JP2004273801A - Substrate treatment equipment and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide substrate treatment equipment and method therefor which has no harmful effect on a substrate while suppressing the amount of a cleaning liquid used. <P>SOLUTION: A supply pipe 6 for supplying pure water to the substrate is equipped with a slow leak valve 8 and a discharge valve 9 in series from the upstream side of a direction in which pure water is supplied. The slow leak valve 8 is a needle valve which makes a flow rate of pure water in the supply pipe 6 much smaller than one at the time of carrying out a cleaning treatment on the substrate even if it is completely closed. The discharge valve 9 stops the supply of pure water when it is completely closed. While the cleaning treatment is not performed, an operation of switching the supply pipe 6 to a slow leak state by opening the discharge valve and closing the slow leak valve 8, and an operation of switching it to a supply suspension state by closing the discharge valve 9 are alternately repeated. The supply pipe 6 is turned into the supply suspension state in order to make pure water accumulated inside the supply pipe 6 in such an amount that never has a harmful effect on the substrate, and is turned into the slow leak state in order to make no pure water accumulated inside the supply pipe 6 when there is a possibility of harmful effects exerted on the substrate, thereby leading to no harmful effects exerted on the substrate while suppressing a use amount of the pure water which serves as the cleaning liquid. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and method for performing substrate processing on a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a photomask, and a substrate for an optical disk (hereinafter, simply referred to as a substrate). And a technique for supplying a cleaning liquid to a substrate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, the supply of the cleaning liquid such as pure water is stopped during the substrate processing other than the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate or during the loading / unloading of the substrate, that is, while the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed. However, when the supply is stopped, pure water stays in the supply pipe forming the nozzle, and bacteria are generated. As a result, the bacteria become particles and adversely affect the substrate. Therefore, while the cleaning liquid supply processing is not being performed, pure water having a flow rate sufficiently smaller than that during the cleaning liquid supply processing to the substrate is supplied into the supply pipe and supplied (hereinafter, the supply during this time is referred to as “slow leak”). In this way, the generation of bacteria is suppressed without keeping the pure water in the supply pipe (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-10-242101 (pages 2-4, FIG. 1)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the slow leak is performed as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, even when the substrate processing other than the supply processing of the cleaning liquid to the substrate or during the loading / unloading of the substrate, that is, during the time when the substrate is not being processed, the supply pipe is not filled. Pure water always flows, and a large amount of pure water is required.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a method thereof that do not adversely affect a substrate while suppressing the use amount of a cleaning liquid.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has the following configuration to achieve such an object.
That is, the invention according to claim 1 is a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a supply pipe for supplying a cleaning liquid to a substrate; an adjusting means for adjusting a flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe; Control means for operating the means, wherein the control means makes the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe sufficiently smaller than during the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate while the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed. The adjusting means is operated so as to switch between a slow leak state in which the flow rate is set and a supply stop state in which the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped.
[0007]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, while the cleaning liquid supply process is not being performed on the substrate, the control unit performs, for example, the substrate processing other than the cleaning liquid supply process on the substrate or the loading of the substrate. During the discharge, the adjusting means switches between a slow leak state in which the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe is sufficiently smaller than that in the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate and a supply stop state in which the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped. To operate. Therefore, when the amount of the cleaning liquid used is suppressed, the supply is stopped. Then, the washing liquid is retained in the supply pipe to the extent that bacteria are not generated. That is, the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped so as not to adversely affect the substrate. If there is a possibility of adversely affecting the substrate, the cleaning liquid stays in the supply pipe by setting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe to a flow rate that is sufficiently smaller than that during the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate. Not to be. As a result, the amount of the cleaning liquid used is suppressed and the substrate is not adversely affected.
[0008]
In the process of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate, the cleaning process is often performed while rotating the substrate in a horizontal plane. Therefore, the apparatus further includes a rotating unit that rotates the substrate in a horizontal plane, and the rotating unit supplies the cleaning liquid to the substrate while rotating the substrate, thereby performing a process of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate. invention).
[0009]
In the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate while the processing liquid other than the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate while the processing liquid other than the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate. In some cases, substrate processing and substrate cleaning processing are performed in parallel. In the latter case, there are a back rinse for supplying a cleaning liquid to the back surface of the substrate and an edge rinse for supplying a cleaning liquid to the edge of the substrate.
[0010]
Examples of the configuration of the supply pipe / adjusting means and the operation of the adjusting means by the control means include the inventions according to claims 3 and 4. In other words, a first valve in which the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe becomes a slow leak state even when the adjusting means is completely closed, and a second valve in which the supply of the cleaning liquid stops when the control means is completely closed are connected in series to the supply pipe. The control means is configured to provide a slow leak state in which the second valve is opened and the first valve is closed while the supply processing of the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed, and a supply stop in which the second valve is closed. An operation is performed to switch to the state (the invention according to claim 3).
[0011]
In addition, the control means comprises a first valve in which the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the supply pipe is in a slow leak state even when completely closed, and a second valve in which the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped when completely closed. The means operates so as to switch between a slow leak state in which the second valve is opened and the first valve is closed and a supply stopped state in which the second valve is closed while the supply of the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed (the second valve is opened). The invention according to claim 4).
[0012]
Further, the invention according to claim 5 is a substrate processing method for processing a substrate, wherein the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the supply pipe is adjusted while the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed. Is switched between a slow leak state in which the flow rate is sufficiently smaller than that during the supply processing and a supply stop state in which the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped.
[0013]
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the supply pipe is more sufficiently set than during the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate while the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed. Since the state is switched between a slow leak state in which the flow rate is small and a supply stop state in which the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped, the amount of the cleaning liquid used is suppressed and the substrate is not adversely affected.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment, FIG. 2 is an arrangement diagram of valves of the first embodiment, and FIG. It is a correspondence figure regarding two states of an object.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment includes a spin chuck 1, a rotating shaft 2, an electric motor 3, a cleaning nozzle 4, a scattering prevention cup 5, and the like. The shape of the spin chuck 1 is a disk shape, and is constituted by standing up to six support pins 1a (only two are shown in FIG. 1) formed in a columnar shape. The spin chuck 1 is rotationally driven by an electric motor 3 via a rotary shaft 2 connected to the bottom surface, and the rotational drive causes the substrate W, whose peripheral edge is supported by the support pins 1a, to rotate around the rotation center P. Rotated in a horizontal plane. The spin chuck 1, the rotating shaft 2, and the electric motor 3 correspond to a rotating unit in the present invention. Note that the spin chuck 1 may be of a type that holds the substrate W by suction.
[0016]
The scattering prevention cup 5 is disposed around the spin chuck 1 and prevents the cleaning liquid (ultra pure water in the first embodiment) supplied from the cleaning nozzle 4 from scattering. The scattering prevention cup 5 is configured to move up and down with respect to the spin chuck 1 when receiving the uncleaned substrate W from the spin chuck 1.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning nozzle 4 is disposed so that the discharge port faces the processing surface of the substrate W. The cleaning liquid is discharged from the discharge port, and the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate W to perform the cleaning process. Is performed. In the first embodiment, ultrapure water (hereinafter simply referred to as “pure water”) is used as the cleaning liquid. The cleaning nozzle 4 is connected to a pure water supply device (tank) 7 through a supply pipe 6 and is provided with a slow leak valve in order from the pure water supply tank 7 side, that is, from the upper side in the pure water supply direction. 8 and a discharge valve 9 are arranged in series with the supply pipe 6.
[0018]
Further, the cleaning nozzle 4 is retracted to the standby position where the standby pot A is provided while the cleaning process is not performed, that is, while the process of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate W is not performed. A nozzle displacement mechanism (not shown) is operated to horizontally displace the cleaning nozzle 4 between the cleaning liquid supply position on the substrate W and the standby position. As a result, the cleaning nozzle 4 is stored in the standby pot A during the evacuation. The movement of the nozzle by the nozzle displacement mechanism is not limited to the rotary type, and may be a linear movement, or may be a displacement mechanism that can move between the cleaning liquid supply position and the standby position.
[0019]
The standby pot A may be configured to accommodate a plurality of nozzles other than the cleaning nozzle 4. The nozzles other than the cleaning nozzle 4 are not limited to the cleaning nozzles, and may be nozzles for supplying a processing liquid such as a developer or a coating liquid.
[0020]
The slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 are opened and closed by the controller 10 in the standby pot A. Note that the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 may be opened and closed by the controller 10 at a position other than the standby pot A, for example, at a position during the cleaning process.
[0021]
The slow leak valve 8 corresponds to a first valve in the present invention, the discharge valve 9 corresponds to a second valve in the present invention, and the controller 10 corresponds to control means in the present invention. Also, the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 adjust the flow rate of pure water flowing in the supply pipe 6, so that the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 correspond to the adjusting means in the present invention.
[0022]
Specifically, the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 are provided as shown in FIG. Both valves 8 and 9 are air valves that are adjusted by air, and are configured together. An air valve (hereinafter referred to as a “slow leak valve 8”) configured to drive the valve in a direction in which the valve opens when air is supplied and in a direction in which the valve closes when air is not supplied. Is called “normally closed (NC)”, and the discharge valve 9 on the lower side is driven in a direction in which the valve is closed when air is supplied, and is opened in a direction in which the valve is opened when air is not supplied. An air valve configured to be driven (hereinafter, this is referred to as “normally open (NO)”).
[0023]
The slow leak valve 8, which is a normally closed (NC) type air valve, is constituted by a needle valve having a needle-shaped valve body (needle) 8a. By adjusting the needle 8a, the inside of the supply pipe 6 is controlled. The flow rate of the flowing pure water can be finely adjusted. However, since the slow leak valve 8 is constituted by a needle valve, the flow rate of pure water flowing through the supply pipe 6 even when the slow leak valve 8 is completely closed is smaller than that during the substrate cleaning process (at the time of supplying the substrate with the cleaning liquid). The flow rate is sufficiently small. On the other hand, since the discharge valve 9, which is a normally open (NO) type air valve, is not constituted by a needle valve, the supply of pure water stops when the discharge valve 9 is completely closed. Utilizing this property, the two valves 8, 9 are arranged as described above as shown in FIGS.
[0024]
With this arrangement, the opening / closing state of each valve of the slow leak valve 8 which is an NC type air valve and the discharge valve 9 which is an NO type air valve, and two states which are to be subjected to cleaning processing and switching ( The slow leak state and the supply stop state) have a correspondence relationship as shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, “close” indicates a closed state, “open” indicates an open state, and “Don't care” indicates that the state is not related to the open / closed state. That is, to switch to the slow leak state, the discharge valve 9 is opened and the slow leak valve 8 is closed, and to switch to the pure water supply stop state, the discharge valve 9 is closed (the slow leak valve 8 is “Don ' t care ”), while the substrate cleaning process is being performed, the cleaning liquid at a predetermined flow rate of pure water is supplied by opening both valves 8 and 9. While the cleaning process of the substrate W is not performed, the controller 10 operates both the valves 8 and 9 so that the operation of switching to the slow leak state and the operation of switching to the supply stop state are alternately repeated.
[0025]
In addition, when the discharge valve 9 is opened and the opening / closing strength of the slow leak valve 8, that is, the strength of the fastening of the needle 8 a is operated, when the fastening of the needle 8 a is strengthened, pure water from the washing nozzle 4 is caused by surface tension. In the case where the needle 8a is weakened (loose), pure water is supplied from the washing nozzle 4 in a state where the yarn is pulled, and when the slow leak valve 8 is opened, the substrate is Pure water is supplied at a predetermined flow rate of the cleaning liquid during the cleaning process.
[0026]
In addition, the slow leak valve 8 corresponding to the first valve is disposed on the upper side with respect to the supply direction of the pure water, and the discharge valve 9 corresponding to the second valve is disposed on the lower side, respectively. Good. That is, the slow leak valve 8 may be disposed on the lower side, and the discharge valve 9 may be disposed on the upper side. Therefore, the arrangement positions of the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 are not particularly limited regardless of whether they are good or bad. Further, although the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 are arranged in series with the supply pipe 6, a valve in which the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 are integrated may be used. In this case, the supply pipe 6 does not connect the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9.
[0027]
A specific sequence while the substrate W is not cleaned is shown below. During the cleaning process, pure water having a predetermined cleaning liquid flow rate is supplied from the cleaning nozzle 4 toward the processing surface of the substrate W. While the cleaning process is not being performed, for example, a switching operation in which the slow leak is performed for 10 minutes and then the slow leak is stopped for 10 minutes (slow leak state 10 minutes / supply stop state 10 minutes) is alternately repeated. Further, for example, after performing the slow leak for 5 minutes, the switching operation of stopping the slow leak for 30 minutes (slow leak state 5 minutes / supply stop state 30 minutes) is alternately repeated. The timing of the switching operation between the slow leak state and the supply stop state is not particularly limited.
[0028]
Such a sequence is stored in advance in the memory unit 11 including a storage medium represented by a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like, and the controller 10 reads the sequence stored in the memory unit 11 to switch between the two states. Is performed. Note that the sequence is not limited to the above. If the pure water is retained in the supply pipe 6 to the extent that bacteria do not occur, that is, if the supply of pure water is stopped to such an extent that the substrate W is not adversely affected, for example, for maintenance of the apparatus, The apparatus may be stopped for about one day and the supply of pure water may be stopped for about one day, that is, the supply stop state may be continuous for about one day.
[0029]
According to the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment having the above-described configuration, while the controller 10 is not performing the cleaning processing of the substrate W, for example, during the processing of the substrate other than the cleaning processing and the loading and unloading of the substrate W, A slow leak valve 8 and a slow leak valve 8 are provided to switch between a slow leak state in which the flow rate of pure water flowing through the supply pipe 6 is sufficiently smaller than that during the cleaning process of the substrate W and a supply stop state in which the supply of pure water is stopped. Operate the discharge valve 9.
[0030]
Therefore, in order to suppress the amount of pure water used, the supply is stopped. Then, pure water is retained in the supply pipe 6 to such an extent that bacteria are not generated. That is, the supply is stopped so that the pure water in the supply pipe 6 is stopped to such an extent that the substrate W is not adversely affected. If there is a possibility that the substrate W may be adversely affected, the flow rate of the pure water flowing through the supply pipe 6 is set to a sufficiently small flow rate as compared with the time of cleaning the substrate W, so that a slow leak state is established. So that pure water does not accumulate. As a result, it is possible to suppress the use amount of the pure water as the cleaning liquid and not to adversely affect the substrate W.
[0031]
In the first embodiment, the spin chuck 1, the rotation shaft 2, and the electric motor 3 for rotating the substrate W in a horizontal plane are provided, and the spin chuck 1, the rotation shaft 2, and the electric motor 3 rotate the substrate W. The substrate W is cleaned by supplying pure water to the substrate W.
[0032]
In the first embodiment, the supply pipe 6, the slow leak valve 8, and the discharge valve 9 are arranged in series with the supply pipe 6. The needle 8a has a slow leak valve 8 in which the flow rate of pure water flowing through the supply pipe 6 becomes a flow rate in a slow leak state even when the valve on the upstream side in the pure water supply direction is completely closed. Consists of a needle valve. On the other hand, the lower valve is constituted by a discharge valve 9 that stops the supply of pure water when completely closed. While the substrate is not cleaned, the discharge valve 9 disposed on the lower side is opened, and the slow leak valve 8 disposed on the upper side is closed. Operate to switch to the water supply stop state.
[0033]
In the first embodiment described above, the present invention is applied to the substrate processing apparatus that performs cleaning by supplying a cleaning liquid (pure water in the first embodiment) to the processing surface of the substrate W from the discharge port of the cleaning nozzle 4. The present invention may be applied to a substrate processing apparatus that performs cleaning while directly contacting a brush or a sponge with the substrate W while supplying a cleaning liquid to the processing surface of the substrate W, that is, a so-called scrubber. In addition, the present invention is applied to a substrate processing apparatus that performs a cleaning process by supplying a cleaning liquid to the substrate W while rotating the substrate W in a horizontal plane. However, the cleaning nozzle 4 is scanned in the horizontal plane while the substrate W is fixed. The present invention may be applied to a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a substrate W and performs a cleaning process.
[0034]
In addition, the present invention may be applied to a substrate processing apparatus that supplies a cleaning liquid to a cleaning tank connected to a supply pipe and immerses the substrate W in the cleaning tank filled with the supplied cleaning liquid to perform cleaning. Further, the present invention may be applied to a single-wafer-type substrate processing apparatus that performs processing one by one as in the first embodiment, or a cassette (carrier) accommodating a plurality of substrates may be placed in the above-described cleaning tank. The present invention may be applied to a immersion batch type substrate processing apparatus.
[0035]
In the above-described first embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus that performs only the cleaning processing is described as an example. However, the present invention may be applied to a substrate processing apparatus that performs a series of substrate processing including the cleaning processing. In the second embodiment described below, as an example of the above-described substrate processing, a photoresist film is applied to a substrate, a photo-exposure process is performed on the applied substrate, and a photo-development is performed on the exposed substrate. 4 shows a lithography process.
[0036]
[Second embodiment]
The substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment is an apparatus for performing photolithography as described above. FIG. 4 is a plan block diagram of the substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 4, the substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment includes an indexer 21, a process unit 22, and an interface 23. In the case of the second embodiment, the interface 23 includes a process unit 22 for performing a resist coating and developing process, and an exposure unit 24 (for example, a stepper for performing a step exposure) as an external processing device for performing a substrate exposure process. And are connected.
[0038]
Next, a specific configuration of the indexer 21 will be described. The indexer 21 includes a cassette mounting table 25 and an indexer transport path 26. The cassette mounting table 25 is configured to be able to mount a plurality (four in FIG. 1) of cassettes C containing a plurality of (for example, 25) unprocessed substrates W or processed substrates W. The indexer transport mechanism, not shown, moves the substrate W between the cassette C on the cassette mounting table 25 and the process unit 22 by moving up and down and horizontally on the transport path 26 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Is configured to be able to be delivered.
[0039]
Next, a specific configuration of the interface 23 will be described. The interface 23 includes an indexer transport path 27 and an interface transport path 27 as well. The interface transport mechanism (not shown) transfers the substrate W between the process unit 22 and the exposure unit 24 by moving up and down and horizontally on the transport path 27 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. It is configured to be able to.
[0040]
Next, a specific configuration of the process unit 22 will be described. The process unit 22 includes a plurality (two in FIG. 4) of spin coaters 28, a plurality of (two in FIG. 4) spin developers 29, a prebaker (PreBake), and a postbaker (postbaker). It comprises a bake area 30 for performing a Post Exposure Bake, a developer supply device (tank) for supplying a developer, etc., and a built-in object area 31 in which the pure water supply tank 7 described above is built.
[0041]
The transfer mechanism (not shown) in the process unit 22 transfers the substrate W between the indexer 21, the spin coater 28, the spin developer 29, the bake area 30, and the interface 23 by moving up and down and horizontally. It is configured to be able to.
[0042]
The spin coater 28 is a unit for applying and forming a photoresist film on the substrate W. The spin developer 29 is a unit for performing a developing process on the substrate W after the exposure process and after the exposure and heating. The spin coater 28 and the spin developer 29 are substantially provided except for a resist nozzle 41 and a developing nozzle 42 which will be described later, that is, except that the spin coater 28 supplies a photoresist solution and the spin developer 29 supplies a developer. It has the same configuration. However, the spin developer 29 includes the above-described cleaning nozzle 4, but the spin coater 28 does not include the cleaning nozzle 4. Each of the spin coater 28 and the spin developer 29 includes the above-described spin chuck 1, the rotating shaft 2, the electric motor 3, the scattering prevention cup 5, and the like.
[0043]
The spin coater 28 includes a resist nozzle 41 for discharging a photoresist liquid, in addition to the above-described configuration. The spin developer 29 includes a developing nozzle 42 for discharging a developing solution, in addition to the above-described configuration and the cleaning nozzle 4. Although not shown, a rinse liquid is discharged toward the edge of the substrate W as a cleaning liquid to wash and remove a photoresist liquid and dirt attached to the edge, and a nozzle for the edge rinse is used for cleaning the substrate W. A back rinsing nozzle or the like may be provided to wash and remove the photoresist solution and dirt adhered to the back surface by discharging toward the back surface of W. In addition, these nozzles are also configured such that a slow leak valve and a discharge valve are arranged in series with respect to the supply pipe in order from the upper side in the pure water supply direction, like the cleaning nozzle 4 of the spin developer 29. May be.
[0044]
In the case of the second embodiment, since two spin coaters 8 are provided, one of the spin coaters 8 is used as a base reflection coat to prevent reflection of light from the photoresist film formed on the substrate W. An anti-reflection coating (Bottom Anti-Reflective Coating) may be set as a unit for coating and forming on the substrate W, and the other may be set as a unit for coating and forming a photoresist film on the substrate W. Further, the function of applying and forming an anti-reflection film and the function of applying and forming a photoresist film may be shared by at least one of the two spin coaters 8.
[0045]
In addition, between the built-in material area 31 and the spin developer 29, the above-described supply pipe 6 is provided, and the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 ( 4 (not shown in FIG. 4) is arranged in series with the supply pipe 6. The supply pipe 6 is connected to the cleaning nozzle 4 of the spin developer 29 on the lower side. Similarly, a supply pipe 43 is provided between the built-in material area 31 and the spin coater 28, and the supply pipe 43 is connected to the resist nozzle 41 of the spin coater 28 on the lower side with respect to the photoresist liquid supply direction. It is connected. In addition, a supply pipe 44 is provided between the built-in material area 31 and the spin developer 29, and the supply pipe 44 is provided on the lower side of the developer supply direction with respect to the developing nozzle of the spin developer 29. 42.
[0046]
In the spin coater 28, the photoresist liquid is discharged from the resist nozzle 41 toward the center of the rotating substrate W held by the spin chuck 1 so that the photoresist film is separated from the center of the substrate W by the centrifugal force of the substrate W. The coating is formed over the entire surface. In the spin developer 29, a developing process is performed by discharging a developing solution from the developing nozzle 43 toward the substrate W that is held and rotated by the spin chuck 1. When the development processing is completed, the cleaning processing is performed by discharging the cleaning nozzle 4 toward the center of the substrate W that is held and rotated by the spin chuck 1. While the cleaning process is not being performed, the above-described slow leak state and supply stop state are repeated.
[0047]
The bake area 30 includes a heat treatment furnace (not shown), a lamp unit that heats (bakes) a substrate W in the heat treatment furnace by transmitting light through a light incident window of the heat treatment furnace. The bake area 30 performs the above-described pre-bake and post-bake. Here, “pre-bake” means heating the coated and formed substrate W, that is, the substrate W before the exposure processing, and “post-bake unit” means heating the substrate W after the exposure processing. .
[0048]
Next, a series of substrate processing according to the second embodiment is performed as follows. That is, the cassette C is mounted on the cassette mounting table 25, and the indexer transport mechanism (not shown) moves up and down and horizontally moves on the indexer transport path 26 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Is transferred to a transfer mechanism (not shown) in the process unit 22. The transport mechanism carries the substrate W into the spin coater 28 by vertically moving and horizontally moving.
[0049]
At the time of loading, the substrate W is held by placing the substrate W on the spin chuck 1 in the spin coater 28 in a horizontal posture, and the substrate W is rotated in a horizontal plane. By discharging the photoresist liquid from the resist nozzle 41 toward the center of the rotating substrate W held by the spin chuck 1, the photoresist film is applied from the center of the substrate W to the entire surface by the centrifugal force of the substrate W. It is formed.
[0050]
When the coating process on the substrate W is completed, a pre-bake process is performed in the bake area 30 in order to volatilize the solvent in the photoresist film formed on the substrate W. The transfer mechanism (not shown) in the process unit 22 transfers the coated and formed substrate W from the spin coater 28 to the bake area 30 to carry the substrate W into the bake area 30.
[0051]
After loading, pre-bake processing is performed in the bake area 30. When the pre-bake processing of the substrate W is completed, a transfer mechanism (not shown) in the process unit 22 unloads the substrate W after the pre-bake processing from the bake area 30, and the transfer mechanism moves vertically and horizontally. The substrate W is transferred to an interface transport mechanism (not shown). This transport mechanism carries the substrate W into the exposure unit 24 by moving up and down and horizontally on the interface transport path 27 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. After the loading, the exposure unit 24 performs an exposure process.
[0052]
When the exposure processing of the substrate W is completed, a post-bake processing is performed in the bake area 30 in order to induce a catalytic reaction from the acid in the photoresist film generated by the exposure. The interface transport mechanism unloads the substrate W after the exposure processing from the exposure unit 24, moves the substrate W up and down, and horizontally moves on the interface transport path 27 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. It is transferred to a transport mechanism (not shown) in the unit 22. The transfer mechanism carries the substrate W into the bake area 30 by moving up and down and moving horizontally.
[0053]
After loading, post-bake processing is performed in the bake area 30 in the same manner as pre-bake processing. When the post-baking process of the substrate W is completed, the developing process is performed by the spin developer 29. The transport mechanism in the process unit 22 carries out the substrate W from the bake area 30, and moves the substrate W up and down and horizontally to carry the substrate W into the spin developer 12.
[0054]
At the time of loading, the substrate W is held by placing the substrate W on the spin chuck 1 in the spin developer 29 in a horizontal posture. Then, similarly to the coating process, the developing process is performed by discharging the developing solution from the developing nozzle 42 toward the substrate W held by the spin chuck 1 and rotating. The developing process may be performed by discharging the developing solution from the developing nozzle 42 toward the center of the rotating substrate W, or rotating or rotating the developing nozzle having a discharge width equal to or larger than the diameter of the substrate W. A scan developing method in which the developing solution is discharged while scanning the substrate W at rest may be used.
[0055]
When the development processing of the substrate W is completed, pure water is supplied to the substrate W from the cleaning nozzle 6 in the spin developer 29 in order to clean the developing solution attached to the substrate W. Note that while the cleaning process is not being performed, the above-described slow leak state and supply stop state are repeated. For example, it is repeated as in the first embodiment described above. When the cleaning of the substrate W is completed, the slow leak state and the supply stop state are repeated again.
[0056]
On the other hand, with respect to the processed substrate W, a transport mechanism (not shown) carries the substrate W to the indexer transport mechanism by carrying it out of the spin developer 29, moving up and down, and moving horizontally. The transport mechanism accommodates the processed substrate W in the cassette C mounted on the cassette mounting table 25 by moving up and down and moving horizontally on the indexer transport path 26 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. After storing a plurality of (for example, 25) processed substrates W in the cassette C, the cassette C is paid out from the indexer 21 to complete a series of substrate processing.
[0057]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified as follows.
[0058]
(1) In the second embodiment described above, a photolithography process is taken as an example of a series of substrate processes including a cleaning process, and the present invention is applied to a cleaning process performed in a development process during the series of photolithography processes. However, the present invention is not limited to this as long as the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate to perform the substrate cleaning processing. For example, the present invention may be applied to a cleaning process such as an edge rinse or a back rinse in the coating process, or may be applied to a cleaning process during a series of substrate processes other than the photolithography process. In the case of edge rinsing or back rinsing, a processing liquid other than the cleaning liquid is supplied to the substrate, and the cleaning liquid is supplied to another portion of the substrate, so that the substrate processing and the substrate cleaning processing are performed in parallel. However, the supply processing of the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not limited to the processing of supplying only the cleaning liquid to the substrate and performing only the cleaning processing of the substrate.
[0059]
(2) In the first and second embodiments described above, pure water is used as an example of the cleaning liquid. However, the cleaning liquid is not limited to pure water, but may be acid water, alkali water, or ozone water in which ozone is dissolved in pure water. As exemplified, the cleaning liquid is not particularly limited as long as it is a cleaning liquid generally used in substrate processing.
[0060]
(3) In the first and second embodiments described above, the slow leak valve 8 is driven in a direction in which the valve is opened when air is supplied, and is driven in a direction in which the valve is closed when air is not supplied. , That is, a normally closed (NC) type air valve. When the air is supplied, the discharge valve 9 on the lower side is driven in the direction in which the valve closes to supply the air. When there is no air valve, the air valve is configured to be driven in the opening direction, that is, a normally open (NO) type air valve, but is not limited thereto. For example, the slow leak valve 8 may be composed of a NO type air valve, and the discharge valve 9 may be composed of an NC type air valve. Both valves 8 and 9 may be composed of NO type or NC type valves. May be.
[0061]
(4) In the above-described first and second embodiments, the slow leak valve 8 and the discharge valve 9 are constituted by air valves that are adjusted by air. There is no particular limitation as long as the adjusting means is used.
[0062]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the supply pipe is sufficiently smaller than that during the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate while the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed. Since the mode is switched between a slow leak state in which the flow rate is set and a supply stop state in which the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped, it is possible to suppress the use amount of the cleaning liquid and not to adversely affect the substrate.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an arrangement diagram of valves of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a correspondence diagram regarding the opening / closing state of a valve and two states of a cleaning process and a switching target.
FIG. 4 is a plan block diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Spin chuck
2 ... Rotary axis
3 ... electric motor
4. Cleaning nozzle
6 ... supply pipe
8 Slow leak valve
9 ... discharge valve
10… Controller

Claims (5)

A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
A supply pipe for supplying a cleaning liquid to the substrate,
Adjusting means for adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe,
Control means for operating the adjusting means,
The control unit is configured to perform a slow leak state in which the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the supply pipe is set to a flow rate sufficiently smaller than that during the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate while the processing of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed; A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the adjusting means is operated so as to switch between a supply stop state in which supply is stopped. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1,
Further comprising a rotating means for rotating the substrate in a horizontal plane,
A substrate processing apparatus, wherein the rotation unit supplies a cleaning liquid to the substrate while rotating the substrate, thereby performing a process of supplying the cleaning liquid to the substrate. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The adjusting means comprises:
A first valve in which the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe is in a slow leak state even when completely closed;
A second valve, which stops the supply of the cleaning liquid when completely closed, is arranged in series with the supply pipe,
The control unit switches between a slow leak state in which the second valve is opened and the first valve is closed and a supply stop state in which the second valve is closed while the supply of the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed. The substrate processing apparatus characterized by operating the adjusting means as described above. In the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The adjusting means comprises:
A first valve in which the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe is in a slow leak state even when completely closed;
The second valve, which stops the supply of the cleaning liquid when completely closed, is configured integrally,
The control unit switches between a slow leak state in which the second valve is opened and the first valve is closed and a supply stop state in which the second valve is closed while the supply of the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed. The substrate processing apparatus characterized by operating the adjusting means as described above. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate, comprising:
While the supply process of the cleaning liquid to the substrate is not performed, the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing in the supply pipe is set to a flow rate sufficiently smaller than that at the time of the supply processing of the cleaning liquid to the substrate, and the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped. A substrate processing method characterized by switching between a supply stop state and a supply stop state.

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