JPH10303110A - Method and device for treating substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and device for treating substrate, by which a treating solution can be supplied to a substrate with in-plane uniformity. SOLUTION: When a developer is supplied, an elevating/lowering base section 145 is raised after a substrate W stuck to a suction chuck 130 by suction is released from the chuck 13 by opening a three-way valve 192 to the air. When the base section 145 is raised, substrate clamping claw 151 are closed while lifter pins 140 is elevated. As a result, the substrate W is supported on the pins 140 and separated from the chuck 130 while the substrate W is supported by the clamping claw 151 by the outer periphery. While the substrate W is maintained in the above-mentioned state, a developer is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W from a developer nozzle 210. Therefore, the bend and tilt of the substrate W become less and the developer can be supplied uniformly to the surface of the substrate W.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer,
Substrate processing method and substrate processing for performing various processes including processing liquid supply while holding substrates (hereinafter, simply referred to as “substrates”) such as a glass substrate for a photomask, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, and a substrate for an optical disk substantially horizontally. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a substrate processing apparatus such as a substrate developing apparatus, there is a step of uniformly supplying a processing liquid onto a substrate while holding the substrate substantially horizontally.

In particular, in a substrate processing apparatus of a substrate processing apparatus which holds a substrate substantially horizontally by a suction chuck, a substrate having a resist film applied on the surface thereof exposed to a chip pattern is placed on an upper surface of the suction chuck. By suctioning air from a suction port provided on the upper surface of the suction chuck, the substrate is suctioned and held, and the developing solution is formed into a thin film on the upper surface of the substrate by utilizing the surface tension (hereinafter, referred to as “liquid level”). After that, the development processing is performed by waiting for a predetermined development time. Then, while the substrate is being sucked and held, a cleaning liquid such as pure water is supplied while the substrate is rotated by the rotation of a substrate rotating motor connected below the suction chuck to perform a rinsing process, or the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped. Then, a spin dry process for drying the substrate by continuing the rotation is performed.

[0004]

By the way, in the above-described apparatus, the substrate is easily bent due to the suctioned portion of the substrate being pulled downward by the suction of the substrate by the suction chuck. Deflection of the substrate was likely to occur as the diameter was increased.

[0005] Further, the substrate rotating motor to which the suction chuck is connected is rigidly fixed to the apparatus main body in order to suppress the vibration, and it is difficult to finely adjust the slight inclination with respect to the horizontal. The held substrate could not be kept at a high level.

[0006] For the reasons described above, the thickness of the liquid developer is uneven in the substrate surface.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and to provide a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus capable of uniformly supplying a processing liquid to a substrate in a plane. .

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a method according to a first aspect of the present invention is a substrate processing method for performing various processing including processing liquid supply while holding a substrate substantially horizontally. A process other than the supply of the processing liquid among the various processes includes a process performed while the substrate is being suctioned by the substrate suction and holding means, and the suction of the substrate by the suction and holding means is released when the processing liquid is supplied. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the substrate processing method of the first aspect, wherein the processing liquid is supplied in a state where the substrate and the suction holding means are relatively separated by the separation means. It is characterized in that liquid supply is performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus for performing various types of processing while holding a substrate substantially horizontally, comprising: suction holding means for horizontally holding a substrate; A processing liquid supply unit for supplying, and a control unit for controlling operations of the suction holding unit and the processing liquid supply unit, wherein the control unit releases the suction of the substrate by the suction holding unit when the processing liquid is supplied. It is characterized by.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the substrate processing apparatus according to the third aspect, further comprising a separating means for relatively separating the substrate and the suction holding means, and a separating means for driving the separating means. A driving unit, wherein the control unit supplies the processing liquid in a state where the separation unit separates the substrate from the suction holding unit when supplying the processing liquid.

The apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the substrate processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect, further characterized in that the separating means includes a substrate supporting elevating pin for elevating and lowering while supporting the substrate.

The apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the apparatus for processing a substrate according to the fourth aspect, further comprising substrate holding means for holding the raised substrate by its outer periphery.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0015]

[1. 1. First Embodiment <1-1. Mechanical Structure of First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. In FIGS. 2 to 4, a three-dimensional coordinate system XYZ in which a horizontal plane is an XY plane and a vertical direction is a Z-axis direction is defined. Hereinafter, a schematic configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 mainly includes a substrate processing section 10, a developing solution supply section 20, a cleaning liquid supply section 30, and a control section 40 as control means. Is a device that performs a developing process, a rinsing process, and a spin dry process on a substrate W sequentially supplied as described in detail below.

The substrate processing section 10 includes a vertically movable cup 110.
Inside, a suction chuck 130 connected to the substrate rotation motor 120 and sucking and holding the substrate W for rotation, a lifter pin 140 for supporting and raising and lowering the substrate W (corresponding to “separating means” and “substrate supporting elevating pin”), and developing Substrate W when filling liquid
Substrate holding unit 150 that is a “substrate holding unit” for holding
And a lifting drive motor 160 for driving the lifter pins 140 and the substrate gripping section 150 (corresponding to “separation driving means”)
And a cup elevating unit 170 for elevating and lowering the cup 110, and sequentially perform a substrate developing process, a rinsing process, and a spin dry process. The details of the substrate processing unit 10 will be described later.

The developing solution supply unit 20 moves the developing solution nozzle 210, which is a “processing solution supply unit”, along the substrate W by driving the nozzle horizontal driving unit 220, and
By discharging the developing solution supplied from 40, the developing solution is loaded on the upper surface of the substrate W. Further, the nozzle raising / lowering driving unit 230 can raise / lower the developing solution nozzle 210 and the nozzle horizontal driving unit 220, and retreats them upward except when the developing solution is filled.

The cleaning liquid supply unit 30 rotates the rinse nozzle 310 to the center position of the rotating substrate W by the rotation of the nozzle rotation motor 320 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 described later) and supplies the rinse nozzle 310 from the cleaning liquid supply source 340. The cleaning solution to be supplied is supplied to the upper surface of the substrate W from the tip of the rinsing nozzle 310 to perform a rinsing process on the substrate W. Further, the nozzle lifting drive unit 330 can raise and lower the rinsing nozzle 310 and the nozzle rotation motor 320, and retracts them upward except during the rinsing process.

Next, the main part will be described in more detail.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the substrate processing unit 10.

The lifting base 145 of the substrate processing unit 10 is a rectangular plate-like member provided horizontally, and has a through hole 1 at the center.
45a is provided. A cam member 182 is provided on the upper surface of the base 181, and penetrates through the through hole 145 a of the elevating base 145. The guide base 183 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cam member 182 has
45 sliding member 1 provided on the inner peripheral surface of through hole 145a
46 is loosely fitted, and the lifting base 145 can be raised and lowered by a lifting drive motor 160 provided below.

The four lifter pins 140 are connected to a lifting base 145.
Are vertically provided at the four corners of the substrate W. The front ends of the substrate W contact the substrate W to support the substrate W, and move up and down together with the elevating base 145 to move the substrate W up and down.

The respective substrate gripping claws 151 of the four substrate gripping portions 150 are provided at the outer ends of four arms 152 provided radially above the elevating base 145. Each arm 152 has a sliding member 153 provided at its lower part loosely fitted on a guide rail 147 fixed on the upper surface of the elevating base 145, and is slidable. Further, a roller 1 is provided at the inner end of each arm 152.
54 are provided, and each roller 154 is provided with a cam member 18.
2 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface. The cam member 182 is a columnar member having a smaller diameter at the upper portion. As the lifting base 145 moves up and down, each arm 152 moves up and down while each roller 154 is in contact with the outer periphery of the cam member 182. Each arm 152 also moves in the horizontal direction, and when the elevating base 145 is raised, each substrate gripping claw 151 is closed to grip the substrate W, and when it is lowered, the substrate gripping claw 151 is opened to release the substrate W.

As described above, the lifter pins 140 support the substrate W only at the distal end, and the substrate gripping portion 150 grips the substrate W only at the distal end portion of the substrate gripping claw 151. The generation of particles and the like due to the above can be suppressed.

The suction chuck 130 is connected to the substrate rotation motor 120 inside the base 181 through the rotation shaft 112 passing through the cam member 182.
Rotates by the drive of Further, since the rotating shaft 112 does not move up and down, the suction chuck 130 does not move up and down.

A vacuum pipe 112a for adsorbing a substrate is provided in the rotary shaft 112. The vacuum pipe 112a is connected to an external pipe 191 via a bearing 184 having a ventilation path therein. I have. External piping 1
91 is connected to the factory vacuum line via a three-way valve 192, and the remaining ports of the three-way valve 192 are open to the atmosphere. The three-way valve 192 is connected to a controller, and the control switches the vacuum line and the atmosphere release line at a predetermined timing.

The developing solution nozzle 210 is provided with a developing solution supply source 24 through a slit 210a (see FIG. 3) provided at a lower portion thereof and serving as a developing solution discharge port longer than the diameter of the substrate W.
The slit nozzle discharges the developing solution supplied from the top of the substrate W into a curtain shape on the upper surface of the substrate W.

The nozzle horizontal drive unit 220 includes a nozzle drive motor 221, pulleys 222a and 222b, and a timing belt 223. The rotation of the nozzle drive motor allows the developer nozzle 210 connected to the timing belt 223 to move horizontally. Has become.

Then, while discharging the developing solution, the developing solution nozzle 210 is moved perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction by an arrow A1 (FIG. 3).
(See FIG. 3), the developer is filled on the entire upper surface of the substrate W.

As described above, the developer nozzle 210 can move horizontally while maintaining a constant height.

Further, the substrate processing section having the above configuration operates as follows in each processing.

FIG. 2 shows the state when the developer is applied. That is, the three-way valve 192 is released to the atmosphere and the suction chuck 13 is released.
0, the lifting drive motor 1
As the lifting base 145 is raised by the drive of 60, the lifter pin 140 is raised and the substrate gripping claw 151 is closed. As a result, the substrate W is supported on the lifter pins 140, the outer periphery is gripped by the substrate gripping claws 151, and the substrate W is separated from the suction chuck 130. Then, in this state, the developing solution nozzle 210 performs the filling of the developing solution as described above. At this time, the cup 110 is lowered.

In this state, the substrate W is separated from the suction chuck 130. This is because the substrate rotating motor to which the suction chuck 130 is connected is rigidly fixed to the apparatus main body as described above, and it is difficult to adjust the horizontality of the upper surface of the suction chuck 130, but the four lifter pins 140 Since fine adjustment of each mounting height can be easily performed, the substrate W can be horizontally supported with high accuracy. Therefore, the inclination of the substrate W is eliminated, and the substrate W is further connected to the lifter pins 14.
In addition, since the substrate W is supported near the center and the peripheral edge portion is gripped by the substrate gripping claw 151, the deflection of the substrate W due to its own weight is reduced, and therefore, the substrate W can be horizontally held with high accuracy.

Further, as described above, since the developing solution nozzle 210 can move horizontally at a constant height, the distance between the upper surface of the substrate W and the tip of the developing solution nozzle 210 is kept constant over the entire surface of the substrate W. , Whereby the developer nozzle 2
The supply amount of the developer by 10 can also be kept constant, so that the in-plane uniform supply of the developer can be performed on the upper surface of the substrate W.

As described above, the developing solution can be uniformly applied on the upper surface of the substrate W, and the development process can be performed uniformly.

During rinsing and spin drying,
The lifting base 145 is lowered by driving the lifting drive motor 160 to lower the lifter pins 140 as shown in FIG.
The substrate W is placed on the upper surface, and the three-way valve 192 is switched to a state in which the substrate W is connected to the vacuum line of the factory. At this time, the cup 110 also moves up.

In this state, the substrate rotating motor 120
By driving the suction chuck 130 to rotate the substrate W, the rinsing nozzle 310 is moved above the center of the substrate W as shown by an arrow A2 in FIG. Then, a rinsing process is performed while maintaining the rotation of the substrate W.

When the substrate is carried in and out, the state is almost the same as that of the rinsing process and the spin dry, but only the cup 110 is lowered.

As described above, only the vertical drive by the vertical drive motor 160 serves both the lifting and lowering of the lifter pins 140 and the opening and closing of the substrate gripping portion 150, thereby simplifying the apparatus configuration.

<1-2. Processing Procedure of First Embodiment>
FIG. 5 is a timing chart of a series of substrate processing including development processing, rinsing processing, and spin dry processing in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the processing procedure in this apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In addition,
As an initial state, the substrate W is not held on the suction chuck 130, the cup 110 is lowered, the developer nozzle 210 and the rinse nozzle 310 are in a standby state, the lifter pins 140 are lowered, and the suction Chuck 1
Reference numeral 30 denotes a state in which the three-way valve 192 is opened to the atmosphere (hereinafter, referred to as “adsorption release state”), and the substrate W is in a rotation stop state.

First, the three-way valve 192 is switched to a state in which the three-way valve 192 is connected to a vacuum line of a factory (hereinafter, referred to as “adsorption state”), and immediately after starting the evacuation, the substrate W is transferred onto the adsorption chuck 130 by a transfer arm of an external device (not shown). Is placed and adsorbed.

Next, the suction chuck 130 is switched to the suction releasing state, the lifter pins 140 are raised, and the substrate W is raised while closing the substrate gripping claws 151. Then, the developing solution nozzle 210 is moved over the substrate W while discharging the developing solution, so that the developing solution is filled on the entire surface of the substrate.

Next, when the liquid level of the developing solution is completed, the process waits for a predetermined time for development.

Next, when the development is completed, the suction chuck 1
Immediately after switching the state of the substrate 30 to the suction state, the lifter pin 140 is lowered to suction-hold the substrate W on the suction chuck 130 again. At the same time, raise the cup 110,
The rotation in which the suction chuck 130 and the substrate W are integrated is started.

Next, the rinsing nozzle 310 is moved to a position above the center of the substrate W, and the supply of the cleaning liquid is started to start the rinsing process.

Next, after the rinsing process is completed, the rotation of the substrate W is maintained while the substrate W is rotated, and the process proceeds to a spin dry process in which the cleaning liquid is shaken off.

Next, when the spin dry processing is completed, the rotation of the substrate W is stopped, and the substrate W is brought into a suction releasing state. At the same time, the cup 110 is lowered.

Finally, the processed substrate W is carried out by the external transfer arm, and the next substrate W is loaded or the substrate processing is completed.

The above is the procedure of substrate processing in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment.

As described above, according to the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, since the suction of the substrate W by the suction chuck 130 is released when the developer is filled, the substrate W by suction is removed. Of the developer W
In-plane uniform supply to the upper surface can be performed.

Further, when the developer is filled, the substrate W
Is carried out in a state in which the substrate W is separated from the suction chuck 130 by the lifter pins 140, so that the inclination of the substrate W due to the inclination of the suction chuck 130 does not occur, so that the in-plane uniform supply of the developing solution to the upper surface of the substrate W is performed. be able to.

[0053]

[2. Second Embodiment In the second embodiment, the apparatus configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. However, the lifter pins 140, the substrate gripping section 150, and their driving mechanisms ( Only the lifting drive motor 160) is omitted. The substrate processing performed by this apparatus is an apparatus that performs the same development processing, rinsing processing, and spin dry processing as the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart of a series of second substrate processing over development processing, rinsing processing, and spin dry processing in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the substrate processing in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In the substrate processing in the second embodiment, the only difference is that the substrate W is not supported by the lifter pins 140 in the developing process, and the substrate W is not held by the substrate holding unit 150. Therefore, the substrate W is still placed on the suction chuck 130 during the developing process. However, during the developing process, the substrate W must be in the suction releasing state. The same operation as the substrate processing in the embodiment is performed.

Also in the second embodiment, since the suction is released when the developing solution is filled, the bending of the substrate W due to the suction can be prevented, and the in-plane uniform liquid of the developing solution on the substrate W can be prevented. It can be performed.

[0057]

[3. Modifications As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the lifter pins 140 and the substrate gripping section 150 are operated only by driving the elevation drive motor 160, but the present invention is not limited to this. Lifter pin 140
And the substrate holding portion 150 may be independently driven by separate driving mechanisms, and the timing of lifting and lowering the substrate W by the lifter pins 140 and the timing of holding the substrate by the substrate holding portion 150 may be different.

Further, the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment
The lifter 140 includes a lifter pin 140 and a substrate grip 150, and the lift of the substrate W by the lifter pin 140 and the substrate grip 150
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is assumed that the substrate W is held only by the substrate gripping claws 151 during the suction release, and in that case, the lifter pins 140 are not provided. Alternatively, the substrate W may be held only by the lifter pins 140, and in this case, the configuration may be such that the substrate gripping portion 150 is not provided.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment
Although the lifting drive motor 160 is used as the lifting drive mechanism of the lifting base 145, the present invention is not limited to this, and the lifting base 145 may be raised and lowered by another linear actuator such as an air cylinder.

The substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment
Although the suction chuck 140 and the substrate W are separated by lifting the substrate W by the lifter pins 140,
The present invention is not limited to this, and the substrate and the suction chuck may be separated by lowering the suction chuck while supporting the substrate with fixed pins.

Further, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the first and second embodiments, the apparatus mainly handles a developing solution as a processing liquid. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other processing liquids such as a resist may be used. A supply device may be used.

Further, in the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, the cup 110 can be moved up and down. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Not fixed may be used.

[0063]

As described above, according to the first and third aspects of the present invention, when the processing liquid is supplied, the substrate is released from the suction by the suction holding means, so that the substrate is bent by the suction. Therefore, the processing liquid can be uniformly supplied to the substrate in the plane.

Further, according to the second and fourth aspects of the present invention, when supplying the processing liquid, the processing liquid is supplied while the substrate and the suction holding means are relatively separated by the separation means. Since the inclination of the substrate due to the inclination of the means does not occur, the in-plane uniform supply of the processing liquid to the substrate can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a substrate processing unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the substrate processing unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the substrate processing unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of the first substrate processing in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart of the first substrate processing in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate processing apparatus 10 Substrate processing part 40 Control part 130 Suction chuck 140 Lifter pin (separation means) 150 Substrate grip part 151 Substrate gripping claw 160 Elevation drive motor (separation drive means) 210 Developer nozzle

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masao Tsuji 322 Hazukashi Furukawacho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Dainichi Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (72) Inside the Rakusai Office (72) Inventor Yoichi Nishimura 322 Habushishi Furukawa-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto Dainichi Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akihiko Morita 322 Habushishi Furukawacho Dainichi Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Rakusai Office

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A substrate processing method for performing various kinds of processing including supply of a processing liquid while holding a substrate substantially horizontally, wherein processing other than the supply of the processing liquid among the various kinds of processing is performed by sucking a substrate by a substrate suction holding unit. A substrate processing method comprising: releasing the suction of the substrate by the suction holding means when supplying the processing liquid. 2. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein, when supplying the processing liquid, the processing liquid is supplied while the substrate and the suction holding unit are relatively separated by a separation unit. Substrate processing method. 3. A substrate processing apparatus for performing various kinds of processing while holding a substrate substantially horizontally, comprising: a suction holding unit that horizontally holds a substrate by suction; a processing liquid supply unit that supplies a processing liquid to the substrate; A control unit for controlling the operation of the suction holding unit and the processing liquid supply unit, wherein the control unit releases the suction of the substrate by the suction holding unit when the processing liquid is supplied. Processing equipment. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a separation unit that relatively separates the substrate and the suction holding unit; and a separation driving unit that drives the separation unit. A substrate processing apparatus, wherein, when supplying the processing liquid, the processing liquid is supplied in a state in which the separation unit separates the substrate from the suction holding unit. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said separation means further includes a substrate support elevating pin for lifting and lowering while supporting the substrate. 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising substrate holding means for holding the raised substrate by an outer periphery thereof.