevent thermal diffusion of the wiring (copper), For example, when an insulating film (oxide film) is laminated in an oxidizing atmosphere to form a semiconductor device having a multilayer wiring structure, for example, it is made of a Co alloy, a Ni alloy, or the like in order to prevent oxidation of the wiring (copper). It has been studied to selectively cover the surface of the exposed wiring with a wiring protection layer (cover material) to prevent thermal diffusion and oxidation of the wiring. The Co alloy and the Ni alloy are obtained by, for example, electroless plating.
[0004]
Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, SiO deposited on the surface of a substrate W such as a semiconductor wafer ₂ A fine concave portion 4 for wiring is formed inside an insulating film 2 made of, for example, and a barrier layer 6 made of TaN or the like is formed on the surface. Then, for example, copper plating is performed to form a copper film on the surface of the substrate W. The wiring 8 made of a copper film is formed inside the insulating film 2 by flattening the surface of the substrate W by performing a CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) after the film is formed and embedded in the recess 4. A case is considered in which the wiring 8 is protected by selectively forming a wiring protection layer (cover material) 9 made of a Ni—B alloy film, which is obtained by, for example, electroless plating, on the surface of the wiring (copper film) 8. .
[0005]
The wiring protection layer 9 made of such a Ni—B alloy film is formed by, for example, an electroless plating solution containing nickel ions, a complexing agent for nickel ions, an alkylamine borane or a borohydride compound as a reducing agent for nickel ions, or the like. By applying the used electroless plating, it can be selectively formed on the surface of copper or the like.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The places where the electroless plating is applied include the main embedding material (Cu) of the copper wiring, formation of the seed layer on the barrier layer, or reinforcement of the seed layer (Cu), formation of the barrier layer itself, wiring of the copper wiring material There is a protective layer (lid material) formation (all of which are Ni-P, Ni-B, Co-P, Ni-WP, Ni-Co-P, Co-WP, Co-WB) and the like. In any of the electroless plating processes, uniformity of the film thickness over the entire surface of the material to be processed is required.
[0007]
Here, in the electroless plating apparatus adopting the face-up method, the amount of the plating solution used for one plating process is generally small, and therefore, particularly, the temperature control of the plating solution during the plating treatment is difficult. Generally difficult. In other words, the plating temperature is an important parameter for the processing of the substrate and the like, and it is desirable to always maintain an appropriate temperature during the plating process. However, the smaller the plating solution used, the more the plating solution during the plating process Significantly decreases. For this reason, it greatly affects the plating process, which leads to variation in the thickness of the plating film. In the electroless plating apparatus employing the face-up method, a so-called one-pass method (disposable) in which the plating solution is discarded for each plating process has been adopted as a method of using the plating solution. In such a case, the use amount of the plating solution increases and the running cost increases.
[0008]
In addition, the electroless plating solution is used by mixing several types of solutions according to the electroless plating process. When roughly classified, a reducing agent (for example, sodium hypophosphite) is added to the basic solution to form a plating solution. Become. For example, when manufacturing a semiconductor device, it is desirable to perform a plating process using a plating solution to which a sodium-free reducing agent is added in order to prevent alkali metal contamination of the semiconductor device. Liquids are generally unstable and easily decomposed, particularly when maintained at high temperatures. That is, if the plating solution is generated by mixing the solutions, the plating solution is extremely activated at a certain temperature or higher, which may affect the plating process. It is desired that a plurality of solutions be mixed by a wasteless method to generate a plating solution and use it for processing.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, for example, always maintain a processing solution such as an electroless plating solution in an optimal state, it is possible to uniformly perform processing such as formation of a uniform plating film, Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of minimizing the amount of a processing solution (electroless plating solution) used.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 includes a substrate holder that holds a substrate, a processing head that processes the substrate by contacting a processing liquid supplied and held therein, and a processing head that water-tightly surrounds the substrate holder, A temperature holding tank that holds the temperature of the processing liquid held by the processing head together with the substrate holder at a predetermined temperature via a medium, and a processing liquid supply unit that supplies the processing liquid at a predetermined temperature to the processing head. A substrate processing apparatus characterized by the following.
[0011]
Thereby, even when a small amount of processing liquid is supplied and held in the processing head, the substrate holder holding the substrate is water-tightly surrounded by the temperature holding tank, and the temperature of the substrate holder together with the temperature of the substrate holder is increased via the heat medium. By maintaining the temperature of the processing liquid held by the processing head at a predetermined temperature under management, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the processing liquid from fluctuating during processing.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the apparatus further includes a processing liquid recovery unit that recovers the processed processing liquid from the processing head and returns the processing liquid to the processing liquid supply unit. is there.
Thereby, the used amount of the processing liquid can be minimized by collecting and reusing the processing liquid after the processing.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the processing head holds the substrate with the substrate processing surface facing upward by the substrate holder, and uses a seal ring that seals the substrate processing surface and an outer peripheral portion of the substrate processing surface. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing tank is configured so as to define a processing tank.
As a result, it is possible to perform a process that employs a so-called face-up method in which bubbles are well removed and the amount of a processing solution (plating solution) used in one process (plating process) is generally small.
[0014]
The invention according to claim 4 further includes a hot water supply tank provided with a temperature controller for holding the liquid as the heat medium, and the heat medium circulates between the hot water supply tank and the temperature holding tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:
With this, the heating medium having a sufficient heat capacity and having a substantially constant temperature, such as hot water, circulates in the temperature holding tank and is supplied and held in the substrate holder and the processing head surrounded by the temperature holding tank. The temperature of the processed processing solution can be kept constant.
[0015]
The substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the substrate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a heating head that contacts the processing liquid held by the processing head and heats the processing liquid. Processing device.
Thus, the processing liquid such as electroless plating supplied and held in the processing head is directly and uniformly heated by the heating head, so that the processing liquid is positioned at the center and the periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holder. It is possible to prevent a temperature difference from occurring in the processing liquid.
[0016]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the heating head, the contact surface with the processing liquid is formed in a tapered shape in which a distance between the contact surface and the liquid surface of the processing liquid gradually increases in a radial direction from a center. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
Thus, when the heating head comes into contact with the processing liquid, the liquid contact portion is sequentially and uniformly spread from the central portion to the outer peripheral portion of the heating head, so that an air pocket is generated at the interface between the heating head and the processing liquid. Can be prevented.
[0017]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the processing liquid supply unit has a processing liquid supply tank provided with a temperature controller for holding the processing liquid, and the processing liquid inside the processing liquid supply tank is agitated. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a stirring means for performing the stirring.
Thus, the temperature of the processing liquid (plating liquid) in the processing liquid supply unit can be maintained constant, and the processing liquid maintained at this constant temperature can be sequentially supplied to the processing head.
[0018]
The processing liquid supply unit may include a processing liquid supply tank that holds the processing liquid, and a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supply tank to the processing head. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising:
Thus, for example, by using a heater as a temperature control unit and heating only a required amount of the processing liquid to a predetermined temperature during the supply of the processing liquid, for example, decomposition of the processing liquid such as an electroless plating liquid due to high temperature can be prevented. The accompanying increase in consumption can be suppressed.
[0019]
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the processing liquid recovery section has a temperature control section for controlling the temperature of the processing liquid returned from the processing head to the processing liquid supply section. A substrate processing apparatus according to any one of the above.
Thus, for example, a cooler is used as a temperature control unit, and the processing liquid after the processing is cooled by the cooler and collected in a mild (inactive) state by the processing liquid supply unit, or a heater is used as a temperature control unit. The used processing liquid can be heated by a heater and collected in a processing liquid supply unit while maintaining the predetermined temperature.
[0020]
The invention according to claim 10, wherein the processing liquid supply unit includes a plurality of solution supply tanks each including a temperature control unit that individually holds a plurality of solutions that generate a processing liquid by mixing, and each of the solution supply tanks. And a mixing tank provided with a temperature controller that mixes a plurality of solutions individually supplied from the solution supply tank with each other to generate a processing liquid. It is a substrate processing apparatus of a statement.
Thereby, before producing a processing solution such as an electroless plating solution which is easily reacted at a high temperature when mixed and becomes unstable, a solution which can be stably stored even when the temperature is increased is preliminarily heated (preheated). By mixing the pre-heated solution in the mixing tank to generate a processing liquid of a predetermined temperature, even if the amount of the processing liquid is small, the temperature of the processing liquid is stabilized and the predetermined temperature is stabilized. The processed processing liquid can be quickly supplied to the processing head.
[0021]
The invention according to claim 11, wherein the processing liquid supply unit is configured to communicate with the plurality of solution supply tanks that individually hold a plurality of solutions that mix to generate a processing liquid, and the solution supply tanks, respectively. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a plurality of mixing tanks that mix a plurality of solutions individually supplied from a supply tank to generate a processing liquid.
As a result, contaminants and the like are mixed in the processing liquid in one mixing tank that generates a generally unstable and easily decomposed processing liquid such as an electroless plating solution. Even if the quality of the plating solution deteriorates and cannot be used as a processing solution, only the processing solution in the mixing tank needs to be discarded, thereby reducing the amount of the processing solution to be discarded. Processing can be continued using the processing liquid generated in the mixing tank.
[0022]
The invention according to claim 12 is the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the treatment liquid is an electroless plating solution.
[0023]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. This embodiment shows an example in which the present invention is applied to an electroless plating apparatus in which a wiring protective layer can be efficiently formed by, for example, electroless plating on the surface of a wiring formed on a substrate. Of course, the present invention can be applied to other substrate processing apparatuses.
[0024]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus (electroless plating apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus is divided into three areas: a load / unload area 10, a cleaning area 12, and a plating area 14. This substrate processing equipment (electroless plating equipment) is installed in a clean room, and the pressure in each area is
Load / Unload area 10> Wash area 12> Plating area 14
And the pressure in the load / unload area 10 is set lower than the pressure in the clean room. This prevents air from flowing out of the plating area 14 into the cleaning area 12, prevents air from flowing out of the cleaning area 12 into the load / unload area 10, and further allows air from the load / unload area 10 into the clean room. I try not to leak it.
[0025]
In the loading / unloading area 10, two loading / unloading units for loading and storing a substrate cassette 16 accommodating the substrate W (see FIG. 11) having the wiring 8 formed in the wiring recess 4 formed on the surface. A load unit 18, a first reversing device 20 for reversing the substrate W by 180 °, and a first transfer robot 22 for transferring the substrate W between the substrate cassette 16, the first reversing device 20, and a temporary table 24 described below are provided. Is contained.
[0026]
In the cleaning area 12, a temporary mounting table 24 is located on the load / unload area 10 side, and two cleaning units 26 are located on both sides of the temporary mounting table 24 to clean the substrate W after plating. However, a pre-cleaning unit 28 for pre-cleaning the substrate W before plating and a second reversing device 30 for reversing the substrate W by 180 ° are disposed and accommodated on the plating processing area 14 side. Each of the cleaning units 26 has a roll / brush unit 32 and a spin-dry unit 34, and can perform two-stage cleaning (scrub cleaning and chemical cleaning) on the substrate W after plating to spin dry. It has become. Further, in the cleaning area 12, a second transfer for transferring the substrate W between the temporary placing table 24, the two cleaning units 26, the pre-cleaning unit 28, and the center of the second reversing machine 30 is performed. A robot 36 is arranged.
[0027]
In the plating processing area 14, a first pretreatment unit 38 for applying a catalyst to the surface (substrate processing surface) of the substrate W, a second pretreatment unit 40 for performing a chemical solution treatment on the surface of the substrate W to which the catalyst is applied, and Two electroless plating units 42 for performing electroless plating on the surface of the substrate W are arranged in parallel and accommodated. Further, a plating solution supply device 44 is installed at an end in the plating processing area 14, and a pre-cleaning unit 28, a first pre-processing unit 38, a second pre-processing unit 40, an electroless A traveling third transfer robot 46 that transfers the substrate W between the plating unit 42 and the second reversing machine 30 is arranged.
[0028]
Next, a series of electroless plating processes by this electroless plating apparatus will be described. In this example, as shown in FIG. 11, a case will be described in which a wiring protection layer (cover material) 9 made of a Ni—B alloy film is selectively formed to protect the wiring 8.
[0029]
First, a substrate W having wiring 8 formed on its surface (see FIG. 11, the same applies hereinafter) is mounted on the load / unload unit 18 while the substrate processing surface (front surface) of the substrate W is stored facing upward (face up). One substrate W is taken out of the cassette 16 by the first transport robot 22 and transported to the first reversing machine 20, and the substrate W is reversed by the first reversing machine 20 so that its surface faces downward (face down). Then, it is placed on the temporary table 24. Then, the substrate W placed on the temporary table 24 is transported to the pre-cleaning unit 28 by the second transport robot 36.
[0030]
In the pre-cleaning unit 28, the substrate W is held face down, and the front surface is pre-cleaned. That is, for example, when the liquid temperature is 25 ° C. and 0.5M H ₂ SO ₄ The substrate W is immersed in, for example, about 1 minute in an acid solution, such as, for example, to remove CMP residues such as copper remaining on the surface of the insulating film 2 (see FIG. 11). Wash with a washing solution such as pure water.
[0031]
Next, the substrate W after the pre-cleaning is transported by the third transport robot 46 to the first pre-processing unit 38, where the substrate W is held face down, and a catalyst application process is performed on this surface. That is, for example, at a liquid temperature of 25 ° C., 0.005 g / L of PdCl ₂ The substrate W is immersed, for example, in a mixed solution of 0.2 ml / L HCl or the like for about 1 minute, thereby causing Pd as a catalyst to adhere to the surface of the wiring 8, that is, the catalyst nucleus ( A Pd nucleus is formed as a seed, and the exposed surface of the surface wiring of the wiring 8 is activated. Thereafter, the surface of the substrate W is cleaned with a cleaning liquid such as ultrapure water.
[0032]
Then, the substrate W provided with the catalyst is transported to the second pre-processing unit 40 by the third transport robot 46, where the substrate W is held face down, and the surface is subjected to a chemical solution treatment. That is, for example, at a liquid temperature of 25 ° C., 20 g / L of Na ₃ C ₆ H ₅ O ₇ ・ 2H ₂ The substrate W is immersed in a solution such as O (sodium citrate) to neutralize the surface of the wiring 8, and then the surface of the substrate W is washed with ultrapure water or the like.
[0033]
In this way, the substrate W that has been subjected to the pretreatment of the electroless plating is transported by the third transport robot 46 to the second reversing device 30, where the substrate W is reversed so that its surface faces upward (face-up). After that, the substrate W is transported to the electroless plating unit 42, where the substrate W is held face-up, and the surface is subjected to the electroless plating. That is, for example, an electroless Ni-B plating solution having a solution temperature of 70 ° C. is introduced into the surface (upper surface) of the substrate W, and is brought into contact with the surface of the substrate W for, for example, about 120 seconds to selectively remove the surface of the activated wiring 8. Electroplating (electroless Ni-B lid plating) is performed, and thereafter, the surface of the substrate W is cleaned with a cleaning liquid such as ultrapure water. Thus, the wiring protection layer 9 (see FIG. 11, the same applies hereinafter) made of a Ni—B alloy film is selectively formed on the surface of the wiring 8 to protect the wiring 8.
[0034]
Next, the substrate W after the electroless plating process is transferred to the second reversing machine 30 by the third transfer robot 46, and the substrate W is transferred to the roll / brush unit 32 of the cleaning unit 26 by the second transfer robot 36. Here, particles and unnecessary substances attached to the surface of the substrate W are removed with a roll-shaped brush. Thereafter, the substrate W is transported by the second transport robot 36 to the spin dry unit 34 of the cleaning unit 26, where the surface of the substrate W is subjected to chemical cleaning and pure water cleaning, and spin-dried.
[0035]
The substrate W after the spin drying is transferred to the temporary table 24 by the second transfer robot 36, and the substrate W placed on the temporary table 24 is mounted on the load / unload unit 18 by the first transfer robot 22. Return to the substrate cassette 16.
[0036]
Here, in this example, a Ni-B alloy is used as the wiring protection layer 9. That is, nickel ions, a complexing agent for nickel ions, an alkylamine borane or a borohydride compound as a reducing agent for nickel ions, and a pH adjuster such as tetramethylammonium hydroxide or aqueous ammonia, and the pH is adjusted to, for example, By using the electroless plating solution adjusted to 8 to 12, and immersing the surface of the substrate W in the plating solution, the wiring protection layer (Ni-B alloy layer) 9 is formed. The temperature of the plating solution is, for example, 50 to 90 ° C, preferably 55 to 75 ° C.
[0037]
Examples of the alkylamine borane as the reducing agent include dimethylamine borane (DMAB) and diethylamine borane. Examples of the nickel ion complexing agent include malic acid and glycine, and examples of the borohydride compound include NaBH ₄ Can be mentioned.
[0038]
In this example, a Ni-B alloy is used as the wiring protection layer 9, but as the wiring protection layer 9, Ni-P, Ni-WB, Ni-WP, Co-WB, A wiring protection layer made of Co-WP, Co-P, Co-B, or the like may be formed. Although an example in which copper is used as a wiring material is shown, a copper alloy, silver, a silver alloy, gold, a gold alloy, or the like may be used in addition to copper.
[0039]
FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of an electroless plating section provided with an electroless plating unit 42 and a plating solution supply unit 44 in this electroless plating apparatus. FIG. 3 shows a main part of a substrate holder for detachably holding a substrate. The part is shown enlarged.
[0040]
The electroless plating section includes a processing head 52 having a substrate holder 50 for holding the substrate W with its surface (substrate processing surface) facing upward (face-up), and a plating solution (processing solution) 54 Solution supply unit (processing solution supply unit) 56 for supplying the plating solution, a temperature holding tank 58 for maintaining the temperature of the plating solution 54 supplied to and held by the processing head 52 at a predetermined temperature, And a plating solution collecting section (processing solution collecting section) 60 for collecting the plating solution 54 and returning it to the plating solution supply section 56.
[0041]
The processing head 52 has a cylindrical body 64 having a lower end attached to the gantry 62. A main shaft 66 is rotatably supported inside the cylindrical body 64 via a bearing 68. A spline shaft 70 is provided inside the main shaft 66. Are arranged so as to rotate integrally with the main shaft 66 via the spline 72 and move up and down relatively to the main shaft 66. A rotation pulley 74 is fixed to the main shaft 66, and a timing belt (not shown) is stretched between the rotation pulley 74 and a drive pulley attached to a drive shaft of a motor (not shown). As a result, the main shaft 66 rotates with the driving of the motor. Further, an elevating cylinder 76 is interposed between the gantry 62 and the spline shaft 70, whereby the spline shaft 70 moves up and down with the operation of the elevating cylinder 76.
[0042]
On the other hand, the substrate holder 50 has a disk-shaped support table 80 and a stage 82 movably disposed above and below the support table 80. Are connected to the upper ends of the spline shafts 70, respectively. Thus, the support base 80 and the stage 82 rotate integrally with the rotation of the main shaft 66, and the stage 82 moves up and down relatively with the support base 80 as the spline shaft 70 moves up and down. .
[0043]
At the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the support base 80, the upper end reaches above the overflow weir 140 of the temperature holding tank 58 described below, and the heat medium (hot water) 130 introduced into the temperature holding tank 58 flows into the inside. And a cylindrical weir member 84 for preventing the occurrence of the above. At the upper end of the weir member 84, a ring-shaped seal protrudes inward and hangs downward, and presses against and seals the peripheral edge of the upper surface (substrate processing surface) of the substrate W as described below. A ring 86 is attached with its outer peripheral edge held therebetween.
[0044]
As shown in detail in FIG. 3, a support arm 90 is provided upright at a plurality of positions along the circumferential direction of the peripheral portion of the stage 82, and the substrate W is detachably mounted between the support arm 90 and the stage 82. Is provided with a clamp mechanism 92 for holding the clamp. That is, the clamp mechanism 92 has a chuck claw 96 rotatably attached to the upper end of the support arm 90 via the pin 94, and a vertically movable pressing rod 98 extending vertically through the stage 82. The pressing rod 98 is urged downward via a coil spring 100. The upper end of the pressing rod 98 is rotatably connected to the chuck claw 96 inside the pin 94 and a claw portion 96 a is provided outside the chuck claw 96 across the pin 94.
[0045]
Here, the chuck claw 96 has an arc-shaped mounting portion 96b centered on the pin 94 formed on the upper surface thereof, and also serves as a temporary mounting portion. That is, as described below, with the chuck claw 96 opened, the substrate W is dropped from above, and the substrate W is placed on the mounting portion 96b of the chuck claw 96 and temporarily placed. By closing the claws 96, the substrate W is held without changing the position in the height direction.
[0046]
Accordingly, when the stage 82 is relatively lowered with respect to the support table 80, the lower end of the pressing rod 98 abuts on the upper surface of the support table 80, and the pressing rod 98 moves against the stage 82 against the elastic force of the coil spring 100. , The chuck claws 96 are pivotally moved outward and open with the rise of the pressing rod 98. When the stage 82 is lowered relative to the support table 80 in a state where the chuck claws 96 are opened and the substrate W is temporarily placed on the mounting portion 96b of the chuck claws 96, the pressing rod 98 is moved by the coil spring. The elastic member 100 descends relatively to the stage 82 with the elastic force of 100. With the lowering of the pressing rod 98, the chuck claws 96 rotate inward and close, and the claw portions 96a of the chuck claws 96 move the substrate. The substrate W is held by sandwiching the outer peripheral end. At this time, the stepped portion 98a provided at a predetermined position along the axial direction of the pressing rod 98 comes into contact with the stage 82, and the downward movement is regulated.
[0047]
Then, while the substrate W is held by the chuck claws 96 in this manner, the stage 82 is further raised, and the peripheral edge of the substrate W is pressed against the lower end surface of the seal ring 86 to seal the substrate W with the seal ring 86. Thus, a plating tank (processing tank) 102 that holds the plating solution 54 and is partitioned by the upper surface of the substrate W (substrate processing surface) and the seal ring 86 is formed.
[0048]
In this example, the plating solution supply section 56 includes a plating solution supply tank 112 having a temperature controller 110 having a heater for heating the internal plating solution 54 to a predetermined temperature of, for example, 70 ° C., and keeping the plating solution inside. As described above, the plating solution 54 in the plating solution supply tank 112 is partitioned by the upper surface (substrate processing surface) of the substrate W held by the substrate holder 50 and the seal ring 86 via the mounted liquid feed pump 114. And a plating solution supply passage 116 for supplying the plating solution to the center of the plating bath 102.
[0049]
The plating solution supply path 116 is provided with a filter 118 and an opening / closing valve 120 a located downstream of the solution supply pump 114. Further, there is provided a branch pipe 122 branched between the filter 118 and the on-off valve 120a and having an on-off valve 120b interposed therein, whereby a stirring means for stirring the plating solution 54 in the plating solution supply tank 112 is provided. Is configured. That is, with the on-off valve 120a closed and the supply of the plating solution 54 to the plating tank 102 stopped, the on-off valve 120b of the branch pipe 122 is opened, and the branch pump 122 is driven by driving the liquid feed pump 114. The plating solution 54 in the plating solution supply tank 112 is circulated through this, so that the temperature of the plating solution 54 in the plating solution supply tank 112 becomes more uniform.
[0050]
The temperature holding tank 58 circulates while storing therein hot water (heating medium) 130 heated to 70 ° C. and kept at the same temperature as the temperature of the plating solution 54, thereby storing the inside of the plating tank 102 of the processing head 52. By heating and keeping the temperature of the supplied and held plating solution 54, even if the temperature of the plating solution 54 drops while the plating solution 54 reaches the plating bath 102, or even during the plating process, the plating solution 54 in the plating bath 102 It is configured such that the liquid temperature is always maintained at a constant temperature of, for example, 70 ° C.
[0051]
In other words, the temperature holding tank 58 is watertightly attached to the cylindrical body 64 of the processing head 52 so as to be open upward so that the peripheral wall surrounds the upper portion including the substrate holder 50 of the processing head 52. . A hot water supply tank 134 having a temperature controller 132 with a heater is provided. The hot water supply tank 134 and the temperature holding tank 58 are provided with a hot water supply pipe 138 in which a circulation pump 136 and an opening / closing valve 120c are interposed. Are connected by Further, the temperature holding tank 58 has an overflow weir 140 and a drainage groove 142 for draining hot water overflowing the overflow weir 140 on the outer peripheral portion. The drainage groove 142 has one end of a hot water return pipe 144. The other end of the hot water return pipe 144 is connected to a hot water supply tank 134. Further, the liquid level of the hot water 130 held in the temperature holding tank 58 is set to be higher than the liquid level of the plating solution 54 held in the plating tank 102.
[0052]
As a result, in the hot water supply tank 134, the hot water 130 heated and maintained at 70 ° C., for example, is supplied into the temperature holding tank 58 via the temperature controller 132, and overflows the overflow weir 140 of the temperature holding tank 58. The heated hot water returns to the hot water supply tank 134 and circulates, and in the course of the circulation, the plating solution 54 held in the plating tank 102 is completely immersed in the hot water 130 held in the temperature holding tank 58. Thus, the temperature of the plating solution 54 held in the plating bath 102 is configured to match the temperature of the hot water 130 in the temperature holding bath 58.
[0053]
In this manner, the plating solution 54 in the plating tank 102 can be uniformly held (heated) by circulating the hot water 130 having a substantially constant temperature in the temperature holding tank 58, By immersing the entire plating solution 54 in a heat medium such as hot water 130, even if a small amount of the plating solution 54 is held in the plating bath 102, The heating and the temperature holding of the liquid 54 can be reliably performed. Note that by providing the hot water 130 held in the temperature holding tank 58 with a sufficient heat capacity, heat exchange between the plating solution 54 in the plating tank 102 and the hot water 130 in the temperature holding tank 58 can be efficiently performed. Can be.
[0054]
Further, at the time of the plating process, the substrate holder 50 holding the substrate W is rotated to agitate the warm water 130 as a heat medium to promote the uniformity of the temperature of the warm water 130. Also, the temperature is maintained by being exposed to the warm water 130. Therefore, by controlling the temperature of all the factors that affect the temperature maintenance of the plating solution 54 and the substrate W, it is ensured that the temperature of the plating solution changes during the plating process and that the temperature of the substrate becomes uneven. Can be prevented.
[0055]
The plating solution recovery unit 60 collects the plating solution 54 after the plating process remaining in the plating tank 102, that is, on the upper surface (substrate processing surface) of the substrate W, and transfers the plating solution 54 to the plating solution supply tank 112 of the plating solution supply unit 56. A nozzle 150 that can be brought close to the upper surface (substrate processing surface) of the substrate W held by the substrate holder 50 inside the plating tank 102 and a plating solution that connects the nozzle 150 and the plating solution supply tank 112. It has a recovery path 152. A gas-liquid separator 154 provided with a suction means such as a vacuum pump and an ejector is interposed in the plating solution recovery path 152. As a result, the plating solution 54 after the treatment is vacuumed by the nozzle 150 and collected into the plating solution supply tank 112 through the gas-liquid separator 154.
[0056]
Next, a plating process in the electroless plating section having the above configuration will be described. First, the stage 82 of the substrate holder 50 is lowered, the substrate W is dropped from above the substrate holder 50 with the chuck claws 96 opened, and the substrate W is temporarily placed on the mounting portion 96b of the chuck claws 96. Thereafter, the stage 82 is raised, the chuck claws 96 are closed, and the substrate W is held by the substrate holder 50. Then, the stage 82 is further raised, and a seal ring 86 is pressed against the peripheral edge of the substrate W held by the substrate holder 50, and the seal ring 86 is sealed with the seal ring 86 to seal the upper surface of the substrate W (substrate processing surface). The plating tank 102 partitioned by the ring 86 is formed. At this time, hot water 130 at a constant temperature of, for example, 70 ° C. is introduced from the hot water supply tank 134 and circulated in the temperature holding tank 58.
[0057]
On the other hand, in the plating solution supply tank 112, the plating solution 54 in the inside is heated to a constant temperature of, for example, 70 ° C. via the temperature controller 110 while being circulated and stirred through the branch pipe 122. And keep it.
[0058]
In this state, the main shaft 66 of the processing head 52 is rotated, and the substrate holder 50 holding the substrate W is integrated, that is, the support table 80 having the seal ring 86 and the like and the stage 82 having the chuck claws 96 and the like are integrated. The plating solution 54 in the plating solution supply tank 112 is supplied from the center through the plating solution supply path 116 to the inside of the plating tank 102 defined by the upper surface of the substrate W and the seal ring 86 while rotating. Thus, the plating solution 54 is spread over the entire surface of the substrate by the centrifugal force acting on the substrate W, and the upper surface (substrate processing surface) of the substrate W is brought into contact with the plating solution 54 to perform plating. At this time, the supply amount of the plating solution 54 may be the minimum necessary for plating.
[0059]
Then, if necessary, the rotation speed of the substrate holder 50 is controlled or the substrate holder 50 is stopped, and plating is performed for a predetermined time, and then the plating solution 54 in the plating bath 102 is passed through the nozzle 150 of the plating solution recovery unit 60. Is sucked and collected in the plating solution supply tank 112 of the plating solution supply unit 56. Thereafter, the surface of the substrate W is rinsed with pure water. Then, with the rotation of the substrate holder 50 stopped, the stage 82 is lowered to release the holding of the substrate W, and the substrate W after plating is transferred to the next step by a transfer robot or the like.
[0060]
According to this example, it is possible to perform a plating process that employs a so-called face-up method in which bubbles are well removed and the amount of a plating solution used for one plating process is generally small. Even if a small amount of plating solution is supplied and held inside, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the plating solution from fluctuating during the plating process, and to collect and reuse the plating solution after the process. In addition, the amount of plating solution used can be minimized.
[0061]
FIGS. 4 and 5 show another example of the processing head 52. In this example, a plating tank is formed above the substrate holder 50 by the upper surface (substrate processing surface) of the substrate W and the seal ring 86. A heating head 160 for controlling the temperature of the plating solution 54 supplied and held in the inside 102 is vertically movable. That is, during the plating process, the heating head 160 is brought into contact with the plating solution 54 in the plating bath 102 to heat the plating solution 54. Other configurations are the same as in the above-described example.
[0062]
Here, the diameter of the heating head 160 is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the seal ring 86, and the contact surface 160 a of the lower surface with the plating solution 54 is gradually inclined upward from the center in the radial direction. It is formed in a tapered shape (conical shape).
[0063]
As described above, the heating head 160 that contacts the plating solution 54 held in the plating bath 102 and heats the plating solution 54 is provided, and the plating solution 54 in the plating bath 102 is directly heated by the heating head 160 during the plating process. By performing uniform heating, it is possible to prevent a temperature difference from occurring between the plating solution 54 located at the center portion and the peripheral portion of the substrate W. Moreover, by making the contact surface (lower surface) 160a of the heating head 160 tapered, when the contact surface (lower surface) 160a of the heating head 160 comes into contact with the plating solution 54 as shown in FIG. The liquid portion spreads uniformly from the central portion of the heating head 160 to the outer peripheral portion, so that air pockets can be prevented from being generated at the interface between the heating head 160 and the plating solution 54.
[0064]
FIG. 6 shows another example of the electroless plating section. This example is different from the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in that the temperature of the plating solution supply tank 112 shown in FIG. A plating solution supply tank 170 that does not have a controller, that is, stores a constantly cooled (mild and inert) plating solution 54 is used. A temperature control unit 172 having a heater such as an in-line heater for instantaneously heating is installed, and the plating solution 54 is further cooled, for example, in the middle of the plating solution recovery path 152 of the plating solution recovery unit 60 (mild and inert). ) The point is that a temperature control section 174 having a cooler for cooling to a state is provided.
[0065]
According to this example, when performing a plating process using an electroless plating solution having a property of being activated at a certain temperature or higher and reacting to various things, a necessary amount of the plating solution is supplied during the supply. By heating only to a predetermined temperature, an increase in consumption due to decomposition of a processing solution such as an electroless plating solution due to a high temperature can be suppressed. In addition, by installing a temperature controller 174 having a cooler in the plating solution collecting unit 60 and collecting the plating solution 54 in, for example, a cold (mild and inert) state, the plating solution 54 is collected. In addition, it is possible to prevent a part of the plating solution in the plating solution supply tank 170 from becoming high temperature.
[0066]
FIG. 7 shows still another example of the electroless plating section. This embodiment is different from the above-described example shown in FIG. 6 in that a temperature control section 172 provided with a heater such as a line heater shown in FIG. , A temperature controller 182 having an intermediate tank 180 for temporarily holding the plating solution 54 and a heater for heating and holding the plating solution in the intermediate tank 180 at, for example, 70 ° C. That is, the section 184 is used. This example shows an example in which a flow rate controller 186 and an auxiliary temperature controller 188 are installed downstream of the temperature controller 184. The auxiliary temperature controller 188 is for preventing the temperature of the plating solution 54 from dropping when the plating solution 54 flows from the temperature controller 184 to the plating bath 102. In place of the temperature controller 188, for example, a heat insulating material may be used.
[0067]
According to this example, for example, only the plating solution 54 used for a plurality of treatments is introduced into the intermediate tank 180, and only the plating solution 54 introduced into the intermediate tank 180 is heated to a predetermined temperature of, for example, 70 ° C. Then, a predetermined amount of the plating solution may be supplied from the intermediate tank 180 to the plating tank 102, whereby a temperature controller 184 having a smaller heater may be used, and the temperature control may be easily performed. It can be performed reliably.
[0068]
FIG. 8 shows still another example of the electroless plating section. In this example, a plurality of solutions that mix to generate a plating solution are separately held as a plating solution supply section 56. In this example, A plating solution is generated by mixing two solution supply tanks 250a and 250b and two kinds of solutions individually supplied from the two solution supply tanks 250a and 250b. In this example, two mixing tanks 252a and 252b are used. The plating solution recovery unit 60 collects the plating solution after plating in one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b of the plating solution supply unit 56.
[0069]
Here, one solution supply tank 250a is provided with only a reducing agent for a plating solution component, for example, in an electroless Ni-B plating solution, only DMAB (dimethylamine borane) or a borohydride compound as a reducing agent for nickel ions. The other solution supply tank 250b contains nickel ion, a complexing agent for nickel ion, and TMAH in other plating solution components, for example, in an electroless Ni-B plating solution. (Tetramethylammonium hydroxide) and a solution containing other components.
[0070]
The number of the solution supply tanks is arbitrarily set according to the type of the processing solution used for processing the substrate, for example, when used in the electroless plating process, the type of the electroless plating solution used in the process. In other words, each solution supply tank is prepared in a number corresponding to the number of solutions that can be safely stored without reacting even if heated, with a solution that generates a processing solution such as a plating solution by mixing.
[0071]
Each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b has a solution supply unit 258 such as a house line for individually supplying a predetermined solution into the inside, and a three-way system in which the solution held in the inside is pulled out from the bottom and interposed inside. By switching the valve 260a, the solution supply path 261 for supplying the solution by its own weight is connected to one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b. Each solution supply unit 258 is provided with an on-off valve 262a. Further, an overflow weir 264 having a predetermined height and a recovery groove 266 for recovering the solution overflowing the overflow weir 264 are provided on the outer peripheral portion of each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b. The recovery path 268 is connected, and thereby constitutes a quantitative means for supplying a necessary amount of the solution for generating the plating solution 54 to the mixing tanks 252a and 252b. That is, in each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b, when the amount of the solution stored therein exceeds a certain amount, the solution overflows the overflow weir 264 and flows out to the collection groove 266 to be collected. Only a certain amount is stored in the supply tanks 250a and 250b. This amount is set to a volume necessary for generating a plating solution for each solution. The solution supply tanks 250a and 250b detect that the solution has accumulated in the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b and has flowed out of the collection groove 266, and close the on-off valve 262a of the solution supply unit 258, thereby causing the solution supply tank 258a to close. A detection unit such as a liquid level sensor for stopping the supply of the solution from the supply unit 258 is provided.
[0072]
Further, each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b is provided with a temperature controller 270a having a heater for heating the solution held therein to a predetermined temperature to maintain the temperature. Then, in the case of using, for example, a non-electrolytic Ni-B plating solution heated to 70 ° C. and kept warm, the solutions individually held in the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b are separated by the temperature controller 270a. For example, it is preheated (preheated) to 50 to 60 ° C., and a predetermined amount of the solution preheated in this way is supplied to one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b.
[0073]
Here, the solution held in each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b is a solution which can be stably stored even when the temperature is increased before generating a plating solution which reacts easily at high temperature and becomes unstable. Thus, even if the solution before mixing is heated (preheated), the solution does not react or decompose.
[0074]
In this example, an overflow weir 264 is used as a quantification unit that supplies a predetermined amount of solution from one of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b to one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b. As the quantifying means, a means for controlling the amount of the solution by using a pump or using a measuring device (a load cell, an integrating flow meter, or the like) may be used.
[0075]
The mixing tanks 252a and 252b mix the fixed amount of the solution supplied from each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b in a preheated state to generate the plating solution 54 as described above. The tanks 252a and 252b are provided with a temperature controller 270b having a heater for heating the plating solution 54 generated therein to a predetermined temperature and keeping the temperature. Further, the plating solution 54 generated in each of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b and heated to a predetermined temperature and kept warm is sequentially transferred from the plating solution supply path 274 to the plating tank 102 via a solution sending pump 272 interposed therein. It is being sent. A filter 276 and an on-off valve 262b are provided in each plating solution supply path 274.
[0076]
Here, in this example, the two mixing tanks 252a and 252b are provided, and the solution in the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b is switched by switching the three-way valve 260a provided in the solution supply path 261 as described above. The plating liquid 54 is supplied to the plating tank 102 from one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b by simultaneously supplying the plating liquid to one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b and opening and closing the on-off valve 262b provided in the plating liquid supply path 274. I have. Thus, for example, while the plating solution 54 generated in one mixing tank 252a is being supplied to the plating tank 102, a new plating solution 54 can be generated in the other mixing tank 252b. A time lag in supplying the liquid can be avoided.
[0077]
Each of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b is provided with a branch pipe 278 which branches on the upstream side of the liquid feed pump 272 of each plating solution supply path 274 and has an opening / closing valve 262c interposed therein. Mixing means for stirring and mixing the supplied solutions is provided. That is, for example, with the supply of the plating solution 54 from the mixing tank 252a (or 252b) to the plating tank 102 stopped, the on-off valve 262c on the mixing tank 252a (or 252b) side is opened to drive the liquid feed pump 272. By doing so, the plating solution 54 in the mixing tank 252a (or 252b) is circulated through the branch pipe 278, whereby the plurality of solutions supplied into the mixing tank 252a (or 252b) are uniformly stirred while being stirred. To generate a plating solution 54, and the temperature of the generated plating solution 54 is made more uniform.
[0078]
Each of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b is provided with a temperature sensor 352 for detecting the temperature of the plating solution (only the mixing tank 252a is shown in the drawing). The output of the temperature sensor 352 is input to the control unit 356, and the output from the control unit 356 controls the temperature controller 270b.
[0079]
In the mixing tanks 252a and 252b, for example, when using an electroless Ni-B plating solution heated to 70 ° C. and kept warm as described above, it is preheated (preheated) to, for example, 50 to 60 ° C. as described above. An aliquot of the two kinds of solutions is supplied to one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b, and heated and kept at a temperature controller 270b so that the temperature of the plating solution 54 becomes 70 ° C. while stirring as described above. And supply it to the plating tank 102. Thus, by mixing the preheated solution in the mixing tanks 252a and 252b to generate the plating solution 54 at a predetermined temperature, even if the amount of the plating solution 54 is small, the temperature of the plating solution 54 can be reduced. And the plating solution 54 stabilized at the predetermined temperature can be quickly supplied to the plating tank 102. That is, the volume of each of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b is set to, for example, 2 L, and even with such a small-volume plating solution, the temperature of the solution can be stabilized.
[0080]
The plating tank 102 is provided with a temperature sensor 358 for detecting the temperature of the plating solution 54 therein. The output of the temperature sensor 358 is input to the control unit 356, and the output signal from the control unit 356 outputs the temperature. The controller 270b is controlled.
The plating solution recovery unit 60 is provided with a three-way valve 260b that is located downstream of the gas-liquid separator 154 and that discharges the unusable plating solution to the outside. The used plating solution 54 is returned to one of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b through the direction valve 260c for reuse.
[0081]
Next, an operation when performing electroless plating in the electroless plating section having the above configuration will be described.
First, a predetermined solution is supplied from the solution supply unit 258 into each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b, and a predetermined amount of the solution is held in each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b. For example, it is heated to a predetermined temperature of 50 to 60 ° C. and kept warm. Then, for example, the solution held in each of the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b is supplied into the one mixing tank 252a at a time, and the on-off valve 262b of the plating solution supply path 274 on the mixing tank 252a side is closed, and the branch pipe 278 is opened. When the on-off valve 262c is opened, the solution supply pump 272 is driven to stir the solution supplied to the inside of the mixing tank 252a, and is further heated through the temperature controller 270b, for example, to a predetermined temperature of 70 ° C. Is generated.
[0082]
On the other hand, in the same manner as described above, the substrate W is held by the substrate holder 50 and further raised to form a plating bath 102 partitioned by the substrate W and the seal ring 86. Hot water 130 at a constant temperature of ° C. is introduced from a hot water supply tank 134 and circulated.
[0083]
Then, based on a control signal from the control unit 354, the on-off valve 262b of the plating solution supply path 274 on the side of the mixing tank 252a is opened, and the on-off valve 262c of the branch pipe 278 is closed, and the liquid feed pump 272 is driven. Then, a plating process is performed by supplying a predetermined amount of the plating solution 54 generated in the mixing tank 252a into the plating tank 102.
[0084]
At this time, the temperature of the plating solution 54 in the mixing tank 252a is detected by the temperature sensor 352, and the temperature of the plating solution 54 in the plating tank 102 is detected by the temperature sensor 358. These output signals are input to the control unit 356. The temperature difference between them, that is, the temperature at which the solution temperature of the plating solution 54 decreases until the plating solution is supplied from the mixing tank 252a to the plating tank 102, is calculated, and the temperature is adjusted so as to compensate for this decreasing temperature (temperature difference). The controller 270c is controlled so that the plating solution 54 is always supplied to the plating tank 102 at a constant solution temperature.
[0085]
On the other hand, in the other mixing tank 252b, as described above, the solution is supplied into the solution supply tanks 250a and 250b, and a certain amount of the solution heated to a predetermined temperature is introduced into the mixing tank 252b. By mixing, a plating solution 54 having a predetermined temperature of, for example, 70 ° C. is generated and prepared. At this time, as described above, the temperature controller 270b is controlled so as to compensate for the temperature (temperature difference) at which the temperature of the plating solution 54 decreases before being supplied from the mixing tank 252a to the plating tank 102. I do.
[0086]
Then, when a predetermined number of substrates are processed with the plating solution 54 in the mixing tank 252a, or when the quality of the plating solution is detected and the quality reaches a certain level or less, an output signal from the control unit 354 is output. The on-off valve 262b provided in the plating solution supply path 274 connecting the mixing tank 252a and the plating tank 102 is completely closed, and the on-off valve 262b provided in the plating solution supply path 274 connecting the mixing tank 252b and the plating tank 102 is completely closed. Is controlled so that it can be opened and closed, whereby the supply of the plating solution to the new plating solution 54 in the other mixing tank 252b prepared in advance is switched. Thus, the plating process is continued without interruption. In addition, contaminants and the like are mixed in the processing solution in one mixing tank that generates a generally unstable and easily decomposed processing solution such as an electroless plating solution. Even if the quality of the processing liquid deteriorates and it cannot be used as a processing liquid, only the processing liquid in the mixing tank needs to be disposed of, thereby reducing the amount of the processing liquid to be disposed.
[0087]
According to this example, it is possible to meet the demand that a plurality of solutions are mixed as soon as possible and to generate a plating solution by using a method without waste, and that the plating solution is used for processing. The number of substrates up to the capacity limit can be processed, and the plating solution can be used efficiently.
[0088]
FIG. 9 shows a modified example of the above-described electroless plating section. In this example, the mixing tanks 252a and 252b are arranged above the plating tank 102, and the plating solution 54 in the mixing tanks 252a and 252b is provided. By opening and closing the on-off valve 262b of the plating solution supply path 274 by a control signal from the control unit 354, thereby supplying the plating solution to the inside of the plating tank 102 by its own weight. A temperature controller having an intermediate tank 380 for temporarily holding the collected plating solution 54 in the plating solution collection path 152 and a heater for heating the plating solution 54 in the intermediate tank 380 to, for example, 70 ° C. and holding the same. A temperature controller 384 having a temperature controller 382 is provided, and a liquid feed pump 386 is further provided downstream of the temperature controller 382.
[0089]
As described above, the temperature controller 382 having the intermediate tank 380 and the heater is installed in the plating solution collecting section 60, and the collected plating solution is temporarily stored in the intermediate tank 380 and heated, so that the collected plating solution is removed. When mixed with the plating solution in the mixing tanks 252a and 252b, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the plating solution in the mixing tanks 252a and 252b from temporarily dropping.
[0090]
In this case, the surface of the bottom wall 320 of each of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b is formed as a tapered surface 320a that is inclined downward toward the drawing-out portion of the plating liquid 54, so that the plating solution 54 inside each of the mixing tanks 252a and 252b is formed. Can be pulled out efficiently. Further, it is not necessary to provide a liquid feeding pump. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to arrange a paddle (stirring bar) 310 movably in the mixing tanks 252a and 252b to constitute the stirring means. it can.
[0091]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, even when a small amount of processing liquid is supplied and held in the processing head, the substrate holder that holds the substrate is surrounded by the temperature holding tank, and the heat medium is removed. By maintaining the temperature of the processing liquid held by the processing head at a predetermined temperature by controlling the temperature of the substrate holder via the substrate holder, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the processing liquid from fluctuating during processing. In addition, by collecting and reusing the treated liquid after the treatment, the amount of the treated liquid used can be minimized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a substrate processing apparatus applied to an electroless plating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view showing an entire configuration of an electroless plating section of the electroless processing apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a main part of the substrate holder of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another example of the processing head.
FIG. 5 is a view showing a liquid contact state between a heating head of the processing head shown in FIG. 4 and a plating solution in the order of steps.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of another example of the electroless plating section.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of still another example of the electroless plating section.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of still another example of the electroless plating section.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of still another example of the electroless plating section.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the mixing tank.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a wiring protection layer is formed by electroless plating.
[Explanation of symbols]
8 Wiring
9 Wiring protection layer
10 Loading / unloading area
12 Cleaning area
14 Processing area
16 Substrate cassette
18 Load / Unload unit
26 Cleaning unit
28 Pre-cleaning unit
32 roll brush unit
34 Spin Dry Unit
38,40 Pretreatment unit
42 Electroless plating unit
44 Plating solution supply device
50 substrate holder
52 processing head
54 Plating solution
56 Plating solution supply section
58 Temperature holding tank
60 Plating solution recovery unit
66 spindle
70 spline shaft
76 Lifting cylinder
80 support base
82 stages
84 Weir member
86 Seal ring
90 support arm
92 Clamp mechanism
96 chuck jaws
98 Push rod
100 coil spring
102 Plating tank
110 temperature controller
112 Plating solution supply tank
114 Liquid pump
116 Plating solution supply path
130 Hot water (heat medium)
132 temperature controller
134 Hot water supply tank
136 Circulation pump
138 Hot water supply pipe
140 Overflow Weir
142 drain
144 Plating solution return pipe
150 nozzles
152 Plating solution recovery path
154 gas-liquid separator
160 heating head
170 Plating solution supply tank
172 Temperature control unit (heater)
174 Temperature control unit (cooler)
180 intermediate tank
182 Temperature controller
184 Temperature control unit
186 Flow controller
188 Auxiliary temperature controller
250a, 250b Solution supply tank
252a, 252b mixing tank
258 Solution supply unit
261 Solution supply path
264 overflow weir
266 Collection groove
268 Solution recovery path
270a, 270b, 270c Temperature controller
272 Liquid pump
274 Plating solution supply path
352,358 Temperature sensor
354,356 control unit
380 Intermediate tank
382 temperature controller
384 temperature controller

Claims (12)

A processing head comprising a substrate holder for holding the substrate, and processing the substrate by contacting a processing liquid supplied and held therein;
A temperature holding tank that surrounds the substrate holder in a water-tight manner, and holds the temperature of the processing solution held by the processing head together with the substrate holder via a heat medium at a predetermined temperature.
A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a processing liquid supply unit configured to supply a processing liquid having a predetermined temperature to the processing head. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a processing liquid recovery unit that recovers the processing liquid after processing from the processing head and returns the processing liquid to the processing liquid supply unit. The processing head holds the substrate with the substrate processing surface facing upward by the substrate holder, and forms a processing tank that holds the processing liquid with a seal ring that seals the substrate processing surface and an outer peripheral portion of the substrate processing surface. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is configured as follows. Further comprising a hot water supply tank provided with a temperature controller for holding the liquid as the heat medium, wherein the heat medium circulates between the hot water supply tank and the temperature holding tank. Item 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a heating head that contacts the processing liquid held by the processing head and heats the processing liquid. The heating head is characterized in that a contact surface with the processing liquid is formed in a tapered shape in which a distance between the contact surface and the liquid surface of the processing liquid gradually increases in a radial direction from a center. 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to 5. The processing liquid supply unit has a processing liquid supply tank provided with a temperature controller for holding the processing liquid, and the processing liquid supply tank is provided with stirring means for stirring the processing liquid in the processing liquid supply tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The processing liquid supply unit includes a processing liquid supply tank that holds the processing liquid, and a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supply tank to the processing head. 7. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of 1 to 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing liquid recovery unit includes a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts a temperature of the processing liquid returned from the processing head to the processing liquid supply unit. The processing liquid supply unit includes a plurality of solution supply tanks including a temperature control unit that individually holds a plurality of solutions that mix to generate a processing liquid, and each of the solution supply tanks communicates with the solution supply tank. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a mixing tank provided with a temperature controller for mixing a plurality of individually supplied solutions to generate a processing liquid. The processing liquid supply unit includes a plurality of solution supply tanks that individually hold a plurality of solutions that generate a processing liquid by mixing, and a plurality of solution supply tanks that are respectively connected to the respective solution supply tanks and individually supplied from the solution supply tanks. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a plurality of mixing tanks for mixing the solutions to generate a processing liquid. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing solution is an electroless plating solution.

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