JP2021136263A - Liquid processing device and liquid processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce a defect caused by a state change of a process liquid to be supplied to a substrate.SOLUTION: In liquid processing which performs processing for supplying a process liquid from a nozzle 41 connected to a process liquid supply path to a substrate, a liquid processing method includes the steps of accommodating the nozzle in an accommodation chamber 51, and forming a process liquid layer, a gas layer and a solvent layer successively from the side of the process liquid supply path in a flow passage 46 within a tip end of the nozzle. The formation of the gas layer includes supplying an adjusted gas in which a concentration of at least any one of moisture, oxygen and solvent is adjusted, to a tip end periphery of the nozzle in the accommodation chamber and taking the adjusted gas into the flow passage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present disclosure relates to a liquid treatment apparatus and a liquid treatment method.

According to Patent Document 1, in a liquid treatment in which a treatment liquid is discharged from a nozzle for supplying a treatment liquid to a substrate, the nozzle has a funnel-shaped inner peripheral surface around the tip of the nozzle, and the funnel portion. A step of accommodating the lower end of the nozzle in the cleaning chamber so as to be located above the tip of the nozzle, and a first inflow port provided in the funnel portion of the cleaning chamber from the first solvent supply means for supplying the solvent of the treatment liquid. A predetermined amount of the solvent flows in the circumferential direction along the inner peripheral surface of the funnel portion, and cleaning is performed by a vortex of the solvent swirling around the tip portion of the nozzle, and the solvent of the treatment liquid is supplied. A predetermined amount of the liquid flows into the upper part of the funnel portion from the second solvent supply means to the upper part of the funnel portion through the second inflow port provided above the first inflow port of the cleaning chamber, and the cleaning chamber is provided. In the step of forming the liquid pool of the solvent, and sucking the nozzle, the liquid level of the treatment liquid in the nozzle is retracted to the treatment liquid supply pipeline side, and the solvent of the liquid pool is sucked into the tip of the nozzle. The nozzle cleaning and the treatment liquid in the liquid treatment are characterized by having a step of forming a treatment liquid layer, an air layer, and a solvent layer of the treatment liquid in order from the treatment liquid supply pipeline side inside the tip of the nozzle. The method of preventing drying is described.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-235132

The technique according to the present disclosure makes it possible to reduce defects caused by a change of state of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate.

One aspect of the present disclosure is a step of accommodating the nozzle in a storage chamber and a step inside the tip of the nozzle in a liquid treatment in which a treatment liquid is supplied to a substrate from a nozzle connected to a treatment liquid supply path. The flow path includes a step of forming a treatment liquid layer, a gas layer, and a solvent layer in order from the treatment liquid supply path side, and the formation of the gas layer includes a concentration of at least one of water, oxygen, and a solvent. The adjusted gas is supplied to the periphery of the tip of the nozzle in the accommodating chamber and taken into the flow path.

According to the technique according to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress a state change such as drying or deterioration of the treatment liquid and reduce defects caused by the change of state.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the liquid treatment apparatus of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the liquid treatment apparatus. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a nozzle unit provided in the liquid treatment apparatus. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a coating nozzle provided in the nozzle unit and a part of the standby unit. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of forming a gas layer containing a high concentration of solvent between the treatment liquid layer and the solvent layer in the flow path on the tip side of the coating nozzle housed in the standby unit in the liquid treatment apparatus. Is. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of forming a low humidity or low oxygen gas layer between the treatment liquid layer and the solvent layer in the flow path on the tip side of the coating nozzle housed in the standby unit in the liquid treatment device. Is. FIG. 7 shows low humidity or low oxygen between the treatment liquid layer and the solvent layer in the flow path on the tip side of the coating nozzle housed in the standby unit in the liquid treatment device, and contains a high concentration solvent. It is explanatory drawing explaining the method of forming a gas layer. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of means for adjusting the state of the atmosphere in the standby unit.

In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, there is a process of applying various treatment liquids to a substrate in order to form an uneven pattern on the substrate by using a photolithography technique. Examples of the coating liquid include a color filter (hereinafter, CF), spin-on glass (hereinafter, SOG), and the like. In recent years, a metal-containing resist (hereinafter, SOG) that contains a metal and forms a film through hydrolysis and dehydration condensation reaction. It has also been proposed to use metal-containing resists). These coatings are performed by, for example, rotating a semiconductor wafer held by a spin chuck (hereinafter referred to as "wafer") and discharging a coating liquid from a nozzle to a substantially central portion of the wafer.

In such a coating process, if the coating liquid dries and sticks in the nozzle, or if the coating liquid is in poor condition such as partial deterioration due to solute aggregation or chemical reaction, the adhered matter or deteriorated portion occurs. If is left in the coating film formed by being supplied on the wafer, defects in other processing steps occur, and defects in the uneven pattern are generated. One of the factors that cause such a poor condition of the coating liquid is the influence of the surrounding environment in contact with the coating liquid existing in the flow path in the nozzle during the non-coating treatment.

The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 describes a technique for separating the resist liquid in the nozzle from the outside air around the tip of the nozzle in such a liquid treatment apparatus. To explain the embodiment, first, the resist liquid in the nozzle is dummyly discharged (dummy dispense), and then the inside of the nozzle is sucked to form an air layer. Next, the tip of the nozzle is immersed in a solvent and the inside of the nozzle is sucked to form an air layer and a solvent layer (solvent liquid layer) on the outside of the resist liquid layer inside the tip of the nozzle.

The technique according to the present disclosure further reduces defects caused by changes in the state of the processing liquid supplied to the substrate.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same elements or elements having the same function are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a liquid treatment provided with a nozzle standby device that waits for a nozzle for discharging a treatment liquid to a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a photomask, or a substrate for an optical disk. It relates to an apparatus and a liquid treatment method.

(Liquid treatment device)
1 and 2 are a schematic cross-sectional view and a perspective view of the liquid treatment apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The liquid treatment apparatus 1 includes a spin chuck 2 which is a substrate holding portion which attracts and horizontally holds the central portion of the back surface of the wafer W which is a substrate. The spin chuck 2 is configured to be rotatable and elevating around a vertical axis while holding the wafer W by a drive mechanism 22 via a drive shaft 21, and the center of the wafer W is positioned on the rotation axis. It is set to do. A cup 3 having an opening on the upper side is provided around the spin chuck 2 so as to surround the wafer W on the spin chuck 2, and an inclined portion inclined inward is formed on the upper end side of the side peripheral surface of the cup 3. ..

On the bottom side of the cup 3, for example, a liquid receiving portion 31 having a concave shape is provided. The liquid receiving portion 31 is provided on the lower side of the peripheral edge of the wafer W so as to be partitioned into an outer region 32 and an inner region 33 over the entire circumference, and a resist or the like stored in the bottom of the outer region is discharged. A drainage port 34 is provided, and an exhaust port 35 for exhausting the processing atmosphere is provided at the bottom of the inner region.

Above the surface of the wafer W held by the spin chuck 2, a nozzle unit 4 for discharging the coating liquid toward the wafer W is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle unit 4 includes a plurality of nozzles, for example, 10 coating nozzles 41 for discharging the treatment liquid, and a nozzle, for example, one nozzle for discharging the solvent of the treatment liquid. It is configured by integrally fixing the nozzle 42 and the nozzle 42 to the common support portion 48.

Examples of the treatment liquid include the above-mentioned CF, SOG, and metal-containing resist, and the solvent is, for example, thinner. CF has the property of being easily solidified by the volatilization of the solvent contained in the material and the reaction with oxygen, and SOG has the property of being easily solidified by the reaction with water and oxygen. Further, since a film is formed in the metal-containing resist through hydrolysis and dehydration condensation reaction, if the water content becomes excessive, many defects may occur as a result of heating and developing after the coating treatment.
The coating nozzle 41 corresponds to the nozzle of the present disclosure, and hereinafter, the coating nozzle 41 and the solvent nozzle 42 may be referred to as nozzles 41 and 42. The nozzles 41 and 42 are made of, for example, a fluororesin, and more specifically, for example, PFA (perfluoroalkoxy alkane).

The coating nozzle 41 and the solvent nozzle 42 are configured in the same manner. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 by taking the coating nozzle 41 as an example, the base end portion 43 connected to the support portion 48 and the base end portion 43 below the base end portion 43. A cylindrical portion 44 extending in the vertical direction and a substantially conical tip portion 45 whose diameter is reduced downward from the cylindrical portion 44 are provided. Inside the base end portion 43, the cylindrical portion 44, and the tip portion 45, a flow path 46 of the treatment liquid extending in the vertical direction (longitudinal direction) is formed, and the flow path 46 is the treatment liquid on the tip side below the nozzle. It is open as a discharge port 47 of. The upstream side of the flow path 46 leads to a treatment liquid supply path (not shown). That is, the coating nozzle 41 is connected to this processing liquid supply path. Although not shown, a sackback valve is provided on the upstream side of the flow path 46 of the treatment liquid of each nozzle to control the discharge of the treatment liquid by opening and closing the flow path 46 and to suck the inside of the flow path 46. It is possible to change the height position of the liquid layer in the nozzle 41. The formation of the liquid layer L and the gas layer G in the nozzle tip side flow path, which will be described later, is performed by suction by a suckback valve.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coating nozzle 41 and the solvent nozzle 42 are supported by a common support portion 48 arranged in a straight line along the lateral direction (Y-axis direction) of the liquid treatment device 1. The moving mechanism 6 is configured to be movable between a processing position for supplying the processing liquid and the like to the wafer W on the spin chuck 2 and a standby position accommodated in the standby unit 5 described later. For example, the moving mechanism 6 extends horizontally from the horizontal moving portion 61 guided along a guide extending in the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction) in FIG. 2, and moves up and down with respect to the horizontal moving portion 61. An arm portion 49 that moves up and down by the portion 62 is provided, and a support portion 48 is provided at the tip of the arm portion 49.

A standby unit 5 is provided on the outside of the cup 3, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example. In FIG. 1, for convenience of illustration, the nozzle unit 4 and the standby unit 5 are drawn larger than they actually are and in a simplified manner. As shown in FIG. 4, the standby unit 5 has, for example, 11 tubular nozzle accommodating portions 51 in which the coating nozzles 41 and the solvent nozzles 42 are individually accommodated, that is, for the number of nozzles, that is, in the present embodiment. For example, the nozzle accommodating portions 51 are arranged in a straight line in the Y-axis direction.

Explaining the nozzle accommodating portion 51 based on FIG. 4, the nozzle accommodating portion 51 is configured such that a portion accommodating the cylindrical portion 44 and the tip portion 45 of each of the nozzles 41 and 42 is cylindrical, for example. Further, the liquid that has flowed into the drainage chamber 52 located at the lower end of the nozzle accommodating portion 51 is discharged to the outside of the liquid treatment device 1 via the discharge passage 53. A valve V53 is provided in the discharge path 53. The nozzle accommodating portion 51 constitutes an accommodating chamber.

The nozzle accommodating portion 51 further includes _{a gas supply path 54 for supplying dry air or N 2} (adjusting gas) into the nozzle accommodating portion 51, and a solvent supply path 57 for supplying a solvent into the nozzle accommodating portion 51. Is provided. Gas supply path 54 is connected to a gas supply source 55 for dry air and N _2, the valve V54 for opening and closing the gas supply passage 54 is provided along the way. The gas supply source 55 for dry air and N _2, although not shown, having a feed gas switching section for switching whether to supply either dry air and N ₂ therein. The solvent supply path 57 is connected to the solvent supply source 58, and a valve V57 that opens and closes the solvent supply path 57 is provided on the way.

The drive of the gas supply source 55, the solvent supply source 58, the valves V53, V54, V57, and the sackback valve (not shown) is controlled by the control unit 100. That is, the timing of sucking back all the nozzles 41 and 42, the control amount of the suckback valve, the supply amount and the supply timing of the gas supply source 55 and the solvent supply source 58 in the standby unit 5 are determined in advance by the control unit 100. It is controlled based on the stored processing program, and processing such as backing up is performed. Further, the control unit 100 also stores the movement of the nozzles 41 and 42, the timing of ejection, the setting of the ejection amount, and the control in the processing program, and each operation of the nozzles 41 and 42 is performed based on the setting.

Next, the operation of the liquid treatment device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the wafer W is liquid-treated by the nozzle unit 4, then the nozzle unit 4 is moved to the upper side of the standby unit 5, and each of the nozzles 41 and 42 is accommodated in the corresponding nozzle accommodating portion 51. In this state, the resist liquid in the tip of the nozzle 41 is discharged (dummy dispense) and discharged into the nozzle accommodating portion 51 (FIG. 5A).

Next, the solvent is supplied into the nozzle accommodating portion 51 through the solvent supply path 57 for a predetermined time to increase the solvent concentration of the atmosphere in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 (FIG. 5B). At this time, for example, the solvent is supplied so as not to come into direct contact with the tip 45 of the nozzle 41, and the valve V53 of the discharge path 53 is closed. Next, the suction back valve sucks the inside of the flow path 46 of the nozzle 41 to raise the resist liquid level in the flow path 46, and at the same time, the atmosphere in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 having a high solvent concentration is made to flow in the tip portion 45 of the nozzle 41. It is taken into the passage 46, and a gas layer G having a high solvent concentration is formed under the liquid layer L of the resist liquid in the flow path 46 (FIG. 5 (c)). The solvent concentration of the gas layer G at this time is higher than the atmosphere of the space where the liquid treatment is performed on the wafer W (for example, the space inside the cup 3).
After that, the valve V53 is opened to discharge the solvent in the nozzle accommodating portion 51, and then the solvent is supplied toward the tip of the nozzle 41 through the solvent supply path 57. In this state, the suction back valve sucks the inside of the flow path 46 of the nozzle 41 to pull up the liquid layer L and the gas layer G of the resist liquid in the flow path 46, and at the same time, the liquid layer L and the gas layer G are supplied toward the discharge port 47 of the nozzle 41. By taking the solvent into the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41, the solvent layer S is formed under the gas layer G in the flow path 46 (FIG. 5 (d)).

By doing so, the discharge port 47 of the nozzle 41 is sealed with the solvent layer S to suppress the drying of the resist liquid in the nozzle 41 due to the ambient atmosphere, and the gas layer G having a high solvent concentration is filled with the resist liquid. Since the layers L come into contact with each other, it is possible to more effectively prevent drying and solidification in the vicinity of the surface of the resist liquid due to volatilization of the solvent in the resist liquid into the gas layer.

An example different from the above-mentioned example will be described with reference to FIG. After performing the liquid treatment in the same manner as in the above case, dummy dispensing is performed at the nozzle 41 in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 (FIG. 6A). Next, dry air is supplied into the nozzle accommodating portion 51 through the gas supply path 54 for a predetermined time to reduce the humidity of the atmosphere in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 (FIG. 6B). At this time, the dry air is air having a lower humidity than the outside atmosphere of the standby unit 5, and the valve V53 of the discharge path 53 is closed. Further, dry air may be supplied into the nozzle accommodating portion 51 before the nozzle 41 is accommodated in the nozzle accommodating portion 51, that is, when the upper opening of the standby unit 5 is open. By doing so, the humidity of the atmosphere in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 can be efficiently reduced.

Next, the suckback valve sucks the inside of the flow path 46 of the nozzle 41 to raise the liquid level of the resist liquid in the flow path 46, and at the same time, the low humidity atmosphere in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 is created in the flow path at the tip of the nozzle 41. By incorporating it into the 46, a low-humidity gas layer G is formed under the liquid layer L of the resist liquid in the flow path 46 (FIG. 6 (c)). After that, as in the above example, the solvent supplied toward the discharge port 47 of the nozzle 41 is taken into the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41, so that the resist liquid is taken into the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41. A solvent layer S is formed under the liquid layer L and the gas layer G (FIG. 6 (d)).

By doing so, the liquid layer L of the resist liquid comes into contact with the gas layer G of low humidity while suppressing the drying of the resist liquid in the nozzle 41 due to the ambient atmosphere as in the above example. It is possible to prevent the reaction between the water content and the resist liquid near the liquid surface.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, when the gas supplied from the gas supply source 55 is N ₂ instead of dry air, the resist liquid is subjected to the same process in the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41. A gas layer G having a low oxygen concentration is formed between the liquid layer L and the solvent layer S. Further, as the gas having poor reactivity with the resist liquid (inert gas), for example, argon gas may be used instead of _{N 2.} By doing so, the liquid layer L of the resist liquid in the flow path 46 comes into contact with the inert gas having a low oxygen concentration, so that there is a risk of deterioration due to oxidation of the resist liquid in the flow path 46 near the liquid surface. It can be further reduced. _{Further, if a low humidity gas is used for N 2} which is an inert gas supplied from the gas supply source 55, the gas layer G can be made of low oxygen and low humidity, and the resist liquid has an oxygen concentration and an oxygen concentration. It is useful when the humidity is of a type related to alteration or drying.

Further, an example different from the above-mentioned examples of FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. First, after performing the liquid treatment in the same manner as above, dummy dispensing is performed at the nozzle 41 in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 (FIG. 7 (a)). Next, the solvent is supplied into the nozzle accommodating portion 51 through the solvent supply path 57 with the valve V53 of the discharge path 53 closed, and a constant amount is stored. In that state, dry air is supplied into the nozzle accommodating portion 51 from below the liquid level of the stored solvent through the gas supply path 54 (FIG. 7 (b)). Then, since the supplied dry air comes into contact with the solvent, an atmosphere having a low water concentration and a high solvent concentration is formed in the nozzle accommodating portion 51. At this time, since the stored solvent is bubbled with the supplied gas (dry air), the volatilization of the solvent is promoted and an atmosphere having a high solvent concentration can be efficiently formed. Next, the suction back valve sucks the inside of the flow path 46 of the nozzle 41 to raise the liquid level of the resist liquid in the flow path 46, and at the same time, the atmosphere in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 having a low water concentration and a high solvent concentration is created in the nozzle 41. A gas layer G having a low water concentration and a high solvent concentration is formed under the liquid layer L of the resist liquid in the flow path 46 (FIG. 7 (c)). After that, as in each of the above-described examples, the solvent supplied toward the discharge port 47 of the nozzle 41 is taken into the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41, so that the resist liquid in the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41 A solvent layer S is formed under the liquid layer L and the gas layer G (FIG. 7 (d)).

In the above example, when the gas supplied from the gas supply source 55 is N ₂ instead of dry air, the same process is performed, and the liquid layer L of the resist liquid is formed in the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41. A gas layer G having a low oxygen concentration and a high solvent concentration is formed between the solvent layers S. _{Further, if a low humidity N 2} used here is used, a gas layer G having a lower water concentration is formed.

Further, when a constant amount of solvent is always stored in the lower part of the nozzle accommodating portion 51, depending on the solvent concentration required when forming the gas layer G in the flow path 46 of the nozzles 41 and 42. The solvent discharge amount may be controlled and adjusted by the solvent supply amount or the opening and closing of the valve V53 so that the liquid level height of the solvent is above or below the supply port of the gas supply path 54. That is, the liquid level height of the solvent is adjusted to a position higher than the supply port of the gas supply path 54 when a high solvent concentration is required for the gas layer G, and gas is supplied when a low solvent concentration is required for the gas layer G. It is preferable to adjust the position lower than the supply port of the road 54.

By combining the conditions such as solvent concentration, oxygen concentration, and humidity as desired as described above, it is possible to form an atmosphere that suppresses drying and deterioration of various resist solutions.

The following means may be used when forming an atmosphere of predetermined conditions in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 before forming the gas layer G in the flow path 46 in the nozzle 41. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a side surface inclined portion K having an inclination such that the outer shape increases toward the base end portion 43 may be provided on the outer periphery of the side surface of the nozzle 41. By doing so, the size of the gap between the side surface inclined portion K of the nozzle 41 and the side wall 51a forming the opening of the nozzle accommodating portion 51 depends on the height position of the nozzle 41 when the nozzle 41 is accommodated in the nozzle accommodating portion 51. You can change the size. That is, the opening area between the nozzle accommodating portion 51 and the nozzle 41 can be changed. By adjusting the opening area in this way, the size of the area where the atmosphere inside the nozzle accommodating portion 51 is in contact with the atmosphere outside the standby unit 5 can be changed. Therefore, as in each of the above examples, the inside of the nozzle accommodating portion 51 When adjusting the solvent concentration, the oxygen concentration, and the humidity in the atmosphere of the above, the opening area between the nozzle accommodating portion 51 and the nozzle 41 may also be adjusted.

As a result, finer adjustment of each condition of the atmosphere in the nozzle accommodating portion 51 becomes possible from the combination of the supply condition of the solvent or gas into the nozzle accommodating portion 51 and the above-mentioned opening area. In the example shown in FIG. 8, as a means for adjusting the opening area of the nozzle accommodating portion 51, the side surface inclined portion K provided on the outer periphery of the side surface of the nozzle is taken as an example, but instead of this, the nozzles 41 and 42 are used. A lid that can be driven independently is provided in the standby unit 5, and the degree of closing the gap between the nozzle accommodating portion 51 and the nozzle 41 when the nozzles 41 and 42 are accommodated by the lid is adjusted. The opening area may be adjusted.

An example will be described in which the coating process is started in a state where the liquid layer L, the gas layer G, and the solvent layer S of the resist liquid are formed in the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41. After the new wafer W is held by the spin chuck 2, the nozzle 41 in which the above three types of layers are formed in the flow path 46 is positioned above the center of the wafer W. Next, when the resist liquid is discharged from the nozzle 41 in a state where the wafer W is rotated by the spin chuck 2, the solvent of the solvent layer S located on the nozzle tip side is first supplied to the center of the wafer W. Since the gas layer G was formed on the solvent layer S in the flow path 46 of the nozzle 41, the resist liquid was supplied after a short time from the supply of the solvent, so that the resist liquid was supplied by the rotation of the wafer W. The resist liquid is supplied to the center of the wafer W with the solvent spread on the wafer W to some extent.

The resist liquid is spread by the rotation of the wafer W, but since the solvent is spread on the wafer W in advance, the resist liquid is likely to spread uniformly on the wafer W. Since there is a limit to the amount of solvent formed by the solvent layer S formed in the flow path 46 at the tip of the nozzle 41, in order to ensure that the solvent is spread over the entire surface of the wafer, or to spread a larger amount of solvent on the wafer W in advance. In order to spread the solvent, the same type of solvent may be supplied from the nozzle 42 to the central portion on the wafer W prior to the supply from the nozzle 41. In this case, the solvent of the solvent layer S and the resist liquid of the resist liquid layer L are sequentially supplied from the nozzle 41 to the central portion of the wafer W in which the solvent previously supplied from the nozzle 42 exists. , The resist can be uniformly supplied without causing an extra bias in the solvent previously spread on the wafer W.

Further, in the supply operation from the nozzle 41, the solvent, the gas, and the resist liquid are discharged from the nozzle 41 in this order. Therefore, in the case of continuous supply at a constant pressure, the flow rate and the discharge state at the start of the discharge of the resist liquid are unstable. There is a risk of becoming. Therefore, in order to stably supply the resist liquid, for example, the discharge pressure may be temporarily reduced or set to zero between the solvent discharge of the solvent layer S and the discharge of the resist liquid in the liquid layer L of the resist liquid.

The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be exemplary in all respects and not restrictive. The above embodiments may be omitted, replaced or modified in various forms without departing from the scope of the appended claims and their gist.

W Wafer 1 Liquid processing device 2 Spin chuck 3 Cup 4 Nozzle unit 5 Standby unit 6 Moving mechanism

Claims (9)

In the liquid treatment in which the treatment liquid is supplied to the substrate from the nozzle connected to the treatment liquid supply path.
The process of accommodating the nozzle in the accommodating chamber and
The flow path inside the tip of the nozzle includes a step of forming a treatment liquid layer, a gas layer, and a solvent layer in order from the treatment liquid supply path side.
The formation of the gas layer includes supplying a regulated gas having an adjusted concentration of at least one of water, oxygen and a solvent to the periphery of the tip of the nozzle in the containment chamber and taking it into the flow path. Liquid treatment method. The liquid treatment method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting gas is a gas having a lower humidity than the atmosphere of the space where the liquid treatment is performed. The liquid treatment method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the adjusting gas is a gas having a solvent concentration higher than that of the atmosphere of the space where the liquid treatment is performed. The gas having a high solvent concentration is to supply a predetermined gas from outside the accommodation chamber to the accommodation chamber so as to come into contact with the stored solvent in a state where the solvent is stored in a part of the accommodation chamber. The liquid treatment method according to claim 3, which is produced in 1. The liquid treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the adjusting gas is a gas having an oxygen concentration lower than that of the atmosphere of the space where the liquid treatment is performed. The liquid treatment method according to claim 5, wherein the gas having a low oxygen concentration is generated by supplying an inert gas to the accommodation chamber. In the liquid treatment, the nozzle is positioned at a treatment position for supplying the treatment liquid to the substrate in a state where the treatment liquid layer, the gas layer and the solvent layer are formed in the flow path of the nozzle, and the liquid treatment is performed from the nozzle. The liquid treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the solvent of the solvent layer and the treatment liquid of the treatment liquid layer are supplied to the substrate. The liquid treatment further includes supplying the same solvent as the solvent of the solvent layer to the substrate before supplying the solvent of the solvent layer and the treatment liquid of the treatment liquid layer from the nozzle to the substrate. ,
When the solvent of the solvent layer and the treatment liquid of the treatment liquid layer are supplied from the nozzle to the substrate, the solvent of the solvent layer discharged from the nozzle hits the solvent already supplied to the substrate. The liquid treatment method according to claim 7, which is supplied to the above. In a liquid processing apparatus that performs a process of supplying a processing liquid to a substrate from a nozzle connected to a processing liquid supply path.
An accommodating portion for accommodating the nozzle inside and
A solvent supply unit that supplies a solvent into the storage unit, and a solvent supply unit.
A gas supply unit that supplies a gas having an adjusted concentration of water or solvent into the storage unit, and a gas supply unit.
Control unit and
With
The control unit controls the nozzle and at least one of the solvent supply unit or the gas supply unit to create an atmosphere of a adjusting gas in which the concentration of at least one of water, oxygen and solvent is adjusted in the storage unit. After the formation, a gas layer composed of the adjusting gas is formed under the liquid layer of the treatment liquid in the flow path at the tip of the nozzle, and then a solvent layer is formed under the gas layer. , Liquid treatment equipment.

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